I haven't bothered proofing my earlier posts because I'm too bummed to look at them again.
yeah, it's Superbowl Sunday and I'm still stuck here because my "intermediate steering column" never got there friday, ergo won't be there til...I hope...monday.
I told them to keep it down and alert me if my bill was to exceed 4 grand. (That's right. That's in addition to 2450 I already paid for all the other stuff.)
I think they're wrong about my windshield not meeting DOT specs, too. I think the rule is that it's not supposed to impair my vision, and the crack is clearly above my sight-line. I'll just have to see about that and my remaining alignment monday. I may need to take it back to the tire/alignment guy. he's a second opinion, anyway. Crap the windshield is another 300-plus bucks (and that's cheap).
It's maddening. I want to just get the hell out of here, and could put off the windshield (if I do need it) and the inspection. I mean, I'll be taking air freight near Philly, then korena manuevers me back here for another one of those. In other words, I'll be back here within a week, and could call ahead to make appointments and stuff. might well have to lay over a day or possibly two, as well.
But NOOOO! Oh hell no, because I don't dare delay the drive-tire alignment!
It sucks. Freightliner can't pick me up or drop me off. I'll owe them money and will ask them to take it right next door to Sumerel's (the alignment place), but I bet they're not allowed to let the truck leave their property til the bill is paid.
I might just throw up my hands and have Freightliner align it. It'll cost me an extra hundred bucks, but I can get the hell out of there. If I can't persuade them on the windshield, then I'll just put that and the inspection off and spend an extra 15 on the cab.
Meanwhile, if my (I paid 100 bucks extra for overnight--hahaha)--gets there it won't be til after 1100 and maybe early afternoon--then I don 't know how long it takes to get it back inside to get replaced.
Ah! Writing is good for clearing up my thinking--even though it no doubt confuses and bores any readers I ever get. That's what I'll do: Skip the windshield (and inspection of neccessary) and just make sure it's aligned.
I was turning myself inside out trying to save a hudred bucks!
IF the part gets there tomorrow, maybe I can get the hell out of here. IF it gets there, my worst case is staying here one more night.
Damn I hope I remember how to drive, ya know?
OK I feel better now. I bet a ten buck parlay on Green Bay -3 and over 45 1/2. I'll go to Margaritaville next door and watch some of it, and get my laundry done.
Go Pack!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
It Just Keeps Getting Better
Background: I've had this issue with my tranny for years. It's an automatic ten-speed. Like all commercial diesels, it has a high and low range. Fifth gear is the top of low range, and sixth is the bottom of high.
When it's cold, sometimes my tranny fails to get into sixth gear. It tries and "misses", tries/misses again, and then gears down while disengaged, and remains disengaged--stranding me wherever I rolled to a stop.
Twice I took it to a Freightliner, and they repeated the same steps the second time, including charging me every penny of what I paid the first time. And the problem came right back.
I learned to live with it. I warmed it up longer. I shifted and rolled a little between reverse and foreward several times. I made sure to have a safe spot in case it screwed me again. When it did strand me, I shut down and let it sit for ten minutes. The computer--which had me now in "failure" mode--would refuse to even let me start, until I did this.
OK second background issue: My old steer tires had worn unevenly. When that happens, it gets worse over time, until the vibrations and pulling threaten to shake everything apart and make you lose control.
So a few months ago, I got new steers.
More recently, I almost lost a wheel bearing. I got that fixed, but now the NEW tires had worn unevenly, and now, already, have reached the dangerous stage. So I pulled in here to Cinci to get that fixed: Replace the steers, get an alignment, knock out a DOT inspection--take care of any other issues they found.
Oh yeah. And found issues they did. I needed both bushings on the springs. One of the bushings was shot so I needed a whole new leaf spring. I needed a drive tire. A wheel seal was leaking. Some brake drums were cracked. I needed some shoes.
Almost forgot: Robert the boss called me at 6:30 am to tell me that my tranny was in failure mode and he couldn't get it off his rack, and he had work backing up. I told him to try the reset thing, then realized that it was above freezing, it had sat in a heated shop overnight, and there was no way they'd got it anywhere near high range. It had simply failed while sitting there.
