Dropped the fifth wheel - at 60 mph

[2hams]

Looking for recommendations on any non-obvious damage items to look for....

Here's the story. We have a 2014 Reflection 303RLS. We were not high hitched and did a pull test. Our hitch is a B&W. We towed about 150 miles on interstate and 2 lane state roads and stopped at an interstate rest stop. I glanced but didn't look closely at the hitch before we left (lesson learned the hard way). About 10 miles later, traveling at 60 in the right lane, boom! The trailer came off, taking the V tailgate with it, the break away cable pulled and the brakes and soft sandy dirt stopped the rig upright on the wide shoulder, but not before grazing a road sign. Thank goodness it went to the shoulder rather than across 3 lanes of 70+ mph traffic on I95. No one was hurt. The belly was a few inches off the ground and the landing gear worked enough to raise it some. The only others at the rest stop were also RVers, and I have a few choice words for them. The B&W hitch pin was in the arm and frame correctly when we left Sarasota. After the 'drop' the pin was only through the handle, but the break away cable was still attached. The keeper was engaged on the pin; it could not have come out by itself, and we could not have towed 150 miles like that.

I have nothing but good things to say about the Grand Design family, and thanks to Ted who stopped to help, and gave us the info for the RV repair shop nearby who did his warranty work for his Momentum. We have AAA roadside RV and the tow truck was there in less than 90 minutes. It was obvious that he had pulled many fifth wheels off I95; he said they normally roll where we landed, I think our extra few hundred pounds on the street side helped us.

Obvious damage includes the crunched front hatch, the dent underneath the hatch, the battery box pushed rearward, and the fiberglass gouges from the road sign. We did run the kitchen slide out at the dealer lot, and it didn't sound normal coming in; we have asked the dealer to look at that. The bedroom slide seemed fine. The quick stop shook things up inside, the only obvious damage was the face and side panel of the curb side nightstand were loose. (That is if you don't count the nearly full can of coffee that spilled when we opened the pantry door, ugh!)

Our rig is now at a RV repair shop. The insurance adjuster was there the next morning, but the repair shop had not yet done their estimate by Friday afternoon. They did seem busy, and said there were two body work repairs scheduled ahead of us. I was concerned when he started signing the story that well once we know what parts we need it will take 6 weeks to get them from the factory. We couldn't impose on family for 2 months, so have traveled the 800 miles home.

So, does anyone have suggestions for things that we should ensure that the repair shop looks at? We only want to go through this once, and get the damages discovered and repaired under the insurance claim.

A few of our pictures are at https://photos.app.goo.gl/zmBKf00aZlcHEo2i2

Thanks!

Jim - please move if I've posted in the wrong forum...

[grampscamper]

Very sorry to here about your misfortune. It certainly looks like someone tampered with your hitch.
If it's a reputable repair shop I would think they would know what to look for. Hopefully it didn't sustain any frame damage.
Glad to hear that nobody was injured. This could have been much worse.
You've given me something to think about. I will be checking my hitch every time I stop from now on.
Good luck with the repairs.
Bob

[Paul & Deb]

Wow guys! So sorry to hear this. Crazy. Do you suspect someone pulled the release on the hitch? I often worried about that when we overnight at Walmart after the manager told me IN THE WALMART WE WERE STAYING, that people were doing that.

[grampscamper]

I have the same hitch. If the safety pin is installed properly it is impossible for the jaws to open. I would think that if the pin was installed correctly during the pull test someone must have released the pin at the truck stop.

[sande005]

Oh wow! I would be concerned with serious frame/structural damage - twisted, crack/broken welds, popped wall panels, cracked laminate panels on both side walls, etc. etc. What you relate seems to point to a lot of bending and twisting forces on the whole thing. Hope your policy is for full replacement, as the adjuster may want to just total it.

Much less damage on my old Jayco fifth - water intrusion from a tree branch roof tear delaminated the fiberglass. A side and back wall replacement, plus roof repair pushed us to the edge of it's current value. Unknow was whether the other sidewall needed replacement too but was unknown until they started to work on it, which would have put us well over full new replacement cost. Compared to yours, my damage seemed to be less. Prepare yourself that the cost to repair may be well more than to just buy a new one.....and the time to repair will be far longer than "just" getting a new one.

Here in Minn. the company offered the option to pay us what the adjuster determined was the replacement value of the unit, and then we had the option to buy the unit for a few hundred dollars, and take the full risk of the final repair bill. But that would mean the title was labeled as "salvage" and required a detailed inspection by the state to certify that it was again road worthy. And no resale value on it at all, because of the "salvage" title. Hence the Imagine now in my signature!

[ChadandMel]

I’ve heard coworkers say that’s happened to them at truck stops as well in semi’s....some people.

Glad everything came out alright and no one was injured.

I would suggest going over it in great detail. I know most insurance companies will cover additional problem resulting from an accident found later on after the repair, but I know you want to get it all fixed at once. Hopefully the repair place is reputable.

I have the same hitch. I’ll be investing in a pad lock for where that pin goes.


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[Rapid1]

Man, that sucks! I've always worried about some joker messing with my stuff. I lock my handle with a padlock every time I hitch up, only removing it to unhitch. I catch a little flak from my friends because I lock stuff down, even when only leaving camp for a little while. I have locks on everything. I was in the RV business for many years in service and you should hear some of the stories I heard from RVers. I bet I've got well over a hundred dollars worth of locks/chains and cables.

I would just once like to catch someone messing with stuff, even somebody elses. I might be the one going to jail but nothing fries my tail more than vandalism or theft.

This incident could have easily killed people.

[Superduty]

I wonder if there might have been some security camera’s in the rest area. If so, might be able to see something, possibly.
Might be worth looking into.
My hitch Handle will be locked starting today.

[WhittleBurner]

Kay, you already know how we feel about what happened to you guys. What a crappy way to end a nice trip, it was great seeing you 3 during the past month.
A big hug to you , Dave and Molly. Hope they get you back on the road by the May Rally regardless if it's a repair or a replacement.
We'll be double checking the hitch at rest stops for now on.

[mgeiger]

Be sure to contact customer service at Grand Design to get their suggestions. After seeing pictures, I would be afraid of twisting in the frame and sides. I hope everything will be taken care of and will see you in Crossville in May