Disaster Avoided x2 (aka, Dang,Two Brackets Breaking in One Day!)

August 24, 2013 

#1. Bracket from Generator Muffler Breaks

Driving down the road in Rapid City, SD, we drive through a construction zone.  It sounds like Jim hits something on the road.  A few mins later, someone is honking at us, pointing at the side of the RV (as we were on light from getting on the freeway).  We pull over and find the bracket that holds the generator muffler up, has broken and the muffler is sticking out from the side of the RV almost 2 feet.

Jim, ALWAYS prepared to repair something, pulls a small piece of strapping from his tool box and creates a new bracket.  I call the local Onan Generator people, and they DO NOT have any of that bracket in stock--we would have to wait until Monday (and it is Saturday).  

Since we were just about to get on the freeway, it is likely that the entire muffler would have been torn off, IF the Good Samaritan had not alerted us to the muffler sticking out the side of the RV!

Disaster averted!

"Let's see, what do I have in this tool box that will work to fix this darn thing?:

Jim's replacement bracket.

#2. Bracket from Coach Steps Breaks 

See how the left side is hanging down?  The bracket broke!

While at Badlands National Park Visitor Center, we were at a turning point... needed to figure out where to spend the night.  Unfortunately, cell had NO 3G, No Wifi, and NO PHONE.  I had to revert to a paper catalog of RV sites with Passport USA (RV "club").  I found Badlands Resort and Camp about 8 miles away.  We navigated there with the Magellan GPS.  After the final 1 mile drive on a DIRT ROAD, we arrived.  The gate was locked (no identifying details)... Not sure we were really at the right location. BUT I now had cell phone ability. I called the number to find out, yes I was at the right place, but they were CLOSED.  

At that point I also had had 3G, and was able to access my "navagation tools".  The closest RV site was a KOA (usually very nice, but very expensive!)  We arrived at ~7pm.  As I went to register, I saw the steps were hanging down on one side!  

IF we had decided to drive farther (to a less expensive RV spot) and/or the steps bounced down to hit the ground or got caught on something and torn off the bottom of the coach and/or fell and we ran over the steps with the rear tires, THAT would have been a DISASTER!

Disaster averted!  Yet, for NOW we are without a step.