Our Accident

[Dorn Hetzel]

Sure, but having a real steel body doesn't hurt

Dorn Hetzel
77FC35
Hogansville, GA

On Fri, Aug 28, 2009 at 9:20 AM, gregoryoconnor <"greg@rainbowrv.com"> wrote:

 

I bet the minimal damage was more a result of "skill in driving and ownership". Wanderlodge owners tend to be more versed in most aspects of the rv unit. "Luck is when skill and opportunity come together"



DerekH showed me a video slide show of an accident with a class A stick and staple rig that was a down hill run-a-way (3 occupants only one broken arm). To many the fact that the RV was demolished looked to be the result of the rv unit construction. I believe the demolition was the result of operator lack of maintenance, skill and product understanding.



Tim and I sold hydroseeded lawns for ten years to retail customers. To minimize the chance of mixing (cheap)cross pollinated cultivars of fescue in our equipment we only used the 'top rated', 'center of field harvested' (cream of the crop) blend of fescues. To maximize sales we advertised a cheaper blend ("Yard Sale") but delivered only the top rated blend regardless of the customers request. Customers who ordered the more expensive package had better results and required less after purchase attention. Since both groups of customers were delivered the same control product :Lawn Result is more a matter of the grower then it is the seed.



Accident Result is more a matter of the driver/owner then it is the rv make construction.

Greg of Tim&Greg

94ptca

--- In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com", Pete Masterson wrote:

>

> Imagine if you'd been in a plastic palace!

>

> Pete Masterson

> '95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42

> El Sobrante CA

> aeonix1@...

>

>

>

> On Aug 26, 2009, at 3:16 PM, Chuck Wheeler wrote:

>

> >

> >

> > I have posted pictures of our accident.

> >

> > http://www.pbase.com/cwheeler76779/accident

> >

> > - Chuck Wheeler-

> > 1982 FC 31SB Fort Worth TX

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

[Chuck Wheeler]

I think there were several factors. I could pull it hard to the right because I had an off ramp there and did not need to worry about going off the right side of the road. (Luck) I had a good grip on the wheel due to traveling in the narrow construction zone which let me immediately react to the blowout. I think we probably would have survived the accident in a plastic SOB but the damage would have been much more severe. We did not crush the body anywhere near the frame and as hard as we hit I believe that we would have crushed the body on a fiberglass coach to the point that the frame rail contacted the concrete. (Steel construction) Kathy and I both had our seat belts on and stayed in our seats. The dog was thrown from the chair on the right side of the coach against the wall on the left. (No injuries,but he did not want to get back in for the trip back to Fort Worth.)

I don't want to start the war of tires discussion again, but if you want some interesting perspective compare the views of the sales people in the tire stores with that of the road service personnel that see different kinds of tire failures daily. It has cost me a few cups of coffee and a couple of lunches as I travel around the country, but the input is interesting.

- Chuck Wheeler-

1982 FC 31SB Fort Worth TX

---

From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of gregoryoconnor
Sent: Friday, August 28, 2009 8:20 AM
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Our Accident

I bet the minimal damage was more a result of "skill in driving and ownership". Wanderlodge owners tend to be more versed in most aspects of the rv unit. "Luck is when skill and opportunity come together"

DerekH showed me a video slide show of an accident with a class A stick and staple rig that was a down hill run-a-way (3 occupants only one broken arm). To many the fact that the RV was demolished looked to be the result of the rv unit construction. I believe the demolition was the result of operator lack of maintenance, skill and product understanding.

Tim and I sold hydroseeded lawns for ten years to retail customers. To minimize the chance of mixing (cheap)cross pollinated cultivars of fescue in our equipment we only used the 'top rated', 'center of field harvested' (cream of the crop) blend of fescues. To maximize sales we advertised a cheaper blend ("Yard Sale") but delivered only the top rated blend regardless of the customers request. Customers who ordered the more expensive package had better results and required less after purchase attention. Since both groups of customers were delivered the same control product :Lawn Result is more a matter of the grower then it is the seed.

Accident Result is more a matter of the driver/owner then it is the rv make construction.

Greg of Tim&Greg
94ptca

--- In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com", Pete Masterson > wrote:
>
> Imagine if you'd been in a plastic palace!
>
> Pete Masterson
> '95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
> El Sobrante CA
> aeonix1@...
>
>
>
> On Aug 26, 2009, at 3:16 PM, Chuck Wheeler wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > I have posted pictures of our accident.
> >
> > http://www.pbase.com/cwheeler76779/accident
> >
> > - Chuck Wheeler-
> > 1982 FC 31SB Fort Worth TX
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

[ronmarabito2002]

Chuck: They are located on Frye St. south of DFW Airport. Talk to John or
Bubba at 817-685-0250

