Confession Time! How Much have You?

[zekethomas]

So... there are several threads here and in owners forums where all the blame is on the mfg and their terrible build quality. This is true.

But also true is "operator headspace and timing" ... we screw stuff up because we forgot, were in too much of a hurry, did not read the manuals ... etc.

So... time for confession...what have you broken, screwed up etc....

I will start with 2 of mine... after reading the forums and having had a B+ for years with a macerator, no one told me and I did not read that when you drain the tanks you should pull then handles partially out to start the flow before you pull all the way out! oh oh... cracked one of the hose flanges... with the water pressure (used coach). Luckily it was grey tank... so I only got grey water from the waist down on me before I could close the valve.

Second, I had continual problems with my levelers. Tried for several weeks to manually lower them instead of auto... well, after I return home, watch some you-tubes I learn... the up and down arrows on the control panel are for the LED readout on the panel only. Not to operate the levelers. I have had to reset them several times. The 'zero' is no longer calibrated properly so I have to do that this week when I work on the coach.

OH, one more.. I have stepped on the parking brake handle twice... and bent it out of place....

Operator headspace and timing.... DW and DK (Da Kid) lowered the loft bed with the seat belt attached a few times ... OUCH... and once with the sun visor out (which broke it) ... ok.. this could go on and on...

What have you missed or forgotten or in haste done"

I think our issues with our rigs.... at least 50% are caused by operator headspace and timing.... (look at your .50 cal machine gun manual for headspace and timing to understand it).....

[Mudfrog]

I did something a while back that, i have a feeling, a few of us have done. Took off and drove under a low spot with the antenna still up. Luckily, i was pulling out slowly and heard it scraping the roof of the carport. Stopped quickly and was able to repair.

Also, i've learned never to maneuver the rig with shore power hooked up. Thought i could save some time and work this one trip, but ended up running over and pulling the wires out from the coach. Caused more work for sure, not to mention, a dangerous situation.

[NLOVNIT]

When we started RV-ing, over 17 years ago, we created a checklist for everything from set up to breaking camp to winterizing to dewinterizing. Over the years we added to/subtracted from it as we've changed RV types. A few years back, after having had our current RV for 7 or 8 years, I thought we didn't need it anymore because we had the procedures down pat. What could go wrong, right?

Well.....the year we didn't have the checklists in the coach:

• Drove off with the OTA antenna up
• Left at least 2 spigot Y's at campgrounds
• Left a half loaf of bread in the pantry & next trip wasn't until 7 weeks later
• Forgot to check for an open wardrobe drawer before retracting the bedroom slide
• Dragged the toad 200 miles with the parking brake on
• Forgot to jump the solenoid on the icemaker fill tube when winterizing (luckily it didn't freeze/split over winter)

Needless to say, the checklists are back in the coach...permanently.

Lori-

[THenman]

Two items come to mind outside of the things I just did not operate correctly but did not cause damage.
First I started to close a slide with passenger seat back a bit and bent the bracket for the seat.
Second I started to drive with door awning out. I had done my walk around looking down for connections but did not look up. We very seldom have it out and it's not like the large ones that are much harder to miss. Anyhow some nice folks told us before we got out of campground and I got it retracted without damage.

Tom

[We_B_Tripn]

We are clearly newbies, having only purchased the coach a month ago. Anyway on our second outing to a local park, I had the pleasure of figuring out how to level a coach in a not quite so level spot. Well needless to say I became so focused on getting the coach level I forgot to unlock the front slide lock. I immediately new something was amiss so I quickly stopped the process and brought the slide back in. Now I have the pleasure of loosening the trans-torque bushing and adjusting the slide. Hopefully that will be the worse I do for a while.

Oh and I heeded the advice and have copied and modified checklists.

Bill

[dix39]

Not much over almost 40 years because we seldom stay where we have hookups. I did have a collision with the top front of the camper with a Juniper tree once back in the beginning, that must have left an impression because it hasn't happened since.

We've lost two vent covers, one because we left it up while traveling and the other because I think it just got old. The first was in SoCal and we found a replacement in San Diego. The second was in a terrific thunderstorm on our way to visit my sister and our daughter in AL. Things got a bit wet and it was an odd size that I never did find. As a temporary fix my brother-in-law and I used a piece of plywood some clamps and much silicone to keep the water out. After we got to WV I found the nearest size and made some adaptions which worked for the rest of the time we had the camper.

Last year as I was gathering the hookup items I was distracted by some neighbors who wanted to say bye and forgot to latch the electrical cover. It was around $60.
00 when we got back to OR.

Our neighbors used to make bets when we were leaving about how many times we would return for things we had forgotten. I finally made a rule that after 10 or so miles we would just go on and buy another along the way, or do without.

Checklist?? Who needs one of those.;-))

Steve

[Lt Dan]

I'll snitch on the DW since she can't have a rebuttal! The In/Out switch for the front slides on our new Phaeton are built into the backs of the front seats. This is so you have to stand there and carefully watch the slides as they are going in and out to make sure they don't hit the seats. Well, she watched as the PS slide raked the back of her seat and ripped the trim piece off the slide. Luckily it didn't tear the seat back and the trim was easy to glue back. At least since she did it there won't be any constant reminders of my dumb stuff.

