N80
Super Member
Got to vent here. Yesterday was a work/repair day for me. I changed a torn tie rod dust boot on my Kubota. Replaced the fuel sending unit in the fuel tank. Etc etc. All of that is to say that I can do a few mechanical things. I'm a competent mechanic within my knowledge base.
But the next job was to replace the trailer wiring harness on my pickup. I won't mention the brand. It is 14 years old. The first issue is that the OEM 7 pin trailer plug socket hangs down from a flimsy bracket below the bumper with all of the wiring exposed. Bad design. My truck is a 4x4. It goes off road. I snagged a branch and tore the wires out of the socket and cracked the socket housing.
No big deal. I order a new harness. Climb under the truck to remove the damaged one. Shucks, spare tire is in the way. No big deal, how hard can it be to lower the spare. Well, it turned into a huge pain. I've never had a flat in this truck but still vaguely remembered that the crank bar was under the hood. Yes, not with the jack and stuff, under the hood. Take it out from under the hood, push it into the hole in the bumper and crank away. Nothing. Does not feel to be engaging the lowering winch. Have to get the owner's manual out. Ah, the is an anti theft key that fits on the end of the crank rod. Manual says it is in the glove box. How does it know? Of course it is wrong. I finally find it in the center console, simply amazed that it was still there sine up until that point I had no idea what it was.
You stick it onto the end of the crank rod and a tiny little clip holds it on. Loosely. And at an angle. I thread it into the hole in the bumper. Something feels wrong. It did not go into the tube that goes to the winch. It has gone between the spare and the frame. I have no choice but to pull it out. Ping! The little clip comes off and the bar comes out without the anti-theft key. I can't find it. Finally put all my weight hanging on the spare and hear it rolling around in the spare wheel. After a long while I am able to fish it out from a hole in the spare wheel. Then it takes another long while to get the little spring clip back in place. Then I get the spare down.
Remove damaged wiring harness. The new one is the wrong part and doesn't fit. (My bad.)
This was all done in the yard at my cabin in bright sunshine. Can you imagine trying to do this in the dark on a country road. In the rain? Or my wife or daughter having to do it? I do not think I have EVER seen anything so poorly designed. It's like someone tried to make it stupid. And on that dark country road it would be stupid, dangerous and possibly life threatening.
What's worse, this model of truck was the last year of its 8 or so year run. Design issues in the first model year are to be expected. Not in the eighth year. This is unforgivable and turned a 10 minute job into a nearly one hour profanity filled tool throwing mess embarrassing mess.
Sorry. Just had to vent.
The goal of all inanimate objects is to resist man and ultimately defeat him.
Russell Baker (1925 - )
But the next job was to replace the trailer wiring harness on my pickup. I won't mention the brand. It is 14 years old. The first issue is that the OEM 7 pin trailer plug socket hangs down from a flimsy bracket below the bumper with all of the wiring exposed. Bad design. My truck is a 4x4. It goes off road. I snagged a branch and tore the wires out of the socket and cracked the socket housing.
No big deal. I order a new harness. Climb under the truck to remove the damaged one. Shucks, spare tire is in the way. No big deal, how hard can it be to lower the spare. Well, it turned into a huge pain. I've never had a flat in this truck but still vaguely remembered that the crank bar was under the hood. Yes, not with the jack and stuff, under the hood. Take it out from under the hood, push it into the hole in the bumper and crank away. Nothing. Does not feel to be engaging the lowering winch. Have to get the owner's manual out. Ah, the is an anti theft key that fits on the end of the crank rod. Manual says it is in the glove box. How does it know? Of course it is wrong. I finally find it in the center console, simply amazed that it was still there sine up until that point I had no idea what it was.
You stick it onto the end of the crank rod and a tiny little clip holds it on. Loosely. And at an angle. I thread it into the hole in the bumper. Something feels wrong. It did not go into the tube that goes to the winch. It has gone between the spare and the frame. I have no choice but to pull it out. Ping! The little clip comes off and the bar comes out without the anti-theft key. I can't find it. Finally put all my weight hanging on the spare and hear it rolling around in the spare wheel. After a long while I am able to fish it out from a hole in the spare wheel. Then it takes another long while to get the little spring clip back in place. Then I get the spare down.
Remove damaged wiring harness. The new one is the wrong part and doesn't fit. (My bad.)
This was all done in the yard at my cabin in bright sunshine. Can you imagine trying to do this in the dark on a country road. In the rain? Or my wife or daughter having to do it? I do not think I have EVER seen anything so poorly designed. It's like someone tried to make it stupid. And on that dark country road it would be stupid, dangerous and possibly life threatening.
What's worse, this model of truck was the last year of its 8 or so year run. Design issues in the first model year are to be expected. Not in the eighth year. This is unforgivable and turned a 10 minute job into a nearly one hour profanity filled tool throwing mess embarrassing mess.
Sorry. Just had to vent.
The goal of all inanimate objects is to resist man and ultimately defeat him.
Russell Baker (1925 - )
