Breakdown Information

[Badeye]

Moderators Note: This thread is intending to report a problem and its resolution. If you are seeking help or information to help you resolve a problem you would best be served by initiating a thread on the class A forum proper

After some conversation with Diesel-Lover and others on this forum I thought I would try to start a thread concerning breakdowns on the road. We try to prevent this by good maintenance and driving reasonably but it can still happen. As I observed in a previous post, on a roughly 350 mile northbound drive on I-75 I saw 4 class A MH broken down. All were southbound.

If we should have a breakdown and would post the following information on this thread it could be a resource and reminder for others.

RV particulars:
Driveline (Engine, Transmission):
Miles:
Year:
Break Down Description: (You can add any description of the problem here that you think would help others in understanding the situation and problem.)
Symptoms:
Effect:
Cause:
Outcome:

This is the type of information that is recorded in the aircraft industry and other maintenance activities to track failure trends. It will take a while before we see a lot of value in this. If it continues for a time and sufficient data is available, I will analyze the data and put it into a form that I can send by email to any interested parties. I would suspect that an initial report could be done in about three months or when we have about 100 to 150 cases.

What do you think?

[colonelcorto]

RV particulars:Fleetwood Southwind 35LS
Driveline (Engine, Transmission): Ford 460 EFI, E4OD, US Gears Dual Range
Miles:95,000
Year:1996
Break Down Description: Lost power steering and eventually braking power while driving.
Symptoms: No power steering, no brakes.
Effect: Very hard to steer, almost impossible to stop
Cause: Idler pulley bearing seized up and caused belt to fall off.
Outcome: Nursed it to an Autozone and bought a new pulley and bearing, installed using basic socket wrench set.

[Rorence]

After reading the whole post, I have learned more about this topic. Thank you so much.

[AbdRahim]

Badeye: Did you ever catalogue these breakdowns?

[udidwht]

Trip from Seattle to Vancouver BC then to Cultus Lake BS 07/23/16. Started out great until approximately 12-15 miles north of Bellingham, Wa. when I lost both my right rear dual tires (3-4 years old). Upon closer inspection found that the inner tire was missing it's hose extension. Once the outer tire was pulled we came to the conclusion that the valve extension broke off the stem and was dragged in between the tires taking both out. Lost 4-5 hours and $900 dollars.

After getting that fixed we made it all the way to our destined stop for the night (Granville Island) Approximately 1 block for our stop I heard at a stop what sounded like small BB's being dropped into a small glass jar. As soon as I stopped at our parking spot the loud squealing started quite literally as I was putting it into park. Quickly diagnosed the issue as I found the rear bearing on the alternator seized spilling all it's bearings but 2. Luckily I had a friend who was visiting BC the same time and he arrived the following morning to take me to Lordes Auto and pick up an alternator. Had everything loosened up prior to his arrival the following day. Cost $250 not including core return on alternator.

[udidwht]

1/2 Canadian wrote:
brief response to udidwht:
One thing many coach owners neglect is chassis lube. But even those that are religious about scheduled maintenance are unfamiliar with the correct lubrication of driveshafts, as unfortunately are some service facilities.

Those **** zirks are buried into those joints as well. Shaft has to be positioned just right for lube. Using Valvoline Synthetic CV/U-joint grease. I've put ~ 1300 miles on it since the axle rebuild back in Jan. All the other grease points (front end) I hit last year ~ 5,000 miles ago.

[1_2_Canadian]

brief response to udidwht:
One thing many coach owners neglect is chassis lube. But even those that are religious about scheduled maintenance are unfamiliar with the correct lubrication of driveshafts, as unfortunately are some service facilities.

[udidwht]

1995 Fleetwood Southwind Storm 28ft
454 /w4L80E trans
~48,881 miles

Dec - Jan 2016

Was headed from Seattle, Wa to Huntington Beach, Ca. and just south of Crescent City, Ca. as I was pulling off 101 into rest stop on beach i could hear a creak...creak...creak...creak noise that was in line with what appeared to be tire rotation. Was there for 15 mins or so looking RV over then decided to continue on down to Eureka to see if I could have someone look at it.

