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  1. #11
    Fireside Member James D.'s Avatar
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    Dec 2014
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    Riverside, CA
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    Among a long list of "rookie" mistakes, I had a slider hitch. Making a sharp turn, the brake cable caught and pulled out. Wham! The brakes locked up. Fortunately there was no one behind me.

    Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
    Tony & Judy DaVanzo
    Riverside, CA
    2015 Solitude 320x #3626 Plant #1 Line #1
    2016 Dodge Ram 3500 Dually Cummins Diesel / Aisin Transmission

  2. #12
    Big Traveler
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    Haha that reminds me of when I opened the bedroom slide and the dogs tennis ball was there under the bed where I couldn't see it. Ripped the roller right off the bed. Totally forgot about that.

  3. #13
    Site Sponsor JCR GD's Avatar
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    Mar 2015
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    Central Cal
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    Used my rear awning arm to violently adjust and remove the rain gutter on my house. Long tail swing is something to pay attention to in tight spots. Replaced the rain gutter but left the scratches on awning arm as a reminder. Doh!
    Jim (& Sharon)
    2015 GD Momentum 385TH - SOLD
    For Sale - 2015 Ford F-350 DRW 4x4 Lariat w/ AirLift bags, Titan 65 gal. OEM replacement fuel tank.
    The toy:
    2017 RZR XP 1000 EPS SE

  4. #14
    Seasoned Camper
    Join Date
    May 2016
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    Florida
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    I can't even come close to what you've all already mentioned, but maybe this will help someone else to not make the mistakes I've made.

    I had a Volvo 770 as my tow vehicle. I'd had it reduced to a single axel and put an air ride hitch on it. The second time I'd hooked it up I didn't have the hitch fully engaged and pulled away. Dropped the 44' Travel Supreme on the ground. Because of the shortened truck bed it missed the truck, but when falling to the ground it drove one of the front legs up and into housing, oh crap, how do I get it off the ground. I got lucky, the campground had a front loader and was able to lift the 5th wheel (just barely, the loader was rocking up off it's back wheels) up enough for us to put blocks under the bad leg. I was able to use the one good leg and blocks to get it up enough to re-hitch it to the truck and this time make sure it was locked in. Damage was minimal, only had to weld a small stop shim on the front leg that got sheered off and the leG worked again. There wasn't any damage to the 5er or the truck ... lucky. This was in 2006, and we FT from 2006-2008. You'd think I learned a thing or two ...

    On 28 Jan 2017 I pick up our brand new 2017 Solitude 384GK and park it on my driveway. Not liking that we have to back the truck out of the garage and down the drive way (the 5er is in the way) I had my 29 year old son help me move it onto the grass next to the driveway. Oh did I mention that it had been snowing and we had about 2" of snow on the ground (this should have been a big red light). Well, we get it hooked up and moved over, stop short so we can put some wood under the tires and when I try to back up again, it won't move. All 6 tires are spinning and digging in the soft ground. We put down the jacks, lift the 5er up so that the truck can pull out (and yes I had the tail gate down, thank God). I tell my son to go and keep going so that we don't get the truck stuck. He goes, I say STOP, STOP, STOP ... too late. I'd forgotten to disconnect the power cord from the inside of the truck bed. Ripped it out of the truck (plastic broke, no damage to the truck), and pull the electrical box out from under the 5er pin box. He stopped in time to limit the damage. Cost, depends on how I look at it. Nothing damaged as far as the wiring goes, it all works when plugged in. I purchased a TPMS and camera from Ford with the truck, so I've purchased the kit to move the 12 pin connector to the side of the bed and the extension cable to move the 12 pin wires up. The new box for the side of the bed is metal so I'd better not do this again.

    Lesson learned, don't get in a hurry, it was cold out and I didn't do my usual checks before moving out. You'd have though I would have learned from my drop in 2006 but no matter how much experience I may have gained from FTing, I'm reminded that I'm only human and mistakes will continue to be made. Hopefully I keep them on the inexpensive side of the equation.

