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10-14-2016, 03:46 PM
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#1
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Rivet Master 
2014 30' Flying Cloud
Tampa
, Florida
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 1,364
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There is such a thing as too steep an angle...
So I was backing up to a campsite today and I heard a"cruuuuuuuunch". I was surprised as I didn't think I was close to hitting anything,
Turns out the steering angle was too steep. The corner of my truck struck the front rock guard. The rock guard is dented. The rear right window of my truck is busted.
Valuable (and expensive) lesson learned. You can hit your trailer with the corner of your tow vehicle when backing up of your steering angle is maxed out. Watch for that. Don't be like me.
The preceding was a public service announcement... 
__________________
2014 Airstream Flying Cloud 30 Recliner - WBCCI #4850 - AIR #110821
2018 Nissan Armada SL Tow Vehicle, Equal-i-zer Hitch
Visit Our Flying Cloud blog for my latest adventure!
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10-14-2016, 03:57 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
2021 25' Globetrotter
Jamestown
, Rhode Island
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,720
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I'm confused...
Did you damage the rear window of the cab of a pickup???
Why can't I see how this is possible...?
Bruce
__________________
Loving our 2021 Globetrotter 25 and our 2022 Ford F-150 King Ranch 5.0!!! Plenty of payload, not even close to axel limits and it drives and rows beautifully…
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10-14-2016, 03:59 PM
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#3
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Rivet Master
2021 25' Globetrotter
Jamestown
, Rhode Island
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,720
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Silly me! I assumed it was a pickup...
Sorry!
Bruce
__________________
Loving our 2021 Globetrotter 25 and our 2022 Ford F-150 King Ranch 5.0!!! Plenty of payload, not even close to axel limits and it drives and rows beautifully…
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10-14-2016, 04:28 PM
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#4
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Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
Mantua
, Ohio
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,062
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That's why I have an extended shank. Live and learn.
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10-14-2016, 04:47 PM
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#5
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Rivet Master
2005 30' Classic
Burlington
, Ontario
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,743
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Apart from their towing excellence, I think the Hensley / Propride hitches help some in this regard as they put a greater distance between the trailer and the tow vehicle.
Brian.
__________________
Brian & Connie Mitchell
2005 Classic 30'
Hensley Arrow / Centramatics
2008 GMC Sierra SLT 2500HD,4x4,Crew Cab, Diesel, Leer cap.
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10-14-2016, 05:00 PM
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#6
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Rivet Master
2005 31' Classic
Garner,
, North Carolina
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,031
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I have noticed that with my propride hitch. but if you jack knife the trailer backing up all bet are off.. they will pinch at some point and it varies how much damage get done to stuff..
have a backing spotter and they keep and eye on the angle, especially when backing down or up a grade.. thing can get wanky quick.
BUMMER DUDE..  
__________________
Carl, Raleigh NC
2-24-16 got a 2005 Classic 31D  460 watts solar, lithium 230 AH, 16" LT's, pulled by:
2003 F-250 SD, CC, 7.3L PowerStroke
WBCCI#1691, Piedmont Airstream Club, Unit #161, Region #3
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10-14-2016, 05:34 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
2008 25' Classic
Full Time
, Texas
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 4,309
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I have the Arvika bike rack on my Airstream and a camper shell on my Ram. I have my wife spot me at the hitch when backing into a campsite. At a tight angle the rack and bikes can get close to the camper shell.
Kelvin
__________________
2008 Classic 25fb "Silver Mistress"
2015 Ram 2500 6.7L Cummins. Crew Cab, 4x4, Silver
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10-14-2016, 05:48 PM
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#8
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Rivet Master
2006 23' Safari SE
Biloxi
, Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 8,278
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Mine gets close but does not touch. I use the Blue Ox Sway Pro and have a Arvika rack mounted on the A-frame. I pay attention to parking angles and stop before damage can happen.
__________________
MICHAEL
Do you know what a learning experience is? A learning experience is one of those things that says "You know that thing that you just did? Don't do that."
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10-14-2016, 06:40 PM
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#9
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2 Rivet Member 
2016 30' Classic
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 46
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It's hard to see how this could happen to my setup with the ProPride, but will take a look next time I'm out. I was warned by a fellow ProPride driver once to NOT leave tailgate down when doing this. He showed me a proper dent in his stainless shield.
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10-15-2016, 07:20 AM
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#10
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Rivet Master
2014 23' Flying Cloud
Fair Oaks
, California
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 717
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I did the same thing to my rock guard about a year ago. There are a lot of places to damage a TV or AS that weren't obvious to me until I found out about them the hard way: crunching extended side mirrors, scraping side panels, denting upper panels with tree limbs, knocking off running lights, denting rear bumper with rock or post, and probably a few more that are thankfully fading away from memory. Sometimes I think I should have bought a pre-dented "learner" AS for the first few years before getting a new one.
