We left the Seattle area this past Monday headed toward Utah and made it as
far as LaGrande,Oregon. Then the bad news. Leaving the RV park, something
broke on the towed vehicle base plate. When I glanced at the rearview
camera I could see the truck swaying left and right. Uh oh!

One of the tow bar connections was hanging down almost touching the ground. Disconnected the truck from the motorhome (with some difficulty) and headed back to the RV park. We were able to drive the truck so we found a local
dealer who got started on repairs right away. However the old parts availability bug bit so we will be here a while.

Nothing against LaGrand but there are better places we could be stranded.
More to come as information becomes available.

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George.Anthony wrote:

We left the Seattle area this past Monday headed toward Utah and made it as far as LaGrande,Oregon. Then the bad news. Leaving the RV park, something broke on the towed vehicle base plate. When I glanced at the rearview
camera I could see the truck swaying left and right. Uh oh!

One of the tow bar connections was hanging down almost touching the ground. Disconnected the truck from the motorhome (with some difficulty) and headed back to the RV park. We were able to drive the truck so we found a local dealer who got started on repairs right away. However the old parts availability bug bit so we will be here a while.

Nothing against LaGrand but there are better places we could be stranded. More to come as information becomes available.

Maybe you guys should consider giving up travelcamping, and taking
up lawn croquet.

--
bill
Theory don't mean squat if it don't work.

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On 7/18/2025 12:00 PM, George.Anthony wrote:

We left the Seattle area this past Monday headed toward Utah and made it as far as LaGrande,Oregon. Then the bad news. Leaving the RV park, something broke on the towed vehicle base plate. When I glanced at the rearview
camera I could see the truck swaying left and right. Uh oh!

One of the tow bar connections was hanging down almost touching the ground. Disconnected the truck from the motorhome (with some difficulty) and headed back to the RV park. We were able to drive the truck so we found a local dealer who got started on repairs right away. However the old parts availability bug bit so we will be here a while.

Nothing against LaGrand but there are better places we could be stranded. More to come as information becomes available.

Sorry to hear about this, George. Would love to see images of the
damage and more info if you get any since I also pull a TOAD. That must
of been a real shock seeing that.

I'm also wondering if you have any braking on the toad and if it either
didn't work, or the emergency cable just didn't get pulled out? I was
thinking about checking the torque on the brackets I installed on the
Bronco, but didn't want to break the lock tight loose doing it.
Probably still worth putting a torque wrench on them just to make sure
they're still good. I know you said yours broke somehow, and I should
of also given a good look at the welds on the pieces to make sure no
cracks appeared after the 4000 miles I drug it around.

Good luck getting it fixed!

--
Science doesn't support Darwin. Scientists do.

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sticks <[email protected]> wrote:

On 7/18/2025 12:00 PM, George.Anthony wrote:

We left the Seattle area this past Monday headed toward Utah and made it as >> far as LaGrande,Oregon. Then the bad news. Leaving the RV park, something
broke on the towed vehicle base plate. When I glanced at the rearview
camera I could see the truck swaying left and right. Uh oh!

One of the tow bar connections was hanging down almost touching the ground. >> Disconnected the truck from the motorhome (with some difficulty) and headed >> back to the RV park. We were able to drive the truck so we found a local
dealer who got started on repairs right away. However the old parts
availability bug bit so we will be here a while.

Nothing against LaGrand but there are better places we could be stranded.
More to come as information becomes available.

Sorry to hear about this, George. Would love to see images of the
damage and more info if you get any since I also pull a TOAD. That must
of been a real shock seeing that.

I'm also wondering if you have any braking on the toad and if it either didn't work, or the emergency cable just didn't get pulled out? I was thinking about checking the torque on the brackets I installed on the
Bronco, but didn't want to break the lock tight loose doing it.
Probably still worth putting a torque wrench on them just to make sure they're still good. I know you said yours broke somehow, and I should
of also given a good look at the welds on the pieces to make sure no
cracks appeared after the 4000 miles I drug it around.

Good luck getting it fixed!

Actually, it is the weld(s) that gave way. I have towed this truck nearly
40000 miles with no known issues. I always check connections, etc. I guess checking welds will be added to the list. We did go over some terribly
bumpy roads that no vehicle should have to endure. My conclusion is that several hundred miles of this flexed and weakened the welds and they
eventually gave up the ghost. Luckily the insurance is covering $2700 of
the $3700 total. Of course they will get it back when my rate goes up. Must
be nice to be in a no risk business.

I do have auxiliary braking on the truck. The breakaway cable would not
have pulled out since the truck didn’t come loose from the RV. Oh, also, no pictures. I was so pissed I didn’t think to take any.

I am towing a 4WD GMC Canyon, by the way.

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bfh <[email protected]> wrote:

George.Anthony wrote:

We left the Seattle area this past Monday headed toward Utah and made it as >> far as LaGrande,Oregon. Then the bad news. Leaving the RV park, something
broke on the towed vehicle base plate. When I glanced at the rearview
camera I could see the truck swaying left and right. Uh oh!

One of the tow bar connections was hanging down almost touching the ground. >> Disconnected the truck from the motorhome (with some difficulty) and headed >> back to the RV park. We were able to drive the truck so we found a local
dealer who got started on repairs right away. However the old parts
availability bug bit so we will be here a while.

Nothing against LaGrand but there are better places we could be stranded.
More to come as information becomes available.

Maybe you guys should consider giving up travelcamping, and taking
up lawn croquet.

