So Here I Sit...

I started my migration north yesterday from Arizona to Wyoming. About 20 miles north of Vegas on I-15 there was a loud BOOM and my TPMS politely informed me that we had a "problem".  The tire on my center 5th wheel axle had decided to retire from service as well as perform a reasonable amount of body work on my rig. Given which axle the tire was on I elected to put that $149 a year that I pay Coach Net to use.

So a reasonable person would assume that when you call a road service that specializes in big rigs that what arrives on scene would be something rather large and full of tools. What arrived was a sedan with a guy dressed in a high-vis vest with a miniature floor jack. Long story short, we used his jack and my tools. I acted as technical advisor so I didn't wind up with a bent axle or have to witness the service guy getting killed and the service guy performed as muscle although I still wound up bleeding somehow.

I made it to Mesquite Nevada last nite just after dark after sweating that my ten year old spare would explode and leave me really screwed on the side of the road. Now I'm sitting in the shade while the tire tech at Wal-Mart replaces all six tires with new Carlisle E rated ST's.

All in all it could have been a lot worse. There was only cosmetic damage, my tanks survived the beating and all I have to do immediately is repair a broken brake wire on the center axle.

Yes, my  one experience with Coach Net was similar so I switched to AAA-RV and have never been sorry. 

They have always responded with appropriate equipment the two times I had to call them.

You guys are kidding yourselves if you think changing the dispatching service has much effect. They are all at the mercy of the providers in the area where the breakdown occurs. If Fred's Handy Tire is the only local roadside tire service, that's who you get no matter what company dispatches him.  Typically the big time service in the area is busy with commercial rigs and the choice for smaller rigs is either a long wait or a less capable provider.  Most customers want instant response, so they send whoever is available on short notice.

That said, I feel that CN service has gone downhill from a decade ago.  Prices have gone up and quality of phone rep service has deteriorated.

Actually I'm quite happy with Coach Net even though the service guy wasn't as prepared as I would have expected. Since I'm an RV'r and not a camper (no disrespect to campers) I pretty much carry everything I need to work on the rig, it's just that I didn't want to attempt this one alone. I also informed Coach Net that I did not need a tow truck and that all it that was needed was a tire change so they sent basically what I needed. I've used them before for a couple of tows when I did something stupid and they always show up with what is required.

On the other hand, if this would have been Ma & Pa Kettle on the side of the road with no RV savvy it could have been different. The guy was going to initially try to lift my center axle by jacking up my front axle but I said no way. He then was going to place the jack under the center axle two feet from the spring shackle and I again said not gonna happen. I ran the blown tire up on four Lynx blocks to get him enough room for proper jack placement and all worked out well.

Currently I'm happily parked at Cedar Pocket between Mesquite and St. George where I'll spend a few days relaxing and try to drink some of this beer I brought along. By the way, $510 for six Carlisle E rated ST's wasn't near as painful as I thought it could have been.

Life's an adventure that won't last near long enough for most of us, enjoy whatever it brings you and take away from it what lessons most ignore.

Coach net does not provide roadside service. they have contractors all over creation that do that for them, In Detroit area for example it is Gouch and Son's towing.. NOW G&Sons has tow trucks ranging from just big enough to pick up a mid size car to more than big enough to haul my motor home around .. So what did they send? A mid size.  for a winch out... (We got 'er done but truthfully that was about 1/2 the truck, had to re-write the towing manual to do it, would not have been able to tow if it were not for the high "Cut" of the rear on my Damon intruder)

I've been winched out 3 times. teh other two from the front and they used a big enough truck.
(the last time 2 weeks ago.. Tomorrow).  The first time was Coach-Net the others I paid the tow truck and I described the RV to the dispatcher.. Makes a big difference.

