I HATE HOLIDAYS!

[RowdyRebel]

They are just an excuse for LAZY PEOPLE to take a day off work, thereby making it DAMN NEAR IMPOSSIBLE for the rest of us to get anything done!

There, I said it.

Heading up today to get loaded, I noticed my volt meter was a little low. 3AM, cold as hell outside....truck started just fine, so I'm watching & waiting for the needle on the gauge to come up...but it doesn't. Usually when I load, I'll shut the truck off while I sit under the silo....sometimes it can get kinda dusty and my truck doesn't need to be inhaling all that lime dust. Today, though, with the needle on the bottom side of 12V, I decided to fast-idle it....lights off....heater off...everything shut off....trying....HOPING....that the needle would start climbing to its usual resting place around 14V....but it never did.

As I was pulling out of the silo, my power inverter's low voltage alarm started going off...it's just a little 400W inverter plugged into a 12V outlet....I was TRYING to charge my phone "just in case". I decided to pull out my multi-meter and check the voltage at the alternator while I was closing my lids....11.45V. I made the decision NOT to try to deliver the load, but rather to take it home and try to figure out what was wrong. (I had a pretty good idea already....)

Anyway, most of the way home, I'm listening to that damn low-voltage alarm onthe inverter screaming at me...can't shut it off because I need to make sure the phone has enough juice if I need it. About 45 miles from home, I start getting the 7-5 code....battery/alternator voltage.

I got home & checked the voltage again....down to 11.1V. I shut the truck off and plugged in my battery charger, and it was showing the batteries were down to 10%. I doubt I would have made it much farther. I pulled the alternator off and was on my way to town for a new one by a quarter to 8.

Mack was closed...figured they would be. So was Cape Tractor Trailer Supply. And Cape Starter & Alternator. And NAPA. Auto Zone opened at 9....it was only 8:30....so I waited. They didn't have the alternator I needed, but they DID have an externally regulated 100A one for an older full size Ford truck that I might be able to get to work....but instead of throwing away $100 for a temporary fix, I wanted to check some more places. The International dealer was closed. Advanced Auto didn't have anything. O'Reilly's didn't have anything either. I tried calling a guy I know who went into business for himself as a service truck to see where he'd get an alternator today if he got a call for somebody needing one...no answer. Tried calling a wrecker driver for another Mack dealer to see if he'd have any suggestions...no answer. I started driving down to Sikeston, then remembered the truck stop as I was coming to that exit....so I got off. There is a CAT service shop...closed. Midwest Diesel (Detroit)....looked closed, but the gate was open and the door unlocked. Stood at the counter hollering for somebody (I could hear activity in the back) for about 10 minutes before somebody came to the front. They had a few alternators....none of them would work unless I wanted a 28V alternator or a 65A alternator. I stopped in at the truck stop and one of the people who works there looked up the numbers for TAG Truck Centers (closed) and Peterbilt (also closed) down in Sikeston....glad I didn't drive down there.

I went back to Auto Zone for another look at that alternator...figured I could drill out the mounting holes a little and tap the one that was threaded to make 'em big enough to use....but I'd have to trim the mount on the bottom side of the alternator (the one that the bolt passes all of the way through and is held in place with a nut)...and I'd rather not modify the truck like that for a "temporary" fix. Besides, I'd have to remove the pulleys from BOTH alternators, cut the center out of the one that was on the truck so I could weld it around the pully that was on the new alternator because the shaft was too short for the wider pulley to bolt on to. When I looked at the clock, it was already approaching noon, and I figured the time it would take me to do all of that redneck engineering would make it too late in the day for me to run the load, get it delivered, and make it back to be ready to go again tomorrow....so if I'm not running the load out to deliver today anyway, I may as well just wait until tomorrow when all the lazy people get their asses back to work and I can get the right part.

So, I grabbed lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings and headed for the house. Remind me NEVER to get a burger at BWW again.....don't get me wrong, it was a GREAT tasting burger.....but for the price? They charged a full-meal price for an appetizer-sized burger...and the side (potato wedges) were EXTRA! Anyway, I had a Sam Adams winter lager with my burger....then ordered up an 8-piece wing meal off the lunch menu since the burger was smaller than I had anticipated. Total bill was damn near $30! Spent about 2 hours there watching football...trying to figure out how they can call it the "Heart of Dallas" Bowl when NEITHER TEAM was from Texas!?!?!?!? The GA/NE game was probably the most interesting....guy at the next table had a Cornhuskers shirt on. When NE was doing well, he was wearing the shirt....when GA was on the march, he'd have his sweater on over it. I did make an interesting observation....the South was definitely whooping up on them yankee teams. MS State was the only Southern school that wasn't beating it's northern opponent....

Anyway, I'm glad I decided to head for home....at least I wasn't shut down on the side of the road trying to get a new alternator. Would have needed a jump start, too, by then. This year is off to such a WONDERFUL start!.

