I was stupid, please tell me I'm not alone!

[GMA385]

Originally Posted by Pepper2

After our toad is hooked up the wife stands behind it and checks brake lights, turn signals and then I inch forward and she checks that the tires rotate. On one occasion, for whatever reason, I had applied the barking brake and she immediately signaled me to stop. Luckily, no damage.

This is the same exact procedure my wife and I go through. Don't beat yourself up for forgetting this one time. As stated in earlier post, good learning lesson and you won't do that again...maybe!

[HenryRH3]

We are very new, but I am with Pepper. The last step before liftoff is for my copilot wife to see the wheels turning on the Toad as I roll forward a few feet. It works so far!

[JohnRR]

Your not the first person to have done that nor will you be the last. Use it as a lesson learned.

[Charming]

Originally Posted by Nutmeg

My last step before towing is to push by hand my toad backwards until one of the tow bar arms locks (Blue OX). Confirmation the drive train is free and the brakes are off.

Good idea,afraid I'm in the same corner as the OP except it is costing us an emergency brake job.

Oh, the first time we connected the tow dolly to the motor home to take it home and test it out I did not get the lever properly snapped over the hitch. I was following DH and watched at the first stoplight the dolly disengage and roll under the motor home. Ripped the top of the brand new brake controller.

[AnotherMike]

Originally Posted by Itchytoe

Don't feel bad. A few hours ago I switched spots in this campground and pulled my trailer out of it's first spot with an X-chock still between the axles. Luckily, it somehow just popped out with no damage to it or the trailer. I usually make an extra round just to make sure I didn't forget anything before taking off, but didn't this time because I was just moving down a few spots and not even getting on the road.

We all do stupid things once in a while. Hopefully we learn from our mistakes.

An acquaintance of mine made the exact same error... he has a large Airstream trailer and a diesel dualie truck. He's a retired pilot and on the next trip I saw these <https://www.amazon.com/Rotary13B1-Remove-Before-Flight-Chain/dp/B00W63X0LA> attached to the water pressure regulator, the x-chucks, the plug-in electrical surge suppressor, and each stabilizer jack.
And a note taped to the truck steering wheel what said "Do you have all (count) pennants? Is the TV antenna down? Step stowed?"

[georgelesley]

Originally Posted by TriMoot

Wow..a very simple double check...Thanks for sharing that. We just bought our 1st toad and I am VERY nervous about making sure all is well. This will certainly help.

We do the same every time we hook up and also every morning prior to moving, check lights, wheels turning, tow bar arms locked. All thumbs up, then we go.

[LETMGROW]

I have several index cards with the following written on them I place on my instrument panel to serve as a reminder. Each card has one item written on it.
Awning out
Antenna up
Plugged in
Water hose / regulator
Jacks down
Flag pole
Tire covers on
Tank hose out
Gen-Turi on
Compartments unlocked
Refrigerator door unlocked
I carry these around as I do my final check before moving my MH. My wife double checks me and does a walk around also.
Lynn

[TonyMac]

I drove about 300 miles when I said to myself "Self, did you release the ebrake on the toad." I replied "Doesn't matter now, moron, keep driving!" Nope, I hadn't.

[Pepper2]

O.K.... who changed braking to barking?

[mymyst]

Originally Posted by Pepper2

After our toad is hooked up the wife stands behind it and checks brake lights, turn signals and then I inch forward and she checks that the tires rotate. On one occasion, for whatever reason, I had applied the barking brake and she immediately signaled me to stop. Luckily, no damage.

X2; always, always check the pedal for travel on the SMS AF1 system, then pull forward a few feet to make sure all wheels are rolling....then and ONLY then can the wife come abord the coach!!!

One of our first trips ever I forgot and left the parking brake on in the toad....didn't take much yelling and arm flapping by the wife to get me stopped!! Something you don't easily forget again!!

[Granite17]

Originally Posted by Pepper2

After our toad is hooked up the wife stands behind it and checks brake lights, turn signals and then I inch forward and she checks that the tires rotate. On one occasion, for whatever reason, I had applied the barking brake and she immediately signaled me to stop. Luckily, no damage.

Absolutely! Best preventative action you can do. Your not only verifying brake and turn lights but
your sure wheels are turning.

[Mr.Goodbar]

Nope, you're not alone. I left the parking brake set on the toad. Went about 10 feet, the noise alerted me, as usually everything is smooth and quiet. Since our street has a slight slope, I always hook up the toad, with MH pointing uphill, then release the parking brake after completing hook-up procedure to let the tow-bar locks set to full extended position.


After that once, I have a procedure, that I follow.

[KBlanchard]

BCam, my checklist to hooking up Toad

Hooking Toad Checklist
1. Place MH and Toad on level ground
2. Energize wireless brake control in MH
3. Turn on MH, place in park with brake on
4. Align Toad center hood to center of MH tow system, allowing room to manually push and pull Toad after connecting
5. Place Toad in neutral, place 4 x 4 gear in neutral
6. Place Toad main gear in park
7. Confirm Toad can be moved forward and backward manually
8. Install links to Toad
9. Install tow bar to links and lock
10. Install wire ropes to Toad and MH
11. Install electrical
12. Install brake away cable to Toad and MH
13. Install brake system in Toad
14. Setup breaker system in Toad
15. Test brake system, brakes and lights
16. Final check; check freedom of movement with Toad and push Toad back to lock in links

[Slickrick]

Originally Posted by rrtribble

Been there - done that!!!!

The emergency brake on my silverado half ton had a release button that after it moved so many feet it released rather than destroy the tire or brake assembly. I saw the tire skidding as i was making a left turn out of the parking lot and remembered the brake.

Lesson learned!

Drive sage - Richard

That's good to know Incase I forget. Just equipped my 2018 4x4 Silverado