Disconnect the toad QUICK, we got to get out of here!

[mchero]

Been thinking about times when I get in a jam & can't backup because of that dam 2005 Jeep that's been following us the whole trip! LOL

I'd like to hear some stories about having to disconnect the toad because you need get out of a situation quick! Very important that just about everyone knows the procedure. I'll jump out & start disconnecting the tow bar while Deb is in the jeep putting it in to gear! Takes us about 2 minutes!

We where driving back from CA. to NH. Long day of driving so about 11PM that evening I figured we would find a place to get a good sleep. Drove by a truck stop that had about 150 idling trucks PACKED in the back lot, Not that place!

Looking for a place to turn around I spot what looks like a public library with a driveway going all the way around the backside & out......NOT!!!

Turns out it was a Fire Department! I was looking at the back entrance to the station! Had to get out quick! No one was around, rather dark & quiet. The idling diesel must have sounded just like the fire trucks because not a light came on!

I put the MoHo in neutral & set the parking brake and we both went to the jeep. I disconnected while Deb started the jeep & put it in reverse! Took us about a minute or 2 and I was backing out of that place!

We also found out real fast that one should scout out a restaurant parking lot via satellite image B4 pulling in with a toad!

ok who's next?

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by mchero

Been thinking about times when I get in a jam & can't backup because of that dam 2005 Jeep that's been following us the whole trip! LOL

I'd like to hear some stories about having to disconnect the toad because you need get out of a situation quick! Very important that just about everyone knows the procedure. I'll jump out & start disconnecting the tow bar while Deb is in the jeep putting it in to gear! Takes us about 2 minutes!

We where driving back from CA. to NH. Long day of driving so about 11PM that evening I figured we would find a place to get a good sleep. Drove by a truck stop that had about 150 idling trucks PACKED in the back lot, Not that place!

Looking for a place to turn around I spot what looks like a public library with a driveway going all the way around the backside & out......NOT!!!

Turns out it was a Fire Department! I was looking at the back entrance to the station! Had to get out quick! No one was around, rather dark & quiet. The idling diesel must have sounded just like the fire trucks because not a light came on!

I put the MoHo in neutral & set the parking brake and we both went to the jeep. I disconnected while Deb started the jeep & put it in reverse! Took us about a minute or 2 and I was backing out of that place!

We also found out real fast that one should scout out a restaurant parking lot via satellite image B4 pulling in with a toad!

ok who's next?

mchero,
This is the precise reason I don't "LOCK" the toad to the coach. That reason and, of course if the coach should catch fire and, I have the time and, ability to make the decision to do an ULTRA-FAST disconnect, I want that disconnect to be as easy, efficient and expedient as possible. Now, your situation, we've encountered only maybe once or twice in our RV life so far. It was in a gas station that, I simply did not make correct calculations on turning and entering a fuel pump island. I had to VERY QUICKLY get out and disconnect as people were starting to pile up all around because I was like a big, drunken dinosaur that was blocking much of the in and out of that particular station.

Well, I've since learned to get waaaaaaaaaaaay better at estimating what's needed in clearance for turning, fueling, parking while fueling, and finally the exit characteristics of the particular fueling station I'm approaching. In just about any other situation, we'll most likely disconnect to make life easier.

Scott

[BFlinn181]

I fueled up at a Pilot station in PA. No RV pumps, so I went through and used the truck pumps. After getting my fuel, I wanted to move out of the way of the trucks behind me, but there was no space to park, so I pulled out and entered the area where the gas pumps were. Construction was underway and there was no way out of the area except to back out. We had to do a quick disconnect of the toad, pull out onto the highway berm and hook up again. That's the only time I got stuck like that, any other time I've been in a place to turn around I've been able to do it with toad attached.

[vsheetz]

So far not been in a situation where needed to disconnect the toad to extradite the coach. I imagine that day will come...

In such situations I try to keep telling myself the adage of 'the hurrier you go the behinder you get'.

[znt1186]

I will have to say that it has happened to me. Trying to go through a small town in KY, the main streets were closed for a street fair. There were signs directing us to a detour, but I missed one and ended up down a two lane road with a bridge too low for us to pass under. Tried a u turn using a parking lot on the right but ended up across the road without enough room. As I was blocking most of the road and folks didn't have much interest in slowing down, I did get disconnected in record time and got out of the way.

[NukeRef]

Three of us were convoying down the Al-Cal in our motorhomes after a couple of weeks in Alaska. Somewhere South of Destruction Bay, our line-leader decided to pull into a turnout for a break. We followed him in, even though the turnout wasn't listed in the Milepost. Our Third stayed out on the road.

We came to find out the "turnout" was, in fact, a frontage road. A half mile down the road it came to a dead end at a gate onto private property.

We were only about 50' from the road but we had to cross a swale to get there. The line-leader had a 43-footer towing an Avalanche. He tried to cross the swale, and proved to me that I didn't even want to try. He did quite a bit of damage to his coach.