They dragged it outside with a towmotor, and I fiddled around sith it, including disconnecting the battery for ten minutes. Nothing worked. moreover, I was out of air. Robert was kind enough to have his road service guy pump air into my tank. I have two air tanks. The primary fills first, then the secondary fills. Except it didn't. The seconday tank remained empty.
I had to once again call Korena and tell her that after being stuck over the weekend getting repaired, I was out of commission again. Fortunately, I hadn't been committed to a load, and the broker had plenty of time to get the air freight covered.
Robert got me a two truck to two me the 200 feet to the Freighliner (another lucky thing) for 100 bucks (believe it or not that's a good deal). And another lucky thing is that unlike most Freightliners, they said they could get me in to look at it last night or this morning.
I'd left my suitcase and (more importantly) my trailer here at Days Inn. So this time I had to call a cab to get back here.
Today is wednesday and I've been here since friday. The bill for the suspension repairs and three tires was 2450. I still need the rest of the alignment, and Freightliner is too backed up to do that--and will only do the full alignment. But they'll do my DOT while they're doing the other stuff, and I'm hoping Robert can get me in/out quick...
Oh no--I can't skip that! New bushing and spring and no alignment? That's a great way to wear out my drives at light-speed like I did the steers!!! I get 100,000 mile tires and they last 35,000--no more of that crap!
I can hear Korena's frustration, though she works har to hide it. Might be fear, too: She just got this lucrative air-freight gig for me (and her), and now I may miss an available run. While I haven't compromised any loads, still somebody else could get in there and nail it down--acing us out.
I swear, it challenges my rationality. It's hard for me not to conclude that I'm cursed.
And I'm scared about the Freightliner bill, and just how bad this problem is.
Korena asked me if I thought I'd be cack on the road today. I really doubt that.
It's 0940 so I'll check on it...
they won't get it in til this afternoon...
When it's cold, sometimes my tranny fails to get into sixth gear. It tries and "misses", tries/misses again, and then gears down while disengaged, and remains disengaged--stranding me wherever I rolled to a stop.
Twice I took it to a Freightliner, and they repeated the same steps the second time, including charging me every penny of what I paid the first time. And the problem came right back.
I learned to live with it. I warmed it up longer. I shifted and rolled a little between reverse and foreward several times. I made sure to have a safe spot in case it screwed me again. When it did strand me, I shut down and let it sit for ten minutes. The computer--which had me now in "failure" mode--would refuse to even let me start, until I did this.
OK second background issue: My old steer tires had worn unevenly. When that happens, it gets worse over time, until the vibrations and pulling threaten to shake everything apart and make you lose control.
So a few months ago, I got new steers.
More recently, I almost lost a wheel bearing. I got that fixed, but now the NEW tires had worn unevenly, and now, already, have reached the dangerous stage. So I pulled in here to Cinci to get that fixed: Replace the steers, get an alignment, knock out a DOT inspection--take care of any other issues they found.
Oh yeah. And found issues they did. I needed both bushings on the springs. One of the bushings was shot so I needed a whole new leaf spring. I needed a drive tire. A wheel seal was leaking. Some brake drums were cracked. I needed some shoes.
Almost forgot: Robert the boss called me at 6:30 am to tell me that my tranny was in failure mode and he couldn't get it off his rack, and he had work backing up. I told him to try the reset thing, then realized that it was above freezing, it had sat in a heated shop overnight, and there was no way they'd got it anywhere near high range. It had simply failed while sitting there.
They dragged it outside with a towmotor, and I fiddled around sith it, including disconnecting the battery for ten minutes. Nothing worked. moreover, I was out of air. Robert was kind enough to have his road service guy pump air into my tank. I have two air tanks. The primary fills first, then the secondary fills. Except it didn't. The seconday tank remained empty.
I had to once again call Korena and tell her that after being stuck over the weekend getting repaired, I was out of commission again. Fortunately, I hadn't been committed to a load, and the broker had plenty of time to get the air freight covered.
Robert got me a two truck to two me the 200 feet to the Freighliner (another lucky thing) for 100 bucks (believe it or not that's a good deal). And another lucky thing is that unlike most Freightliners, they said they could get me in to look at it last night or this morning.
