HELP! STRANDED in Houston. Lost Drive Shaft; Coolant hose and damage to air valve(s?). Need resources and advice.

[ido70]

I am hoping tomorrow (Monday) to get some service shop to review my problem and indicate they can fix it. The tow truck operator said he saw one air valve sheared off! I have no air leaks I am aware of, there is still 70psi on gauge. I was able to raise/lower both sides following incident. What air valves are located in this area? That will be one of the items I need to source soon. 
Just another observation here guys, I was towing a CRV at the time, not a scratch on it!

[96 EVO]

48 minutes ago, ido70 said:

  What air valves are located in this area?  

Well, your rear brakes are nearby!

[jacwjames]

On 2002 Windsor the rear air tank is right above the drive shaft.  There are several different fittings on the tank

Attached is the air system for Monaco rigs, it matched up pretty closely with my rig.  You can tell the front tank because it has a WET & DRY side so the other will be the rear. 

I would be surprised if you were completely missing a fitting/part on the tank as you'd loose all the air but you might have a line off one of the PPV valves and it wouldn't loose air. 

 

Good Luck

AIR SYSTEM Dynasty and Windsor.pdf

[tmw188]

Maybe the long Monaco flap saved the Honda from damage. 

[Frank McElroy]

2 hours ago, ido70 said:

I am hoping tomorrow (Monday) to get some service shop to review my problem and indicate they can fix it. The tow truck operator said he saw one air valve sheared off! I have no air leaks I am aware of, there is still 70psi on gauge. I was able to raise/lower both sides following incident. What air valves are located in this area? That will be one of the items I need to source soon. 
Just another observation here guys, I was towing a CRV at the time, not a scratch on it!

Please post pictures with the end of the transmission, upper air tank, and the rear differential where the driveshaft is missing. 

Pictures will answer a lot of questions and could help you out not only with the missing driveshaft components but also other damage done under the coach.

[tmw188]

Jim did you attempt to search for the driveshaft or is that not a option?

[Guest Ray Davis]

Some yrs ago we had a member that dropped the drive shaft.  His broke at the differential, dropped down and dug into the road.   As I recall he had extensive damage to the transmission ( broken case )

I have seen drive shafts along the road that looked undamaged, they were a few feet long so probably belonged in a pickup.   The senerio i imagined was a broken rear ujoint failed and the shaft slipped out of the transmission without siginificant damage.  On a diesel pusher that is all backwards, not so easy for it to slip out of the tranny.  I suppose it might could happen but it's probably going to be beatup.   Even so find the piecies.

[Kenster]

Red Roof Inn and Motel 6, dog stays free. I have to agree with the other gentleman. How did you travel after the drive shaft came out? You need to find the drive shaft. You may start by looking for it stuck up in the coach somewhere.

[96 EVO]

7 minutes ago, Kenster said:

Red Roof Inn and Motel 6, dog stays free. I have to agree with the other gentleman. How did you travel after the drive shaft came out? You need to find the drive shaft. You may start by looking for it stuck up in the coach somewhere.

Turns out he got a 30 odd mile tow to where he sits!

[ido70]

Ok, update ladies & gentlemen. I dropped off the RV yesterday to a service company via another tow, this time by Priority Towing, 5 stars for this company, very professional. This was a second request as I had agreed the previous day with “Best Texas Towing” to pick me up at 8 the next morning. They left me high and dry, no contact, no return calls/texts. Do not believe their web site BS. This is a one truck company to ashamed to admit they are too small for my rig. 
There, got that off my chest. Rig is at RV Masters in Houston. I finally found a company that said “Yes, we can fix all your problems”. What a relief after 3 days of No, Sorry and You have wrong chassis, etc. 

The drive shaft is replaceable, made new in about 4 hours. The rad hose is minor and I hope the busted air valve is too. 
on a different problem my inverter/ converter quit after a few quirky things it did. I rebooted it and it failed to restart. The Masters do that!

So everything is back on track to get back on the road. I will try add pics of missing shaft area. 
 

JimB2

Edited November 29, 2023 by ido70

[tmw188]

Can’t tell if that’s just a shadow and hopefully it is because it looks as if  the differential pc that holds the U joint in place looks broke? In either case it does look spread out.

Edited November 29, 2023 by tmw188

[Dr4Film]

Hard to tell what is what from those photos. However, glad that you found someone to repair everything for you.

I looked up RV Masters website and they look like a very reputable facility.

Have you considered filing a claim with your insurance company for the repairs Just a thought.

[Guest Ray Davis]

Thanks for the pictures, Jim.   I don't recognize the first pict,  what are we looking at?

