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Thread: SuitedPairs Stud Mill Misadventure

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Oakland, Maine
    Posts
    532

    Default SuitedPairs Stud Mill Misadventure

    While I was blissfully camping in N.H. this morning I got a call from my friend Ann (the better half of SuitedPair) They were on the SMR with a flat tire and could not get the spare tire off. They got 2 or 3 caches so they were not all that far out, perhaps only 2 miles off the paved road, and had a call into AAA.

    Later I discovered that AAA could not find a single company that would go out to the Stud Mill Road. Not one. Chris ended up driving on the flat to the paved portion of County Road and the tow truck met him there. The driver could not get the spare off so Chris's truck was towed to VIP. They could not get the spare off and had to use a cutting torch to cut the bracket off.

    This process took almost 7 hours.

    Now, the tow was free due to AAA and Chris had to pay for the new tire (driving a few miles on a flat killed that tire) and the repair job for the spare, plus he was really, really upset that they did not get to cache

    Why is this important? Well, a few weeks ago I had work done on my brake lines and the mechanic told me that my spare tire was rusted into the bracket and would have to be cut out. Both my Dodge and Chris's Chevy have tires mounted underneath the trucks and they are exposed to road salt ect.

    If you have this type of spare, take 15 minutes and make sure you can get to it. This may save you 7 hours later. Plus, If you go out anywhere that is remote, make sure that you are in a good vehicle and prepared. Chris found out the hard way that help may not be an option. Just a little heads up. I now have new brake lines, a new spare tire bracket, new tires and bombed around the back roads near Eustis. Have fun, Be safe!! and Happy Caching
    Geocaching Parrotheads

    Why can't we get a government sponsered tick eradication program?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    ME
    Posts
    3,529

    Default

    Ah, the lessons we learn on the road. For years, when I was younger, I belonged to the 3A company. Feeling confident being on the road - they were there for me. They never asked what I drove when they took my premium.

    Well, I drove a 1 ton, multi passenger window van. Passenger plates and most of the passengers were dogs.............lesson learned on the NH pike when I got a flat. It took 4 hours for the "contract company" to find me (I was less than 1 mile from the NH toll - but apparently invisible).......and then when they arrived they said my policy would not cover it as I had a "commecial vehicle because it was a 1 ton van)........whatever - fix it!

    I argued with the 3A company after the fact and they finally did cover the service. But, not happily. They stood to loose a lot of money from dog show folks who drove the same vans = pulling out of their insurance.

    I suspect the issue with responding service was it being on a private road. Word of caution on those tires mounted under the vehicle.....they don't always come down and off easily.

    Remember a night a few years ago - one cacher parked her car at a park N ride and a bunch of us went off caching for the day. We arrived back - late at night - to find a flat tire on her car.............well, what to do - we (a bunch o' gal cachers) changed it. Under flashlights.........not a car stopped to help......but perhaps they thought we just had it under control.

    Amen on the being Safe Out There - and also remember - you may not always have cell service.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Litchfield, Maine
    Posts
    3,592

    Default

    I have a truck and I now keep my spare in the bed if the truck because of this problem.
    Blazing Troll

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Bangor, ME
    Posts
    6,343

    Default

    Stud Mill Road, and more so the Golden Road, you should make sure your original spare works plus have another spare in the back. Maybe more - ask Tat!

    Make sure you have insurance for windshield glass if you are going on days the logging trucks are passing through, too!
    DNFTT! DNFTT! DNFTT!

    "The funniest thing about this particular signature is that by the time you realize it doesn't say anything it's to late to stop reading it..."

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Brewer,ME
    Posts
    2,611

    Thumbs up I know where mine is

    My jeep's spare is on the back so I can see it. Full size and ready to go. BTW if you got a flat at The Last Cache Bashe of Summer 2009 (GC1WT2K) by mainiac1957 (1/1) then AAA would be glad to come there. Sorry I can't help myself.
    Happy Trails!



  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Richmond
    Posts
    410

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by brdad View Post
    Stud Mill Road, and more so the Golden Road, you should make sure your original spare works plus have another spare in the back. Maybe more - ask Tat!

    Make sure you have insurance for windshield glass if you are going on days the logging trucks are passing through, too!
    Great advice! Learned long ago that multi-ply sidewalls are necessary if you want to avoid flats off-road up North.

