Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Gulf Stream Owners RV Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 06-12-2020, 08:17 PM   #1
[email protected]
Member
 
kenjohnston83@gmail.com's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Victoria
Posts: 61
Send a message via AIM to kenjohnston83@gmail.com
Default how to tow a 40' Tourmaster?

Hi everyone. After having traveled the Cassiar Highway leading from B.C. to the Yukon last summer, I have some questions in contemplating doing it again. This is a quite narrow highway with no centre line and without shoulders on the sides of the road. If one broke down and couldn't get going, it would be extremely hazardous to either leave the coach for help or to have to wait for however long for assistance. Having watched a 5 ton tow truck try to lift a diesel pusher by its hitch receiver and accomplish nothing but wrecking the hitch receiver, it occurred to me, what would one do if one needed a tow and didn't want to destroy the transmission. My coach is a 2000 40' Tourmaster grossing 35,000 pounds and with an Allison 6 speed automatic transmission. Any ideas how it can be towed? How big a wrecker would be needed and where and how could the coach be lifted? Thanx in advance for your ideas.
__________________
2000 Tourmaster
Cummins M11 450 HP
kenjohnston83@gmail.com is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-12-2020, 10:24 PM   #2
Chuck v
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,026
Default

Here is a thread you might read for background:
https://www.irv2.com/forums/f103/how...rly-83140.html


The Allison transmission cannot be towed, so you need to remove the driveshaft or BOTH driven axles. It is unlikely that a random tow truck driver will have any useful experience in towing a diesel pusher motorhome -- you need special equipment and training.


Chuck
__________________
2007 Tour Master T40C
Acura MDX toad

"It takes a great deal of time to recover from any improvement..."
Chuck v is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2020, 08:56 AM   #3
UAHaerospace
Senior Member
 
UAHaerospace's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 142
Default

right, as long as the driveshaft is unattached/removed/disabled, the tow truck can tow you from either end... but if not, he can only tow you from the rear, since it would need to be in the air, with only the steer tires on the ground, and steering locked.

It's doubtful you'll have any issue, but it's also certainly something many of us have considered as a 'possibility' when traveling, especially in the BC, Yukon, Alaska wilds... but I believe that the 'probability' is so low that it's not worth the 'concern', or loss of sleep at night - I'm sure most any tow company has seen their 'fair share' of large vehicle towing thru the area.

2017 was our 'Alaska' journey, thru the beautiful British Columbia, Yukon, and Alaska 'roads'... but that's also part of the lure - they aren't 'interstate highways' and therefore lend those great 'stories' to tell to your grandkids!

I only took a 'tire repair' tool kit, which was not used. And even though I stopped in Fort St John for a steer tire swap at a large truck tire shop, and eventually replaced those front tires at Schwab truck tire shop in Missoula, MT, I had no issues while on the journey - 13,000 miles total.
From GA, thru Minnesota - Manitoba thru the Canadian western provinces thru Alberta, the Yukon, and into Dawson City for 'Canada Day' July 1st, over the border thru 'Chicken, AK'(a site!), and onto Fairbanks for July 4th festivities : ) etc., etc., and eventually 'out' thru British Columbia via the ferry from Haines to Skagway and over the 'mountain pass border'(what a view!)... thru BC...
__________________
...2014 Ameri lite 259BH...
the Turners...
two Campers, two Electric Cars
UAHaerospace is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2020, 09:39 AM   #4
[email protected]
Member
 
kenjohnston83@gmail.com's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Victoria
Posts: 61
Send a message via AIM to kenjohnston83@gmail.com
Default

Not unlike what I'd expected. Thanx for the insight, Chuck.
__________________
2000 Tourmaster
Cummins M11 450 HP
kenjohnston83@gmail.com is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-21-2020, 10:05 AM   #5
Photobug17
New Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 14
Default

We have 2007 Sun Voyager on a FRED chassis and broke down with a fuel pump issue about 100 miles out Jasper on our way to Alaska. Nearest repair facility was 70 miles away. Good Sam sent a lowboy tractor trailer to haul us to that facility. Quite the sight to see. No way to tow with any wheels on the ground.
Photobug17 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-21-2020, 05:20 PM   #6
RayChez1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,257
Default

I agree with photobug17 the best way to haul a motor home or diesel pusher is on a low boy. I have had mine done both ways, but with a regular wrecker lifting just from the front the tow truck operator has to crawl under to mark the U-joint with chalk before he removes the drive shaft. That way when they repair your coach they can put the drive shaft in the same position it was before. If not, you might get a vibration from the drive shaft. But a low boy is the way to go. I ask Coach-Net which is my road side service provider that I want a low boy and that is what they have sent. I got some bad fuel in Sundance, Wy and a regular tow truck towed me to Gillette, Wy and man he was towing my coach which weighs 32K lbs at 80 miles per hour. I used to have a little Ford ranger as a tow and I could barely stay up with that tow truck. LOL. I did not like being towed that way and the next time I had problems with my coach which was a Huei pump failure, I asked for a low boy and it was nice. I forgot to mention also if towed on a regular towing truck, he has to run an air hose to supply air and in order to release the air brakes. If he does not have the air hose, then he has to have a special tool to compress the springs on the diaphragm to release the rear brakes in order to be able to tow it.
__________________
2002 Gulf Stream Scenic Cruiser
2018 Buick Envision Essence
Neway Freightliner chassis
Aventa II Blue Ox
RayChez1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-22-2020, 10:30 AM   #7
[email protected]
Member
 
kenjohnston83@gmail.com's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Victoria
Posts: 61
Send a message via AIM to kenjohnston83@gmail.com
Default