Not gonna’ happen. Not yet anyway. I am a crippled up old man but as long
as I can get a driver’s license, I will be on the road.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

George.Anthony wrote:

bfh <[email protected]> wrote:

George.Anthony wrote:

We left the Seattle area this past Monday headed toward Utah and made it as >>> far as LaGrande,Oregon. Then the bad news. Leaving the RV park, something >>> broke on the towed vehicle base plate. When I glanced at the rearview
camera I could see the truck swaying left and right. Uh oh!

One of the tow bar connections was hanging down almost touching the ground. >>> Disconnected the truck from the motorhome (with some difficulty) and headed >>> back to the RV park. We were able to drive the truck so we found a local >>> dealer who got started on repairs right away. However the old parts
availability bug bit so we will be here a while.

Nothing against LaGrand but there are better places we could be stranded. >>> More to come as information becomes available.

Maybe you guys should consider giving up travelcamping, and taking
up lawn croquet.

Not gonna’ happen. Not yet anyway. I am a crippled up old man but as long
as I can get a driver’s license, I will be on the road.

How old are you?

--
bill
Theory don't mean squat if it don't work.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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Ralph E Lindberg <[email protected]> wrote:

On 2025-07-18 17:00:09 +0000, George.Anthony said:

We left the Seattle area this past Monday headed toward Utah and made it as >> far as LaGrande,Oregon. Then the bad news. Leaving the RV park, something
broke on the towed vehicle base plate. When I glanced at the rearview
camera I could see the truck swaying left and right. Uh oh!

One of the tow bar connections was hanging down almost touching the ground. >> Disconnected the truck from the motorhome (with some difficulty) and headed >> back to the RV park. We were able to drive the truck so we found a local
dealer who got started on repairs right away. However the old parts
availability bug bit so we will be here a while.

Nothing against LaGrand but there are better places we could be stranded.
More to come as information becomes available.

Thunder RV is the best repair shop in the region, hopefully that's
where you went.

If it was a week-day a tour of the Northwoods or Outdoors factories
could be interesting...

We've stayed at Grande Hot Springs (for the Arctic Fox Rally)

Thanks for the info but the problem is not with the coach, it’s with the pickup I tow. Brought the truck to Goss Motors, a GM and Chevy dealer. Been around for 103 years so I guess they are doing something right. They happen
to be a preferred repair shop for my insurance company. They have been very accommodating to us so far.

I think we will be visiting some of the lake areas tomorrow (Sunday).

We took a ride to Baker City and spent a nice day at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center on Friday.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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bfh <[email protected]> wrote:

George.Anthony wrote:

bfh <[email protected]> wrote:

George.Anthony wrote:

We left the Seattle area this past Monday headed toward Utah and made it as
far as LaGrande,Oregon. Then the bad news. Leaving the RV park, something >>>> broke on the towed vehicle base plate. When I glanced at the rearview
camera I could see the truck swaying left and right. Uh oh!

One of the tow bar connections was hanging down almost touching the ground.
Disconnected the truck from the motorhome (with some difficulty) and headed
back to the RV park. We were able to drive the truck so we found a local >>>> dealer who got started on repairs right away. However the old parts
availability bug bit so we will be here a while.

Nothing against LaGrand but there are better places we could be stranded. >>>> More to come as information becomes available.

Maybe you guys should consider giving up travelcamping, and taking
up lawn croquet.

Not gonna’ happen. Not yet anyway. I am a crippled up old man but as long
as I can get a driver’s license, I will be on the road.

How old are you?

Seventy-eight and counting.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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George.Anthony wrote:

bfh <[email protected]> wrote:

George.Anthony wrote:

bfh <[email protected]> wrote:

George.Anthony wrote:

We left the Seattle area this past Monday headed toward Utah and made it as
far as LaGrande,Oregon. Then the bad news. Leaving the RV park, something >>>>> broke on the towed vehicle base plate. When I glanced at the rearview >>>>> camera I could see the truck swaying left and right. Uh oh!

One of the tow bar connections was hanging down almost touching the ground.
Disconnected the truck from the motorhome (with some difficulty) and headed
back to the RV park. We were able to drive the truck so we found a local >>>>> dealer who got started on repairs right away. However the old parts
availability bug bit so we will be here a while.

Nothing against LaGrand but there are better places we could be stranded. >>>>> More to come as information becomes available.

Maybe you guys should consider giving up travelcamping, and taking
up lawn croquet.

Not gonna’ happen. Not yet anyway. I am a crippled up old man but as long
as I can get a driver’s license, I will be on the road. >>>

How old are you?

Seventy-eight and counting.

I think I remember 78.

--
bill
Theory don't mean squat if it don't work.

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On 7/19/2025 8:04 PM, George.Anthony wrote:

Maybe you guys should consider giving up travelcamping, and taking
up lawn croquet.

Not gonna’ happen. Not yet anyway. I am a crippled up old man but as long as I can get a driver’s license, I will be on the road.

Great attitude! I hope I can do the same. Makes me sick seeing so many
older relatives just give up and hang around doing nothing. I think
even just going someplace new is good for the spirit. Keeps you young.

Keep it up, George....and hope they get that truck back ASAP.


--
Science doesn't support Darwin. Scientists do.

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sticks <[email protected]> wrote:

On 7/19/2025 8:04 PM, George.Anthony wrote:

Maybe you guys should consider giving up travelcamping, and taking
up lawn croquet.

Not gonna’ happen. Not yet anyway. I am a crippled up old man but as long >> as I can get a driver’s license, I will be on the road.

Great attitude! I hope I can do the same. Makes me sick seeing so many older relatives just give up and hang around doing nothing. I think
even just going someplace new is good for the spirit. Keeps you young.

Keep it up, George....and hope they get that truck back ASAP.

Thanks.

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