I'd left my suitcase and (more importantly) my trailer here at Days Inn. So this time I had to call a cab to get back here.
Today is wednesday and I've been here since friday. The bill for the suspension repairs and three tires was 2450. I still need the rest of the alignment, and Freightliner is too backed up to do that--and will only do the full alignment. But they'll do my DOT while they're doing the other stuff, and I'm hoping Robert can get me in/out quick...
Oh no--I can't skip that! New bushing and spring and no alignment? That's a great way to wear out my drives at light-speed like I did the steers!!! I get 100,000 mile tires and they last 35,000--no more of that crap!
I can hear Korena's frustration, though she works har to hide it. Might be fear, too: She just got this lucrative air-freight gig for me (and her), and now I may miss an available run. While I haven't compromised any loads, still somebody else could get in there and nail it down--acing us out.
I swear, it challenges my rationality. It's hard for me not to conclude that I'm cursed.
And I'm scared about the Freightliner bill, and just how bad this problem is.
Korena asked me if I thought I'd be cack on the road today. I really doubt that.
It's 0940 so I'll check on it...
they won't get it in til this afternoon...
Monday, January 10, 2011
Oak Grove, MO Back from Hell
Herbie's batteries were flatlined when I trtied to start him the next day. I waited most of the day for them to get him back in the shop.
I needed to replace my four 6-week old batteries, their locking rack, my alternator, and the starter in my APU. When the APU sensed low voltage, in tried to start. When is failed to start, it keprt trying over and over again until the last vestiges of any charge were gone.
The combined costs totalled about 2500 bucks.
I finally got my ultra-late load delivered monday morning, and outran the snowstorm to get here last night on my way to...someplace in MO 150 miles away.
I'm afraid that this has endangered Korena's UPS contract, or that they will block me from hauling any more of their freight. You, she, and I know that this cluster-fk wasn't my fault, but beancounters do what beancounters do.
I need a 34-hr reset so I'm in o hotel dragging my feet.
Oh: On the batteries, they're warranteed allright, but not with Sapp Brothers. If they had let me take the batteries to drag around until I could get to another Bosselman's, they'd have charged me 40 bucks each (160 total) core charge. The hell with it.
I needed to replace my four 6-week old batteries, their locking rack, my alternator, and the starter in my APU. When the APU sensed low voltage, in tried to start. When is failed to start, it keprt trying over and over again until the last vestiges of any charge were gone.
The combined costs totalled about 2500 bucks.
I finally got my ultra-late load delivered monday morning, and outran the snowstorm to get here last night on my way to...someplace in MO 150 miles away.
I'm afraid that this has endangered Korena's UPS contract, or that they will block me from hauling any more of their freight. You, she, and I know that this cluster-fk wasn't my fault, but beancounters do what beancounters do.
I need a 34-hr reset so I'm in o hotel dragging my feet.
Oh: On the batteries, they're warranteed allright, but not with Sapp Brothers. If they had let me take the batteries to drag around until I could get to another Bosselman's, they'd have charged me 40 bucks each (160 total) core charge. The hell with it.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Shut Down in Cheyenne
It's tuesday, and I've been here since being towed in on friday.
Friday, a stretch of the I-80 was shut down--gates across the road, and you're shunted off on an exit ramp. They have to do this sometimes due to drifting snow that the plows just can't keep up with. The north wind is always a factor here.
Like many other trucks, I hit the edge of the ramp to park. My APU had picked this very day not to start, and it was arctic cold even without the wind chill, so I left the engine idling. The cold and wind actually drove my coolant temperature and heat down to half operating temerature.
After about two hours, the freeway was re-opened, so I pulled out. The truck died in the middle of the exit ramp, and the starter wouldn't engage. Only later did I find coolant under the truck, but I had no check engine or low water lights, and it cranked...sort of.
I scrambled to call the locan Sapp Brothers, who referred me to a towing company. He said he'd be there in an hour. Three hours later, I was towed by a guy who'd been called by the Highway Patrol...who was parked behind me to help prevent some dumbass from running over my cones (which cost 80 bucks and which I forgot) and hitting me.
