Roadside Coverage

[Matt Colie]

KTC,

I fear you did not understand what Jeff may have said...
A "Normal" tow truck still uses chains an a tow bar. When they go to lift the front of a TZE, if they do not have an extensive kit of dunage (wood planks and blocks) they will bend the bumper mount past repair.
Many tow trucks are now "Wheel Lift" and one of those will work without damage, but the unit better be capable of 4200# (most of our coaches) to lift it safely. This only applies if you can air up the rear enough so the rear (bumper, hitch and generator) are not dragging.
A large roll-back or a Landol are better bets.

Matt

 

[pvfjr]

In addition to the weight limitation Matt mentions, many wheel-lift tow trucks can't open up quite wide enough to fit our track width, or can't extend their boom enough to reach our wheels without hitting our bumpers on their back ends. Be sure to be armed with the track width of your coach when calling around, and know your bumper-to-hub measurement as well. Many places will just assume they can handle whatever you need, but you've gotta drill down and make sure they know this isn't your standard tow.

Also, watch out for a "driveshaft removal" surcharge that is often wrapped up in standard quotes for wheel-lift tow service. Even after telling them it was FWD, dispatch left it on there, and the driver had to have them redo the invoice after I complained. $75 they were going to charge for disconnecting a driveshaft that didn't exist. Ugh.

But, the second wheel lift truck that showed up was indeed sufficient for the job. I refused to pay for the one that showed up and couldn't do the job, since I was so explicitly clear with the dispatchers who wouldn't listen to my instructions.

 

[Matt Colie]

Boy Paul,

That is a valuable page. I have had similar go-arounds, but never with that level of incompetence on the other end of the phone.

So the first unit could not handle the weight or track width? But they sent him anyway? Good Job!

Drive-shaft disconnect surcharge, that is precious. I really hope you don't mind if you become one of my best stories. As I keep telling people that seem to imagine that I have fabricated my good stories, I don't have that good an imagination, but I can listen and remember. (That last is getting harder these days.)

I just wish I had had a videographer to preserve the time I had with the guys that did our recovery from the median in South CArolina and then subsequent relocation of our coach when we broke a lower control arm. This was the antithesis of your experience. The man that brought the Landol had moved GMCs for several friends and others, and the fellow that showed up with the large wrecker to get us out of the median was also a top notch operator. Both of them were a breath of fresh air when I really needed it.

Matt

 

[pvfjr]

Boy Paul,

That is a valuable page. I have had similar go-arounds, but never with that level of incompetence on the other end of the phone.

So the first unit could not handle the weight or track width? But they sent him anyway? Good Job!

Drive-shaft disconnect surcharge, that is precious. I really hope you don't mind if you become one of my best stories. As I keep telling people that seem to imagine that I have fabricated my good stories, I don't have that good an imagination, but I can listen and remember. (That last is getting harder these days.)

I just wish I had had a videographer to preserve the time I had with the guys that did our recovery from the median in South CArolina and then subsequent relocation of our coach when we broke a lower control arm. This was the antithesis of your experience. The man that brought the Landol had moved GMCs for several friends and others, and the fellow that showed up with the large wrecker to get us out of the median was also a top notch operator. Both of them were a breath of fresh air when I really needed it.

Matt

Matt,
You're always welcome to use any misadventure I share as a cautionary tale! If we can save anyone any hassle, it'll all be worth it in the end. And yes, I had provided them with track width, total vehicle weight, length, etc. At least they sent a wheel lift as requested, instead of a stubby roll-back with steep approach angles. They initially sent the "standard" wheel lift truck. It couldn't handle the weight, and I could tell by eye that the width was inadequate too. I believe it was F-350 based. The driver was just as baffled as I, that he had been sent out so ill prepared--I guess they didn't tell him what he was in for. What's funny, is I probably had to tell three different people all those details through the whole roadside assistance process. There were many more frustrating details I've probably logged in another thread. In the end, what I learned was I'm probably much better off just calling my friend with a tow truck that lives near home. It would've actually been faster and cheaper.

