Another fun day
Well, it wasn't just one day, and actually today's was a one time deal...
My autoshift has been acting up (which the Volvo in Ashland, VA didn't fix like they were supposed to). The electric shifter is in need of replacement.
Anyway, I'm finishing up a round-trip from Laredo, TX. On the way down, I had no problems. Coming back - different story.
What happens is that one of the motors on the shifter gets stuck. A slight tap with a hammer breaks it loose and it shifts fine again for awhile. It messed up a few times yesterday, with the last happening just as I was getting off the ramp at the end of a 14hr day. I had to drive about 1/2 mile or so in 2nd gear. The truckstop's garage was too busy, so I climbed under and smacked it myself (with it pouring the rain outside). Great way to end the day.
Anyway, today I take off and it acts up a little, but regained it's composure and starts shifting fine before I have to climb under the truck. Except for the last time it did it. I was coming across I-24 in Kentucky and went across a scale. When they stopped me on the scale to get the weight, boom - the transmission decides to get stuck. Can you pick a better place?
So, I have to shut the truck down, grab my hammer and wiggle underneath of the truck - ON THE SCALE. When I crawled back out, there was a DOT officer standing beside me. He asks if everything is ok and I told him "Nothing that a few hundred dollars wouldn't fix." He just laughed and said to have a good day.
After I pull off the scale, I called into our shop to tell them to order the shifter and have it there for me when I get in. They already knew it needed replacing. The shop manager then lets me know that there's a really good chance that they're going to sell my truck. Great... Because of my knees, I need an autoshift. A stick has me in agony after about 6hrs behind the wheel. The only other auto's we have are Columbia's, and he said that they're in the shop 50x more than my truck.
Looks like I might have to leave for another company out of pure necessity now. Getting old sucks...
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