06-12-05: Update: Picture added
I added a picture of the carnage. You can see the mangled hardware from both ends of the slide awning in the picture.
Well, in two of my three last trips, I have managed to injury my rig. Two trips ago, I snagged a stop sign as I was leaving a campground. The sign was placed well past the stop line, right at the shoulder and I misjudged/never thought of it. Oops - I saw it flailing about in my mirror after the door-side of the trailer brushed it!
Well yesterday, as I was making a 90 degree turn into the Granger, IN KOA, I grazed the off-door side of the trailer. At least I was watching close enough to not actually scrape the trailer sidewall. But what did happen was the leading end of the kitchen/entretainment slide awning caught the tree at about 10' up. The tree leans slightly into the road which accounts for why the sidewall of the trailer was clear of the tree.
Well, it's pretty bad news for me. The awning is not reusable. In fact, I had to take the 5 screws off both brackets that mount to the slide in order to push the awning over the top of the slide in order to get the slide to come out. Today, with some help, I plan to slide the awning out of its track so I can get my rig on the road Sunday.
I'll have to ask the factory to order a replacement slide awning from Dometic. Not sure if I want to try to install it myself or have a dealer do it. Since the track that mounts to the coach above the slide if still usable, with 2 ladders and 2 people, we may be able to do it ourselves (Jeff - buddy!!).
For any of you that may be like me in that this is your first big rig, "swing wide" and watch not only your convex mirrors to ensure you're not hitting anything down low but be mindful of what might scrape your trailer up high that clears it down low.
Jim (the trailer destroyer)
I added a picture of the carnage. You can see the mangled hardware from both ends of the slide awning in the picture.
Well, in two of my three last trips, I have managed to injury my rig. Two trips ago, I snagged a stop sign as I was leaving a campground. The sign was placed well past the stop line, right at the shoulder and I misjudged/never thought of it. Oops - I saw it flailing about in my mirror after the door-side of the trailer brushed it!
Well yesterday, as I was making a 90 degree turn into the Granger, IN KOA, I grazed the off-door side of the trailer. At least I was watching close enough to not actually scrape the trailer sidewall. But what did happen was the leading end of the kitchen/entretainment slide awning caught the tree at about 10' up. The tree leans slightly into the road which accounts for why the sidewall of the trailer was clear of the tree.
Well, it's pretty bad news for me. The awning is not reusable. In fact, I had to take the 5 screws off both brackets that mount to the slide in order to push the awning over the top of the slide in order to get the slide to come out. Today, with some help, I plan to slide the awning out of its track so I can get my rig on the road Sunday.
I'll have to ask the factory to order a replacement slide awning from Dometic. Not sure if I want to try to install it myself or have a dealer do it. Since the track that mounts to the coach above the slide if still usable, with 2 ladders and 2 people, we may be able to do it ourselves (Jeff - buddy!!).
For any of you that may be like me in that this is your first big rig, "swing wide" and watch not only your convex mirrors to ensure you're not hitting anything down low but be mindful of what might scrape your trailer up high that clears it down low.
Jim (the trailer destroyer)
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