I am so glad that you had a great experience with Elite Towing. I’m prejudiced of course because that was my son and grandson that responded. Unfortunately you got caught in the provider trying to do your job at a below market price. It takes an investment to be able to have all the equipment needed to handle any type of call. Elite has made this investment, unfortunately equipment companies want a hefty sum. The cheapest is not always the best. Elite could have responded much sooner but can only go when approved or the customer is self pay. I’m not an employee but I am a proud dad and grandpa! The grandson was helping cover while on break from University of Arizona!!
Love this! They were both so efficient and professional. And that made us watch in amazement what they had to do at great risk to make sure no further damage occurred because of towing. We asked about the costs of the equipment and were in awe! Your son explained in great detail the night before, what the tow company would have to do to tow it correctly. Which helped us to argue with the uneducated operators at our roadside rescue. Give them both big hugs from us. They were the best!
Before I retired to fight cancer, I owned a business that built shields to prevent tire blowouts from destroying RVs bodywork. Usually on the rear tires areas. But I was commissioned to build on set for front tires. Basically, it's like skid plates for rock buggies. I recommend everyone look at the critical areas on you RV that has electronics and hydraulic equipment mounted near spinning tires and think about armouring up those sensitive compartments from the possibilities of tire blowout damage. And not just the stuff behind the tires, because during blowouts that shredding tire packs like a huge bull whip and will destroy anything near it until the tread totally separates from the tire.
This sounds great. Already, other Alfa Owners said they want to protect that area where all the components are. Is this something that continued bring built after you retired? I hope you're doing well.
I haven't built anymore since I retired in 2017. My wife was diagnosed with cancer in 2018, and then I broke both legs and shattered both feet in 2019. 😮 My wife and I decided to concentrate on upgrading our 35 year old Fleetwood Limited Class A. And work on my junk for a change instead of everybody's elses. It's entire drivetrain as been upgraded so far (gas to diesel, long story) and I'm finishing up the interior upgrades now, exterior next. Our old coach was top of the line when new in 1990, and when finished should look and run like a newer coach of today, other than the older body lines. But it gets 14 mpg with the new drivetrain, and that's not bad for a 37 foot long coach! I know my coach intimately and can repair or manage everything in it. And yes, I've had to have it towed off the highway about 17 years ago, and it was almost the same nightmare you guys had trying to get it off the highway. That's why I decided to upgrade the drivetrain to more power. (450 hp turbo diesel now and 10 speed transmission with limited slip rear-end now in a 16K lb coach!)(overheated coming out of Denver headed to Moab UT.) 2 miles shy of the summit! Bummer your coach is damaged so bad. But think of the upgrade you can now get....
@@CurtisDrew1 Sorry for everyone's troubles! Sad that us 'old folks' end up with maladys that limit what we can do and when we can do it. We have an Alfa, like Rosie. and I would seriously be interested in plans, or specs, or a contact source, to 'armor' up the tire areas! If you, or anyone, knows of a source, please share it! :) Good luck everyone!
@MagaRickn I could help you out adding armor around your wheels. But I doubt you're near western NY right now.. We're hoping to relocate to Southern Missouri, and I'm thinking of getting into doing RV maintenance, repairs, & customization!
Well the important thing is you are safe. Stuff can be fixed. Sorry about your ordeal. I hope I never have that happen to me in my MH. Looking forward to your next installment on this.
Thanks @TignorAdventures. Here's the next video: ua-cam.com/video/rdyBEyLGy6U/v-deo.html Insurance is trying to get a cheap repair on it while legitimate shops won't touch it because the electrical repair will be a nightmare requiring much warranty work most likely after repair. We're just sick about it. We can't tow it anywhere to get a real quote.
Thank you. We'll produce a few videos as we go thru this process focused on helping others learn as we do. Several Alfa owners are now talking about reinforcing that area of components right behind the rear wheels.
Wow, who knew how much a breakdown/tow is on a big girl like Rosie! thanks guys for the info. Glad you are safe and lets have a better thanksgiving next year!!
Wow that's crazy! Glad you made it through unharmed, I've been in a couple breakdowns on the highway, they're stressful & not fun! We have a 2003 Alfa that we're about to start traveling in, after seeing this I will be adding some protection for the electronics behind that tire! I've had a tire this size blow on a truck before, but hadn't thought about the computers being destroyed or ripped off on this motorhome! I'm glad I saw your video, thanks for sharing your experience with us!
Thanks. So many Alfa owners have told us they plan to reinforce that area. First one who comes up with a solution should share it on the Alfa Motorcoach FB group.
Glad to hear you guys are safe, we saw you guys getting towed on the side of the road when we were heading east on the I-10. And see it sitting this at Lazy D. This is helpful and informative and to know what questions to ask.
A thanksgiving to remember! Roadside assistance plans and extended warranty plans are made to sound so wonderful at the point of sale….But good luck getting coverage approved and /or reimbursed when something bad happens. Reality sets in once you try to use them. Glad no one was hurt!..Hope it’s not the end of the road for Rosie.
I feel terrible for you guys. Been watching you both for a couple years. Some good advice! Both roadside and the highway patrol should have been more timely. Looking forward to further updates. Take care!
We had a similar situation with our fifth wheel a couple of years ago when the flywheel sheared in our F350. It took over 48 hours for Good Sam to find a tow for the fifth wheel -- the truck was easy. Fortunately, we had a second car with us driving separately. Most of the delay was from towing companies that didn't understand their capabilities or decided to take easier jobs ahead of us. Having to babysit your RV on the side of the road is very frustrating.
We're hearing from a lot of RV owners, this same story. We'll be sharing in our videos as we go through this process in the hope that RVers know what to expect and make appropriate choices with that knowledge
I'm finally catching up on videos. Pinching pennies and leaving someone stranded is uncalled for. Just like when we were stranded when a spring hanger broke on our Grand Design Reflection 303rls Fifth Wheel. Grand Design wouldn't help us. We called Lippert they quickly tried to help us. Everything was under warranty but Grand design refused to help. We carry full-time RV insurance and roadside assistance. I'm sorry I would have peed my pants waiting that long. Lol. Full-time RV life can difently be challenging at times. I'm praying for you both
I remember what you went thru all that. Now we've waited 5 weeks while the RV sits at Lazy Days who declined the repairs because of the low-ball estimate from Progressive. At least 1/2 of what the job should cost if it's even repairable. There's only 3 shops in the Southwest qualified to even consider it. Lazy Days is one and happened to be 20 mi from where it happened. That tow was $4K (covered). Do ya think they'll pay to have it towed anywhere else? I can't imagine. But we're in for a fight we think.
Hey Jamie and Lynn so sorry this happened. Thank you for finding a way to document this as it was happening to you. It is so appreciated that you shared your true experience and showed how we can learn from it. Well done and best wishes for abgood outcome!
Thanks, we realized that we could be better prepared for this type of situation. We felt that any RVer could benefit from what we learned from this experience. We will find out if Rosie is a total loss or if we are looking for a new coach.
Wow, guys, what a nightmare! And thank you for passing on the suggestions for the rest of us. We had a blow out of an inside rear (same place!) in Tennessee. We were soooo lucky we weren't damaged as badly. Thinking of you, and hope to see you soon in AZ!
Thank you for your thoughts. We realized that this was an opportunity to share where we can be better prepared. We will be in Quartzsite one way or another.
