Cold and Hot
My latest trips, numbers 78 and 79, involved heading from ice to colder, then from colder to hot.
Monday, January 22, 2007
I was lined up to take an IHC Paystar 5000 triple axle chassis from Daleville, VA to Duluth, MN.
We'd had ice on Sunday, so I delayed a bit going over to Daleville to get on the road, waiting instead for things to clear out a bit and for it to heat up. I had done some pre-trip on the unit on Saturday. Mainly, I'd wanted to make sure the temporary flaps were securely on, which they never are, and these weren't either. But, luckily, a guy came out from the plant to check on what I was doing and said he'd take care of securing the flaps before he left for the day. I thought - right! But turned out he did a good job on them and I didn't have any trouble with them the entire 1200 miles to Duluth - a first for temporary flaps.
I had to chip the truck out of the ice, but was on the road west by about 10:00 AM. Truck drove great, with the Eaton Fuller hi-low 9-speed, especially for a chassis, except I discovered fairly quickly the heater was not heating properly - a considerable problem when you are heading north to a place like Duluth. It was putting out about 50 degree air, which ended up working OK through WV, KY, IN, IL, but didn't do too well in WI and MN.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
I made it to Indianapolis the first night and around Chicago about 11:00 AM the next. Seems IL is all toll roads. Paid all of them and made it to the small burg of Chetek, WI Tuesday night. Told my wife this was the WI version of Choteau, MT. Only place to eat was a bar, but the beer was good (the truck had already been parked) and the hamburger also. Snow and ice covered everything. I was wondering if the truck would start, or the fuel would jell, the next morning in the 6 degree weather.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Up early to find out if the truck would start and get on to Duluth. The hotel provided electric heater hookups but I didn't have a chord so didn't try that. The truck started with no problems, but I about to freeze on the way to Duluth. The inside of the side windows frosted over. Don't know what I would have done if the windshield had frozen over.
The drive in to Duluth, across the bridge crossing the tip of Lake Superior, was interesting, with the lake frozen and huge cargo ships dry-docked and/or frozen into the lake. The Altec plant where I was to deliver and pick up the next truck was within a half mile of the MN boarder. So I got to add WI and MN to my driveaway map, but I've only seen a half mile of MN.
The guy at receiving for Altec was on break and wouldn't check the chassis in until his break was
over, so I went out and found the truck that I was to take to FL rather than wait on him. It was an IHC 7300, 4-wheel drive, automatic, digger derrick. Looked good, and also started up nicely in the very cold weather, which I was then freezing in. The check-in guy decided by then to quit reading his paper and come on out and accept the chassis. I was back on my way by about 11:00 AM - and hopefully headed to warmer climates.
Unfortunately, that's when the real troubles for this trip began. About 10 miles back into WI, when I reached 60 mph for the first time, the speedometer started fluctuating and the engine started surging and jumping. I initially figured it was a fuel problem, so I stopped at a place that ended up being a bar, where a very helpful guy sold me half a gallon of anti-jell to put in that he had. That didn't resolve the problem. As I got 100 or so miles down the road, I called dispatch to let them know the truck wasn't running right, and I didn't want to nurse it like that for the 1700 mile trip to Moore Haven, FL. We found an International dealer in Eau Claire, WI and they could check it right away.
What appeared to be a very knowledgeable mechanic put the truck on the computer. They found a few fault codes, did a few things, said they didn't really find anything but that it was testing OK, and I headed out about 3:30 PM very confident it was fixed. Unfortunately, as soon as I got up to speed it started doing the same thing and I turned around and took it back in. By this time, second shift was on duty, and the kid assigned this time was definitely clueless. He finally called International technical support, who seemed even more clueless, one thing lead to another, and at 7:30 PM I decided to just go ahead and drive it as is. Made it further south to Mauston, WI, just north of Madison for the night.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Truck started, again, well in the very cold weather, and I was heading to warmer, although still snow-covered weather in IL. At the first toll booth, I heard air leaking when I had the brakes on, and at the first gas stop I did an air brake test. It failed miserably, so I knew I was going to have to go see another International dealer. The closest one was in Normal, IL about 50 more miles away. I made it there about noon. They quickly discovered that two brake lines had only been finger tightened (good quality assurance International) and fixed the problem in about 10 minutes. On the surging problem, they didn't have time to check, but said they'd started hearing of this type of problem on the new Internationals and that nobody knew how to fix it. Also, the mechanic in Eau Claire had pointed out a hydrolic line leak which I told dispatch about. Dispatch checked and found that I would need to divert to the Indianapolis Altec plant to have it checked, and that couldn't happen until 6:00 AM the next morning.
