Forum Discussion

TOMMY47's avatar
TOMMY47
Explorer
Jun 29, 2014

FORTUITOUS CALAMITY

CALAMITY
The bumper and hitch dropped off my 1990 MH with my car behind me in Great Falls, Montana. I recently drove up from Hardin, MT on 2 lane highways. The hitch was not attached to the frame, but only to the bumper. Rust and metal fatigue. It cannot be re-attached. Now stuck in Great Falls with 2 vehicles and one driver. Trying to sell MH now.

FORTUITOUS

The bumper dropped off in a gas station just after I gassed up. I was going about 5mph. 10 miles earlier or 10 minutes later, you would have read about this in the paper. Incredibly lucky.
Seeking Advice
  • jerem0621's avatar
    jerem0621
    Explorer II
    Jun 29, 2014
    I'm not sure darsben was being rude in the comment he made. Hats off to the welder/fabricator who felt this was outside of his skill set.. that doesn't, by any means, mean that people with experience in fleet work can't. A lot of commercial vehicles have fabricated bumpers and such. there isn't a lot of difference between fleet fabrication and RV fabrication.

    If your frame rails are good.. a bumper/receiver can easily be fabricated on. It just takes someone with the right skills and money.

    Thanks and good luck!

    Jeremiah
  • TOMMY47's avatar
    TOMMY47
    Explorer
    Jun 29, 2014
    darsben- I think they might notice a missing bumper and wonder why I'm selling. I don't plan to hide anything.
    Your comment about the guy not standing behind his work--Where does that come from? Would you rather the guy say it could be done when he knew it was unsafe? He could have made a bundle. I guess you're saying the guy should have lied to prove he would stand behind his work?
  • darsben's avatar
    darsben
    Explorer II
    Jun 29, 2014
    Ah yes sell it. Will you disclose the problem to the next buyer?
    Instead of believing the guy who will not stand behind his work I suggest you call Fleet Maintenance Service in Great Falls on Monday morning to see what they say.
    http://fmsautorepair.com/
  • bsinmich's avatar
    bsinmich
    Explorer
    Jun 29, 2014
    You don't list the chassis or MH so we can't give specifics. I had a '76 Fireball on a Dodge chassis that did not have any place to put a hitch of any kind. That was the main reason I dumped it.
  • TOMMY47's avatar
    TOMMY47
    Explorer
    Jun 29, 2014
    Frame is fine. It broke on both supports where the frame ends. Nothing to attach to unless they added a lot of steel with weight and lowered the clearance a lot. He said he didn't want to be liable for a failure. That was good enough for me.
  • jerem0621's avatar
    jerem0621
    Explorer II
    Jun 29, 2014
    yea most of these types of things happen at slow speeds because thats where most of the stress happens while driving. Highways are smooth, lots of angle and transitions while at slow speeds manuvering.

    I am concerned about the frame of the motorhome. Is it totally rotted away? They may have to fabricate some mounts but it shouldn't be too big of a deal as long as the frame is in decent shape. $600.00 sounds about right.

    I am glad that your or someone else didn't get hurt.
  • TOMMY47's avatar
    TOMMY47
    Explorer
    Jun 29, 2014
    Went to a welder. They looked at it a long time. The owner said it could not be safely done and he wouldn't drive it if it was him driving. He would not do it. If he did, $600+. There was nothing to attach it to with any strength.
  • 2010Liberty's avatar
    2010Liberty
    Explorer
    Jun 29, 2014
    unless you are just ready to stop fix it if nothing else it will sell better.

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