OMG, I am heartbroken for both of you. I haven’t finished watching the video yet, but I hope it has a happy ending and we hope to see you soon in Quartzite. Jamie worked so hard on that paint restoration. Thomyt
This is one of our worst fears driving a motorhome. Glad you're ok. We have a tire pressure monitoring system with temperature monitoring on each tire of our diesel pusher. Although this may not warn against all blowouts, it can give warnings beforehand. Many blowouts happen with high temperatures or sudden pressure changes
We have it too. We also inspect them often. In fact, about 2 hours prior, Jamie did a walk around because we heard a noise, which he located on the front above the windshield. There was a loose cover clacking. But there is no warning for hitting something that puts a gash across the tire. We wish we thought to take the chip out of the camera monitors to watch and see what it was that we ran over.
Truly sorry this happened to you, really hope things pan out for you and you can continue on with your journey. I spent 39 years over the road trucking and I know the pain of wrecker bills and shop fees.
Yipes! We have a 40 ft fifth wheel and had a blow out in Montana (live in So Cal). It’s such a scary experience and we probably spent less than two hours on the side of the freeway. Our experience was complicated by racism but it was just attitude, all turned out well. Hope Rosie can be repaired but so glad you are ok.
Praying for you that it gets straightened out, quickly and that Rosie is a safe, reliable vehicle, again. We don't have a motorhome, yet, but we want one. My husband has said that the downside is if something like that happens, especially if we are traveling with our 5 cats and 1 bird. Most hotels are not pet friendly. I guess having a tow vehicle with our motorhome will be a good idea! At least you have transportation. Glad you are all safe.
That's exactly why we went to motorhome with tow car. In this case, we were fortunate the tow car wasn't damaged. We've liked that we can unhook the tow car & drive out to find boondocking spots that we can get into before taking the motorhome. But there's pros & Cons to each.
Wow, that's a lot of damage. Looks like a beautiful Coach. Curious about a couple of things. What tire brand and do you have a tire monitoring system(TPMS)? Assuming unit can be fixed, might you be planning to replace all back tires? Good luck.
The tires are Ironman. They were put on when we purchased the Alfa in late 2020. The tire was slashed by something we hit. We forgot to take the chip out of the camera system before we left AZ. Curious if we could use that to see what was on the road.
I went through almost exactly the same scenario 6 years ago. We were traveling in our motorhome on WB I-10 just past Quartzite in February. I had both tires blow on the left rear. Wires were all wrapped around the tires. It took 14 hours to get a tow that came from Parker, Arizona. We had to stay in the motorhome as I was not towing our car at the time. It was very dangerous and nobody stopped. We had Good Sam at the time and they tried to send out several people, until finally the tow truck arrived. I don't know why there isn't better tow service in Arizona off of the I-10 Freeway. We spent 14 hours waiting for a tow. I had good insurance and they paid out over $17k to repair it. A technician spent 32 hours repairing the wiring. What a pain!
Poor Rosie (and the two of you)! So sad to see a nice older coach torn up like that. I have a 1995 Beaver Marquis, and I just put on a new set of Toyo tires. Can you share the brand of tire that failed? I'm sure it will help others to know. I'm out in Apache Junction. If I can offer any help, let me know. Take care, and good luck!
Thank you. The tires were Ironman. Just 4 years on the rig. Not sure of the actual tire age since we didn't take time to take photos of them before we left AZ. The tire was sliced, so it was something on the road. That stretch of I10 is full of potholes and stuff that flies off trucks.
@@RoamingWithRosie You've incentivized me to buy roadside assistance. Would you still recommend the FMCA coverage? If not, where would you go? Looking forward to the next "Rosie" chapter!
I am so sorry this happened to you. We had that experience two years ago. We live in South West Florida and have a Class A diesel pusher. We were evacuating for hurricane Nichole and we left late. We were heading to Northern Alabama to get out of the storm path. We had stayed the first night in Tallahassee. That is a 6 1/2 drive for us from our house. The next morning we were on I-10 West when a trucker got my attention. I pulled over and checked everything out. The passenger side was fine. We flat tow a Lincoln MKX. It was fine. As I was moving forward I found the problem. We had a blow out on one of our rear tires. Fortunately we have a tag axle so we still had two tires on the ground. There was an exit a mile up the road so we drove to it. Fortunately there was no damage to the coach. As we approached the exit I noticed off to the left a Truck Stop of America with a huge tire shop. I was like thank you Jesus. We pulled in. The service advisor told us this was our lucky day. A tech had just finished a job and the bay was open. He told us we had a choice of tire brands and assured us they had our size. At $450 for a tire I was ecstatic. They told me to unhook the car and back up to Bay 8. Like I said we were fleeing from hurricane Nichole so as I was backing up to Bay 8 it started to sprinkle. The tech looked at our tire and said we had a problem. They didn't have our size. Their tires were an inch shorter. The blow out was on our front dual tire axle so we had to have the same size tire. The service advisor was super helpful. He called to another tire shop in town. The guy said he didn't have our tire size in stock, but if we ordered it in the next 5 minutes it could be delivered with their morning shipment and we would have it by noon. I said get it. Since we were already unhooked we left the car there and drove to the other shop. The manager met us in the parking lot and told us to park out back anywhere we wanted. Out back was not paved. It was all dirt. Since it was only 11 am we settled in to wait. This was a perfect time to check emails and clear messages on our phones. At noon the tire wasn't in so we made lunch. Then I took a nap. By 3 it was raining pretty good and I was worried about getting stuck in the mud. I put on my raincoat and walked around the front to check on where our tire was. Just as I rounded the front I watched them unloading the tire. The manager apologized for the delay and told us to pull in the end bay. It had a roof, but was open on three sides. He said this was their big truck bay. I did as directed and they guided me to where they wanted me. By now we had heavy rain blowing sideways. I stood outside and watched as the guy changed our tire without taking the wheel off the coach. This guy was a true professional. He had rain gear also, but we were all wet. He checked everything over and found our valve stem was lose. This had caused us to lose air and eventually the blowout. I had him check all the tires and they were all low. The coach had felt squirrely and now I knew why. My wife is handicapped and has a lot of health issues. Her doctors appointments are what caused us to leave so late. $1375 later we headed back to TSA to get our car. As I was hooking up the sky just got dark. It literally looked like it was midnight instead of only 4 pm. The winds were really blowing too. My wife and I talked. We found a campground 2 miles away. They offered us 15% off since we were fleeing hurricane Nichole. It was pouring terrible when we got to the site. All I did was hook up power and water. When I got back in the coach I actually poured water out of my shoes. With a Gortex raincoat on my clothes were so wet I had to put them in the dryer. The next morning when we woke up and opened the curtain there was a lovely lake 75 feet in front of us. The evening before it was so dark and raining so hard I never saw it as we pulled into our site and hooked up. Well, that's our blowout story. Instead of renting an RV have you considered looking at a cheap Class A or C? Renting RV's is expensive and you are going to need it for a while.
Thanks for sharing that story. Glad you were safe. We are only going to rent for 2 weeks so we can join all the festivities in Quartzsite during the big RV show in January. We have good insurance, but we're still holding our breath until we know if it's fixable.
Our 2005 Alfa had 6 "new" tires on it when we bought it a couple years ago. But they have aged out, even though they only have 7,000 miles on them. I put 2 new Toyos on the front, and am fixing to put 4 more on the rear. Your experience just helped us make the decision! Of course, hitting something in the road won't make new tires any better I guess. :( I am going to pursue the idea of a cage or steel panels, or something, to harden up the tire areas! Glad you are safe, and thanks for your videos! We are in our 70's and we learn a lot from folks like you! Hope your Christmas is much better than your Thanksgiving!! ;)
Thanks. We'll be renting an RV to continue our holiday plans. Our tires were just 4 years old. But we don't have the dates with us. The tire was sliced though.
