What’s the worst bone-headed mistake you’ve made before pulling out in your RV

[IowaRVer]

I bought a new RV… and a new weight distribution hitch two weeks ago.

The VERY first time I hooked up the hitch I didn’t get the curved part of one of the arms (see right circle in bottom pick) seated well in the hitch before swinging it back to trailer frame and affixing it to the frame.

I drove about 400 yds and heard something loud fall (steel) and immediately pulled over.

The arm had come out of the hitch, but was still attached (luckily) at the frame. (see left circle in bottom pic). Of course… the bolts and retaining pins were all bent to heck… but I‘m glad I heard it and stopped quickly. I was just about to get on an interstate… thank goodness it didn’t happen while I was at 65 mph.

here‘s what the the eaz-lift looks like prior to installation

Here’s what it looks like attached (example picture…not my rig)

what bone-head mistakes have you made?

 

[Scotttkd2]

Yikes, glad you caught it. As to my bone headed mistakes, I think Neal has a limit on the size of posts on this forum. Just sayin.

 

[Rosy]

Nothing too bone headed that I can think of yet but I did learn to always close the cover on your city water connection, even if just moving from one site to another in the same campground, unless you like replacing strainers and o-rings.

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

Worst mistake was using the leveling jacks to raise ALL the rear wheels of the coach off the ground so I could remove the blocks from under the wheels.
Thought it would save some running back and forth from the cab to the rear and I could put the blocks away before starting up the rig.
But … I didn’t take into consideration that the rear wheels have the brakes … and with those wheels off the ground the coach shifted forward. Just enough that a front leveling jack that was still deployed was slightly bent AND the extended frame member that holds the lower part of the jack. A refurbished jack alone cost $1k just for the part, not counting labor or fixing the bent frame extended member…
Not making that mistake a 2nd time!

 

[Scooterfan]

Left the campground with the Winegard Wing TV Antenna fully extended. Pulled into a close by gas station and heard a loud thump upon entering the pump area. My wife says "...what the %$##%$ was that ?" I replied "that was the sound of learning what NOT to do again!" Discovered there's a breakaway (shear) pin just for dummies like me so it was an easy fix. I now have a laminated checklist placard that adorns my dash when I sit down to turn the ignition key.

 

[sheridany]

Dragged the toad far. Too far. Not much tread left on the right rear. Nothing like changing a tire in pouring rain on the side of the interstate. Next stop was the tire store. The lesson learned don’t play loud music driving solo.

 

[Fish]

Left the campground with the Winegard Wing TV Antenna fully extended. Pulled into a close by gas station and heard a loud thump upon entering the pump area. My wife says "...what the %$##%$ was that ?" I replied "that was the sound of learning what NOT to do again!" Discovered there's a breakaway (shear) pin just for dummies like me so it was an easy fix. I now have a laminated checklist placard that adorns my dash when I sit down to turn the ignition key.

I pulled that boner years ago with a jayco travel trailer. Wife is usually with me and we both do a walk around, I was by myself. Drove 10 miles down a 2 lane road, then maybe 25 on the interstate when a guy passing me was making hand gestures at my roof. Pulled off to the side and took care of it, luckily I hadn't hit anything. I'm happy I have a big red idiot light on this motorhome alerting me antenna is up.

 

[Fish]

The most aggravating and time consuming mistake I've made was allowing a tow truck to hook up to my Camelot (at the advice of coach net) instead of calling a mobile mechanic for a crank but no start condition. They said they'd pay for either but if mechanic first and they couldn't fix it then I'd have to pay for the tow myself. I should have called the mobile mechanic and paid for it myself first. I was already at a campground, in a campsite.

Spent night in lot of truck shop, slides in, slept on couch. $16,000 damage to coach from tow truck. Tow truck company admitting to fault, then later going dark and refusing to answer phone. What seemed like 100 phone calls to insurance company and adjustors. 90 mile trip for estimate. Leave coach at body shop in Florida for a month, extra trip home from Florida and back, 2000 miles. Now the new diamondshield on the front of coach is coming loose from the repair so I'll have to leave it at the body shop when we go back to Florida so they can remove and replace that.
Finally got a $500 fuel reimbursement from insurance yesterday to pay for my extra trip which closes out the claim.

All because of a loose connection to the lift pump.

