Cut once, measure twice

[BJC]

Enough said!

[Jeffur]

I am so sorry for you. Thank you for sharing.

[mboy]

the old 'first day, first ding'

[Screwby]

I’m going to say someone didn’t do a test tug?

[BJC]

Definitely a lesson learned but the good news is everything is fixable. Not sure what hurts worse though.... The embarrassment in the campground, the ego or the money . The good news is there were evidently two guys ahead of me who did the same thing . Setting the final 5 minutes of the trip aside, the weekend on the Oregon Coast was magnificent!

[Crabman]

That seems to be quite a common occurrence, although I know that's little consolation.

[eow]

What was the circumstance that led to the contact so the rest of us can learn from your misfortune?

[Lake Huron]

Yes, do tell!

[Bookemdanno]

Ouch...I could have been worse! Hope you didn't need to clean the seats afterwards...I know I would have had to!

[2nOZ]

My biggest fear. Very sorry that it happened to you.

[BJC]

Originally Posted by eow

What was the circumstance that led to the contact so the rest of us can learn from your misfortune?

Simple mistake, have the BW 25k hitch and the handle was pinned in the locked position. I didn’t realize it and thought I had a good lock on the kingpin. Even pulled forward about a foot to remove the rear wheel chock. Well.... it wasn’t latched and when I hit the gas it hit the bed, about 3700lbs of pin weight! Guess that’s why we have insurance

[2naEagle]

I've heard there are two kinds of people that tow a 5th wheel. Those that have done it and those that haven't done it YET. Sorry it happened but glad you're taking it so well. Next time measure twice and then cut.

Also we have a bonehead thread you can go be a member of.
https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...ment-1576.html

[Screwby]

Originally Posted by 2naEagle

I've heard there are two kinds of people that tow a 5th wheel. Those that have done it and those that haven't done it YET. Sorry it happened but glad you're taking it so well. Next time measure twice and then cut.

Also we have a bonehead thread you can go be a member of.
https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...ment-1576.html

I always give mine a good test pull with the front gear almost touching the ground and the chocks in place. Handle snapped in place and lock lever engaged. If mine does that it will be because the jaws catastrophically failed during transport, not because it wasn't initially latched in. This scenario is the stuff of nightmares. I’ve had a close encounter before. Check out this picture and tell me why I was shocked after I pulled the camper 45min home from the dealer repair center! Let’s say I’ve added another step to my checklist.

[Mopar_Earl]

Visual inspection of the pin retained AND a pull test will always prevent that oops from happening.


Earl

[Joan617]

We have learned two things about our tailgate...
1: a new one is $1100 painted and installed
2: the aluminum body parts don’t rust but they rip open like a beer can.

We didn’t drop the kingpin but backed into it when parking.

Thanks for sharing but it begs a question...
I’ve seen a lot of people do the pull test with the gear down 1/2” or so above ground and pulling a few feet forwards. But if the hitch connection fails with the gear down and the rig in motion, isn’t there a risk of bending the landing gear at a cost of more than a tailgate?

We’ve started to do the pull test with the gear 1/4” up but pulling against a chock. Wonder what others do..

We have a Curt A25 hitch that provides a green visual placard, a pin to lock the handle and brake cord, plus a full visual on the closed jaws. But still...
- Angus

[poohbear]

I never thought about closing the handle fully on my B&W after un-hitching. I have allways left it ready to engage kingpin, I'm a lil lazy. I have allways done the visual + a pull test with every hitch I've had cause this is my big rv fear. This can happen to all of us.
It's not needed on my BW Patriot but when I had a Reese I painted the jaws white so easier to do visual.

[Lake Huron]

That is the nice thing with a B&W hitch. The jaws lock all the way around the kingpin. And when they are locked the lever slams closed. If the lever is not fully closed so you can drop the locking pin in it without touching it, something is not right. When I couple up, I set the height of the pinbox just a smidge lower than the height of the hitch. This way the hitch has to pivot down and slide under the pin box and locks around the kingpin. Even if something is binding, that you cant see, the locking arm will not close fully which means the jaws are not secured around that kingpin properly.

I had a Curt Q20 on one of my previous trucks and trailers. That was a nice hitch too, and again those jaws lock fully around the kingpin. The Curt hitch has a spring loaded arm and if that arm didnt slam shut where you could just flip the locking lever over the arm and pin it without touching the arm, something wasnt right. I believe only once did I have the arm get sprung to close and didnt close all the way. I knew something wasnt right because the locking lever wouldnt drop into the slot of the arm.

[Joan617]

Originally Posted by poohbear

I never thought about closing the handle fully on my B&W after un-hitching.

This thread made me jump in the truck bed and look at my hitch again. When un-hitched, I CANNOT move the handle from the open (uncoupled) position. Theoretically only with the kingpin slamming in to the jaws and the jaws close, will the handle move, and it should snap by itself. And as Lake Huron said, only then can you drop the locking pin in. We still pull against a chock, though.

[RickandBecky]

We have the Andersen Ultimate Fifth Wheel hitch, with the B&W turnover ball in the truck bed as the connecting point for the hitch. I am concerned that something like this might happen, but does anyone know if that’s possible (so long as the WFW hitchball is locked on)? I even do a test pull before we leave a campsite, just to be sure.

[RAurand]

That is the reason Tractor Trailer drivers always do the tug/pull test BEFORE they crank up the landing gear!

5TH WHEEL DRIVERS SHOULD DO THE SAME.