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Why trucks are better than motorhomes


Darryl&Rita
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Is how I could post this, but I won't. Recent guests had rear suspension issues on their motorhome. The drivers side trailing arm failed, letting the axle move around where it felt like being. This damaged the other side trailing arm, the suspension mounts, air bag mounts, and likely the universal joints, too. Trailing arms were sourced from 2 different US locations, suspension parts from others, air bags from another. It took almost a month to get everything gathered, with their insurance/road side assistance company taking decent care of them. I couldn't help but think that any truck suspension parts would have to be easier to source, even if using wrecking yard parts.

Kenworth to the rescue!

 

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The owner and the towtruck swamper, using radios with the tow truck driver, steering around obstructions.

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Landoll waiting for the load.

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28 minutes ago, SuiteSuccess said:

Damn Darryl, I’m becoming Phil 2 saying you’re right.  At least with a truck and trailer you have a place to stay and usually transportation (smart or other) while repairs are made.  Can you imagine a month in a hotel? $$$.

Carl, With our DRV. we have stayed more than 2 months in hotels for repair work....

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This KW guy looked over (actually under) my friend’s new pride and joy used Class A (since sold) - never saw so many odd ball bits and pieces arranged in the form of air brakes, suspensions, steering...

It looked like lots of stuff was made of unobtainium.

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It wasn't what I expected to see, under there. I'm used to forged trailing arms, with bag mounts built in. This had stamped/welded arms, with a lot of afterthought pieces added last minute. I didn't measure, but the bag mounts seemed to be different distances from the front mount on each side. 

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I agree, our trucks parts that day or the next. And most laying on the shelf's of almost every truck parts place.

Uncle of mine years ago, New Class A. He was lucky had made it to our place. Rearend went out after only 2300 miles. Took 39 days to get the unit back up and running. But We fished 30 of those days.😀 As that was one reason he made the trip.

But 99% of the time, that never happens. Its always in the middle of nowhere. Next to nothing ville.

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9 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

I wonder how much the front axle(tires too) was overloaded, towing that MH by lifting the rear?

Do you really think there was that much weight shift? The tow truck is carrying most of the rear axles weight. And judging from the pictures it's not like he towed it far enough to matter.

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7 hours ago, rickeieio said:

My memory's not too good, it's been 5 ears since we've been there, but I believe they're loading the mh onto the roll back in the cg.

Good enough memory, Rick. They were in the same site you guys were in, pulled backwards up the hill, out the entrance road, and into the College parking lot. I think they could have got the Landoll closer, they still needed the wrecker to lift the rear to take the weight off the compromised suspension. Total distance was less than 1/2 mile. I was more impressed that the hitch took the weight of the motorhome rear. With the rear overhang of the motorhome, lifting by the axle was problematic, never mind the rear axle flopping about. 

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17 hours ago, Big5er said:

Do you really think there was that much weight shift? The tow truck is carrying most of the rear axles weight. And judging from the pictures it's not like he towed it far enough to matter.

I was wondering out loud because of the statements from MH weigh experts that say if you are using a platform scale, and weighing one front or rear wheel, to keep both sides level to obtain an accurate weigh for the wheel on the scale.

Edited by Ray,IN
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2 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

I was wondering out loud because of the statements from MH weigh experts that say if you are using a platform scale, and weighing one front or rear wheel, to keep both sides level to obtain an accurate weigh for the wheel on the scale.

There is certainly some weight shift, no doubt about it. But enough to overload to front axle? I wouldn't think so but anything is possible....and of course assuming they arent loaded to their max to begin with.

Edited by Big5er
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Can’t speak for MH’s but truck steer axles after the ABS era have a working load rating plus a braking load factor to withstand the weight transfer during hard braking. If I remember it is around 1.5x. So a 13,200 lbs axle is designed to carry 18,000 lbs under maximum braking on a modern ABS truck.

Axles also have a creep load rating for low speed. A 46K tandem heavy wall axle set has a creep rating of 65 or 68000 to work in dump body, roll off, wrecker, bed truck or winch tractor where there can be low speed high load situations. 

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9 hours ago, Lance A Lott said:

Keep in mind the max load for an axle is taking in account hitting potholes and bumps at speed also tires heating up over time on the road. During a hard turn one tire probably goes way over the load limit set for a stationary vehicle.

Also keep in mind that the pictures (and the story later confirmed by the OP) plainly show the MH towed out of a campground to a waiting flatbed trailer. How much heat build up and how many potholes do you think were involved in this trip? 

Edited by Big5er
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22 minutes ago, Big5er said:

Also keep in mind that the pictures (and the story later confirmed by the OP) plainly show the MH towed out of a campground to a waiting flatbed trailer. How much heat build up and how many potholes do you think were involved in this trip? 

Remember, it's those crazy Canucks.  Might be beer involved.

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3 hours ago, Steve from SoCal said:

I don't own a TV or watch cable shows, I am however aware of a particular group from the great white north.     Why do I automatically envision that our Kanadian members resemble Trailer Park Boys?       🤣

Those who have met me will testify I look nothing like:

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15 hours ago, Big5er said:

Also keep in mind that the pictures (and the story later confirmed by the OP) plainly show the MH towed out of a campground to a waiting flatbed trailer. How much heat build up and how many potholes do you think were involved in this trip? 

Thats what I ment, on the farm we used old car tires on two wheel hay wagons. Gramps would pump them up untill his nerves failed and then us kids would load it, the old 8 N didn't have a Sherman gear so it probably didn't go 15 mph. I remember a few flats but never a blowout.

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