[Frank McElroy]

2 hours ago, ido70 said:

Ok, update ladies & gentlemen. I dropped off the RV yesterday to a service company via another tow, this time by Priority Towing, 5 stars for this company, very professional. This was a second request as I had agreed the previous day with “Best Texas Towing” to pick me up at 8 the next morning. They left me high and dry, no contact, no return calls/texts. Do not believe their web site BS. This is a one truck company to ashamed to admit they are too small for my rig. 
There, got that off my chest. Rig is at RV Masters in Houston. I finally found a company that said “Yes, we can fix all your problems”. What a relief after 3 days of No, Sorry and You have wrong chassis, etc. 

The drive shaft is replaceable, made new in about 4 hours. The rad hose is minor and I hope the busted air valve is too. 
on a different problem my inverter/ converter quit after a few quirky things it did. I rebooted it and it failed to restart. The Masters do that!

So everything is back on track to get back on the road. I will try add pics of missing shaft area. 
 

JimB2

Thank you for posting pictures.  It looks like both the transmission and differential ends holding the drive shaft are spread apart and will need to be replaced.  Those U-joints have been loose and making a clunking noise between acceleration and deceleration for a long time.  I'm also surprised not to see any grease slung from the U-joints onto the bottom of the chassis.  The shop you used to grease those joints every 5,000 miles or every 6 months if the coach is drive all year should have caught the U-joints going bad.

[96 EVO]

Greasing U-joints......... Highest maintenance item on your entire chassis!

[Dennis H]

This should be a lesson for everyone. Most lube shops 'forget' to lube the u joints and your steering column.....Dennis

[Tom Cherry]

2 hours ago, Dennis H said:

This should be a lesson for everyone. Most lube shops 'forget' to lube the u joints and your steering column.....Dennis

Maybe....maybe NOT.  I copied or scanned the Lube Chart from my owner's manual.  I give it to the shop every time.  They also use the CORRECT METHOD, which I tried once...but GOOFED of how to grease the Slip joint of the sliding section. I DID grease the joints....as I was on a 9K trip.  

I do NOT let them or required them to disassemble the cover from the steering column. I do that, annually, or try to....

So far...  70K and no issues.

 

[Bobbyboy]

On 11/29/2023 at 2:35 PM, Tom Cherry said:

Maybe....maybe NOT.  I copied or scanned the Lube Chart from my owner's manual.  I give it to the shop every time.  They also use the CORRECT METHOD, which I tried once...but GOOFED of how to grease the Slip joint of the sliding section. I DID grease the joints....as I was on a 9K trip.  

I do NOT let them or required them to disassemble the cover from the steering column. I do that, annually, or try to....

So far...  70K and no issues.

 

Tom:  Just curious:  how did you "goof" greasing the slip shaft.  I may be doing something wrong all these years.  I have a hard time getting the grease to " slip" out of the end but I know it is going through the grease fitting.  Sometimes I put in a lot of grease  but never see it come out of the end of the joint like all other grease joints.

 

Bob L., 08 dynasty

[Tom Cherry]

2 hours ago, Bobbyboy said:

Tom:  Just curious:  how did you "goof" greasing the slip shaft.  I may be doing something wrong all these years.  I have a hard time getting the grease to " slip" out of the end but I know it is going through the grease fitting.  Sometimes I put in a lot of grease  but never see it come out of the end of the joint like all other grease joints.

 

Bob L., 08 dynasty

Our "Mr. Guru of EVERTHING" told me.  I was on the road and really poured the grease to the "Slip Yoke" fitting.  It DOES take a lot.  BUT, after you get tired or change to a new cartridge, and the grease comes out of the pin hole or vent....follow the instructions here.  NOW, was that critical?  Probably NOT.  But, it is ONE of those things that we learn....and most, me included, always thought "pumping grease" was so easy.  Like changing oil....especially when you have your car on a rack....

I chuckle as I was friends with a very good and learned stockbroker and we socialized and such. His dad was the first broker in the small town. He became a noted leader in the community.  One night, after a few drinks, I asked him....How did you get into being a stock broker? He graduated from a local university that is the ARCH rival of mine and is well known for having graduate courses in "Contemplating and Analyzing Navel 'button' Lint" or a PhD program in Basket Weaving....in order to fulfill one's self.

His dad and a buddy's dad leased an Esso Service Station and he and his buddy ran it.  This was back when you went there for oil changes and MUST DO AT EVERY OIL CHANGE....LUBE JOB.  They were NOT well versed in mechanics or automotive skills....they DID expect a Monkey Wrench to have grips that would fit the hand of a Primate.

They changed the oil on a customer's Caddy.  He didn't get too far....somehow, they got preoccupied...and one screwed in the oil plug and the other was supposed to tighten it....and guess what...? The second one forgot.  The engine BLEW...big time.  Their dads bailed them out and closed the Esso service station.  Then he used his "Marketing and Financial" acumen and got into "investing".  The man was NOT exactly "Mr. Good Wrench".

