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12-28-2017, 09:24 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37TB
State: Kentucky
Posts: 1,032
THOR #1020
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Steering Stabilizers and Guardian Angels!
So we were motoring down the highway and suddenly one of the worst faults that we could encounter - happened. One of our front tires totally blew out. For those not familiar with the problem, all to many times the motorhome pulls hard towards the blow out and really bad things happen - most times with catastrophic results. It is the single worst driving problem imaginable. About 1 month after we bought our Thor, we had a steering stabilizer installed. By all accounts, it was suppose to help. Today we can definitely say, it is an amazing device. Traveling along at 68 mph, the steering tire disintegrated yet we pulled off to the side of the interstate with all hands safe and limited damage to our house on wheels. Blessings definitely abound. Here are a couple of pics.
From this Old Soldier "Hooah"!
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US Army Retired - Loving The Road Trip
Challenger 37TB
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12-28-2017, 09:38 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 35C
State: South Dakota
Posts: 1,132
THOR #3761
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Wow!!! Glad all hands are safe and it looks like just the tire was damaged. Hopefully roadside assistance was able to get you back on the road safely.
__________________
John
2016 Thor Hurricane 35C with pups Piper and Annabelle
2013 Ford Fiesta toad
FMCA - F457085
Blog - https://traversity.us
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12-28-2017, 09:50 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37TB
State: Kentucky
Posts: 1,032
THOR #1020
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That's another story. One of things I didn't mention - the tire took out a brake line when it became shredded wheat. Went through a series of manual downshifts while pulling to the side of the road, applied some emergency brake and found park. After jacking around with the roadside assistance, we got a local company that brought a replacement tire. WHAT A GREAT RESPONSE. Small local company, pulled the tire, extracted the remaining pieces, pinch off the broken brake line and then lead me to the local Ford dealer (with really spongy brakes). I ordered a new brake line, the parts manager somehow or other got the part expressed shipped and it arrived today (1 day later). The same small repair company is coming back to install the line (its is 28 degrees here or I'd do it myself). I also contacted my extended tire and rim extended warranty company to claim the repair (before payment) and got the repair authorized. (This is the 2nd replacement tire in 4 months - we paid $450 for the policy!)
I guess it could have been better but I don't know how. Got to give Good Sam's some credit here (and I've been hard on Camping World) they did good. A little rocky at first but the follow through was GREAT.
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US Army Retired - Loving The Road Trip
Challenger 37TB
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12-29-2017, 01:20 AM
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#4
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Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
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Wow x2 that is great that no one got hurt and minimal damage was done.
Also surprising is the response you're getting from all the service people.
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12-29-2017, 01:33 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37TB
State: Kentucky
Posts: 1,032
THOR #1020
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Jamie - at first it was a little slow but it has worked out.
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US Army Retired - Loving The Road Trip
Challenger 37TB
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12-29-2017, 02:24 AM
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#6
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: PALAZZO 33.3
State: Illinois
Posts: 57
THOR #5696
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Which steering stabilizer did you install ??
__________________
2016 Thor Palazzo 33.3 Bunkhouse
Toad-2016 Dodge Ram 1500(Hemi)
HD Ultra Classic (goes with us)
Retired Firefighter/Paramedic, Truck Driver
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12-29-2017, 02:27 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37TB
State: Kentucky
Posts: 1,032
THOR #1020
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Quote:
Originally Posted by C WITT
Which steering stabilizer did you install ??
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Roadmaster Reflex
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US Army Retired - Loving The Road Trip
Challenger 37TB
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12-29-2017, 05:43 AM
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#8
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis RUV 24.1
State: New York
Posts: 42
THOR #9288
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Blowout with a safe ending
Well it seems that Santa and his elf with the help of God worked a merciless and got you over safely. A total blow out is something that we all will likely have to deal with at some point.
If and when that happens to us I do hope our outcome will be like yours and end up with everyone safe and sound. I guess this will be something that will be a memory and lets hope that the New Year is even better for you all.
Thanks for your service , enjoy your retirement and we USAF folks have forgiven you for tossing us out and making us design our own Military Branch. Gongrads on the 10 wins this year and the securing of our Commander in Chief's Trophy.The USAF will meet you Grunts next year and we will be flying into West Point for the game. Well we might not as we live about 40 miles away fro West Point! have a Happy New Year and let it be blowout free and as safe as it can be!
, K9Piper
( Go USAF beet ARMY and he SQUIDS / Bubbleheads of NAVY next year!)
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12-29-2017, 12:28 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37TB
State: Kentucky
Posts: 1,032
THOR #1020
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K9Piper - you poor Zoomies. Having spent some time with some of your Air Controllers, I can safely say the USAF wanted the emancipation. But hey we now have a number of airframes (big and little) these days.
After our misadventure, I believe that God's help was some Guardian Angels whispering in my ear to downshift our brakeless 26000 lbs house and gentle pull it off the road, apply emergency brake, and then to find Park. From beginning to end the whole thing might have been 15 seconds and my old reflexes found the right stuff and the right time. Head bowed with thanks. Thanks for the vision to have added the well engineered stabilizer and for the corrective reactions. We were humbled.