Hearing a lot of that. They did come thru in the end. We also know this is not the intention of this service policy they offer. Maybe this can be an opportunity to fix the problem, which for us was all about lack of training and not having US based phone representatives. Also our expectations were very high due to how FMCA markets the plan. Maybe they shouldn't create unrealistic expectations.
Sounds like time to shop for another motorhome. To bad about that tire chewing up and disabling your rig that will be something to check when you buy another one😃. Glad you guys are ok, I’ve had to replace a blowout on my fifthwheel on the side of a highway, it is very stressful. Hope you get it all sorted out. I like your quartzite videos, we are headed to La posa south this week from Oregon. your videos gave some good information for us folks who just started going to quartzite it’s our 2 nd. Year going there. we love the winter weather there!!
They were Ironman. It appears the tire was slashed from hitting something. We should have taken the chip out of our camera system so we could see what was on the road before it blew. Now we're in another state than the RV.
It was frustrating. But hopefully, this can be an opportunity to fix the program. I want to see them demand proper training of Saferide, the company that is contracted. If they can't affect change then they need to give realistic expectations to the buyers of the plan. And we didn't have to pay for this and hope for reimbursement which is how our other policy with Progressive works. But we will share as we go thru this and what we learn as well.
Glad your physically ok, mentally, ha, that's definitely frustrating. Without having to read 5 hours of comments and replies to comments, has anyone concluded what or who's the best insurance company? Also, is there a footage reference on the length of a camper as to available wreckers? ie 34 ft vs 42 ft?
We don't have that info on the length for towing. On Monday, 12/9, we'll be releasing the next part which includes how they towed it and reviews of standalone towing policies as well as add-ons to your RV insurance plan.
Linda and Jamie, we are so sorry to see your misfortune. So glad you guys are safe! Our thoughts and prayers are with you. We wish you all the best! Hope to see you both again sometime. Ed and Carol Your neighbors from Bandera.
Hey guys! Thank you for your kind thoughts. Hope things are working out with your Alfa. Now everyone wants to build a protective box for all those components behind the rear tires. Maybe something good will come from this.
Thank you. On Monday night's (Dec 9) we'll show what it took to tow it, plus, feedback from viewers about their experiences with the various roadside plans.
Sorry this happened, don’t wish this on anybody. We also have an older diesel pusher that we cherish and maintain best we can. Hopefully we all can learn something from this and also share anything that any of us go through on the road for others!
Absolutely. We will be sharing as we go thru this to help others be prepared. Several Alfa Owners are already talking about reinforcing that compartment behind those rear wheels.
Woe so sorry to hear that! Did you hit something in the road? How old are the tires, our alfa has 6 year old tires thinking we should get new ones! Yikes!
@RoamingWithRosie I just delivered an rv trailer in California past that part of I 10. Some 13:28 Pretty bad spots indeed. I'm an rv transporter 15 yrs .Almost got a class A many times, but opted an got a small trailer, which I kind of regret cause I'm always working and dont have time for it.But I learned I definitely only like things that RUN AND DRIVE. I probly should've just got a nice full size van.......
Thanks. We're sorting out where to rent an RV from and will probably have to stay at an RV park with it. The expense will keep us from being there any longer than the RV Show. 😞
Be happy it wasn't front!I had simalar blow out. .got stairs some wiring& One of waste tank.wasn't pretty I repaired myself.. I'm a plumber and all the ugly is underneath.😂
We were prepared for a front tire blow out. That’s why we purchased the Retrobands. Just for that reason. Front tire blow outs can be fatal. Thanks for sharing.
OMG! Glad you are safe. With your experience now, what MH roadside assistance provider would you recommend? And did Rosie have to be totalled? So sorry for your misfortune!
Thank you. The insurance rep hasn't looked at it yet, because he's been out sick. But in this Monday night's episode, we show what it took to tow and feedback we received from viewers about their experiences with different plans. Hope you watch. 🙂
Thanks. This year we invested $5K in Retrobands for the front tires. Their like "run-flats". Front tire blowouts in Class A's can be deadly. If you are interested in those, we don't get any commission. We just wanted to show others what was available. Here's that episode: ua-cam.com/video/MjMWs5e2aCE/v-deo.html
Yes, the company that towed it was the only one that knew how to tow a diesel pusher out of all the companies that our roadside assistance company contacted.
That is sad actually. We think we are several weeks from know if it's fixable. A lot of Alfa owners have expressed a desire to bullet proof that component box behind the rear wheels.
Overdramatic? You had a rear tire blow out on motorhome with dual rear wheels and you pulled safely over to the side of the interstate in an area with cell coverage. Yes, the money and insurance part sucks. Glad you and others are safe. Poor design having major electronics right behind the wheel well in a compartment that couldn't withstand a blowout. I'm sure others with similar designs will consider reinforcing this area after watching your video.
Definitely don't think they are dramatic, just super stressed over hours of waiting on a dangerous side of the highway, getting the run around from roadside assistance that we pay for and no response from the highway patrol.
Sorry for all the horrible situations you recently went through, RWR. SIXTEEN HOURS on the side of the road, is really bad news. And at night, it is the worst, especially closing in on winter.😢 Did you guys have tire monitoring on your rear tires? They say that the single greatest cause of blowouts in RV's is because of incorrect pressure on the tire that blew out. Both under and over inflation is potentially dangerous. Next, is the quality and brand of tire being used. Clearly, buying the cheapest tire may not end up being the most economical. But price alone should not be the criteria. Actual customer experience is the best reference. If there is a brand and model that experiences more failures than others, then that is what needs to be avoided at all costs. Lastly, is remaining within the coach and tire manufacturers stated loading capacity is critical as well. Going over capacity, even by a relatively small margin, can possibly overcome the safety of running on correct tire pressure. Because these events are catastrophic, these details need to be taken most seriously. Getting banded wheels on the front was a great move on your part. Who would think that a rear blowout would do so much damage. I'm not sure, but I suspect that in later model years, these high risk areas around the wheel wells were relegated to storage only. This way, a blowout can only damage the stage area and it's contents, and not critical infrastructure to the coach... as happened in your case. I look forward to seeing the results of your research and decisions going into the future. It will be a real help to all who view your channel. Blessings, Gord
Thanks. The tire appeared to be slashed across where we must of hit something. That stretch of road is horrible. Potholes and garbage. We have TPMS, but have not been able to get them to work correctly, even working with the company last year to try to achieve dependability. But it appears this was instant.
@RoamingWithRosie Thanks Jamie and Linda... that is something that can be avoided, but not after the fact. Once you're on that kind of road... you're stuck, if there are no other alternate routes immediately available. I ride motorcycle at the age of 74 and although I am rather careful, I can't completely avoid the condition of the road or the debris that might be on the road. That, and the deer that get spooked into a chicken dash in front of you. Those are the two things that can get you badly on a motorbike. Riding at sunset is beautiful but that's when the deer come out to feed along the roadside. The reality of potholes and bumps is like the foreshadowing of tools and material being knocked out of the back of a pickup with the tailgate down. Workers who are too tired and lazy to put up their tailgate after work is not acceptable. But hacks do it all the time. I've even had to negotiate furniture in the middle of the road. Again, sorry this happened to you. Hard lesson to learn at great cost... But the immediate aftermath of the lack of appropriate response, was just as bad and far more trying to the soul. I could see you were beyond pissed... Blessings, Gord
Pay whatever it takes to get your rig and yourselves off the freeway asap. Deal with reimbursement later. And if they do end up totalling it, consider an older high end coach with a bus chassis. They hold up much better in situations like this.
