I got caught not following my own advice. Long rambling story

[3Dog]

Actually I could have titled it a sawmill trip to, well...you know the place.

I got an opportunity to barter some sawing for a nice planer.  I thought great, I got a cabin real close to there and I will make a mini vacation out of the deal.  An then the gremlins came a calling...

First off I got off work late Tuesday so I was already behind the eight ball.  I hate driving in the dark (which seems to be the only hours I am not at work these days) but, was on my way.  It was going to be an easy 3 hour drive to my place up north in Sugar Camp. About 45 minutes into my  journey I felt the truck make an odd shake or should I say several shakes.  I looked in the side mirror and was treated to the most beautiful lite show.  THe show consisted of a large light trail of sparks which seemed to be in the vicinity of where the tire....should be located.

I got over to the side of the road to evaluate the situation while keeping a keen eye on traffic (occupational conditioning).  I had about 40 or so cords of the remaining tire still around the rim. The fender was, a very different shape than stock.Not good.  And just a factoid the LT 40 axle is only 4 inches above the ground with a tire intact and inflated.  my spark shower was the axle bolts grinding on the highway surface. 

With safety in mind, and to let myself cool off a bit, I slowly made my way up the shoulder trying to keep the exposed rim and axle off in the grass, to the weigh station about 75 yards up the highway where i would be off the interstate and have some better lighting.

Mission accomplished. At least that portion anyway.  I look at the rim.  Not looking too good.  I am no auto mechanic so my belief is that I had just plain wrecked the rim.  Here comes the moral of the story.  I pull trailers all the time.  I have  5 trailers besides my mill.  ALL OF THEM HAVE SPARES.  Ok, you can see where this is going. I dont move my mill much so I never bought a spare, nor did I go through the same check list of items to bring when I trailer any distance.  Hydraulic jack, 4 point tire wrench etc.  Yes I am hearing the words my wife would be giving me if she was there....."now if I would have done that", "this will teach you" , "dont you always preach to the kids about being prepared for these types of things"... yadda yadda yadda.

Now I drive a 1 ton 4x4 diesel.  I have learned that there is no place on a LT40 without a tire that my factory truck jack fits under and allows the tire to be elevated. Plan B.  I get some 4x4s that I had in my truck and try to pull the trailer onto the timber to raise it high enough to place the jack. The timber just slides in front of the wheel.  Then I dig in the truck and find a piece of hickory lumber piece.  Now my mind is percolating. I put the lumber in front of the timber and drive forward to hopefully get the rim onto the 4x4.  I will add that I couldnt actually see if this was working from the cab. Each additional maneuver required me to get out of the truck walk back, step over the tongue, evaluate and so on.  Sill not enough clearance to get the darn jack under the axle.  So....again I take the piece of lumber and stack it on the 4x4 and repeat the previous process.  Yeah, I now have enough clearance!

I get the rim off and drive 30 minutes to a Fleet Farm to try and locate a new rim/tire.  I ask the tire guy, Will this rim still work with new tire?   Nope, "thats messed up man". "Do you have any 6 bolt rims?"  "Nope but we got ones with 5 holes." Thanks......but that wont work for me.

He does tell me the name of a tire store a few miles away that should have the tire. I did buy a tire at FF and was on my way to locate a rim.  Shucks the tire store is closed (by 10 minutes).  There is a NAPA story next door that is also closed but I see an employee still in the store.  I knock,  he answers with a genuine "what can I help you with".  I explain my stupidity and predicament.  He says that they dont have any rims but is happy to make some calls to try and locate one.  This nice guy must have called 10 different places ranging from his competitors to scrap yards to friends that worked on cars alot etc.  He was very helpful, but unsuccessful.

He finally starts to examine the rim closely...and says "sir, I think this will still work for you with a new tire."  Awesome! can you mount it?  No.  But Fleet Farm can.  I leave with a string of thank yous to the kid.  I get to Fleet Farm at 7:10.  They closed at 7 and the place is darker than my sock drawer.

Desperation sinks in and I am forced to punt.  I remember seeing a Walmart on my why to town.  I call there to see if they can mount my tire to the rim.  "Sure but we are closing soon".  I swear to him that I am on my way faster than a jack rabbit with its tail on fire.

Here is the kicker....I get to Walmart, the kid immediately looks at the rim.  "Let me just take the burs off this and it will work fine"  Give me 10 minutes.  I take a walk to the water fountain for a drink and stroll back to automotive.  I see my tire is already done.  It cost me $9.50 and I was out the door and driving back to my mill sitting at the weigh station.

I get to the mill and put on the tire feeling pretty lucky.  I lower the jack and realize that I need to go through most of the prior steps to get the jack actually out from under the mill but, Im still smiling.

I get back  on the road after 3 hours.  I have a 30 minute drive just to get the to exit that I bought the tire at. Super Im making tracks now.  When I get about another 45 minutes down the road it is so foggy that I am forced to drive about 35 mph the remaining distance of 125 miles. 

The end is in sight.  I pull into my driveway in Sugar Camp.  I pull up to my house thankful that I have survived the ordeal.  I walk to my front door, open it and hit the light switch.  Nothing....and the place is real cold.  Now what.  I call the power company.  They say to flip the main breaker.  I do.  They tell me that the trouble is not on their side, call an electrician.  I say do you realize I have not only no lights, no water and NO HEAT. It was 36 degrees int he house.  They respond with a sorry...

I search the phone book for electricians that have an emergency number.  Only 1 answered the phone and he was 100 miles away.  I guess that is the norm upnorth during deer hunting season.

