I just did one big stupid late this afternoon. I've been working on the new to us unit and have finally finished most things. The unit was sitting in the middle of the driveway with all the slides out, and a big snow storm is on its way. Decided to close it up for the rest of the winter and move it to one side. Hooked up to my tow vehicle-checked the hitch & the jaws sure looked closed & locked. Slowly pulled ahead and huge crash- the hitch jaws were NOT locked and I dropped the trailer down onto the F350 box. I managed to get the trailer up enough to get the trailer off the truck, and then worked with a couple of jacks to get the trailer back up high enough to re-hook it. I have a new appreciation about just how heavy these trailers are- both from the damage to my truck, and the fact I tried my 2 1/4 to floor jack to raise the trailer and it didn't move it. I went and bought a 12 ton bottle jack to jack one side and floor jack on other. Finally got it lifted back up.Truck box looks like someone did a karate chop across the box, driver's side is creased down about 5 inches- it buckled the floor in the middle of the box. So far I cannot see any damage to the trailer, but I am concerned about hidden damage. I'll check the bedroom slide tomorrow and see if it works. I'm in a dilemma whether I should report this to insurance. Hopefully a nights sleep will clear my head. Any thoughts about what I should look for in and on the trailer?
Stupid accident -2006 Landmark Shenadougha
- Thread starter Hoser43
- Start date
Hoser42,
Im sure that you will find your not the only one this has happed too, relax and take it in as a learning experiance, turning it in to your insurance ? your call, but there is a add on feature from "blue ox "called a (bed saver )that I put on my rig that will make life a bit easier, and peace of mind while your traveling down the road, once you back into pin and its there until you take the steps to make it ready to unhitch! Oh ya grab a cup of coffee or another adult beverage and you'll notice all of a sudden those mishaps are small, could have been worse happy camping!
And I have found that the front frame of your rig is tougher that u think check for damage inside the front storage and maybe stress cracks on the walls, if non visable you may be ok.
Mike
Im sure that you will find your not the only one this has happed too, relax and take it in as a learning experiance, turning it in to your insurance ? your call, but there is a add on feature from "blue ox "called a (bed saver )that I put on my rig that will make life a bit easier, and peace of mind while your traveling down the road, once you back into pin and its there until you take the steps to make it ready to unhitch! Oh ya grab a cup of coffee or another adult beverage and you'll notice all of a sudden those mishaps are small, could have been worse happy camping!
And I have found that the front frame of your rig is tougher that u think check for damage inside the front storage and maybe stress cracks on the walls, if non visable you may be ok.Mike
danemayer
Well-known member
Hoser43,
Sorry about your accident. The trailer is much stronger than the bed rails. As to insurance - on the truck - this might be covered under the comprehensive part of your policy. As such, there's a chance it might get treated like hail damage and might not drive a general increase in your insurance rates.
Sometimes the hitch jaws look closed, but may not have latched into position. It's a good practice to do a "pull test" after hooking up, before driving away. Raise the landing gear 1/4" to 1/2" off the ground and use chocks and/or trailer brakes to hold the trailer while pressing on the accelerator to see if the hitch holds. If the hitch releases, the trailer doesn't have very far to go.
Sorry about your accident. The trailer is much stronger than the bed rails. As to insurance - on the truck - this might be covered under the comprehensive part of your policy. As such, there's a chance it might get treated like hail damage and might not drive a general increase in your insurance rates.
Sometimes the hitch jaws look closed, but may not have latched into position. It's a good practice to do a "pull test" after hooking up, before driving away. Raise the landing gear 1/4" to 1/2" off the ground and use chocks and/or trailer brakes to hold the trailer while pressing on the accelerator to see if the hitch holds. If the hitch releases, the trailer doesn't have very far to go.
Ray LeTourneau
Senior Member - Past Moderator
Hoser43, As a few others have said, you're not alone. Mine dropped moving sites in a campground. I had forgotten to engage the safety lock on the hitch. Depending on what truck you have, maybe you can find a used bed in a salvage yard. Good Luck and have a safe winter.
rick_debbie_gallant
Well-known member
Ya could forget the box, remove it and have a custom built flat bed tow hauling box built.
2psnapod1
Texas-South Chapter Leader-Retired
We, too, dropped our Key Largo on the bed of our truck. Key Largo was about 3 months old...truck about 8 months old. We did turn it into insurance $10,000 worth of damage to the truck much less to the coach. We normally did a pull test but that time we were interrupted We now do a pull test no matter what and also installed a bedsaver! Don't beat yourself up over it...it's not worth it.
Tool958
Well-known member
You aren't the only one that has done this by a long shot. Here's a thread I started in May about what happened to me.
//heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/31044-Fifth-Wheel-Damage
It made me sick. I don't think we've still figured out all of the damage to our camper. The screws under the overhang keep working loose on the panels. I've tightened them several times, but after traveling they loosen up. It also spidered the fiberglass nosecone where it dropped on the truck bed. I would turn it into insurance. Between the damage to the Cyclone and the truck bed replacement, it was over $6000 worth of damage. We do the hitch test religiously every time we hook up, no matter how little we are going to move it. Was there a problem with your jacks as to why you had to lift it with the portable jacks? I just set the feet back down on ours and lifted it that way. Good luck with it. I know exactly how you feel.
//heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/31044-Fifth-Wheel-Damage
It made me sick. I don't think we've still figured out all of the damage to our camper. The screws under the overhang keep working loose on the panels. I've tightened them several times, but after traveling they loosen up. It also spidered the fiberglass nosecone where it dropped on the truck bed. I would turn it into insurance. Between the damage to the Cyclone and the truck bed replacement, it was over $6000 worth of damage. We do the hitch test religiously every time we hook up, no matter how little we are going to move it. Was there a problem with your jacks as to why you had to lift it with the portable jacks? I just set the feet back down on ours and lifted it that way. Good luck with it. I know exactly how you feel.
All the trailers that get dropped every year really makes a great case for the GN and Goose Box. Knock on wood we have never dropped any of our trailers in the past 50+ years. With the addition of the Goose Box which will keep your warranty intact it allows you to make that call. Most of the 5th Wheels belonging to farmers/ranchers have the adapter to eliminate the time of changing out hitches and keep the box clean. Most of the current GN hitches are removable in a few seconds leaving you a clean box.
wildwolfproducts
Well-known member
That is the reason I always look and make sure the bottom of the pin is below the jaws. Because if you can see the thick part of the bottom of the pin. Plus the jaws wrapped around the main part of the pin. It can't and will never come unhooked. Same as with big trucks if you hook up where the 5th wheel does not lift the trailer just a bit. This can happen, as the pin is sitting on top of the jaws not down into them.
Sorry it happened to you, But always do the pull test and look to make sure the pin is where it should be. Not just that the jaws are closed.
Pete
Sorry it happened to you, But always do the pull test and look to make sure the pin is where it should be. Not just that the jaws are closed.
Pete
ILH
Well-known member
I have been reluctant until now to admit - but in July I dropped my nearly-new rig on my truck while in Geneseo. My sixteen year old son and I had each done a visual check, followed by a tug test. Yet somehow the pin pulled out - we still can't figure out how. Thank goodness we had only moved ahead about 10 feet and were going less than 2MPH.
The truck bed received $8,000 damage - while the trailer only had minor fibreglass damage at the point of contact. My dealer checked out the unit to ensure the front caulking seals were intact (they were). I elected not to have the insurance company cover the fibreglass repair.
One of the responses suggested that maybe the comprehensive portion of your insurance would cover your truck damage. Initially this is the position my inurance company took - but quickly changed when they said that damage caused by a trailer attached to your vehicle is considered a collision. Go figure.
The truck bed received $8,000 damage - while the trailer only had minor fibreglass damage at the point of contact. My dealer checked out the unit to ensure the front caulking seals were intact (they were). I elected not to have the insurance company cover the fibreglass repair.
One of the responses suggested that maybe the comprehensive portion of your insurance would cover your truck damage. Initially this is the position my inurance company took - but quickly changed when they said that damage caused by a trailer attached to your vehicle is considered a collision. Go figure.
Attachments
porthole
Retired
I don't see how the pin can pull out if the hitch is latched (BD3)
I have the same hitch and although I was not hooking up to move, I was hooking and unhooking for some reason. I did not pull the pin releasing the arm (forgot). So when I backed in all looked good. And with the hitch from released, to staged to lock there is very little visual difference with the arm. And the factory paint mark is a little weak.
The jaws on that head wrap around and "appear" latched, but the 2" block of steel has to slide between the space at the back of the jaws. I just don't see how the jaws can release if the block is in. The block does not slide until the jaws are closed. And the block is held in by spring tension.
I was lucky, all I did was scratch the top of my tail gate plastic trim. That was only $38 and 5 minutes to change.
Once I hitch up I visually look at the jaws, then connect the pig tail.When I do my brake check - every time - I first back into the trailer, fairly hard with the brakes locked and then pull fairly hard forward. Hard enough to drag the trailer a bit. I also move the release arm to insure that it is indeed latched and the snap pin is preventing it from moving to the un-latch position.
And every time I pull out to leave I think about all these stories, at least for the first minute or two.
I have the same hitch and although I was not hooking up to move, I was hooking and unhooking for some reason. I did not pull the pin releasing the arm (forgot). So when I backed in all looked good. And with the hitch from released, to staged to lock there is very little visual difference with the arm. And the factory paint mark is a little weak.
The jaws on that head wrap around and "appear" latched, but the 2" block of steel has to slide between the space at the back of the jaws. I just don't see how the jaws can release if the block is in. The block does not slide until the jaws are closed. And the block is held in by spring tension.
I was lucky, all I did was scratch the top of my tail gate plastic trim. That was only $38 and 5 minutes to change.
Once I hitch up I visually look at the jaws, then connect the pig tail.When I do my brake check - every time - I first back into the trailer, fairly hard with the brakes locked and then pull fairly hard forward. Hard enough to drag the trailer a bit. I also move the release arm to insure that it is indeed latched and the snap pin is preventing it from moving to the un-latch position.
And every time I pull out to leave I think about all these stories, at least for the first minute or two.