    Hope this helps someone to learn from my mistakes. Now keep the OOPS coming

    Pete
    Pete & Carla Nelson
    2017 F-350, diesel, DRW, Lariat, 8' bed, Ford's TPMS, Furrion camera, Revolver X2 Tonneau Cover
    2017 Solitude 384GK, with dual pane windows, slide toppers, gen ready, heat pump.
    Added items: WiFiRanger EliteAC (external antenna), WiFiRanger GoAC (Router),
    Trailer Saver BD3 w/underbed adapter, Cheapheat system, Fantastic fan (bathroom), 50 Amp Hughes Auto Former w/surge protection, 5th wheel skirting.
    MoRryde independent suspension, 8k axle, disc breaks, Sailun S637 tires

  5. #15
    Long Hauler D2Reid's Avatar
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    Dec 2016
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    Somewhere, USA
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    Popey, that is one big ouchy!

    Ok I like this idea. One of my favorite things to do is to laugh at my own idiocy. Mostly other people enjoy laughing at me also. So if I were to start with all of my stories in one posting most everyone would have to go get a refill on their favorite libation. More people would just fall asleep. So I will continue to post things I have done in the last 7 years so long as others post also.

    Our first trip out. We had all the hookups and a spanky new Honda 7500 generator. Donald McDonald Park near Vero Beach, FL. It's an older park, I think a county park. Anyway, some friends wanted to meet us for kayaking and Manatee Watching. Cool. It had no hookups, no problem we got generator, water, propane, big holding tanks. We pull into the park and go inside to register. The ranger asks us what type of camper we have, 40' 5th wheel, 13' 6" tall. Hmmm! He wants to go look. So we go outside and he comments, I don't think we have ever had one that big here before.

    That should have been a big red flag, but we are new and enthusiastic, there is nothing we can't work out. So we sign in, pay the money, he recommends a site. Then he says, I think I will follow you up to the camp site. As we start down this narrow 2 tire dirt track I am watching the trees. Some of the branches are looking a little low. We had purchased walkie talkies so we could communicate while backing up. Read about it on a forum, seemed like a good idea. So I talked DW into climbing up on the ladder in the rear with instructions that should she observe a low branch she would radio me and I would stop. Great plan. Can you imagine your spouse climbing up on the rear ladder, hanging on and watching low branches come by as you drive?

    But being inexperienced in the this process by the time DW recognized the branch was too low it was wedged on top of the front AC. Stopped. Blocking the road, thankfully it wasn’t busy. Ranger gets out of his truck, “Is everything all right?”. Well no, walk around the outside, he can’t see the top of the AC, we tell him what the problem is. I invite him up on the roof to see. We go up. We tried picking the branch up enough to pull under it, no go, and he was a strong strapping young man. He says well, we haven’t trimmed the trail much in the last few years looks like it might be time. So I offer to get the chain saw out and trim his trees. No, that’s the job of the rangers. So he gets his chain saw out and we up on the roof. Can anyone see this going wrong?

    It didn’t. Me and the ranger spent about 2 hours driving and trimming. We got parked in our spot and had a great time. Kind of an anti-climactic story, no damage no trauma, but a herald of adventures to come.

  6. #16
    Seasoned Camper
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    Oct 2015
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    Although I am a seasoned rv owner I will say my most epic fail was with my brand new 350m purchased in October 2015. 3 months later we depart for so cal and and awesome week of desert riding, pull into my girlfriends mother and father property and while turning catch the left rear of the trailer swing on the fence and damage the corner, get out and say a few choice words, then pull forward to finish and clip trees on property and tear hole in brand new roof!!! After some more choice words and a few cocktails I put it all behind me and looked forward to getting to our destination at jam one canyon the next day. Depart and arrive just fine,( after cutting a few branches off said tree) get to desert and start to set up and forgot my own Cardinal rule, never lean anything against trailer!!! Leaned step near from hydraulic leveler after unhooking truck and forgot when you push auto level that trailer "dips" down and heard crunching noise! Panicked and stopped autolevel only to find my extra step crushed and corner of front of trailer near gen compartment also crushed!!! After more alcohol and cuss words we finished trip without damaging anything else and consider it " broken in now" . $$1700 out of pocket and repairs complete!! Life lesson..... priceless!!!