Crappy luck we had a back truck driver wheel come off the truck what a nightmare it was torqued 4 weeks ago we were lucky only 10 miles from home l was lucky the wheel did not cause a crash or damage to others crap like this will happen the more you travel it will come calling l thought I was prepared??
So sorry you experienced that. In Monday night's (Dec 9) video, we share what it took to tow and the feedback we've received from viewers about experiences they had with roadside assistance plans.
Sorry this happened to you guys . Hope everything works out for you. These towing policies are awful. I see so many horror stories about towing issues. I was also told policies arent valid on BLM land
@@RoamingWithRosie We will definitely be checking our policies, and printing out data sheets, and maybe store them in the Toad! Also, looking into a better source than FMCA! After sitting that long, on the side of the road, for them to have the audacity to try to find someone "cheaper" would really, really, piss me off!! :(
Yep! We'll do some research & share what we learn. However, FMCA has one thing going for it, and that's that they pay for the service. You don't have to pay and hope to be reimbursed.
@RoamingWithRosie please research the blm issue. A schoolie owner told me he had to pay 2000.00 for a tow from Craggy Wash to Lake Havasu ( maybe 10 miles )because he broke down on BLM
Sat for 36 hours outside of Big Bend National Park waiting for a tow from insurance company. Finally the sheriff ordered a tow for us. Fought for 3 months for reimbursement of a $3500 tow. 40 ft motorhome also
Yes, law enforcement has a contract with towing companies for an immediate response. Most people don't realize that's an option, though it's outside the roadside assistance plan.
@matsulli2086 & @onlinewebjob Thanks for following. We so appreciate you. We travel 8 mo a year. Well, we did travel 8mo. We actually ended up buying a house 2 years ago. This is another reason that we did. Our full time friends spent 6 mo in a hotel room getting their RV fixed. We're going to revisit this topic in upcoming episodes. But here's one that we did on it when we bought the house: ua-cam.com/video/ymvw-gKnmok/v-deo.html
You should of had tsms sencer on your tires then you would of know you had tire lose of air before your blow out thank next time and get those sncer on all tires
Who said he did not know how to change a tire? Who said he had a spare? Most pushers do not carry spares Did you even comprehend the part where it was stated the tire blew,ripped out wires and hoses,the RV would not start and could not be put in neutral?
Did you watch the video to see what it took to get the tire off? Diesel pushers have air brakes. Air brakes become locked on when air stops going to them. All electrical and power went out. Most Diesel pushers don't have a place to carry a spare. Even if they did, changing a tire on a 40 ft DP is not just "why don't you just change the tire?" Drive shaft had to be removed just to get the wheels to roll. OMG I could go on, but why?
Glad you both are ok,its unreal how hard it is to get an alfa towed ,we broke down last year in fillmore utah and we're towed 50 miles to a freightliner shop it cost us 900.00 ,I thought that was high,we paid out of pocket too, so moral to story keep your good sam road tow coverage paid up its only 150.00 per year.hope to see you at quartzite 😊
You must have been going pretty fast when that happened. I know the speed limit is pretty fast on I-10 but personally I never drive my 36 ‘ Foretravel pusher faster than 55 or 60 . I’m that old dude you don’t want to be behind. I just know when those big tires blow, they can really do a lot of damage.Sorry to hear that happened to you guys. Good luck getting your rig back on the road.
Sounds like time to shop for another motorhome. To bad about that tire chewing up and disabling your rig that will be something to check when you buy another one😃. Glad you guys are ok, I’ve had to replace a blowout on my fifthwheel on the side of a highway, it is very stressful. Hope you get it all sorted out. I like your quartzite videos, we are headed to La posa south this week from Oregon. your videos gave some good information for us folks who just started going to quartzite it’s our 2 nd. Year going there. we love the winter weather there!!
I am so glad that you had a great experience with Elite Towing. I’m prejudiced of course because that was my son and grandson that responded. Unfortunately you got caught in the provider trying to do your job at a below market price. It takes an investment to be able to have all the equipment needed to handle any type of call. Elite has made this investment, unfortunately equipment companies want a hefty sum.
The cheapest is not always the best. Elite could have responded much sooner but can only go when approved or the customer is self pay. I’m not an employee but I am a proud dad and grandpa! The grandson was helping cover while on break from University of Arizona!!
Love this! They were both so efficient and professional. And that made us watch in amazement what they had to do at great risk to make sure no further damage occurred because of towing. We asked about the costs of the equipment and were in awe! Your son explained in great detail the night before, what the tow company would have to do to tow it correctly. Which helped us to argue with the uneducated operators at our roadside rescue. Give them both big hugs from us. They were the best!
I'm so glad yall are ok. U worked so hard on building what you wanted. I have the confidence in you to fix it. Dont give up and never say i can't.
Thank you! We appreciate it.
Before I retired to fight cancer, I owned a business that built shields to prevent tire blowouts from destroying RVs bodywork. Usually on the rear tires areas. But I was commissioned to build on set for front tires. Basically, it's like skid plates for rock buggies. I recommend everyone look at the critical areas on you RV that has electronics and hydraulic equipment mounted near spinning tires and think about armouring up those sensitive compartments from the possibilities of tire blowout damage. And not just the stuff behind the tires, because during blowouts that shredding tire packs like a huge bull whip and will destroy anything near it until the tread totally separates from the tire.
This sounds great. Already, other Alfa Owners said they want to protect that area where all the components are. Is this something that continued bring built after you retired? I hope you're doing well.
I haven't built anymore since I retired in 2017. My wife was diagnosed with cancer in 2018, and then I broke both legs and shattered both feet in 2019. 😮
My wife and I decided to concentrate on upgrading our 35 year old Fleetwood Limited Class A. And work on my junk for a change instead of everybody's elses.
It's entire drivetrain as been upgraded so far (gas to diesel, long story) and I'm finishing up the interior upgrades now, exterior next. Our old coach was top of the line when new in 1990, and when finished should look and run like a newer coach of today, other than the older body lines. But it gets 14 mpg with the new drivetrain, and that's not bad for a 37 foot long coach!
I know my coach intimately and can repair or manage everything in it.
And yes, I've had to have it towed off the highway about 17 years ago, and it was almost the same nightmare you guys had trying to get it off the highway. That's why I decided to upgrade the drivetrain to more power. (450 hp turbo diesel now and 10 speed transmission with limited slip rear-end now in a 16K lb coach!)(overheated coming out of Denver headed to Moab UT.) 2 miles shy of the summit!
Bummer your coach is damaged so bad. But think of the upgrade you can now get....
@@CurtisDrew1 Sorry for everyone's troubles! Sad that us 'old folks' end up with maladys that limit what we can do and when we can do it. We have an Alfa, like Rosie. and I would seriously be interested in plans, or specs, or a contact source, to 'armor' up the tire areas! If you, or anyone, knows of a source, please share it! :) Good luck everyone!
@MagaRickn I could help you out adding armor around your wheels. But I doubt you're near western NY right now..
We're hoping to relocate to Southern Missouri, and I'm thinking of getting into doing RV maintenance, repairs, & customization!
@@CurtisDrew1 How thick would that steel need to be to protect from a 22 1/2 dia tire blow out. Ours is 275 70R 22.5 tire. Thanks
Sorry for your problem and glad you both are safe
Thank you. We appreciate the thoughts very much.
