Hoping The Next Trip is Better

[memtb]

As I just retired ( 18 months ago), this was our first real vacation in 25 years. Though we’ve done a few, Short hurry home trips.
We left home (April 2nd) 30 hours late....leaving “between” winter storms, because wind, snow and icy roads predicted in and around the Cheyenne, Wy. area. We were “just” ahead of the next approaching front.....experienced pretty brisk winds, as we headed east on I-80, all the way across Nebraska.
We turned SE to avoid Omaha, and headed toward Missouri. Soon after the turn SE, stopped at a truck stop for fuel, walk the dogs, and do a vehicle “walk around”. At this time, I discovered 2 of the 3 5er tires ( triple axle) on the passenger side,nearly touching. I found the “spring-pack retaining bolt” broken on the leading axle. We parked the rig with the semi’s. We found a spot on the extreme edge of the lot, as it was early...about 3pm. Started calling around to locate parts. Finally, located parts in Omaha ( which we had avoided), 55 miles away. Though too late to get there before closing time.
We boondocked in the truck stop that night, and experienced the strongest “ in line” winds we’ve every had while in the camper. The next morning, Omaha set a low temperature record for the date.
We drove to Omaha, bought replacement bolts and a new spring pack ( in case I couldn’t repair the existing spring). By noon we’re, “On the Road Again”! Another 18 hours lost!
So ends the first 3 days of our trip. This is only the beginning....it got worse!

If anyone is interested, I can continue... upon audience request! ??

[memtb]

Davin, I think that maybe, I got of light....compared to your trip! May we both have better days ahead! ??

[DavinD]

If you're looking for some company for your misery...

Back in 2013 we took a long awaited trip from AZ to FL to go to Disney World during the Christmas holiday. We made it to Houston where we over-nighted. In the morning we went to the gas station to fill up where suddenly I heard the dreaded "chime" and read "check coolant". It was hard to check the coolant as there was none left.

Limped over to a local dealership and found out my EGR cooler had went and dumped all of my coolant into the engine. They were able to repair it that day for around $4,000. Got about 10 miles down the road before the top radiator hose popped off and dumped coolant all over my windshield at 65 mph. At this point we found a storage lot, parked our trailer, left out truck at a local shop and rented a car. We drove to FL and rented a Cruise America POS for the rest of our stay at Disney.

When we got back to Houston, we picked up our truck and made it back to San Antonio where we developed a crack in a boost hose (whooshing noise and terrible fuel economy) and also noticed our coolant was boiling off slowly. Yep, blown head gasket. Replaced the boost hose and limped back home. Traded the truck in a week later.

[Matt_Colie]

Todd,

This is why I refer to out travels as Excursions, and never Adventures. It has something to do with the Bilbo Baggins line from Hobbit.
“We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can’t think what anybody sees in them.”

The way I see it:
Everybody survived without even any new scars.
You always had somewhere dry to sleep.
You lost some road time that was non-critical.
You learned a lot about the rig.
You are not out a substantial amount of money.

To me, that is a good time.

Matt

[memtb]

Durb wrote:
Enjoyed your posts. I originally thought that would be a fun story around the campfire then I thought, "That's going to take a lot of firewood." Any trip without injuries or medical issues is a good one. Better print your posts, it's going to be hard to remember all that stuff in the future!

In life I often try “to push the envelope “.....though “not” in this case. I’ve experienced a lot in my 65 years....many folks I worked with, suggested I write a book. It would be a book dedicated to many years of ....I can’t believe that just happened! Amazingly....”No” alcohol was involved, and....I’m still alive!
“If you’re not living on the edge...you’re taking up too much room”!

[travelnutz]

When it rains, sometimes it really pours and then it clears up again!

[travelnutz]

On our 50th year of a lot of RV'ing we had our only bad luck happen. Never had a blowout or tire problem on any of our many RV's and hundreds of thousands of miles traveled yet. Virtually no issues with things breaking or failing to work, just a few minor simple things like burned out light bulbs, tighten a few screws that had worked loose. Nothing major such as the furnace not working or the water heater not working or a TV not working or the A/C not working, etc. No issues at all with our tow vehicles or the class A or C chassis, engine, tranny, brakes, steering, suspension having problems.

On the annual trip down to Florida the second week in January from our Michigan home, we had a nearly new tire blow out (less than 5,000 miles on it and 2 years and 2 months old) with a very loud bang on US-31 on the bypass at Kokomo, IN. No visible damage to the 5th wheel so very lucky. Tire store road repair truck came and changed the tire to the spare and got a new tire next day at Indy. On our way again.

Then while going past Tallahassee on I-10 the tire in front the first blowout on the same side blew and really messed up the wheel well area. Road service again and spare on. Went to tire store on Capitol E. Drive only a couples miles away and replaced both tires on that axle and on our way again. They inspected the only remaining tire of the 4 we left home with and said it's in fine condition so left it on. Bought 3 new tires already in less than 1,000 miles. Spent the 2-1/2 months at our CG in Florida and headed home.

Bang! the last of the 4 blew out on the opposite of the 5th wheel and really messed up the wheel well area. Road service truck again for the 3rd time! Another new tire.

Turned in a claim to the tire manufacturer for the 3 bad far from overloaded "E" range very low mile tires an they refused. Yes, it really ticked us off! Our insurance paid to have both sides of the 5th wheel damage repaired better than new and was several thousand dollars with no problems and didn't even deduct our deductible amount but wouldn't cover the tires as they said it was the manufacturers responsibility. We were left with the cost of the nearly new tires that blew.

Not one tire issue in 50 years other than one tire not holding air pressure as it had a very small slow leak that couldn't be found and then having 3 on one trip in less than 1500 miles of distance traveled! No tire issues since either!

[Durb]

Enjoyed your posts. I originally thought that would be a fun story around the campfire then I thought, "That's going to take a lot of firewood." Any trip without injuries or medical issues is a good one. Better print your posts, it's going to be hard to remember all that stuff in the future!

[Walaby]

I'll travel with you. You have enough trouble for two people, which means my portion of the trip will be trouble-free.

Seriously - glad no one got hurt in the process. Hopefully you are past it all now, and future trips will be event-free.

Mike

[Toolguy5]

memtb wrote:
As bad as it seemed....it could’ve been much worse! Hopefully we used up some of the bad luck. Wishing everyone a great summer and safe travels.

Very true, it could have been worse.

I think we all have bad luck stories to tell. We have been on the road with Tow Vehicle with blown engine. At least we had the 5er to stay in until we could be rescued.

[memtb]

As bad as it seemed....it could’ve been much worse! Hopefully we used up some of the bad luck. Wishing everyone a great summer and safe travels.

[Mike_LeClair]

We would LOVE to tag along with you on your next misadventure! Of course, you would have to provide food, beer and popcorn! Things will get better, keep your chin(s) up!

Cheers!

Mike and Carol

[grizz272]

We picked our first fifth-wheel up March 26 with plans on leaving April 4. Got up April 4 and found 5" of snow on the ground. I had to plow snow. Get up April 5th 16 degrees. We are leaving anyway. I had to chop the steps out of the ice and snow before we could move them. Now to hitch up. I mean how hard could it be, right? Almost 45 minutes latter we are on the road. Every time the truck was just in the right position to hitch up it would slide left or right just enough that I could not hitch up. On the way down to Baton Rouge LA on I 65 our TV broke. It worked in the drive way but not when I tried to watch it Saturday night the April 7.
Glad you are home safe.

[mrquacker]

I think your co-pilot name is Murphy.
But a good story and I'm glad all turned out OK.

[SidecarFlip]

Welds do break... usually at the most inconvenient times....