Luck was on the side of a 35-foot Bounder RV owner when he ran off the road into the North Fork of the Shoshone River on Sylvan Pass a couple miles inside Yellowstone National Park after his brakes failed.
“He used the e-brake and downshifted to slow down, but he was going around 25-30 mph when he tucked and rolled out the passenger’s door,” said Mike Wood, owner of Cody-based Eagle Recovery. “The RV went up and over,” he told Cody Enterprise.
When Wood reached the site he conferred with a Park Ranger and fire chief. He said the top goal was to avoid any “black water,” oil or gas, spilling into the river. At that point the tanks were just above jagged rocks, meaning the first part of the recovery was simply to free the vehicle from that risky position.
After the RV was pulled out into a less-precarious position, Wood and operator Alex Sherman maneuvered two trucks into position to be able to rock the RV as they slowly pulled it up.
Wood said their main goal in this stage was to avoid the vehicle rolling and dumping the family’s possessions into the river.
The only damage inflicted during the recovery effort was a bent rear bumper. “All in a night’s work,” said Wood.
Change the brake fluid every 5-6 years!!!!!
Brake fluid lives in a sealed system and can survive for years, but moisture from the surrounding air can work its way in through hoses and other parts of the brake system. If your brake fluid has become dirty or contaminated, it can change how your brake system operates — brake pedal feel can be affected, as can heat dissipation in repeated stops. Water in the brake lines lowers the boiling point of the fluid, so stopping ability can diminish in hard stops as heat in the system increases. In addition, over time the moisture can cause internal corrosion in the brake lines, calipers, the master cylinder and other components.
Nobody changes their brake fluid, that’s just a mechanics scam charge. I see it listed as a “maintenance ” item at the oil change place I frequent. Listen to the tech spew the baloney about safety. Just another scam is all. But, living in a free society, if someone can fleece you from your money, have at it.
Anyone for 100% nitrogen in your tires, another beauty, when the air you breath is about 70% nitrogen already.