The Dreaded Drop Happened

Hooked up as usual Friday.

During my brake checked the camper came out of the hitch.

Now I need a new tailgate.....

$1000 mistake

Sorry to hear about your mishap, we all make mistakes and thankfully thats all the damage that was done. I know I try to make it a point to double check the landing gear is raised about an inch off the ground when I test. But I am sure you do this and sometimes things happen that take our attention away just at the wrong time.

Sorry to hear about your mishap. I know it probably has you bummed out. We all make mistakes, it happens.

When we do a brake check we have the tailgate down and the landing grear about 2 inches off the ground.

Been there, payed that, got a "Bed Saver" by Blue Ox. Hope it never happen again.

I hope Better Luck comes your way.

As I am new to 5th wheeling, do you mind if I ask what happened? What led to the kingpin coming loose?? I would appreciate it as a "watch out for this" kinda thing.

EdJunior wrote:As I am new to 5th wheeling, do you mind if I ask what happened? What led to the kingpin coming loose?? I would appreciate it as a "watch out for this" kinda thing.

You have to make sure the king pin is locked in ( the jaws are around the king pin). Then check it again, then the DW will ask if you checked it, then she goes out and checks it. Then you pray you did it right.

Cummins2500hd:
I wrecked my tail gate after I unhitch from the trailer. I backed into a tree with the gate down. I then purchased a 5th wheel tailgate:
Handy Industries.
I also replace the OEM gate with one found at the Junk Yard. Call around to different Junk Yards to see if they have any New-Take-Off Gates. Some times they might have tail gates that were removed because the truck had a Hdy Lift gate installed.
I found one for $200. Then I had to get it painted to match the Truck.

Yikes!! I haven't done a brake test since our first 5er 5 years ago. BUT before I pull away from house I triple check the hitch to make sure the jaws are in place. Almost to the point of annoyance for my DW!!! Then after we leave our house and before we get on the highway I pull over AGAIN and do one last walk around. She puts up with me doing it every time and it's sets my mind at ease for the trip.

Hmm. I find this interesting. I cannot insert my safety pin unless the jaws are locked. Are y'all saying you "missed" that step entirely? I mean, once I am able to insert my safety pin, that baby is locked tight. After inserting the safety pin, I do take a look anyway...I do still have some bit of paranoia.

Make Sure that you don't HIGH PIN THE HITCH. That is where the King Pin Is on top of the JAWS!
Where it is surpose to be is with the JAWS around the King Pin on the King Pin Jaw Grove.

cummins2500hd,

What kind of hitch do you have?

I installed a bed saver ,also . Jim

With the B&W, I don't think it would be possible to not hitch up right as long as you make sure you can insert the safety pin. I've never thought much about it, but maybe I have been lucky so far. I think I will start checking that the jaws are closed when I shut the tailgate. Cummins2500hd, sorry it happened.

Exactly the way my Curt hitch works Brad. You cannot insert the safety pin unless the jaws are closed properly. There's also little windows with green, yellow and red dots to check, but I can't see them very well. My visual check of the jaws is much more effective. And that safety pin.

Still, I would be interested in hearing from those who have had the 5er drop on the bed to see what happened. Did you just miss a step in the hook up, was it a failure of some part, or what? I look at it as a learning experience for us all.

I paint the tips of my jaws orange and the king pin rings white. This makes it easy to see that the pin is positioned in the black hitch properly and that the jaws are closed. I always check with a flashlight and do a brake check with the legs a couple inches off the ground.

scottz wrote:I paint the tips of my jaws orange and the king pin rings white. This makes it easy to see that the pin is positioned in the black hitch properly and that the jaws are closed. I always check with a flashlight and do a brake check with the legs a couple inches off the ground.

I painted the jaws on mine bright white. We have a checklist that we use everytime to hitch or unhitch. We also use a checklist for closing up the trailer for travel.

I painted the hitch jaws white and the bottom ring of the pin orange So when I look at the hitch I can tell that the jaws are looked and that the pin is not to high. If you go to my gallery I have some photo's.

Had picked up the "painted jaws" from a previous forum discussion. Fluorescent yellow for us, along with a check list. By the time we move the CAT we have " checked" and "re-checked" enough to qualify as a 747 crew on a trans-oceanic flight. BUT, better safe than sorry.

I have the Reese 16K slider hitch.

The more I think about it I wonder if the pin wasn't too high.

Something to double check next time, especially since my new tailgate is now on.