On the road waiting for a fix
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06-19-2006, 08:45
Post: #1
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On the road waiting for a fix
We're on the road in Macon, Missouri. Got here last night and stayed
in Long Branch State Park. Noticed a horrendous squealing when I pulled into camp. Same sound again this morning. Turns out the water pump idler pully mechanism met its demise. Great local mechanic came out to the campsite and diagnosed it. I initially thought it was the water pump. Bird is in his shop right now while he dissasembles the idler, seeing if the bearings can be replaced rather than putting in a new ($400!) idler. When he took it off it was way too hot to handle and disgorged about a quarter of a cup of rust. No indication of a grease zerk that I could see. I'm at the public library at the moment. The retrofitted swing out radiator is a godsend. He had the front end open in twenty minutes. He had tried to change it out at the campsite but the bolts were too tight to loosen without opening it up. Allstate's RV Roadhelp is useless. They more or less said sorry we can't help you, you're on your own. We'll pay the towing bill if you can find someone to tow it, but we can't. I'm going to sign up for the FMCA service, it can't be any worse. Kerry 82 FC 35 Denver |
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06-19-2006, 09:52
Post: #2
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On the road waiting for a fix
Kerry: Sorry to hear about your troubles. FMCA or Good Sam are the only
good road service for an RV. They will tow you as far as necessary to a shop. I know people who have been towed over 200 miles! Cheap insurance. Bruce |
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06-19-2006, 10:52
Post: #3
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On the road waiting for a fix
I recommend FMCA highly, they once paid for a tow on my previous (non-
Bird) motorhome from Tyronza, AR all the way home to a shop in Memphis...about 40 miles. Never said a word, just took care of me. Scott Forman 82 FC35RB Memphis --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davidkerryedwards" > > We're on the road in Macon, Missouri. Got here last night and stayed > in Long Branch State Park. Noticed a horrendous squealing when I > pulled into camp. Same sound again this morning. Turns out the water > pump idler pully mechanism met its demise. Great local mechanic came > out to the campsite and diagnosed it. I initially thought it was the > water pump. Bird is in his shop right now while he dissasembles the > idler, seeing if the bearings can be replaced rather than putting in a > new ($400!) idler. When he took it off it was way too hot to handle > and disgorged about a quarter of a cup of rust. No indication of a > grease zerk that I could see. I'm at the public library at the > moment. The retrofitted swing out radiator is a godsend. He had the > front end open in twenty minutes. He had tried to change it out at > the campsite but the bolts were too tight to loosen without opening it > up. > Allstate's RV Roadhelp is useless. They more or less said sorry we > can't help you, you're on your own. We'll pay the towing bill if you > can find someone to tow it, but we can't. I'm going to sign up for > the FMCA service, it can't be any worse. > > Kerry > 82 FC 35 > Denver > |
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06-19-2006, 13:30
Post: #4
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On the road waiting for a fix
--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davidkerryedwards"
> > We're on the road in Macon, Missouri. Got here last night and stayed > in Long Branch State Park. Noticed a horrendous squealing when I > pulled into camp. Same sound again this morning. Turns out the water > pump idler pully mechanism met its demise. Great local mechanic came > out to the campsite and diagnosed it. I initially thought it was the > water pump. Bird is in his shop right now while he dissasembles the > idler, seeing if the bearings can be replaced rather than putting in a > new ($400!) idler. When he took it off it was way too hot to handle > and disgorged about a quarter of a cup of rust. No indication of a > grease zerk that I could see. I'm at the public library at the > moment. The retrofitted swing out radiator is a godsend. He had the > front end open in twenty minutes. He had tried to change it out at > the campsite but the bolts were too tight to loosen without opening it > up. > Allstate's RV Roadhelp is useless. They more or less said sorry we > can't help you, you're on your own. We'll pay the towing bill if you > can find someone to tow it, but we can't. I'm going to sign up for > the FMCA service, it can't be any worse. > > Kerry > 82 FC 35 > Denver > |
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06-19-2006, 13:41
Post: #5
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On the road waiting for a fix
