Stranded in the RV ri

[Hugh R]

Originally Posted by rusnak

OK, well you did mention that you were concerned about costs (see above).

I was only saying that regardless of other considerations, once you get to the repair shop, the most reliable thing is to just buy a new tire. A detour to the repair shop is on your way to your destination on some days. That's just how it is.

OK, don't like the costs, but more concerned about not being stranded at night.

On my trip to Boise last thanksgiving I went hours without seeing a roadside service.

[rusnak]

^ I hear ya! That's a lonely road right there. That's why Baz's comment intrigues me. Maybe there is some sort of industrial plug available. I think I saw something like that last time I was at my friend's tire shop. The plug thing gets you to the tire place in one piece.

If it's any consolation, we waited 5 hrs for a flatbed last time I needed to tow the motorhome. It's an old 1970s FMC with a fiberglass chassis.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by rusnak

^ I'm going to guess that the OP had brand new or newish tires. New tires can't hold air if you run over a nail or a big object in the road. I'm curious about your plug trick. You use that to get to the tire store to buy another new tire?

Not really a trick.

I do the same thing a tire repair centre does - except I do it while the wheel is still on the truck.

It only works if you can find the nail or screw you ran over that is still embedded in the tire. Jack up that wheel, pull out the nail/screw, replace with a plug, inflate the tire, and let the wheel back down. You're good to go.

Depending on how good a job I did....I may or may not go further with the repair. If she's still holding air...I go on about my business.

This is what I use.....

[Baz]

[rusnak]

^ I used one of those on my 12-ply truck tire. It worked. For a while. When it blew, the tread peeled off half way around the circumference. It was like a bomb blew under the truck and I was most definitely immobile until the flat bed arrived.

[craigster59]

Does your RV have a tow hitch? Just buy a tow hitch tire carrier, around $200.

[Hugh R]

Pissed me off, I just saw that one of the two hard acorn nuts that hold the hub cap on the R/R tire had sheared off, I think the roadside tire guy that replaced the flat tire a few months ago used the 300 lbs-fts torque wrench to put them on. I think he fractured the spot weld or whatever it is on the decorative acorn nut and the actual nut.

Its a freaking hub cap, not the wheel itself. The actual lug nuts are behind the hub cap. The damaged one is adjacent to the tire stem. Not a big deal and not structural, its a freaking hub cap. I'll order a new one, and it will probably cost me $20 with shipping, plus I don't have a lug wrench that big. So, I'll take it to my local friendly tire dealer who may replace it for a few bucks. Small stuff, but its a pretty nice looking Big Ass RV and I just spent $300 to have it washed and waxed. Rant over.

[tevake]

Dang that is aggravating Hugh.
And yours is a nice big ass motorhome. ��
The only time I've been stopped by tire trouble in my coach was the day after having the wheels taken off for balancing. They left the stem extender on an inner dualy loose causing the slow leak.
In checking around I found that they had not torqued a number of the lug nuts either.

I pumped it with the compressor and limped for hours back to the shop for them to fix the leak, this time they left off a couple of valve caps.

In the few years I've been involved in RVs this lack of quality work seems common from the stories I've been hearing.
Glad you can get you issue fixed so reasonably. I'd bet your lug nuts are not torqued
Correctly either.
This pattern keeps me motivated to do as much myself as I can.

Now that I've removed most of the wheels for brake work, and for access thru the wheel wells to the side of the engine for exhaust header work. The thought of dealing with a flat is a lot more comfortable.

Cheers Richard

[GH85Carrera]

Well at least you had a RV to be inside of to wait, A bathroom and a fridge with something to drink.

It sure makes RV travel sound glamorous and fun.

On my many road trips in the 911 I have been very lucky and have had no flats or tire issues. I have a spare, but even if I did the little mini spare where do I put the flat tire?

[recycled sixtie]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Well at least you had a RV to be inside of to wait, A bathroom and a fridge with something to drink.

It sure makes RV travel sound glamorous and fun.

On my many road trips in the 911 I have been very lucky and have had no flats or tire issues. I have a spare, but even if I did the little mini spare where do I put the flat tire?

Is there not enough room in the rear seat for the flat tire? And if I am travelling by myself then I have a regular spare in the passenger seat.

[Hugh R]

Took it in a few months ago for an oil change and front end lube, this is the second time they didn't grease the zerk fittings, I now do it myself because there are 11 of them and I feel that I have to crawl under and check that they did every single one, I might as well do it myself.

[craigster59]

Do you take it to Camperworld on the Old Road?

[Hugh R]

No effing way. I use "Always on Time" off of Newhall Avenue across from the Saugus Cafe. They've been good, but have missed the Zerk fittings twice and I've spoken to the owner, Gary, and he said the next oil change/lube is on him for my troubles. He does try to make things right.

Out of warranty, my dash A/C kept losing coolant and he found that when Coachmen put in the dash evaporator, before they put in the dash, they'd left a Viton "O" ring off of one hose. Even though it was out of warranty, he got Coachmen to pay for his labor because of such a gross screw up.

[tevake]

[QUOTE=GH85Carrera;9303544]Well at least you had a RV to be inside of to wait, A bathroom and a fridge with something to drink.

"It sure makes RV travel sound glamorous and fun!"


Please let me share that cruising in a Moho is lots of fun, if not particularly glamorous at least in my rig.
The ability to pause for lunch or just a nice break in great spots along the way is sweet

Traveling with the comforts of home where ever you are, nice.

Being able to arrive and have some toys with you to enjoy the place with, great!

Not having to wonder if the next hotel bed is one with bedbugs or? Very nice.

Being able to stay comfortably at remote locations, priceless.

It can have its challenges, but those are far out weighted by the bennifits, for me anyways.

Cheers Richard.

[Hugh R]

Had a serious brush fire a month ago, looking to bug out. ALL the local hotels were booked solid. Didn't need it, but nice to have an RV with hot water and a shower.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by recycled sixtie

Is there not enough room in the rear seat for the flat tire? And if I am travelling by myself then I have a regular spare in the passenger seat.

If the back seat area is empty it might fit. I usually have my wife in the passenger seat and luggage in the back seat area. Be sure to bring a large trash bag or some plastic to wrap the old tire up in if you are putting a road used tire inside.

[petrolhead611]

Harbor Freight have a special on 25inch long 1/2" sq drive breaker bars at the moment. Might come in handy for RV wheel nuts in a future situation