So sorry about all your troubles. Things like this can be very hard, especially when it involves your home. Good Luck.
Thanks guys. It's gonna be awhile for sure. Safe Travels to you.
Glad to see your safe and off the road !!
We appreciate it.
Well the important thing is you are safe. Stuff can be fixed. Sorry about your ordeal. I hope I never have that happen to me in my MH. Looking forward to your next installment on this.
Thank you.
Sorry for your problem. We are glad your safe.
Thank you.
Wow. Sorry for your loss. Looking forward to the next video.
Thanks @TignorAdventures. Here's the next video: ua-cam.com/video/rdyBEyLGy6U/v-deo.html Insurance is trying to get a cheap repair on it while legitimate shops won't touch it because the electrical repair will be a nightmare requiring much warranty work most likely after repair. We're just sick about it. We can't tow it anywhere to get a real quote.
@@RoamingWithRosie Sounds like it is going to be a bad adventure. Good luck.
Wow that is mind blowing 🤯 thank you for sharing and may your journey be safe … so glad you was not injured in the blowout 💖
Thank you .
Glad you are safe! A frightening experience for sure! Take care! God's Blessings!
Thank you
Such a great video! We are new Class A owners and we need to learn as much as possible! Glad you’re safe!!
Thank you. We'll produce a few videos as we go thru this process focused on helping others learn as we do. Several Alfa owners are now talking about reinforcing that area of components right behind the rear wheels.
Thanks for sharing. It confirms a shorter rig is the way to go for me.
A shorter rig is so much easier and a lot of ways.
We are so sorry to hear about this, so thankful that you are both safe. Sending you positive thoughts and guys vibes- Kyle and Michelle
Thanks guys. We were watching your Valley of Fire episode last night. Staying inspired.
So sorry to hear this but so, so thankful that you guys are OK! Hugs.
Thank you.
Wow, who knew how much a breakdown/tow is on a big girl like Rosie! thanks guys for the info. Glad you are safe and lets have a better thanksgiving next year!!
Thank you. We sure didn't know that either. So glad we had coverage, even if it was frustrating.
Great Channel guys. I'm glad you guys are safe and sound. Safe travels. I am a New Subscriber. Cheers Joe 😊
Welcome to the Roamers. Thank you.
Wow that's crazy! Glad you made it through unharmed, I've been in a couple breakdowns on the highway, they're stressful & not fun!
We have a 2003 Alfa that we're about to start traveling in, after seeing this I will be adding some protection for the electronics behind that tire! I've had a tire this size blow on a truck before, but hadn't thought about the computers being destroyed or ripped off on this motorhome!
I'm glad I saw your video, thanks for sharing your experience with us!
Thanks. So many Alfa owners have told us they plan to reinforce that area. First one who comes up with a solution should share it on the Alfa Motorcoach FB group.
Glad to hear you guys are safe, we saw you guys getting towed on the side of the road when we were heading east on the I-10. And see it sitting this at Lazy D. This is helpful and informative and to know what questions to ask.
Oh wow. If it's repairable, it will be at Lazy Days for a few months.
@ - fingers crossed for you guys. We are staying next door for awhile so if you end up back In town maybe we will bump into you guys!
A thanksgiving to remember! Roadside assistance plans and extended warranty plans are made to sound so wonderful at the point of sale….But good luck getting coverage approved and /or reimbursed when something bad happens. Reality sets in once you try to use them. Glad no one was hurt!..Hope it’s not the end of the road for Rosie.
Thanks. We'll definitely be doing some research into the industry and sharing our finding.
I feel terrible for you guys. Been watching you both for a couple years. Some good advice! Both roadside and the highway patrol should have been more timely. Looking forward to further updates. Take care!
Thank you, we appreciate that, and we will be sharing the details of what we learned through this experience.
I’m deeply sorry this happened to you, so glad both of you and Rex are safe, sending out love and prayers for a speedy solution 🙏🙏🙏
Thank you.
OMG! So glad you are both 'okay'....
Thank you, the RV can be fixed we were lucky nobody was hurt.
We had a similar situation with our fifth wheel a couple of years ago when the flywheel sheared in our F350. It took over 48 hours for Good Sam to find a tow for the fifth wheel -- the truck was easy. Fortunately, we had a second car with us driving separately. Most of the delay was from towing companies that didn't understand their capabilities or decided to take easier jobs ahead of us. Having to babysit your RV on the side of the road is very frustrating.
We're hearing from a lot of RV owners, this same story. We'll be sharing in our videos as we go through this process in the hope that RVers know what to expect and make appropriate choices with that knowledge
I'm finally catching up on videos. Pinching pennies and leaving someone stranded is uncalled for. Just like when we were stranded when a spring hanger broke on our Grand Design Reflection 303rls Fifth Wheel. Grand Design wouldn't help us. We called Lippert they quickly tried to help us. Everything was under warranty but Grand design refused to help. We carry full-time RV insurance and roadside assistance. I'm sorry I would have peed my pants waiting that long. Lol. Full-time RV life can difently be challenging at times. I'm praying for you both
I remember what you went thru all that. Now we've waited 5 weeks while the RV sits at Lazy Days who declined the repairs because of the low-ball estimate from Progressive. At least 1/2 of what the job should cost if it's even repairable. There's only 3 shops in the Southwest qualified to even consider it. Lazy Days is one and happened to be 20 mi from where it happened. That tow was $4K (covered). Do ya think they'll pay to have it towed anywhere else? I can't imagine. But we're in for a fight we think.
@RoamingWithRosie oh have mercy the insurance company is giving you the run around
Hey Jamie and Lynn so sorry this happened. Thank you for finding a way to document this as it was happening to you. It is so appreciated that you shared your true experience and showed how we can learn from it. Well done and best wishes for abgood outcome!
Thanks, we realized that we could be better prepared for this type of situation. We felt that any RVer could benefit from what we learned from this experience. We will find out if Rosie is a total loss or if we are looking for a new coach.
So sorry to hear that. Keep us posted on how it unfolds.
Thanks. We'll do our best to keep everyone updated.
Wow, guys, what a nightmare! And thank you for passing on the suggestions for the rest of us. We had a blow out of an inside rear (same place!) in Tennessee. We were soooo lucky we weren't damaged as badly. Thinking of you, and hope to see you soon in AZ!
Thank you for your thoughts. We realized that this was an opportunity to share where we can be better prepared. We will be in Quartzsite one way or another.
Am glad you weren’t hurt! G
Thank you.
OMG, I am heartbroken for both of you. I haven’t finished watching the video yet, but I hope it has a happy ending and we hope to see you soon in Quartzite. Jamie worked so hard on that paint restoration. Thomyt
Thanks, RV’s can be fixed or replaced. Luckily nobody was hurt. We will be in Quartzsite one way or another. Look forward to seeing you.
@ see you there! Thomyt
Prayin for you guys. All in the blink of an eye.
Exactly. Both of us and our dog were safe. Now the long wait to see what happens.Thank you.
This is one of our worst fears driving a motorhome. Glad you're ok.
We have a tire pressure monitoring system with temperature monitoring on each tire of our diesel pusher. Although this may not warn against all blowouts, it can give warnings beforehand. Many blowouts happen with high temperatures or sudden pressure changes
We have it too. We also inspect them often. In fact, about 2 hours prior, Jamie did a walk around because we heard a noise, which he located on the front above the windshield. There was a loose cover clacking. But there is no warning for hitting something that puts a gash across the tire. We wish we thought to take the chip out of the camera monitors to watch and see what it was that we ran over.