The original wrecker had broken down himself.
This was New Year's Eve, and the tow cost 950 bucks. Then Sapp Brothers couldn't even look at the truck til monday, since it's a Mercedes engine.
I checked into the on-site hotel, which I'll never do again. They hadn't cleaned the tub for months, and the heater's thermostat was haywire, alternately broiling and freezing me. Saturday I caught a shuttle to the Holiday Inn, which was awesome.
Monday, miscommunication kept my truck out of the garage til late afternoon. Then they told me the good news. Everything worked, but I had a bad cooolant cap. That doesn't make sense to me, absent any engine codes or alerts when I broke down, but there it is.
They also fixed my APU, which was just clogged with carbon.
But I went to start it and the batteries were dead. And a part they need for the trailer (major air-bag leak I'd been putting of fixing but could no longer...it can lock your brakes and kill you in the mountains) won't be here til 1600 local.
...and there's a weight restriction in effect, and I'm under 20k...and the batteries shouldn't have been dead, and the starter...the starter...
I
Friday, a stretch of the I-80 was shut down--gates across the road, and you're shunted off on an exit ramp. They have to do this sometimes due to drifting snow that the plows just can't keep up with. The north wind is always a factor here.
Like many other trucks, I hit the edge of the ramp to park. My APU had picked this very day not to start, and it was arctic cold even without the wind chill, so I left the engine idling. The cold and wind actually drove my coolant temperature and heat down to half operating temerature.
After about two hours, the freeway was re-opened, so I pulled out. The truck died in the middle of the exit ramp, and the starter wouldn't engage. Only later did I find coolant under the truck, but I had no check engine or low water lights, and it cranked...sort of.
I scrambled to call the locan Sapp Brothers, who referred me to a towing company. He said he'd be there in an hour. Three hours later, I was towed by a guy who'd been called by the Highway Patrol...who was parked behind me to help prevent some dumbass from running over my cones (which cost 80 bucks and which I forgot) and hitting me.
The original wrecker had broken down himself.
This was New Year's Eve, and the tow cost 950 bucks. Then Sapp Brothers couldn't even look at the truck til monday, since it's a Mercedes engine.
I checked into the on-site hotel, which I'll never do again. They hadn't cleaned the tub for months, and the heater's thermostat was haywire, alternately broiling and freezing me. Saturday I caught a shuttle to the Holiday Inn, which was awesome.
Monday, miscommunication kept my truck out of the garage til late afternoon. Then they told me the good news. Everything worked, but I had a bad cooolant cap. That doesn't make sense to me, absent any engine codes or alerts when I broke down, but there it is.
They also fixed my APU, which was just clogged with carbon.
But I went to start it and the batteries were dead. And a part they need for the trailer (major air-bag leak I'd been putting of fixing but could no longer...it can lock your brakes and kill you in the mountains) won't be here til 1600 local.
...and there's a weight restriction in effect, and I'm under 20k...and the batteries shouldn't have been dead, and the starter...the starter...
I
Sunday, November 28, 2010
I Say We Haing 'em!
Many of you want to hang Eric Wright. Ever since, the Ravens game, you are seeing what you want to see. Ward is never late or out-of-position, the front seven are neve allowing quarterbacks too long, Wright is never assigned to cover a different reciever when he chases somebody around with the ball...
No, if he's visible on the TV screen, it's "Wright again!".
You see what you want to see. He's the fastest guy on the team, and he shows up near a lot of recievers--whether he was supposed to cover them or not.
Brian Daboll? Well, Hillis has been running over stacked fronts all season, and had been doing that in the first half here. You never expect this guy to get stuffed even twice in a row. I mean, you double-down on him--the defense tires and he breaks through.
You might pass some more with a two-legged quarterback. It gets harder when he can no longer escape the pocket, and you don't want to make his injury worse. McCoy completes many of his passes between the numbers when he's outside the pocket.
Objectively, rationally, the guy you finally get a legit shot at bashing is Mangini. Just as he put Delhomme back on the field when he was limping around on his plant-leg rather than use Wallace, last week he put peg-leg McCoy back out there rather than go to Wallace. In both cases, the injuries probably turned from one-game blips to several weeks out-of-action, and both quarterbacks were ineffective thereafter in their games.
