Dang! What a Trip
Well I took everyones advice and got a 1997 Southwind 35W Ford F53. A nice clean lightly used, well equiped unit with all the sevrice records with only 39000 miles.
Everything worked as it should, even the ice maker. I wanted a 38 foot American Eagle, DW said NO. So I set about going over the coach with a fine tooth comb, finding every little thing that could cause a problem.
We took two short trips to local RV parks to make sure all systems were go for our first long outing. Everthing went great, no problem at all. Had all tires checked, paper work
said all six were installed in 2013.
We were going to leave at 6:00 am, the Southwind didn't start, generator didn't start, all batteries showing 12.8 volts. Found loose ground wire to the frame, on the road a 8:00 am.
75 mile later on I-59 coach start wander in lane very hard to control. We stopped and checked all the tires, found nothing wrong. Then 70 mile later, right rear outside went bang.
We tried to get to a Cracker Barrel parking lot, but ended up on a dead end street with no turn around pulling a tow dolly. So unload the PT Cruiser, unhook the dolly and turn everyting around.
The nice folks at Guardian Credit Union found a tire service to come with a new tire and get us out of their parking lot. Finally back on the road for 85 more miles then BOOM right rear inside
tire blew. 12 miles to exit 4:30 in the afternoon and I'm starting to re-think this whole thing. We made it to Interstate Tire Sevice in Greenville, AL. It cost $1220 for six new tires, plus $215
for the first tire that replaced the flat spare. On the bright side it drives a lot better, the lane wander and bumping is gone. Lesson learned, just because the tires are only three years old
doesn't mean they are good.
The stay in Gulf Shores was great, the trip home uneventful---------We just might do this again.
Everything worked as it should, even the ice maker. I wanted a 38 foot American Eagle, DW said NO. So I set about going over the coach with a fine tooth comb, finding every little thing that could cause a problem.
We took two short trips to local RV parks to make sure all systems were go for our first long outing. Everthing went great, no problem at all. Had all tires checked, paper work
said all six were installed in 2013.
We were going to leave at 6:00 am, the Southwind didn't start, generator didn't start, all batteries showing 12.8 volts. Found loose ground wire to the frame, on the road a 8:00 am.
75 mile later on I-59 coach start wander in lane very hard to control. We stopped and checked all the tires, found nothing wrong. Then 70 mile later, right rear outside went bang.
We tried to get to a Cracker Barrel parking lot, but ended up on a dead end street with no turn around pulling a tow dolly. So unload the PT Cruiser, unhook the dolly and turn everyting around.
The nice folks at Guardian Credit Union found a tire service to come with a new tire and get us out of their parking lot. Finally back on the road for 85 more miles then BOOM right rear inside
tire blew. 12 miles to exit 4:30 in the afternoon and I'm starting to re-think this whole thing. We made it to Interstate Tire Sevice in Greenville, AL. It cost $1220 for six new tires, plus $215
for the first tire that replaced the flat spare. On the bright side it drives a lot better, the lane wander and bumping is gone. Lesson learned, just because the tires are only three years old
doesn't mean they are good.
The stay in Gulf Shores was great, the trip home uneventful---------We just might do this again.