    I also found a great product that keeps those spares available. PB Blaster catalyst for breaking down rust and keeping things free. http://blasterchemical.com/display.cfm?p=50003&pid=4
    I'm just nuts about geocaching!!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Bangor, ME
    Posts
    6,343

    Default

    AAA is a not-for-profit organization. Towing companies who tow for AAA make much less profit on a given job than they would for cash, much like doctors who take Medicaid perform their services for less for those patients. IIRC, they only make a set price as well, meaning they would make the same profit to fix a tire on a car one mile from their station as they would 25 miles down the Stud Mill Road. On top of that, some towing company drivers make a percentage of the actual tow bill when they are working on call as their only profit.

    All these factors contribute to lower quality service by AAA itself, it's participating stations, as well as the drivers themselves.
    Last edited by brdad; 08-11-2009 at 06:19 AM.
    DNFTT! DNFTT! DNFTT!

    "The funniest thing about this particular signature is that by the time you realize it doesn't say anything it's to late to stop reading it..."

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    America
    Posts
    2,578

    Default Good to know

    Quote Originally Posted by brdad View Post
    AAA is a not-for-profit organization. Towing companies who tow for AAA make much less profit on a given job than they would for cash, much like doctors who take Medicaid perform their services for less for those patients. IIRC, they only make a set price as well, meaning they would make the same profit to fix a tire on a car one mile from their station as they would 25 miles down the Stud Mill Road. On top of that, some towing company drivers make a percentage of the actual tow bill when they are working on call as their only profit.

    All these factors contribute to lower quality service by AAA itself, it's participating stations, as well as the drivers themselves.
    My Frustration with them and hatred comes from paying for a service for years and listening to all the adds and hype then when I'm stuck they can not or will not help at all.

    I was 1/2 mile from a AAA station when AAA said they could not find one in my area that could give me a jump start. When I asked the station they said they had not been called and even gave me the jump for free. They got a big tip from me.

    The second time I was stuck again and they almost seemed to refuse to help me. I will tell everyone that they are useless as far as I'm concerned every time I hear AAA.

    I get roadside service through my insurance company at no extra charge. I have used them twice so far and they are more than helpful at any hour.

    Did I mention I don't think much of AAA?
    I have no enemies, but I'm intensely disliked by my friends.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Albion, Maine
    Posts
    330

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by fins2right View Post
    .... They were on the SMR with a flat tire and could not get the spare tire off. ... .... ... ... ... The driver could not get the spare off so Chris's truck was towed to VIP. They could not get the spare off and had to use a cutting torch to cut the bracket off.

    .... ....
    Why is this important? Well, a few weeks ago I had work done on my brake lines and the mechanic told me that my spare tire was rusted into the bracket and would have to be cut out. Both my Dodge and Chris's Chevy have tires mounted underneath the trucks and they are exposed to road salt ect.

    If you have this type of spare, take 15 minutes and make sure you can get to it. This may save you 7 hours later. Plus, If you go out anywhere that is remote, make sure that you are in a good vehicle and prepared. Chris found out the hard way that help may not be an option. Just a little heads up. I now have new brake lines, a new spare tire bracket, new tires and bombed around the back roads near Eustis. Have fun, Be safe!! and Happy Caching
    Funny coincidence that you should post this story but mine is far from eventful. Last week while driving my daughters to camp I had looked in my side mirror just in time to see a tire rolling along side me going down the road. I'm not speeding by any means but I'm cruising along about 45 mph and this tire threatens to veer into me as it appears to want to be in the lane we are in. So I speed up, (no tire is going to intimidate me) and sure enough the tire crosses over into the ditch and up in to a someones yard narrowly missing their mailbox where it proceeds in the longish grass (appears these folks have gotten lots of rain) to lose its speeds til it gradually flops over. Of course I stopped. I had several thought all happening at once; did it fall off my axle, nope we are still pretty level on the inside, did someone else lose the tire, couldn't have been that because we haven't seen a vehicle in miles. Where could that tire have come from? It must be the spare! Sure enough, the spare that is normally tucked up underneath the truck bed simply fell off. I haven't had a chance to investigate what might have failed underneath but I did check the air pressure in the spare and its good even after 6 years of being neglected.
    There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.~~Albert Einstein
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Many wise words are spoken in jest, but they don't compare with the number of stupid words spoken in earnest. - Sam Levenson (1911 - 1980)

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Hampden, ME
    Posts
    911

    Default

    Great reminder, having had the same problem once, learning my lesson.

    Quote Originally Posted by fins2right View Post
    If you have this type of spare, take 15 minutes and make sure you can get to it.
    Everyone has the right to be an idiot at times. Just don't abuse the privilege.

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