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10-15-2016, 08:47 AM
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#11
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Rivet Master
2014 30' Flying Cloud
Tampa
, Florida
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 1,364
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I think the dents give my AS "character". I'm not concerned about resale. I'm not selling. I'm keeping it until the wheels fall off. And then I'll just get new wheels.
__________________
2014 Airstream Flying Cloud 30 Recliner - WBCCI #4850 - AIR #110821
2018 Nissan Armada SL Tow Vehicle, Equal-i-zer Hitch
Visit Our Flying Cloud blog for my latest adventure!
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10-15-2016, 10:13 AM
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#12
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Rivet Master
2014 30' Flying Cloud
Tampa
, Florida
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 1,364
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The miracle of duct tape...
__________________
2014 Airstream Flying Cloud 30 Recliner - WBCCI #4850 - AIR #110821
2018 Nissan Armada SL Tow Vehicle, Equal-i-zer Hitch
Visit Our Flying Cloud blog for my latest adventure!
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10-15-2016, 10:24 AM
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#13
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Rivet Master 
2007 22' International CCD
Corona
, California
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 9,180
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The force that holds the universe together....
Sent from my pocket Internet using Airstream Forums
__________________
Rich, KE4GNK/AE, Overkill Engineering Dept.
'The Silver HamShack' ('07 International 22FB CCD 75th Anniversary)
Multiple Yaesu Ham Radios inside and many antennae sprouting from roof, ProPride hitch, Prodigy P2 controller.
2012 shortbed CrewMax 4x4 Toyota Tacoma TV with more antennae on it. 
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10-15-2016, 01:03 PM
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#14
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3 Rivet Member 
1998 34' Limited
Lawrenceville
, Georgia
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 220
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I'm just happy that it didn't get the quarter panel on the Escalade. The window will be expensive enough. Thanks for sharing. Long shank helps with turning sharply, but backing up, no matter the distance, you can bring them together if you're not careful.
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10-15-2016, 01:13 PM
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#15
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2 Rivet Member
2008 27' Classic FB
Ontario
, Oregon
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 32
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Steep angles
Too steep of a dip can be a problem, too. First trip out in my brand new 2000 25' Safari, I tore the back bumper off going through a dip I had never had any problems negotiating before with my 18' SOB. Everything was fine on the way down, but as the tow vehicle started up the other side, geometry came into play and the top of the bump behind me caught the bottom of my bumper and pulled it off. I didn't hear it or feel it, but when I looked in my rear view mirror I could see power cord, sewer hose, leveling blocks, etc. all strung out behind me. Sad day at Black Rock.
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10-15-2016, 03:35 PM
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#16
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Rivet Master
2015 25' Flying Cloud
2016 30' Flying Cloud
Blenheim Ontario
, Ontario
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 1,263
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Quote:
Originally Posted by avionstream
That's why I have an extended shank. Live and learn.
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[QUOTE=Wingeezer;1864268]Apart from their towing excellence, I think the Hensley / Propride hitches help some in this regard as they put a greater distance between the trailer and the tow vehicle.
Brian.[/QUOTE
Yah; but they're so damned heavy! 
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10-15-2016, 03:49 PM
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#17
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Rivet Master
2012 23' FB International
Woodstock
, Ontario
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,427
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I have seen a Hensley hitch that was over-turned while backing up. The alignment bars broke at the weld on the hitch head.
JCW
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10-15-2016, 11:38 PM
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#18
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:SPACE A" S/O 11 Air19745
2006 34' Classic S/O
Fort Worth
, Texas
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,766
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I have bent Hensley Struts and both Hensley and ProPride 2" Stingers with my 35 footer in tight places. That a lot of leverage when you get near the limits. I have heard you can go up to 80 degrees with these hitches, but I would not recommend it. A little more and something is going to bend. Just take another cut or two to inorder to be safe.
guskmg
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10-16-2016, 07:05 AM
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#19
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Rivet Master
2016 25' Flying Cloud
Jupiter
, Florida
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,140
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FCStreamer
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I wouldn't let that duct tape bake on there for too long, It may not be good for the paint finish.
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10-16-2016, 10:44 AM
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#20
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3 Rivet Member
1974 25' Tradewind
Calgary
, Alberta
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 109
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Quote:
Originally Posted by McDave
I did the same thing to my rock guard about a year ago. There are a lot of places to damage a TV or AS that weren't obvious to me until I found out about them the hard way: crunching extended side mirrors, scraping side panels, denting upper panels with tree limbs, knocking off running lights, denting rear bumper with rock or post, and probably a few more that are thankfully fading away from memory. Sometimes I think I should have bought a pre-dented "learner" AS for the first few years before getting a new one.
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The previous owner of our '74 certainly did a lot of parking by Braille. We're going to replace the (parts of) the side panel that were gouged right through by whatever side-swipe it was that landed the trailer in the insurance auction, but all the other nicks, dings and scrapes will be banged out as best as we can, and then we're just going to use it. Awesome on the inside - patina on the outside, is our plan.
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