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Published: October 13th 2012
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The rain is poring down as I am writing this. I am sitting in my favorite spot in my little home on wheels. My dogs both sound a sleep and happy. Scout came and snuggled up and is snoring.
With mixed feelings I am writing down what had happened in the month of my breakdown in South Carolina.
I feel sad to leave my new friends behind and get ready to move on. I am happy that I had found the Axel, and then there are some not so comfortable feelings about ... well I guess thats the story of a breakdown....
Almost a month ago I heard the sickening noise of breaking my differential and the rescue action by Pete and Chris. I am endlessly grateful to have met the brothers and was able to stay here while I was waiting for the Axle to arrive. I have had time to think about not just my repairs but also what would come next.
It was raining just like today when the truck driver delivered my Axel. Rain or no rain I had to check out my new rear end... well she was not what I would call a beauty but
she for sure looked massive. way bigger than my old one. That one would not so easily break again... I just hope she will fit. Since the rain had stopped I started to gather all the tools and blocks I needed to lift the but of a 14.000lb bus in the air... kinda like a diaper change. As massive of a bus sitting on this axle there are surprisingly few attachments to unbolt. And the operation Axel swap was done the same day. well at least "buessli" was sitting on his new rear end but there were a few things that were
NOW broken. The emergency break cable was ripped and in order to repair it I had to take both break-drums of and since take the bearings apart and fix the breaks while I was at it.
I am not very fond of working on cars but the repairs went well and all looked like it was working out well. The break lines posed to be a bit of a problem i had to replace them and could not find any that would fit. The bigger differential had however some other problems as well and now it almost looked
like this one needed to be rebuild too. I had tried to rotate the axle and could not get it over a certain point. I hope wire brushing the rust of the gear will do... It should be alright with everything clean and new oil. Ok, whats next... oh the drive shaft... sure I see... bigger differential results in a shorter drive shaft... does it ever end?? With Pete's help we located the local shop that would shorten and re-balance my drive shaft..... and the waiting begins again...
Today I got the rest of the parts I needed and it was raining again as the package was delivered. I got it all done and the two things left to do is filling up oil and bleed the breaks. If it is dry tomorrow I will finish it of and make a test drive.
But this was just a mechanical view of what the time here was like. I actually had a great time hanging out with Pete. He showed me around in his neck of the woods and always was very helpful and I was happy that a good mechanic was looking over my shoulder. We took his boat out
on the lake ate all kinds of fast-food and I am sure i gained a couple of pounds.
Koya, my 5yr old Golden retriever was healing fine but I was watching it the deep cut on the inside of his front wrist closely. At first I was not sure if I should try to get him to a vet but he seamed not to be bothered much by it. I decided to patch him up and see if it would heal. He was accepting the bandage well and did not even rip it of the first day. The second day I figured it was just coming off because of all the running and playing but then I realized he was helping it along as well. So I took the bandages off and would clean and patch it up later again. It had been swollen a little when I had it rapped up but now with him keeping it clean himself the swelling went down and it looked even better. I decided to let him keep it clean and just watch it for infection. It was actually interesting to check the healing progress and by now it is all closed
and healing great.
Besides all that there was certainly something else that needed my attention... I NEEDED A PLAN! a plan? I never make much of plans... but I better be open for what was coming next. Work ... and a place to spent the winter. It still surprises me how it all works out but then again it always goes on because time does not slow down or stop and the rest is just perspective.
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RENanDREW
Ren & Andrew
Koya
Poor Koya. We have a snoring dog too, doggie snores are strangely comforting! P.S the date on this blog has gone a bit strange :)