Author Topic: 430 miles in 12 hours  (Read 6206 times)

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Offline Terry_Curran

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430 miles in 12 hours
« on: June 03, 2012, 09:49:20 PM »
New Record?  2nd to leave, last to make it home?  Going to bed, more tomorrow.

Terry

Offline WetRaider

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Re: 430 miles in 12 hours
« Reply #1 on: June 03, 2012, 10:07:12 PM »
Terry, thank you so much for making the trip.  Thanks also to you and Nancy for carting around my two kids in your boat - riding up front made their weekend.  They're both still talking about it.
If you didn't get wet, you didn't have fun ~ WetRaider

Dan O'Connor
1979 GT 150 / 1976 Mercury 1150

Offline dorelse

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Re: 430 miles in 12 hours
« Reply #2 on: June 03, 2012, 10:24:28 PM »
Man...I know you had a rough trip home...there has got to be something wrong with the trailer setup 2 blow 2 tires in 400 miles.  Did you  blow 2 tires coming home from Red Wing last year too?

Just seems like you're burning those things up?  I know its a heavy boat...but that tandem should be able to handle the weight!
1990 Sierra 1700

Offline 75starflight

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Re: 430 miles in 12 hours
« Reply #3 on: June 04, 2012, 09:24:50 AM »
Just curious, but have you ever had that trailer alined? If not, it would be the first thing I would try.
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Offline Terry_Curran

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Re: 430 miles in 12 hours
« Reply #4 on: June 04, 2012, 10:51:03 AM »
Here it is.  We left Rathbun just after 9 am.  In less than 2 hours we had our 1st blow out on the trailer.  After my pit crew, Nancy, changed the tire we returned to the highway after about 20 minutes.  (I need to send her back to the "Nascar Pit Crew" school)  As soon  as we pulled back onto the road we started our search for another tire for the trailer.  I was using my phone, Nancy hers, plus Nancy was using the GPS we had in the car.  We started looking for anything close at 1st, then changed our search to Burlington and Galesburg.  (we were on highway 34 heading east to I-74)  I pulled over twice so I could help with the search as we were using multiple devises.  After several attempts, calling, on locating something near, I took off again and left the searching to Nancy.  As I stated earlier, Nancy was using her phone AND the gps device from the car.  As I was driving I noticed a sign that said "Welcome to Missouri".  I'm guessing I missed a highway sign as I looked over Nancy's shoulder during her search, now we were heading south instead of east.  We located a Flying "J" truck stop and pulled in for gas and help locating a tire shop?  As I was heading inside for help, I noticed a tire repair truck parked in the lot.  I HAVE FOUND HELP!  YES!!  Yes and no.  He was on a run and was out of Burlington and had 1 more stop on his way back to his shop.  He said he had a tire at his shop, the biggest problem I had was, Burlington was now 45 minutes north of my current location.  (right now, we were on highway 136 heading east towards Bloomington, Il and I-74)  I made the decision to keep heading east.  (hwy 34 is much better than 136 btw)  So Nancy continued her search as I drove, watching the road this time.  We arrived at a somewhat larger town named Macomb, Il.  As we drove through town I noticed a K-mart, we hadn't tried calling them yet, a Farm King, and, yes, another Wal-mart.  Nothing.  While talking to the person from Farm King, he gave me the name of a tire shop just down the road.  We were able to locate a phone number, and gave them a call.  Closed, just as expected for a Sunday in rural America.  (not to mention, just about any tire shop)  But wait, there's still hope as the person leaving the message on the answering machine and left 3 contact names and numbers!  Yes!  As usual, she said them too fast for me to be able to understand? let alone write them down.  I called the number 2 more times, even putting the phone on "speaker" so I would have the aid of Nancy listening with me.  WE HAVE A NUMBER!  I call the last of the 3 numbers, the only one we could really make out, and someone answered.  It's 2:45 pm, and the guy on the line said he would be there, a Goodyear tire store, in 10 minutes and gave us directions to the store.  Upon arrival, he opens his truck door and starts changing his shoes.  I felt real bad as he was taking off his golf shoes and putting on tennis shoes.  Came in on a Sunday, from the golf course and still had a smile on his face.  I never could have done that, at least, still smiling.  We went into his shop and he went looking for a tire.  As we waited on him, Nancy and I decided we wanted another tire, just in case?  I hunted him down and asked for another tire to take with us.  He returned to searching for a second tire, as he already found 1.  No luck on the search for a second tire.  As I watched, and talked, I noticed he wasn't real familiar with the equipment, I asked if he was the manager or the owner. (1 thing he mentioned was that the trailer tires were 8 years old, not sure what that had to do with things)  Just my luck, he's the owner.  (No wonder he was smiling, after hour call and all the money was HIS, he didn't have to pay someone for their time)  After telling him about our search and getting derailed from our original route, he said he had another store on highway 34.  ( I don't remember the name of the town as it's irrelevant at this time)  He offered to even put the wheel back on the trailer.  I thanked him and said that wasn't necessary.  So, off we go with a feel of relief now that we have a spare once again, as we are still more than 200? miles from home, heading down a highway in the middle of nowhere IL.  About 40 miles from home, I notice a vibration, the funny thing is that it would come and go, not sure if it's from the car or the trailer, I pull over to check the tires.  I give them a quick look and a kick, all seem to be good and holding air.  We drive on.  It's dark by now and heading down the last part of our trip, north side of Indy on I-465, 10 minutes from our driveway, rumble rumble rumble.  We had blown another trailer tire.  I pull over to repair it.  When I found the shredded tire, it was one of the original tires, yes, 8years old.  Hmmm  Maybe there is something to all this age thing.  So that's 3 tires including our trip back from Red Wing.  The fourth and final tire than came with the trailer had been changed at some point before I purchased the trailer a few years ago, and it was manufactured in '07.  Feeling rushed to get home, I changed this tire.  As with Nancy, I need to go back to the "Nascar Pit Crew" school.  (although I did manage to shave 5 minutes off of the time)  In my defense, the tire that needed changed, WAS up against the guard rail.  Both tires that shredded were on the same axle, rear, so there might be something to having the alignment checked Brandon.  I took some photos with my phone and thought I had transferred them to my photo bucket account, just not able to find them at this time.  I'll look/try again later.

Terry   
 

Offline WetRaider

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Re: 430 miles in 12 hours
« Reply #5 on: June 04, 2012, 11:16:30 AM »
Oh, man, Terry.  Sorry to hear about the hassle.  I had always been told that a trailer tire is good for AT MOST 5 years, or 5,000 miles.  I had a big tandem axle utility trailer when we lived in Texas & they were new tires with a new trailer.  Dragging that all over hill country, I replaced tires about every 18 months.  Sometimes with what appeared to be good tread.  Knock on wood, I've never had a flat on a trailer - even dragging my GT150 home from DeKalb, IL on 8" wheels.  Brandon's advice is sound advice to me - an alignment couldn't hurt anything, at worst it was already aligned and you have the comfort of knowing they're running true.
If you didn't get wet, you didn't have fun ~ WetRaider

Dan O'Connor
1979 GT 150 / 1976 Mercury 1150