 

[mech0001]

It's now 2023 and I've just had my coach towed 181 miles:

1. Cost was $2500. Farmers paid $1000. Forget about a 1000 mile tow for $2000.

2. This tow (engine failure) and the previous one (purchase) were both performed by a medium-duty conventional tow truck with a wheel-lift. If your rear wheels don't turn, you'll have to get it put onto a lowboy for towing or whatever the heavy-duty towing outfit you are dealing with decides. The cost will be higher.

This is what I have learned about getting the GMCMH towed:

1. Ask for a tow for a FRONT WHEEL DRIVE RV/Motorhome. Many (most?) of the people in the service business these days do not know the GMCMH by name.

This instantly removes the "driveshaft removal charge" required by most rear wheel drive trucks/RVs. I think it's a safe bet that no tow truck driver enjoys this chore. The recent tow outfit actually researched the vehicle prior to dispatching the correct truck. Very impressive. Not sure all tow companies will do that.

2. Stress that the vehicle can be easily towed from the front with a 4000 lb capacity lift.

If your rear wheels don't roll, tires are rotted, air-suspension shot (not sure if this would prevent towing or not, just suspect it might), be sure to inform the tow company and they will tell you what they can do. Some kind of a dolly tow may be possible.

My recent experience is indicating that running one of these coaches is going to require:

1. That you do most (all?) of your own repair and maintenance work (that's me) or
2. Travel/get towed to one of the few service facilities in the country willing/able to work on them.

Good luck and happy motoring!

 

[LQQKatJon]

It's now 2023 and I've just had my coach towed 181 miles:

1. Cost was $2500. Farmers paid $1000. Forget about a 1000 mile tow for $2000.

2. This tow (engine failure) and the previous one (purchase) were both performed by a medium-duty conventional tow truck with a wheel-lift. If your rear wheels don't turn, you'll have to get it put onto a lowboy for towing or whatever the heavy-duty towing outfit you are dealing with decides. The cost will be higher.

This is what I have learned about getting the GMCMH towed:

1. Ask for a tow for a FRONT WHEEL DRIVE RV/Motorhome. Many (most?) of the people in the service business these days do not know the GMCMH by name.

This instantly removes the "driveshaft removal charge" required by most rear wheel drive trucks/RVs. I think it's a safe bet that no tow truck driver enjoys this chore. The recent tow outfit actually researched the vehicle prior to dispatching the correct truck. Very impressive. Not sure all tow companies will do that.

2. Stress that the vehicle can be easily towed from the front with a 4000 lb capacity lift.

If your rear wheels don't roll, tires are rotted, air-suspension shot (not sure if this would prevent towing or not, just suspect it might), be sure to inform the tow company and they will tell you what they can do. Some kind of a dolly tow may be possible.

My recent experience is indicating that running one of these coaches is going to require:

1. That you do most (all?) of your own repair and maintenance work (that's me) or
2. Travel/get towed to one of the few service facilities in the country willing/able to work on them.

Good luck and happy motoring!

Towing has changed and towing coverage and luck varies even in 2023.

But I will comment on owning one.


Of all the coach’s that traveled significant distance to
Michigan…. A surprisingly high number or them do not do their own work on their coach. Also of all the 135 coach’s at the fairgrounds i bet 50% never read this forum, and are not members of facebook.


The best resource is club membership… learning how to own a coach from those that have owned for years and have traveled in one for thousands and thousands of miles

There was a couple
Original owners that were in michigan. And there was many that have owned 30 years or more.

 

[Matt Colie]

Jon,
I don't believe you will mind at all, but I know I am going to quote you from the above in the future. (Timing is uncertain.)
It would be great if 50% read this forum, I am glad that so few are FB readers. (Let me tell you that story some time.) I keep trying to impress on new owners that it is valuable to be a member of the community. It may be a big fantastic toy you got, but the people are the valuable thing. (Want more stories to prove that, just get me started at the next convention - you buy the required beer...)
Matt_C

 

[kidjedi]

For the record (and to qualify my myriad posts in this thread), I am now in the "AAA is completely worthless" camp. I just haven't had time to write up a post. They left us stranded only 30 miles outside of Denver (there should have been *plenty* of service companies) for more than 24 hours, continuously promising service and then ultimately leaving us with a giant "oh, never mind." Literally did NOTHING for us and said "good luck trying to get reimbursement if you get someone to help you." And this wasn't even a tow, just a simple FLAT TIRE. Not only that, but I cancelled my service after this astounding fiasco, and not only did they NOT cancel the service, but they charged our renewal TWICE when the renewal date arrived. It blows my mind how awful this service has become since when my parents had it when I was a kid. Utterly useless... and beyond.