  7. #17
    Seasoned Camper
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    Jan 2017
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    Mn
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    We where leaving to go to a big race, 300 miles from home,right about 8pm we get waved down by passing car saying our camper is on fire !!! We pull right over jump out and see its not on fire. Only the rear wheel is glowing bright RED !!! As soon as we saw it,it went poof and started on fire ! I grabbed the only water we had from a cooler and threw it at the wheel. It put the fire out and Shattered the brake drum! Needless to say nothing was open and we had to get to the race. took the tire off and used a claw hammer to poke a hole in the frame and we chained the axle up as best we could and hammered down the highway on one wheel !!! We laughed the entire way because every time we hit a good bump the trailer would bottom out on that axle and throw up a huge spark show !!!! We made it to the race and fixed the axle for the trip home .....good times .....
    2016 solitude 379fl
    Minnesota,North metro
    summers @ flying goose
    fairmont,Mn seasonal

  8. #18
    Fireside Member Guns338's Avatar
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    Aug 2016
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    Houston Texas
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    LOL , Good stuff !
    We have only been RVers for about 8 months, so I cant compete with most of these.
    The Thread idea came to me because I never thought that only 8 months in, I would Have screwed up so much.
    I grew up in the country around tractors and heavy equipment. I've been driving since I was probably 8 yrs old. and thought I "Got This" .. .LOL

    Just goes to show your never to old to learn.
    Be Safe Out there and Thanks for sharing !!!!

  9. #19
    Left The Driveway
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    Jan 2017
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    Quote Originally Posted by D2Reid View Post
    Popey, that is one big ouchy!

    Ok I like this idea. One of my favorite things to do is to laugh at my own idiocy. Mostly other people enjoy laughing at me also. So if I were to start with all of my stories in one posting most everyone would have to go get a refill on their favorite libation. More people would just fall asleep. So I will continue to post things I have done in the last 7 years so long as others post also.

    Our first trip out. We had all the hookups and a spanky new Honda 7500 generator. Donald McDonald Park near Vero Beach, FL. It's an older park, I think a county park. Anyway, some friends wanted to meet us for kayaking and Manatee Watching. Cool. It had no hookups, no problem we got generator, water, propane, big holding tanks. We pull into the park and go inside to register. The ranger asks us what type of camper we have, 40' 5th wheel, 13' 6" tall. Hmmm! He wants to go look. So we go outside and he comments, I don't think we have ever had one that big here before.

    That should have been a big red flag, but we are new and enthusiastic, there is nothing we can't work out. So we sign in, pay the money, he recommends a site. Then he says, I think I will follow you up to the camp site. As we start down this narrow 2 tire dirt track I am watching the trees. Some of the branches are looking a little low. We had purchased walkie talkies so we could communicate while backing up. Read about it on a forum, seemed like a good idea. So I talked DW into climbing up on the ladder in the rear with instructions that should she observe a low branch she would radio me and I would stop. Great plan. Can you imagine your spouse climbing up on the rear ladder, hanging on and watching low branches come by as you drive?

    But being inexperienced in the this process by the time DW recognized the branch was too low it was wedged on top of the front AC. Stopped. Blocking the road, thankfully it wasn’t busy. Ranger gets out of his truck, “Is everything all right?”. Well no, walk around the outside, he can’t see the top of the AC, we tell him what the problem is. I invite him up on the roof to see. We go up. We tried picking the branch up enough to pull under it, no go, and he was a strong strapping young man. He says well, we haven’t trimmed the trail much in the last few years looks like it might be time. So I offer to get the chain saw out and trim his trees. No, that’s the job of the rangers. So he gets his chain saw out and we up on the roof. Can anyone see this going wrong?

    It didn’t. Me and the ranger spent about 2 hours driving and trimming. We got parked in our spot and had a great time. Kind of an anti-climactic story, no damage no trauma, but a herald of adventures to come.

    I have been thinking about this possibility of happening with my 311bhs since our first trip we scratched the top of the AC cover pretty good from a low hanging branch (it too was a national forest and they wouldn't trim the limb. So i'm thinking next time I will let some of the air out of my trailer tires/truck tires to give me clearance, then air them up again once I'm passed the limb.
    Last edited by Greb-311BHS; 02-15-2017 at 08:30 AM.

  10. #20
    Left The Driveway
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    Jan 2017
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    I have only had my trailer out twice now, but have been paranoid both times. On each occassion the campground was tight, lots of trees and narrow roads. I am now wishing I had bought a smaller 5er. The only damage so far (knock on wood) is to my truck. I drove over the campground site sign that stood about 12 inches high and I couldn't see it from the cab when maneuvering to part the trailer. I have come so close to hitting things with my trailer it almost made me sick knowing what could have been.

    The Furrion back up camera has been great, but backing and maneuvering a 5er has my full respect now, much harder then it looks.

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