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Old 04-16-2007, 12:52 PM
bilede bilede is offline
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Default Yes, God willing I will be there.. trip from hell!

sorry so lengthy but this is nothing to how long it felt minus friday at the track and saturday at the show.. at this point it is hilarious actually..

I Left phoenix Arizona bound for Prescott AZ to pick up my father and his motor home to head out. Since my 4 year old, Eric was going to come along my mother asked if she could come along also which I agreed because you can never have enough babysitters around and we packed the vehicle and off we went.

About 30 miles out of town I started noticing that the engine was heating up and I turned the auxiliary fans on but with no success at reducing he temperature we pulled over and to take a look and make sure there was no mechanical issue. We couldn’t find anything and called my brother in law whom said he had a ford 28 foot motor home with a 460 v8 and 24,000 miles on it that had never let him down and we were welcome to take it on the trip. We agreed to take it and headed back to swap motor homes with him.

We were all loaded and gassed up within an hour or so and headed out of town again on our journey when we again got 30 miles out of town and bang, we blew a tire on the passenger side rear. We got on the cell phone and proceeded to find a replacement because the spare was not in the best condition and headed to the tire shop back in town that had one. We decided since the tire was one of the duals we would limp back into town and let them change it and we made it about half way when we realized there was a piece of the tread that was wearing a hole in the black water holding tank so we stopped and pulled off the tire and headed to town with the spare on the ground.

When we reached the tire shop we found that all he had was used tires in our size and really only one that was really useable but his balancing machine wouldn’t work with our wheels so he called the only other station in town whom had two more tires new and could balance the used one we just purchased. We drove down the street to get this done figuring that would give us two fairly new/good tires on the back inside locations and a newer spare in case we had any other issues..

At this point we realized that this motor home didn’t have a trailer brake controller so we grabbed one and started the installation of it but didn’t complete everything by the time the tires were installed so we buttoned it up for future completion and hit the road.

Off we headed again out of town for the third time and we made it to Flagstaff when I started getting a fan belt squealing very loud anytime I got over 58 mph. We stopped for gas and checked it out and could find nothing wrong so we figured it was going to be a slow trip but as long as we made progress we could make the trip in time so we drove on.

We stopped about every two hundred miles while driving across New Mexico and the Texas pan handle for fuel which we seemed to be yielding a dismal 6-8 mpg with no trailer attached and a fairly light load inside but we were still progressing okay below the 58mph point.

Reaching Oklahoma our 58mph was down to 45mph and we threw a belt and our temperature was warming more than we would have liked so we stopped in Elk City to find a belt replacement. We couldn’t find a parts house right off but found a mechanic on duty at a station that said he would change them out so we thought we would grab something to eat and let him work on the issue. He worked about 2 hours and finished the job while we installed the trailer plug at the rear of the motor home was we had left the wires from our previous install of the controller in the cab. Everything looked good but with no trailer we got a trailer not connected error for obvious reasons so off we went thinking all was okay with it.

Off to Oklahoma City we headed thinking we had seen the last of problems and about half way there we picked up a miss which seemed to be a spark problem so we again stopped to check it out and found that the plug wires were the 30 year old originals in very poor shape but didn’t see any direct problems so we gassed up and figured we would limp on to make our deadline of being in Illinois and back to Iowa to pick up the yenko from Deuce Heaven. We also now noticed we didn’t have turn signals working any longer and brake controller was flashing error.

We limped along all the way through Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Springfield, and on towards St. Louis through the night as nothing was open to have the vehicle looked since we didn’t have adequate tools to do a lot ourselves on the road. We did seem to have some tanks of gas that ran slightly better although none of them worked well we were still doing 55 down hills and sputtering up hills at 35-40 mph. We also at this point started having problems starting the generator and getting anything on the “house” side to work properly including the refrigerator and most of the food in spoiled and had to be tossed.

Our destination goal was to be in Urbana Illinois by 8am the next morning to pick up an enclosed trailer I had bought to keep the new silver paint looking sharp. We called and were late by a few hours but did make it there to do the transaction with little issue transaction wise. The motor home at this point was a different story, it would stall if you didn’t feather the accelerator pedal to get moving and even then would stall in the road on take off about 30% of the time. You would restart the engine and try again until you got to the big cruising speed of 30 mph. Anyway, we attached the trailer and couldn’t move without dying because of the extra load so we ran into a Wal-Mart that was across the street and bought a fuel and air filter thinking those might be an issue again since they were original to the vehicle as well but still the problem persisted.

