^^^=job security

 

2 months ago a 1983 F-250 dump truck comes in for "noise at rear while driving". i pull the rear brakes and found a brake shoe spring poped off and the shoe was flopping around in the drum. replaced shoes and hardware. road test. now i can hear a new noise in the rear. drained the diff fluid and metal chunks comes out. ring and pinion is busted/chunks of teeth are missing. pull rear axle and replace whole assembly with new unit, drum-to-drum. replaced front brakes. truck is all good. bye bye.

last week truck returns for "needs to be jump started every morning and dump bed will not raise".
do routine battery/starter/charging system check. found battery low on charge due to failing alternator. replaced alternator. belts are frayed and cracking. customer does not want replaced.
checked complaint of inop bed. found bad pump motor. had to remove dump bed to get to motor. replaced pump motor. truck good to go. bye bye.

yesterday truck returns on back of tow truck. "clutch is gone" per customer".
start to pull transmission..... trans mount bolts are MIA, bell housing bolts are all different sizes, clutch line secured with coat hanger. WTF!!!
trans is finally out. and once again different size bollts holding clutch pressure plate on and same goes for the flywheel. trans out, clutch/flywheel out.
now i noticed the engine sitting cock eyed in the engine bay. look around and see that ALL engine mount bolts are MISSING!!!!!!! this engine has just been resting freely on the cross members for god knows how long. it was not bolted down what so ever!
i try to cheat it by sneaking in new bolts into the mounts. no go. have to pull engine to get access to engine mounts. finally mounts are bolted in properly.

oh, the exhaust is broken/rusted out in 3 locations. removed that for replacement as well.

clutch and trans should go back in tomorrow.

short of lifting the cab off the frame, i have basically taken this truck apart from head to toe.

this thing was truly held on by the mud and dirt that covered it. now i fear that since i disturbed it, it may fall apart and come back on a flatbed tow truck next month....

 

Or tomorrow.

 

That's a fantastic story!

 

I hope when hunting season starts, the herds are really really really really really worn down to almost nothing.

I hit my second deer (thankfully in the Saab) in just over a year since my last one.

Damage isnt too bad. Wiped out my driverside mirror, dented my front DS fender, and front DS door.

The frustration is overwhelming. Just overwhelming.

And to top it off, S2Ki wont let me post with as many "emoticons" as I had originally wanted to post.

 

Apparently, 25 is the limit.

 

start this day off right - I get an email from my boss about a teleconference that is tomorrow which is my unpaid day off. I replied with "I'm not going to be here tomorrow. ?" His reply was - will you be home? Can you do it from home? My response - "NOPE".

 

Well done Alex

 

That has pretty much ruined my day. I mean I have been here for 16 years - pay me for that day & I'll do it. I could use the extra money, but still... I am enjoying the day off thing.

 

Boss: