We had been up in New England for almost two months as of today and this morning I sent my son a text telling him we were headed home and how happy I was that I didn't have to get any of my tools out to fix anything during the entire time.
But my elation was short lived. Leaving Seabrook, NH this morning and driving to our first overnight stop in Matamoras, PA neccesitated beating our brains out on I-84 through NY. It was bad on the way up, but apparently worse on the way south.
When I pulled off at the rest area where we usually spend the night a truck driver who pulled in right beside me came and tapped on my driver's window to tell me that my taillight was hanging out. After the beating we (and the coach) had just taken I wasn't surprised and got out to take a look. The pictures tell the story.
Apparently the exhaust tip came off and allowed the hot exhaust to travel upward inside the fiberglass body melting the wire looms and the taillight itself, allowing the taillight to fall out, hanging only by the bulb(s) wiring.
So, we are in a safe place with plenty of fuel, food and drink, but I need a little info.
The exhaust tip and clamp should be obtainable from NAPA or the like, but I have some questions about the taillight;
My taillights are OEM 1999 Ford Expedition, but the one pictured is too distorted to go back in its opening. Am I correct in my assumption that it has to go in from the outside because of the pins that hold it in place? Does
the thin black rubber gasket come with a new light assembly, or is that gasket a FT idea? I'm guessing it's FT.
I always carry some tape for any emergency requiring it but because of the heat distortion it's nearly impossible
to tape the taillight in place.
No matter what I can't leave here without a tailpipe tip and a working driver's side taillight.
Thankful the coach didn't catch on fire. Lot of heat there.
Don't see a gasket mentioned with any of the replacement lens offerings online.
I wish the fuel taxes collected would be spent on fixing the roads. Is that too much to ask for?
Don't make me go there! We moved to Tennessee 25 years ago from Mass. I'm going to send Cuomo the bill.
I saved the old one which may be reusable.
If you are going to buy one new lens anyway you might consider the taillight conversion I copied off Don's coach. There are some that are the same for a lower price. You have to use a converter like the one that came on the coach for towing, to not have to add a light for the turn indicator.
What did you do to your coach today VIII (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=36854.msg350080#msg350080)
CG Ford Expedition 97-02 LED Tail Light Black | eBay (https://www.ebay.com/i/263237623458?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=263237623458&targetid=484372169199&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9031159&poi=&campaignid=1498383093&mkgroupid=60666402667&rlsatarget=pla-484372169199&abcId=1139446&merchantid=131376332&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqezfjIeG5AIVBY3ICh1eVAumEAQYBSABEgLhhfD_BwE)
I was born in Western Massachusetts, and moved to NH in 1975 and left there in 2015.
The one thing I learned is for any destination south of Philadelphia, it's better to take I-90 to Scranton, PA and turn left. Between the I-84 road surface and Metropolitan NYC traffic the time works out to be the same.
Thanks Chuck but I'm an OEM/incandescent guy.
Cool, but maybe you meant Syracuse?
How about my beautiful stainless tailpipe tip that's laying somewhere in New Yawk, is it a 5" X 8" does anyone know?
Have to measure the exhaust pipe could be 3 or 4 inches on a 295
Ohhhhh. You're right, I-84 all the way to Scranton. It's going to be close but if I get the Fiat/Siata done in time I'm (we're) traveling that way to upper Maine. Screw it.. If I need to I'll set the cruise on 45.
Red, I measured it as 5" around but guessed at the length. I Thought it stuck out about 3". Luckily I am close to NAPA, AZ and Advance.
Anybody know the length of it from fiberglass body to end of tip? I guess I could order one that's too long, use it to get home and cut it to fit when I get there. I also need to know how the taillight snaps in. Maybe a call to Xtreme in the morning.
I can't believe that I traveled on that POS NY Interstate and left them a tip!!
You'd better slow down. I've never heard of upper Maine but I-84 is ceratainly a preview to Nothern Maine.
AP Products CTD-5000 Stainless Steel 5" Turn Down Exhaust Tip Amazon.com: AP Products CTD-5000 Stainless Steel 5" Turn Down Exhaust Tip:... (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004M8KW90/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_xfGvDbRA2J2DA)
Thanks but it's straight.
Where's Rbark when you need him?
I replaced our taillights on our 2001 this summer with the following for $46. It came with the gasket.
1992-1993-1994 Ford Econoline E-Series Van E150 E250 E350 Taillight Taillamp Rear Brake Ta... Amazon.com: 1992-1993-1994 Ford Econoline E-Series Van E150 E250 E350... (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004DS1L30/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_tai_W3GvDb)...
I don't think mine are the same but thanks.
Is the exhaust pipe stainless tip proprietary to FOT?
I can't find anything that resembles a straight 5" X 8" or 9" stainless exhaust piece.
I have my old one I removed when I did the exhaust upgrade.. its curved.. free though ^.^d
I'm right here T-man! Go with the curved one. What do you need?
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mbr-t5085?seid=srese1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhdTqBRDNARIsABsOl9-vC32cJk9qbhsv
Had to shorten the pipe from the resonator a bit.
That's the one I have. I had to cut the 90 deg back as it was making too much dust in the driveway. I cut it and l clocked it a little to the drivers side to solve the dust problem. In my reply number 5, second picture shows how it came out after grinding the 90.