 

[Dan_Frisbie]

2 biggies.
1. Put the coach in gear to pull out with the jacks down. Thankfully, they auto-retract when that happens, but it still scared the crap out of me.
2. Thought my trailer hitch had the 2 5/16” ball on, but it was the 2”. Towed 300 miles like that.

 

[Gizmo]

Was in campgrounds in Colorado and the guy was leaving with a 5er with the slides out. I heard several people yelling and he was coming my way. So I stopped him and told him his slides were out. He said "The dealer said the only time I need to retract them is when putting it in storage" and he drove off with the slides open..

I use to laugh at stupid people that unhooked their 5er pulled away with the tailgate up and damaged their tailgate till I become one of those stupid people Opps.

 

[Rosy]

He said "The dealer said the only time I need to retract them is when putting it in storage" and he drove off with the slides open.

 

[Fish]

2 biggies.
1. Put the coach in gear to pull out with the jacks down. Thankfully, they auto-retract when that happens, but it still scared the crap out of me.
2. Thought my trailer hitch had the 2 5/16” ball on, but it was the 2”. Towed 300 miles like that.

Oh hell, I did that with my 16 ft box trailer. Had a brand new splendide 7100 in it I was hauling up to my fifth wheel to install when I was working at the refinery.
Made it about 120 miles and hit a bridge joint and heard a crash, looked back and my trailer was going all over the place, luckily the safety chains held.
Had to leave it on the side of the interstate and go up the road and buy a complete 2 5/16 assembly so now I have 2. Small scratch on my bumper that I covered with a decal and a dent in the top of my tailgate that I covered with an oversized tailgate protector. Combo splendide unit was ok, I was lucky.

 

[AbdRahim]

Nothing too bone headed that I can think of yet but I did learn to always close the cover on your city water connection, even if just moving from one site to another in the same campground, unless you like replacing strainers and o-rings.

?? Did I miss something? How is damage caused here?

 

[Rosy]

?? Did I miss something? How is damage caused here?

O ring fell out so I had water pissing out everywhere when I next hooked up the hose.

 

[Russellvh]

Knock on wood . Worse I’ve done, so far, is leave 7 pin and emergency stop cables hooked up when pulling away from 5er after pulling from hitch.

 

[sanda]

Left the campground with the Winegard Wing TV Antenna fully extended. Pulled into a close by gas station and heard a loud thump upon entering the pump area. My wife says "...what the %$##%$ was that ?" I replied "that was the sound of learning what NOT to do again!" Discovered there's a breakaway (shear) pin just for dummies like me so it was an easy fix. I now have a laminated checklist placard that adorns my dash when I sit down to turn the ignition key.

I hang a hat or bag on the inside handle so I will remember.

 

[Neemer]

I hang a hat or bag on the inside handle so I will remember.

I used to hang my keys on that handle.

 

[Russellvh]

Saw this one. Some “young person” was camping in a pop up. Decided she wanted to move to another spot. She hooked the pop up to the hitch on the Uhaul box truck she had arrived in. Drove over the grass and spots with the beds still extended. Got worse when she turned onto the road. The front bed got crushed and ply wood splinters went everywhere. Back bed fell down and she drug it several feet.
Don’t see her the next time I went for my walk. Not sure if she stayed or not.

 

[sanda]

I used to hang my keys on that handle.

That would be a fail safe way.

 

[Drblood41]

Yesterday I picked up my trailer and brought it home to get it ready for our next trip. I noticed the back up camera was not working. I got home and pulled out the manual, and came to the conclusion that the screen and the camera were not paired. By the way, it was 100 degrees here in Tucson, and very humid. So I tried to “pair” the screen and camera. This involves touching the screen and then running to the camera and climbing a ladder and pushing a button on the camera. This has to be done within 20 seconds. While I am in the middle of this, my wife is coming out and asking me questions, like,” Honey, did you put garbage in the recycle bin? “ etc. After about 10 unsuccessful attempts, and profuse sweating and cussing, I decided to call the dealer who installed the system. I was put on hold for service about 15 minutes, and then when I reached them, the lady said I had to put in a request for some help on line in order to get a call back. This was on a Friday.
She said it would take 3 business days to get a reply, and because of the weekend and Monday being holiday, they would not be able to reply by Thursday. I slammed the phone down and was ready to go buy a new unit. But then I searched the computer, and lo and behold. one other person had the same problem. He said you have to turn on your lights. Bingo! The manual did not mention turning on your lights.