SwrWABALala

So this will be my first attempt to just put it out there. No going back and editing, just writting as it comes from my brain to my fingers, and I'm already overthinking this.

So...did I really use that again? Today was pretty interesting. After starting out pretty low key, I got a call around 2:00 (that's right I'm not going to use AM/PM.) and our gutter crew called in to let me know that their truck had broken down coming down out of Snowmass...that's about 45 miles away from our shop. Hoping to not have to run out there I called one of our new found mobile mechanics to see if he had anyone in the area. No luck. Not that I mind going up to Snowmass, I always enjoy the scenery along the way no matter what time of year.

So I gear up throwing a tool kit into a van, a jack and jack stand and head on up to find out what is really going on. All I can really get out of my Spanish speaking workers is that something is knocking on the driver's side front wheel and they have almost no breaks. Not a good sign.

About 45 minutes later I find them pulled along the side of a long winding road with their little orange hazard triangles strung out 50 feet or so behind them to warn other drivers that they are pulled off on the side of the road. The guys don't seem to anxious other than they have been waiting around without much to do (bored workers are their own worst enemies) but chat on their cell phones. At first glance things don't look too bad, no wheel sitting on the side of the truck or smoke eminating from anywhere around the vehicle. So I get out of my van and ask the driver to tell me where the noise is coming from.

We get down in the dirt and gravel in front of the truck and he points to the inside of the driver side wheel. At first glance I don't really see anything out of the ordinary, no signs of brake fluid that would point to a leaking or burst line. Nothing obviously broken or hanging off the axel. At this point I'm thinking that maybe they just have a loose break pad so I get ready to pull the wheel off.

Thankfully the gravel and dirt we are on is firmly packed and after setting up the floor jack that I had put into the van I drove up there was almost no shifting of the vehicle as the weight came off the front wheel...and yes I had already broken the lug nuts loose. Taking a few more minutes to pull all the nuts off I pull off the tire. At first glance things don't look too bad, something strikes me as odd but I can't quiet put my finger on it. Wanting to check to see if I just had a problem pad I rotate the wheel mount, not good!

Not only does it drag as I turn the mount but its wobbling. Wobbling!? That would only happen if, DAMN the freeking mount is coming off the axel! How the heck? Taking a sec to let things sink in...we had alerted a tow company that we may need a tow back into Glenwood Springs on a BIG flatbed truck...I called my boss and appraised him of the situation. I let him know that I hadn't really started to dig into things but so far the situation wasn't looking good. After a brief conversation I hung up and got back to work.

Pulling off the cap, sure enough the wheel bearing assembly is a mess. The cotter pin is just barely holding the main nut on the axel and there are cylindrical bearings stuck in thick wheel bearing grease all over the place. Not what I was hoping for, but at least I knew what we were up against, so I call my boss again. The situation isn't great, but if he's willing to let the vehicle sit overnight I can save us several hundred dollars in towing and mechanics fees if I can come back in the morning to do a wheel bearing job. He's not happy that our driver hadn't reported any problem with the truck, but he's more than willing to let me take care of the problem and was really pretty cool with the whole deal.

With a plan to return in the morning and the truck partially reassembled for an overnight stay on the mountain we packed up everything and started out for our return journey to Glenwood, in a Ford panel van with me in the driver's seat, one of my shop workers in the front seat (who came along as a spare driver if we needed one) and three more guys packed in back with their tools and materials for a days worth of work without our gutter truck. Fun, fun, fun. At least since I was the driver I got to choose the music, and no there will be no south of the border musica on this trip home. I love the people and the food, but I can't stand the music!

Tomorrow...barring any major disasters...My Hat

Puddy playing in the sprinkler. 23Aug08