Breaking down and repairs and ProPrides etc.

[tailypoe3]

I'd love to hear stories and advice about having your tow vehicle break down and needing a tow truck or any other repairs while pulling an Airstream! I'm concerned about possible damage and wondering if any points would need to be brought up to a tow truck driver (much like the specific jack pad). I have a ProPride as well and am wondering if this would complicate whatever mechanism tow truck drivers use to attach a trailer.

Also how do you go about finding repairmen if you can't make it to an airstream dealership? I've heard stories of people having dents on their roof after a repair because they didn't know to only step on the rivets or whatever and this all has me paranoid about people who don't know airstream's specifically. Thanks all I just want to be prepared!

[rmkrum]

It depend on the tow truck. If they have a standard 2 inch hitch receiver, you just move the stinger to their vehicle and hook up.

For repairs, appliances and basic systems can usually be handled by mobile RV repair folks. The rest of the body, it’s duct tape, plastic, and tow to an experienced dealer.

[DBinSD]

Break downs ?!
We don’t have time for break downs LoL [emoji23]

[tailypoe3]

lol yeah ideally but my 2018 truck broke down a few days ago while driving to Glacier National Park, luckily without the trailer, so if I can't rely on a brand new vehicle then I want to be ready.

[tailypoe3]

Well the truck that picked us up was a flat bed tow truck and he said he had some other apparatus on the back if we had had our trailer so I'm wondering what that looks like. I should have asked.

[Daquenzer]

I purchased the lot bar which functions as a normal hitch. Very easy to attach. The biggest issue is you can’t go much over 5 mph with it. I use it for the guys in the storage facility to move my AS around. I always take it along just in case I need repairs and someone has to move it.

By the way my NEW truck broke down with the AS on it. The guy hooked up my truck with it hitched to the AS and towed it. Thankfully it was an easy fix for the new truck. and he only had to tow my truck and AS a few miles.

[DBinSD]

Originally Posted by tailypoe3

lol yeah ideally but my 2018 truck broke down a few days ago while driving to Glacier National Park, luckily without the trailer, so if I can't rely on a brand new vehicle then I want to be ready.

Sorry to hear that. What actually broke down on it?

[tailypoe3]

The transmission cooler line came loose, but we supposedly pulled over before any severe damage was done. I'm skeptical, we were able to drive the 5 hours home but the truck seems a little rough to me when it's idling, possibly just paranoia and I never noticed it before.

[tailypoe3]

Originally Posted by Daquenzer

I purchased the lot bar which functions as a normal hitch. Very easy to attach. The biggest issue is you can’t go much over 5 mph with it. I use it for the guys in the storage facility to move my AS around. I always take it along just in case I need repairs and someone has to move it.

By the way my NEW truck broke down with the AS on it. The guy hooked up my truck with it hitched to the AS and towed it. Thankfully it was an easy fix for the new truck. and he only had to tow my truck and AS a few miles.

What kind of tow truck was it? Was your trailer completely flat on the ground then?
That is lucky, we broke down in the middle of nowhere and the truck came from an hour and a half away. 6 hours later we got to a hotel haha.

Is the lot bar big and heavy? I just really don't want another thing lol we're full time and already our truck bed is filled with stuff, I was hoping I could get away with leaving the stinger for the ProPride wherever we take it but I might just have to buckle and get the adapter.

[Daquenzer]

Originally Posted by tailypoe3

What kind of tow truck was it? Was your trailer completely flat on the ground then?
That is lucky, we broke down in the middle of nowhere and the truck came from an hour and a half away. 6 hours later we got to a hotel haha.

Is the lot bar big and heavy? I just really don't want another thing lol we're full time and already our truck bed is filled with stuff, I was hoping I could get away with leaving the stinger for the ProPride wherever we take it but I might just have to buckle and get the adapter.

Lot bar weighs about 20lbs. Put it in the trailer. Wouldn’t be good for long tows. But if a repair is needed the dealer could move it around the yard.

Tow truck was typical that used the tires on a bar. The trailer remained on the ground; although I would recommend readjusting the WDH. I had a blue ox at the time. Broke a bolt and had to get a new one. A real PITA.

[tailypoe3]

Originally Posted by Daquenzer

Lot bar weighs about 20lbs. Put it in the trailer. Wouldn’t be good for long tows. But if a repair is needed the dealer could move it around the yard.

Tow truck was typical that used the tires on a bar. The trailer remained on the ground; although I would recommend readjusting the WDH. I had a blue ox at the time. Broke a bolt and had to get a new one. A real PITA.

Cool thanks for all the info, how do you like the propride compared to blue ox by the way? Our AS dealership really really wanted to talk us out of the propride.

