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Annual spring break trip
#1

We got home on Sunday late afternoon, this years trip was to Skidaway Island, GA, our first trip with just our youngest child, the two older kids are both in college.
A very nice state park, big pull though sites with water and sewer, very scenic with big oak trees and Spanish moss.

I had my first tire blowout on the way down Saturday night about 85 miles north of Savannah, sounded like a bomb going off, drivers steer tire was shredded, the coach handled it great; it was easy to get pulled over and stopped from 70 mph.  I had a spare and tools, but the breaker bar I had wasn’t enough to loosen the lugs.  A great guy from the GA DOT sponsored auto road side assistance service helped out with a 3’ breaker bar (and gave it to me when he left).  I bought a new set of six tires before leaving Savannah.  My tires were 10 years old (I know) I keep them covered and inspect them carefully before every trip, the rears just started to show weather check this spring, the fronts still looked perfect.  I figured this was going to be the last year on them anyway.

Traffic on this trip was worse than any previous spring break trips, Atlanta was especially painful, seems to be getting progressively heavier the farther east we go, it easily added several hours to the drive both ways; we were thinking about Edisto Island South Carolina next year but I may rethink that and go back west towards Louisiana instead.

We came back through South Carolina and the Smoky Mountains, the coach held 40mph or better in the hills, no heat issues except when going up the state park campground road at Norris Dam, Rocky Top , TN.  First and second gear hill climb at heavy throttle ran the temp up to 200 by the time we made it to our site.  We spent 2 nights here, interesting little town and a nice park.

Good trip overall, would have been great without the hours of traffic headaches.
Back home and back to work.

Scott

1983 38' Classic #007
8.3 Cummins, Allison 6 spd.
"Any other Way"
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#2

We have been running an EEZTire monitoring system and it shows the pressure and temp. The Tire Pressure Pro is another good one (works with Silverleaf stuff also). The SilverLeaf is worth it’s weight in gold (although there is another system that works with an iPad that I found after I bought the SL), it will show your engine temp from the DDEC computer - you will be surprised how much your guages are off. Wish I had bought it way sooner. I’m guessing you have an 8v92 - you would not get all the engine info (DDECII maybe?) but it would help especially on big hills to see your true engine temp.
We also keep under 5 year old tires on the front. Have never had a blowout but never want to either. I’m impressed that you changed that wheel/tire on the side of the road, I’m not that brave (or strong)..

Karen & Adrian Abshire 
1998 2 slide 45' Newell Coach 498 
Prior: 1985 Foretravel ORED 35, 1988 38' Foretravel U280, 2000 Foretravel 42' U320, 1990 Bluebird Wanderlodge WB40
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#3

The tire wasn’t hot or under inflated, just old.
I have an all mechanical 8.3 Cummins with a few minor tweaks (replaced the original v8 Cummins), it’s analog gauges for me, the only one I wish I could calibrate is the pyrometer, I’ve had it pretty hot a few times, it would be nice to know if it’s right on.


Scott

1983 38' Classic #007
8.3 Cummins, Allison 6 spd.
"Any other Way"
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