I left the trailer there and drove down the street to a parts store looking for a service station that would have diagnostic equipment so we could get to the problem and they were very helpful but found only one shop that could look at it during that day and we needed to be in Iowa today. The mechanic on duty felt it was a fuel filter that is internal to the motorcraft carburetor so he replaced that and then did some vacuum and other checks and said our exhaust system was not working properly. We had heard the rattling but didn’t think anything of it and he found the muffler (again, original to the truck) had several pieces of the baffles broken off inside that was plugging a majority of the exit. Some times it was flowing and then it would stop. He cut it off and installed a generic muffler and a turn down on it because nothing else was available and it did give us back some power and we went back, connected the trailer and headed out with enough power to at least get us rolling.

We completed the trailer brake controller installation but it would not work with consistency and we did have a deadline to be in Donahue Iowa because Ken and family was leaving early the next morning for the SYC show so we hit the road with no trailer brakes at all but with a rig that wouldn’t go any faster than 50 mph under its own power and an empty trailer so we were didn’t feel it was a major concern with everything else going on so we were on the road again towards Iowa.

Realizing that the flat Illinois lands suddenly drop at a great rate towards the boarder and river basin we found that even with no engine power we could actually get moving too fast down hill but did keep the vehicle under control and back out the Iowa side we found the flying J near Donahue and got a hold of Ken for a refresher on how to get to his home from there. No sleep for two days and everything looked different for some odd reason. But late in the night we pulled in to Deuce Heaven to find the best “in my opinion” looking deuce out there and we fired it up and got it loaded in the trailer and stayed the night there thinking we would find a Ford or RV service place in the morning and finally get some resolution to the continuing problem.

We woke and retraced all the wiring for the trailer and found that when the Elk City Oklahoma mechanic changed the belts he had moved the power steering pump out of the way and pushed our new wire from for the brake controller up next to the steering shaft and it had tangled around and was shorting out. Repaired that and our brake controller and turn signals now seemed okay and so we unhooked the trailer and went into town with recommendations for mechanical services.

After checking those and calling other referrals we found one RV place that said they could work on it and would fit it in later in the day so we limped in their direction and waited for 5 hours until they finally said we couldn’t find anything but there is a problem and we filled your propane tank and here is your bill. Out of time we decided to go get the trailer and head back towards Collinsville so we would be there in time for the races Friday morning.

We limped okay from Donahue to Collinsville doing on the flats around 50-55mph and did have trailer brakes so felt good and we arrived at the burger king across from the gateway track around 5am and got a little sleep then ate at the BK.

I was so relieved to get to Collinsville in one piece and with my car on time after all that it made my head spin. From here, if the motor home wouldn’t start we could get someone to tow the trailer to the show at the end of the day and light the motor home on fire was my thinking but it did fine and everyone had a great time through the show and we loaded up for the trip home.

We have some family in St. Louis so we drove to an “uncles” house I had never met but he worked at the ford plant there for 20+ years and said bring it over so we did thinking we would if nothing else visit until Monday morning when we could get it in the shop someplace there. In the mean time I pulled the house battery and took it to the parts house and they determined it was bad so I replaced it and the failed things in the coach came to life again. After looking with the uncle at the engine issue he was convinced it was an electrical issue and to replace the plugs, wires, cap and rotor, and the electronic control module which at this point we were looking for a needle in a haystack so I replaced them Sunday. It ran slightly better but still did not resolve the issue so with everything else done I started looking back at the fuel system and called around for a carburetor kit but found not a single one available in St. Louis and they could order it by Thursday or Friday. (being Sunday I wasn’t wanting to wait that long) so I checked the fuel pressure to make sure the pump wasn’t an issue and it was fine and with each replacement we were getting slightly better so the thought was to leave out Monday morning after a good night sleep and limp it home.

Sunday night I decided again to sleep in the motor home with my 4 year old while “grandpa and grandma” stayed in the house in the guest room thinking I wanted to be close to the trailer to keep a watch on it and all. At 2am I got a car driving by with teenagers in it that put two rocks through the side window shattering it all over the couch and floor so I cleaned that up and in the morning did the cardboard replacement before heading out on our exciting trip.

We got to Oklahoma city and seemed to be doing okay just slow moving so we kept plowing towards home a step at a time when we reached an area around the Texas/New Mexico boarder and encountered a brutal storm with several trucks turned over and rain that forced us down to 5-10 mph so we found a rest area and locked everything down for the night and proceeded to be rocked to sleep by the wind and rain.

