Forum Discussion

4x4ord's avatar
4x4ord
Explorer III
Jun 19, 2021

Ooops…..

I had the truck and trailer hooked up in front of the house ready to take off for the weekend. It turned out I needed the truck so I unhooked and took off with my tailgate down. When I got back a couple hours later I backed up to the trailer and jumped out of the truck, I heard a buzzing noise and could smell hot wires. Immediately I knew what I had done.


I stuck the pin back in the switch but the buzzing continued. It turned out the switch contacts welded themselves together so I had to cut one of the leads in order to get the pump to stop running. I probably should change the brake fluid …. things were extremely hot. I find it very tempting to not replace the switch.
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  • kellem's avatar
    kellem
    Explorer
    Jun 21, 2021
    Add me to the list of embarrassing mistakes but luckily posses some mechanical skills to bail me out.....usually.
  • QCMan's avatar
    QCMan
    Nomad III
    Jun 20, 2021
    We all have memories of painful mistakes. Painful as memories, not from injuries. We were hooking up one day and a neighbor came by to chat and I lost my situational awareness. Found it again when I could not go any further. Downhill. Turns out I never raised the tongue jack and plowed a 50 foot trench through the lawn and what stopped me was the jack hitting the sidewalk. Also broke three irrigation lines that had been run the day before. Backed up, raised the jack and off we went after turning the sprinkler system off. Since that day, if someone interrupts me, I stop and when the interruption is over I start over with whatever procedure is being performed. Thus , I don't get upset and the interruption is not a big deal.
  • Huntindog's avatar
    Huntindog
    Explorer
    Jun 19, 2021
    4x4ord wrote:
    I had the truck and trailer hooked up in front of the house ready to take off for the weekend. It turned out I needed the truck so I unhooked and took off with my tailgate down. When I got back a couple hours later I backed up to the trailer and jumped out of the truck, I heard a buzzing noise and could smell hot wires. Immediately I knew what I had done.


    I stuck the pin back in the switch but the buzzing continued. It turned out the switch contacts welded themselves together so I had to cut one of the leads in order to get the pump to stop running. I probably should change the brake fluid …. things were extremely hot. I find it very tempting to not replace the switch.
    I think part ot the RV experience is making boneheaded mistakes.... I thought about posting a list of mine in response.... But it is too painful to relive all that.
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Jun 19, 2021
    Take it you have 'hydraulic brakes'?
    (pump?)

    US Federal Law (probably same in Canada).....emergency break away system is required!

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