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Old 10-08-2010, 05:43 PM   #1
stiles watson
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Narrow escape

Last night when I was setting up in Missoula, MT, I had a narrow escape. The wheels had been chocked. The legs were extended. The rig was leveled from side to side. All looked "go" for releasing the hitch.

Panic struck! The rig began to move backward out of the hitch jaws. I yelled at Dianna to chock the wheels. She said, "I did!" The rig moved back about a foot and a half. The overhang landed hard on the bed rails. All stopped.

I went back to where the wheels were to have been chocked and sure enough, they were. The problem was the CHOCKS DID NOT HOLD! I found it half buried in the gravel. The legs backed off the blocks and dug into the gravel. I went back to the front and extended the legs to the max. It cleared the bed rail. NO DAMAGE TO THE TRUCK OR TO THE RIG!! Not even the tiniest dent!

New problem, as always - now I could not get the rig elevated enough to get the hitch under the king pin. I thought of gathering wood pieces and blocks and using my 8 ton jack on the center of the front frame. That would be precarious and possibly disastrous and besides it was getting dark and it was thundering and raining.

I called Coach-Net. They sent a wrecker. He carefully lifted the nose up high enough to put blocks under the legs at a height where I could then lower the king pin and reconnect to the hitch.

When I setup tonight in Reed Point, MT, all was normal, nothing damaged. Believe me, I had a moment of trepidation when I grabbed the hitch release handle. Nothing moved, whew.
 
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Old 10-08-2010, 07:19 PM   #2
bob n pam
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How scary! Glad everything turned out okay.
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Old 10-08-2010, 09:29 PM   #3
KTManiac
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Sounds like you need to get some Rotochoks.



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Old 10-08-2010, 11:27 PM   #4
stevemc
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Glad everything is ok Stiles. That would have been very scary.
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Old 10-09-2010, 02:20 AM   #5
bncinwv
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Stiles,
For those of us with inquiring minds that could possibly learn from your experience, what kind of chocks are you using? Ground chocks or between the wheel chocks?? I do know that the between the wheel chocks that I use (Bal-chocks or similar??) have a tightening nut on the top and came with a blue wrench. I really tighten that sucker down, because I have had an incident using the same chocks with the boat trailer when I kinda, sorta forgot to remove them, and they will go flying if they are not real secure and you decide to pull the trailer with them in place. I would assume the same could happen with a 7 ton weight pulling against them??
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Old 10-09-2010, 03:34 AM   #6
ols1932
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Stiles,
What wheel chocks are you using. I used to use the BAL chock that had a nut on it to tighten the chocks. However, with those chocks I experienced almost the same thing you did. The metal against rubber didn't hold enough. I was parked on quite an incline. So I bought Roto-Choks that I now use and I've never had a problem since. These chocks really grab hold when installed and tightened. I recommend these chocks to everyone.

Orv
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Old 10-09-2010, 06:03 AM   #7
Trailer Trash 2
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I stoped using under the wheel chocks years ago, I use the between the wheels clamps simular to Roto-chocks and the Bal type, the only thing I put under the wheels is flat wood to level the Monty.

http://i28.tinypic.com/2h6ht3b.jpg

http://i30.tinypic.com/wtsllf.jpg

This company is still in operation but are on the expensive side compaired to Bal, but are simular to Roto-Chocks knowing the distance between the tires. and can be installed in 20 seconds, no twisting a web material or a screw sizor jack system. I have had them for over 10 years now and work great.

I'll take a picture and attach it to this post and show how it looks when installed on the trailer.

ON edit A Picture.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...heelChocks.jpg
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Old 10-09-2010, 04:48 PM   #8
CORattler
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Wow! That is scary! Thankfully no one and nothing was damaged. We have BAL chocks with the bolt on the top that you tighten down with the blue ratchet. http://tweetys.com/lockingchock.aspx
We really snug them down good and have had no movement.
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Old 10-09-2010, 06:26 PM   #9
stiles watson
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Thank you all for your input. I am on the move but better chocks are on the high priority agenda.
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Old 10-10-2010, 09:07 AM   #10
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I have the BAL's but I always mount them with the nut down - seems to be easier to get around the fender skirts that way.
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Old 10-11-2010, 05:19 AM   #11
Mudchief
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Stiles, I had the same thing happen to me. I threw away those chocks and purchased a pair of the Roto-Choks. They work great.
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Old 10-11-2010, 06:25 AM   #12
sfretts
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Hi,

Glad it worked out ok for you. I too use the ratcheting chocks between the tires. One thing I found out was you need to recheck the chocks from time to time. A few months ago, we drove a couple hours and set up with no problems. I went to hook up and found both chocks loose and basically doing no good. I realized the heat from the tires caused them expand and when the cold, everything went loose. I now snug them up a little more and they dont move at all. It;s always something when RVing.
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Old 10-11-2010, 05:04 PM   #13
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SUGGESTION

I have an 06 Ford F350 with the built in break controller. Every single time I hook up or unhook I leave my trailer brake cord attached and engage the brake fully with my hand so the trailer isn't moving until my truck is under it and hooked up or it is unhooked, obviously inching forward a few feet at which time my wife unhooks the cord. It works real well to prevent that trailer from moving at all. Try it, it works!
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Old 10-13-2010, 05:57 AM   #14
Bill and Lisa
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I use my brake controller the same way snowhawk2 does but if I understand your situation the rig would have still "rolled" once you let off on the brakes. The overhang just would not have landed on the bed rails.

I have the bal chocks BUT have always waited until after I was unhooked and level to install them. I guess I thought that if I installed them then raised or lowered the front end to level the unit would cause torque on the axles and be bad for the unit. I guess it might be but the unit rolling would be a lot worse.....!
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Old 11-01-2010, 04:51 PM   #15
clarkandsheila
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Trailer Trash

I may have missed it but who made the chock you showed?
Thanks
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Old 11-01-2010, 07:53 PM   #16
HamRad
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Stiles I am so happy to hear that you survived your latest adventure! I think you just described one of my greatest fears..... The trailer moving on its own and you have zero control! And I'm also happy to hear that there was no damage to the rig or your tow vehicle.

Travel safely,
Dennis and Mary Kay
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Old 11-02-2010, 08:24 AM   #17
druryg
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Scary Deal.... One thing those old fashioned king pin tripods are good for is re-adjusting the legs in a situation like that. Probably would have saved the wrecker call. I no longer use mine but keep it in the rig.
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Old 11-02-2010, 09:28 AM   #18
Ozz
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First, glad you two are OK. It happened to me, 'Bed saver' saved the day. It is so scary to see it slip away, don't ever want that to happen again.
Stay safe out there.
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Old 11-08-2010, 02:00 PM   #19
Wiesehan
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I have had this same thing happen to me a few years ago. Since that time in addition to getting good chocks I NEVER use blocks under the landing gear. I am amazed how many coaches that have large blocks under landing gears. In my opinion it is an accident waiting to happen. When you back under the coach if it pushes back, you can have the same problem. They put adjustable legs on these coaches for a reason!!
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Old 11-08-2010, 02:07 PM   #20
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I had this same thing happen to me a few years ago. In addition to setting good chocks, I use x chocks, I NEVER put blocks under the landing gear. If the coach pushes back when hooking up and falls off the blocks the coach drops on the truck. I am amazed how many folks use some type of large blocks under their landing gear. I think it is an accident waiting to happen. The manufactures put adjustable landing legs on these coaches for a reason and I would hope everyone would use them to avoid problems like this.
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