Sorry about your accident. When I got my CDL in order to drive a tractor - trailer in 1992, an old man told me that he was only going to give me two pieces of advice. One, drive slow and leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front of you and two, when hitching up, get out and look at the fifth wheel pin to make sure the jaws are closed all the way. Yes you should and I always bump it prior to raising jacks, but nothing replaces getting under there and seeing for yourself. Hind sight is always 20/20. Happy camping and Drive Careful!
Allen
While in RV parks, I tend to watch other RVer's hook up 5th wheels. I would say, if 10 people hook up......maybe only one or two out of 10 do a pull test!
I always do a pull test....better safe than sorry...........
Lambchop
2008 33 ft. Montana 5th wheel
2000 3/4T Chevrolet Truck 6.0L 4:10
Just a quick note about WD-40 - it's a solvent, not a lubricant. It will lube things up nice while it's wet, but as soon as it dries, they seem to end up drier than they were in the first place! It's actually designed to displace water (was the 40th WD mix they tried, as the story goes). It is 50% Stoddard solvent, which is a mineral spirit, and only 15% light oil.
Brian
2003 Dodge Ram 2500 Quad Cab, Hemi, 5 speed manual, 3.73 gears, Tow Beast hitch with 24" extension.
28 ft race car hauler, Lola T440 Formula Ford, NTM MK4 Sports Racer
2004 Travel Hawk 8' Truck Camper - Roll at 16K combined weight
These are called mistakes and accidents. We all can make them, None of us are perfect and the damage dropping a 5th wheel can be costly.. We have a bedsaver. We have never dropped the fiver..but it can happen to any of us.
VintageRacer wrote: Just a quick note about WD-40 - it's a solvent, not a lubricant. It will lube things up nice while it's wet, but as soon as it dries, they seem to end up drier than they were in the first place! It's actually designed to displace water (was the 40th WD mix they tried, as the story goes). It is 50% Stoddard solvent, which is a mineral spirit, and only 15% light oil.
Brian
I agree about the WD. My hitch installer told me not to use it because it will attract dirt and grit and become like sandpaper. Only use a dry lube. I spray all my hitch moving parts and jaws with dry lube. It dries white and allows me to more easily see the jaws when doing a visul. I do not use it on the fith wheel plate, however. I only use a white lube plate on the fith wheel plate. PCM
Pull test every time I hook up every since I have owned a 5'r (11 years plus). I have never dropped a 5'r either. So easy to do and only takes a few seconds. The pull test is by far the cheapest insurance!
Bill
Bill & Cheryl
Gypsy, the travelin' cat (new 8/06, first trip, Glacier NP)
1997 Dodge Ram 2500, 4X2, 8.0L V10, ext. cab long bed, Powervision mirrors , RBW Hitch, Prodigy Controller.
2005 Holiday Rambler Savoy 29RKS, Honda EU2000I Generator.
I dropped mine on the bed of my chevy - scared the cr@p out of me.
I always do a pull test now
Children are unpredictable. You never know how high up the wall they're going to drive you
2006 F350 - SAWEET!
1998 Chevy 3500 Dually - old tow rig - now for sale
a really, really big 2006 Adrenaline 400DS
kids, quads, and a dog - life is great
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