Kerry:
I had the exact thing happen to me as we pulled into a camp ground in Dease Lake, BC. It's a long story but it took the folks up there 1 full week to get me the correct part and it costs over $1000.00 (they flew in the wrong parts twice and trucked in missing or wrong parts twice). I kept the old idler pulley and rebuilt it when I got back for around $60.00 and now carry it as a spare. You are correct, no grease fitting - there is a pair of lifetime sealed bearings in there ![]() Harry Saddock 83FC35 South Windsor, CT --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davidkerryedwards" > > We're on the road in Macon, Missouri. Got here last night and stayed > in Long Branch State Park. Noticed a horrendous squealing when I > pulled into camp. Same sound again this morning. Turns out the water > pump idler pully mechanism met its demise. Great local mechanic came > out to the campsite and diagnosed it. I initially thought it was the > water pump. Bird is in his shop right now while he dissasembles the > idler, seeing if the bearings can be replaced rather than putting in a > new ($400!) idler. When he took it off it was way too hot to handle > and disgorged about a quarter of a cup of rust. No indication of a > grease zerk that I could see. I'm at the public library at the > moment. The retrofitted swing out radiator is a godsend. He had the > front end open in twenty minutes. He had tried to change it out at > the campsite but the bolts were too tight to loosen without opening it > up. > Allstate's RV Roadhelp is useless. They more or less said sorry we > can't help you, you're on your own. We'll pay the towing bill if you > can find someone to tow it, but we can't. I'm going to sign up for > the FMCA service, it can't be any worse. > > Kerry > 82 FC 35 > Denver > |
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06-19-2006, 15:12
Post: #6
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On the road waiting for a fix
Kerry
Fmca service uses coachnet, which I found very good, the three year deal will pay for itself in one tow guy smalley 86 pt 40 > > up. > > Allstate's RV Roadhelp is useless. They more or less said sorry we > > can't help you, you're on your own. We'll pay the towing bill if > you > > can find someone to tow it, but we can't. I'm going to sign up for > > the FMCA service, it can't be any worse. > > > > Kerry > > 82 FC 35 > > Denver > > > |
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06-20-2006, 03:03
Post: #7
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On the road waiting for a fix
Kerry, I replaced the same bearing when I replaced the water pump.
You can get the bearing from NAPA, it is a sealed bearing, and is pressed in, mine DID NOT LOOK LIKE IT WAS PRESSED IN BUT IT WAS..no need for a new pulley. They are kinda expensive. Have the mechanic use an impact socket, a press, and press the old bearing out. Stand way back there is a whole lot of pressure there. When they towed you, did they use extra high supports on the "stinger" of the tow truck?? If not check and make sure they did not crush the oil pan, could be another bad day!! Also, join FMCA, buy the emergency road service for 100.00 and have piece of mind. You can do it all online http://www.fmcadot com ScottB 86FC35 SC --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "guysmalley" > > Kerry > Fmca service uses coachnet, which I found very good, the three year deal will pay for itself in > one tow > > guy smalley > 86 pt 40 > > > > > up. > > > Allstate's RV Roadhelp is useless. They more or less said sorry we > > > can't help you, you're on your own. We'll pay the towing bill if > > you > > > can find someone to tow it, but we can't. I'm going to sign up for > > > the FMCA service, it can't be any worse. > > > > > > Kerry > > > 82 FC 35 > > > Denver > > > > > > |
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06-20-2006, 03:14
Post: #8
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On the road waiting for a fix
Thanks. I contacted the mechanic with the part numbers for the
bearings, cap and retainer that Tom Warner sent me. I don't know yet if he got that info before purchasing a whole new idler pulley. Not to worry about towing mishaps. If you have Allstate's RV Roadhelp they'll never make a towing mistake because they can't find anyone to tow you! After the mechanic came out to the campsite and determined it was the idler pulley, I ended up driving the Bird to the mechanic's shop since it was only 5 miles away. He was going to replace the pulley at the campsite but the bolts were too tight to loosen by hand. I just joined FMCA and RV-Coach road service. Kerry 82 FC 35 Denver --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Scott" wrote: > > Kerry, I replaced the same bearing when I replaced the water pump. > You can get the bearing from NAPA, it is a sealed bearing, and is > pressed in, mine DID NOT LOOK LIKE IT WAS PRESSED IN BUT