RE: Chock lesson learned

[TheWallRocks]

 
We headed to our local state park last week and after I backed the PU into the site I chocked the rear of the tires.  It looked like the the PU was on a slight slope and could ONLY roll backwards.  Well, when I unhooked it from the TV the trailer started rolling forward and put a nice scratch in my bumper.
 
 Now I know to chock both the front and rear no matter what things look like.
 
 

[rccs]

 TheWallRocks
I had a somewhat similar experience once at a county park. I backed in and the site looked to be nice and level so I started to unhook the camper without blocking the wheels at all. It was the wrong thing to do for sure. As soon as I cranked the camper up enough to clear the ball it began to roll backwards towards some trees. At first it was such a surprise I didn t know what to do. Then just short of getting to the trees I pushed the front of the trailer to one side and it stopped rolling. Then I had to back up and re-hook up and start over. I sure was glad when I looked around and did not see any other people around to see this. I believe this would be known as a SPUT for sure.

[tlhdoc]

 TheWallRocks
I am glad there wasn t any damage to the PU.

[AustinBoston]

 TheWallRocks
I had a trailer with one chocked wheel (the other was on Lynx levelers) start rotating...
 
 I was right by the tongue, and pulled the breakaway brake cable.  If it s handy, it s the thing to do, and will stop the trailer.
 
 Austin

[wynot]

 TheWallRocks
I can relate.
 
 Very early on, we had the camper on what we thought was level, and quite honestly, forgot to chock before unhooking.  Long story short, the camper can pick up speed quite quickly without being attached to a tow vehicle.  We don t forget chocks now...

[raven339]

 TheWallRocks
The first time I backed the camper into my driveway I neglected to chock the camper before I unhitched.  Fortunately, I also forgot to remove the safety chains.
 
 As soon as the coupler cleared the ball the camper started to roll away...If not for the chains it would have been in the trees and next to impossible to extract...[: (][: (][: (]
 
 Even though I ve not again forgotten to chock, I still don t remove the chains until the camper is stable.
 
 Skol...

[Ab Diver]

 TheWallRocks
Chocking both sides of the trailer is important if there is a chance for it to rotate around one wheel.  Also, the chance of damaging the tongue jack is increased at this point, since it s usually at the highest setting that will be needed when you unhitch the trailer. The leverage an *extended* tongue jack can put on it s mounting/pivoting point can be enough to break something if the tongue wheel hits a rock or debris blocking it s path. And trying to lift the trailer tongue cuz the jack broke can be an exercise in futility.
 
 Sometimes, due to other objects in the way, the tow rig can t position the trailer where you want it. Lower the jack if you are going to move the trailer by hand after unhitching. (we do this quite often to position the trailer for best " window view"  [] ) Placing a tire barrier, such as a large block of wood, along the tire s path can help stop a " runaway" .

[mrflinders]

 TheWallRocks
I think this is a universal lesson that all of us have learned at one time or another.  On our first trip out in the new trailer, I chocked one wheel but left the other unchocked.  I did this because the unchocked wheel was up on levelers.
 
 Big mistake.
 
 The trailer rotated and lurched forward, jamming right into the Van s bumper!  []Nice little dent/scratch there to always remind me to check the chocks!
 
 Lesson of the day - ALLWAYS chock both wheels! []

[Camping Coxes]

 mrflinders
Randy --
 
 Funny you tell this story.  Paul went out this weekend and bought two more chocks on your advice!  I love learning from other s mistakes rather than my own.  It s less painful that way! [8D]

[whippetwrun]

 mrflinders

 

ORIGINAL:  mrflinders
 
 I think this is a universal lesson that all of us have learned at one time or another.  On our first trip out in the new trailer, I chocked one wheel but left the other unchocked.  I did this because the unchocked wheel was up on levelers.
 
 Big mistake.
 

 That s why I ordered the Lynx chocks that go with their levelers.  The same happened to me sort of, only I had tried to put chocks on the leveler side only to find they didn t stay for me and had to jam in rocks to hold it.[&:]
 
 Have since used the lynx chocks with the levelers and am much happier.