It's funny because back in 2013 we stayed for a couple of weeks on a friends property in Alvin Texas just south of Houston. Two days before we were to pull out it rained just enough to cause the 5th wheel to settle maybe an inch or two. At the time I was running ribbed drive tires on my Freightliner 'cause that's what was on it when we bought it. Not the best for anything but asphalt but they were nice and quiet going down the road. Since we were parked on grass I didn't have the traction to pull my sorry butt out of the driveway. I called Coach Net  and explained the situation telling them that I just needed to get winches out about 25 feet and all would be right with the world. After about an hour with no tow truck in sight I called and asked what was up. Coach Net called me back about ten minutes later and told me that the contractor had driven by, seen the size of the rig (which he should have known from the dispatch) and decided to just keep going and blow off the call. Coach Net informed me that this particular contractor just got dropped because of his failure to notify them. They had another truck there in less than a half hour, they cabled me up and pulled me right out.

The original owners of Coach Net were and still are friends of mine, in fact my daughter works for them at the country club that they own in Lake Havasu City AZ. I do agree that since Jerry & Cindi sold the business years ago that the service has suffered a bit but I still think they're the best when it comes to big rigs. I also like the fact that they cover my car, motorcycle and ATV and there's no limit to the amount of times you can use them in a year.

I read the title of this post and started to laugh. It reminded me of a saying a long time ago. It went like this. "So here I sit broken hearted, tried to cr*p but only far*ed.

Rene T said:

I read the title of this post and started to laugh. It reminded me of a saying a long time ago. It went like this. "So here I sit broken hearted, tried to cr*p but only far*ed.

Click to expand...

In the days of pay toilets the saying was:

Here I sit, broken hearted. Paid a quarter and only f*rted.

"Yesterday I took a chance, saved a dime and crapped my pants"

The last three post turned this thread to S**t ...this included   ;D.

Arch Hoagland said:

In the days of pay toilets the saying was:

Here I sit, broken hearted. Paid a quarter and only f*rted.

Click to expand...

Pay toilets.  :  Must have been you city slickers.  ;D

be glad when this poo post disappears

Okay, so here's the true version...


Here I sit
  Broken hearted
Paid a nickle to sh*t
  But only fa*ted


You see, you've got to get the rhyming down pat.  And it was only a "nickle" initially...before flatulation...er uh...inflation. ;D

Foto-n-T said:

Currently I'm happily parked at Cedar Pocket between Mesquite and St. George where I'll spend a few days relaxing and try to drink some of this beer I brought along. By the way, $510 for six Carlisle E rated ST's wasn't near as painful as I thought it could have been.

Life's an adventure that won't last near long enough for most of us, enjoy whatever it brings you and take away from it what lessons most ignore.

Click to expand...

I am jealous of your current site. I have never been lucky enough to find a spot there. I guess karma is trying to make up to you.

Now that I have stopped laughing again!  shout out to Foto-n-T. We live in Alvin, Texas, and have had to be pulled out of the grass "drive" beside my brothers house!

Rene T said:

Pay toilets.  :  Must have been you city slickers.  ;D

Click to expand...

When I was in the Navy I had to travel by greyhound buses. All the Greyhound terminals had pay toilets and you soon learned to carry coins with you. 

Pay toilets.. THe locks were made buy a company called Nick-O-Lock because originally they were a nickle. then a dime, then a quarter.. I like to avoid them.  on to page 2

Ribbed/aggressive tires

I recall one of my coworkers telling how much fun it was goign to be watching "The Kid" Who had a brand new Splash Pickup by Ford (no weight to speak of on the reare axle) with extra wide drive tires go up the hill after a major snow.. I have to admit he got that part right

Then he took his big Lincoln Mark somethign Land Yatch with ribbed "Summer" type tires up the hill.. Same as the kid

Then two young ladies Front wheel drive, ONe from GA one TX both straight up the hill like it was summer

I brought up the rerar.. Kelly Navigator 800's.. again  like it was August.

Oh well.  I still think about Michigan Winters when buying tires.

Has anyone else noticed that the toilet partitions at Niagara Falls State Park Visitor Center are branded "Hiny Hiders?"