Complete Vehicular Failure on the Road

[Satellite5812]

To be clear, this is not something I've encountered yet, but it's looking like something I'm going to have to prepare for :'(

How many full timers (having your whole house full of possessions with you while traveling, no fallback) have had to deal with their house dying while on the road? What did you do? What do you wish you'd done? Any suggestions/stories welcome, thank you

 

[highdesertranger]

have enough of a emergency fund to cover it or to replace it. when you say complete failure I am guessing you mean engine or transmission failure. because all the systems in a vehicle never fail at once. highdesertranger

 

[Satellite5812]

I know that would be the best option.. I don't have enough of an emergency fund to replace it, or to cover all the repairs it needs. I know everything doesn't go at once, but there are enough major things in the process of failing that I don't know which to gamble on replacing, because there would still be a couple more about to go. So I'm looking at saving what little emergency fund I have to replace whatever goes first.

Having enough emergency fund to cover or replace it means more travel, through some pretty remote stretches, to go where there's work. Which is why I'm curious who might've been in that situation, and how they dealt with it. Did you shelter in place until someone else came by, or pack a bag of supplies and start walking? What precautions do you recommend taking when leaving your house in a remote location to seek help?

 

[highdesertranger]

well if you vehicle is in that bad of shape I would advise not to go to remote locations.

if you breakdown in a remote location do not leave your vehicle.

just to be clear, I do not consider any paved road to be a remote location.

highdesertranger

 

[user 2252]

I agree with Highdesertranger, put some money away for such a thing. Of course, if you have knowledge, you can save yourself some money by doing the repairs yourself. I firmly believe regular maintenance will prolong the inevitable.
I suggest to alleviate some of your anxiety to learn some basic auto stuff like how to properly check and maintain your tire air pressures and the tools needed and check fluid levels under the hood.That will be doing something about your worries and more importantly, empowering you. (Dont forget to put some money away too!)

 

[travelaround]

Sounds like a worst case scenario! I'm thinking . . . about being on a Forest Service backwoods road with nobody else around, having to hike out of there without my broken down van. What would I take? Nerves of steel... to begin with. A good hiking stick in case I have to defend myself from wild animals. A pocket knife. A whistle. A backpack with supplies to last a few days. My cell phone in case I get to a place where there's service for that. Best of all, I'd take good shoes, a sense of humor, and a book to read. When in doubt, sit down and read a book. I'd take my Kindle... oh, and one of those Luci lights with the little solar panel that will recharge the Kindle and cell phone. Also bottled spring water and plenty of food.

 

[MrNoodly]

...I don't know which to gamble on replacing...

A mechanic should be able to tell you which things are most likely to go bad first and whether those things would leave you stranded.

 

[lenny flank]

I always keep enough on hand to replace the van and everything in it if it becomes necessary.

 

[maki2]

Had all my stuff in a VW van back in 1983 going cross country. The engine blew while I was in a state park campground out in the a sparsely populated area. I did not have enough to cover the repairs so I borrowed money from a friend. The closest repair shop was a fairly long tow away. The repair shop was in a metal barn on the people farm property. The owner was too busy to get around to replacing the engine with a rebuilt. So his parents, the previous owners of the repair shop came out of retirement and did the work. I had to spend a few days in a motel in a nearby town. Fortunately I did have a bicycle along so I could commute around town and out to the shop on that.

Stuff happens and it is not always going to happen when you have a ton of money or are in a convenient location. But there are good people out there pretty much everywhere who do go out of their way to help get you back on the road.

For quite a few years my brother was sheriff in a small town on I-90. There were always people breaking down and getting stranded. While they could not cover the cost of repairs they often did put people up in a motel for a few nights out of the town's funds and made sure they had some meals as well.

 

[Weldman]

I can usually tell before something gives though some stuff is unexpected.
Lost a slave cylinder in California replaced that up on a mountain then after I made Oregon the throw out bearing in the truck went. I limped it to Harbor Freight bought a motorcycle jack $100 at the time then limped it to Oreilly’s got throw out bearing. Pulled into nearest gas station and dropped the transmission in the back of the parking lot fixed it myself. Wasn’t some small rig, I was pulling 48 ft shipping container that was my uncompleted home and had my 5 yr old with me at the same time back then.
Had someone in disbelief that happened up on me and asked, are you doing what I think you are doing? I said yes I am and he asked what beer I would prefer and went in the store and grabbed my son a ice cream cone while he was at it. Next day came out to check on me and I had stripped the the bleeder valve out on slave cylinder, took us up the road to get another one. When done he brought us lunch and a Vicodin and said you might need that.

 

[travelaround]

Great story, Weldman... I wish I had the skill to repair my own vehicles but it is something I never learned. My son seems able to fix almost anything...

If my van breaks down it will have to be towed to a mechanic.

 

[vanbrat]

These are all good things to think about We are trying to think about a good set of tools we can pack around. We have a fully twice over tool set in a big shop and hubby does 99% 0f the work on our cars but we won't have that on the road so we are trying to think what fits.....
So my question is what do you never leave out and would not like to be with out.?

 

[Weldman]

These are all good things to think about We are trying to think about a good set of tools we can pack around. We have a fully twice over tool set in a big shop and hubby does 99% 0f the work on our cars but we won't have that on the road so we are trying to think what fits.....
So my question is what do you never leave out and would not like to be with out.?

