Re: Towing coverage (split from Re: 1991 GV 40 DD 6V92 tow question)
Reply #22 –
I think that I had your dispatcher when I called. Zero understanding to what I was driving. Did not get any info correct.
No, but we leveled the coach with my wooden boards to get close on the shoulder of the interstate. Then he removed the passenger axle and slipped it into a new transport bag, and installed his new axle cover from his ziplock bag. He lost maybe 3 oz. of fluid it was so quick, and had his cleaning gear to clean up the drips on the wheel. I asked about removing both axles, or the drive shaft, and he said they do the one axle. He is the main tow operator that the Cummins shop, and the local cities use. He and the shop guys were talking about another operator that had not removed an axle and was buying a new transmission for the client's bus.
Two points. It took maybe 4 minutes to remove the rear hubcap, and axle cover bolts, pull the axle and install a cover plate.
The other thing was getting air to the coach. He started to go to a front dry tank. I suggested we plug into my air outlet in the propane locker. He had all the adapters and in less than a minute he had us aired and ready to release the parking brake.
From him arriving, hook up, pull the axle, air hook up, remote rear lights, doing a slow test pull and double check everything, and then to rolling took less than 20 minutes.
We were only going 12 miles back to the next exit. The service guys offered to re-install the axle, and save his axle cover for when was next back to the shop.
I too had Good Sam's towing. My issues started with zero phone coverage for a couple of miles of Interstate outside of Fairfax VA. Then it took an hour to get a tow company set up, to be there in two hours. And we could not get calls at the coach, so we were 3 miles away in the commuter parking lot exit. Then the tow company called me and when I reconfirmed my mile marker, coach length and weight, he balked, as it was over his weight limit. So back to Good Sam's and start all over again. But by now I had driven to Cummins, and was at the service managers desk, and ordering the new parts, while the coach is on the shoulder 12 miles away. The service manager told the Good Sam's operator, the tow company to use, and recited the number. That is when things started moving again. So 6 hours after rolling to a stop, we were on the tow bar, heading back the other way one exit.
Our tow driver's dad owns the company, the son's name was on the door, it was their biggest truck, he was about 35, and towing was the only job he had ever had! But next new larger boom truck was getting new logos. The new truck he said will be one of the largest in the county, and he was banking his future on it, for his and his dad's company to grow larger.
Our 20/20 hindsight is always perfect. And having to do this by remote, by cell, trying to help others, is maybe the hardest thing to do. In your seat that day, I would have wanted the flat bed, and damn the dollars, to get my family and coach to safety!
Topic: Towing coverage (split from Re: 1991 GV 40 DD 6V92 tow question) (Read 588 times)
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