How heavy rain can affect bed rail clearance

[Vulcaneer]

Just returned from a 2500 mile trip to Shipshewana and back. Heavy rain, flooding, tornados, everywhere during the trip. But other than ST tire blowouts, (and 5 tire replacements) we managed to avoid any real trauma. Until backing into our driveway...that is.

Like everywhere else,our home was also hit by massive thunderstorms, and heavy rains. Lightening strikes cause 3 televisions to blow, lost 2 garage door openers, 4 cordless phones gone, etc., But we arrive home on a beautiful 85 degree sunny day. Backing in to our parking place, next to the driveway, the tires sink into the grass covered mud. Sink about 9 inches. Problem is the bed rail clearance on our new truck is 6 inches. So the underside edge of the fivers overhang squeezes the left side bed rail (was turning at the time) down about an inch. And causes the outside of the bed to bow out. This all happens with out a crash. One of those things that is slow...but too fast to do anything about. So I watch it all happen from the comfort of the airconditioned driver seat...and watching the mirror.

UGH...DW is directing me in and has no idea this has happened. Body shop estimates $1200 repair. Gotta love that 3 stage, metallic paint.

Moral of the story...you can't always have enough bed rail clearance. Hope it doesn't happen to you.

[John_I_Haggerty]

... and why I run the DRW while loaded and the SRW in the snow...

[JohnBoyToo]

On my 201my mirrors will and HAVE folded forward ---
With no I'll effects that I could tell 🙂

And since I didn't want to test that on the then new 250. My wife did it for me ! And also wrecked it for me 🙂

[spindrift]

I wish I had your outlook on life.

[Vulcaneer]

mobilcastle wrote:
Sorry to hear about your fiasco. Maybe you can talk her into one of those fancy flat beds I have seen-lots of clearance. It is a good thing you don't let things get to you.

Now that's a great idea. Trouble is...I would just wreck something else.

Kinda like this scenario...if you know what I mean. I spent a whopping amount of money on a SuperGlide hitch. Just so I would not need to worry about crashing the back window or denting the cab of the truck. And it works really well. Never had that problem. But then after that, I back my truck into a mailbox and dent the tailgate. So as good as that SuperGlide works. It didn't stop me from visiting the body shop that time either. That was a few trucks ago. Even though I still use that same SuperGlide, it doesn't help me from screwing other things up.

Here's my theory..."If you are going to get out there and do stuff, then you are gunna break stuff. Just part of the experience." Then there is my other theory...it's what I call the rearview mirror theory...Things will always cost alot more money than they first appear." Oh...and then there is..."You can never hide anything from your wife. So you might as well fess up early, and take the punishment" Not that the punishment will be any less. It's just that you can get it over with quicker, and then you can get back to fishing, sooner.

Oh and speaking of the rearview mirror. Be aware that if you buy a Ford truck with those defrosting, collapsible, telescoping, foldable, electric remote control, with memory, side passenger rear view mirrors, they cost exactly $1202.65. And Ford dealers can get them in one day from the warehouse. The good news is they can install them in less than 30 minutes. The bad news is, if you back up and hook them on a light pole, they get forced forward. And after that they lose all those special functions...except for defrosting. Oh...and the campground escort takes no responsibility for directing you into that light pole on your blindside. Final lessen...$1202.65 is not worth bother your insurance company about if you have $1000 deductible.

But I digress.

[Lantley]

What an enlightening post. I just had a similar experience backing across a wet yard last week. I did only minor damage to the underside of the 5'er overhang.
I did not notice the damage until the next day. I was was a bit puzzled as to what actually happened but after reading this post I totally understand what I did.
Sinking into wet grass while backing is something I really need to beware of.
Lesson learned!

[newk]

Vulcaneer wrote:
...This all happens with out a crash. One of those things that is slow...but too fast to do anything about. So I watch it all happen from the comfort of the airconditioned driver seat...and watching the mirror....