R.E. (Ron) Marabito, Dallas, TX 92WB40

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Chuck Wheeler" wrote:
>
> Where is Prevost Car located. I may try to get a estimate from them to go
> along with the one from North Texas RV.
>
> - Chuck Wheeler-
> 1982 FC 31SB Fort Worth TX
>
>
> _____
>
> From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of ronmarabito2002
> Sent: Thursday, August 20, 2009 7:53 PM
> To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Our Accident
>
>
>
>
> Sorry to hear of your accident. Hope it isn't as bad as it sounds. I still
> don't have my coach back from Prevost Car in Ft. Worth. We have passed 2
> months not having the coach.
>
> R.E. (Ron) Marabito, Dallas, TX 92WB40
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@
> yahoogroups.com, "Chuck Wheeler" wrote:
> >
> > Since I am looking for parts for out Wanderlodge, folks will probably want
> > to know what happened. So here goes:
> >
> >
> >
> > Last week Kathy and I were headed to Nebraska from Fort Worth. We had
> > stopped in Guthrie, OK and I had checked the tires, etc. About mile post
> > 231, north bound on I-35, we were in a single lane construction zone
> between
> > concrete dividers. I hit a piece of metal that couldn't be avoided and it
> > made a great deal of noise. While I was thing that I would take the nest
> > off ramp and see if there was any damage the left steer tire exploded. We
> > were only about 2 feet from the concrete divider and we hit that at about
> > 50mph. "Bouncing" off that pointed us toward an off ramp which we took to
> > exit the highway.
> >
> >
> >
> > Damage was to the front left of the bumper and the body. The dump plumbing
> > (gone), front left docking light (gone), front of the grey water
> tank(valve
> > and tank fitting pulled out), battery door and hinge damage, and the left
> > outside rear tire damage from being scraped along the concrete..
> >
> >
> >
> > Had road service installed a new tire and we drove it 308 miles back to
> Fort
> > Worth. The road service person said that "your RV must be built like a
> > tank! I have seen a lot of accidents along here and most of them are not
> > drivable." I don't think a plastic coach or even a car would have survived
> > hitting as hard as we did.
> >
> >
> >
> > Insurance is coming out to look at it. It will be interesting to see what
> > they come up with. I could do most of the repairs if I had a place to work
> > on it.
> >
> >
> >
> > I am looking for Tom Eastman to see if he still has Rick Archie's salvaged
> > Wanderlodge. If any one has contact information for Tom I would appreciate
> > it.
> >
> >
> > - Chuck Wheeler-
> > 1982 FC 31SB Fort Worth TX
> >
>

[Chuck Wheeler]

Thanks Ron!

- Chuck
Wheeler-

1982 FC 31SB Fort Worth TX

---

From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of ronmarabito2002

Sent: Friday, August 28, 2009 3:11
PM

To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com

Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re:
Our Accident

Chuck: They are located on Frye St. south of DFW Airport.
Talk to John or Bubba at 817-685-0250



R.E. (Ron) Marabito, Dallas,
TX 92WB40



--- In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com",
"Chuck Wheeler" .> wrote:

>

> Where is Prevost Car located. I may try to get a estimate from them to go

> along with the one from North Texas RV.

>

> - Chuck Wheeler-

> 1982 FC 31SB Fort Worth
TX

>

>

> _____

>

> From: "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com"

> [mailto:"WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com"]
On Behalf Of ronmarabito2002

> Sent: Thursday, August 20, 2009 7:53 PM

> To: "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com"

> Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Our Accident

>

>

>

>

> Sorry to hear of your accident. Hope it isn't as bad as it sounds. I still

> don't have my coach back from Prevost Car in Ft. Worth.
We have passed 2

> months not having the coach.

>

> R.E. (Ron) Marabito, Dallas,
TX 92WB40

>

> --- In WanderlodgeForum@ Forum%40yahoogroups.com>

> yahoogroups.com, "Chuck Wheeler" wrote:

> >

> > Since I am looking for parts for out Wanderlodge, folks will probably
want

> > to know what happened. So here goes:

> >

> >

> >

> > Last week Kathy and I were headed to Nebraska
from Fort Worth.
We had

> > stopped in Guthrie, OK and I had checked the tires, etc. About mile
post

> > 231, north bound on I-35, we were in a single lane construction zone

> between

> > concrete dividers. I hit a piece of metal that couldn't be avoided
and it

> > made a great deal of noise. While I was thing that I would take the
nest

> > off ramp and see if there was any damage the left steer tire
exploded. We

> > were only about 2 feet from the concrete divider and we hit that at
about

> > 50mph. "Bouncing" off that pointed us toward an off ramp
which we took to

> > exit the highway.

> >

> >

> >

> > Damage was to the front left of the bumper and the body. The dump
plumbing

> > (gone), front left docking light (gone), front of the grey water

> tank(valve

> > and tank fitting pulled out), battery door and hinge damage, and the
left

> > outside rear tire damage from being scraped along the concrete..