Wallace was always effective coming off the bench, and he's been taking all the second-team reps in practice. He was about 90% last week and ready to go. What is it with Mangini's refusal to protect an injured quarterback? Why does he think that any physicly-handicapped quarterback gives him a better chance to win than Wallace, especially given what he's seen from the guy up close and personal?
And how can you clowns list the entire defense anywhere on the "goats" list when they scored about a third of the points in the game and stole the ball six times? They did all they could, and they wore down. Off the field--back on after three plays. Again and again and again. Yeah--it's all their fault! Ahh, shaddap!
I believe they would have won had McCoy been kept on the bench after his initial injury, and Wallace been used. Wallace is actually pretty similar to McCoy. He's not as accurate (but nobody is)--but he can scamble, and the same game-plan works for him.
As it was, the defense quickly adapted to McCoy's obvious lack of mobility and went instantly to kitchen-sink mode. Trapped in the pocket, he can't see as well. Max protection equals min. recievers.
Daboll knew it too. That's why he went to the big hammer, and stuck to it.
To me, it's remarkable that Hillis didn't ultimately break their backs.
On that front, it's partly the Cribbs factor. Cribbs on the offense has to be watched. He's quietly mutated into the Browns most reliable wide reciever, and takes handoffs sometimes. He makes it much more dangerous to run-blitze, and the back safety has to keep an eye on him. without Cribbs, they can kitchen-sink Hillis and the quarterback.
Harrison was being disruptive, so I can accept his trade. But what did James Davis do? Nice move, Heckert/Mangini/whoever! Davis could do some of what Cribbs did. Why does EVERY back have to be a big power guy? Davis was quick, made big plays, and was an excellent reciever. Now you lose ONE GUY (Cribbs), and see what you get!
See? I can bash Mangini too! But these are his only warts--overall he's a damn good coach. If you have to go overboard to extremes on everything, you're a simpleton. Black and white. People who use their brains think in color.
Daboll had to do what he did with McCoy's injury. It was Mangini's fault, because he had no Wallace. Hillis was stopped, because of that and because there was no Cribbs (or James Davis) to take heat off him. Also Mangini's fault. But the fight in the guys, the game-plans that beat the Pats Saints and almost the Jets? Overall good coaching DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
You guys are around the bend. The analysts who like Mangini are ex-players and coaches, and you call them "koolaid drinkers". My freaking God I tell everybody that if they need a new coach or GM all they need to do is hit any bar in Cleveland--there are thousands of them, and they're all smarter than all the ex-players and coaches.
OK--I believe Mangini lost this game, but should not be fired.
I got my fingers crossed with Delhomme. He actually looked pretty good til HE was injured, and he knows this team. Think we'll win.
Revised W/L prediction: 9-7.
No, if he's visible on the TV screen, it's "Wright again!".
You see what you want to see. He's the fastest guy on the team, and he shows up near a lot of recievers--whether he was supposed to cover them or not.
Brian Daboll? Well, Hillis has been running over stacked fronts all season, and had been doing that in the first half here. You never expect this guy to get stuffed even twice in a row. I mean, you double-down on him--the defense tires and he breaks through.
You might pass some more with a two-legged quarterback. It gets harder when he can no longer escape the pocket, and you don't want to make his injury worse. McCoy completes many of his passes between the numbers when he's outside the pocket.
Objectively, rationally, the guy you finally get a legit shot at bashing is Mangini. Just as he put Delhomme back on the field when he was limping around on his plant-leg rather than use Wallace, last week he put peg-leg McCoy back out there rather than go to Wallace. In both cases, the injuries probably turned from one-game blips to several weeks out-of-action, and both quarterbacks were ineffective thereafter in their games.
Wallace was always effective coming off the bench, and he's been taking all the second-team reps in practice. He was about 90% last week and ready to go. What is it with Mangini's refusal to protect an injured quarterback? Why does he think that any physicly-handicapped quarterback gives him a better chance to win than Wallace, especially given what he's seen from the guy up close and personal?