I know the feeling. Several years ago I pulled up at a traffic light behind a guy pulling an outboard motor boat. He decided he needed to back up. The outboard's skeg was lined up perfectly with the center of my hood as he backed up... and backed up... and backed up ever so slowly. I was laying on the horn but he was listening to his stereo. I couldn't back up because someone was behind me. If it hadn't been my brand new Saab 9000T, the nicest car I'd ever owned at that point, it would have been funny. It was as you described -- crinkling. He finally stopped just shy of hitting the windshield, got out of his truck and walked back. "Did I do that?!" LOL. Hell, I even knew him!

[sk734]

Sorry to hear about your fiasco. Maybe you can talk her into one of those fancy flat beds I have seen-lots of clearance. It is a good thing you don't let things get to you.

[stro1965]

I very nearly had the same thing happen this spring when I was pulling ours out of it's parking spot beside the house. I managed to drop the right side wheels off the edge of the driveway and they SUNK in the soft ground. I was within an inch or less of contacting the right side bed rail. Scary stuff! I had to use 4 Low to pull it out.

[bobandvicki]

Sorry to hear your story - am usually careful about wet grounds but will be much more careful now - Bob

[ford_truck_guy]

HA HA - this line -Oh Honey...Someday you are going to laugh about this."... has gotten me in trouble more than a few times! Her sense of humor is different I guess.. Any way sorry about your crinkle..

[45Ricochet]

Vulcaneer wrote:
Just returned from a 2500 mile trip to Shipshewana and back. Heavy rain, flooding, tornados, everywhere during the trip. But other than ST tire blowouts, (and 5 tire replacements) we managed to avoid any real trauma. Until backing into our driveway...that is.

Like everywhere else,our home was also hit by massive thunderstorms, and heavy rains. Lightening strikes cause 3 televisions to blow, lost 2 garage door openers, 4 cordless phones gone, etc., But we arrive home on a beautiful 85 degree sunny day. Backing in to our parking place, next to the driveway, the tires sink into the grass covered mud. Sink about 9 inches. Problem is the bed rail clearance on our new truck is 6 inches. So the underside edge of the fivers overhang squeezes the left side bed rail (was turning at the time) down about an inch. And causes the outside of the bed to bow out. This all happens with out a crash. One of those things that is slow...but too fast to do anything about. So I watch it all happen from the comfort of the airconditioned driver seat...and watching the mirror.

UGH...DW is directing me in and has no idea this has happened. Body shop estimates $1200 repair. Gotta love that 3 stage, metallic paint.

Moral of the story...you can't always have enough bed rail clearance. Hope it doesn't happen to you.

Sorry about your week. Sometimes work is better than fishin I guess.

[Vulcaneer]

On that side, the wheels go off pavement by 10 feet. The parking pad is very solid, with 1" gray stone on top. But in order to get the trailer on it, the wheels needs to go over a bit of grass. That is all it took. Normally the ground is very firm and not a problem. But all the rain we have seen has made everything saturated. The kick in the pants is....I never even thought about that being a problem.

What's funny is when I get out of the truck, My wife heard me muttering. "So what's wrong with you?."

"I just crinkled the side of your truck."

"WHAT??? NO YOU DIDN"T. I was watching you. You didn't krinkle ANYTHING."

"Oh yeah? Check this out."

"Ohhhh, Sh***. How the he** did you do that? I didn't hear it crunch."

Then I give her the standard line. The one she really hates and it sets her into hyperdrive. "Oh Honey...Someday you are going to laugh about this."

Can't post the rest of the conversation. But no need. I am sure you can just imagine.

[ford_truck_guy]

That must have been tough to watch!! I know the 2x12's are too little too late but that just stinks! How far do the wheels travel off pavement before parking ?

[rtazz17]

X2 on the 2x12 planks... I do the same to spread the weight until im onto the pavement just in case it sinks.My yard is not flat so even with 8 inches of clearence it gets within two inches at certain points.