So, I often thing....this is SO SIMPLE....but then the little trick or procedure for the slip joint totally eluded me.  BUT, I never wrote a thesis on the lint in my navel....|

LOL....TRUE STORY....

Hope this helps....

Bulletin DA032003 Greasing Of Universal Joints & Slip Yokes.pdf

[Guest Ray Davis]

On 11/27/2023 at 8:49 AM, Ray Davis said:

I have seen drive shafts along the road that looked undamaged, they were a few feet long so probably belonged in a pickup.   The senerio i imagined was a broken rear ujoint failed and the shaft slipped out of the transmission without siginificant damage.  On a diesel pusher that is all backwards, not so easy for it to slip out of the tranny.  I suppose it might could happen but it's probably going to be beatup.

I decided a new post would be the best way to correct something I said earlier, I said that the drive shaft could slip out of the transmission.                  Well, it turns out that is not correct it does not slip out the way many vehicles do and Frank McElroy, one of our wonderful moderators very kindly notified me of my wrong assumption.  What a great guy,  do we have great moderators, or what?  I certainly believe we do.

Thank you Frank

Edited December 1, 2023 by Ray Davis

[tmw188]

Is there a way that the files many of you insert in your post could be done a different way? Speaking for myself but maybe many others I find it hard to open them on a iPhone. I rarely use my computer for this forum. Maybe a new thread could be started on this so others could look it up and find it. 
For example sake Tom’s recent attachment about  the slip yoke is not an easy file to open even trying different methods.  

[Bobbyboy]

13 hours ago, Tom Cherry said:

Our "Mr. Guru of EVERTHING" told me.  I was on the road and really poured the grease to the "Slip Yoke" fitting.  It DOES take a lot.  BUT, after you get tired or change to a new cartridge, and the grease comes out of the pin hole or vent....follow the instructions here.  NOW, was that critical?  Probably NOT.  But, it is ONE of those things that we learn....and most, me included, always thought "pumping grease" was so easy.  Like changing oil....especially when you have your car on a rack....

I chuckle as I was friends with a very good and learned stockbroker and we socialized and such. His dad was the first broker in the small town. He became a noted leader in the community.  One night, after a few drinks, I asked him....How did you get into being a stock broker? He graduated from a local university that is the ARCH rival of mine and is well known for having graduate courses in "Contemplating and Analyzing Navel 'button' Lint" or a PhD program in Basket Weaving....in order to fulfill one's self.

His dad and a buddy's dad leased an Esso Service Station and he and his buddy ran it.  This was back when you went there for oil changes and MUST DO AT EVERY OIL CHANGE....LUBE JOB.  They were NOT well versed in mechanics or automotive skills....they DID expect a Monkey Wrench to have grips that would fit the hand of a Primate.

They changed the oil on a customer's Caddy.  He didn't get too far....somehow, they got preoccupied...and one screwed in the oil plug and the other was supposed to tighten it....and guess what...? The second one forgot.  The engine BLEW...big time.  Their dads bailed them out and closed the Esso service station.  Then he used his "Marketing and Financial" acumen and got into "investing".  The man was NOT exactly "Mr. Good Wrench".

So, I often thing....this is SO SIMPLE....but then the little trick or procedure for the slip joint totally eluded me.  BUT, I never wrote a thesis on the lint in my navel....|

LOL....TRUE STORY....

Hope this helps....

Bulletin DA032003 Greasing Of Universal Joints & Slip Yokes.pdf 49 kB · 33 downloads

Thanks Tom for the info and great story.  Guess I forgot to put my finger over the "weep hole" and continue greasing.  

 

Bob L, 08 dynasty

[Guest Ray Davis]

I'm 83 this month but right this minute I'm still a young 82.  👏 That's not important except that everything is getting harder to do and crawling under the coach is definitely one of the things that is hard on the body.  If nothing else gets greased I try to make sure the drive line is pumped full, and we all know filling the slip joint would wear out Charles Atlas ( does anybody remember him )❓ Anyway my arms get exhausted so when I put my finger over the hole I unscrew the seal, this seems to lessen the resistance for the grease to make its way through.  If this is a bad idea let me know,  be gentle though.  LOL   😉

I used to have a battery grease gun that was great but it got old too.   😄

[96 EVO]

12 minutes ago, Ray Davis said:

I'm 83 this month but right this minute I'm still a young 82.  👏  

25th 😮?

I knew there was something Special about you 'Ray' 🤐!

[Guest Ray Davis]

3 hours ago, 96 EVO said:

25th 😮?

I knew there was something Special about you 'Ray' 🤐!

Ho, ho, ho,  no, no, no,  27th but still not a good time for a birthday.   At this time I'm just glad to be here.   🥸 👍

Edited December 2, 2023 by Ray Davis