We unhooked the Jeep. There was just enough room to make a K-turn (more like a W-turn) and traveled the half-mile back to the frontage road entrance to get back on the highway.

Not really an urgent situation, but we were glad our setup is easy.

[Grey Ghost I]

About ten years ago, I pulled a toad on a tow dolly. Going into F. E. Warren AF Base, the security people would not let me through the gate. Seems they had a truck gate rv's must go through. Told me to back up. Right! And with traffic behind me. I got out to undo the hookup and could not remember where I put the key to the car. I was anxious(panicky?) but after everybody came to help finally got squared away. Since then, my toad has been standard shift on the road. Can unhook in a jiffy if I need to.

[njs42]

In central California we pulled off take advantage of a Flying J we saw from the freeway. On the frontage road heading toward the station I was looking for a sign indicating RV's here. Finally I noticed a Class A parked at pumps so I took that turn and headed in toward the convenience store which I thought was strange. As I was filling up the guy in the original RV came over and said "say how are we going to get out of this place"? "What?, I am here because you are".

We ambled forward and determined he had enough room to turn if I spotted for him which I did. I did not have enough room. As he pulled out I saw a sign RV's here, obscured by his MH down a half block choked with RV's filling and turning out with impunity.

I unhooked, moved the toad then put my wife in the back to guide me and proceeded to back out of what may have been the busiest filling station on I-5. We hooked back up and went on our way fending off some expressions of just how unpopular we were with people driving into the station.

[DMTTRANSPORT]

Originally Posted by njs42

In central California we pulled off take advantage of a Flying J we saw from the freeway. On the frontage road heading toward the station I was looking for a sign indicating RV's here. Finally I noticed a Class A parked at pumps so I took that turn and headed in toward the convenience store which I thought was strange. As I was filling up the guy in the original RV came over and said "say how are we going to get out of this place"? "What?, I am here because you are".

We ambled forward and determined he had enough room to turn if I spotted for him which I did. I did not have enough room. As he pulled out I saw a sign RV's here, obscured by his MH down a half block choked with RV's filling and turning out with impunity.

I unhooked, moved the toad then put my wife in the back to guide me and proceeded to back out of what may have been the busiest filling station on I-5. We hooked back up and went on our way fending off some expressions of just how unpopular we were with people driving into the station.

Right, The ones giving the dirty looks never made a mistake, ha!

[NITEHAWK]

We pulled up to the gate house at Potter's Creek by Canyon Lake, Texas. The woman attendant said if we didn't have a reservation we couldn't go in. Even just to turn around with our toad behind. I stated there wasn't enough room to make the turn around behind the gate house. She told me I had to, seeing as there were other vehicles behind us and I could not go down into the CG and back. I pulled around the gate house, sure enough--front end in the woods, no room to go forward---just like I said. I sure took my good natured time unhooking the toad and completing the turn. We did make a point of notifying the NP headquarters and they told us the woman would be told to correct her instructions and attitude.

[TexasSprinter]

Very first trip with the toad - We're rolling down I80 when a guy in a pick-up comes up besides us, rolls down the window, and informs us that our mud flap is disconnected on one side and flapping behind us. That's what that shadow in the camera was!!!

Up the exit ramp, and there's an empty parking lot from a long-closed diner. Wife say, "I think you can make that turn." Right. So there we are, cranked full hard left, with nowhere near enough room to finish the turn. So we're disconnecting the toad for only the second time ever in a full lock. That was fun! And it certainly wasn't a fast disconnect.

And then there was the mud flap to deal with.

[dvmweb]

Towing a Jeep Liberty.

On a paved road in the dark and missed our turn. The next crossroad was 10 miles or more ahead. Attempted a U turn and made it about 2/3 of the way around, so we stopped. I jumped out and quickly unhooked the Jeep. Got the coach turned around and hooked the towed back up. Maybe 15 minutes tops. Always paid better attention since.

P.S. I really like to read these real life stories.


2013 FleetWood Expedition 38B

[mchero]

Originally Posted by dvmweb

P.S. I really like to read these real life stories.

Me too!

[777 Driver]

About 15 miles from home after a 5,000+ mile trip last summer, I was stopped at a stoplight behind a tractor/trailer; he was #1 at the light. When the light changed, he started to pull forward and I followed. After about 10 feet of travel, he abruptly shuddered to a stop. I stopped about 5 feet directly behind him. I sat there for a minute, or so, waiting for him to move. When he didn't, I jumped out and approached him as he was lifting the hood of his tractor. He muttered something about his transmission and said he was not able to move.

Not enough room to get around him; unable to back up with the toad.

Kinda fun demonstrating my prowess at quick-disconnect in view of many motorists. Their view of the real culprit (disabled tractor/trailer) was obstructed by my coach and many assumed it was my fault. Some even "waved" as they pulled around.

Oh, well...it saved my disconnect in front of my neighbors at home.

Take care,
Stu