As the title might suggest, I pulled yet another STUPID move--I'm due since it's been at least a couple months since my truck was in the shop.

I was turning around in a tight area, and yep, you guessed it, I crushed the cab of my short box truck on the nose of the gooseneck. As soon as I heard the crunch, I knew exactly what had happened.

Man do I ever feel gutshot. I'm using the B&W extender made specifically for pulling a gooseneck with a short box, and the nose of my trailer is also tapered for more clearance.

The first thing I did after buying the trailer was turn as sharply as possible with it while my dad watched to see how much clearance was left--I had about 3 inches left in what I figured was a "worst case" scenario, so I thought I had things set up right.

I was turning as sharply as possible tonight, pulling forward no less, when it happened. I've done this hundreds of times so far, and I've had the trailer in some REALLY tight places without so much as a scratch to truck or trailer.

I'll never own another shortbox again--I really thought I had things figured out, but I obviously didn't.:mad:

But of course, I've got so much money poured into this truck now that I just can't afford to trade it for a truck more suited to what I do for a living now. Man I wish I had bought a long box!

:eek: That sucks!!!!!:eek:

That bites man. Murphy's Law at work.

Any pics???

Yup! That really bites! I had a 2500 HD SB and it was scary when I saw the front of that 5er coming toward the cab. I even put in a slider hitch. It was just to close for comfort so I bit the bullet and got a 3500 DRW LB. Now, no problems or concerns as far as turning is concerned. :)

Did it break the paint?? If not, the Dent Wizard might be able to fix it pretty cheap. I had them take a dent out of my 1/4 panel and they did a great job for $200. It was a prety good sized dent, actually 2 dents, about 4" x 8".

Ouch!! Sorry to hear about that!

I popped the back window when I did it.:( It is definitely a learning experience. Hope the damage wasn't too bad.:)

Sorry to hear about your "oops".. I think we all know what can happen and say it will never happen to us. I have seen so many guys drop their fifthwheels on their trucks and always thought to myself, "how could they have been so stupid, I'll never do anything like that", and guess what happened exactly two weeks after I got my new '04.5? Yup, I was in a hurry to hook up the fifthwheel in front of my house that I pushed it off the landing gear blocks and dropped it on my bed rails. I was sick, but it didn't dent that far and I went and had the plastic rail covers installed. When my wife got home she commented on how good they looked and I left it at that, I didn't confess to what I did till almost a year later (when some of the pain went away). Hope your bill is not too high..

I popped the back window when I did it.:( It is definitely a learning experience. Hope the damage wasn't too bad.:)Boy thats a sound you wont forget any time soon. When I took out my back window I had my cell antenna on the back window and the 5th wheel just tapped the antenna and it was like a bomb went off in the cab. No dents. I wanted a slider anyway. Just not like that. LOL

Kelly's next thread will be....How to build a flatbed out of wood...:D

Bummer man......

Each new dent I put on I just think of how it adds character and makes it less likely for theft.

pics?

Well it looks like I'm in pretty good company then...lol. I was bound to happen because only three days ago, I was at the local carwash hosing down the truck, trailer, and all my equipment. (Gotta keep things looking pro-fess-ion-al for the rich folks!)

A buddy of mine pulled up and goes, "No problems pulling that beast with a short box, eh?! "

"Nope, everybody told me I'd have problems, but all it takes is a little common sense and a little homework to get the proper setup so you don't whack the cab."

**** I feel stupid!

when dad's dmax was a couple of years old he back out of his parking stall in the shop and backed into a hazelnut tree that had been in the same place for fiftey years . wiped out bumper and whole pass. side of box. i think it ran 3k to fix . next day he pulled out the tree and took it to the burn pile told him he should of done than the day before. when my 84 was new had it parked half in the shop. went outside for a while looking thru scrap metal pile and that slider door was in the way so i gave it a big shove . it stopped as it bounce off the side of my pu box. don't think you got the market cornered

LOL...hey that makes me feel better farmer0 1! I guess it's guys like us that keep body and repair shops in business, right?!