Thanks Richard curved is what I needed to know.
Thanks C-man. Yours looks good in the picture.
But you have heard of "down east Maine," right? There's a motorcycle thing in Abbot, ME called North of Everywhere. Just a small family of motorcyclists celebrating the host's contribution over a good number of years.
On the way up I-95 I'll pass a sign pointing to the left that states Sherbrooke, PQ.
I'm starting to have flash backs to when we left New England in 2015. I can't remember where the rough interstate was located but I do remember driving Route 9 from Concord, NH to Bennington, VT. Then Albany, NY to Scranton, PA
I-93S, 495 to 290 to 90 to I-84 is the only way out of New England unless you have all the time in the world. But the pavement is less than ideal.
This was during the resonator install, so the stock exhaust pipe may have differed from my installation. This is what it looked like before I cut and clocked it.
Another resonator install (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=33817.msg309206#msg309206)
T-man, just make sure you have it turned somewhat to the side as cranemam said, otherwise there will be too much dust blowing around.
We replaced ours a year ago and the gaskets came with the lens. Good luck.
You could get a set of magnetic trailer tail lights for ~$20-25 from Home Depot. etc. `to get you home.
New taillight is at nearby NAPA now for $32.00 and DavidS is UPSing me his old tailpipe tip which will be here Monday.
What's incredible is that I can't drive the coach anywhere for fear of heat damage to the fiberglass or worse yet causing a fire. I always perform pre-flight walk arounds but I never thought to check the exhaust tip for tightness.
I also don't see any holes in the exhaust pipe end that indicate how the tip was held on. DavidS said his was held on with screws and a couple of small spot welds. Maybe mine used a muffler clamp?
Anyway, thanks to all for your input..........and y'all might consider checking your exhausts.
T-man, reply 26 3rd pic. the clamp holds mine on, also used it for the rear hanger.
When I was young... we left the house in our car... there was a vibration noise coming from the rear of the car so we stopped 2 blocks down the street... stupid me decided to grab the exhaust tip to see if a hanger had come loose... took a split second to register .....Holy HOT cakes... Wow I didnt realize at that age how fast the exhaust got.. learned fast and had a reminder burn on my hand for a few weeks after that....
Check it when cold .. is the moral of he story..
I had planned to do your resonator upgrade but ran out of time before leaving home in June. Wish that hadn't been the case.
Mine is tack welded on with the clamp, just to keep it pointed the right way.
Like yours C-man my clamp held the tip in place as well as securing the exhaust to the hanger. Today I was able to get a closer look at the exhaust tip and what I found was that the stainless tip somehow got severed right at the end of the exhaust pipe, like someone took a hacksaw and cut it off flush leaving about 4" of stainless around the exhaust secured by the clamp. It's indiscernible in pictures but what clued me in was seeing the little slots in the stainless next to the clamp.
Anyone a metalurgist?
How much of the tip was unsupported? Maybe the harmonics shook it so much it simply worked/cracked.
All of it was unsupported. Good possibility.
NY I-84 harmonics.
I'll keep an eye on mine now.
Did someone draw a line with a pencil? Graphite does interesting things to some stainless steels when hot.
Today I removed the air intake pipe behind the taillight to gain access to replace the taillight. After replacing the taillight I replaced all the split wire loom that melted then put the intake pipe back in place. The taillight looks to be a good quality Taiwanese replacement, by Balkamp at NAPA for $32.00, no gasket.
Many thanks to the Keystone State for letting us stay here at the Welcome Center all this time. The ladies inside the facility said we could stay here until we get the coach fixed. There's about 12 -15 truck spots with no idling ever and no parking from 7:00PM -7:00AM, so we're the only ones in here most nights with only a very few cars on the car side. There's a big dumpster right near us and plenty of green grass that's mowed with curbing.
This place is a real gem for any of you that are looking for an overnight, but you'll maybe have to drive on NY I-84 to do it.
Been busy but I'll try and get some pics to post tomorrow. I know how much you folks like pix.
Y'all have a great night.
Almost forgot to say that there's a Walmart, Lowe's, HD, Autozone, NAPA and Advance all within a couple of miles along with some great bars and restaurants including a VFW.
I cut the stainless piece off the tailpipe with a 4-1/2" angle grinder then worked the tailpipe with a crescent wrench to taper it as it was slightly out of round from the OE muffler clamp and finally got the tip on by beating the Hell out of it. Car is hooked up and I'm going to take a shower and head home. Phew!
Thanks to all that replied.
Found this yesterday way up inside where the flex joins an ell. It too broke and had slid down away from the joint.
Happy that we got home without another crisis.
Pushing to hard Man!!
NY I-84 harmonics.
FWIW to you folks like me that still have the OEM muffler with stainless tip;
My tailpipe tip that broke off perfectly around the very end of the tailpipe did so in the bend where it was expanded from 5" OD to 5" ID and already stressed.
So, don't forget to check not only your tires, but now your tailpipe tip too............ I do. I might even have a look at the rest of the exhaust system more frequently now by lifting the bed, as I also had a connector fail that might have been seen earlier from topside.