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cvbdsl · 10-06-2016, 01:07 PM

Just sharing this as a lesson learned. Everything I did could and should have been prevented! No lectures please.

Just finished a two week trip from Ottawa to Washington DC and places in between. Things went fine overall except one day.

First campsite on the road, get up and the coffee maker doesn't work, and we don't even have instant. Suck it up and get on the road.

That evening pull into the next campsite, supposed to be pull-through but with the neighbouring campsites having hoses laying in mine and a very sharp turn in, plus not long enough for the toad, I break from my usual routine (first bad decision) I unhook the toad and tell the wife to back it up a ways as I need to back up and then turn in. I've walked the site but with the DW in the car I don't wait for her to be my ground guide.

Pull into the site but I seem too far from the utilities, no problem - just swing the front to the right (wheel hard left) and back up at an angle and then pull up straight. One problem, I forgot about the fire-pit

The right front wheel caught it, flipped it up and actually tore the fiberglass just behind the steps. It's a sound I won't soon forget!.
The steps were jammed by the wheel well but I manged to pull the fiberglass out so they worked as normal. I hope the campers next door weren't home as there were a few choice words about my stupidity! Picture below

OK, so now my routine is totally shot as I think of the $$ to fix the damage.
I level the MH, plug in the power. I go in and put out the slides, usually have the DW out to ensure all is clear. Not this time.

I'm lucky a bad day didn't get much worse. A plastic utility post, plainly visible, was next to my living room slide and I never noticed. Not until about 15 minutes later when I went to pull down the window awnings. I was lucky, there was about a 1/4 inch clearance between the bottom edge of the slide and the post! The picture makes it look worse.

For the remainder of the trip I stuck to my routine and everything worked out fine, lesson re-learned!.

Chris

Green D · 10-06-2016, 01:23 PM

I feel your pain and NO Lectures from me, or should be anyone else. We ALL know stuff happens.
Glad damage was on the smaller side, a body shop can take care of that little problem.
Now relax and back to the good life

barmcd · 10-06-2016, 01:23 PM

We've all had days like that.

Old-Biscuit · 10-06-2016, 01:34 PM

Boo-Boos happen!

Hopefully just enough to 'give us a lesson' and not cost to much

We had been on the road for about 8 mos. I was really comfortable towing/maneuvering our 5th wheel. Had been towing something my whole life and I was dang good.

Pulled in for fuel, filled up and then when I went to leave I had to go around the back station or so I thought.
That just took me to a cul-de-sac and a small gift shop.

Heck.no big deal. I got this ------just flip a 'U' turn and out of there.
Except for one small thing.......tail swing and gift shop owners truck parked out front.

WHACK!........
Owners truck -----broken right rear tail light and small scrape on bumper
5vr ------pulled rear cap LOOSE and OUT about 3"

Boo-boos happen :B

**JohnRR** · 10-06-2016, 01:39 PM

But above all else nobody was hurt.

Slice · 10-06-2016, 01:46 PM

gonna add those to my dont do list.... I have learned alot of those

adamfolger · 10-06-2016, 04:41 PM

Some days the octopus just won't co-operate...see my signature

cvbdsl · 10-06-2016, 05:25 PM

Glad to see we all learn from our mistakes.

Actually otherwise the whole trip was very pleasant. Met some real nice folks at the campgrounds and we did the tours of Gettysburg and DC. Weather co-operated for the first week and a half but rained every day after. A nice break from work with no goals or objectives. Going to DC was not in the plan, just a "lets go" spur of the moment (except Cherry Hilll park requires 48 hours notice).

Only had one concern was that on the way home, at roadside rest stops noticed a few drops of coolant dripping down, but nothing at campsites.

Took it in today, water pump is leaking ($325 CAD for a Cummins, cheaper for an aftermarket) plus a couple hours labour and new coolant (just had it flushed recently

).

But the local diesel shop did give me a lead on a guy that does a great job on fibreglass repairs for a reasonable price

Chris

petrel · 10-06-2016, 05:37 PM

That could happen to any of us. Glad it wasn't worse.

Crasher · 10-07-2016, 09:34 AM

What was it a good man said over 2000 years ago? "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." The same applies here, so don't expect and lectures from me.

harleyjt · 10-07-2016, 09:47 AM

I guess everyone has an oops moment at some point. I think its a deal where there are two groups of RVers. Those who have had an oops moment and those that will have an oops moment. Mine was when the tail swing got me. I didn't even think about the large brick Kroger sign right next to the curb where I was sitting waiting on a pump. When the pump cleared, I made a sharp turn into the pump and the corner of the rear cap caught the brick. Gouged up the corner of the rear cap pretty good. Lesson learned!
jt

Hawaii Dick · 10-07-2016, 01:17 PM

No biggie. My first day in our new to us DP, I hit a post backing it up. Tore off the rear cap. $5,000. My wife was speechless, almost. 😂

Racklefrack · 10-07-2016, 01:29 PM

Been there, done both those things so you a definitely not alone... except for me it wasn't a fire pit, it was a decorative rock at the corner of our spot that I thought I could clear but it was just tall enough to catch our front bumper and rip the bottom of it.

And it wasn't a plastic post but the actual utility post that my BR slide cleared by 1/8". I just lifted the back end a little so it wouldn't rub while we were walking around inside

If we were all perfect, we wound't need forums like IRV2

znt1186 · 10-07-2016, 01:57 PM

No lectures here. Pulled into a "pull through" in KOA Pigeon Forge within three months of just getting our new to us Allegro Bus. In order to pull through, you have to pull between two occupied sites, then straight through. Wife in toad behind me since we unhooked some distance away. Watch trees to left front and awning on tt to the right, forgot about the steel grill mounted on a post at the site. Getting tight, so I decided to stop, get out and look around and found the grill gouging into the storage compartment door making a nice deep scratch. Backing off the grill created a twin to go with it. Wife had a few choice words "NO YOU DID NOT!!" were the nicest ones. Still have not had it repaired.