SOS - broken down near SLC with ‘99 F250 and hardwall camper. Recommendations?

[buckin_tradution]

Good morning from a parking lot in the City of Roy, Utah! We were supposed to be headed home today from our 13 day, 11 state, TBD mile maiden voyage (CA to Iowa and back) with our beloved 1999 F250 and brand new Bundutec Wild Hardwall but alas that is not that case. But hey, that’s why it’s an adventure!

We *think* our drivers side front wheel bearing went out on us yesterday evening just north of SLC (or with any luck there is a major piece of debris stuck up against the rotor that we can’t knock free). We think we’ve managed to find a decent local mechanic last night who we’ll be giving a call this morning. But would love additional recommendations from any locals. We can try to get the tire off ourselves but we aren’t in a great spot to be doing any major wrenching and she can’t move too far.

We also want to start planning ahead in the event the parts will be delayed (shouldn’t be for a wheel bearing but you never know these days). We think she’s too tall (approx 11 ft rounded up) to flat tow home ourselves, not to mention home is 700 miles away. My in-laws can come pick us up if we have to leave her but I hate to leave her at a shop or dealer with the camper. Just not sure what the best strategy would be if it’s not a quick fix.

Any thoughts or recommendations appreciated. Thanks!

 

[BritKLR]

Not a local. Sorry. But, I just went through a similar incident last week.

500 miles from home.
On Friday afternoon.
Middle of no where Nebraska on I-80.
No cell service.
1997 K2500 Truck.
Fuel pump died. So, it wasn't a roadside fix.
Ended up walking 7 miles to last gas stop to get AAA to haul me to York, NB.
In the end I ran all options like you. Rental car. Local shop for the repair. U-haul truck rental to trailer it back home. Wife come rescue me......Thankfully, I found a local repair shop open on Saturday (tow truck driver recommended) and they replaced the pump in 3 hours and I was on my way home.
I did have to stay overnight in a hotel but, no big deal since I was on the road for a couple days anyway. In the end it was a lot cheaper to wait it out locally, fix it locally then trying to arrange a one-way u-haul and trailer big enough to get me back to Colorado.

Good luck! and, add it to your campfire stories.

BTW, Roy is a good size City and close to SLC so you should had a number of options for the repair.
1) Call local Police or Fire Station (None Emergency) and ask for recommendations for repairs.
2) Call local tow companies and ask for repair shops open on weekends.
3) Google for local repair shop open on weekend
4) Google for Ford truck forums and join and then ask for assistance in the local Utah chapter.
5) Call Cruiser Outfitters (land cruiser specialists) in SLC and ask for Kurt Williams (owner, hell of a smart guy and super nice guy) for a repair shop recommendation.

 

[Regcabguy]

Best of luck. When you return have some Warn Hubs installed.

 

[Hegear]

Six states in ogden will be able to help you out. They speacialise in this sort of thing. I use the one in Utah county all the time. Good luck!

 

[Superduty]

@buckin_tradution can you give us more details on what happened with your truck? Not driveable? Is it 4x4? Do you know if it is an early 99 or a 99.5 (There are some differences in the 4x4 front bearing and brakes).

On the bright side there are many good mechanic shops in Utah.

 

[Superduty]

Best of luck. When you return have some Warn Hubs installed.

Why? The Ford locking hubs work pretty well. I got 22 years of service out of my stock hubs on my 99 Ford. Only replaced them, bc I did a coils spring conversion and as such replaced the axle. They were still working fine when I sold the axle.

 

[Oscar Mike Gulf Yankee]

Sorry to hear of your trouble, but at least you're out there, I'm stuck at home this weekend.

 

[driller]

I can give sanctuary, but im 40 miles south of you. I can help with repairs if needed but tied up today until 7pm after that i can come to you with tools if necessary. pm'd my number

 

[buckin_tradution]

@buckin_tradution can you give us more details on what happened with your truck? Not driveable? Is it 4x4? Do you know if it is an early 99 or a 99.5 (There are some differences in the 4x4 front bearing and brakes).

On the bright side there are many good mechanic shops in Utah.

She’s “driveable” but not any distance. She developed a squeak that wasn’t speed dependent a few days back after a long few hundred mile day but we had been in mud so figured it was gunk in the dust shield and it went away so didn’t think more of it. The squeak came back two days later after another many hundred miles and got so loud we pulled off the freeway. Knocked around the dust cover, seemed to help, jumped back on the freeway and within 5 miles it was back plus a pulsing grind (grinding at the same portion of the tire rotation) at low speed. Decided not to drive anymore and take her to the shop this morning.