My turn now. I swore I had enough room on a fairly tight pull through to clear the picnic table. Well, it caught on the rear wheel well and I moved it a few feet. My good luck was that there was no dent or scratch, just a little paint transfer that buffed right off. Lesson learned, when in doubt move it!

[CarlAda]

None. I have never ever ever screwed up.

And, I have some ocean front property in Colorado for sale.

[Isaac-1]

I came very close to backing into a concrete post at a dump station last week, missed it by inches, but I missed. As to actual damage I think the worse I have done is to catch the tip of the CB radio antenna on the rollup door of the shed where I keep my coach, and rip the end off of the antenna, thankfully it did not rip the antenna mount out of the roof of the rv. I also almost took a side mirror off the coach pulling into that shed after sunset last month, it is a 11 ft wide roll up door, when I am centered I have 5.5 inches to spare on each side, when I got out to check I saw that night I cleared by less than 1 inch.

[Dave-Oh]

RV #!:
a. OTA antenna whacked by tree branch when I forgot to put it down. replaced the aluminum mast.
b. rubbed off the rear running light and popped the rear corner trim off against another truck's bumper - forgot about the whale-tale swing as I pulled forward to try to center the truck between two parked vehicles. Repair: New lense. Able to straighten and re-glue trim and a little buffing of the gelcoat. Only damage to other truck was some paint on the chrome bumper - easily buffed off.
c. I was so surprised and flustered when my wife decided we should trade for our current coach, I left the dealer's lot where we had parked on a pad with electric hookup and left the slide out and the the electric cable dragging behind the rig because I hadn't unplugged Realized the mistake when we were flagged down by sales people as we headed out...embarrassing. So embarrassing.
d. Tried to close the slide with the manual slide lock still in place - a slight cracking sound and I looked up to realize the "flag" I'd put in place...was still in place. No damage done.

RV #2:
a. Closed the main slide with the Bathroom door wide open, caught and over-opened the door and bent the hinges before I figured out what the cracking sound was....new hinges.
b. took cap off of the sewer hose connection only to find I had left the black tank open. Bleach! So much Bleach!
c. Keep forgetting to push driver's seat forward so it won't get scrubbed by the slide....Partially pulled-off the head-rest pillow. Able to glue it back in place with Gorilla Glue - worked like a charm!
d. Was draining the water from the fresh tank and figured I could get the last bit out but lowering the front and right side a bit --- but left the DS slide out...When I realized the slide was out, I put it back in but the front was still down and the slide trim popped off as the slide seemed to have shifted forward enough to catch the trim against another trim piece. Re-leveling seemed to re-center the slide and the trim just popped back on.

Nothing big, I guess, just stupid stuff.

[TexasTom]

Depended on my daughter to guide me through a turn in a tight gate. Yep, got to do some body work.

[Electra 225]

Well, here's a few of mine so far, which I was saved by grace.

With my 1st coach I drove round trip to town and back (12 miles approx) with the OTA antenna up and never hit a thing. Couldn't believe it, drove under several trees/bridges, had to be inches.

I also while backing out (at a snail's pace) hit my brand new 15ft garage door which I didn't raise all the way earlier......two separate times! $3,500 door with a bit of a crease in the bottom, no damage to coach.

2nd coach, I share with the person who drove off with the door awning out. My case I was putting the coach in the garage! I must have missed the garage door opening by no more than a hair! Talk about feeling stupid and reflecting on how enraged at myself I would have been had I ripped it off the brand new coach. Wheww! Like I said, grace. Hope God has lots left for me too (just in case) [emoji56]

[ceeja]

Well, I'll just add to these, as someone mentioned, the wife can't argue if she's not here.....
2nd trip out in our 'new to us' DP with full size GMC p/u in tow. We left home late because of MY last minute 'things to do list', she was tired & hates night driving!-About 6 hrs later we pulled into a small town with parking no where ...She refused to believe I was correct, that the road she swore had parking, was a tiny dead-end within the next 500 yards. I fell for it, then I saw her panicked face when she realized I was right, so instead of my usual 'I told you so', I figured I could get out of this without massive tears (or damage), so I proceeded to make an over-the-curb U turn that turned into a 'I know I can back up some' turn!. Ok, screw up was back in my court again. When I stepped out of the coach in the early morning & saw the fiberglass on the left rear of my Travel Supreme with a 1' X 6" gash from the bumper of my toad!$%#!....And she still knows nothing about it-She did ask after we returned home why all the service work was taking over 3 weeks to finish...Guess that's what 48+ years of being with the perfect woman leads to. I hope you all can experience the same loving feelings-I've learned to take a DEEP breath & knowing I'm the luckiest man alive!

[Electra 225]

Ohhh boy, a deep breath indeed if I put a gash in my coach (God forbid). Don't think I could have slept! (Too upset with myself) [emoji1]

That's a nice classic TS you have. Great timeless coaches that hold up.