OUCH! What an embarrassment!
FTE Legend
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 65,938
Likes: 1,432
From: Millersville, MD
I did that the very first time I hooked up my '94 30' Prowler fiver. At the time I had a new (to me) 1992 Ford F250 and it didn't do anything to the truck rails except put a little dent on top of each rail. It broke the front "porch lite" that it mounted under the overhang, but just the lens. I am amazed at the damage it did to your truck. I can see they sure made 'em a bit sturdier in '92!!
What I did do to my new 2005 F250 is drive out from under the trailer (wasn't hooked up) without raising the trailer. I was in hurry to leave house and forgot I had parked it under there. The tailgate looks much like yours.... bent double. I have a V gate on it now and am waiting for a call from an outfit locally that converts 250's/350's for lift gates. They said I can get a good tailgate for $150.00. For that price, I'll wait a long time....might even get the right color!!
What I did do to my new 2005 F250 is drive out from under the trailer (wasn't hooked up) without raising the trailer. I was in hurry to leave house and forgot I had parked it under there. The tailgate looks much like yours.... bent double. I have a V gate on it now and am waiting for a call from an outfit locally that converts 250's/350's for lift gates. They said I can get a good tailgate for $150.00. For that price, I'll wait a long time....might even get the right color!!
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,166
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From: Chino, California
Originally Posted by FordxFour
Just thank the good Lord that it didn't come loose going down the highway and kill someone.
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 65
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yes OUCH! is right. However, not quite as bad as this one I saw on the web recently:
<a href="http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/5554/img02751yd.jpg" >http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/5554/img02751yd.jpg</a>
The driver jumped out of the truck and forgot to set the parking brake.
The truck & trailer rolled back over an embankment.
<a href="http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/5554/img02751yd.jpg" >http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/5554/img02751yd.jpg</a>
The driver jumped out of the truck and forgot to set the parking brake.
The truck & trailer rolled back over an embankment.
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 42
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I have a Bedsaver and after the install, I tested it (blocked the 5er) by carefully lifting the gear a bit and easing forward. Bedsaver works as advertised. I am glad I spent the $150 since even when trying to be careful, I might mess up!
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,166
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From: Chino, California
Cody 47 said:I have a Bedsaver and after the install, I tested it (blocked the 5er) by carefully lifting the gear a bit and easing forward. Bedsaver works as advertised. I am glad I spent the $150 since even when trying to be careful, I might mess up!
Man, I am glad to here that. I ordered mine and it will be here next week UPS. Thanks for sharing.
Man, I am glad to here that. I ordered mine and it will be here next week UPS. Thanks for sharing.
New User
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 23
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Are you all sure the trailer should lift up? When I back under my fiver, the truck squats under the trailer and I mean the suspension compresses about two or three inches. But thats the only way I found to get a good first try solid hook-up.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,620
Likes: 3
From: WARRINGTON, PA
the only thing that i can think of is that your trailer is, 1-very heavy tongue weight or 2- the suspension is pretty soft for your f250. 99.9999% of the time the trailer usually lifts up. on tractor trailers thats the way I do it. the truck will not really squat at all. even in my expierience, when hooking up a 5th wheel to a pick-up, the truck squats a little, but mostly the trailer lifts. i'm guessing that your trailer is probably pretty heavy, thats why your truck squats, instead of the trailer lifting. you might want to try and stifining the rear of your truck up a little bit. how is your ride height? it should ride realatively level. if it doesn't, make some corrections to the rear suspension of the truck. BUT THATS MY $0.02 WORTH.
Moderator
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 6,517
Likes: 917
From: Home Base Nebraska
From my experience with RV 5vers you will always squat the truck down when backing under a 5ver and not lift the trailer. A high hitch hookup sometimes is hard to see I always go to the back of the truck and make sure that the jaws are locked around the pin.
Semi hook ups are a little different the trailer brakes are locked until the air is supplied so you can back under the trailer Petty hard to get trailer lift. Thats not the case with a RV. If you back under one that hard without brakes locked and wheels blocked the landing gear would bend plus you would hit the hitch plate to low to get any lift on the trailer.
The only time I have seen the a truck lift the trailer is a tow vehicle with rear air suspension and the lift is after hookup not during hookup
Denny
Semi hook ups are a little different the trailer brakes are locked until the air is supplied so you can back under the trailer Petty hard to get trailer lift. Thats not the case with a RV. If you back under one that hard without brakes locked and wheels blocked the landing gear would bend plus you would hit the hitch plate to low to get any lift on the trailer.
The only time I have seen the a truck lift the trailer is a tow vehicle with rear air suspension and the lift is after hookup not during hookup
Denny
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,353
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From: Nothern Indiana
Boy you guys must have some heavy trailers or weak trucks. Both my 01 and my 05 will lift the trailer about an 1" when hooking up. Thats where I leave my trailer at when I unhook so it drops when pulling out. The fifthwheel plate on the truck should be at an downward angle and the pin plate on the trailer should meet at the bottom of the hitch plate. Then when you back under the trailer should lift some . You may not think it is but I bet if you put a tape measure on it before and after it has gone up. It will squat the truck also but the trailer should go up too. Then when you raise the landing gear the truck will squat more. Theres only about 4-5" that it can squat or raise if your at the bottom of the hitch plate when you start to go under . I don't think there is a right or wrong answer on hooking a fiver up but if your getting the pin ABOVE the jaws or slide bar the trailer is being hooked up when its too HIGH. Its the only way it can happen.Just remember to leave some room for lift (or squat) when hooking up .
I always put the feet down and raise the trailer up until I see slight separation between the pin box and the hitch. That way I know that the truck won't jump up when I unhitch.
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