Our Accident

[Chuck Wheeler]

Rob,

I will keep everyone informed. I am in San Marcos, Ca right for mom's birthday. State Farm claim agent call yesterday. He had looked at the BB and declined to try to estimate.Didn't know haw to estimate a steel coach. Claim office said to take it to NorthTexas RV and they would useuse their estimate.

I had a couple of friends look at it. One restores old fire engines so is used to metal bodies.He thought it would be a fairly easy repair. Another friend look at the tank and said that he had repaired worst damage on boat tanks. I am looking for a hinge end ( the little piece that the door rod goes through, and a battery door. The door can be repaired if necessary.

I am still amazed at the slight damage for a hard as we hit. We were bounced around like a thrill ride! I have driven it 380 miles since the accident. Only noticeable thing is it pulls a little to the right but that could be due to a five year old Michelin paired with a new Bridgestone on the steer axle.

- Chuck Wheeler-

1982 FC 31SB Fort Worth TX

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From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Rob Robinson
Sent: Sunday, August 23, 2009 11:33 AM
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Our Accident

I've been there and done that too. Sure glad all were unharmed. Keep us posted on your repairs so we can learn and maybe find parts for you. A runningdocumentary will keep the members aware of your search for parts and may prove beneficial

2009/8/21 Chuck Wheeler <"cwheeler@kathleenwheeler.com">

Rob,

I had the cruise set. Traffic was pretty spread out, speed limit was 55 but everything was flowing about 50 and that's where I had the cruise set. I was about 400-500 feet behind the truck I had been following and the vehicle following me was probably 1/2 mile or so behind. The single lane had been wide. I was about ready to disengage the cruisefor thethe narrowbridge approach ahead when all the "fun" started. The following vehicle turned out to be a truck and he pulled over to see if we were OK.

- Chuck Wheeler-

1982 FC 31SB Fort Worth TX

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From: "WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com" [mailto:"WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com"] On Behalf Of Rob Robinson
Sent: Friday, August 21, 2009 12:27 AM
To: "WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com"
Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Our Accident

Chuck if I'm wrong here my apologies but did you say you were on 'cruise control?

2009/8/20 Chuck Wheeler <"cwheeler@kathleenwheeler.com">

I want to thank all of you for your thoughts and offers of help. It is really appreciated. I have been busy during the day getting a rental ready for a new tenant so I can get to California next week for mom's birthday. Estimates, and repair work are on hold until I get back. I drive to California, so will be out of touch for a few days and I didn't want all the great Wanderlodge folks to think that I was ignoring you or do not appreciate this group. I am collecting parts, but am not doing any thing else until insurance has a look at it.

To answer one question, I did not exactly follow the Michelin procedures. Things happened fast! I hit the object in the road, heard it bang against the body a couple of times, started to think about taking the next off ramp to check for damage, then the tire exploded. We were about two feet from the barrier and as the bus started pulling that direction I started to correct and tapped the brake just enough to cancel the cruise control. I didn't want to take my hands off the wheel to turn it off. As we bounced off the barrier we were headed for an off ramp so I steered it that direction. I didn't accelerate or brake just let it coast until we were clear of the interstate and then slowed it down and parked on the shoulder. Kathy and I have discussed it and it was probably 3-4 seconds from the time we hit the object till we hit the barrier. I was concentrating on the off ramp because I really didn't want to get out on the bridge at 50 mph with a unit that I did not have completely undercontrol. I was also about 1/4 mile from the end of a 10 mile single lane and would have backed traffic up for a long distance.

I walked back to see if there were any parts to recover and found a lot of assorted parts thrown off the road. They must have a lot of "incidents" in that area.

There is a lot of cosmetic damage. but If I can get the grey water tank and drains repaired our Wanderlodge will be usable even if it is not pretty! I may have to change it's name to "ONE TOUGH RV!"

- Chuck Wheeler-

1982 FC 31SB Fort Worth TX

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Rob, Sue and Joey Robinson
94 WLWB

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Rob, Sue and Joey Robinson
94 WLWB