We have found an awesome small shop. Couldn’t have been luckier breaking down in a decent town with a number of awesome shops that were all willing to move things around to get us back on the road ASAP, especially after all the hundreds of miles we put on back highways without service the past weeks. She definitely needs a new bearing on the driver and also found two ball joints and a tie rod that should be addressed while she’s unbuttoned. Doing the passenger bearing for good measure too since they are original and we just passed 150k this trip. And then finally a new rotor for the damage caused by the bearing. But they let us drop the camper in the back lot so we can stay until Monday and also gave us a shop car to drive around town tomorrow while they are closed.

Life can’t be perfect but it’s full of strange blessings and there are kind people everywhere!

 

[buckin_tradution]

Sorry to hear of your trouble, but at least you're out there, I'm stuck at home this weekend.

Its all part of it and we have had such as adventure the past two weeks, including being in Yellowstone the day of the flood. Even breaking down we got so lucky - she got us into a safe town with a great shop and didn’t leave us stranded somewhere on the literal thousands of miles of BFE and service-less highways we’ve been on.

 

[buckin_tradution]

Not a local. Sorry. But, I just went through a similar incident last week.

500 miles from home.
On Friday afternoon.
Middle of no where Nebraska on I-80.
No cell service.
1997 K2500 Truck.
Fuel pump died. So, it wasn't a roadside fix.
Ended up walking 7 miles to last gas stop to get AAA to haul me to York, NB.
In the end I ran all options like you. Rental car. Local shop for the repair. U-haul truck rental to trailer it back home. Wife come rescue me......Thankfully, I found a local repair shop open on Saturday (tow truck driver recommended) and they replaced the pump in 3 hours and I was on my way home.
I did have to stay overnight in a hotel but, no big deal since I was on the road for a couple days anyway. In the end it was a lot cheaper to wait it out locally, fix it locally then trying to arrange a one-way u-haul and trailer big enough to get me back to Colorado.

Good luck! and, add it to your campfire stories.

BTW, Roy is a good size City and close to SLC so you should had a number of options for the repair.
1) Call local Police or Fire Station (None Emergency) and ask for recommendations for repairs.
2) Call local tow companies and ask for repair shops open on weekends.
3) Google for local repair shop open on weekend
4) Google for Ford truck forums and join and then ask for assistance in the local Utah chapter.
5) Call Cruiser Outfitters (land cruiser specialists) in SLC and ask for Kurt Williams (owner, hell of a smart guy and super nice guy) for a repair shop recommendation.



View attachment 727217

Thank you for the commiseration story!! We took the 80 out so I completely understand. We were so incredibly lucky to break down in town after all the miles we’ve put down on desolate highways without cell service.

Those are great tips. I work in fire so when she started taking a ******** I immediately looked up the closest station to park at, which also happened to have a police station too, and we stayed in their lot. That’s a great “life pro tip”. We ended finding an awesome local shop that’s doing what they can do get us on the road Monday, which is all we ask given our timing and needing to order parts. Cheers and safe travels!

 

[Superduty]

Sounds like you found a great shop. Allowing you to drop the camper on site and then letting you use a shop car......That's some good service/hospitality.

Is truck a 4x4?

 

[buckin_tradution]

Sounds like you found a great shop. Allowing you to drop the camper on site and then letting you use a shop car......That's some good service/hospitality.

Is truck a 4x4?

Yes she is.

 

[Superduty]

Yes she is.

Ahhhhh, truck is also a female.

150k from the unit bearings is pretty good, if this is the first time replacing them. Assuming you have a choice in brands, I would recommend using:

Unit bearings - Timken which is the OEM.
Ball Joints - Spicer which is OEM.

Dealer parts can be substituted for the above if the price and availability is right.

Tie rod and rotors - Ford is probably the best option, but they are pricey compared to the aftermarket.

 

[buckin_tradution]

Ahhhhh, truck is also a female.

150k from the unit bearings is pretty good, if this is the first time replacing them. Assuming you have a choice in brands, I would recommend using:

Unit bearings - Timken which is the OEM.
Ball Joints - Spicer which is OEM.

Dealer parts can be substituted for the above if the price and availability is right.

Tie rod and rotors - Ford is probably the best option, but they are pricey compared to the aftermarket.

Haha yeah, sorry, force of habit, she’s a family member for sure.

Thank you for the recommendations!