Tom from Yuma need's your help in California

yumacamper · October 07, 2006, 03:26:01 PM

I'm posting this message for a friend who has a '57 GMC 4104 Bus conversion and is stranded somewhere off the I-5 in California between Fresno and Visalia. He's towing his Toyota truck, so he has wheels to get around but he needs to know where would be the closest place to find a set of Rear Air Bags for his bus. He has his cell phone with him and can be reached at (---) --------. Please help Tom find what he needs so he can get back on the road for a much needed 3 week vacation to Oregon & Washington with his wife.

Thank-you,
Tom's Friend in Yuma

-- phone # removed - Phil Lyons --

pvcces · October 07, 2006, 08:04:00 PM

I got him on the phone at about 8 PM PDT. He said that he's got one possible lined up to pick up first thing towmorrow, and I gave him Ted Campbell's no. in Williams in case he needs it.

Tom Caffrey
Suncatcher
Ketchikan, Alaska

plyonsMC9 · October 07, 2006, 08:38:10 PM

Thanks yumacamper for posting to the board to help your friend. And welcome to the board !

We will delete your friends phone number from the post once we know he is OK and not in need of further assistance.

Thanks for jumping in to help Tom!

Best Regards, Phil

CraigC · October 07, 2006, 08:51:57 PM

I called him about 4:30 this afternoon. I have an air bag & etc. I think I have him covered. Will know for sure in AM.
I am only about 30 minutes form him.

Craig C
Lemoore, CA
4104-8V71TA

yumacamper · October 08, 2006, 08:24:23 PM

Thanks to all who have called and helped out. I can happily report that Tom & his wife Peggy are back on the road again on their way (once again) to Oregon & Washington.

Jim from Yuma

RJ · October 08, 2006, 08:29:18 PM

So - what was the fix? Please share so if it happens to someone else, we'll have a clue.

Thanks. . .

CraigC · October 12, 2006, 07:18:51 PM

Tom told me that he had a value stem extender on an inside dual fail. The inside dual came apart and punctured a 1" diameter hole in one of the rear air bags. The tire people discovered the other value stem extender was about to fail.
Maybe, Tom will provide more details when he gets back from his trip.
Craig C

John E. Smith · October 18, 2006, 09:00:58 PM

Quote from: CraigC on October 12, 2006, 07:18:51 PM
Tom told me that he had a value stem extender on an inside dual fail. The inside dual came apart and punctured a 1" diameter hole in one of the rear air bags. The tire people discovered the other value stem extender was about to fail.
Maybe, Tom will provide more details when he gets back from his trip.
Craig C

Ah... one of my many lessons learned from my trucking career! Never use valve stem extensions! I always had my tire guy install the longer valve stems -- eliminates another potential failure point.

Tom Dupre · October 27, 2006, 07:54:51 AM

Hello All !!!

Peggy and I returned safe and sound yesterday around noon to Yuma. I want to thank all who helped us during our mishap out on the road. As you know we had a valve stem extender fail causing the left rear inside dual to go flat. When the side wall came apart, a piece hit the rear air bag and ruptured it as well. We were fortunate to be only a couple hundred yards from the intrance to a rest stop and limped in there to do the repairs. After calling all the local shops to no avail, I thought "The MAK Board" I called a buddy of mine in Yuma, Jim, and he posted the message for me asking for help. Within an hour my cell phone rang and Craig turned out to have my much needed part and was only 45 minutes away! A nicer man you will never meet, Thanks Craig! Tom called from Alaska and gave me a contact in Williams too. I did pick up a spare from him a couple of days later. I met Craig the next morning and picked up the bag as well as some timber to block up the bus. Once the rig was high enough for me to get under, the replacement of the airbag was pretty straight forward. Billingsley tire came out and I had them replace both the tires on the left rear. The outside tire was heated pretty badly and had become very soft and sticky. Jerry, the tire guy, also broke down the other duals and installed new valve stems there as well. He said he couldn't count the number of failures he's encountered because of those extenders. Get rid of them!

So, after a slight delay, we were on our way again. Mike has written about the benefits of the board often in the the magazine. It sure paid off in our time of need. Bus nuts, ya got to love them. Everywhere we went on the trip we told our story and jaws dropped every time. Incredible!!!

Again Thanks to all of you, if your in need of help in the Yuma area please don't hesitate to ask. What comes around, goes around I always say.

Take care, Tom Dupre, Yuma Az.

pvcces · October 28, 2006, 10:35:34 PM

Tom, thanks for the feedback.

We expect to get to Yuma during December or January. Would you mind if we call you when we are down there?

Thanks.

Tom Caffrey
Suncatcher
Ketchikan, Alaska

Ed Hackenbruch · October 29, 2006, 04:35:12 AM

There are lots of buses in the Yuma area during the winter. 2 years ago i counted 80 of them in a 2-3 mile square area in the Foothills. We are leaving the Seattle area this morning headed that way but won't get there for 2 weeks. Got friends and family to visit on the way.

Tom Dupre · November 02, 2006, 06:29:16 AM

Tom,Yes, Please do give us a call when you arrive. Or better yet when you expect to arrive, we work out at the Yuma Proving Grounds and the schedule is nuts with all that's happening overseas. I most often have at least Sunday off but it varies. You can email me at home with the details of your schedule and we'll set something up. Ted was a hoot by the way, works at night and sleeps most of the day. He did fix me up with a spare air bag too. Yhanks for the contact info!

Tom Dupre, Yuma Az.

pvcces · November 02, 2006, 09:21:03 PM

Tom, we'll plan on emailing you and see how meeting up works out.

Thanks.

Tom Caffrey
Suncatcher
Ketchikan, Alaska