Expensive towing mistake

[banditrider776@gmail.com]

This is what happens when you tow your toad at 60 MPH in first gear. Checklists really do save time and $$$. This happened in Arizona outside Sierra Vista (Ft. Huachuca) on our way to Mexico. Got in a hurry and didn't check the gear shift or steering, or anything else inside. Got about 1/2 mile out of town. Took three months to fix and about $14,000, my share was $500.

Anyone else have a story they wouldn't mind sharing?

[tbutler]

After we hook up, Louise does the light check. When the lights are OK, then she watches me pull forward to see that our toad is free wheeling and also checks the tow bar to make sure the arms have locked. Only after that will she get on board. It has worked for us so far.

I have a set of plastic wheel chocks that I use when we park. This summer after parking and hooking up the electric I decided to move forward. When the coach didn't move easily I pushed harder on the pedal. Now we have one wheel chock! I've scraped up the coach on a couple of occasions by moving without having my guardian angel watching while I move. The insurance company paid for both repairs but of course we paid the deductible and suffered the lost time while waiting for repairs. You know the saying, slow but steady wins the race!

I've learned that it really helps to have a second set of eyes on the outside whenever I move in close quarters.

[Guest Wayne77590]

For the time being, when you see me pull in, look at the curb side storage door, bottom, just before the propane door. You will see that it is scraped and bent in. I'm going to get it fixed, but:

And the rest of the story -

Ike was approaching the Gulf Coast. I told Earlene that we needed to get out of town and soon, as I did not want to experience what I did when we evacuated for Rita (150 miles in 15-1/2 hours). We had just bought the new Winnebago and this would be our maiden voyage in it. We were going inland about 80-90 miles. I had the Saturn Vue, but no base plate or towing mechanism yet. Earlene was going to follow me in her car. All was well until we got about 6 miles from our destination and she called and said she needed to make a stop. I told her I'd meet her at the CG. I checked in, and knowing the CG I knew I would have to go to the turn-around so that I could back into my spot. As I made the turn-around there was a pick-up truck parked parallel and I could not make the swing. I backed up to get a new radius and proceeded forward. I did not see the 3" cement filled pipe on the curb side, but I sure did hear it meet with the coach.

If I had waited for Earlene I don't think this would have happened. Of course she says it would not have happened if I had waited for her. She said to leave it as it is as a reminder. I have, but it's time to fix it.

Oh! And watch out for picnic tables at CG's. They have a tendency to jump out when you are lest expecting it.

Maybe re-testing after age 65 is not such a bad idea after all. (NOT)

[gbrinck]

You are lucky - I put a piston rod through the block on a little Ford Aspire when I made that mistake. Cost me an engine and a radiator.

[johndavidson]

Ouch......Today I toad our Subaru nearly 50 miles with the parking brake on......I'm lucky that I only stretched the Brake cable..

[wolfe10]

Ouch......Today I toad our Subaru nearly 50 miles with the parking brake on......I'm lucky that I only stretched the Brake cable..

Have you had your rear brakes inspected to VERIFY that no brake damage was done. Hard to believe they weren't severely overheated.

Brett Wolfe

[rccmkc4743]

My story goes: We were going to FL for our sons wedding. My husband hooks up the car but I do the brake buddy inside. Well not towing very often I forgot to put the transmissionin case in neutral. We stopped 3 nights but never disengaged until we reached our destination. When we did it made a real funny loud noise. Guess we better check that out. Well after going to a national dealer we ended up having to get a new transmission. Big $$$$. Lucky our son's car was available while he was on his honeymoon. Then to further our trouble when we left on our slow journey home I shut off the key and locked the tires as we turned out of the CG. We traveled about 10 miles when a cr pulled up beside us and told us our tire was smoking. A call to AAA got us back o the road but again we had to puchase 2 new tires more $$$. Have I learned my lesson I hope so but DH makes a last minute check as I do with his hookup and lights. Marcia

[seajaycecil@yahoo.com]

Willa and I are ''second timers'' ... My first wife's name was Linda. We went to Alaska in 2000 in a Cobra pulling a Geo Tracker behind. It was a great trip and all was going well ..... We pulled into a grass spot to spend the night. I hopped out an pulled the key out of the tracker switch. You had to leave the key ''on'' so the Tracker would ''track'' behind the motor home. When you pulled the key out the front wheels locked and would not ''track'' any more. Early the next morning we bounced out of bed and hit the road. As we pulled on to the pavement I heard a ''singing sound'' ....... Kinda like the wind thru a slightly opened window. HUMMMMMMMM.... Linda checked all the windows. We were buttoned tight. HUMMMMMMM the singing sound was getting lighter....

HUMMMMMMMMMM wonder what it was. We went thru a small town down close to the border and a man pulled up beside us and honked. He pointed at the Tracker and said something about tires or something. I found a spot and pulled off the road. I got out and found the ''singing sound source''.... I said shux....

the front wheels on the tracker were locked in a slight ''turn'' and had been spinning and sliding at the same time. I reached into my pocket and, sure enough, there was the key to the tracker ..... I said Shux again... I had erased all the tread off both front tires. Both were down to the fabric. I said a loud SHUX. I unhitched the tracker and drove it to the nearest tire store. It was a combination beauty parlor, cafe, tanning salon, bar, gas station, nail salon and tire store. ..... after thirty minutes and two pints of blood and several canadian dollars I was sporting two nice new tires for the Tracker....

Moral of the story ............. CHECK EVERYTHING TWICE...................

Seajay the sailor man ....