 

[mech0001]

Not surprised to hear that many folks do not work on their own vehicles.
These are not simple machines. No house on wheels ever could be.

A geographic distribution would be interesting to see, though. Any place that has a fair population of coaches will probably have someone who has/does work on them. I asked my tow truck driver for just such a reference. He did know of someone but "it would probably take a year for him to get to it" does not get you back on the road when you are stranded. There are a number of coaches in my area (Port Orchard, Bremerton, extending to Seattle) and thus, probably a service facility that I will never contact now that I know the front of my coach can be jacked up high enough to drop out the engine (awesome pictures from stkhlm!!!).

Time to get to work making a fixture to hoist from...

 

[tmsnyder]

For the record (and to qualify my myriad posts in this thread), I am now in the "AAA is completely worthless" camp. I just haven't had time to write up a post. They left us stranded only 30 miles outside of Denver (there should have been *plenty* of service companies) for more than 24 hours, continuously promising service and then ultimately leaving us with a giant "oh, never mind." Literally did NOTHING for us and said "good luck trying to get reimbursement if you get someone to help you." And this wasn't even a tow, just a simple FLAT TIRE. Not only that, but I cancelled my service after this astounding fiasco, and not only did they NOT cancel the service, but they charged our renewal TWICE when the renewal date arrived. It blows my mind how awful this service has become since when my parents had it when I was a kid. Utterly useless... and beyond.

I had AAA Platinum plus RV for several years on a SOB. Never used it. Decided it would be better to put those funds towards parts and work on the coach. I'm therefore 'self-insured'

$10 a mile seems to be a typical tow rate for us now.

 

[Ken B]

I have only had one vehicle towed that I did not tow myself. My GMC trans went while cruising at 55 on a 4 lane divided highway coming back from Mansfield. I called a GMCer that I knew from the area where I was. and he gave me the name of 3 companies. The first one wanted either $900 or $950. I forget which. The second one was $25 higher. The third one said "call me in the morning we only work day shift". It was Sunday afternoon.

So I called the GMC friend back. He and his wife came and picked us up and drove us home about 77 miles one way. I called my daughter. We went back and towed the GMC home which was closer and about 63 miles. We towed it with my Colorado Pick Up truck at about 55 mph the whole way except for one stop light and the last two blocks. Had I hired the tow company the bill would have been $950 divided by 63 miles or about $15 per mile.

Maybe it would have been cheaper to have had a towing insurance company involved setting up the tow and the rate.

The only other time I was involved with a GMC tow I had a woman needing to tow her GMC about 8 miles to my hangar. She had AAA. She called them and told them it was a 12000 pound GMC motorhome with front wheel drive. I knew the local towing company that could easily do it but AAA refused to use them. The first tow truck they sent could not lift it and handle the job. Two other refused to do the job at all. A 4th one arrived and also could not do it. After 4 hours of her on the phone, AAA relented and sent who she asked for in the first place. She complained enough that AAA gave her an added year on her AAA policy for free as compensentation.

 

[tmsnyder]

We towed it with my Colorado Pick Up truck at about 55 mph the whole way except for one stop light and the last two blocks.

Hi Ken, was this flat towed with the transmission in 'N'?

Owners manual says 45mph max, 50 miles max.

Did you notice any damage to the TH425?

My brother broke down, I dragged him about 250 miles, at ~45 mostly, a little at 50mph. Wondering if we cooked the tranny after we got him home and I read the manual

 

[bdub]

It would be cool if we started a "Towing Black List" of companies that have been used with success or company's that have been researched and confirmed to have the right equipment (Landoll / HD wheel Lift) to tow our coaches. Over time if everyone posted there info to one location we would have a quick refence that could save a lot of time and worry.

There's several listed at the end of the Black List.