The more I thought about it, I realized that, due to my bad back, I had not gotten under the truck to check out the oil puddle the mechanics had pointed out, and I was beginning to doubt whether I really had a leak. But I was now committed to Indianapolis, so I headed east arriving about 5:30 PM. Further delay in reaching the warm and heading home.
Friday, January 26, 2007
I had the truck in bright and early at 6:00 AM and the Altec guys started checking it right away. They checked everything for over an hour, found no leak, but did find some sort of electrical problem. So, basically, I'd wasted that part of the trip, but headed on south down I-65 towards FL. This would take me through Nashville about lunch time, so I called my son, who lives there, to see if we could meet up for a quick lunch.
The lunch idea worked, and I was in Nashville about 1:00 PM. About the time we were walking in front of a good looking, very busy, barbeque restaurant, dispatch called to tell me they couldn't get me out of Moore Haven on Saturday and their backup plan was for me to get to Orlando Sanford airport, stage the truck there, and catch a plane at 4:25 PM. That meant I had to get 700 miles under my belt by then and I knew I'd be running out of hours for today and with the 10 hours off requirement I'd be running close on making the plane. But, if I could, the long trip would be over and I'd be able to get home in a more reasonable time. So, we had to forego lunch, and I, regretably, had to leave my son early and head on south.
Drove like a bat out of hell through Chattanooga, and on down I-75, hitting Atlanta at a wonderful hour - 6:00 PM. But made it through and stayed the night about 120 miles north of the GA/FL border.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
I had driven until after 9:00 PM the night before, so was legally supposed to not start out until after 7:00 AM, but I fudged just a bit and was on the road shortly after 6:00 AM. Definitely wanted to make that plane.
Got through all the weight and inspection station entering FL and was in the Orlando area, and really warm, 75 degree, weather by noon. I don't generally like FL, with its hot weather, crazy drivers, and congestion, but really appreciated it more this time.
Was at the little Sanford airport by about 12:00 PM, staged and in the terminal early. Left plenty of time to get the plane, lunch, and some relaxing for the first time all week. Had been a hectic week with close to 3,000 miles of truck driving.
The plane was on time, and about the only direct flight to Roanoke from anywhere except a hub. I was back in Roanoke by 6:00 PM. My wife picked me up, we hit The Tavern downtown on the market for supper, and I was home. Three thousand miles is a healthy week of truck driving, and I was ready to be home for a while. Still trying to figure out how to get back into retirement. Haven't been doing too well lately on that.
Monday, January 22, 2007
I was lined up to take an IHC Paystar 5000 triple axle chassis from Daleville, VA to Duluth, MN.
We'd had ice on Sunday, so I delayed a bit going over to Daleville to get on the road, waiting instead for things to clear out a bit and for it to heat up. I had done some pre-trip on the unit on Saturday. Mainly, I'd wanted to make sure the temporary flaps were securely on, which they never are, and these weren't either. But, luckily, a guy came out from the plant to check on what I was doing and said he'd take care of securing the flaps before he left for the day. I thought - right! But turned out he did a good job on them and I didn't have any trouble with them the entire 1200 miles to Duluth - a first for temporary flaps.I had to chip the truck out of the ice, but was on the road west by about 10:00 AM. Truck drove great, with the Eaton Fuller hi-low 9-speed, especially for a chassis, except I discovered fairly quickly the heater was not heating properly - a considerable problem when you are heading north to a place like Duluth. It was putting out about 50 degree air, which ended up working OK through WV, KY, IN, IL, but didn't do too well in WI and MN.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
I made it to Indianapolis the first night and around Chicago about 11:00 AM the next. Seems IL is all toll roads. Paid all of them and made it to the small burg of Chetek, WI Tuesday night. Told my wife this was the WI version of Choteau, MT. Only place to eat was a bar, but the beer was good (the truck had already been parked) and the hamburger also. Snow and ice covered everything. I was wondering if the truck would start, or the fuel would jell, the next morning in the 6 degree weather.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Up early to find out if the truck would start and get on to Duluth. The hotel provided electric heater hookups but I didn't have a chord so didn't try that. The truck started with no problems, but I about to freeze on the way to Duluth. The inside of the side windows frosted over. Don't know what I would have done if the windshield had frozen over.
The drive in to Duluth, across the bridge crossing the tip of Lake Superior, was interesting, with the lake frozen and huge cargo ships dry-docked and/or frozen into the lake. The Altec plant where I was to deliver and pick up the next truck was within a half mile of the MN boarder. So I got to add WI and MN to my driveaway map, but I've only seen a half mile of MN.
