Why does it never happen the easy way??

[Iplayfarmer]

It seems whenever I start a project it snowballs out of control. See my trailer brakes thread for a perfect example of a snowballed project... http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/trailers-transportation/177216-what-axle-do-i-have.html

My recent snowballed project is patching a tire on my 4-wheeler. I'm thinking toward snow, and I use my 4-wheeler to plow sidewalks. I've had slow leaks in two of the tires on this 4-wheeler, and I figured on Saturday that I'd take a few minutes and have the service station in town patch the tires for me.

Problem #1: No Brakes. When I went to take the rear tire off, the brakes weren't working. (It's easy to set the brake to aid in loosening the lugs.) I had to steady the wheel by bracing the tire against my knees to get the lugs loose.

Problem #2: When I got to the service station they were backed up on work. "No problem," says I. "I'll come back just before closing time."

Problem #3: Blown Fuse. When I came back before closing time they had blown a fuse and didn't have a fuse to replace it. I asked what fuse it was, and I had a few back at home. I ran home to get the fuses to get them back running and get my tires fixed.

Problem #4: It wasn't the fuse. I came back with the right fuses, but when we tested the old fuses all of them were fine. (We had to test the fuses with a 12 volt test light and a car battery they had on the shelf.) By the time we figured out the fuse problem it was closing time, and I told them I'd just come back and get the tires on Monday.

Problem #5: In the process of troubleshooting the brake it seized up. I decided that since my wheel was off for a while anyway I'd see about fixing the rear brake. I was able to rotate the cam just enough that it completely siezed up the brake (without my knowing). In an effort to get the drum off I managed to crack the backing plate, and press the axle out the other side. I finally figured out that the brake was seized, and then the drum came of quite nicely.

Problem #6: I broke one of the brake pads. Once I finally got the drum off I discovered that the problem was the cam. The shaft for the cam was so galded that it took a large wrench on the lever to get it to move. I took off the brake pads so that I could "press" the cam shaft out with a hammer. In the process of taking the brake pads off, I dropped one of them and it broke. I now have a set of brake pads coming from e-bay.

Problem #7: The service station ruined my wheel. I went back today to pick up the fixed tires. They told me I had a nail in my front tire, but that the back tire wasn't fixable due to the wheel being all bent. They took me back to the wheel, and sure enough. There was a dent in the wheel so big that it looked like PacMan. I know it wasn't like that when I brought it in. The manager was good to me. He said they'd make it right. I have to wait for my brake pads to come anyway; so now I'll wait for a wheel, too.

That's where I sit for now. In a few days I'll have my wheel and my brake pads, and we'll see what else can go wrong.

 

[creekbend]

Hope everything works out. Life is never boring. Have you ever heard the saying?: When it rains, it pours. Remember that saying by Forest Gump? Hopefully all the negative events are behind you, and only positive and good things are coming your way. Don't be discouraged, everything will be better.:tractor:

 

[NoTrespassing]

On the bright side, it's not snowing yet right? At least you looked far enough ahead to have it fixed before hand. I'm trying to get ready for winter too. I hope I have a little better luck.

Actually, when things go easily, we just take it for granted. When things don't, we remember it.

Good Luck,
Kevin

 

[NormL]

Boy!! Looks like you've had one of those days where you wonder why you got up that morning! For your sake I hope you have all the stuff that's gonna go wrong behind you now. But I'm guessing you've already taken a step back, looked at your machine, and said something like "alright, what else are you going to do to me before this is over? You really hate snow, don't you!?!"

Good luck!
Norm

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Boy!! Looks like you've had one of those days where you wonder why you got up that morning! For your sake I hope you have all the stuff that's gonna go wrong behind you now. But I'm guessing you've already taken a step back, looked at your machine, and said something like "alright, what else are you going to do to me before this is over? You really hate snow, don't you!?!"

Good luck!
Norm

I admit that part of it is my own fault. I can never leave well enough alone. I make the mistake of thinking that it will be easier to tackle all of the problems when I have my 4-wheeler (trailer, tractor, house. etc.) already torn apart. Then I try to think of all the things I can fix while I have it apart so that I don't have to take it apart again. Then every minor problem with a substep of the process gets lumped in with the original minor repair.

The other part of it is that the world hates me. Who else has a minor repair prevented by a whole service station being taken out of commission by a hidden breaker and then have their project totally destroyed by said service shop. Even if I had not taken on the project with the brakes, I'd have still had a story to tell.

It's okay, though. I really like my life... Even if I get extra "experience" often when I tackle a project.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

It gets better (like really better, not sarcastically better)...

I stopped by the Co-op on the way home to see what they found out about a replacement wheel. I had told the manager to find me a used wheel since this old 4-wheeler wasn't worth a new wheel. The Yamaha dealership had a whole pile of used wheels, but none of them were the right size. So, they are buying me a brand new wheel.

It won't be here until Friday (bad), but it will be a brand new wheel (good).

 

[banjodunn]

G'day seem as though it is catching

I had one of your days yesterday, customer brings in his JD lawn mower complaining of alot of smoke, I said to him "it looks as though it would be under warranty" to which he agreed but the dealer was 60 miles away and asked if we could have a quick look " no worries' I say.

Found the engine oil about 1 1/2" overfull so we drained it down to the correct level and started it up.... nearly smoked the whole w/shop out with oil dripping out the exhaust. So I have a bright moment and say " I will take it over and mow the loading ramp, that should get it nice and hot and burn the oil out!"

Was going great til I hit a small piece of steel hiding in the grass and that started a vibration, thought i had bent the blade.
Back into workshop and pulled the blade off can't even see a mark on it where it hit the steel put it on the bench and it appeared straight:confused2: look back under the mower and turn it over and the crankshaft now has about 3/8" runout

So a new mower turned up today to replace his as there are no engines available over here for them yet.

Hope not to repeat that again soon


Jon

 

[NormL]

G'day seem as though it is catching

I had one of your days yesterday, customer brings in his JD lawn mower complaining of alot of smoke, I said to him "it looks as though it would be under warranty" to which he agreed but the dealer was 60 miles away and asked if we could have a quick look " no worries' I say.

Found the engine oil about 1 1/2" overfull so we drained it down to the correct level and started it up.... nearly smoked the whole w/shop out with oil dripping out the exhaust. So I have a bright moment and say " I will take it over and mow the loading ramp, that should get it nice and hot and burn the oil out!"

Was going great til I hit a small piece of steel hiding in the grass and that started a vibration, thought i had bent the blade.
Back into workshop and pulled the blade off can't even see a mark on it where it hit the steel put it on the bench and it appeared straight:confused2: look back under the mower and turn it over and the crankshaft now has about 3/8" runout

So a new mower turned up today to replace his as there are no engines available over here for them yet.

Hope not to repeat that again soon


Jon

Any hope of removing the crank and getting the wobble out with a press? I've done a few hokey things like that over the years with varying success. Weird though that the blade showed no damage! I'd call that a fluke.:confused2:

 

[Iplayfarmer]

...I had one of your days yesterday...

My heart goes out to you.

My good news is that my brake pads came in the mail yesterday. Nothing has gone wrong with the project this whole week. I attribute that to the fact that I haven't actually done anything with it this whole week.

We'll see what tomorrow brings.

 

[banjodunn]

Any hope of removing the crank and getting the wobble out with a press? I've done a few hokey things like that over the years with varying success. Weird though that the blade showed no damage! I'd call that a fluke.:confused2:

It is possible I suppose but I would not feel comfortable to do that for a customer, so I guess if it does work I will have a nice shiny new shop mower


Jon