Big "oops", want to see what your ducting looks like?

[RCtime]

Scott

Sorry about your accident.

Can you explain the removal process of your rear cap, or just how is it attatched?
Ron

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by RCtime

Scott

Sorry about your accident.

Can you explain the removal process of your rear cap, or just how is it attatched?
Ron

Ron,
As much as I'd liked to have been there when they removed the rear cap, I had no idea when they were going to do it. When the "accident" happened, I immediately "assumed" that an entire rear cap would have to be ordered and, installed. But, when I consulted the estimator, he told me that it would be bad news to have to order a complete rear cap due to the fact that it would be a minimum of 10-15 weeks for arrival.

Second, he told me that well over 90 % of the time, when such large items as rear caps are shipped, they are damaged. So, he'd have to spend time on an almost guarantied repair, way before it would be fitted to the coach. Third, he stated that mine was a fairly minor repair but, would still require the removal of the cap for back-side re-enforcement and proper repair.

So, with that being said, he stated that removing the cap, for his crew, is almost a matter of "minutes" and that using it, instead of a new one, would be considerably better and stronger because he'd be re-enforcing other points as well.

So, as stated, I'd really have liked to be there when it was removed but, it wasn't in the cards and, I haven't asked how it is held on there. These boys do this stuff day in and day out so, I'm pretty sure that, when we get it back, we'll never be able to tell it was ever off the back of the coach, other than the proof of the pictures that the estimator took for us.

Oh, I forgot to tell you, some of the pictures you see, the ones in the shop, are not mine, they were taken by the service writer.
Scott

[smlranger]

If your Horizon was similar to my 2002 Journey, removal of the rear cap involves the following:

1. remove rubber/vinyl trim at top (where cap meets roof), remove screws.
2. remove engine access door.
3. remove trim along sides, remove multiple screws. Light assemblies must be removed and disconnected.
4. remove upper portion of rear cap.
5. lower portion is removed by also removing many screws in brackets that help hold it to the coach framing.

[SCVJeff]

O Geeeeze....

Well the good news in all this is that it's just the rear cap. I have a neighbor thats a gold card carrying member of the same club. In this case he backs it in next to the house and you have to clear a mailbox to do it.

The 1st time he mowed the mail box to about 5 degrees, easily fixed and no damage to the coach; How I don't know.

The second time he punched the mailbox through the rear of the coach and left the pole at about 30 degrees. That took two torches, a commercial heat gun, and a Jeep with a winch to straighten it out. The MH hasn't moved since.. And this was a retired fireman that used to drive stuff like that for a living. Now he's too nervous to even drive it.

Will it be out of the doc's in time for Q?

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by SCVJeff

O Geeeeze....

Well the good news in all this is that it's just the rear cap. I have a neighbor thats a gold card carrying member of the same club. In this case he backs it in next to the house and you have to clear a mailbox to do it.

The 1st time he mowed the mail box to about 5 degrees, easily fixed and no damage to the coach; How I don't know.

The second time he punched the mailbox through the rear of the coach and left the pole at about 30 degrees. That took two torches, a commercial heat gun, and a Jeep with a winch to straighten it out. The MH hasn't moved since.. And this was a retired fireman that used to drive stuff like that for a living. Now he's too nervous to even drive it.

Will it be out of the doc's in time for Q?

Jeff,
Well Sir, at the last and even the first estimate, it was to be done in 2-3 weeks from the time they started on it which was, two weeks ago, last Friday. So, again, we're not pushing for it to be done as, we want it all to be correct. We're kind of assuming it will be sometime this week when we receive a call. We have a trip planned for the next weekend. So, we'll see.
Scott

P.S. Firemen are surely not invincible. And some of their driving skills leave somewhat to be desired. We've had them:
1. Crash into other fire trucks in emergency responses
2. Crash into Ambulances also in the same emergency response
3. Back into the apparatus door (garage door) because someone hit the "button" while the rig was backing up.
4. Tear the code lights, spot lights, antennas, etc. off the top of the rig while pulling out of the bay and again, the door button was pushed prematurely.
5. Tear the front and rear bumpers almost completely off due to "wedging" the entire rig in a "dip" that was too short for the length of the rig and the driver knew it!!!!
6. In the old days of drum brakes, hit them one too many times while on a response in the down town area which, is all a series of down hill approach and, run into parked fire trucks already at the incident because the drum brakes completely faded away.

and many more....
Scott

[smlranger]

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

Jeff,
Well Sir, at the last and even the first estimate, it was to be done in 2-3 weeks from the time they started on it which was, two weeks ago, last Friday. So, again, we're not pushing for it to be done as, we want it all to be correct. We're kind of assuming it will be sometime this week when we receive a call. We have a trip planned for the next weekend. So, we'll see.
Scott

P.S. Firemen are surely not invincible. And some of their driving skills leave somewhat to be desired. We've had them:
1. Crash into other fire trucks in emergency responses
2. Crash into Ambulances also in the same emergency response
3. Back into the apparatus door (garage door) because someone hit the "button" while the rig was backing up.
4. Tear the code lights, spot lights, antennas, etc. off the top of the rig while pulling out of the bay and again, the door button was pushed prematurely.
5. Tear the front and rear bumpers almost completely off due to "wedging" the entire rig in a "dip" that was too short for the length of the rig and the driver knew it!!!!
6. In the old days of drum brakes, hit them one too many times while on a response in the down town area which, is all a series of down hill approach and, run into parked fire trucks already at the incident because the drum brakes completely faded away.

and many more....
Scott

I'll be you never drove one through a weeded field to get to a burning barn and drove through house footers that had been dug but never filled . I wasn't driving but was passenger. Truck bounced so hard the tip of my helmet punched a hole in the headliner of the truck . Rear wheels dropped into the footer, split the water tank, ripped out the drive shaft, etc. There we sat spilling 750 gallons of water into the hole. Chief was a bit miffed .

Sorry to digress from the original topic but could not resist .

[RickO]

Ouch. So sorry, but you're not alone in this club.

Mine happened when I was crossing the Bourne Bridge leading on to Cape Cod. I craned my neck to get a better look at a big barge passing below and "kissed" the concrete barrier with 40' of full body paint.

My attitude was much like yours. No sense getting all upset over it... especially since I was 2500 miles from home. I just went into denial for the rest of the trip and let the insurance handle it all. I had been with Progressive for a long time so there was no deductible and they too say they can't raise my rates.... sure.

Rick

[Y Roadrunner]

Sorry to hear about what happened and thanks for sharing so the rest of us can learn.

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by RickO

Ouch. So sorry, but you're not alone in this club.

Mine happened when I was crossing the Bourne Bridge leading on to Cape Cod. I craned my neck to get a better look at a big barge passing below and "kissed" the concrete barrier with 40' of full body paint.

My attitude was much like yours. No sense getting all upset over it... especially since I was 2500 miles from home. I just went into denial for the rest of the trip and let the insurance handle it all. I had been with Progressive for a long time so there was no deductible and they too say they can't raise my rates.... sure.

Rick

Rick,
Incredibly sorry to hear that Sir. I don't know what to say to that. It's something that, if it's going to happen, it's going to happen and that's it. We all try and do good but, it's the brain you know, sometimes it just evades us.
Scott