Crushed Rails

[Baldicon]

When you perform your pull test, pull against chocks, not just the trailer brakes. They require centrifugal force to operate. Or at least that's the way it was described at last year's rally.

[Mike_Garcia]

Happened to me once. Fortunately, there was a 2x8 in the side slots that divide the bed in segments so I could keep a couple of gas cans from roaming around and it took almost all of the impact. You could barely tell it happened, but it did cost me a $1700.00 tailgate. Now I daubble check the jaws to assure they have the pin INSIDE!

[GreG L.]

One of the reasons I have an Andersen, keeps the wife from looking at me like, You Idiot. As I age I look for things that keep me from doing something dumb.

[CADman_KS]

Originally Posted by GreG L.

One of the reasons I have an Andersen, keeps the wife from looking at me like, You Idiot. As I age I look for things that keep me from doing something dumb.

LOL....

[bshgto]

Originally Posted by Theunz View Post
Can’t happen with an Anderson

Originally Posted by jeffba

LOL just Google Andersen Ultimate Hitch failure

I think what your referring to is one that was in a head on collision or the one where the guy twisted his unit beyond what the hitch could take going into a drive way.There maybe a few more but it is always a owner failure not a hitch failure. But with your typical plate hitch there are hundreds if not thousands of examples of destruction by them. Just read this and many many other threads about this same issue. Never understood how one can own what these units and trucks cost and not be attentive to the most basic part of connecting the two pieces together.
Really, can you not see that there is light between the plate on the hitch and the plate on the camper or that the arm that actuates the jaw release is not all way in. or the jaw/s are not closed. When I had a plate hitch for a short time the hitch would make a specific sound when connecting completely, the couple of times I did not hear that specific clunk sound I found the jaw had not closed all the way. Best one I`ve seen to date is a brand new Dodge 3500 dually, brand new with the new truck tags still on it had the bed crushed by this failure of not checking. Boy did he look stupid in front of his wife.
Like the guy said with the Andersen, it`s ether on or off no in-between. Love my Andersen

[CADman_KS]

Originally Posted by bshgto

...

But with your typical plate hitch there are hundreds if not thousands of examples of destruction by them. Just read this and many many other threads about this same issue. ...
Like the guy said with the Andersen, it`s ether on or off no in-between. Love my Andersen

If you own a short box pickup, there's more to the story than just the hitch connection. With the Andersen hitch and a short box, you're trading one issue for another, and that's you're ability to hit your cab with your 5er. A slider is cheap insurance against that not happening. So, you have to pick one, crushed bed rails or crushed cab, and that dictates which hitch you want insurance against.

I know far more people that have crushed cabs than bedrails. I'd take my slider over positive hitching any day of the week. And, for me, I have a situation in my driveway that dictates that I get the corner of the 5er past the cab. YMMV...

[richfaa]

Accident "an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury." Which is why we have a bedsaver

[bshgto]

Originally Posted by CADman_KS

If you own a short box pickup, there's more to the story than just the hitch connection. With the Andersen hitch and a short box, you're trading one issue for another, and that's you're ability to hit your cab with your 5er. A slider is cheap insurance against that not happening. So, you have to pick one, crushed bed rails or crushed cab, and that dictates which hitch you want insurance against.

I know far more people that have crushed cabs than bedrails. I'd take my slider over positive hitching any day of the week. And, for me, I have a situation in my driveway that dictates that I get the corner of the 5er past the cab. YMMV...

Nahhh you made the typical assumption that all 5er`s front caps are the same and if you use a Andersen you will hit. Not so, many front caps can allow the use of a Andersen with a 6` bed, there is a video of one on here somewhere. You just don`t happen to have one so to lump all campers into one situation is just whooey. I had the slider at first with a short bed just got tired of the within 10 degree to hook up or no go and the ridiculous can`t get the thing unhooked if your not on level ground. This whole beating your chest " I got tO do 90 DEgrees or it ain`t aNy good foR me" is funny you do know 90 degrees or more your not backing up any more you just spinning in place so you have to pull out from the golden 90 degrees to start backing up at all. Can`t remember the last time I did 90 to get into anything. Still more damage from people not doing a basic walk around before you leave than any other type, period. Really, make this job the only out side chore for the wife that way you can blame her and not look like a cultz. But it`s your bed....Love my Andersen. I have a slightly used engine crane for sale.
And for the people that crack the back window....Pull throughs

[Theunz]

When it comes to short beds and your main concern is not hitting your cab, an auto slider is the only viable option. However we all know their limitations including cost, weight, and difficulty in hooking and unhooking. A manual slider depends solely on you actually getting out and moving it. I had a Reese for over 10 years And probably only slid it half a dozen times. Usually it was just easier to make a couple of extra moves. I did manage to hit my cab once, actually just brushed it and scuffed the paint slightly when I wasn’t paying attention and made a sharp turn going forward. I have an Anderson in my truck and the owner I bought it from had a super lite hitch in it. He did indeed manage to hit and dent the cab with it. He owned an RV shop, so I’m sure his trailer was a newer rounded front. The bottom line is all of these incidents happen when we fail to pay attention to what we are doing or let ourselves get distracted.
PS anytime you are anywhere close to 90* you are putting tremendous undue stress on your tires and suspension. Better to just make a couple of more moves!

