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  1. #1
    Fireside Member
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    Wicked Sand Storm Led to Slide Incident...

    Finally decided to post about this. Have to start by giving our 2019 351M credit for making it through with no real damage. Got caught in a terrible wind and sandstorm at Dumont Dunes last April (2019). Sustained winds were 45-50MPH with gusts to 75. Initially hitting the trailer broadside and looked like the awnings, AC covers and vent covers were all going to get ripped right off. Had to reconnect in the middle of this, so I could point the nose into the wind (that was not fun). Got it situated, but the winds kept shifting back and forth almost 90-degrees. Decided to stay connected overnight in case I needed to keep adjusting - slides in, of course.

    I put my 3 sons in the garage "bedroom" and I stayed up front. Needed to grab some food from the pantry, so I climbed over the island and got what I could just to get us through the night. Can anyone guess what's coming next?

    Things calmed down by morning, and I dropped the trailer. leveled and ran out the slides...Kitchen slide would only go out about 12" or so and would start to make a grinding noise. Ran it back in and tried again from outside with the app - same result. Ran them back in again and took my time investigating. Found that I left the darn pantry door ajar, and it caught the slide trim!!! Stupid move on my part for sure. Slide worked fine, but it was uneven by about 3" one side to the other.

    Good news is I was able to read up and figure out where the gear packs are under the coach. Followed Lippert instructions on how to disengage and then adjust the slide. Moderately difficult but all was fixed!

    As a side note, we were nearly on top of the epicenter (1.8 miles away) of a 3.8 magnitude earthquake outside Hollister, CA a few months later. Trailers shake A LOT more than permenent structures, that is for sure.

  2. #2
    Big Traveler boyscout's Avatar
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    @tomato I was corresponding with someone we met in a park last year and he was weighing whether to drive half-way across the country with his trailer to watch some dirt-track races or to just stay home in his comfortable chair with nearby fridge and watch the races on TV.

    Your stories may help tip the scales to the "stay home" side. Glad that all survived the adventures without injury - except to your pride - and that you're still on the trailer adventure.
    Mark - 2018 Solitude 310GK - 2017 F-350 diesel SRW short box - Pullrite Superglide hitch

  3. #3
    Long Hauler D2Reid's Avatar
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    I have been in some tough winds that shake things up and caused a 17000 lb trailer to slide several inches, but never with blowing sand. And then the pantry door. When you have a bad day you go all out. Glad you got things resolved fairly easily.

    I would think that an RV would handle an earthquake better than a sticks and bricks, after all, it has a suspension system.
    Dallas
    2017 Momentum 376TH, 2019 Ford F450, Dual Rear Wheel, 4x4, diesel.
    2015 Harley-Davidson Street, XG750

  4. #4
    Long Hauler Canyonlight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by D2Reid View Post
    I would think that an RV would handle an earthquake better than a sticks and bricks, after all, it has a suspension system.
    Dallas - my thought process says yes to your thinking as long as the jacks are not down. When sitting on the jack legs, however, the wobble could be an interesting ride depending the earth quake magnitude. Hang on !

    Dan
    Dan & Carol
    2014 303RLS Reflection #185 (10/2013 build)
    2012 Silverado LTZ Crew Duramax 2500HD
    2700/16K Pullrite Superglide

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Canyonlight View Post
    Dallas - my thought process says yes to your thinking as long as the jacks are not down. When sitting on the jack legs, however, the wobble could be an interesting ride depending the earth quake magnitude. Hang on !

    Dan
    Hang on is right! Felt much bigger than a 3.8.

  6. #6
    Rolling Along LV Naturist's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Canyonlight View Post
    Dallas - my thought process says yes to your thinking as long as the jacks are not down. When sitting on the jack legs, however, the wobble could be an interesting ride depending the earth quake magnitude. Hang on !

    Dan
    Funny you should say that! Almost 2 decades ago, in our first ever RV, we were camped at a small resort in Sandy Valley NV. This was an old 70's - 'ish two axle trailer. Being originally from the North East and my wife from central Texas, we had never experienced an earthquake before. In the middle of the night there was a 6 point something quake centered somewhere near the west end of Death Valley. HOLY MOLLY! That thing shook so bad we thought it was going to fall over! After the quake finally subsided, which took about a minute, we got out of bed and went outside to access the damage and check on our fellow campers. Everybody was wide-eyed and kinda freaked out. No injuries or real damage, but I remember the swimming pool was about half empty. That's an experience we'll never forget...

    John
    2018 Silverado LTZ 3500HD CC LB 4X4 DRW Duramax/Allison
    2019 Momentum 381M w/Full Body Paint
    2016 Can Am Spyder F3 Limited Special Series
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    1997 Bayliner Capri 1950 affectionately named Skinnydipper
    MSgt, USAF (Ret)
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  7. #7
    Seasoned Camper
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    Being on the east coast and only one experience with tremors I was on the phone with an office in LA and in the middle of our conversation I started hearing an immediate jump in the back ground noise form dead calm to somewhere north of Mardi Gras. They had a "moderate" earthquake and it turned into an instant party. They keep a pool started and everybody guesses at magnitude.
    Jerry & Kelly Powell
    Zebulon, NC
    2020 Solitude 390RK-R :target:

  8. #8
    Long Hauler D2Reid's Avatar
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    Quakes in California and volcanoes in Oregon. You gotta give a lot of credit to folks that live on natural conditions that could go bad at anytime; says the man that spent a portion of his youth in Tornado country and went through 5 hurricanes in Florida.
    Dallas
    2017 Momentum 376TH, 2019 Ford F450, Dual Rear Wheel, 4x4, diesel.
    2015 Harley-Davidson Street, XG750

  9. #9
    Long Hauler offtohavasu's Avatar
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    The other thing that will greatly impact how the trailer feels during a quake is the direction your trailer is facing. Just like in boat if you're facing the wave or getting hit broadsided.

    In our last sticks and bricks we could tell which direction the epicenter was by which side of the house creaked first.

    For a native So Cal boy, the small ones are fun.
    Curtis, Christine, Cole, and Charlotte

    2007 Chevrolet Silverado Duramax LBZ, CCLB
    2020 Momentum 351M

  10. #10
    Long Hauler Canyonlight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by offtohavasu View Post

    For a native So Cal boy, the small ones are fun.
    Curtis - you wild and crazy guy !........too many electrical shocks over the years ?

    Dan
    Dan & Carol
    2014 303RLS Reflection #185 (10/2013 build)
    2012 Silverado LTZ Crew Duramax 2500HD
    2700/16K Pullrite Superglide

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