We’re so glad you guys are safe!
What a catastrophe!
Thank you for your thoughts.
I hope you can get it fixed... I'm sure it can be fixed. Glad you are okay through it though! ❤
Thank you. Fingers crossed.
Truly sorry this happened to you, really hope things pan out for you and you can continue on with your journey. I spent 39 years over the road trucking and I know the pain of wrecker bills and shop fees.
Thank you. We're hoping to be back on the road soon.
Yipes! We have a 40 ft fifth wheel and had a blow out in Montana (live in So Cal). It’s such a scary experience and we probably spent less than two hours on the side of the freeway. Our experience was complicated by racism but it was just attitude, all turned out well. Hope Rosie can be repaired but so glad you are ok.
Thanks for sharing this.😊 We're also originally from SoCal. Don't envy your travel around that area now. Safe Travels!
Praying for you that it gets straightened out, quickly and that Rosie is a safe, reliable vehicle, again. We don't have a motorhome, yet, but we want one. My husband has said that the downside is if something like that happens, especially if we are traveling with our 5 cats and 1 bird. Most hotels are not pet friendly. I guess having a tow vehicle with our motorhome will be a good idea! At least you have transportation. Glad you are all safe.
That's exactly why we went to motorhome with tow car. In this case, we were fortunate the tow car wasn't damaged. We've liked that we can unhook the tow car & drive out to find boondocking spots that we can get into before taking the motorhome. But there's pros & Cons to each.
Wow, that's a lot of damage. Looks like a beautiful Coach. Curious about a couple of things. What tire brand and do you have a tire monitoring system(TPMS)? Assuming unit can be fixed, might you be planning to replace all back tires? Good luck.
The tires are Ironman. They were put on when we purchased the Alfa in late 2020. The tire was slashed by something we hit. We forgot to take the chip out of the camera system before we left AZ. Curious if we could use that to see what was on the road.
I went through almost exactly the same scenario 6 years ago. We were traveling in our motorhome on WB I-10 just past Quartzite in February. I had both tires blow on the left rear. Wires were all wrapped around the tires. It took 14 hours to get a tow that came from Parker, Arizona. We had to stay in the motorhome as I was not towing our car at the time. It was very dangerous and nobody stopped. We had Good Sam at the time and they tried to send out several people, until finally the tow truck arrived. I don't know why there isn't better tow service in Arizona off of the I-10 Freeway. We spent 14 hours waiting for a tow. I had good insurance and they paid out over $17k to repair it. A technician spent 32 hours repairing the wiring. What a pain!
That’s what we are dealing with. Hopefully they can find parts being that it’s a 2006.
New subscriber.. sorry this happened to you both. Glad you are both ok.
Thanks for subscribing. We're ok but hoping for the best turn out with the RV. News coming next week.
Poor Rosie (and the two of you)! So sad to see a nice older coach torn up like that. I have a 1995 Beaver Marquis, and I just put on a new set of Toyo tires. Can you share the brand of tire that failed? I'm sure it will help others to know. I'm out in Apache Junction. If I can offer any help, let me know. Take care, and good luck!
Thank you. The tires were Ironman. Just 4 years on the rig. Not sure of the actual tire age since we didn't take time to take photos of them before we left AZ. The tire was sliced, so it was something on the road. That stretch of I10 is full of potholes and stuff that flies off trucks.
@@RoamingWithRosie You've incentivized me to buy roadside assistance. Would you still recommend the FMCA coverage? If not, where would you go? Looking forward to the next "Rosie" chapter!
I am so sorry this happened to you. We had that experience two years ago. We live in South West Florida and have a Class A diesel pusher. We were evacuating for hurricane Nichole and we left late. We were heading to Northern Alabama to get out of the storm path. We had stayed the first night in Tallahassee. That is a 6 1/2 drive for us from our house. The next morning we were on I-10 West when a trucker got my attention. I pulled over and checked everything out. The passenger side was fine. We flat tow a Lincoln MKX. It was fine. As I was moving forward I found the problem. We had a blow out on one of our rear tires. Fortunately we have a tag axle so we still had two tires on the ground. There was an exit a mile up the road so we drove to it. Fortunately there was no damage to the coach. As we approached the exit I noticed off to the left a Truck Stop of America with a huge tire shop. I was like thank you Jesus. We pulled in. The service advisor told us this was our lucky day. A tech had just finished a job and the bay was open. He told us we had a choice of tire brands and assured us they had our size. At $450 for a tire I was ecstatic. They told me to unhook the car and back up to Bay 8. Like I said we were fleeing from hurricane Nichole so as I was backing up to Bay 8 it started to sprinkle. The tech looked at our tire and said we had a problem. They didn't have our size. Their tires were an inch shorter. The blow out was on our front dual tire axle so we had to have the same size tire. The service advisor was super helpful. He called to another tire shop in town. The guy said he didn't have our tire size in stock, but if we ordered it in the next 5 minutes it could be delivered with their morning shipment and we would have it by noon. I said get it. Since we were already unhooked we left the car there and drove to the other shop. The manager met us in the parking lot and told us to park out back anywhere we wanted. Out back was not paved. It was all dirt. Since it was only 11 am we settled in to wait. This was a perfect time to check emails and clear messages on our phones. At noon the tire wasn't in so we made lunch. Then I took a nap. By 3 it was raining pretty good and I was worried about getting stuck in the mud. I put on my raincoat and walked around the front to check on where our tire was. Just as I rounded the front I watched them unloading the tire. The manager apologized for the delay and told us to pull in the end bay. It had a roof, but was open on three sides. He said this was their big truck bay. I did as directed and they guided me to where they wanted me. By now we had heavy rain blowing sideways. I stood outside and watched as the guy changed our tire without taking the wheel off the coach. This guy was a true professional. He had rain gear also, but we were all wet. He checked everything over and found our valve stem was lose. This had caused us to lose air and eventually the blowout. I had him check all the tires and they were all low. The coach had felt squirrely and now I knew why. My wife is handicapped and has a lot of health issues. Her doctors appointments are what caused us to leave so late. $1375 later we headed back to TSA to get our car. As I was hooking up the sky just got dark. It literally looked like it was midnight instead of only 4 pm. The winds were really blowing too. My wife and I talked. We found a campground 2 miles away. They offered us 15% off since we were fleeing hurricane Nichole. It was pouring terrible when we got to the site. All I did was hook up power and water. When I got back in the coach I actually poured water out of my shoes. With a Gortex raincoat on my clothes were so wet I had to put them in the dryer. The next morning when we woke up and opened the curtain there was a lovely lake 75 feet in front of us. The evening before it was so dark and raining so hard I never saw it as we pulled into our site and hooked up. Well, that's our blowout story. Instead of renting an RV have you considered looking at a cheap Class A or C? Renting RV's is expensive and you are going to need it for a while.
Thanks for sharing that story. Glad you were safe. We are only going to rent for 2 weeks so we can join all the festivities in Quartzsite during the big RV show in January. We have good insurance, but we're still holding our breath until we know if it's fixable.
Holy macaroni, glad you're all right
Thank you!
Our 2005 Alfa had 6 "new" tires on it when we bought it a couple years ago. But they have aged out, even though they only have 7,000 miles on them. I put 2 new Toyos on the front, and am fixing to put 4 more on the rear. Your experience just helped us make the decision! Of course, hitting something in the road won't make new tires any better I guess. :( I am going to pursue the idea of a cage or steel panels, or something, to harden up the tire areas! Glad you are safe, and thanks for your videos! We are in our 70's and we learn a lot from folks like you! Hope your Christmas is much better than your Thanksgiving!! ;)
Thanks. We'll be renting an RV to continue our holiday plans. Our tires were just 4 years old. But we don't have the dates with us. The tire was sliced though.