We woke up early the next morning with clear skies and headed out again through New Mexico and hit the Arizona boarder thinking we were home free we stopped to get gas just west of Gallop New Mexico and then pulled to the side lot and parked thinking we would go in and get a bite to eat at the truck stop and as we were going inside it starts pouring rain. We get done and we go out and the front of the motor home is in a huge puddle of water so we have to use the back door to get in. We do so and the starter won’t turn over at all. Battery seems fine but I join the house and engine batteries for more power and nothing. Get out check the solenoid and give it a slight bang or two to make sure its not froze and retry the ignition and still nothing.

Walk over to the truck stop repair bays and they tell me they won’t work on an RV nor would they have parts available so we got on the camper world triple A group my dad belongs to and they give us a few service stations that can help and one is where we are at so we explained they said no and the company calls them and then they say they will change the starter. “because that’s what is wrong” they already decided without looking at it but we had to pay cash for the starter from the local auto parts store who will deliver if we call ASAP. We agree and they bring the part and after two hours a man walks over and uses a concrete floor squeegee to push the puddle to the next low spot and gets under the car and changes it. We get in and try the starter and get nothing, mechanic slams the hood and I try again and it starts so we said thanks and left with a running truck bound for home.

Obviously at this point I don’t even turn the engine off while pumping fuel in this beast so we make it all the way to flagstaff and I am feeling a thump, thump as we roll down the road so we pull over in a parking lot and dad gets out and watches the tires as they roll hoping to see anything that would be causing the issue but finds nothing so we grab more gas and head towards phoenix.

About half way to Phoenix we blow out a front tire and replace it with the spare and keep moving towards home. We had a terrible time pulling the hill out of Camp Verde which is a long steep grade known for taking out cars with trailers but we finally made it to the top locked in first gear at 2-3 mph in the emergency lane.

Again, coming into Phoenix I start feeling a thump, thump but no one else in the rig hears or feels it and they tell me I am nuts and getting to sensitive so we keep driving and finally do arrive home safe and well, sound and we unpack the next morning and drop the trailer because grandma has to be back home so they want to leave out soon.

I get a call about an hour later and the other front tire let go on their way out of Phoenix and they stopped in to replace both the bad front tires and put the spare back in its location. Also, the old starter also checks out as good and the new one failed to start a time or two later after this trip so I suspect the solenoid is bad instead.

A few hours later the motor home was back with my brother in law and all is well... haha.

So I write this about 8 months later in which time several major things have rearranged my life and if you would of asked me if I would make the trip again anytime before December I would of said no way based on my trip from hell but memory is fading and the good things come back and take over so the question now is:

Will I be there again this year, Yes, God willing and I hope to see everyone else there also...
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Old 04-16-2007, 03:05 PM
kwhizz kwhizz is offline
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Default Re: Yes, God willing I will be there.. trip from hell!

Wow!!!........That's a "Character" building Story......That's about the only way you can look at it........LOL.....

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Old 04-16-2007, 04:58 PM
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YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY is offline
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Default Re: Yes, God willing I will be there.. trip from hell!

Damn!! I knew it was a rough trip, but didn't know it was that bad!! Get yourself a 2500HD with either the 6.0 or the Max - you'll be fine.
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Old 04-16-2007, 06:03 PM
Charley Lillard Charley Lillard is offline
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Default Re: Yes, God willing I will be there.. trip from hell!

LOL...
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Old 04-16-2007, 06:46 PM
ORIGLS6 ORIGLS6 is offline
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Default Re: Yes, God willing I will be there.. trip from hell!



Even through all that........ you're coming back!

Kinda says what this event means to real car guys, don't it?
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Old 04-16-2007, 10:02 PM
Schonyenko2 Schonyenko2 is offline
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Default Re: Yes, God willing I will be there.. trip from hell!

Bill has a deep well of patience. I think I'd have beat that camper with a crowbar, and set it on fire, but through all that, he never even uttered a real bad word that I heard. I hope everything works out for the best, and we look forward to seeing you in July.
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Old 04-16-2007, 10:29 PM
Kim_Howie Kim_Howie is offline
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Default Re: Yes, God willing I will be there.. trip from hell!

Crow bar ?? BIG ENDLOADER crush the dam thing
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Old 04-17-2007, 01:43 AM
kwhizz kwhizz is offline
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Default Re: Yes, God willing I will be there.. trip from hell!

[ QUOTE ]
Crow bar ?? BIG ENDLOADER crush the dam thing

[/ QUOTE ]



Ken
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Old 04-17-2007, 07:45 AM
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Mr BB Chevy Mr BB Chevy is offline
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Default Re: Yes, God willing I will be there.. trip from hell!

LOL.. "The out of towners" 2007
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Old 04-17-2007, 06:40 PM
Kim_Howie Kim_Howie is offline
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Default Re: Yes, God willing I will be there.. trip from hell!

Now that's funny
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