I should've taken the week off

[Malaki86]

Wow - talk about a crappy week - and it's only Tuesday...

Yesterday (Monday) morning I started out by having to drive about 20 miles to unload. No problem there.

I then drive about 30 miles for my next pickup. The place I was loading at only has one forklift and the hydraulic pump exploded on it when he picked up the first pallet for my truck. After the mechanic saw it, he said the lift would be down for at least the entire day. Ok - load cancelled and about 2 hours wasted.

I'm then sent about 90 miles for another load. I get there and all of the information given to me by my dispatch and the broker are wrong. Wrong load number, wrong address, etc. After an hour we get it straightened out and I get loaded. Down the road I go - sort of.

About 5 miles from where I loaded, my truck decided that it REALLY liked 7th gear and wouldn't come out until I lugged the truck down to about 200rpm (the truck is an autoshift). I pulled over, got the transmission code and called the shop. They had me reset the computer/transmission and try it. It's shifting ok, so drive.

On the 300 miles I drove yesterday, the transmission got "stuck" about 4 more times. Each time, the shop had me reset it and keep driving.

So, I wake up this morning to finish out my run - ya, right...

I've drove 90 miles and now I'm sitting along the side of US-360 about 40 miles from my delivery point. The truck is stuck is some gear or neutral. Not sure because it flat out refuses to do anything.

So, I'm eagerly awaiting my first tow in a big truck, which should be here in the hour. Yay me!!!

It's 9:55am - think I'll make my 11am appointment in Prince George, VA?

[matcat]

One good reason to despise autos in a big truck

[Malaki86]

I definitely won't say that. The reason?

I've driven auto's on/off for the past 7 years. This is the FIRST time I've had anything major happen to any of the transmissions. Also, this truck is a 2002 with 880k miles on it. I've had trucks with 40k miles on it (10 speed manual) that had the transmission destroy itself within 50 miles of me getting into the truck.

[Orangetxguy]

One good reason to despise autos in a big truck

I had my 13 speed jam in reverse in June. Cost me $75.00 to get a mechanic out to the plant I was at, to get it un-jammed, then another $879 to get it repaired. Only good thing about it was...I had backed into the unload rack, and was close enough they could hook up the unload hose..bad thing was..onlu unload rack the plant had, because of construction delays...and they needed me out of there.

[Malaki86]

I've gotta say - this morning has renewed my faith in the human race. Since I've been sitting here (roughly 1hr) I've had a VA Roadside Assistance vehicle stop, a VA State trooper and a VA DOT officer. They stopped to make sure I was ok and to see if I needed assistance.

Also, I've had about 5 cars stop to offer assistance, as well as 2 truck drivers - one of them being a USXpress company driver.

Mind you, this is on a 4 lane stretch of road.

BTW - after the DOT officer knew I was ok and had help coming, he asked me what line I was on with my log book. I said "On duty, not driving". He said ok and drove off. Nice inspection :wink:

[Orangetxguy]

LOL...Brown Noser?

[Malaki86]

The DOT could've given me whatever inspection he'd wanted and I would've been fine. But, it'd be hard for him to test my air since the truck won't start.

[Twilight Flyer]

BTW - after the DOT officer knew I was ok and had help coming, he asked me what line I was on with my log book. I said "On duty, not driving". He said ok and drove off. Nice inspection

Good. Make sure the beer is locked in the trailer. :P

[Malaki86]

Heh - none to be found here. I don't drink unless I'm at home.

[BigDiesel]

Golfhobo would use that time to crack open a cold one in the sleeper.

[Malaki86]

Well - I made it to Ashland, VA to get the tranny fixed... They sent a mechanic out and he beat the X-Y shifter into submission. I guess it was froze up. Now I gotta wait for them to fix it. Hooo boy...

[Malaki86]

As soon as I hit the "Post" button, the shop manager came out and knocked on my door. Eaton recommends that when the X-Y shifter goes out, to replace the shifter, the wiring harness and the TCM. Parts only: $3,122.

Now I remember why I don't own a truck.

[belpre122]

GolfHobo would have been on Line 5 so fast that the gears would still be spinning in the transmission case. (or not spinning)

I have to wonder how the VA DOT officer would have responded when GolfHobo retorted that he is now not in control of that CMV, it is parked and Golfhobo has already dropped down to Line 5? Great lesson to be learned here.

[Orangetxguy]

As soon as I hit the "Post" button, the shop manager came out and knocked on my door. Eaton recommends that when the X-Y shifter goes out, to replace the shifter, the wiring harness and the TCM. Parts only: $3,122.
Now I remember why I don't own a truck.

Still Cheap @ twice the price!!!






Ok now.....how many will catch the drift?

[Mr. Ford95]

Larry, whaddya do, come out of Maryland on 301? Sounds like you were sitting near Manquin and your now sitting at Colonial Trucks getting fixed up.

Them people are nice down in that area for stopping to help.

[Malaki86]

Nope - I was in Chesterfield, VA on 360 when I broke. But, yup, it was Colonial.

Now I get to sit until tomorrow am. Can't even schedule my delivery until after 8am when the place opens up. Oh well, it's easy parking bobtail in the T/A here - my trailer is still at Colonial.