Had an unusual phone call from a customer

[Bill R.]

He's got a motor home and tows a 2002 toyota truck behind it...
He took off one day with the motorhome and forgot to take the toyota truck out of first gear, went a couple of miles at 50 mph or faster pulling the truck in first gear....It blew all the oil out of it and he's put more back in and wants to know what all that clanking and banging noise is when he tries to start it...

[billb]

He's got a motor home and tows a 2002 toyota truck behind it...
He took off one day with the motorhome and forgot to take the toyota truck out of first gear, went a couple of miles at 50 mph or faster pulling the truck in first gear....It blew all the oil out of it and he's put more back in and wants to know what all that clanking and banging noise is when he tries to start it...

...after about 15mph, it should have been toast. Surprised it didn't lock it up and drag the tires. Wow.

[Hallmark]

When I was in college I took a summer job in another state. I was headed for the headquarters at the end of the summer when I had some car trouble and my '60 MGA roadster died. Not wanting to leave it on the side of the road I asked my manager if I could use his car and a hand to tow it in. He loaned me his car, a chain suitable for towing, and volunteered some guy to come and help me.

As we drove out to my car I found that the guy that was supposed to help me had no experience towing a car. When we got to my car I set everything up, put him in the car, took it out of gear (made triple sure) and told him all he would need to do was watch my brake light and steer.

Everything went fine for the first few miles and then my car started bucking like a wild bronco. I stopped as quickly as I could and the guy came out of my car swearing he hadn't touched a thing, yet somehow my car was now in third gear. I looked underneath and saw that the number two piston had made a conspicuous exit through the block and several of the push-rods were sticking out through the oil pan.

Not a happy day.

[mikell]

Just shoot the old hoss . . .

[mattyb]

thats what i wouldve thought to happen. would the rear wheels have not just skidded?

[632 Regal]

i knew someone trying to start an old something or other with a new head and timing belt, was suggested to pull start the car...they did, up and down the road at 70 mph in 1st gear.

[Jr ///M5]

He's got a motor home and tows a 2002 toyota truck behind it...
He took off one day with the motorhome and forgot to take the toyota truck out of first gear, went a couple of miles at 50 mph or faster pulling the truck in first gear....It blew all the oil out of it and he's put more back in and wants to know what all that clanking and banging noise is when he tries to start it...

Hmmm, I wonder if his homeowners insurance will fix it for him?:)

You see motorhomes, especially in the summer around here, towing their primary transportation vehicle (PTV) traveling the interstate. I remember reading one story of how one person towed his PTV to Alaska via the motorhome. When they finally arrived, he was stunned to see all the paint had been removed from the front of the car by rock chips while traveling on the dirt road to get there. I guess there used to be about 1000 miles of dirt road you had to drive on to get there.