[storkmack]

The last 2 weeks around here have been pretty lame, no one open, no one in to take a call, let alone return one. We have a few customers that will not be open until the 7th. To tell you the truth, the whole month of December was pretty lame as far as people showing up wanting to do their job. I was a jerk for asking a guy to go after another load at noon on the Friday before Christmas. Please note that Christmas was still 4 days away. All the people who checked out the last month will be whining in a few weeks that they are broke. Same old shit. I think the economy would improve if everyone showed up with a decent attitude Monday morning. -Brad

[farmer52]

Sorry to hear of your issues. Look at it this way, things can only get better.

Mine started just before Christmas...wife had gall stone attack Sunday (23rd) and ended up in emergency room and hospital. Discharged Christmas morning. She went for a MRCP (closed MRI only) on Friday only to find you she is clusterfobic (sp?)(I know I am). Rescheduled MRI for this Friday (doctor ordered some medication). Ultimately my wife will have her gall bladder removed. Had my elderly mother with us in OH for Christmas. My mother and I returned to PA on Monday morning. She has to use a walker. Damned if she didn't start moving around the farm house without her walker, lost her balance, and fell flat on her back. Knocked her head on the chair. So off to the emergency room for X-rays and Cat scan. Nothing broke and a big black and blue spot on the back of her head. She is still in pain and has difficulty walking even with the walker. Taking her to a "care-giver's" house on Wednesday afternoon then I am going back to OH on Thursday. I have a doctor's appointments on Monday and I am not expecting a good report. Then back to PA for more doctor's appointments for mother.

So 2012 ended crappy and 2013 started crappy. Like I said, things can only get better.

[GreenGiant2]

Sorry to hear of your issues. Look at it this way, things can only get better.

Mine started just before Christmas...wife had gall stone attack Sunday (23rd) and ended up in emergency room and hospital. Discharged Christmas morning. She went for a MRCP (closed MRI only) on Friday only to find you she is clusterfobic (sp?)(I know I am). Rescheduled MRI for this Friday (doctor ordered some medication). Ultimately my wife will have her gall bladder removed. Had my elderly mother with us in OH for Christmas. My mother and I returned to PA on Monday morning. She has to use a walker. Damned if she didn't start moving around the farm house without her walker, lost her balance, and fell flat on her back. Knocked her head on the chair. So off to the emergency room for X-rays and Cat scan. Nothing broke and a big black and blue spot on the back of her head. She is still in pain and has difficulty walking even with the walker. Taking her to a "care-giver's" house on Wednesday afternoon then I am going back to OH on Thursday. I have a doctor's appointments on Monday and I am not expecting a good report. Then back to PA for more doctor's appointments for mother.

So 2012 ended crappy and 2013 started crappy. Like I said, things can only get better.

i hope and pray that everything turns out well for you guy;s

gg2

[Green Dash]

Sorry to hear about your woes gentlemen.

My Father-in-law passed way in the summer but he was a stubborn one as far as wanting to continue to do things he shouldn't be doing. My Mother-in-law is now on her own in a senior apartment building but she respects her limitations and functions within them. We'd be a bit nervous if it were my FIL living on his own.

I hope everyones medical and mechanical issues can be resolved quickly. Keep us updated.

[MACKS]

If I had your writing abilities I would quit trucking and write short stories for a living,best of luck for the rest of the new year...

[RowdyRebel]

So 2012 ended crappy and 2013 started crappy. Like I said, things can only get better.

Yup...2013 picked up right where 2012 left off. December saw a rebuilt power divider, and some stripped out holes in the banjo housing repaired...new batteries (replaced the 14 month old dead ones)....new drive tires...a wheel seal....new drive brakes (shoes & drums...still need to do 2 S-cam bushings)....new tie rod ends....new steer tires....alignment....and JUST WHEN I THOUGHT everything was good to go and I was hoping to get a few months out of the truck to pay some bills before my next break-down, this happened. ANY OTHER DAY and I wouldn't have lost any work at all....but it HAD to happen on the 1 day when everybody is closed.

....and I've still got the ABS light which has been on since I screwed up torquing the axle hub nut. Called a mechanic for the torque specs when I was doing the wheel seal & 2 things happened....1) I wrote 'em down wrong & 2) he left out an important part. He said to torque the inner nut to 250...back it off....tighten to 50....then slip the lock washer into place...then the outer nut to 250. I wrote it down 250-50-50. I KNEW it didn't feel right when I was putting it back together....coming apart, the inner nut was able to be removed with my bare fingers and the outer nut was a hell of a lot snugger than 50 ft. lbs.....but that's what I had written down, so that's what I did. Double checked the numbers with a different mechanic the next day while I was getting the tie rod ends replaced....250 - 50 - BACK IT OFF 1 FULL TURN - then put the outer nut to 250. So, when I got home I pulled it all apart again and retorqued it that way....'cept now the ABS light is on. I don't know if running it for 190 miles with the bearings a little snug might have damaged something...but the light didn't come on until after I had retorqued it and backed it off like I should have the first time....so maybe torquing the inner nut multiple times like that to 250 might have squeezed everything too close to the sensor? I don't know....ABS is one of those systems I don't really need anyway, so I don't worry about it....but if I get stopped, DOT can write you up if the light is on signaling a problem....so I should probably try to figure out what's wrong before too long, but that can wait for warmer weather.