[Daquenzer]

Originally Posted by tailypoe3

Cool thanks for all the info, how do you like the propride compared to blue ox by the way? Our AS dealership really really wanted to talk us out of the propride.

I generally like the Propride.
Pros:
1). Easier to hook up and adjust weight destribution.
2). Clearly helps eliminate the bow affect in traffic. I really noticed the difference going through traffic in Milwaukee and Chicago. The bow affect with the Blue Ox was far more pronounced.

Cons:
1). I finding it hard to get rid of the “bump” affect at stop signs. I have the gain adjusted pretty high (9), and it has eliminated it on the stop. But the trailer has a tendency to move forward. This makes the hitch angle a bit, and then I get a kind of jerk when I pull forward. I’m going to text Shawn about this and see if there is anything that can be done.
2). When I back up there is a lot of noise from the bars rubbing against the hitch.

Have you noticed this, and how did you adjust for it?

I’m going to hook it up this week and take it to a big parking lot and try further adjustments.

I still have my Blue Ox as a back up hitch should something happen with my Propride.

I noticed you are in Sioux Falls, SD. I was born in Mobridge SD, grew up in Pierre and went to USD.

[Countryboy59]

Originally Posted by tailypoe3

The transmission cooler line came loose, but we supposedly pulled over before any severe damage was done. I'm skeptical, we were able to drive the 5 hours home but the truck seems a little rough to me when it's idling, possibly just paranoia and I never noticed it before.

They towed a rear wheel drive automatic trans with the rear wheels on the ground?!? How fast and how far?

I always towed those in neutral with the engine idling, and not far. You can destroy an automatic trans in short order.

[tailypoe3]

Originally Posted by Daquenzer

I generally like the Propride.
Pros:
1). Easier to hook up and adjust weight destribution.
2). Clearly helps eliminate the bow affect in traffic. I really noticed the difference going through traffic in Milwaukee and Chicago. The bow affect with the Blue Ox was far more pronounced.

Cons:
1). I finding it hard to get rid of the “bump” affect at stop signs. I have the gain adjusted pretty high (9), and it has eliminated it on the stop. But the trailer has a tendency to move forward. This makes the hitch angle a bit, and then I get a kind of jerk when I pull forward. I’m going to text Shawn about this and see if there is anything that can be done.
2). When I back up there is a lot of noise from the bars rubbing against the hitch.

Have you noticed this, and how did you adjust for it?

I’m going to hook it up this week and take it to a big parking lot and try further adjustments.

I still have my Blue Ox as a back up hitch should something happen with my Propride.

I noticed you are in Sioux Falls, SD. I was born in Mobridge SD, grew up in Pierre and went to USD.

Hmm to be honest I haven't really noticed any of those things except for some creaking when we turn, but we were mostly on the highway. Theres's a facebook group for ProPride that is actually really useful, and Sean himself often replies on there...like I just learned from someone on there that the U-bolts under the spring bar should not be tightened too much...we had the dealer install ours and sure enough they are too tight which can cause the little u shaped bar that they sit on to bend pretty badly.

Cool I really like South Dakota but it is just my "tax home" through Dakota Post because I travel for work, I'm in Montana right now which is also pretty amazing.

[tailypoe3]

Originally Posted by Countryboy59

They towed a rear wheel drive automatic trans with the rear wheels on the ground?!? How fast and how far?

I always towed those in neutral with the engine idling, and not far. You can destroy an automatic trans in short order.

They used a flat bed truck for our tow, but I mentioned that we have a trailer and he said he has a seprate...winch maybe? That the trailer can be connected to so it drags behind while the truck is lifted on the flat bed.

[marcesq]

Originally Posted by Daquenzer

...
Cons:
1). I finding it hard to get rid of the “bump” affect at stop signs. I have the gain adjusted pretty high (9), and it has eliminated it on the stop. But the trailer has a tendency to move forward. This makes the hitch angle a bit, and then I get a kind of jerk when I pull forward. I’m going to text Shawn about this and see if there is anything that can be done.
2). When I back up there is a lot of noise from the bars rubbing against the hitch.
...

First thing is to verify your weight distribution is properly adjusted. I suspect you may be a little low - the head articulation is a bit stiffer on my rig when my jacks were properly adjusted.

You may also just have not-great drum brakes on you AS (like me) and now have an excuse for disc brake upgrades!

Bar rubbing? I suspect you are referring to the spring bars link rubbing against the weight distribution jack. This can be normal or the result of jacks needing to be raised (increase weight distribution). Get out the scale!

If not, then make sure your head is greased - ball and bars at the grease zerks.