I guess I just get so damn POed because I like to think of myself as a guy with some common sense...but I'm beginning to question that.

My dad really pisses me off:)--he's operated equipment and done this kind of thing his whole life. I've NEVER and I mean NEVER seen him really mess something up or pull a really bonehead move. I swear the guy always comes out smelling like a rose!

I've watched and learned, and I still can't figure out how he does it. It's like he's got a sixth sense or some damn thing...

I musta missed that gene...lol. I break damn near everything I touch!

That sucks. Pulling with a short box is no big deal but you definately have to be careful. I've done dumb things like this in the past and it sure makes you feel dumb. The good thing is you know tomorrow will be a better day.

LOL...hey that makes me feel better farmer0 1! I guess it's guys like us that keep body and repair shops in business, right?!

I guess I just get so damn POed because I like to think of myself as a guy with some common sense...but I'm beginning to question that.

My dad really pisses me off:)--he's operated equipment and done this kind of thing his whole life. I've NEVER and I mean NEVER seen him really mess something up or pull a really bonehead move. I swear the guy always comes out smelling like a rose!

I've watched and learned, and I still can't figure out how he does it. It's like he's got a sixth sense or some damn thing...

I musta missed that gene...lol. I break damn near everything I touch!

..and you wonder why you can't get a date, Kelly? :think: ):h

Another thought- make sure you lower the tailgate before unhooking your 5th wheel. Replaced a couple that became "L" shaped from folks being in a hurry. We left one in the write-up area for a few weeks-got a ton of "man, that musta sucked!"

Oh yeah, I TRY to be REALLY careful about always putting the tailgate down, but I'm sure I'll do that sooner or later as well.

..and you wonder why you can't get a date, Kelly? :think: ):h


You, you... bastard guy!):h

Kelly's next thread will be....How to build wood...:D

OK, I tried to resist!):h

you wouldn't believe all the box damage I see in the dunes at pismo. rails crunched, back windows broken, etc

makes me want to stay with a tow-behind

My dad really pisses me off:)--he's operated equipment and done this kind of thing his whole life. I've NEVER and I mean NEVER seen him really mess something up or pull a really bonehead move. I swear the guy always comes out smelling like a rose!


To be old and wise you first must be young and stupid ;)

"Good Judgement comes from experience...Experience comes from bad judgement" -my father's last words of advice before I left for college. That and "If you're going to pass out, you might as well lay down 'cause you can't fall off the floor"

Everybody does something stupid at least once in their lives. Some of us are just better at than others.

I can't belive we made it 3 pages without this:
:nopics:

The damage really isn't all that bad...it's just bad enough it's going to cost a lot! :(

I'll get some pics when I'm not working AND it's daylight outside...that could be a while!:)

It never looks as bad as what it costs.... :bawl:

Just out of curiosity, how wide is the front of your trailer?

have you tried to use a goose neck extender? It replaces the stock coupler and moves the goose neck post rearward 9".

My wife just tried to fit my dually through the drive through. It might fit now though.....

My wife just tried to fit my dually through the drive through. It might fit now though.....

LOL...oh man I feel bad for ya, I honestly do. Situations like these never turn out good...:mad:

have you tried to use a goose neck extender? It replaces the stock coupler and moves the goose neck post rearward 9".

Yessir, I was and still am using the one B&W makes to provide more clearance. Apparently it wasn't enough though.):h

No matter what you do with a shortbox, you've just got to be a good operator and keep from hitting the damn cab!

You are now experienced. The Stupid gene when buying a S/B has left your body. ):h

That's why I ordered a long box. That was non-negotiable. Of course my wife told me the crew cab was also "non-negotiable" So that's is why I ended up with a 21.5 ft truck.

Advice to remember is to do stupid stuff only when it cost you money and not you or somebody else's life. You would be surprised how many of us older guys have done incredibly stupid things.

We just don't advertise. ):h

Why fix it? If you dont fix it, the next time it happens it will be a freebie!

:D