Long day towing

[Terryallan]

Y'all need to know that it is NEVER good when you are towing a camper, and some one flags you from a another car yelling about your tire.
So after 3 / THREE, yes THREE / 3 flat tires, one of which just disappeared. Shay said. It's GONE, and another that blew on I-77, which made it take 10 hours to get from Myrtle beach. Not to mention the sever thunderstorm, and high winds that suddenly hit us in the side, and nearly put us off the highway before I figured out what was going on. We are home safe, maybe not so sound, but safe.
In the morning I get to find out if the TT was damaged other than bending the low point drain tube.

BTW ONE of the tire was on the TV.

TT Tires 4 years old. Before it leave the house again. It will have all new tires, and at least 2 spares, maybe 3

Another BTW. the TT did NOT act any different when the tire blew, or should I say disintegrated. It just felt harder to pull. I thought the wind was blowing in the nose.

[3ares]

The age of a tire is from date of mfg. date stamped on tire,not when the tire is installed on the trailer. Look for the four digits stamped on tire ; first two numbers = week and last two numbers = year of mfg.

Happy Travels

[allen8106]

I would also suggest a wheel alignment. I took mine in for an alignment at an axle shop a year ago March. The guy told me many 5ver and TT owners bring them in every couple of years for an alignment check and adjustment if needed as part of their regular maintenance. Now maybe he's just trying to sell me more services but it can't hurt to do it at least once.

[hawkeye-08]

My wife and I just returned from a ~700 mile round trip for a family reunion. We did not take the trailer (short trip) but both commented at how many flats, blowouts, etc we saw on this trip. It was not limited to travel trailers, but had some of everything it seemed. Pieces of tires littered the freeway making for some dangerous driving at times.

Hope you are able to continue to camp, I know we sure do enjoy it.

[Terryallan]

2gypsies wrote:
It seems like all is well with the OP. In another post he just bought 4 new tires.

Nope 5. The spare I bought in desperation on the way home is already too old to keep. Even though has never before been mounted. I found cracks on one side wall as I was getting ready to store it on the spare tire carrier. It is also 7 years old. So it is gone.
I called my tire guy yesterday, and told him to get me one more.

It has to have new tires if I sell it or keep it. I wouldn't sell any one any thing with tires that old on it. And if it don't sell. We are going to take it to the mountains in Aug.

[2gypsies1]

It seems like all is well with the OP. In another post he just bought 4 new tires.

[Durb]

I sold a 2004 TT in 2014 with the original Goodyear Marathons on it. I had them inspected at a local tire shop and they said I was good to go. Many of the people that called on the trailer preferred the older tires than something newer. The buyer didn't flinch at all (maybe he drove right to the tire store from my house).

Terryallen, sorry to hear age is catching up with you. I'm hoping to get about 12 more years (knock on wood) RVing. Good luck with your future endeavors.

[INSPECTERBAKE]

I had three tires blow out on me last Saturday on our way home from Myrtle beach 19 hours was a long stressful day. I will try to post picks of the damage to the skirting on the camper.

[Terryallan]

wbwood wrote:

Terryallan wrote:

colliehauler wrote:

Terryallan wrote:

wbwood wrote:
Terry, which section of I-77?

Right at Dave Lyle BLV, We got on off of highway 5 from Lancaster. Got stopped before this one disintegrated. This time my son inlaw brought me a new spare from Tractor supply. It is bias ply. But it got us home, and that is all I care about.

Seriously thinking about selling the TT. I have got to the age, and health that it is really hard for me to do the things necessary to camp. Shay ask me at the beach after watching me almost crawl to the truck, How much longer did I think I could do this. After the trip home. I'm thinkin. I'm just about done.

Comes a time when you have to accept you can't do the things you once could. It has been fun, and I really love it. But I been camping for more than 35 years, and it is just hard now.

Have you thought about a seasonal spot? A lot less stressful to just show up not having to tow, set up, pack up and tow home. I understand it's not for everyone but beats giving up camping.

Yeah. We thought about putting it at Raccoone Holler. Not sure that is the answere

You could also do the beach....leave it stored down there and let them pull it out and put on the spot and put back...Pretty nice to get down there and all you gotta do is hook it up to the hookups and open it up. We've done it at Lakewood and Ocean Lakes. Maybe Pirateland has the same thing? Only cost us like $50/month or so to keep it stored down there (same price we were paying to store our old TT locally). It was nice leaving here at 5pm on a friday in the little car and getting down ther around 9pm and enjoying it for the weekend. Made it not such a bad trip.

It's a thought. but we like mountain camping more than we do beach camping, because it is much, much cooler in the mountains, and we have more time to go as it is not so far away.

We have decided to do the house, or condo thing at the beach, and divide it between 3, or four families. That way, the cost for the week is pretty much the same, and we wouldn't have to go to Myrtle.

the Tt is still for sale, and if it sells, we will be done, If not. We will still mountain camp. I believe that is the decision we have made.

[wbwood]

Terryallan wrote:

colliehauler wrote:

Terryallan wrote:

wbwood wrote:
Terry, which section of I-77?

Right at Dave Lyle BLV, We got on off of highway 5 from Lancaster. Got stopped before this one disintegrated. This time my son inlaw brought me a new spare from Tractor supply. It is bias ply. But it got us home, and that is all I care about.

Seriously thinking about selling the TT. I have got to the age, and health that it is really hard for me to do the things necessary to camp. Shay ask me at the beach after watching me almost crawl to the truck, How much longer did I think I could do this. After the trip home. I'm thinkin. I'm just about done.

Comes a time when you have to accept you can't do the things you once could. It has been fun, and I really love it. But I been camping for more than 35 years, and it is just hard now.