Anyway....enough rambling for one night. I have an alternator to replace first thing in the morning (that I'm not particularly looking forward to doing...supposed to be 15-20 degrees colder tomorrow morning than it was this morning when I was pulling it apart. It sure would be nice to catch a break every once in a while.....

[RowdyRebel]

If I had your writing abilities I would quit trucking and write short stories for a living,best of luck for the rest of the new year...

I just wish I didn't have anything to write about.....

[refusegetter]

Join the rest of us. Just because you take a day off doesnt make you lazy, it's a nationally observed holiday. Thanksgiving Christmas and New Years are the 3 days a year that we don't work. There are a bunch of halfassed holidays but I think those 3 should be recognized and celebrated accordingly. That said I completely understand your frustration and hope 2013 brings you better luck.

[mike69mackman]

Ken I hope things turn out ok at the doctors appt. I dread going myself anymore. But I hope everyone's new year straightens up and gets better. Mike

[RowdyRebel]

That's the way it SHOULD work....30 minute drive to town....5 minutes later, I had the new alternator and was heading home. 10 minutes after I got home, the new alternator is in and the truck is ready to roll again. Now I just have to get my paperwork caught up and go deliver this load...

I STILL hate holidays. If I want a day off, I'll schedule it around things I want to do....and your "official" holidays make that damn hear impossible. I mean the fiance can't really go anywhere for Christmas/New Years because she works retail....Christmas is BIG....and since she's in customer service, returns AFTER Christmas are even BIGGER! So why shouldn't I work through them? I'd rather take my time off when the weather is a little nicer and I can do something I enjoy....like maybe get on the motorcycle and go somewhere. I'd rather look at the weather report and say "It looks like this is going to be a nice weekend...I think I'll take an extra day or two off"....but there are others still working to cover what needs to be done. We don't close up shop. Seriously, what IS New Years? January 1 ain't any different than December 31...the sun came up, it was cold, the sun went down, and it got even colder.

[thomastractorsvc]

Join the rest of us. Just because you take a day off doesnt make you lazy, it's a nationally observed holiday. Thanksgiving Christmas and New Years are the 3 days a year that we don't work. There are a bunch of halfassed holidays but I think those 3 should be recognized and celebrated accordingly. That said I completely understand your frustration and hope 2013 brings you better luck.

To me the most important holidays in order are 4 July Independence Day, 11 November Veterans Day, 25 November Thanksgiving, 25 December Christmas Day

[j hancock]

New Years is bogus.

I can drink and act stupid on any day.

Having Christmas start before Thanksgiving is ridiculous. A friends place of work has their Christmas party the week after Thanksgiving.

Sort of dilutes Thanksgiving festivities.

So many holidays have been contrived and ruined and their real meaning not remembered.

Jim

PS. Hope everyone has a good 2013 with or without a day of bs and celebration(?).

[41chevy]

We celebrate Thanksgiving but in the morning I"ll do my maintenance on my summer equipment and put it away and get my winter equipment out and pre run it all. Christmas Day is Church and dinner. New Years day in no holiday to me.

I Do not work on Veterans Day or Memorial Day. I spend the day at the L.I. Veterans home and Memorial Day I just stay by myself. Nobody best annoy me, it's my day to count my blessings. Paul

[Green Dash]

New Years is bogus.

I can drink and act stupid on any day.

Having Christmas start before Thanksgiving is ridiculous. A friends place of work has their Christmas party the week after Thanksgiving.

Sort of dilutes Thanksgiving festivities.

So many holidays have been contrived and ruined and their real meaning not remembered.

Jim

PS. Hope everyone has a good 2013 with or without a day of bs and celebration(?).

Thank You!!

I'm the friggin' grinch around my house because I'm sick and tired of the Christmas holiday season starting earlier every year. 24 hours of Christmas music beginning the week before Thanksgiving on not one but TWO Pittsburgh radio stations. Years ago the first sign of Christmas was seeing Santa Claus at the end of the Macy's parade.

[RowdyRebel]

Dad's rule was always "No talk of Christmas 'til after Thanksgiving"....he liked to take 'em one holiday at a time.

[mike69mackman]

I kind of like the music BUT NOT ON EVERY STATION !!!!!!

[41chevy]

Luckily a lot of companies are coming around to Rowdies thinking. Wal Mart near us was open to til 2 am Christmas morning and opened back up from 6 pm til 9 pm on Christmas day, Mac Donald's and Taco Bell were both open all day Christmas....People in China and India work 12 hours a day and 7 days a week and look at how good their economies are doing.....

[Green Dash]

I kind of like the music BUT NOT ON EVERY STATION !!!!!!

I prefer it blended in with the regular programming, like every 4th or 5th song, and AFTER Thanksgiving.