IT WAS..no > need for a new pulley. They are kinda expensive. Have the mechanic > use an impact socket, a press, and press the old bearing out. Stand > way back there is a whole lot of pressure there. > > When they towed you, did they use extra high supports on > the "stinger" of the tow truck?? If not check and make sure they did > not crush the oil pan, could be another bad day!! > > Also, join FMCA, buy the emergency road service for 100.00 and have > piece of mind. You can do it all online http://www.fmcadot com > > ScottB > 86FC35 > SC > > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "guysmalley" > > > > > Kerry > > Fmca service uses coachnet, which I found very good, the three year > deal will pay for itself in > > one tow > > > > guy smalley > > 86 pt 40 > > > > > > > > up. > > > > Allstate's RV Roadhelp is useless. They more or less said > sorry we > > > > can't help you, you're on your own. We'll pay the towing bill > if > > > you > > > > can find someone to tow it, but we can't. I'm going to sign up > for > > > > the FMCA service, it can't be any worse. > > > > > > > > Kerry > > > > 82 FC 35 > > > > Denver > > > > > > > > > > |
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06-22-2006, 09:15
Post: #9
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On the road waiting for a fix
Quick update. Mechanic was able to find all the parts and rebuild
it. It needed the shaft also since both bearings had frozen, spun on the shaft and destroyed it. We contacted the mechanic Monday morning at about 9:30. He was out our campsite by 12:30. We had the Bird at his shop by about 1:30. He had the idler pulley out in about twenty minutes when we left as he was looking for parts. He ordered the parts that afternoon, had them freighted in, rebuilt it the next morning and we were on the road by 10:30am. All for $363 including parts of $90 and welding our step which had broken a couple of days before. If you ever need a mechanic in Macon MO, Ronnie's Garage is the place. Have since visited Cahokia Mounds State Park and are currently in New Harmony, Indiana. Cahokia is a great example of a large stone age city and New Harmony is a veritable shrine for socialists since it was started by religious millenarian socialists and then bought out by the secular utopian socialist, Robert Owen. Paul Tillich, probably the greatest American philosophical theologian of the twentieth century has a memorial garden here. We're staying at Harmonie State Park. Thanks to everyone for your help. Heading further east tomorrow. Kerry 82 FC 35 Denver --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davidkerryedwards" > > Thanks. I contacted the mechanic with the part numbers for the > bearings, cap and retainer that Tom Warner sent me. I don't know > yet if he got that info before purchasing a whole new idler pulley. > Not to worry about towing mishaps. If you have Allstate's RV > Roadhelp they'll never make a towing mistake because they can't find > anyone to tow you! After the mechanic came out to the campsite and > determined it was the idler pulley, I ended up driving the Bird to > the mechanic's shop since it was only 5 miles away. He was going to > replace the pulley at the campsite but the bolts were too tight to > loosen by hand. > I just joined FMCA and RV-Coach road service. > > Kerry > 82 FC 35 > Denver > > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Scott" > wrote: > > > > Kerry, I replaced the same bearing when I replaced the water pump. > > You can get the bearing from NAPA, it is a sealed bearing, and is > > pressed in, mine DID NOT LOOK LIKE IT WAS PRESSED IN BUT IT > WAS..no > > need for a new pulley. They are kinda expensive. Have the mechanic > > use an impact socket, a press, and press the old bearing out. > Stand > > way back there is a whole lot of pressure there. > > > > When they towed you, did they use extra high supports on > > the "stinger" of the tow truck?? If not check and make sure they > did > > not crush the oil pan, could be another bad day!! > > > > Also, join FMCA, buy the emergency road service for 100.00 and > have > > piece of mind. You can do it all online http://www.fmcadot com > > > > ScottB > > 86FC35 > > SC > > > > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "guysmalley" > > > > > > > > Kerry > > > Fmca service uses coachnet, which I found very good, the three > year > > deal will pay for itself in > > > one tow > > > > > > guy smalley > > > 86 pt 40 > > > > > > > > > > > up. > > > > > Allstate's RV Roadhelp is useless. They more or less said > > sorry we > > > > > can't help you, you're on your own. We'll pay the towing > bill > > if > > > > you > > > > > can find someone to tow it, but we can't. I'm going to sign > up > > for > > > > > the FMCA service, it can't be any worse. > > > > > > > > > > Kerry > > > > > 82 FC 35 > > > > > Denver > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > |
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