Community Forums

gap23 · 09-18-2015, 09:57 AM

Question about break down. I pulled a travel trailer from Mi to CA when I got in CA my pickup started to lose power and I had the check engine light come on. I had a code reader with me and it told me my right bank was running lean. I was not sure what to do as I only had 90 miles to go. I limped along as I did not know about having a tow with a 34’ travel trailer behind. What has anyone else done in the past ?

SmokeyWren · 09-18-2015, 10:53 AM

It's happened to me only once when towing. We were on the way home from a long RV trip and were about 120 miles from home, when the engine began to sputter and lost power. We made it across the interstate bar ditch to the access road before it almost stopped running. The "computer" had gone south at abut 150.000 miles on the clock. I was able to disconnect the 5er and pull the naked F-250 forward a few feet. Called 911 for a wrecker and they hauled the pickup to the nearest Ford dealer.

Dealer ordered a new PCM (computer, or powertrain control module). Wife called a local member of her church, and he came out and towed the 5er to a nearby RV park. We rented a car from the dealer, so we were all set up to comfortably wait for the new PCM to show up. That all happened late on Friday afternoon. The dealer had the pickup on the road before noon on Tuesday, so we went on our way.

libslowmo1 · 09-22-2015, 09:33 AM

Maybe a vacume line or upstream O2 sensor

wa8yxm · 09-22-2015, 06:08 PM

Might just be an overheat.. That can mess up a couple of sensors.. plus you are in CA, if you bought fuel in CA the computer may need a bit to adjust to the leaner gasoline.. Yup, they adulterate it there.

vsheetz · 09-22-2015, 10:30 PM

As for the tow, got ERS? coach-Net or Good Sam would handle it.

gap23 · 09-23-2015, 09:24 AM

Problem with the truck was the idle air motor. I do have AAA but not sure how they would tow the truck with the trailer or just the truck. just not sure what the tow company would do.

bluie5 · 09-23-2015, 07:18 PM

I'm a retired LEO and have seen area wrecker operators pull the TV up onto a flatbed and then hook the TT up to the back of the flatbed and take both at the same time. I don't know how they would handle a 5er though.

wingnut60 · 09-25-2015, 03:59 PM

Have had 2 serious breakdown situations, both with GS tow policy. First one, they showed up with 2 trucks, one for each unit. Second time, towed the truck with the fiver attached. Both ways worked well except for 3 adults and 3 dogs in same seat...
And, I know, if I had a Ram or a GM, would not have had the experience...
Joe

Rolfsted · 10-03-2015, 05:43 AM

I just upgraded my AAA policy to RV premium. Tow is covered for 200 miles. I asked several times if that included towing the truck and 5er. The person said yes. I hope I never have to find out.

hydro45640 · 10-03-2015, 05:53 AM

Towing a 5'er would be no different than the wrecker towing a tractor trailer. They will just hook it and go. No big deal.

caissiel · 10-03-2015, 07:04 AM

One evening our GM needed a tow with a rear wheel missing. They picked up the truck and a hired truck towed my 5th. Billed me $360 for the 5th. I now have Good Sam.

But I was allowed to work on my truck in their yard, the shop got me the parts at their wholesale cost. We stayed in our RV overnight parked by the shop. Wife had a great time visiting wonderful Hamburg PA. We were on the road to Florida that afternoon.
We now stop in Hamburg often, love the place, wrote a song about it.

MnTom · 10-04-2015, 06:53 PM

I had to get towed in Michigan. All the driver did was disconnect the driveshaft and use a wheel lift on the front of my truck. We left the trailer hooked up and away we went. I paid for the tow. only about 7 miles and under $150. Just make sure youexplain what you have and they will figure out the way they want to tow it.

wa8yxm · 10-05-2015, 09:35 AM

I have been towed with a shorter trailer however laws vary.. At the time the tow truck driver could have been ticketed for double towing.

With a TT a A tow company can dispatch selected Flat Beds (not all of their fleet will qualify, You "drop" the trailer. load the tow vehicle on the bed, then hook the trailer to a ball hitch adapter on the Stinger. and you (and he) are 100% legal

With a 5-er... Some tow trucks can either do something very much like that (Different adapter) or send two trucks. one for the trailer.

With my class A.. I drove the towed.