Worst Trip Ever

[gringeltaube]

Dude... You just need to get a horse. Forget the buggy, you'd probably loose a wheel bearing. Of course with your luck the horse would get a kidney stone or something crazy.

..... I'm still laughing!

Very impressed also, about this man's determination and perseverance!!


G.

 

[ATPTac]

As much as this whole ordeal has absolutely sucked (to put it extremely lightly), the silver lining is that a you have given a lot of us on here some inspiration on how to handle a crappy situation. Also made some of the break downs/bad trips not seem so bad in comparison. I hope you and your truck finally make it home safely. Good luck!

 

[Average Joe]

PostScript (hopefully)- Well, the initial quote to ship the deuce and M1022 dolley home was $3700! This was apparently due to the combined length of the two vehicles. So, I bought a beater F-150 to tow the dolley home and was able to get a much more reasonable price to line haul the Deuce alone. Figure I'll sell the Ford on the far end and make some money back. I depart AZ tomorrow, and baby leaves on Monday. My thanks to Dave, Kenny, Jeff, and Ryan for all their help and assistance.
I'm posting a few more pics of the bent lifter rods, the piston rod, head, and the remains of the cylinder liner. What's incredible to me is that this truck still ran! Not well mind you, but I wish the kit we used in the Army today was half as robustly designed. Heaven bless steel and SAE!
I will also post pics later of her resurrection in Colorado with a new engine.

 

[ATPTac]

That is incredible that she still ran... Impressive to say the least. You should send that block off on a burning boat, give it a proper funeral.

 

[Average Joe]

One other thought:
I've encountered a lot of good, decent human beings on this trip. People who have helped and encouraged me from as far away as Germany, Britain, and Australia. Heck, I even watched the Super Bowl with the same railroad police that detained me (briefly) outside Needles.
Only one time did I feel done wrong by: apparently if one gets their U-Haul stuck in a sand wash then they were clearly off the road and hence "off-roading." U-Haul does not permit "off-roading" and will refuse to reimburse any roadside assistance (even if you purchased their "worry free" insurance). Consider yourselves forewarned.
In truth if that's the worst treatment I got over the course of this whole misadventure, then it says something pretty good about folks. I've hitchhiked on cement trucks, been handed cash, had near-strangers volunteer labor, accept post-dated checks, give me magazines while I waited for parts (thanks G. Runt - no kiddin' that's what the address box said), and best of all got a piece of pie from an older couple who "heard I'd just left the service." Apparently the diner waitress who scored me some NyQuil in Seligman can't keep a secret!
Steel Soldiers provided every reference I needed to get the work done, and I am grateful to everyone who voiced their support for this lunatic voyage along the way.

-Joe

"Quitters never win and winners never quit. Still, if you never win and never quit, you should really stop and think about this. . ."

 

[General Mcgregor]

This ordeal needs to be made into a movie.

 

[wreckerman893]

This ordeal needs to be made into a movie.

Hummmmm.........I know a guy in the movie business.

 

[Tinwoodsman]

Hummmmm.........I know a guy in the movie business.

Yeah! But I hear he still uses an old Super 8 camera.

 

[FMJ]

Yeah! But I hear he still uses an old Super 8 camera.

I thought it was Betamax?

 

[mattgunguy]

Penski is just as bad as U-Haul with their insurance. Tried to ream me for a new box after a trip to get parts. luckily I took pictures when I picked the truck up of the existing damage

 

[Deuce_and_a_Half_Dragon]

Wow.....just wow, im in agreement with everyone else, this has to be one of the worst of worst luck recoveries i've seen. Your resolve is deffinitly stronger than most, even I may have been tempted to destroy in place after all that

I'm posting a few more pics of the bent lifter rods, the piston rod, head, and the remains of the cylinder liner. What's incredible to me is that this truck still ran! Not well mind you, but I wish the kit we used in the Army today was half as robustly designed.

Dont know how it would have faired with bent lifters, but i did see a 673 mack eat a piston lineer and keep running back in tech school, but with all this its just a testament to the kind of abuse the Multi will take and still keep turning.

Best of luck to you Joe

-James

 

[Average Joe]

Well, the drama is entering the final act. I put new tires and brakes on the junker F-150 and dubbed her the "Deathcoaster." The trip back was mostly uneventful, except for the 6,000 lbs. dolley spinning me out twice, losing a tire in Gallup, and running out of gas twice (fuel gauge doesn't work). Since the Deathcoaster's speedometer doesn't work either, I have no idea how fast I was going. However based on the cars passing me and the fact she couldn't haul past 3rd gear on flat ground, I'd bet that little I-6 was roaring along at darn near 45mph. It felt like being in the Army again! There's a picture of the Deathcoaster below.
The only real trouble was that the Deathcoaster lost traction entering my driveway and slid back down the hill, ending up in a pile with the dolley at the bottom. Fortunately, my little Jeep Rubicon (after spending half an hour on the battery charger) proved capable of towing the truck and the dolley home. It ain't the engine, it's the gears and axle lockers!
The Deuce arrived yesterday, but the semi driver wasn't able to attempt my steep driveway either. So, we parked her at the bottom of the hill, and a wrecker will have to do the final 1/4 mile to end of mission. Almost there!

 

[mattgunguy]

Well at least she's home. Ish.

Good to hear though.

 

[Average Joe]

Postscript: With the very, very kind assistance of 63Foxtrot and the wrench wielding magic of the current 4ID Master Gunner, my Deuce lives again! The engine swap is complete, and she roared to life this weekend. Even managed to do it without pulling off the winch (although I did take the opportunity to replace the clutch while swapping over the transmission). Just have to screw the hood back on, and we'll be ready to go for a road test. Thanks again to everyone who offered advice and sympathy. Next task: strip the busted engine for parts, hot tank the fractured block, and make a coffee table out of it!

 

[Aussie Bloke]

G'day everyone,....


Well this is much better,...

Congratulations on getting her breathing again!
This has been a long ordeal and thankfully it is over with.
May she forever run without missing a beat.
Also great to hear of all the great help and assistance rendered.


I guess now when you take her for her first run you will need to video the event!




Aussie.

 

[cattlerepairman]

hot tank the fractured block, and make a coffee table out of it!

So you can go "Hold my beer while I tell y'all a story!"