And how can you clowns list the entire defense anywhere on the "goats" list when they scored about a third of the points in the game and stole the ball six times? They did all they could, and they wore down. Off the field--back on after three plays. Again and again and again. Yeah--it's all their fault! Ahh, shaddap!
I believe they would have won had McCoy been kept on the bench after his initial injury, and Wallace been used. Wallace is actually pretty similar to McCoy. He's not as accurate (but nobody is)--but he can scamble, and the same game-plan works for him.
As it was, the defense quickly adapted to McCoy's obvious lack of mobility and went instantly to kitchen-sink mode. Trapped in the pocket, he can't see as well. Max protection equals min. recievers.
Daboll knew it too. That's why he went to the big hammer, and stuck to it.
To me, it's remarkable that Hillis didn't ultimately break their backs.
On that front, it's partly the Cribbs factor. Cribbs on the offense has to be watched. He's quietly mutated into the Browns most reliable wide reciever, and takes handoffs sometimes. He makes it much more dangerous to run-blitze, and the back safety has to keep an eye on him. without Cribbs, they can kitchen-sink Hillis and the quarterback.
Harrison was being disruptive, so I can accept his trade. But what did James Davis do? Nice move, Heckert/Mangini/whoever! Davis could do some of what Cribbs did. Why does EVERY back have to be a big power guy? Davis was quick, made big plays, and was an excellent reciever. Now you lose ONE GUY (Cribbs), and see what you get!
See? I can bash Mangini too! But these are his only warts--overall he's a damn good coach. If you have to go overboard to extremes on everything, you're a simpleton. Black and white. People who use their brains think in color.
Daboll had to do what he did with McCoy's injury. It was Mangini's fault, because he had no Wallace. Hillis was stopped, because of that and because there was no Cribbs (or James Davis) to take heat off him. Also Mangini's fault. But the fight in the guys, the game-plans that beat the Pats Saints and almost the Jets? Overall good coaching DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
You guys are around the bend. The analysts who like Mangini are ex-players and coaches, and you call them "koolaid drinkers". My freaking God I tell everybody that if they need a new coach or GM all they need to do is hit any bar in Cleveland--there are thousands of them, and they're all smarter than all the ex-players and coaches.
OK--I believe Mangini lost this game, but should not be fired.
I got my fingers crossed with Delhomme. He actually looked pretty good til HE was injured, and he knows this team. Think we'll win.
Revised W/L prediction: 9-7.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
One of Those Days
0800: Wake up at rest area in Oka-something, AR. Brush teeth etc. and do pre-trip. Got flat trailer tire. Fortunately I'm 17 miles from TA in Prescott, and am well ahead of schedule for my deilvery in Texas.
0830: I get in line for the service.
0930: They get me pulled in. We find another flat trailer tire, and three more appear to be leaking. I must have driven through "something. I'm hauling 44,000 lbs. and this could have turned into a major problem, and I'm glad I caught it now.
OK so I'm now paranoid about my truck tires, and sure enough an inside drive is flat.
I tell the guy as long as he's doing that, better give me a pre-alignment check. That shimmying problem is driving me nuts, and the mechanic said he'd "never heard of" a broken radial belt in a tire causing it (as another mechanic--unable to find anything wrong--told me last week).
1300: The trailer tires are knocked out. None of them needed to be replaced, so the company saved a bunch of dough. But MY tire had a hole in the sidewall and needed to be replaced. Brand freaking new tire. Figures.
Okay so they're busy, and I have to wait three hours to get it in for my inspection/alignment.
They immediately find a shot wheel bearing.
Am I mad? Not really. I'm glad that the problem has been identified, and even gladder that it didn't ruin my life by getting me into a huge wreck (and catching fire).
I once had a wheel bearing go out on me. fortunately it was at low speed, and by some miracle I was able to get stopped without hitting a bunch of parked cars. The right wheel was tilted out at at least a 25 degree angle, and tried to pull me into the cars.
The grease inside the bearing was also on fire, so I got to use my fire extinguisher, which was cool.
I was lucky then, too. Not only did I not hit any cars, or have it happen at 65 mph, but I also put out the fire before my tire or wiring caught.
Ok--I've got til 1300 tomorrow to get about 700 miles, so I'm not worried about it. I have the money to pay for the repairs...
1800: "You have an oddball wheel bearing. We don't have it in stock. We can call Freightliner tomorrow, or we can put it back together and let you go".
Well, I call Korena immediately to ask her if we can move the appointment time back. I'm kind of fanatical about being dependable and early all the time, and for me this is about as bad a thing as can happen. But Korena wasn't troubled at all and said no problem.
So now I feel much much better. She's going to move it back til monday.
This would also bother a lot of drivers--they aren't making any money for the down-time. But me? I get to pick out someplace enroute and watch the Browns game.
I think...I'm going through the boonies--maybe outside Houston...
Anyway now that I'm doing the long runs, I'll make up for the lost time pretty quick. On longer runs, you can cover up to 800 all;eged miles in a day. I could do more, but of course don't since regs prohibit that.
Anyway, this is going to cost me money, but not as much as a huge accident and tow would have cost (assuming I survived). I won't have to worry about the bearing anymore, I'll be aligned with ten good tires, I'll watch the Browns (I believe) whup the Jagwires.
I'm adaptable. I can outrun everybody, but I have equal talent at being lazy.
In hotel room. time to conquer the world in Sid Meyer's Civilization again. Okbye.
0830: I get in line for the service.
0930: They get me pulled in. We find another flat trailer tire, and three more appear to be leaking. I must have driven through "something. I'm hauling 44,000 lbs. and this could have turned into a major problem, and I'm glad I caught it now.
OK so I'm now paranoid about my truck tires, and sure enough an inside drive is flat.
I tell the guy as long as he's doing that, better give me a pre-alignment check. That shimmying problem is driving me nuts, and the mechanic said he'd "never heard of" a broken radial belt in a tire causing it (as another mechanic--unable to find anything wrong--told me last week).
1300: The trailer tires are knocked out. None of them needed to be replaced, so the company saved a bunch of dough. But MY tire had a hole in the sidewall and needed to be replaced. Brand freaking new tire. Figures.
Okay so they're busy, and I have to wait three hours to get it in for my inspection/alignment.
They immediately find a shot wheel bearing.
Am I mad? Not really. I'm glad that the problem has been identified, and even gladder that it didn't ruin my life by getting me into a huge wreck (and catching fire).
I once had a wheel bearing go out on me. fortunately it was at low speed, and by some miracle I was able to get stopped without hitting a bunch of parked cars. The right wheel was tilted out at at least a 25 degree angle, and tried to pull me into the cars.
The grease inside the bearing was also on fire, so I got to use my fire extinguisher, which was cool.
I was lucky then, too. Not only did I not hit any cars, or have it happen at 65 mph, but I also put out the fire before my tire or wiring caught.
Ok--I've got til 1300 tomorrow to get about 700 miles, so I'm not worried about it. I have the money to pay for the repairs...
1800: "You have an oddball wheel bearing. We don't have it in stock. We can call Freightliner tomorrow, or we can put it back together and let you go".
Well, I call Korena immediately to ask her if we can move the appointment time back. I'm kind of fanatical about being dependable and early all the time, and for me this is about as bad a thing as can happen. But Korena wasn't troubled at all and said no problem.
So now I feel much much better. She's going to move it back til monday.
This would also bother a lot of drivers--they aren't making any money for the down-time. But me? I get to pick out someplace enroute and watch the Browns game.
I think...I'm going through the boonies--maybe outside Houston...
Anyway now that I'm doing the long runs, I'll make up for the lost time pretty quick. On longer runs, you can cover up to 800 all;eged miles in a day. I could do more, but of course don't since regs prohibit that.
Anyway, this is going to cost me money, but not as much as a huge accident and tow would have cost (assuming I survived). I won't have to worry about the bearing anymore, I'll be aligned with ten good tires, I'll watch the Browns (I believe) whup the Jagwires.
I'm adaptable. I can outrun everybody, but I have equal talent at being lazy.
In hotel room. time to conquer the world in Sid Meyer's Civilization again. Okbye.
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