haha......we did this with our full size 3000kg van. The task for hooking up is 1) I back up using camera on back of ute 2) wife stops me when tow ball and tar bar lined up 3) I wind down jockey wheel as she holds out the lift up lock on handle 4) we both connect the electrics and shackles.
Ddidnt work once. Drove for about 30 mins and stopped for our usual routine check of everything inside and out. Thank god we did - because the tow bar coupling was still hitched up in the open position. It was only the tow ball weight and I good road that didn't have it jump off the Ute.
My fault - I always walk round both vehicles and visually look at all the bits and pieces (like TV antenna down, tow ball connected connected, electrics connected, chains on. This time I didn't see what was not done.
Glad we make a habit of stopping for a 2nd visual inside and outside check about 30 mins after we leave our camp area
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
Have done the same thing so now after hitching up I go over and physically touch each element to make sure that it is all right. Usually you make mistakes when you're in a hurry or some one is talking to you thus distracting you from the main task.
I had a Avan Camper mishap as well many moons ago. The tow ball snapped at the thread section and Avan came down onto chains.
The threaded section had rusted through.
I now replace the ball every 12 months and walk around and check everything twice. I also do the same thing every time I stop for a rest or refuel. Even if I leave the van hooked up over night when doing a one night stand I check everything the next morning.
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Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
Over the years I've forgotten from time to time to do almost everything that can be forgotten.
Leave door unlocked so that it jarrs open. (fitted a chain security lock to help fix that)
Didn't latch the coupling in the lock position. A passing council truck alerted me to this. The high ball weight kept the van attached.
Forgot one of the chains. Alerted by the rattling of the chain on the road as I exited the park.
Often forget to turn off the gas HWS.
Left most hatches up at various times. Being rear facing, they haven't blown off.
Left hand break on. Thought that Patrol was a little sluggish after a kilometer or so. No damage fortunately.
Forgot to un hitch one WDH spring bar as I was setting up. The clunk alerted me to the problem.
Heard a loud clatter as I pulled into Warwick on one trip. That was the cover over the front window falling off onto the A frame. No worries, a little panel beating, a few pop rivets & all was OK once again.
On & on the list goes.
Yes, I do have a check list & used to use it regularly .... Don't bother these days. As I drive off, I mentally run thru the list & pull over after a kilometer or so and check everything.
-- Edited by Cupie on Thursday 11th of June 2015 08:23:35 AM
I did it with my boat trailer before heading to the ramp to launch it. I only noticed what I hadn't done after going fishing retrieving the boat & safely back at camp. Could have been a disaster with a 17ft fibreglass boat launched with the trailer hanging underneath it GLUG GLUG GLUG!. LOL
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Cheers Desert Dweller.
Our land abounds in Natures gifts. Of beauty rich and rare.
On my very first trip in our Swan camper as we were leaving the caravan park I left the jockey wheel down. I was only alerted by the thump as we went over the speed bump at the exit, otherwise I would have kept going.
Then when we upgraded to a pop top I forgot to lock the roof down on THREE separate occasions. Each time we had driven for some distance before the flashing lights from oncoming vehicles alerted me that something was wrong.
I also once forgot to drop the coupling handle down into the locked position. Strangely, I drove all the way from Canberra to Seymour without it jumping off the tow ball - must have had the right weight on the towball as well as being held down by the levelling bars.
On another occasion as I was coupling up I put the hitch into the square receiver, pushed the large pin through and thumped the wire locking pin into its little hole. Unfortunately, the pin didn't go in properly and in fact jumped out and fell to the ground. I didn't notice it was gone until the first stop - luckily, the large pin only move a little way through so the hitch didn't separate. I poked a wire coat hanger through the small hole until we were able to get to civilisation and buy another locking pin. (The pin was waiting for me on the ground when we returned home!)
While it didn't happen to me my daughter borrowed our Swan and left the handbrake on when she left the caravan park to return home. She had gone some distance before the smell of burning brakes filtered through to the tow car.
There are still a few things on Cupie's list above that I have yet to do!
Murray
-- Edited by Long Weekend on Friday 12th of June 2015 11:32:18 AM
G'day Dougwe