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US Army Retired - Loving The Road Trip
Challenger 37TB
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12-29-2017, 12:52 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2017 Windsport 29M
State: Indiana
Posts: 3,692
THOR #5196
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Glad you were able to bring everything to a halt safely and everyone was ok!!! Scary to have happen but I believe as you do, a Guardian Angel was helping!
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12-29-2017, 01:09 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37TB
State: Kentucky
Posts: 1,032
THOR #1020
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Dave - I happened so quickly Guardian Angels were definitely helping.
__________________
US Army Retired - Loving The Road Trip
Challenger 37TB
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12-29-2017, 02:07 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37TB
State: Pennsylvania
Posts: 412
THOR #4486
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If you have TPMS installed, did you notice anything unusual at that tire prior to the blowout?
__________________
Tom and Lisa
Pennsylvania
2015 Challenger 37TB
2015 Ford Taurus toad
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12-30-2017, 01:06 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: SOB 2014 Meridian 36M
State: Washington
Posts: 981
THOR #7205
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WoW! So glad your Angels were watching over you! When we flew out to S.C. to pick up our gently used WS31, we blew a rear tire within the first 200 miles. The coach only had 1400 miles on it, so I assume we/I hit something. The coach handled perfectly! Of course it was a rear, rather than a front like you experienced. After checking the tires and identifying the problem I limped to the next exit about 1/4 mile away. When I got off the road it was feeling really bumpy. The other tire of the pair was flat also. Longer story short, we spent the night in a mini mart parking lot in N.C. off I-95.
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Pat & Becky & now Katie
Wenatchee, WA
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12-30-2017, 03:12 AM
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#14
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37TB
State: Tennessee
Posts: 58
THOR #4231
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Oh my gosh, Ben! So glad that you are all ok with minimal damage!
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12-30-2017, 12:15 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37TB
State: Kentucky
Posts: 1,032
THOR #1020
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Update: the good folks around Bowling Green, KY, were a tremendous help. From the small truck tire company that got us off the road, to the service manager that got the replacement brake line the next day (after ordering at 3:30 the afternoon of the blowout), to the even smaller truck repair company that got the new brake line on complete with bleeding all the lines - yes even to Good Sam's Roadside Assistance - AMAZING! We've heard real horror stories of things gone wrong - this is the absolute opposite - this is a tale of things gone right!! Thanks to all of these good country folks - thank you.
__________________
US Army Retired - Loving The Road Trip
Challenger 37TB
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12-30-2017, 04:29 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: SOB 2014 Meridian 36M
State: Washington
Posts: 981
THOR #7205
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigben
Update: the good folks around Bowling Green, KY, were a tremendous help. From the small truck tire company that got us off the road, to the service manager that got the replacement brake line the next day (after ordering at 3:30 the afternoon of the blowout), to the even smaller truck repair company that got the new brake line on complete with bleeding all the lines - yes even to Good Sam's Roadside Assistance - AMAZING! We've heard real horror stories of things gone wrong - this is the absolute opposite - this is a tale of things gone right!! Thanks to all of these good country folks - thank you.
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Glad to hear that all went so smoothly! Using my smart phone, I was able to locate a tire company with our Michelin's in stock. They had a service tech at our location by 9am.
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Pat & Becky & now Katie
Wenatchee, WA
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12-30-2017, 06:04 PM
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#17
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37tb
State: California
Posts: 49
THOR #2678
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigben
Update: the good folks around Bowling Green, KY, were a tremendous help. From the small truck tire company that got us off the road, to the service manager that got the replacement brake line the next day (after ordering at 3:30 the afternoon of the blowout), to the even smaller truck repair company that got the new brake line on complete with bleeding all the lines - yes even to Good Sam's Roadside Assistance - AMAZING! We've heard real horror stories of things gone wrong - this is the absolute opposite - this is a tale of things gone right!! Thanks to all of these good country folks - thank you.
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Wow...great to hear the rv handled extremely well. Just curious if you have any tpms on board?
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Raymond and Anna
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12-31-2017, 11:01 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37TB
State: Kentucky
Posts: 1,032
THOR #1020
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rving2015
Wow...great to hear the rv handled extremely well. Just curious if you have any tpms on board?
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We sure do. We have TST 507. It has helped in the past a couple of times. This was a complete blowout without warning.
__________________
US Army Retired - Loving The Road Trip
Challenger 37TB
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12-31-2017, 11:07 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37TB
State: Kentucky
Posts: 1,032
THOR #1020
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mothertype55
Oh my gosh, Ben! So glad that you are all ok with minimal damage!
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Thank you! Came out much better than it might have.
__________________
US Army Retired - Loving The Road Trip
Challenger 37TB
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01-11-2018, 10:11 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: ACE 29.0
State: Colorado
Posts: 219
THOR #2581
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Not saying it didn't help but how can you say with any certainty that you would have not had the exact same result with no stabilizer?
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