Unhitching humor

Foxfire · 06-02-2014, 05:39 PM

So my 31 SL is my first fifth wheel. I've made three hook ups and three unhooks. This last unhook went like this.
I pulled into the campground checked in and proceeded to my site. I looked around and I know I need a shoehorn to park this baby and with my vast experience this was going to be bad. Well I finally got it in and my wife is threatening to file divorce papers but I'm in. Now to unhook.
Front legs down a little weight off and I can't budge the release handle. Wait the guys said you need a little daylight between the plates. So, I raise it up a little more. Still nothing, My wife gets in the drivers seat and rolls back nothing, then forward nothing. My arm hurts from pulling so hard but it won't open. Then I realized I never pulled the lock pin out. LOL sometimes you have to step back and look twice before beating yourself up. I think my wife is still filing the divorce papers, at least until our next adventure.

TNTBaker · 06-02-2014, 05:50 PM

Well now you can know youre just like the rest of us. The key is to keep your facial expressions bland and nobody watching will know ;-)

0nTheRoad · 06-02-2014, 06:27 PM

Welcome to the Ah-Ha club...for me I have a lifetime membership and continue to renew my membership on a regular basis.

FYI...I've don't the same thing!

johnboytoo · 06-02-2014, 07:05 PM

I'm on unhitch # 765 and still can get 'that expression' from her at times !

I ask her to go walk the dog usually to relieve the stress

rcflame · 06-02-2014, 07:50 PM

At least one good thing, you'll remember this and the next time it happens, that will be one of the first things you check. We all have our list of boo boos that we keep in mind so if we have problems we have something to check.

CV67Cheng · 06-02-2014, 08:40 PM

At least you have the right attitude about it, that is what I most enjoy about the RV folks, they all seem to have an easy attitude about things. My best goof was, we were in the campground, all set up and having a good time. I use the expandable chocks that go between the tires, I always leave the handle on so I can see it and know the chock is still in place. Well the DW, sweet as she is, decides I must have forgotten it and takes the ratcheting handle off and stows in a basket in the basement

, we break camp on Sunday morning, everything is going well, I do my walk around (not as detailed as usual), jump in the truck, release emergency brake, put truck in gear and attempt to drive away, for some reason truck seems sluggish, just then I hear a screeching noise and notice my two left wheels of the trailer are not rolling, I stop, look at brake controller, check plug in the bed and emergency release cable, walk back and notice the chock solidly wedged in between the tires

. So after a few choice words under my breath, I stand up and turn around and there stands my DW holding the ratchet in her hand smiling and saying, "maybe you need thus, huh". Ahh the great golden moments of RVing.

lwg · 06-02-2014, 10:05 PM

I have a tendency to not raise the trailer high enough, then when I pull the truck out it pops way up and scares the bejeezus out of me!

homeguy · 06-02-2014, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lwg

I have a tendency to not raise the trailer high enough, then when I pull the truck out it pops way up and scares the bejeezus out of me!

I did this the first time I unhooked from a true 5th wheel. Up to that point, I had used goosenecks. Clear the ball, move truck. The first time on the 5th wheel, I put down the front legs, raised it up some to make certain I had it on solid ground and pulled the lever on the hitch. All was fine until I moved forward and all the weight came off of the truck. Luckily, the only damage was a broken light cover on the bottom of the trailer, and my ego! Luckily, I think dw has forgotten about it, I hope!

lwg · 06-02-2014, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homeguy

I did this the first time I unhooked from a true 5th wheel. Up to that point, I had used goosenecks. Clear the ball, move truck. The first time on the 5th wheel, I put down the front legs, raised it up some to make certain I had it on solid ground and pulled the lever on the hitch. All was fine until I moved forward and all the weight came off of the truck. Luckily, the only damage was a broken light cover on the bottom of the trailer, and my ego! Luckily, I think dw has forgotten about it, I hope!

lol, I now know to drop the airbag pressure to 5 PSI before pulling away. It seems to eliminate this "incident". Now sometimes the truck will drop down an inch or so.

Foxfire · 06-02-2014, 11:01 PM

It's nice to know I'm in good company and not the only one to do silly things.

AlanN · 06-02-2014, 11:49 PM

I plan to have a hitch/unhitch checklist tattooed on my arm.

Oriana · 06-03-2014, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlanN

I plan to have a hitch/unhitch checklist tattooed on my arm.

I started with a checklist and SOP completed in the same order. If distracted, I go back to the start. DW is slowly learning that if she want to get on the road - no distractions

**piper guy** · 06-03-2014, 01:54 PM

When we get in or are getting ready to go, Tracy and I both have our routines. I am like Andy , no unnecessary chatter and a checklist of what to do. Same as when flying, sterile cockpit rule. That means that during critical maneuvers or important tasks, no talking that isn't task related. My hunch is that Andy's bridge was the same way docking or leaving port.

And. FWIW, we all have many stories to swap at campfires ........

**Blenhardt** · 06-03-2014, 02:42 PM

Yep, I had one of those near miss screw ups when unhooking one time. After a long day of pulling our previous fiver (Montana) we pulled into an RV park in SC., put the front jacks down, chocked the wheels, got into the truck and started to pull away. Whoa, hadn't unlatched the hitch. Got out pulled the lever, and they truck starts to leave without me!!!! Hadn't put it in park. Was able to catch it with no damage. DW and I looked at each and said "Don't tell the kids, they will take the keys away from us".

It does take concentration when unhooking and hooking up.

Oriana · 06-03-2014, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piper guy

When we get in or are getting ready to go, Tracy and I both have our routines. I am like Andy , no unnecessary chatter and a checklist of what to do. Same as when flying, sterile cockpit rule. That means that during critical maneuvers or important tasks, no talking that isn't task related. My hunch is that Andy's bridge was the same way docking or leaving port.

And. FWIW, we all have many stories to swap at campfires ........

Good guess Vaughan - I actually wrote the company policy manual and SOP's.

Darn, gotta bring extra beer for those campfire chats.

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