stupid mistake

[IBcarguy]

Well,today I made a careless mistake and messed up my truck dropping my new 5th wheel. Everything was unhooked, landing gear down, so I attempted to pull my truck out from under the trailer. The only problem was that I forgot to lower the tailgate and the pinbox smashed it up pretty bad when I pulled forward. @#&$(&^!#$ !!! Obviously, I'm a little PO'd at myself for being so careless. I bet I won't do it again though.

[Campinfan]

SpeakEasy wrote:
Which leads me to pose a question. How many of us have and use a physical checklist when hooking up and unhooking? I do not, but I often wonder how long it will be before I regret that. You gotta figure, if airline pilots are required to actually, physically complete a checklist, who are we to think that we can remember everything everytime?

-Speak

I use my check list everytime. I even laminated it so it will last and it is kept in console of my truck. I have caught myself before I forgot a step a couple times. Whew!

[jkwilson]

I got two in one day.

One the normal way while setting up a new to me gooseneck.

After I got lucky and found one at a junkyard, I parked the truck in front of the gooseneck with the tailgate down. Wind blew the un-chocked gooseneck off the blocks I had under the jack and bent the second tailgate. Had to take it apart and do some hammering to get it to operate, but I'm still using it.

Learned about four lessons that day:

1. Make sure the tailgate is down when dropping the trailer.
2. Chock the trailer, even if you are only going to be a minute and the ground is flat.
3. Don't use blocks under the jack
4. There aren't enough cuss words for some situations.

[fj12ryder]

"Anyway, it's back to normal, and I doubt if I ever will do that again!"

Tow long enough, and unhook/hook up often and you'll do it again. 🙂 Only a question of when. Murphy is always waiting in the wings. 🙂

[IBcarguy]

Finally resolved the tailgate problem. I was going to make an insurance claim but with a $500 deductible I decided to handle it myself. I also didn't want an "Accident Report" on the Carfax history. I got super lucky and found a local CL ad for a used tailgate that happened to be the same year, same color, an even had the inside LineX coated like mine. Talk about a lucky find...and only $300. It was a Chevy rather than GMC so today I'll change out the badges.
Anyway, it's back to normal, and I doubt if I ever will do that again!

[ken_burke]

IBcarguy wrote:
Well,today I made a careless mistake and messed up my truck dropping my new 5th wheel. Everything was unhooked, landing gear down, so I attempted to pull my truck out from under the trailer. The only problem was that I forgot to lower the tailgate and the pinbox smashed it up pretty bad when I pulled forward. @#&$(&^!#$ !!! Obviously, I'm a little PO'd at myself for being so careless. I bet I won't do it again though.

well, it might happen again. Several times I backed into the trailer hitch without putting the tailgate down. I have done it 3 times. So why to get it fixed???

[Braces]

Tailgate replacement.. Just had to replace Ram 2500 2013 tailgate that someone pulled a hit and run on. Found a salvage yard with 8 or 10 brand new take-off tailgates already white from factory for $475. each. Took 5 minutes to swap out. Google salvage auto parts yards. Good luck.

[NEnative]

What I just don't understand is why the big three do not offer a V tailgate for our large trucks. I would think that someone in the marketing department would have a light bulb go off in their head and realize that they could use this as an advertising advantage over the competition. Make a tailgate similar to Nissan's with their black "diamond" at the top center of the tailgate but just design the handle lower and make the "diamond" removable. I know I would jump on that option for my dually.

[ol_Bombero-JC]

TucsonJim wrote:
I did it last summer. Sorry to hear it happened to you. I bought one of those replacement tailgates with the "V" cut into it to help prevent it in the future.

Interesting replies - didn't finish reading the thread.......

There's *LOTS* of folks who damage their factory tailgates by various accidents - and *NOT* just 5th wheel owners..:R

This has created a ready market for *HOT* tailgates..:(
(No serial numbers on tailgates!)
Plenty of ready buyers -as you've read here- as well as unscrupulous salvage yard operators!

How difficult is it to steal *YOUR* tailgate?..:@
Without theft protection (of some kind) - gone in 20 seconds!

You may live in a community with little or no petty crime - but where do you travel?

So, besides the ease of hitching and unhitching with an aftermarket "V" Gate, the "other reason" is theft deterrent. (The re-sale usually just doesn't make "V" gate theft worthwhile - especially for my $150. Northern Tool variety, LOL!)..:W

I you plan to keep 'em - lock 'em - one way or another....even the simple hose clamp on the "slip out" side (if yours is that type) will discourage a thief..:C

On edit: Some say - "that's what insurance is for".
True! - - What's your deductible?..;)


~

[scottykrug]

It happens. Did it two years ago. New to fifth wheel, kids running everywhere, used to bumper pull, drove off and wham.

Don't feel bad.

I like the taco tailgate comment.

[Fisher_Bill]

I have been keeping an eye on CL, found one today that was flat black for $125 but I have to replace my Turbo in the Duramax so I'll wait to pass GO a couple more time before I shop for that piece.

Bill

md_procouple wrote:
Hey Fisher Bill did you check out e-bay for the tailgate? That's where hubby got ours or the online store trailer world. Good Luck and Happy Camping !!

[md_procouple]

Hey Fisher Bill did you check out e-bay for the tailgate? That's where hubby got ours or the online store trailer world. Good Luck and Happy Camping !!

[Fisher_Bill]

I didn't think you could safely tow with stock tailgate so I always take it off, I do want one of the V style some day though.

My big mistake so far was pulling away with the Hitch power still attached, ripped the bumper socket apart or at least took the little door off.

I guess I'll just keep taking the gate off completely until I can upgrade.

Bill

[lee_worsdell]

Made that mistake this weekend. Needed a choke out of the front compartment so put tail gate back up to open the door. I put the choke under ran back to truck and went to pull ahead. Coudnt figure why it would not move. My trailair is so long it hit the tail gate before it came out of the jaws. so lucky

[austinjenna]

We have done the same thing with our old camper, but instead of a dowel, just put a piece of tape on the Awning hook, that way its always there. Now with the 5'er, I've done the dowel rod. (On my 2nd one, having the grandson placing the 1st one in the campfire). Good Luck and Happy Camping !!!

My first fiver had the power cord you just shoved back inside the trailer, I put the duct tape on that so I could easily pull it out and measure

[Montara24d]

Been there, done that. While hitching up the fiver, the pin dropped in the open jaws of the hitch, & no matter what I did the jaws would not close. This is where I got brain freeze that I can't explain. The landing gear was up, & I decided that if I backed up a little it would send the pin home, & the jaws would close. I removed the chocks from the trailer wheels, & closed the tail gate, got in the truck, with my brain still frozen, & backed up. Well we all know that the jaws didn't close, & when I stepped on the brake the trailer continued to roll, off the hitch plate, & onto the bed of the truck. When that happened we had been towing the fiver for 7 years. That one cost Allstate over 5K.
John