Yahoo Message Number: 88728 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/88728)
So, get coach ready for a trip from Northern AZ. Haven't been out for about four months. Plastic cover plate for bay with the electric ("power" for those who insist on the real name) cord is missing. Can't find it and figure the worst that can happen is the bay to get too much warm air crossing the desert . . . wrong.
Fuel up at Quartzsite, AZ and do my fuel up walk around and all is well. At least for the next four miles. Truckers honking, pointing, generally alerting me to something in, or on, the coach hemorraging. Figure the towed had a flat tire and pull off. Walk around the right side of the coach and all is well. Move around to the left and trip over a chewed up, 30' black snake of copper wire. The reel (manual in the Inspire)thought my trip too pedestrian and unreeled (is that a word?) through, you guessed it, the open hole in the bottom of the bay. If anyone is wondering, I'm guessing the cord is probably rated up to 5 miles an hour of stupidity, not 60 on the freeway.
The good news out of this first day of our vacation adventure, was this list. I remembered numerous great comments about Colton Truck, outside LA. I called, he was four hours away from my location, owner was gracious in not laughing but stated he was over a week out for repairs, but to stop by anyway and he'd see what he could do.
On arrival, he examined, sent his parts driver out for a new cable and installed same. The reel company, as best I can determine, is out of business. So I fold over the new cord in the bay. By the by, I found the plastic cover. And, most importantly, Colton is everything folks said it was, they are amazing. My thanks to Steve and his great men. Awesome.
Yahoo Message Number: 88745 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/88745)
lDon't feel so bad . There are more of us wondering the roads than you can imagine. On our way from Georgia to Maine we also were being flagged at by passing cars. Pulled over, and there was our power cord fully extended behind the coach. I had failed to use the plastic plug. Somehow the cord came out of the hole, unwound itself between our rear tandem tires and past the front tires of our toad. The cord was a little beat up, but I was able to repair it with electric tape. Guess I will replace it when we get back to GA. You can use your reel again. It will come apart and go back together with large pop rivets. I know this because I ran over my cord once when just pulling forward a few feet and pulled the cord out of the reel. There is a great learning curve with these machines.
Tom
2005 Inspire
51177