Forum Discussion

mkirsch's avatar
mkirsch
Nomad II
Aug 17, 2015

Don't forget to latch down your roof

I got distracted and forgot to latch the roof on my TC yesterday. Got about 10 miles down the road and stopped at a convenience store for some gatorade.

The roof had lifted and about half the canvas was hanging out the sides.

I broke with my normal routine by leaving the windows open too. Did leaving the windows open save me or make things worse?

This was also my first trip with the "new" AC unit on the roof. I think that might've saved me from being much much worse.
Truck Campers
  • DWeikert's avatar
    DWeikert
    Explorer II
    Aug 17, 2015
    I have a feeling you'll not do that again. Count yourself lucky. On one of my trips west after waiting out a thunderstorm at Wall Drug I got back on the highway and about 2 miles later there was a truck with pop-up along the side of the road in the opposite lane. The top to the pop-up was nowhere to be seen.
  • Super_Dave's avatar
    Super_Dave
    Explorer
    Aug 17, 2015
    Now you know why all those people were honking and waving at you as they went by. LOL!
  • mkirsch's avatar
    mkirsch
    Nomad II
    Aug 17, 2015
    Super_Dave wrote:
    Now you know why all those people were honking and waving at you as they went by. LOL!


    Funny thing was nobody seemed to notice. Of course there wasn't much traffic around. Definitely nobody behind me.
  • RoyB's avatar
    RoyB
    Explorer II
    Aug 17, 2015
    Bet you gotta a reminder hanging on the steering wheel now haha...

    Roy Ken
  • Kayteg1's avatar
    Kayteg1
    Explorer II
    Aug 17, 2015
    This might be the same thing like lowering the older TV antennas.
    Good practice is to make a ribbon, or tag that rest on steering wheel and goes on the latch when it closes.
    That complicates a bit when you drive the truck without the trailer but with some thinking you figure out good way.
    I used to remember such things, but getting closer to retirement age, I think the ribbons are good idea.
  • jimh406's avatar
    jimh406
    Explorer III
    Aug 17, 2015
    Glad that you got by without damage. Sometimes it just pays to be lucky!
  • skipbee's avatar
    skipbee
    Explorer
    Aug 17, 2015
    When we first got our TC, as I drove out Ocean City, Md, I glanced out of the passenger side mirror to see the slide-out out! The luck of the Irish in place, I pulled over with no damage.

    I now ALWAYS do a complete walk around inspection before getting underway after any stop. Check list includes tiedowns, satellite dish, windows, tires and for anything loose inside and the slide-out tiedowns.
  • DWeikert's avatar
    DWeikert
    Explorer II
    Aug 17, 2015
    skipbee wrote:
    I now ALWAYS do a complete walk around inspection before getting underway after any stop. Check list includes tiedowns, satellite dish, windows, tires and for anything loose inside and the slide-out tiedowns.


    Same here, except for the slide. I also add pulling forward at least a truck's length from the campsite then doing one more walk around for anything that may have been under the truck.

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