Thanx for the interesting reply. How does the cowboy operator get your coach up onto the trailer?
__________________
2000 Tourmaster
Cummins M11 450 HP
kenjohnston83@gmail.com is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-22-2020, 10:34 AM   #8
[email protected]
Member
 
kenjohnston83@gmail.com's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Victoria
Posts: 61
Send a message via AIM to kenjohnston83@gmail.com
Default

How did the two truck hook up to you, Ray?
__________________
2000 Tourmaster
Cummins M11 450 HP
kenjohnston83@gmail.com is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-22-2020, 11:42 AM   #9
RayChez1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,257
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by [email protected] View Post
Thanx for the interesting reply. How does the cowboy operator get your coach up onto the trailer?
The flatbed tips, then a winch pulls the coach onto the flatbed. I had already seen this done on tour buses, so I knew exactly what I asked for. The only thing the driver of the tow vehicle has to know is what is the height of some bridges. I saw where they had to go around a bridge because of the height limit.
__________________
2002 Gulf Stream Scenic Cruiser
2018 Buick Envision Essence
Neway Freightliner chassis
Aventa II Blue Ox
RayChez1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-22-2020, 11:56 AM   #10
RayChez1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,257
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by [email protected] View Post
How did the two truck hook up to you, Ray?
In Wyoming on the regular big tow truck, he marked the drive shaft, then took it off, then he run a hose and hooked it up to release the spring brakes on the rear. On the front he had to add an extension to the part that gets under the front wheels, then lifts it up just so many inches. I can not tell how high because I did not pay that much attention, but man he was hauling for about 80 miles at about 80 MPH. I could barely keep up with my little Ford ranger. Took us to Freight liner at Gillette. They could not get me in the same day, but they had hookups and let us sleep on our coach over night. Next day it was in and they said the filters were plugged up with bad fuel, and they also told me which I am not sure whether to believe them or not, but they said that Cat engines have a sensor that will shut the engine down when the oil gets down to where it needs changing out. So they also changed the oil and greased all the fittings on the chassis. Total was like $160.00 which I could not believe how reasonable it was. Another thing that bothers me is that if the fuel was dirty or bad and plugged up the fuel filters, why didn't it plugged up again. They did not dump all the fuel on the coach. So those are question marks. I personally think the filter after all the driving I had done, just needed changing. I was driving all over the country from the west coast to the east and up and down trying to catch as many attractions as possible. I did not get home til six months later. LOL!
__________________
2002 Gulf Stream Scenic Cruiser
2018 Buick Envision Essence
Neway Freightliner chassis
Aventa II Blue Ox
RayChez1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-22-2020, 02:09 PM   #11
[email protected]
Member
 
kenjohnston83@gmail.com's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Victoria
Posts: 61
Send a message via AIM to kenjohnston83@gmail.com
Default

Thanx. So it's ok to move the coach a few ft without disconnecting the drive shaft?
__________________
2000 Tourmaster
Cummins M11 450 HP
kenjohnston83@gmail.com is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-22-2020, 02:25 PM   #12
RayChez1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,257
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by [email protected] View Post
Thanx. So it's ok to move the coach a few ft without disconnecting the drive shaft?
To load it on a flat bed, the answer is yes to load it on the flatbed they did not have to disconnect the drive shaft, but to tow it lifting just the front and the rear wheels still rolling, the drive shaft has to be disconnected.
__________________
2002 Gulf Stream Scenic Cruiser
2018 Buick Envision Essence
Neway Freightliner chassis
Aventa II Blue Ox
RayChez1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-22-2020, 02:29 PM   #13
[email protected]
Member
 
kenjohnston83@gmail.com's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Victoria
Posts: 61
Send a message via AIM to kenjohnston83@gmail.com
Default

OK. Thanx. That's good to know that it can be moved a few feet without wrecking anything
__________________
2000 Tourmaster
Cummins M11 450 HP
kenjohnston83@gmail.com is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-28-2020, 06:58 PM   #14
ricklin
New Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 25
Default

Was returning from Northern Cali by myself in my 40' Friendship, had only had the rig a couple months at that time. I generally do not buy extended warranties. Darn glad I did. The warranty company spent so much they refused the final repairs and told me to take them to court. That's another story.
I was just starting down the long downgrade they call the grapevine. What is that buzzing noise? I learned it was the low air alarm!!

That was major pucker factor. I carefully conserved what air I had by minimizing my braking while likely exceeding the speed limit. I had just a few pounds of air pressure left when I pulled the parking brake.
They sent a big rig tow truck, it's been a few years so don't recall, but it did take them a while to hook it up.
My serpentine belt failed, it took out the coolant recovery tank too. The compressor seized, that caused the belt to fail.
Way too exciting.
ricklin is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:54 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
×