Broke down in Ohio

[Loneoak]

On our way home from Florida we went to New Orleans, then Illinois to visit with Rick & Patty, then off to south-east Ohio to visit a friend. About half an hour west of Columbus on the I-70 a trucker honked at us and pointed to the trailer. We had just changed drivers and hubby had felt the wheel hubs for heat as he always does.

I pulled over and hubby checked but could find nothing wrong at first sight. I kept going to the next exit very slowly. We pulled into a TA and that is when he noticed the rear trailer tire was kind of askew. I called Good Sam Roadside Assistance. While talking to them, I noticed they had a truck repair shop. So I told them we would look into that.

The truck place would not look at it, and told us to go to Camping World, about half a mile away. We limped over to their lot and as we pulled in, the wheel fell off. Hubby retrieved the wheel. Camping World would not fix it either but told us to go across the street to Ernie's Truck Repair. We went there on three wheels.

Ernie said to go to Redneck Parts, 15 minutes away and get an axle. We disconnected the truck and went. Redneck did not have an axle and it would take two weeks to get one in. They also referred us to a place called Ohio Trailer in Columbus as they might help us. I called Good Sam again. Could we have it towed to Ohio Trailer. No, they would not do that. They would tow us to a repair facility, but since we were technically at one, they would not tow us to the right one.

So we drove to Ohio Trailer and they said they could make us an axle. We had to go back to Ernie's and get the axle, which we did. Now this morning, after boondocking at Ernie's, we will go pick up our axle, bring it back to Ernie's, and have it installed.

What could we have done differently? I am beginning to think this Roadside Assistance is not worth renewing. If you are in a strange place, how would you know what facility to get it towed to? It took us three tries to get to Ernie, and two more to get to Ohio Trailer. We travel a lot, so we are very often in a place where we have no idea where to get things fixed.