Del Air Co. RV

I last left off with the RV being towed to Del Air and I was going to sleep in the parking lot! They did an initial assessment the next day, and began a plan of repair. Because this happened between Christmas and New Year’s, it was difficult to get much done. But to their credit, things did get ordered.

Because it was possible that I may need a new axle, I stayed at Staybridge Suites and took in some city sights. I shared quite a bit of that already. So this is what happened next.

I checked in with them on the Monday after New Year, and they were adamant that a new axle was necessary. They pointed out that it looked like the bearings had failed. In doing so, they heated up to the extent that part of the bearing melted onto the axle before the wheel blew off! That part made it impossible to mount new bearings, brakes, and put the wheel back on. If we went with a new axle, it would take 3 weeks to get it!! The company was down until after New Year’s (of course) so they wouldn’t begin making it until after January 1st. Looking at the second week in January for delivery.

Well, I sure did not want to nor could I afford to stay in a motel that long!! Did not want to because of Covid, and could not because of the expense!! Not sure how much my insurance would cover.

I did get pretty good vibes from Mark, the Service Department Manager, and Robert, the co-owner of this family run business that they would fix my RV well.👍 (I would put both of them in their 50s. Robert’s brother is the Sales Manager. )

I could not afford to be in a motel for 3 weeks !! I was hoping a wheel would be able to be attached temporarily and I could at least haul it to a campground or a beach nearby until the axle arrived. 😬 They did not believe it was safe to do that.

What was decided was that my RV would be pulled in under the shelter, and I could hook up and stay in it!! They had done it before. Any utility expenses on my part they would roll into their insurance estimate. Wonderful!! 👍😃

I spent Monday night at the motel, and got everything together to move again! 😝 I moved back in on Tuesday afternoon.

motel buffet

Oh, I do want to add this, as I have been asked how motels are handling their breakfast buffets now with Covid precautions. At this motel breakfast buffet, they had mostly prepackaged items to choose from. On two mornings, (probably when I was there early enough) they had a large covered container of scrambled eggs and sausage. I took it each time. 🙄It was OK. They had fresh apples, oranges and sorry looking bananas available. I found out the oranges were really sweet and delicious! I’ve been purchasing them since.

But when you look at what is being offered, this stuff is really not very good for you. I have most of it in the refrigerator. (The little pancakes should be good!) That is why I am so happy to be residing in my RV again!

Not only can I cook my own food easily but everything is mine. The pall of Covid hovered over everything in the motel. Every time I went down for breakfast and pushed the elevator button, or stepped in the elevator after others stepped out….Covid precautions….Everything I touched in the breakfast area…CP…get back to room and wash hands for 20 seconds and use sanitizer. Every movement out of the motel room door always involved being mindful of covid. They do have sanitizers throughout the hotel…at the check-in area with the large plastic shield, mounted by the elevator doors and in the breakfast area. All staff wore masks and residents were required to and did as far as I saw.

But still…It was something you always had to remember. And of course, when I first got in the room, I sprayed everything I could think of. And then you realize you didn’t do the switch on the lamp! Or the control on the thermostat. How about the cupboard edges, because it has no knobs! Drives you nuts!!

Bottomline: I’d rather be in my RV under a shelter in an RV dealership than in a motel!!

RV Damage

So, to recap and to add to the damage discovered at the dealership.

Henry was the mechanic who was assigned to take a look at what had happened, as this was a rarity. (I’m so lucky) it wasn’t a tire blowout. It was decided that the bearings had failed. I did have them re-packed last year. But as they delved further into it, it appeared that the bearings were not taken out and repacked with grease being hand worked into them. Fresh grease was just squirted in around them! He pointed out the difference in color that was evident on the wheel and bearings on the tire on the opposite side of the axle. The black was the wearing and heating and the pink was the new.

He also showed me the bearing itself with pitting on its edges as the grease didn’t protect them from wear.

I had already made the decision to have all three tires checked and the bearings replaced. Even if it was at my expense! I’m going to find my paper work on when it was that my bearings were done. I have them done at Appleton Camping…but I started losing confidence in them over something else over a year ago. Not going back there again!!

I turned to my son, Nathan, for advice concerning the axle. The end of the axle can be removed and just that part replaced and add on the bearings, brakes, etc. The co-owner Robert and Nathan spoke to each other. The reasoning for a new axle is because it comes completely set up to install with brakes and bearings and just put on the tire. There was a concern that the labor involved with installing bearings etc. would negate the advantage of only replacing the end piece . Maybe, maybe not. But the insurance company agreed to it. So as long as I am staying here for free, a new axle is not a bad thing to have.

Now that I think about it, BOTH ends should come all set up. So I should only have 2 sets of bearings to pay for to replace in my other 2 tires.. 🤔.

It also was discovered that some of the wood under the back panel of the RV where the ladder is attached, has deteriorated and softened. 🤪 They were able to pull out pieces and there was some “give” in the lower part of the ladder. I know the top of the ladder is secure on the roof and sealed in after the new roof was put on. And it’s not that loose on the bottom. So we have been going back and forth concerning work on the back.

It’s not unusual for an RV that has turned 10 years old to have things like this taking place. (It had to have been a roof leak that went unnoticed before the roof was repaired because of the tree limb damage) So, they wanted the “Cadillac” approach. (My words here) Take the whole back covering off, replace the soft wood, reattach the ladder, replace with new covering (it’s not aluminum) and fit everything around all the lighting and vents and seal the corner.

Well, it might not all be covered by insurance. This really is a Pre-existing problem that was uncovered by the tire damage. So I suggested a “Ford” approach. Remove the lower half, put in new wood and re- attach the bottom of the ladder and roll the seam that would go horizontal along the whole lower 1/3 of the RV to look good and keep it safe from water damage.

Worst case scenario…just fix the damaged bottom corner.

Robert was working with the insurance agency to get them to cover more than their estimate anyway, and they apparently settled on the Ford approach!! OK then!

Another Glitch ( of course!)

The parts that are needed for the exterior of the RV, are no longer provided or made by Forest River, my manufacturer. I had forgotten that. I went through that before when I needed a new window when my RV was broken into in Oshkosh. The Forest River plant in the MidWest burned to the ground about 3-4 years ago! That is where all the parts were made and stored for RVs produced until that time. Now Gone. Never rebuilt.

So they are getting the material that they would use for the outside sheets locally. It is being shaped to fit the design of my RV. It certainly helps to be located by a big city with all of these resources!! Those parts may be in by tomorrow.

So tomorrow I will look over and receive a copy of the initial plan of what will be fixed and sign the check already sent to cover all of this work. The next step is the plan for the back and the check for that. By then the axle may arrive. 🤞

The only plan I have right now, is to be able to reach Big Bend National Monument in south Texas by January 18th. I was able to make reservations for 3 nights!! So I really would like to take in this remarkable area if possible!! There are no reservations available after that until April!!

I will let you know how that works out. In the meantime, I continue to document this experience, stay healthy, watch the unfolding drama on the news on my phone, and explore! Stay healthy everyone!!