Newbie mistake.

[Pfrasco]

There i was, our first trip away from home over spring break.... How many stories start like that? Here's mine.

When i bought my rig and B&W patriot, I took it down to the local school parking lot and turned 90 degrees, which I could do with a few inches of space.

First trip out to Dallas last week... What happens? GPS takes me down a road that is closed and the Park didn't have anything on their site that mentions this. I think you all know where this is going by this point.

I fortunately found a pasture entrance to back the rig into to turn it around. What I didn't account for is the angle of the rig on that entrance. Yep, new window panel coming for me in the next few days.

So lesson learned, if you're close don't expect the rig to behave the same out on uneven roads like it does in a flat parking lot This is with the 6'4" bed.

[LCBoyer]

We all learn as we go along! I'm glad no one was injured and you were able to get out without assistance!

[Pfrasco]

We all learn as we go along! I'm glad no one was injured and you were able to get out without assistance!

Absolutely, Fortunately I have quite a bit of experience with normal trailers otherwise it would have been a really bad day. We were half a mile down the road and less than a 1/4 mile from the park when the sign became visible. Still learning with the pivot point being over the back axle but in the end its a lesson learned. There may be a slider hitch in my future.

Pete

[steve gravelle]

You have my empathy! First newbie mistake was trying to slide through a narrow slot at a fuel stop, had it made until the tail swing of our 337 pancake the box side of a Ram pickup at the adjoining pump, damage to rear corner of our home repaired at Grand Design Service Center before the initial rally. Your prior trailer experience is good!

[2butler]

I have been there as well! I am leaving the dent in my cab as a reminder of how stupid I can be. Mine may make you feel better! I had just had a total knee replacement. We were full timing it in a lake side RV park. I had not taken any pain pills in 24 hours so we could travel to that park. Well we ended up getting there late at night and the camp host guided me into the spot. I unhooked and headed for my pain pills. The next morning I was still hurting and had to that some of my pain pills, 40 minutes later I took a stronger pain pill. Well I hooked my crutch on the carpet and took a fall shortly after that. So in my condition I took the morphine the Dr said I would need. Well heck 20 minutes later I was feeling pretty good. I decided to go out and look at the park, when I noticed that my 5th wheel was not straight in the spot. Well that was not going to set well for me and looking at it I just needed to back in 90 degrees to the 5th wheel hook up and pull it 4 feet over and it would be straight! Then just use the 6 point level system to lift the 5th wheel up relax the axles...Easy! Well as I am backing up, my lovely wife returns and asked me what I was doing. After explaining she said well you do know your more than 90 degrees right...............little voice said get out and check, morphine said your good! she does not know what 90 degrees even is! So apparently I gave her the look like "Oh really watch this" and now I have a dent in the cab of my truck. Luckily I did not pop the window out, but it is a reminder to always listen to that little voice, and maybe my wife. I set the 5th wheel walked in and grabbed the coffee filter full of grounds and dumped that whole bottle of Morphine into it. So at least yours was the ground changing the angle, mine was just stupidity!

I hope you feel better about yours now, I can see the dent from my window, so I am going to move now. have a good one! cheers!

[Namlehse]

We're staying at Stockton Lake (MO) this weekend, found the road to be closed four miles down. Thankfully it was just after the park, however it would have been bad coming from the other direction.

I was going to ask if there was a way to look up closed roads to avoid these issues. Anyone know of anything?

[Pfrasco]

We're staying at Stockton Lake (MO) this weekend, found the road to be closed four miles down. Thankfully it was just after the park, however it would have been bad coming from the other direction.

I was going to ask if there was a way to look up closed roads to avoid these issues. Anyone know of anything?

What got me pretty upset about the whole thing was that the park was fully aware of the closure and didn't say anything. I mean I spoke to a live person at the park. They could have said "hey just so you know the one road is closed." I literally talked to them two days before arriving so it wasn't a new closure.
I guess again that is just another lesson learned. "Ask the park... Hey are there any road closures that will impact our ability to get in?" It's already added to my pre departure checks


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[Cate&Rob]

Absolutely, Fortunately I have quite a bit of experience with normal trailers otherwise it would have been a really bad day. We were half a mile down the road and less than a 1/4 mile from the park when the sign became visible. Still learning with the pivot point being over the back axle but in the end its a lesson learned. There may be a slider hitch in my future.

Pete

Pete, I know that many who choose a slider, choose an auto version for it's "convenience" in keeping the trailer away from the cab in tight turns. A benefit of the old manual style for situations like you describe is that it immediately puts the trailer pin 10" to 12" behind the axle which makes maneuvering more like a bumper pull. It takes less truck angle to get the trailer backing in the direction you want it to go. Just a thought . . . if you are considering a slider. Really not that difficult to get out and throw the handle when you need to.

Rob

[Pfrasco]

Pete, I know that many who choose a slider, choose an auto version for it's "convenience" in keeping the trailer away from the cab in tight turns. A benefit of the old manual style for situations like you describe is that it immediately puts the trailer pin 10" to 12" behind the axle which makes maneuvering more like a bumper pull. It takes less truck angle to get the trailer backing in the direction you want it to go. Just a thought . . . if you are considering a slider. Really not that difficult to get out and throw the handle when you need to.

Rob

Thanks Rob. I've been watching the many posts about sliders. The dealer was, of course, like " oh noo you don't need a slider with this". I agree. I like the idea for a manual slider. I like the feel of the rig over the axle but just need the flexibility in a situation like I had this last week. Thanks again.


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[Johnnybgood]

I read your post and was wondering if you have considered a sliding 5th wheel hitch which allows short beds to keep away from your window? Champion makes one, in fact I got one I'm trying to sell if interested. It mounts to an existing goose neck, B&W style.