Upon arriving in Eureka as luck would have it no noise. But I did find a grease fitting on the middle load bearer of the drive axle and pumped some grease in it anyhow. Rest of the trip down uneventful. Stayed in HB,Ca. for approximately 1 week.

Upon leaving the southern Ca. area (Camarillo, Ca. i decided to pull off at Costco to fill up with fuel and low and behold there was that **** noise again same as before. This time I narrowed it down to the drive axle u-joint/s.

Find a shop nearby and spent the night for repair of it the following morning. Drive axle removed and rebuilt completely. Also replaced all belts (3) and caulked up the vent cover for the stove range which had leaked during the night while raining heavy.

[1_2_Canadian]

Thanks Badeye, for responding and clearing this up, and for authoring the thread in the first place.

[Badeye]

I do apologize for not being able to do the compilation of the data that you have so thoughtfully furnished. In the beginning I had intended to do it at about 100 posts . Unfortunately my health deteoriated to the point that I have been declared 100 percent disabled. Part of my problems are with my eyes. I am waiting for another surgery on my left eye. I will not use this to excuse not doing the compilation, I still should have completed it.

Badeye

[FordDiesel250]

Great post with some great information. Thanks Badeye for getting the ball rolling.

[gemert]

1/2 Canadian wrote:
Badeye started it over a dozen years ago with the idea of compiling the reported information into some sort of useful organized reference. The compilation was theorized reasonable after 100-150 posts, but there are now over 700. Badeye still exists as a member, but none of his 2700+ posts are discoverable, at least not in my searches.

The original thread was made into a Sticky, but without Badeye's or anyone else's wherewithal to attempt the compilation or design its format and how it might fit into this venue, I think the administrators are content to simply let the thread ride as is. That's fine, but my take was that the original intent was to formulate a useful reference material, organized and searchable such that all could benefit from it.

I think one of the problems was that many posters didn't follow the format Badeye laid out for their reports. It no doubt was designed to assist him whenever the time came to analyze the reports and organize them. Despite several of us, and the administrators, over the years trying to get people to follow the guidelines, they more often than not just didn't take the time to do so. This made Badeye's intended task much more difficult.

At 100-150 posts, that might have been a daunting enough task for Badeye or anyone else; but at 700+ it may now be beyond any potential volunteer's constitution.

Thank you. I tried to look at Badeye's recent posts to check if the info was compiled and found the same. No posts. Maybe he had lost interest or worse. Anyway thanks for your response.

[1_2_Canadian]

Badeye started it over a dozen years ago with the idea of compiling the reported information into some sort of useful organized reference. The compilation was theorized reasonable after 100-150 posts, but there are now over 700. Badeye still exists as a member, but none of his 2700+ posts are discoverable, at least not in my searches.

The original thread was made into a Sticky, but without Badeye's or anyone else's wherewithal to attempt the compilation or design its format and how it might fit into this venue, I think the administrators are content to simply let the thread ride as is. That's fine, but my take was that the original intent was to formulate a useful reference material, organized and searchable such that all could benefit from it.

I think one of the problems was that many posters didn't follow the format Badeye laid out for their reports. It no doubt was designed to assist him whenever the time came to analyze the reports and organize them. Despite several of us, and the administrators, over the years trying to get people to follow the guidelines, they more often than not just didn't take the time to do so. This made Badeye's intended task much more difficult.

At 100-150 posts, that might have been a daunting enough task for Badeye or anyone else; but at 700+ it may now be beyond any potential volunteer's constitution.

[gemert]

Has anything ever come of the purpose of this thread?

[ol_Bombero-JC]

Jaybird wrote:
Well, went out one weekend without a surge protector on the RV.
The site we went to had crossed polarity.
Burned up:
Power cord from the coach to the pedestal
Microwave
Generator Control Board
A/C Control Board
Refer Control Board
All wiring
and a whole lot more.

Cost to insurance company= $6,500.00

4 months to fix

You're never alone.......& don't leave home without "it" -

Thread: The Electrician said "oops!"


~

[tommykelly]

closed