> >

> >

> >

> > Had road service installed a new tire and we drove it 308 miles back
to

> Fort

> > Worth. The road service person said that "your RV must be built
like a

> > tank! I have seen a lot of accidents along here and most of them are
not

> > drivable." I don't think a plastic coach or even a car would
have survived

> > hitting as hard as we did.

> >

> >

> >

> > Insurance is coming out to look at it. It will be interesting to see
what

> > they come up with. I could do most of the repairs if I had a place to
work

> > on it.

> >

> >

> >

> > I am looking for Tom Eastman to see if he still has Rick Archie's
salvaged

> > Wanderlodge. If any one has contact information for Tom I would
appreciate

> > it.

> >

> >

> > - Chuck Wheeler-

> > 1982 FC 31SB Fort Worth
TX

> >

>

[Ryan Wright]

Chuck,

How full was your holding tank?

I lost an outside drive tire on a '66 Travco a number of years back. Had no trouble getting the coach off the road since it was one of the rear duals, but the blowout ripped the dump valve clean off. We were on our way home after a 3 day weekend and the holding tank was full. Spewed the entire contents over both lanes of I-5. I ran back a few hundred feet to retrieve the dump valve in case it was salvageable and the sight was surreal. The sun was just setting and traffic was fairly thick, likely other travelers returning home from their own mini-vacations. The roads were bone dry but everyone had their wipers on as the leading vehicles kicked our unmentionables up onto windshields at 70 miles per hour.


I grabbed what was left of my dump valve and got the hell out of there. Limped to the next exit and hid under the freeway until roadside assistance showed up to swap the tire. No way was I going to sit around and wait for one of those drivers to figure out what happened and come back for me. I still wonder whether the owner of the car wash at the next town noticed an unexplained surge in business that night.


-Ryan
'86 PT-40 8V92

[Ernie Ekberg]

One year, the Miller boys were coming from Michigan to RIV. They hit someting in the road and drenched their toad. Took them hours to clean that mess off. Hesperia, Ca on my way to south Lake Tahoe, in the am to work on Paul and Judy Williams XXV Ernie Ekberg 83PT40 Wanderlodge Weatherford, Tx 817-475-3991 http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/erni...gandrepair --- On Sun, 8/30/09, Ryan Wright wrote: From: Ryan Wright Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Our Accident To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Date: Sunday, August 30, 2009, 6:34 PM Chuck, How full was your holding tank? I lost an outside drive tire on a '66 Travco a number of years back. Had no trouble getting the coach off the road since it was one of the rear duals, but the blowout ripped the dump valve clean off. We were on our way home after a 3 day weekend and the holding tank was full. Spewed the entire contents over both lanes of I-5. I ran back a few hundred feet to retrieve the dump valve in case it was salvageable and the sight was surreal. The sun was just setting and traffic was fairly thick, likely other travelers returning home from their own mini-vacations. The roads were bone dry but everyone had their wipers on as the leading vehicles kicked our unmentionables up onto windshields at 70 miles per hour. I grabbed what was left of my dump valve and got the hell out of there. Limped to the next exit and hid under the freeway until roadside assistance showed up to swap the tire. No way was I going to sit around and wait for one of those drivers to figure out what happened and come back for me. I still wonder whether the owner of the car wash at the next town noticed an unexplained surge in business that night. -Ryan '86 PT-40 8V92

[Chuck Wheeler]

Holding tanks were empty. We had spent
the night in Guthrie, OK about 75 miles south of where we had the
accident.

- Chuck
Wheeler-

1982 FC 31SB Fort Worth TX

---

From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Ryan Wright

Sent: Sunday, August 30, 2009 6:34
PM

To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum]
Re: Our Accident

Chuck,



How full was your holding tank?



I lost an outside drive tire on a '66 Travco a number of years back. Had no
trouble getting the coach off the road since it was one of the rear duals, but
the blowout ripped the dump valve clean off. We were on our way home after a 3
day weekend and the holding tank was full. Spewed the entire contents over both
lanes of I-5. I ran back a few hundred feet to retrieve the dump valve in case
it was salvageable and the sight was surreal. The sun was just setting and
traffic was fairly thick, likely other travelers returning home from their own mini-vacations.
The roads were bone dry but everyone had their wipers on as the leading
vehicles kicked our unmentionables up onto windshields at 70 miles per hour.



I grabbed what was left of my dump valve and got the hell out of there. Limped
to the next exit and hid under the freeway until roadside assistance showed up
to swap the tire. No way was I going to sit around and wait for one of those
drivers to figure out what happened and come back for me. I still wonder
whether the owner of the car wash at the next town noticed an unexplained surge
in business that night.



-Ryan

'86 PT-40 8V92