A Thanksgiving Adventure

[nwcutie]

Sorry for the long post (not really), but I want to share. Owning and using a toyhauler never fails to be an adventure! This story is about our annual Thanksgiving trip.

Every year, we take the trailer and quads down to the OR dunes the week before Thanksgiving. The boys stay down there, ride, and visit family and I come back to work. Then I go down after work on Wednesday and the whole family celebrates our Sandy Turkey together before we come home.

Well, this year, it went sideways. Heading down on the 21st, the truck started bucking and jerking. Thought the hill up from Winchester would kill it, but I managed to limp into Riley Ranch and get the trailer parked. Then, “oh ****! Where are the trailer keys?” My 24 year old left them next to the back door at home. OMG!, but luckily he did not lock the main door to the trailer, so we could get in. I know I should have double checked, but this kid has been well trained over the last 13 years and he felt awful.

Situation, 1) truck issues, 2) no trailer keys so, 3) can’t unhook trailer (controls in a locked compartment), 4) can’t unload quads, but on the bright side, 5) we have water and power, and 6) nice weather.

I go home, express mail keys, but by the time he got them, all the shops are busy getting out vehicles before Thanksgiving, so can’t get truck in until Monday after Thanksgiving. I drive down again for Thanksgiving. It was eventful too! Good food, uncle ends up in emergency room with heart failure (he is sort of okay now) and cousin breaks down on highway 38 between Scottsburg and Elkton, sigh.

The truck ran okay to take us to relative’s houses, but won’t pull a load. Had some gorgeous riding weather though and some rain. I drive back to Tacoma (again!) leaving the 24 year old and the trailer at the campground for a second week (lucky kid!).

Truck goes in to Tower Ford in Coos Bay, needs injectors, fuel pump spring, new turbo hose (no wonder performance had been lagging the last few months) and some sensors. Yikes! Kiddo picks it up on Friday. I drive down again(!) from Tacoma, this time with the hubby, and kiddo drives home while we ride, then head home on Saturday, December 6th a few thousand dollars poorer (yes, the trailer got a lot of use this holiday!)

Truck is running awesome and we are getting better mileage than we have seen in 6 or 7 years. Boo-yeah! And then……….NB I-5, right after the Terwilliger curves, heading toward the tall bridge over the Willamette, the truck dies. I mean, just dead. While we are coasting, we put it in neutral and try to restart. No go! Pull over at the base of the bridge, no shoulder really, but it is wide because we are blocking the base of the onramp and are pointed uphill (oh sh!!tz). It’s 330 pm, raining, and starting to get dark. We call AAA and then 911. They send an ODOT truck with flashing lights and flares. While we are waiting for the semi tow truck, I look up mobile mechanic reviews and we call and leave a message at McFarlands. Kevin called us back and said they would start on our truck on Monday am.

After 3 really tense hours (sorry if you got caught up in the backup we caused), the tow truck drops the truck and trailer at their shop. My poor mother drives down from Tacoma to pick me up (gotta be at work Monday) and Dave stays with the truck and trailer. Next day, the guys at McFarlands move the trailer (Dave stayed in it) and start on the truck. Now it is the high pressure oil pump and something else (not looking at the receipt right now.) They get it fixed and do a rigorous road test and WTH? The new injectors are failing. Oops, Tower Ford messed up and the o-rings were toast. Are you kidding me????? Dave has one of his apprentices drive another truck down and they tow the trailer home. The following Saturday (December 12th, yes, the 12th!!!), my mom and I drive down to Portland (AGAIN) and pick up the truck, a few thousand dollars poorer. Truck ran perfect on the way home and I got 16 mpg. What??? I never get that good of mileage!

Now, the finish. Our heroes!

The camp hosts and campground caretaker at Riley Ranch campground. They were so nice and helpful. One even offered my son her Z400 while he was waiting for the trailer keys. I can’t say enough nice things about them.

McFarlands Mobile Mechanics in Tualatin. They were amazing! When the genny ran out of gas, they brought Dave 5 gallons. Kevin and his wife even invited him to their home on the 3rd day he was there! They did great work and were just top notch!

The tow truck driver and the ODOT guy, keeping us safe on a windy, rainy, Sunday.

Not the heroes:

Tower Ford. The o-rings were toast because of faulty installation and they did not step up for the extra cost. To be fair, we have no complaints about the rest of their work and they did not try to rip us off.

That was enough adventure for a while, to be sure!

[WhitehouseLV]

that's a Thanksgiving you won't forget. That beats my story of the old Duramax overheating in a construction zone and watching the pilot car continue up the mountain while there's a line of vehicles behind me. We have a spare set of toyhauler & truck keys in the garage of our toyhauler for situations like that. Hopefully your Christmas break was a little more uneventful. 😉

[DuneJunkie]

holy cow, wish we still lived there, could have helped you out!

[nayther]

nwcutie wrote:

nayther wrote:
I don't understand the "locked compartment" part. All trailers use the same key, could have used a neighbor's key to unlock them.

I know!!! I have about 50 "751" keys. Our compartment key on the GD is 2001. Since the park was empty except for the hosts, there were none to be found, sob.....

first I've heard of a trailer not using the 751 key, good and bad I guess.

[rockhillmanor]

I have a full set of all keys for everything in a magnetic hide a key box mounted in a hidden spot on the RV.

Not only works for forgotten keys, but I found it helps when you have guests and everyone is heading out in all different directions. You can still lock the RV up. The guests can use the hidden keys to come and go.

[nwcutie]

nayther wrote:
I don't understand the "locked compartment" part. All trailers use the same key, could have used a neighbor's key to unlock them.

I know!!! I have about 50 "751" keys. Our compartment key on the GD is 2001. Since the park was empty except for the hosts, there were none to be found, sob.....

[nayther]

I don't understand the "locked compartment" part. All trailers use the same key, could have used a neighbor's key to unlock them.

In our club we call these "Viewie 'ventures" short for Viewfinder Adventures, seems to happen frequently but fortunately not that expensive. And I cannot believe the Ford dealer stiffed you on fixing the injectors if it was their negligence.

[Dirtclods]

Holly molly what an adventure now there's a campfire story!

[Bedlam]

While your injectors might have been going out, I suspect the HPOP fittings were the real reason for your trouble. To keep your new injectors running well, use a cetane additive that adds lubricity to today's low sulfur fuel.

I suggest having a Scan Gauge 2 or other device to monitor the vitals on your engine. I would monitor the following: FICM output voltage, HPOP pressure, Coolant temperature, Oil temperature. There are number of these $150-200 monitors that simply plug into the diagnostic port of the truck and do not alter your OEM programming or wiring.

[naturist]

(A) No one was killed, although it sounds like the uncle made a valiant try. (B) It's only money. (C) What stories you can tell for years and years. (D) Boo on the guy who screwed up the O-rings as well as the shop for not standing good for the work. A pox on both their houses. (E) Kudos to McFarlands and Riley Ranch. Remember those folks, folks. (F) Might be a good idea to make spare keys to keep in the truck/TH. Just in case brain fade strikes again.

The good news is now you are all set for MORE (slightly less exciting) adventures.

[rockhillmanor]

Wow, just wow that was some RV trip! :C

Sounds like you have an amazing family and friends and are truly capable of keeping your head on straight when faced with problems. A truly great example for your kids to see and learn from. :W

Look at it this way, all that could did happen all in one trip. So from here on in your future RV'ing trips should be a breeze!!

BTW: A belated Happy Thanksgiving.

[CarlT100]

That was an adventure for sure. Glad all turned out well in the end - except for the $$$.