Depends on vehicle, some use SAE and some use Metric and some have couple bolts that can be of both, I bring whatever my one vehicle needs of that mostly SAE or Metric back when I had smaller rig on limited room. Brought adjustable wrench pliers of assortments and hand drivers of assortments. Basically look at your vehicle and think if that broke what would I need to fix it or change it. Don’t forget most important tool is 3 pound maul so when all else fails have fun till you are worn out or content. I now carry every tool that would more likely be in your hubbys shop plus ability to weld any metal...

 

[bullfrog]

I think a lot of people don't realize how important and necessary an emergency fund is. I would suggest that you not attempt going long distances or to remote places with a vehicle loaded with items you can't afford to replace. It is almost always cheaper to stay local or find a situation where travel in an unreliable vehicle is not required and save up money until you can. If you can't start out with a reliable vehicle and enough to fix it (emergency fund) then don't. There are plenty of seasonal employers that will supply housing and pick you up at a bus stop. Do this until you can save the money you need or gain the knowledge you need to afford for this to happen. Eventually every motor vehicle wears out and more so if you carry heavy loads like many do fultiming. Living simply out of a backpack is a real blessing if you are able to make yourself do it and knowing that you can walk away leaving little behind to replace because the vehicle broke is the only way I would start out without a reliable vehicle that I was familiar with.

 

[travelaround]

Yes to the emergency fund. I would not be planning any kind of long distance travel if I were not blessed with an emergency fund and good vehicle. When I was younger I did take some long distance trips in old cars without any backup funds but I'm older now and know that is folly. It is only by God's grace that I didn't have a serious automotive failure in my youth... one far from home.

 

[lenny flank]

Get AAA. 

This times 100. Best investment any traveler can make.

 

[Doubleone]

Good maintenance is your best defense against unexpected break downs.  ...Or rather, you should probably expect to break down if you ignore maintenance, and it usually happens at the most inconvenient time and place.  Consider if something is predictable it's preventable, and mechanical objects have very predictable tendencies and outcomes.  Regular fluid and filter changes along with mechanic inspections will reveal most major problems long before they happen.  This gives you time to pre-plan repairs and hopefully prevent a break down while on the road.  Engine and transmission are probably the two biggest things that could kill your rig and pocket book, everything else is nickel/dime in comparison.  Engines... as long as they don't overheat or get low on fluids will generally have a slow steady decline.  Let an engine run low on oil or overheat just one time and it goes bad in a hurry.  How do you prevent engine damage?  Check and keep proper level of oil in the engine and change oil/filter at regular intervals.  If the engine starts running odd, or the 'check engine' light comes on have it checked and repaired right away.  How do you prevent an overheat?   Check and keep fresh coolant to prevent corrosion and radiator leaks, make sure hoses are in good shape, keep good belts on the engine, have the mechanic check the water pump and fan clutch for excessive play.  Same thing with transmissions, changing fluid just once can generally double the life/mileage of a transmission, but I'd recommend fluid about every 30-35k miles for severe use.  If the fluid smells burnt, darkens quickly after a change, slow going into gear on cold mornings, or shifting odd that could be an indication that its starting to slip.  A mechanic inspection can usually estimate how long before needing brakes or suspension repairs and you can pre-plan those repairs.  If brake linings are low but not completely gone you can baby it, choose to avoid remote areas, long drives, or hilly routes until you have funds to fix it.  Batteries usually have a date decal on top and depending on the brand and model can last anywhere from 2 to 5 years, knowing that you'll have a rough idea about when it needs replaced.  Cold weather and using a start battery for the house is hard on batteries.  Usually a battery will give a slow crank or two before it lets you know it's time is up.  If you need to push battery life to the limits, keep some jumper cables handy and know how to use them.  The things that go out unexpectedly are tires (road damage or age).  There are date codes stamped into the  tire sidewalls; car tires generally last about 7 years but trucks/vans/rv's need replaced at 4-5 years because of heavy loads.  You can squeak by on an older tire or even a used tire if need be, just keep them aired, drive slower, have a spare, and be ready for it to peel a tread.  Aside from road debris, low air pressure is the number one cause of premature tire failure, especially on hot days.  If you can at least learn how to check and top off the fluids, air the tires, and keep up on maintenance, you'll be doing more to help yourself than most folks...

 

[RoamerRV428]

emergency cash on hand is a must for most

I remember one nomad broke down and she put herself up in a local hotel with her pet until her repairs were fixed.

So.....

never happened to us but we do have emergency money for fixes, money for hotel if required etc.

Some fix shops will let you live in the vehicle on site while they do the work....all on a guess basis who might offer this option of course in your situation.

kindness of other's to help you can go a long way on them making sure you are ok while the vehicle gets repaired.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

 . . . Get AAA. For 85 dollars a year they will come and tow you from wherever you are to the closest town mechanic shop. Without it, you will pay A LOT  for towing.

Does AAA now pay for towing from Forest Service and other back country roads?  They used to only go a short distance off pavement.  Might not work if you boondock a lot.

+++ on an adequate emergency fund.  And understand your risk.  The cost of a tow will increase in proportion to how far you are from civilization.

 

[highdesertranger]

"Does AAA now pay for towing from Forest Service and other back country roads?"

no they do not UNLESS it's a county/state maintained non-paved road, and even then you might be waiting a very long time or they might refuse.

highdesertranger