**Getting Back on the Road: My RV Journey and a Lesson Learned**
In my quest to return to full-time RVing, I’ve decided to purchase a used fifth wheel. The first task on my list? Repacking all the wheel bearings. This isn’t just routine maintenance for me—it’s a lesson forged in experience after a fiery ordeal near Statesville, North Carolina.
Years ago, my wife Kathy and I owned a Teton Homes fifth wheel. We were traveling up I-77 toward home when we pulled off for fuel, a couple of miles down a side road near Statesville. As we drove, I glanced back and saw flames shooting from the driver’s side wheel of the fifth wheel. Heart pounding, I slowed down and barely managed to pull over, teetering on the edge of a ditch with hardly any shoulder to spare.
Almost immediately, a kind stranger appeared and began directing traffic around us, as cars couldn’t pass easily. I grabbed the fire extinguisher and doused the flames. About 500 yards ahead, I spotted an empty UPS store parking lot—closed, likely because it was Sunday. I carefully maneuvered the fifth wheel into the lot to get fully off the road.
While assessing the damage, I heard sirens in the distance. Kathy remarked, “Good thing we got off the road before the fire trucks came by.” I turned to her and said, “Kathy, they’re coming for us.” And sure enough, they were.
A fire truck arrived, followed by a tow truck driver who came prepared with a 4-foot stainless steel chain with hooks on each end. They jacked up the axle, secured the chain beneath it, hooked it to the frame, and removed the damaged tire. It looked ridiculous limping down the road like that, but it got us to the next exit, where we parked at a KOA campground for the night.
The next morning, we drove a few more exits north to a Camping World, where we dropped off the fifth wheel for repairs. We transferred most of our belongings to the pickup truck and headed home. But first, we had to return the chain to the gas station where the tow truck driver worked. When I approached him, he acted cautious, hiding the chain behind his back. It dawned on me: he’d taken the tow truck out on a Sunday without his boss’s knowledge. I slipped him $35 in cash discreetly, thanked him, and we went on our way.
That experience taught me a valuable lesson. No matter how “new” a used RV might seem, the first thing I’ll do with any older rig is repack the wheel bearings before embarking on a thousand-mile journey south. It’s a small step that can prevent a big disaster.
**Lessons Learned:**
- Always check and repack wheel bearings on a used RV before hitting the road.
- Keep a fire extinguisher handy and know how to use it.
- A kind stranger or quick-thinking tow truck driver can make all the difference in a crisis.
Here’s to safer travels and new adventures!