Hay OZZ How’s this for unusual wear???
Now for the rest of the story!!!
August 9, 2013 15:30 local time
We were on our way to Cottonwood RV Park in Columbia Missouri.
At mile marker 114 I checked my mirrors to see if everything was normal with the Montana.
Then about mile marker 115 a car passed me and there was a young lady hanging out of the passenger side window waving at me. Now I know I AM God’s gift to woman but even so it is unlikely a young lady half my age would be so excited at the sight of me!!!
So I look in the driver side mirror NO TRAILER! All I can see is the driver side corner of the front cap.
I look at the passenger side mirror and all I can see is the entrance door. The trailer was tracking a full ½ lane to my right. I also noted smoke trailing from the wheel fender.
No place to pull off without dumping the trailer in the ditch. I slowed down to a crawl and when the grass appeared to be wide enough to prevent the trailer from rolling on its side in the ditch I pull over.
I get stopped at the 116 mile marker. The smoke is very apparent and the rubber smell even more apparent. The trailer looks like it is close to rolling over.
When I get a break in traffic I get out grab the fire extinguisher I carry in the driver side propane compartment and proceed to the axels of the trailer. The driver side rear axle tire is smoking but I don’t see any fire. The tire is twisted around so the front inside corner of the tire is against one of the spring shackles.
I go to the passenger side axels and find the rear axle all the way back to the spring hanger. I found this amazing as because of a post here on MOC I had checked the torque of the “U” bolts in Lincoln Nebraska the day before.
I got the jacks and the 2X4’s & 4X4’s out and start jacking the trailer up. The ground is soft and I had my hands full getting the trailer up so I could pull the axel back in place using a cargo strap. I notice the spring center bolt missing as well as the lower spring leaf.
I had it under control and was under the trailer tightening the “U” bolts up when a young man stuck his head under and ask if I needed help. I said I would be able to get to exit 117 but then would need help. He offered a card. I told him to give it to my wife.
This is the end of the excitement but there is more to the story.
I get to exit 117. My wife calls Cottonwood to tell them we will be late. She then calls the number on the card.
This young man shows up with in minutes. I ask him if he knows a place where I can jack the trailer up and change a spring. His response was my shop is at mile marker 106. We inspect the trailer and it looks good for a 10 mile trip.
He follows me to exit 106 and then passes me and I follow him to his shop. He is in the parking lot and tells me to drive all the way around to the back of the building. When I get there the door is open and I drive the entire rig in to his shop with room to spare.
His shop!!! A fully equipped chassis shop. New Lippert and Dexter axels and springs. Steel to repair frames with. The equipment to lift the trailer and replace the springs.
2 hours latter 2 new springs, wheels back on alignment check and brake check finished.
Cost $310.00 I tell him if he gives me a ride to the gas station at the interchange I will get cash from the ATM. He says he will take a check!!!
God was watching over us for sure.
I towed the trailer another 1,350 miles on this tire.
I LUV my G-614’s.
After the passenger side spring is out from under the trailer it is apparent by the wear marks on the bottom of the spring the bottom leaf has been broken thru the center bolt hole for a long time and it just finally worked its way out from under the axel.
Phil P