I'm just lucky I guess......

[wroughtn_harv]

Anyone who has been around me more than five minutes has probably heard me say, "I'd rather be lucky than good. Anyone can be good, that only takes effort." The reason I say that is because I always get lucky on projects and most of the time they turn out the way I want or even better.

Yesterday morning I took Lucy, the truck, to my truck tire center for an alignment and tire rotation. I was there two hours. I didn't really have an extra two hours free but then on the other hand I couldn't afford to go on much longer without an alignment.

I had them just do the outsides which are aluminum and X them to the front. Out on the highway I had some road noise but I assumed that was due to the tires that were on the rear being a different brand and maybe reacting to being balanced.

Ten or so miles later I noticed a small vibration in the steering wheel and made a note to plan on taking the truck in early next week for a rebalance on the tires on the front.

I was doing about forty and slowing down for a light when the truck rearend jerked hard to the right. I caught it as I felt the rearend drop and out of the corner of my eye saw one of the right rears pass me hauling butt down the bar ditch.

When I got the flashers on what I found on the right rear was the inner wheel wedged up into the wheel well and half the wheel stubs gone or partially knocked out.

It seems the fella doing the work on the truck had forgotten to tighten the wheels on that side.

If something like that's got to happen to you I hope you're as lucky as I was and no one gets hurt. Lucy got a ride behind a big ten wheeler wrecker to the tire dealer where they're replacing two wheels, two tires, hub, studs, and lugnuts.

One of my concerns when we got back to the dealer was the fella that had worked on my truck would not be there anymore. This is the wrong time of year to be looking for work. It seems the ownership that literally jumped through hoops to help me out also was understanding that stuff happens and people do make mistakes.

Normally they're closed on Saturdays. But today they've brought in the people to find the wheels for my truck. They've already got the hub and that sfuff yesterday. I should have my truck back by noon or so.

I guess they're as thankfull as I am that didn't happen at high speed in heavy traffic.

I am lucky. And I really would rather be lucky than anything else. Mostly because I appreciate being unlucky happens and it can be devastating.

[JESSE1]

Several years ago I had a new set of tires put on my Jeep. Normally I will watch them mount and install the tires but this time I waited in the showroom while the work was done. About 5 miles down the road the Jeep started shaking real bad. I pulled over and found the lug nuts on the right rear wheel were loose. They were loose enough that grooves had been cut in the alloy wheel. I tightened the lug nuts and went back to the tire shop. They installed the new tire on the spare and ordered a new alloy wheel. The wheel cost them almost as much as I paid for the tires.

[AlanB]

That is sure fortunate that no one was hurt, and more damage was not done.

It is great that the dealership and you were understanding of the mishap, It can sure be tough to put a good light on something like that. My truck is back in the body shop for the 4th time to rework leaks from where they replaced the roof. On one hand, it makes me mad as heck that the "professionals" have not gotten it "right" at the same time, it makes me feel a bit better, and I think of the times when stuff I have done has not worked as I expected.

Glad it all is working out.

[rtdiggr]

Harv i glad to see no one was hurt, [including Lucy] and it is nice to here the garage will take care of you as they should.
Do you have any luck you want to share?
Shane

[pennwalk]

Harv, I'm convinced that anyone who has made it to 50 and beyond has enjoyed quite a bit of good luck.

Chris

[EddieWalker]

Harvey,

Nice to hear that you're fine and nothing serious happened. I'm not sure which is more scary, the tires falling off, or where they end up? On both counts, you were very fortunate!!!!!

Kind of reminds me of your adventure a few years ago when you were driving across the desert.

Eddie

[wroughtn_harv]

Originally Posted by EddieWalker

Harvey,

Nice to hear that you're fine and nothing serious happened. I'm not sure which is more scary, the tires falling off, or where they end up? On both counts, you were very fortunate!!!!!

Kind of reminds me of your adventure a few years ago when you were driving across the desert.

Eddie

I do have some kind of good luck don't I?

The incident Eddie is referring to was a little over a year ago in northern New Mexico I dozed or fixated or something and we ended up in a bar ditch in the middle of nowhere at about seventy miles an hour. Some sage brush along with some grass and mud made the ultimate sacrifice but we ended up driving on after cleaning up the Bravada.

[wroughtn_harv]

I got the truck back yesterday just before lunch. It seems they messed up the sensor ring for the ABS system and I now have a code on the dash. For some crazy reason the fuel gauge has been acting crazy too. The only other thing is they replaced the aluminum wheel with one of the super polished new Alcoas. It looks great but the other three never have and never will look that good.

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Lucky beats good anyday in my book.

I can attest to the fact that Lucy is one heavy truck with that bed on her tail. (She got stuck at TxDon's place and his 5030 wouldn't budge her).

Everybody eat your black eyed peas today and Happy New Year!

[czechsonofagun]

Originally Posted by wroughtn_harv

I got the truck back yesterday just before lunch. It seems they messed up the sensor ring for the ABS system and I now have a code on the dash. For some crazy reason the fuel gauge has been acting crazy too. The only other thing is they replaced the aluminum wheel with one of the super polished new Alcoas. It looks great but the other three never have and never will look that good.

Glad you got lucky


and for all the related trouble - isn't great to have so much wizardry on your vehicle that can go wrong?

I have it first hand comparing 86CJ7 with 04 Grand Cherokee. Always amazes me what the new jeep monitors - liek the level of washer fluid, tells me the door is open, the service is due etc... - not once I yelled at that idiot to shut up. I hate it when machines talk to me - it interferes with the voices in my head