On our way to the GD rally in Grandy, CO., truck started to heat up. Lost rear hubcap that tire monitor was attached to, tire went flat. Got it fixed in Granby. Enjoyed the Rally. On to Strasburg KOA for family reunion. Truck still heating up. Had the thermostats replaced. After leaving, going up out of Denver, turbo hose blew off. Got it fixed for about 300 ft. Mobile Tech came by and fixed it, he followed us to Evergreen, hose came off before we got there. Tech found metal insert (in engine compartment) that was supposed to go inside hose. he put it in, glued it, clamped it and off we went. Got up Vale Pass, blew a coolant hose. Called Good Same for a tow, 5 hours later, we were towed into Glenwood Springs. This was Friday night. Motel let us park 5er there. Saturday morning, drove truck to Ford dealer, no mechanic on duty. Monday, they fixed two coolant tubes, replaced radiator cap also. Off we went. Just outside Glenwood, rear axle on 5er slipped backwards and trailer tried to lead us. Called Good Sam. 3 hours later tow showed up but could not get our truck (which had a flat tire on the front) and 5er on the flat bed. Tow truck driver was able to slide axle back into position and tighten the U bolts (all this while it was raining hard). He followed us all the way into Grand Junction (at 48 mph, about 80 miles). Fifth wheel trailer is at repair shop, truck is home with repaired wheel. Would have been cheaper to go on a cruise!
The trip from hell.
- Thread starter Dick Noble
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- mygrandrv
stroguy
Senior Member
In a year you will be laughing at this time.
Well maybe you won’t but maybe some of us will.
Sorry dude, as they say in Benghazi, Shiite happens.
Well maybe you won’t but maybe some of us will.
Sorry dude, as they say in Benghazi, Shiite happens.
Ouch. Where do I sign up for the cruise 
Wow, Dick - I'm so sorry! May I ask how many miles you have on the truck?
Rob
Rob
Thanks all for the sympathy. Beats self-pity. Truck has 102,000 on it. Ford has a technical service bulletin on the turbo hose, and I did have it fixed about three years ago. I'm guessing the glue dried out. Have no idea why the coolant hoses went bad. The top one blew out a big hole and I did not know about the bottom one. Dealer ran a pressure test on it after replacing the upper one and discovered the second one. I'm afraid that our next trip (to Needles, CA) for the winter will be our last one. DW is really upset by this trip and so am I. I think that in April, 2023 we will put the truck and 5er up for sale and hang up our spurs. I'll make sure it is in the best shape we can get it in.
TimtheToolMan
Senior Member
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Dick answered my questions so deleting questions.
I hope that your trip to Needles CA is very enjoyable.
I hope that your trip to Needles CA is very enjoyable.
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Hi Dick, that is certainly a lot to deal with on one trip! Glad you made it through and I hope the next one to Needles goes perfect!
Bill
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The OPs experience would have been a sign to me and my wife (if it would have happened to us) to start finding a different mode of travel and adventure.... maybe one of those rent-a-trailers that they deliver it to the campground for you all setup like a turnkey stick built. Or, more trips to Maui, Caribbean, Bahamas, etc..
pwalton
Senior Member
That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger?
It can't get worse?
Glad you survived. Hope the wallet recovers soon!
It can't get worse?
Glad you survived. Hope the wallet recovers soon!
Canyonlight
Senior Member
My goodness, Dick....that's quite the few days filled with one thing after another ! Looks like you got years of challenges taken care of all in one trip. A new truck and new post Covid built RV and you will (should 
) be GTG for many years. Yea, there is always something that will come up......just part of the RVing/camping lifestyle.
Dan
) be GTG for many years. Yea, there is always something that will come up......just part of the RVing/camping lifestyle.Dan
Holy cow, that was quite the trip of mishaps. Made our spring falling off last time out look minor ! You rolled with it pretty good . Sad to hear you may give up RVing tho..once it's in your blood it's hard to travel the country (and Canada) any other way!
Thanks to all. We have been talking about not RVing any longer for a long time. I'll be 80 last day of this year and it is getting harder to load, unload, fix things, and drive. My reaction time is slowing, and it is getting harder to look backwards -- getting less flexible. We hope to see some of you on the road. Just purchased a replacement rear hubcap, $75 for one - WOW.
Yup... just replaced one on my F150..... $45 for a piece of chromed plastic.... i guess I got a deal compared to yours!
Wishing you and yours uneventful travels and happy camping till you decide to hang up the RVing!
Sorry about the travel travails, Dick. Looks like a Newell Coach with a custom, self-loading toad is in your future.
Regarding the turbo hose and TSB, that happened in 2019 on my F350 as we were climbing a long, steep grade at 9pm in nowheresville WV. Towed to the Ford dealer and repaired the same day. I asked what is to prevent that from happening again. Service manager assured me the repair would prevent the hose from blowing again and should it fail, Ford would cover it and any roadside assistance needed. Service manager even put it in writing! Put another uneventful 30K on the truck before trading it on the current TV, so didn't have to test that claim. Did Ford cover your turbo hose repair this time?
Better order it now. I hear there is over a 2 and a half year build time
We stayed there a couple nights on the homeward leg of our "out west" trip in June. We called that campground "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" because of the constant noise. It is nestled between I70 and a very active train track and the airport is like one exit west on I70.
Hope you get all the issues sorted out and find a way to keep enjoying camping.
Fsalmy -- Turbo hose was not covered. My fault, I did not get a receipt for the cost of repair. I just visited the Ford dealer in Delta, Colorado, they do not sell the metal ring that goes inside the turbo hose. Have to buy the entire two hose connection at $140.
Pap and Mimi -- I agree with you about the Strasburg KOA - very noisy, but it was great for the kids, Grandkids and Great grandkids. Lots of stuff for the young'ins to do. We had a wonderful time (before all the problems, which mainly happened after we left).
We did get the axle on the 5er fixed. There is a bolt or pin that goes through the springs and the top mounting plate that the U bolts hold down that was rounded off. Had that replaced, all 8 of the U bolts replaced and had it aligned. That was over $1,100.
Pap and Mimi -- I agree with you about the Strasburg KOA - very noisy, but it was great for the kids, Grandkids and Great grandkids. Lots of stuff for the young'ins to do. We had a wonderful time (before all the problems, which mainly happened after we left).
We did get the axle on the 5er fixed. There is a bolt or pin that goes through the springs and the top mounting plate that the U bolts hold down that was rounded off. Had that replaced, all 8 of the U bolts replaced and had it aligned. That was over $1,100.
Scott'n'Wendy
Senior Member
Wow...just wow. We've had most of those things happen to us (not the axle one) but spread over 25 years..not one trip. My sympathies.
Glad you made it home. With sanity intact.
It's stories like yours that make us think we have been every lucky..and when heading out on another trip thinking...is this gonna be the one?
Glad you made it home. With sanity intact.
It's stories like yours that make us think we have been every lucky..and when heading out on another trip thinking...is this gonna be the one?
One more thing; when we hooked up at Strasburg, I did not get the Andersen hitch properly aligned with the adapter and I cracked the red plastic guide part. Did not affect the towability but I just installed a new adapter. I decided to replace the entire adapter. At $310 for it I will be very careful in the future to align everything.
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