The guy at receiving for Altec was on break and wouldn't check the chassis in until his break was
over, so I went out and found the truck that I was to take to FL rather than wait on him. It was an IHC 7300, 4-wheel drive, automatic, digger derrick. Looked good, and also started up nicely in the very cold weather, which I was then freezing in. The check-in guy decided by then to quit reading his paper and come on out and accept the chassis. I was back on my way by about 11:00 AM - and hopefully headed to warmer climates.Unfortunately, that's when the real troubles for this trip began. About 10 miles back into WI, when I reached 60 mph for the first time, the speedometer started fluctuating and the engine started surging and jumping. I initially figured it was a fuel problem, so I stopped at a place that ended up being a bar, where a very helpful guy sold me half a gallon of anti-jell to put in that he had. That didn't resolve the problem. As I got 100 or so miles down the road, I called dispatch to let them know the truck wasn't running right, and I didn't want to nurse it like that for the 1700 mile trip to Moore Haven, FL. We found an International dealer in Eau Claire, WI and they could check it right away.
What appeared to be a very knowledgeable mechanic put the truck on the computer. They found a few fault codes, did a few things, said they didn't really find anything but that it was testing OK, and I headed out about 3:30 PM very confident it was fixed. Unfortunately, as soon as I got up to speed it started doing the same thing and I turned around and took it back in. By this time, second shift was on duty, and the kid assigned this time was definitely clueless. He finally called International technical support, who seemed even more clueless, one thing lead to another, and at 7:30 PM I decided to just go ahead and drive it as is. Made it further south to Mauston, WI, just north of Madison for the night.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Truck started, again, well in the very cold weather, and I was heading to warmer, although still snow-covered weather in IL. At the first toll booth, I heard air leaking when I had the brakes on, and at the first gas stop I did an air brake test. It failed miserably, so I knew I was going to have to go see another International dealer. The closest one was in Normal, IL about 50 more miles away. I made it there about noon. They quickly discovered that two brake lines had only been finger tightened (good quality assurance International) and fixed the problem in about 10 minutes. On the surging problem, they didn't have time to check, but said they'd started hearing of this type of problem on the new Internationals and that nobody knew how to fix it. Also, the mechanic in Eau Claire had pointed out a hydrolic line leak which I told dispatch about. Dispatch checked and found that I would need to divert to the Indianapolis Altec plant to have it checked, and that couldn't happen until 6:00 AM the next morning.
The more I thought about it, I realized that, due to my bad back, I had not gotten under the truck to check out the oil puddle the mechanics had pointed out, and I was beginning to doubt whether I really had a leak. But I was now committed to Indianapolis, so I headed east arriving about 5:30 PM. Further delay in reaching the warm and heading home.
Friday, January 26, 2007
I had the truck in bright and early at 6:00 AM and the Altec guys started checking it right away. They checked everything for over an hour, found no leak, but did find some sort of electrical problem. So, basically, I'd wasted that part of the trip, but headed on south down I-65 towards FL. This would take me through Nashville about lunch time, so I called my son, who lives there, to see if we could meet up for a quick lunch.
The lunch idea worked, and I was in Nashville about 1:00 PM. About the time we were walking in front of a good looking, very busy, barbeque restaurant, dispatch called to tell me they couldn't get me out of Moore Haven on Saturday and their backup plan was for me to get to Orlando Sanford airport, stage the truck there, and catch a plane at 4:25 PM. That meant I had to get 700 miles under my belt by then and I knew I'd be running out of hours for today and with the 10 hours off requirement I'd be running close on making the plane. But, if I could, the long trip would be over and I'd be able to get home in a more reasonable time. So, we had to forego lunch, and I, regretably, had to leave my son early and head on south.
Drove like a bat out of hell through Chattanooga, and on down I-75, hitting Atlanta at a wonderful hour - 6:00 PM. But made it through and stayed the night about 120 miles north of the GA/FL border.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
I had driven until after 9:00 PM the night before, so was legally supposed to not start out until after 7:00 AM, but I fudged just a bit and was on the road shortly after 6:00 AM. Definitely wanted to make that plane.
Got through all the weight and inspection station entering FL and was in the Orlando area, and really warm, 75 degree, weather by noon. I don't generally like FL, with its hot weather, crazy drivers, and congestion, but really appreciated it more this time.
Was at the little Sanford airport by about 12:00 PM, staged and in the terminal early. Left plenty of time to get the plane, lunch, and some relaxing for the first time all week. Had been a hectic week with close to 3,000 miles of truck driving.
The plane was on time, and about the only direct flight to Roanoke from anywhere except a hub. I was back in Roanoke by 6:00 PM. My wife picked me up, we hit The Tavern downtown on the market for supper, and I was home. Three thousand miles is a healthy week of truck driving, and I was ready to be home for a while. Still trying to figure out how to get back into retirement. Haven't been doing too well lately on that.
posted by Harry | 11:05 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home