Forum Discussion

gbsb's avatar
gbsb
Explorer
Jun 10, 2014

Hail Damage

We are doing the Route 66 from Chicago to LA. We have been on the road since April 15th, Visiting family and friends along the way, Also a Escapees Rally in Goshen IN. Decided we would take a couple of days off in Amarillo TX. Stopped on last Friday night and went to the big Texan in Amarillo for supper, very good. Clouds and rain greeted us on the way back to campground then high winds more rain and hail. Thought the truck camper was going to roll over, We were holding on when the windows in the back door blew out glass and hail blew through the door. Storm lasted about 3 hours then eased off. We have had hail for three nights in a row. The insurance adjuster came out today, hail damage on hood, both fenders, three doors, broken windshield and three windows broken in the Arctic Fox. At least it didn't turn over and we are all right, just have to wait for windows to come in so we can continue on. Will get the truck repaired this winter while parked. F450 ford and 990 Arctic Fox Silver Fox Edition.
Truck Campers
  • Bedlam's avatar
    Bedlam
    Moderator
    Jun 11, 2014
    knshook wrote:
    Bedlam wrote:
    We missed a major hale storm last year traveling to SD from WY.The weather started to get dicey the day before and we stopped short of our daily goal. The next day we saw the damage as we traveled farther east. My only thought would be to duck under an overpass to limit damage otherwise you just have the weather the storm and triage the damage as it occurs.
    Because I'm a worry wart-and we are traveling that way latter part of June-could you tell me what time of year that was? That way I can have another worry to drive my DH crazy with. :B

    We travel every other year to a location south of St. Louis for the last week of June. Last year was the first time we saw actual damage instead of just on television. Usually we travel east on I-90 and return on I-80/I-84 or I-94/I-90. The ND route is the most scenic in our opinion since most of SD and NE are flat straight stretches.

    Hart Ranch south of Rapid City is usually where we stop for a couple nights when heading east. This is good base location for seeing the city or going to Mt. Rushmore or visiting Sturgis.
  • gbsb's avatar
    gbsb
    Explorer
    Jun 11, 2014
    Our hail was about 1.5 inches according to the news report, we had it and high winds 3 nights in a row but all gone
    now it is sunny and 10 mph breeze.
  • Camp__Forrest__'s avatar
    Camp__Forrest__
    Explorer
    Jun 11, 2014
    I've been in Rapid city for a month and encountered two hail storms so far. In the first one, I was in a mini-van in the Black Hills so I just pulled off the road and parked under a tree. For the second, I was sleeping in the camper in a small valley so I put in ear plugs and tried to go back to sleep. No damage in either and the largest hail stones I picked up measured about 1/2 inch in diameter.
  • knshook's avatar
    knshook
    Explorer
    Jun 10, 2014
    Bedlam wrote:
    We missed a major hale storm last year traveling to SD from WY.The weather started to get dicey the day before and we stopped short of our daily goal. The next day we saw the damage as we traveled farther east. My only thought would be to duck under an overpass to limit damage otherwise you just have the weather the storm and triage the damage as it occurs.
    Because I'm a worry wart-and we are traveling that way latter part of June-could you tell me what time of year that was? That way I can have another worry to drive my DH crazy with. :B
  • Bedlam's avatar
    Bedlam
    Moderator
    Jun 10, 2014
    We missed a major hale storm last year traveling to SD from WY.The weather started to get dicey the day before and we stopped short of our daily goal. The next day we saw the damage as we traveled farther east. My only thought would be to duck under an overpass to limit damage otherwise you just have the weather the storm and triage the damage as it occurs.
  • deltabravo's avatar
    deltabravo
    Nomad
    Jun 10, 2014
    Do you have any pictures? Sounds scary as heck.

    Take this as an opportunity to upgrade to dual pane windows. You will love them!
  • Super_Dave's avatar
    Super_Dave
    Explorer
    Jun 10, 2014
    Nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. I've been at freeway speeds with moth ball or marble size hail and it about scared me to death. How big were your golf balls?
  • kohldad's avatar
    kohldad
    Explorer III
    Jun 10, 2014
    Wow, that is a lot of damage. Glad no one was hurt, the rig stayed upright and everything can be repaired somewhat.

    Leave the hood and fenders dimpled. Mythbusters proved that golf ball dimples increase fuel mileage. :)

    Hopefully, you will get to see something special while waiting around for the repairs to be completed.

About Travel Trailer Group

44,029 PostsLatest Activity: Jan 28, 2025