Trucks.......

Yesterday the Kenworth aka KenW would not start...AGAIN.

Between Pete, the summer driver, and Daryl many many hours/dollars has been spent trying to figure out why the truck just wont start one time but will 10 other times. They tried everything they could think of. Changed many cables, batteries, etc, etc. All because the computer didnt read that a bushing was out in the starter!

Sometimes you just have to go with your gut and forget the truck has a nifty little device incorporated in it to do the thinking for ya! Wonder if they teach that in mechanics training?

So yesterday was the day KenW picked to just give it up. No more fluke starting til the problem was fixed!

Daryl tried boosting it with the pickup and the suburban.

No go.

Then Daryl used Volvo (AZ truck) to pump air into KenW so we could move the truck.

Semis use lots and lots of air. Other than brakes and "air ride" I am not really sure what all the air is used for other than its very noisy while a truck "airs" up. With all kinds of sensors blaring letting ya know its doing its job! All the beeping is very annoying to me! How someone can stand to listen to that all day is beyond me.

Anyway I got to help Daryl by moving the Volvo when it needed to be done. I drove it forward. Then I backed it up. And I didnt wreck a thing! Didnt hit KenW, or run over Daryl, hit a tree, or run into the shop!!! Nor did I grind the gears or make the truck lurch! Missions accomplished without any mishaps!
Eventually KenW was aired up enough that we could pull it backwards to get it away from the shop.

Then they hooked to the front of it and pulled it started.

He had help from a neighbor with a tractor to do that.

Daryl and I tried it with the Volvo doing the pulling but it doesnt have enough pull in it to do the job. Rainy muddy conditions didnt help matters at all.

Once the truck was aired up and could be moved it started right off.

With a change into dry clothes he was off in KenW to the repair shop once again. This time he stood his ground that he wanted a starter put in it regardless if the computer was not setting off the alarm.

Twelve hours after he was to leave for Utah he was finally upon his way! Hopefully with the problem found and fixed!

While sitting in a dry vehicle between times my help was needed I thought about the times I use to drive a semi here and there for Daryl.

The last time I did much semi driving was quite a few years ago when we owned 5 semis and had Daryl and four other drivers in them. My job was to keep everything going behind the scene. Monies in everyone accounts. Retrieve debit cards left in machines. Run monies to drivers that left their said cards in the ATM machines. Run trucks here and there for tires etc.

The "babysitting" of drivers was enough usually along with being a mom to six small kids and all that that entailed. Then there was some semi driving too yet.

Well the day came when I would get caught doing it without a CDL. My trucking trips were usually short jaunts from shop to home etc.. It made life easier than to run Daryl back and forth two or three times to retrieve a truck/s.

My mother-in-law had five of the kids with her waiting to pick me up at the shop. Dirk was with me in the truck.

All was going fine. Then I stopped at a stop sign and there was a small billow of smoke floating on by. Dirk and I checked the truck all over and found the problem. A brake was stuck. We tried all the things Daryl told us to do. Of course none of them worked for us.

A nice man stopped to offer us some help. Then he left and I am certain called the sheriff to assist us. As soon as can be there a cop was. Out in the middle of no where?? Hmm...

By this time Daryl had called a repairman to come help us and he was on his way. Dirk and I sat in the air conditioned cop car in the 100* heat getting questioned.

Of course the cop asked me if I had a license and I replied "yes" as confidently and calmly as possible. I do have a drivers license tho I understand he was implying a CDL. He didnt question me further or ask to see my license which I was soooo thankful for!!!! But Dirk (pale as a ghost) was still certain he was going to see his mom handcuffed and hauled to jail right then and there!!!

Having a cop there was a huge help to me as he was able to get the local cop to give a message to my MIL of the mishap. Before her cell phone days ya know.

After that hair-raising of an experience my hubs knew not to ask for my semi driving assistance again!