Funny how FMCA is rarely able to help. We have since switched. Also, it's never the end. It's a new beginning. And that is always positive.
Hearing a lot of that. They did come thru in the end. We also know this is not the intention of this service policy they offer. Maybe this can be an opportunity to fix the problem, which for us was all about lack of training and not having US based phone representatives. Also our expectations were very high due to how FMCA markets the plan. Maybe they shouldn't create unrealistic expectations.
Sounds like time to shop for another motorhome. To bad about that tire chewing up and disabling your rig that will be something to check when you buy another one😃. Glad you guys are ok, I’ve had to replace a blowout on my fifthwheel on the side of a highway, it is very stressful. Hope you get it all sorted out. I like your quartzite videos, we are headed to La posa south this week from Oregon. your videos gave some good information for us folks who just started going to quartzite it’s our 2 nd. Year going there. we love the winter weather there!!
Love hearing that the Q videos helped you plan your trip. We're determined to get there in Jan with a rented RV.
From one of your earlier videos you said those tires were new about three years ago. What brand was the tire that blew out.?
They were Ironman. It appears the tire was slashed from hitting something. We should have taken the chip out of our camera system so we could see what was on the road before it blew. Now we're in another state than the RV.
So much for FMCA.
It was frustrating. But hopefully, this can be an opportunity to fix the program. I want to see them demand proper training of Saferide, the company that is contracted. If they can't affect change then they need to give realistic expectations to the buyers of the plan. And we didn't have to pay for this and hope for reimbursement which is how our other policy with Progressive works. But we will share as we go thru this and what we learn as well.
Glad your physically ok, mentally, ha, that's definitely frustrating. Without having to read 5 hours of comments and replies to comments, has anyone concluded what or who's the best insurance company? Also, is there a footage reference on the length of a camper as to available wreckers? ie 34 ft vs 42 ft?
We don't have that info on the length for towing. On Monday, 12/9, we'll be releasing the next part which includes how they towed it and reviews of standalone towing policies as well as add-ons to your RV insurance plan.
Linda and Jamie, we are so sorry to see your misfortune. So glad you guys are safe! Our thoughts and prayers are with you. We wish you all the best! Hope to see you both again sometime.
Ed and Carol
Your neighbors from Bandera.
Hey guys! Thank you for your kind thoughts. Hope things are working out with your Alfa. Now everyone wants to build a protective box for all those components behind the rear tires. Maybe something good will come from this.
I had already heard not to rely on FMCA before watching this video. So sorry for all your troubles.
Thank you. On Monday night's (Dec 9) we'll show what it took to tow it, plus, feedback from viewers about their experiences with the various roadside plans.
Sorry this happened, don’t wish this on anybody. We also have an older diesel pusher that we cherish and maintain best we can. Hopefully we all can learn something from this and also share anything that any of us go through on the road for others!
Absolutely. We will be sharing as we go thru this to help others be prepared. Several Alfa Owners are already talking about reinforcing that compartment behind those rear wheels.
Woe so sorry to hear that! Did you hit something in the road? How old are the tires, our alfa has 6 year old tires thinking we should get new ones! Yikes!
Thank you, our tires are 4.5 years old. It’s hard to say if we hit something on the road. The road was horrible in that area on the I10.
@RoamingWithRosie I just delivered an rv trailer in California past that part of I 10. Some 13:28 Pretty bad spots indeed. I'm an rv transporter 15 yrs .Almost got a class A many times, but opted an got a small trailer, which I kind of regret cause I'm always working and dont have time for it.But I learned I definitely only like things that RUN AND DRIVE. I probly should've just got a nice full size van.......
That's awful guys. We are so sorry.
Thank you.
Wow. What an awful story. Obviously glad you’re both okay and look forward to seeing you in Quartzsite.
Thanks. We're sorting out where to rent an RV from and will probably have to stay at an RV park with it. The expense will keep us from being there any longer than the RV Show. 😞
WOW. What a frustrating and scary ordeal. So glad you are all safe. What is FMCA? - Michelle
Family Motorcoach Association.
@@bobspamail Is it an Insurance?
@airstreamer here's a video about FMCA. It's open to all RV owners to join. ua-cam.com/video/e5bwTr3jOlA/v-deo.html
@@RoamingWithRosie Thank you!
Be happy it wasn't front!I had simalar blow out. .got stairs some wiring& One of waste tank.wasn't pretty I repaired myself.. I'm a plumber and all the ugly is underneath.😂
We were prepared for a front tire blow out. That’s why we purchased the Retrobands. Just for that reason. Front tire blow outs can be fatal.
Thanks for sharing.
What are the tire “Date Codes”
The tires are 4.5 years old.
@@RoamingWithRosie Pandemic tires huh? Pity
@ronaldohagenow1467 No. From 2020 before covid. We hit something that sliced it.
So sorry this happened to you.
Thank you.
OMG! Glad you are safe. With your experience now, what MH roadside assistance provider would you recommend? And did Rosie have to be totalled? So sorry for your misfortune!
Thank you. The insurance rep hasn't looked at it yet, because he's been out sick. But in this Monday night's episode, we show what it took to tow and feedback we received from viewers about their experiences with different plans. Hope you watch. 🙂
You are VERY lucky it was a rear tire. Had it been the steer tire it could have been WAY worse.
That being said i hope it is repairable
Thanks. This year we invested $5K in Retrobands for the front tires. Their like "run-flats". Front tire blowouts in Class A's can be deadly. If you are interested in those, we don't get any commission. We just wanted to show others what was available. Here's that episode: ua-cam.com/video/MjMWs5e2aCE/v-deo.html
Did the tow truck guy disconnect the driveshaft?
Yes, the company that towed it was the only one that knew how to tow a diesel pusher out of all the companies that our roadside assistance company contacted.
Alfa forum has a guy getting rid of one for 11000 did you see it
That is sad actually. We think we are several weeks from know if it's fixable. A lot of Alfa owners have expressed a desire to bullet proof that component box behind the rear wheels.
@ could add like a curved or formed metal plate kinda like adding a wheel well
Overdramatic? You had a rear tire blow out on motorhome with dual rear wheels and you pulled safely over to the side of the interstate in an area with cell coverage. Yes, the money and insurance part sucks.
Glad you and others are safe.
Poor design having major electronics right behind the wheel well in a compartment that couldn't withstand a blowout. I'm sure others with similar designs will consider reinforcing this area after watching your video.
Definitely don't think they are dramatic, just super stressed over hours of waiting on a dangerous side of the highway, getting the run around from roadside assistance that we pay for and no response from the highway patrol.
Sorry for all the horrible situations you recently went through, RWR.
SIXTEEN HOURS on the side of the road, is really bad news. And at night, it is the worst, especially closing in on winter.😢
Did you guys have tire monitoring on your rear tires? They say that the single greatest cause of blowouts in RV's is because of incorrect pressure on the tire that blew out.
Both under and over inflation is potentially dangerous.
Next, is the quality and brand of tire being used.
Clearly, buying the cheapest tire may not end up being the most economical.
But price alone should not be the criteria. Actual customer experience is the best reference.
If there is a brand and model that experiences more failures than others, then that is what needs to be avoided at all costs.