[Montana Man]

If pilots forgot to put down the landing gear like people don't hitch properly, who would fly? There are just some things you gotta get right.

[jeffba]

Originally Posted by bshgto

Originally Posted by Theunz View Post
Can’t happen with an Anderson



I think what your referring to is one that was in a head on collision or the one where the guy twisted his unit beyond what the hitch could take going into a drive way.There maybe a few more but it is always a owner failure not a hitch failure. But with your typical plate hitch there are hundreds if not thousands of examples of destruction by them. Just read this and many many other threads about this same issue. Never understood how one can own what these units and trucks cost and not be attentive to the most basic part of connecting the two pieces together.
Really, can you not see that there is light between the plate on the hitch and the plate on the camper or that the arm that actuates the jaw release is not all way in. or the jaw/s are not closed. When I had a plate hitch for a short time the hitch would make a specific sound when connecting completely, the couple of times I did not hear that specific clunk sound I found the jaw had not closed all the way. Best one I`ve seen to date is a brand new Dodge 3500 dually, brand new with the new truck tags still on it had the bed crushed by this failure of not checking. Boy did he look stupid in front of his wife.
Like the guy said with the Andersen, it`s ether on or off no in-between. Love my Andersen

I really do not care. I just find it amusing to poke at you AUH guys.
especially when an AUH guy hijacks a thread.
It is only a matter of time before someone is asking what chemicals to use and it turns into an AUH discussion.

[GT500KR]

Their are a few Rocket Scientist in every group, however a Simple Suggestion, develop a Standard check list, perform the check list all the time & Double check it again without distraction and you "Never" have damage rails or tailgate..

[firestation12]

Originally Posted by GT500KR

Their are a few Rocket Scientist in every group, however a Simple Suggestion, develop a Standard check list, perform the check list all the time & Double check it again without distraction and you "Never" have damage rails or tailgate..

Says the non rocket scientist, who apparently through the use of checklists, has avoided the typical male attribute of "those who have and those who will". I look forward to reading his book when published.

[GrayPDX]

I am a full timer and the neighbors here are almost always willing to help, but in this case the offer of help was denied by a 20 something year old and it was disastrous.


There was a older 5er here, that the owner was just giving away to have it hauled away. The kid bit and showed up to pick it up. First problem he was told about was that he only had a half ton for this 40+ ft 5er (I'm guessing it was at least 45 ft). Second one was that he had the hitch installed backwards - he was told about that too. So the couple of folks who were trying to help this kid, just threw up their hands and stood back. Kid got it hitched up, but not locked in - even tho the hitch was backwards. He pulled forward with no problem, but then he had to back up a little bit and of course the 5er came off the hitch and crushed both sides of the bed. He got it hitched up again, but this time when he pulled forward, he high centered the front of his truck on a big ole rock. He had to dig around the rock and move it enough to get clear of it. And by this time, his wife was furious at him and got in her car and just left him there. The kid tried pulling out again - he turned too tight and of course he hit the cab of his truck and put a huge dent in it. Folks were still trying to help him - but he just wasn't having it. He finally gave up, put the 5er back in the space, unhooked it and drove away. Showed up the next day with a friend that had a 3/4 ton, hooked it up and drove away. We were all concerned this time since we thought that 5er was way too heavy for that truck (I wouldn't have tried pulling something that big with my F350), but they pulled away anyway. We never heard if they made it to the new park ok - which was about 45 miles away.


If this situation wasn't so sad, it would be comical. We are all going to make mistakes sometime, I know I have. But I've also learned to listen to what folks are telling you, take a second look at the situation then go forward. Hopefully without any consequences.

[CADman_KS]

Originally Posted by bshgto

Nahhh you made the typical assumption that all 5er`s front caps are the same and if you use a Andersen you will hit. Not so, many front caps can allow the use of a Andersen with a 6` bed, there is a video of one on here somewhere. You just don`t happen to have one so to lump all campers into one situation is just whooey. ...

