What kinda boat do you have rank??

 

I made my drop off before 3pm on Friday. Actually I was there around 11am after driving for exactly 11 hours with 2 8 minute breaks to make coffee. I kept taking Ibuprofen and was so sore I couldn't walk for a while after I got there. I did not like this at all.

The place I delivered to had a private truck stop next door with a cafe and the best chili I've ever had. I took a 3 hour nap after and it was great.

I got up bright and early this morning and made it to the second drop off in Mass around 8am after driving through NY around 3am which was still packed with traffic and non stop trash on the CB.

Both places that I unloaded at would have sent me over the edge 6 months ago. I would have thought it impossible to turn around and back into these loading docks from hell. Now it's fun and consider it a challange. I told myself a while ago that trucks come and go all day. It's not like I'm the first one to show up there. Something for newbies to keep in mind.

Once again I'm going to spend thousands of dollars next week to register my truck, state inspection, dot inspection and 2290. Every time I come home my spare money goes.

I did stop at the IOWA80 truck stop last week and bought a storage unit to replace my cat walk so I can store all my straps.

Looking forward to steak and eggs at my favorite diner tomorrow.

I just wish everything would go away, leave me alone, take care of itself and let me stay out for a few months.

 

that is what I keep telling myself about pulling wiggle wagons for fedex, tons of guys and gals pulling them everyday it's not rocketscience if they can do it then so can I.

thanks for keeping the thread going steve I have learned tons about the trucking industry from this site and especially your ongoing thread here.

 

What's the brand name on that Steve? I'd like to have a look at their website to see a pic.

LOL. You're a carrier remember? My crystal ball shows you signing a lease.

 

240 Sundancer. How about you?

 

Here is the box I bought.

http://www.iowa80.com/iowa80/shop?me...t&prodid=08419

It took me almost all day to put it in. I banged my knuckels left and right. Dirt everywhere, grease, blood and sweat.

Here's how it went.

I go to take the old catwalk out and big surprise, one of the nuts is a little smaller than the rest and it looks like it's been forced on being the wrong size. I already have 3 of the brackets off except for this one that's stuck. So, I'm able to lift the catwalk out of the frame of the truck and get at the stuck bolt better. I use vise grips, box wrenches and ratchets but no luck so I deciede to hacksaw the bolt off. It takes about 1/2 an hour and finally I get it off. So here I am holding the catwalk and all the brackets are off. Can anyone guess what's wrong with this picture?

MY WHOLE PURPOSE WAS TO GET THE CATWALK OFF. I WAS HOLDING THE FREAKING THING IN MY HANDS OFF THE TRUCK.

All I needed to do was throw it away. I didn't need to take that last stuck bolt off!!!!!!!!!!!! There wasn't anybody around to go tell what a bonehead I just was.

So now I go to put the new box on but it won't fit in the hole. I need to move the plate that holds the air lines and electrical lines forward more. So I once again wrestle with the bolts and loosen them enough to slide the plate forward but it only goes like 1" which isn't enough. The bolts are hitting other bolts below it. I realize I have to take the bolts all the way out and turn them upside down to clear the bolts below. They are frozen and more knuckles and blood. I break one. Off to the hardware store and buy stainless steel and move the plate forward and now the box fits.

Now it's time to put the mounting brackets that came with the new box on. There is no room to get my hands in between the box and frame to put the bolts on. At this point I wish my children were still young so I could go home and take it out on them.

Back to the hardware store with a brainstorm. I bought a really long metal rod with a magnet on the end. Something you would use to retrieve a bolt you dropped in a place you couldn't get to. I put the nut on the end and I'm able to get it started. After that I could use all my ratchet extensions to tighten it up.

It turned out real nice and now I have all my rubber bungie cords in there plus my wheel chocks. Now I don't have to wrestle with all the bungie cords being stuck to my binders, chains and snow chains in my side box.

Tomorrow I may put all those long U bolts I had cut onto my trailer and hang my snow chains so they will be out of the side box also. Then the only things left in there will be my chains and binders.

I thought about signing a lease but I don't think I could do it. I like to take my time and don't want to be pushed by someone other than myself.

 

No offense, Steve, but you overpaid for something that you could have found a lot cheaper elsewhere. Those "truck boxes" are nothing more than glorified pickup truck boxes, with the extra price tag to boot. I put an actual pickup truck bed box on mine for around $250, including all the hardware I needed to install it. It's over twice the size of yours, but I know they make smaller ones.



Remember - that crap they sell at the truck stops is usually available somewhere else for a whole lot less. You are usually paying a premium for them to tell you that it is for your big truck.

 

29ft Gulf Coast sailboat 8)

 

Hey steve....BONEHEAD!! :wink:

Do ya feel better now?? By the way, chain season is over so you can leave your chains at home till next season.....

 

Thanks Tootie, I feel better now. Debbie is coming over for roast chicken, roasted red potatoes and carrots. Maybe she'll spank me when I tell her how stupid I was. :twisted:

Rev, that box I bought can't be used on pickup trucks. It's meant to fit in the well of the catwalk space. I bought it because it's the most heavy duty box I've ever seen and I made it a point to plan my trip back there to get it. The ones I've seen at other truck stores don't even compare to this one.

I hear you on the regular boxes. I've already checked them out at local pickup truck stores and they are a fraction of the cost. I'll probably get those for my trailer some day. (as soon as my cuts heal).