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uncledon · 10-02-2018, 02:11 PM

This past weekend when we got ready to leave a campground, the guy next door was also packing up. We exchanged some greetings as neither of us had been at the campground much over the weekend.

A little bit later I was inside checking on the DW and our grand daughter when we heard a loud noise and then cries for help. I rushed out the door and headed towards the neighbor along with a couple other campers. I noticed his fiver was resting within inches of his bed rail. When I rounded the front of his truck I saw that his arm was pinned between the bed rail and the bottom of his fifth wheel front end.

His wife (or significant other) was hollering that she couldn't figure out how to raise the trailer as she was fumbling with the LCI controller inside the storage area. After several attempts to get her out of the way, I finally got at the contol and started to extend the legs. That's when I noticed they had removed all the pads from the 4-pt leveling system. Two of the guys stuck pads under the front legs as I lowered them, and soon we had the gentleman extracted. Paramedics and police show up and while they tended to the guy, who miraculously could move his fingers and apparently had no broken bones, we got the pads put on the trailer with the help of a floor jack that one guy had along.

We got his truck hooked back up to the trailer with some difficulty. His hitch latch seemed tempermental. I told him to take it to where he bought it, or an RV dealer to have it checked out.

I then instructed him to leave his pads attached, and told him the cardinal rule of fifth wheel trailering...NEVER EVER remove the wheel chocks or raise the landing gear until the hitch is positively locked and the safety pin is in place! There were some other minor discrepancies I noted also, but those didn't have as serious consequences.

The guy was extremely lucky...this time. People need to use their heads and ask questions. Just thought I'd share.

Palmeris · 10-02-2018, 02:18 PM

mobilemike · 10-02-2018, 02:34 PM

Damn.

**CLIFFTALL** · 10-02-2018, 02:38 PM

These stories will no doubt prevent others from duplicating this tragedy. Thanks for the post.

nothermark · 10-02-2018, 02:56 PM

Then there are those of us who see it coming and have the choice of saying something and getting told to "mind my own business" or do I just sit back and watch and get asked why I did not say something. It's often a lot easier to do the latter.

egwilly · 10-02-2018, 03:09 PM

One of the reasons I keep a checklist on my cell phone to go thru item by item.

File this story under DOH:

Last trip I got distracted by something and forgot to check the rear stabilizers on the final walk around.

Drove off with them down. Everything was fine until they started to drag on the campground road heading down a slight hill....only bent one of the bars on the Lippert mechanism and was able to bend it back and raise the stabilizer.

Another lesson learned, even after multiple decades on this earth.

Arch Hoagland · 10-02-2018, 03:16 PM

I was a couple spaces down from a guy who drove his Harley up a ramp into the bed of his truck. Didn't make it.

Heard a big crash sound and moaning. By the time I got to him several other guys had arrived and we lifted the Harley off him and he went to the hospital, his significant other still harping on him.

Things happen!!

sdennislee · 10-02-2018, 04:41 PM

Great post, thanks for sharing.

AtomicRT · 10-02-2018, 05:28 PM

Sounds like that guy was really lucky to not have lost a hand!

When you say he removed the pads, are you talking about the metal feet attached to the legs? If so, why would anyone ever remove these?

uncledon · 10-02-2018, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtomicRT

When you say he removed the pads, are you talking about the metal feet attached to the legs? If so, why would anyone ever remove these?

Yup, and that's exactly what I said to him. He said he thought that was how it was done. He was in enough pain, I didn't see the point in pursuing it. I just said leave them on all the time.