Lastly, is remaining within the coach and tire manufacturers stated loading capacity is critical as well. Going over capacity, even by a relatively small margin, can possibly overcome the safety of running on correct tire pressure.
Because these events are catastrophic, these details need to be taken most seriously.
Getting banded wheels on the front was a great move on your part. Who would think that a rear blowout would do so much damage.
I'm not sure, but I suspect that in later model years, these high risk areas around the wheel wells were relegated to storage only.
This way, a blowout can only damage the stage area and it's contents, and not critical infrastructure to the coach... as happened in your case.
I look forward to seeing the results of your research and decisions going into the future. It will be a real help to all who view your channel.
Blessings,
Gord
Thanks. The tire appeared to be slashed across where we must of hit something. That stretch of road is horrible. Potholes and garbage. We have TPMS, but have not been able to get them to work correctly, even working with the company last year to try to achieve dependability. But it appears this was instant.
@RoamingWithRosie Thanks Jamie and Linda... that is something that can be avoided, but not after the fact. Once you're on that kind of road... you're stuck, if there are no other alternate routes immediately available.
I ride motorcycle at the age of 74 and although I am rather careful, I can't completely avoid the condition of the road or the debris that might be on the road. That, and the deer that get spooked into a chicken dash in front of you. Those are the two things that can get you badly on a motorbike. Riding at sunset is beautiful but that's when the deer come out to feed along the roadside.
The reality of potholes and bumps is like the foreshadowing of tools and material being knocked out of the back of a pickup with the tailgate down. Workers who are too tired and lazy to put up their tailgate after work is not acceptable. But hacks do it all the time. I've even had to negotiate furniture in the middle of the road.
Again, sorry this happened to you. Hard lesson to learn at great cost... But the immediate aftermath of the lack of appropriate response, was just as bad and far more trying to the soul. I could see you were beyond pissed...
Blessings,
Gord
Pay whatever it takes to get your rig and yourselves off the freeway asap. Deal with reimbursement later. And if they do end up totalling it, consider an older high end coach with a bus chassis. They hold up much better in situations like this.
This is a Freightliner chassis. Built in 2005. The cost of the tow was approx. $4500.
@@RoamingWithRosie Does that include the tire?
Crappy luck we had a back truck driver wheel come off the truck what a nightmare it was torqued 4 weeks ago we were lucky only 10 miles from home l was lucky the wheel did not cause a crash or damage to others crap like this will happen the more you travel it will come calling l thought I was prepared??
So sorry you experienced that. In Monday night's (Dec 9) video, we share what it took to tow and the feedback we've received from viewers about experiences they had with roadside assistance plans.
Yikes, what a nightmare. Sorry.
Yeah it was not anything I would want someone to go through. The main thing is that nobody was hurt.
Sorry this happened to you guys . Hope everything works out for you. These towing policies are awful. I see so many horror stories about towing issues. I was also told policies arent valid on BLM land
Thank you. Good to know on BLM. That makes sense. We'll be doing some research and sharing on our channel in the future.
@@RoamingWithRosie We will definitely be checking our policies, and printing out data sheets, and maybe store them in the Toad! Also, looking into a better source than FMCA! After sitting that long, on the side of the road, for them to have the audacity to try to find someone "cheaper" would really, really, piss me off!! :(
Yep! We'll do some research & share what we learn. However, FMCA has one thing going for it, and that's that they pay for the service. You don't have to pay and hope to be reimbursed.
@RoamingWithRosie please research the blm issue. A schoolie owner told me he had to pay 2000.00 for a tow from Craggy Wash to Lake Havasu ( maybe 10 miles )because he broke down on BLM
I’m so sad. You’re friends. I painted my RV when and how you painted yours. 😢
Awe. Thanks for letting us know about your paint project. We were planning more renovation in 2025. We'll have to see if that will happen.
Sat for 36 hours outside of Big Bend National Park waiting for a tow from insurance company. Finally the sheriff ordered a tow for us. Fought for 3 months for reimbursement of a $3500 tow. 40 ft motorhome also
Oh no! That's horrible. We're thinking of collecting these stories to be able to help others know what to expect.
Yes, law enforcement has a contract with towing companies for an immediate response. Most people don't realize that's an option, though it's outside the roadside assistance plan.
Yeah that sucks, that’s why it’s better to just rent and drive a car or fly
Btw, they live in their motorhome
@ - not true they have a house
@matsulli2086 & @onlinewebjob Thanks for following. We so appreciate you. We travel 8 mo a year. Well, we did travel 8mo. We actually ended up buying a house 2 years ago. This is another reason that we did. Our full time friends spent 6 mo in a hotel room getting their RV fixed. We're going to revisit this topic in upcoming episodes. But here's one that we did on it when we bought the house: ua-cam.com/video/ymvw-gKnmok/v-deo.html
You should of had tsms sencer on your tires then you would of know you had tire lose of air before your blow out thank next time and get those sncer on all tires
Not sure if you watched video, but we do have TPMS, the tire was sliced which is instant.
Isn't there ALWAYS DUMMY KNOW IT ALL,,,, INTERNET'S FULL A THEM
Just go get a tire
@@jamesadair8131 Hysterical!
why didn't you put the spare on and go have the damage repaired if it was up to me unless you know how to change a tire you should not have a rv
Who said he did not know how to change a tire? Who said he had a spare? Most pushers do not carry spares
Did you even comprehend the part where it was stated the tire blew,ripped out wires and hoses,the RV would not start and could not be put in neutral?
Did you watch the video to see what it took to get the tire off? Diesel pushers have air brakes. Air brakes become locked on when air stops going to them. All electrical and power went out. Most Diesel pushers don't have a place to carry a spare. Even if they did, changing a tire on a 40 ft DP is not just "why don't you just change the tire?" Drive shaft had to be removed just to get the wheels to roll. OMG I could go on, but why?
People overuse the word "rig". A motorhome is not a rig. A rig is a combination vehicle. A truck towing a trailer is a rig. It is in the dictionary.
Oh shut up, dipstick. 🤪
@@DaveDrawing Amen!!
@davedrawing 🤣
Glad you both are ok,its unreal how hard it is to get an alfa towed ,we broke down last year in fillmore utah and we're towed 50 miles to a freightliner shop it cost us 900.00 ,I thought that was high,we paid out of pocket too, so moral to story keep your good sam road tow coverage paid up its only 150.00 per year.hope to see you at quartzite 😊
Thanks. In the next video we'll talk about why it was so difficult getting a tow, particularly on Thanksgiving Weekend in AZ.
It doesn't matter what brand diesel pusher you have,towing is not like towing a car.
You must have been going pretty fast when that happened. I know the speed limit is pretty fast on I-10 but personally I never drive my 36 ‘ Foretravel pusher faster than 55 or 60 . I’m that old dude you don’t want to be behind. I just know when those big tires blow, they can really do a lot of damage.Sorry to hear that happened to you guys. Good luck getting your rig back on the road.
Thank you. We were below 65mph in the right lane along with the trucks.
Sounds like time to shop for another motorhome. To bad about that tire chewing up and disabling your rig that will be something to check when you buy another one😃. Glad you guys are ok, I’ve had to replace a blowout on my fifthwheel on the side of a highway, it is very stressful. Hope you get it all sorted out. I like your quartzite videos, we are headed to La posa south this week from Oregon. your videos gave some good information for us folks who just started going to quartzite it’s our 2 nd. Year going there. we love the winter weather there!!
Thanks for the support. We're glad the videos have been helpful in your trip planning. Maybe we'll see you in the Q