Just got home a little over an hour ago. My older bro is moving to Canada to be with his Mrs (they’ve been married now for almost 15 months). Had to make a road trip to Bismarck, ND to give him a hand. Originally I was supposed to make a roughly 1900mi road trip to deliver most of his belongings closer to where he is going to be living, but his Mrs and some helpers with a pickup truck came down instead. Shortened my trip from ~1900mi to ~900mi. I was now supposed to only load things that the Mrs didn’t want going north (duplicate items like a Keurig, microwave, etc), and bring it back for distribution within family/friends as per need.
The trip started off like everything was just going perfectly. Last month I slapped on a new pair of tires as one of them on the van was deteriorating,(known since last fall), due to age. It had spent 95% of the last 8 years on the rear. Plenty of tread left, just getting weathered. Week ago, changed rear shocks (known was likely due for 5 years ish), followed by an oil change (first time trying full-syn oil, man did that make a difference–felt like a new engine). Left friday night at around 10pm local, nearly a full moon to travel by with the quiet nighttime highways. Oh and the time I’ve taken off will be split between 2 different paychecks, so I won’t have a really “short” one.
On top of all of that, this trip was originally supposed to happen a month-ish earlier. About a week and a half ago, the serpentine belt snapped on the way to work. That’s an epic tale in and of itself (and a lesson in public transport), but to cut it short, I’m glad we didn’t go earlier–no way would I have been ready. Had been meaning to change that belt for close to 6 years, along the way I had several “experts” tell me it was fine.
As-is, on the way home, I started having issues. Started manifesting rather subtly, felt like an extra road bump, except that it was only effecting one of the driven wheels. Started slowing down long before Fargo, but it wasn’t long after Fargo, that it was clear I was probably either going to have a failure, or go the rest of the way at 45-50mph. I suspect it is the passenger side drive axle.
Before, I thought it was a little scary driving in a strange town doing 5-10mph over on roads that one is unfamiliar with in moderate traffic. That holds little to driving down high speed highways not being able to do ~20mph of what most drivers are doing and getting passed like you’re in a horse drawn buggy. Three separate times I had cops follow me for a ways to make sure I wasn’t drunk or what not. Certainly pays being able to hold ones space in their lane within a few % +/-.
Working on my 3rd beer, and after the stress of the last dozen hours or so, starting to become “Comfortably Numb.”
Thanks, I needed that.
Just got home a little over an hour ago. My older bro is moving to Canada to be with his Mrs (they’ve been married now for almost 15 months). Had to make a road trip to Bismarck, ND to give him a hand. Originally I was supposed to make a roughly 1900mi road trip to deliver most of his belongings closer to where he is going to be living, but his Mrs and some helpers with a pickup truck came down instead. Shortened my trip from ~1900mi to ~900mi. I was now supposed to only load things that the Mrs didn’t want going north (duplicate items like a Keurig, microwave, etc), and bring it back for distribution within family/friends as per need.
The trip started off like everything was just going perfectly. Last month I slapped on a new pair of tires as one of them on the van was deteriorating,(known since last fall), due to age. It had spent 95% of the last 8 years on the rear. Plenty of tread left, just getting weathered. Week ago, changed rear shocks (known was likely due for 5 years ish), followed by an oil change (first time trying full-syn oil, man did that make a difference–felt like a new engine). Left friday night at around 10pm local, nearly a full moon to travel by with the quiet nighttime highways. Oh and the time I’ve taken off will be split between 2 different paychecks, so I won’t have a really “short” one.
On top of all of that, this trip was originally supposed to happen a month-ish earlier. About a week and a half ago, the serpentine belt snapped on the way to work. That’s an epic tale in and of itself (and a lesson in public transport), but to cut it short, I’m glad we didn’t go earlier–no way would I have been ready. Had been meaning to change that belt for close to 6 years, along the way I had several “experts” tell me it was fine.
As-is, on the way home, I started having issues. Started manifesting rather subtly, felt like an extra road bump, except that it was only effecting one of the driven wheels. Started slowing down long before Fargo, but it wasn’t long after Fargo, that it was clear I was probably either going to have a failure, or go the rest of the way at 45-50mph. I suspect it is the passenger side drive axle.
Before, I thought it was a little scary driving in a strange town doing 5-10mph over on roads that one is unfamiliar with in moderate traffic. That holds little to driving down high speed highways not being able to do ~20mph of what most drivers are doing and getting passed like you’re in a horse drawn buggy. Three separate times I had cops follow me for a ways to make sure I wasn’t drunk or what not. Certainly pays being able to hold ones space in their lane within a few % +/-.
Working on my 3rd beer, and after the stress of the last dozen hours or so, starting to become “Comfortably Numb.”