You are correct that I do not own an Andersen, but I believe that an Andersen would have given me the clearance that I needed, but I went in a different direction with my hitch. It's important to note that I have a 2020 Chevy truck, and I do not believe that prior to 2020, the necessary clearance would have been there. They made some changes that made the ball further back. I actually have a situation every time that we park, that I have to turn around in our driveway, and I'm somewhere in the 85deg range to get that accomplished, and the nose of our 5er is about 1' past the corner of the cab. If I didn't have more than 48" of clearance (and that would not be a practical minimum), it would hit when I turn.

Respectfully, you are incorrect on the shape of the cap. That has absolutely nothing to do with your ability to get to a 90 deg turn. It will help you get closer, but the ONLY way that you get to a full 90 deg turn is if your the distance from the back of your cab is less than 1/2 the width of the 5er. I can't find it right now, but PullRite has a great video on why the shape doesn't matter.

I stick by my comment that with whatever hitch you have, if you want to invest in the insurance to NEVER hit your cab when you turn, then you need to have MORE distance from the back of your cab than 1/2 the width of your 5er. You need to get a hitch that accomplishes that...

[CADman_KS]

Originally Posted by GrayPDX

... Second one was that he had the hitch installed backwards - he was told about that too. So the couple of folks who were trying to help this kid, just threw up their hands and stood back. Kid got it hitched up, but not locked in - even tho the hitch was backwards. ...

How in the world does one even get hooked up this way???

[GrayPDX]

Yeah - I agree with you but that's what he did. I didn't see it happen, but my guess is he raised the pin box to clear the hitch, then lowered the hitch and pulled forward to try and lock it in, but he didn't check to see if the jaws of the hitch locked onto the pin box. It's a good thing he backed up and it disconnected. I'd hate to think what would've happened if he just pulled out, drove down the road with the hitch not locked. The first time he tried to stop, that pin box would've come out of the hitch and the damage to the truck would've been worse that he incurred while here still in the park. Not to mention what would've happened if the 5er slid forward more that a couple of feet - it would've taken the cab out and probably the kid too. I worked for the AZ HP years ago and saw accidents I'll never unsee, but nothing like this had the potential to be.

[CADman_KS]

Originally Posted by GrayPDX

... It's a good thing he backed up and it disconnected. I'd hate to think what would've happened if he just pulled out, drove down the road with the hitch not locked. The first time he tried to stop, that pin box would've come out of the hitch and the damage to the truck would've been worse that he incurred while here still in the park. Not to mention what would've happened if the 5er slid forward more that a couple of feet - it would've taken the cab out and probably the kid too. ...

When I first started reading your post, and I got to the part about hitch in backwards, all I could think of was the trailer coming forward. That could have been really bad, really quick...

[AZ Traveler]

Originally Posted by GrayPDX

I am a full timer and the neighbors here are almost always willing to help, but in this case the offer of help was denied by a 20 something year old and it was disastrous.


There was a older 5er here, that the owner was just giving away to have it hauled away. The kid bit and showed up to pick it up. First problem he was told about was that he only had a half ton for this 40+ ft 5er (I'm guessing it was at least 45 ft). Second one was that he had the hitch installed backwards - he was told about that too. So the couple of folks who were trying to help this kid, just threw up their hands and stood back. Kid got it hitched up, but not locked in - even tho the hitch was backwards. He pulled forward with no problem, but then he had to back up a little bit and of course the 5er came off the hitch and crushed both sides of the bed. He got it hitched up again, but this time when he pulled forward, he high centered the front of his truck on a big ole rock. He had to dig around the rock and move it enough to get clear of it. And by this time, his wife was furious at him and got in her car and just left him there. The kid tried pulling out again - he turned too tight and of course he hit the cab of his truck and put a huge dent in it. Folks were still trying to help him - but he just wasn't having it. He finally gave up, put the 5er back in the space, unhooked it and drove away. Showed up the next day with a friend that had a 3/4 ton, hooked it up and drove away. We were all concerned this time since we thought that 5er was way too heavy for that truck (I wouldn't have tried pulling something that big with my F350), but they pulled away anyway. We never heard if they made it to the new park ok - which was about 45 miles away.


If this situation wasn't so sad, it would be comical. We are all going to make mistakes sometime, I know I have. But I've also learned to listen to what folks are telling you, take a second look at the situation then go forward. Hopefully without any consequences.

It sounds more comical than sad to me - no one was hurt.

[Montana Man]

"Respectfully, you are incorrect on the shape of the cap. That has absolutely nothing to do with your ability to get to a 90 deg turn. It will help you get closer, but the ONLY way that you get to a full 90 deg turn is if your the distance from the back of your cab is less than 1/2 the width of the 5er. I can't find it right now, but PullRite has a great video on why the shape doesn't matter."

Imagine a front cap that has a square front versus the newer rounded caps. A rounded cap does help with getting to a 90 degree position. To reach that 90, the distance from the cab to the trailer would have to be more than half the width of the trailer.