After spending 7 days with Alfa friends Jane and Dave Petersen, it was time to move on. We enjoyed each others company, met their 2, daughters, son-in-law, and 5 grandchildren.
Played Mexican Train, let Jane win, while Susan had the highest score of all. Dave and Jane took us on a tour of the area, explained the crops, and the lay of the land. Went to the Dam and found a bookstore along with a quilt shop.
Had dinner at the Elk's lodge, rode on the lake, spotting for Jessie while the grandchildren rode a floatie behind the boat.
Worked on Dave & Jane's new 06 Gold, combining the battery banks along with identifying why the front Air Bags did not inflate. Dave was able to order a new Height Control Valve. Oil changed in the truck, and just plain had fun.
But Saturday came and it was time to leave. First problem, slide was out of kilter, causing a section of molding to break, then my cell phone took a 7 foot plunge. But we were able to leave and get on the road.
We stopped at an east bound reststop to dump, and then continued into Coeur d'Alene, where we pulled into a Holiday Fuel stop and topped off.
Next thing you know, we had an alarm going off and noticed it was the Low Air Alarm. Saw both gauges were down. Primary (Front) 75 & Secondary (Rear) 60 psi. We fast idled the engine and still the air was not coming up to the required 115 psi. We spied a parking lot across the street and moved over just in time before we lost almost all the air in the front air bags. I extended the levelers and then we just sat back. We discussed our situation and decided on a course of action. Started the engine again and fast idled up to 1500 RPM's. The air come up, but still not enough to help. Shut it down and started walking around and listing for leaks. Nothing heard, re-tried, but this time I crawled under and noticed a sound from the Haldex air dryer, and felt air coming from the relief valve.
Called the 24/7 Freightliner help line, placed on hold, left message, Susan was spending time trying to locate Rv/Truck service shops getting ready to call Good-Sam Roadside and especially keeping me calm.
In the end after a few phones calls and me crawling under the Rv, I found the relief valve was bad, then it was onto finding a replacement. Since Freightliner did not have the part number, I located the part number on the Haldex web-site. A 40 mile round trip bacl to Napa in Spokane Valley, 2 minutes inside and $20 later we were on our way back.
5 minutes later, the part installed, engine started and running, the air gauges came up quickly, and we were heading to the Elks lodge.
Note; for want of a $20 part, we were stopped in our tracks. 1 Rv/Truck service shop could not do anything until Wed, said to call back on Monday. Without air, towing was out, and would be very difficult as the wheels would rub on the inner lining, of the wheel well.
We would still have been in the parking lot, if it had not been for Dave. Remember he had a air problem? Well I spent a few hours reading up on the air system and looking over drawings. If I had not spent the time studying, we would still have been in the parking lot. I do not handle stress very well under these circumstances.
In all we were spent over 3 1/2 hours getting our Rv up and running. Then we spent over 2 hours at Costco trying to get an inexpensive phone to replace the one that took a 7-foot dive off a ladder earlier in the day. In all, it was another exciting day.
And a special thanks to Susan,my wife and love of my life, for without her, we possibility would still be sitting in the parking lot waiting.
So, until the next time;
Safe Travels and Journeys
from DaGirls Rv, AKA Dakota and Tilly
Susan, Dakota, Tilly and me
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