01-15-2016, 12:09 PM
I blew an inside drive tire on the passenger side. The flailing tire took out the forward airbag and destroyed the Height Control Valve.
Getting a roadside tire fix was as straightforward as it normally is. But with the airbag gone and the HCV wrecked there were two other problems that needed a hack before we could leave the emergency lane.
Lucky for me I had a handsaw on board, so I cut two pieces of the 4x4 cribbing I carry to put between the frame and the suspension to replace the airbag. The piece for the drive axle should be 8 inches tall, and the piece to put between the tag suspension and the frame should be 7 inches tall. Cut the pieces so the end grain carries the load. I had pressure treated lumber but I think oak would be stronger.
Next, I removed the air supply to the HCV and capped it. Of course this was easier with the tires removed !!!
The point of this post is to hopefully help a guru in the future if you have this incident. So, cut these two pieces of wood before your next trip and put them in the coach. Second make sure you have the fittings to cap and seal both 1/4 and 3/8 tubing. That's a handy hack for many airline problems.
I spent yesterday installing the bag and the HCV, and the new tires went on this morn, so we are good to resume our journey south.
Now for the Thank You's. The gurus are a remarkable gang. @"encantotom" Tom had me the airbag info in minutes. @"ron skeen" Ron Skeen had a spare bag at his shop less than an hour away. @"bikestuff" Bill Johnson offered to overnite me a bag. I took Ron up on his offer and plundered his shop even though he wasn't at home. This forum is a fantastic resource with a fantastic bunch of guys.
Next, David's Commercial Tire in Knoxville deserves kudos for the initial rescue, crediting me for the temporary tire when I chose to install two new Michelins, and helping me get warranty coverage for the failed tire. These were really nice folks, and epitomized customer service
I chose to replace the outside dual for two reasons, the first being I did not know if the inside leaked pressure which would have overloaded the outside for some miles, and the tires would have been different diameters putting more load on the inside tire which already carries more load due to the crown in the road. I didn't want to wonder about potential tire damage whilst driving in hot weather
Getting a roadside tire fix was as straightforward as it normally is. But with the airbag gone and the HCV wrecked there were two other problems that needed a hack before we could leave the emergency lane.
Lucky for me I had a handsaw on board, so I cut two pieces of the 4x4 cribbing I carry to put between the frame and the suspension to replace the airbag. The piece for the drive axle should be 8 inches tall, and the piece to put between the tag suspension and the frame should be 7 inches tall. Cut the pieces so the end grain carries the load. I had pressure treated lumber but I think oak would be stronger.
Next, I removed the air supply to the HCV and capped it. Of course this was easier with the tires removed !!!
The point of this post is to hopefully help a guru in the future if you have this incident. So, cut these two pieces of wood before your next trip and put them in the coach. Second make sure you have the fittings to cap and seal both 1/4 and 3/8 tubing. That's a handy hack for many airline problems.
I spent yesterday installing the bag and the HCV, and the new tires went on this morn, so we are good to resume our journey south.
Now for the Thank You's. The gurus are a remarkable gang. @"encantotom" Tom had me the airbag info in minutes. @"ron skeen" Ron Skeen had a spare bag at his shop less than an hour away. @"bikestuff" Bill Johnson offered to overnite me a bag. I took Ron up on his offer and plundered his shop even though he wasn't at home. This forum is a fantastic resource with a fantastic bunch of guys.
Next, David's Commercial Tire in Knoxville deserves kudos for the initial rescue, crediting me for the temporary tire when I chose to install two new Michelins, and helping me get warranty coverage for the failed tire. These were really nice folks, and epitomized customer service
I chose to replace the outside dual for two reasons, the first being I did not know if the inside leaked pressure which would have overloaded the outside for some miles, and the tires would have been different diameters putting more load on the inside tire which already carries more load due to the crown in the road. I didn't want to wonder about potential tire damage whilst driving in hot weather
Richard and Rhonda Entrekin
99 Newell, 512
Maverick Hybrid Toad
Inverness, FL (when we're home
)