I leave a message for the local electrician to call me in the morning. I go to sleep, or at least try to, under so many blankets that I felt buried alive.

The phone rings in the morning.  Thankfully it is Schnieders Electric in Sugar Camp.  They will be right out.  Perfect!  He shows up in minutes.  I take him to the panel.  He fiddles and tests...and says "everything is fine here the problem is on WE Energies side of things.....

Isnt that just how it goes.  I have now heard those words which were in my head while I was working on removing the tire.  Except this time it really is my wife going "if I did that"...

Anyone got a line on a used fender...?

[Coon]

Some days you are the dog and others you are the hydrant.  Glad to hear that you managed to get to the camp safely and that nothing was hurt other than your feelings and pocketbook.  ;)

[jueston]

i had the same thing happen with my plumbing....
called the city, they said it was on my side of the things,
called my plumber he said it was on the city side,
had the city come out, they said it was on my side,
had my plumber come out he said that clearly the city caused this damage when they upgraded the meter.
called the city, they said that they aren't responsible for what the independant contractor did.
i could go on, but it just goes in circles, in the end, i just paid my plumber to fix the pipe which the city contracted company had destroyed, and it was done....

and slowly the floor dried over the next few days....

sometimes you just can't catch a break huh?

[red oaks lumber]

as my dad would always ask... did you learn anything? if yes ,then the tuition was well spent. :D

[sawguy21]

It's called education tax, the cost of learning. From now on you will carry a spare, the proper jack....and you will never need them again. :D

[r.man]

You found a tradesman in hunting season??

[Buck]

Dude, at least your mill didnt swerve sideways hit a bridge and then come unhooked and go over the bridge railing like mine did. And I had a fella meeting me on the job to run it with interest in buying it. You had a pretty good day I assure you. ;)

[gandrimp]

I have learned ( it took awhile ) to take it easy on my wife when she has the odd things happen to her , because I know without a doubt I'll do the same thing only with style and there will sometimes be an article in the newspaper about it.

Glad everything turned out ok.

I have a thanksgiving day travel story but I'll not share it here today.

[3Dog]

Why do I always learn my lesson, after I make the mistake. Life would be simpler with a crystal ball.
I do take great comfort knowing my mill didnt go sideways....and then go over a bridge especially with it about to be sold. Bummer. 

I did have my 17 yo son take my corvette convertible ( that I had 37K miles on) and put it into a line of trees.  The car lost...terribly.  I have a piece on my mantel, just to remind him every day. I admit I have used the experience a few times to prove a point.  I may not do that "point proving" thing in the future. He may give me a dose of my own medicine.  Not a good taste.

[Paper Maker]

  A few months ago I asked my dad if he would like to ride with me to pick my sawmill up at a job sight that I had finished. Being retire he had nothing better to do so he road with me. It was only about 15 miles from the house so it wasn't going to take long at all. Boy was I ever wrong. I got the mill hooked up and ready to go and so we headed back toward the house. I'm not a fast driver at all but not paying attention I was over the speed limit. Only by 5 mph though. My dad being old school said son don't you need to slow down. What if you have a flat. Well me being a wise@$$ I said I'll drag it the rest of the way home. We didn't go another 2 or 3 miles and I had a blowout on the sawmill. First tire trouble I've ever had on the road. Talk about eating your words. I still say he jinxed me :D  By the way I didn't drag the mill home. But I did have to go back to the house and get the spare and 4-way lug wrench. The good thing is that the mill has built in jacks; and no other damage was done.      MORAL OF THE STORY. Don't back talk your dad no matter how old you are. They have secret powers. smiley_old_guy

[MotorSeven]

3D, Wallyworld sells those tires on the rim....I think you should have bought a spare ;D

Random Stupidity seems to strike every now and then to most of us, yesterday was my turn, sometimes we just willingly surrender to it  . I went to Tractor Supply and got one of their Cannon 36 gun safes that are on sale. I have been hauling a lot of lumber on the dually flatbed and didn't have the side rails on which means my homemade Poplar 8" tailgate has nothing to hold it up....do you see where this is going??
So they refuse to load the safe standing up on it's pallet which is bolted to the bottom of the safe. I wanted to strap it to the headache rack, then just use the tractor forks to off load it....nope, "Our policy it that we have to lay it down"....grrrr. So they lay it on it's back and it is encased in cardboard, so I figure that's ok. I put two 2" ratchet straps on it and crank em down. There is a 4x8 1" sheet of rubber horse trailer mat on my bed which keeps things from sliding....so off I go, 40 min home. The safe is going in the new under construction log house and the 1/3 mile driveway is moderately steep. Up the drive I go in low gear taking it easy, and on the second hill I felt that dreaded "odd shake" you mentioned. All I can see in the rear view mirror is box, I look out the side mirror and I see my brand new $700 safe stand up behind my truck. Yep, it was a pretty good grade, so it just had to fall over....face first on the gravel :(  Blood pressure from zero to 800 over 1000 in .001 second.
Turns out the safe was also wrapped in plastic before it was put in the cardboard,,,stuff's slicker than snot so it just jettisoned out of the box.  I got the tractor and after some cursing and maneuvering flipped it over and loaded it onto the forks. The electronic key pad was dangling and the face of the frame was scuffed up, but the recessed door was un-harmed. I got the combo and tried it...still worked! So some black spray paint, JB weld and an hour of fixing and it's looking pretty good.
My butt still hurts from kicking myself for not putting one more strap across the back..................

[ForestMan]

Wow, what a story.

[JP135]

Glad to see I'm not the only one who has such luck. And usually I can look in the mirror and see the guy who's responsible for it all. 8)