Have you thought about a seasonal spot? A lot less stressful to just show up not having to tow, set up, pack up and tow home. I understand it's not for everyone but beats giving up camping.

Yeah. We thought about putting it at Raccoone Holler. Not sure that is the answere

You could also do the beach....leave it stored down there and let them pull it out and put on the spot and put back...Pretty nice to get down there and all you gotta do is hook it up to the hookups and open it up. We've done it at Lakewood and Ocean Lakes. Maybe Pirateland has the same thing? Only cost us like $50/month or so to keep it stored down there (same price we were paying to store our old TT locally). It was nice leaving here at 5pm on a friday in the little car and getting down ther around 9pm and enjoying it for the weekend. Made it not such a bad trip.

[Terryallan]

CavemanCharlie wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
It not really that towing is too much. Nor is hooking up. Shoot, that is the easy part. It's all the stuff that goes with it while you are there. The thing is. I can't bend over, and stay bent for more than a few seconds. When I do. I can't straighten up, and I'm not sure it's worth the pain anymore.

I'm thinking about just keeping it, and doing shorter trips where I don't have to do as much. Lots of setup, and tear down at the beach along with emptying tanks every day. There were 9 of us in the TT, and tanks fill fast with 9 people in it, especially when 3 are little girls that think the most fun thing in the world is to stand and let water run into the black tank. And I won't stop them, because I told them to use plenty of it.

Even the flat tires don't worry me so much, except the not knowing one is flat part. That bothers me a lot. Not good to run on 3 tires for long. Kind of dangerous.

Any way. Lots to think about. 4 tires to buy before we go anywhere else, and if the TT don't sell pretty quick. We'll go again. We don't have to sell, and I'm not going to give it away. We'll see.

There were 9 of you and nobody helped to empty the tanks or did any of the other work ? Maybe you need to have a talk with these people and their parents.

There were 9 of you and nobody followed you home and offered to help ?

I am not to your age yet but, I'm not getting any younger and I make the kids do some of the work to help out. They need to be supervised but, they can do it if you watch them.

Maybe you are just being too nice of a person and nobody knows your struggles ?

They did in fact help cook. But do not know how to do the tanks, and I just did it while they were out. As for following us home. Nope. We went down first, they all came later, and we stayed longer than they did. So no they were not there to help break camp. My son in law did bring us a tire when the last one blew about an hour from home.

[CavemanCharlie]

Terryallan wrote:
It not really that towing is too much. Nor is hooking up. Shoot, that is the easy part. It's all the stuff that goes with it while you are there. The thing is. I can't bend over, and stay bent for more than a few seconds. When I do. I can't straighten up, and I'm not sure it's worth the pain anymore.

I'm thinking about just keeping it, and doing shorter trips where I don't have to do as much. Lots of setup, and tear down at the beach along with emptying tanks every day. There were 9 of us in the TT, and tanks fill fast with 9 people in it, especially when 3 are little girls that think the most fun thing in the world is to stand and let water run into the black tank. And I won't stop them, because I told them to use plenty of it.

Even the flat tires don't worry me so much, except the not knowing one is flat part. That bothers me a lot. Not good to run on 3 tires for long. Kind of dangerous.

Any way. Lots to think about. 4 tires to buy before we go anywhere else, and if the TT don't sell pretty quick. We'll go again. We don't have to sell, and I'm not going to give it away. We'll see.

There were 9 of you and nobody helped to empty the tanks or did any of the other work ? Maybe you need to have a talk with these people and their parents.

There were 9 of you and nobody followed you home and offered to help ?

I am not to your age yet but, I'm not getting any younger and I make the kids do some of the work to help out. They need to be supervised but, they can do it if you watch them.

Maybe you are just being too nice of a person and nobody knows your struggles ?

[Terryallan]

It not really that towing is too much. Nor is hooking up. Shoot, that is the easy part. It's all the stuff that goes with it while you are there. The thing is. I can't bend over, and stay bent for more than a few seconds. When I do. I can't straighten up, and I'm not sure it's worth the pain anymore.

I'm thinking about just keeping it, and doing shorter trips where I don't have to do as much. Lots of setup, and tear down at the beach along with emptying tanks every day. There were 9 of us in the TT, and tanks fill fast with 9 people in it, especially when 3 are little girls that think the most fun thing in the world is to stand and let water run into the black tank. And I won't stop them, because I told them to use plenty of it.

Even the flat tires don't worry me so much, except the not knowing one is flat part. That bothers me a lot. Not good to run on 3 tires for long. Kind of dangerous.

Any way. Lots to think about. 4 tires to buy before we go anywhere else, and if the TT don't sell pretty quick. We'll go again. We don't have to sell, and I'm not going to give it away. We'll see.

[Terryallan]

colliehauler wrote:

Terryallan wrote:

wbwood wrote:
Terry, which section of I-77?

Right at Dave Lyle BLV, We got on off of highway 5 from Lancaster. Got stopped before this one disintegrated. This time my son inlaw brought me a new spare from Tractor supply. It is bias ply. But it got us home, and that is all I care about.

Seriously thinking about selling the TT. I have got to the age, and health that it is really hard for me to do the things necessary to camp. Shay ask me at the beach after watching me almost crawl to the truck, How much longer did I think I could do this. After the trip home. I'm thinkin. I'm just about done.

Comes a time when you have to accept you can't do the things you once could. It has been fun, and I really love it. But I been camping for more than 35 years, and it is just hard now.

Have you thought about a seasonal spot? A lot less stressful to just show up not having to tow, set up, pack up and tow home. I understand it's not for everyone but beats giving up camping.

Yeah. We thought about putting it at Raccoone Holler. Not sure that is the answere

[2gypsies1]

If you think the trailer is too much for you why not consider a small Class C or Class B. At least you'd be able to get and do some things rather than sitting at home. Don't give up!!!