Bamamav
Well-known member
With the Monday holiday, I thought this would be an easy four days. Turned into a nightmare from hell for me. Monday afternoon, got ready to leave out, the Freightliner wouldn't crank. Batteries dead as a doornail. Tried jumping it for 2 hours, no luck, so I gave up. Was only going to Nashville, so I figured I'd get new batteries Tuesday morning, install and go. Didn't work that way, starter was still dragging even with 3 new batteries. Took it off and went to the rebuilder I use, in 3 hours he had it like new again. Came home, put it on, got it cranked and running, then couldn't build air pressure. Fooled with it an hour or so, decide to try it anyway since sometimes it would pitch a fit and not build up fully until you were rolling. Went about a 1/4 mile to a spot I turn around in, buzzer is on, pressure is very low, so I sit 15 mins to build up enough air to get back home. Call my dispatcher, tell him what's going on, we decide to rent a truck from the company the next morning to get the load delivered, now a day late.
Wednesday, I go get the 2007 company truck, come back home and get the trailer, and head off to Nashville. Everything goes smooth, get the load off and head back home. Get to my exit where I hit the two lane, light comes on, the exhaust filter needs a regen to burn out the particulates. OK, I set it to regen, and go eat, come back and it's fine, so I go on home. Get home, get into some work clothes and start removing the air compressor.
Thursday, go load first thing. I notice this truck has a bit of a air leak, but don't think too much about it. I get to the scales in TN, they pull me into the barn for an inspection. The small air leak is now a monster leak, as soon as I shut it down I'm out of air. DOT puts me out of service until it's fixed. Call the company, they get a guy to come fix it on their dime, I'm not anything but lost time, but that lost time is enough that I can't deliver that day, so now I'm stuck having to kill time until the next morning. No biggie, had to do it before, but happen to remember I'm in the rented truck, and my pillow and bedding are in mine.....so, all I had to use for a pillow was my log book. Not much of a pillow. I price a pillow in a truckstop, $15 for a pillow the size of a postage stamp, I decide to pass on it. Head on out, get about 3.5 miles from where I'm delivering the next morning, and I hear PFFFFFTTTTT-----SSSSSSSSSSS.......yep air leak again! The repair done at the scales has just blown off! Find a place to stop on the shoulder and call breakdown. Guy says he'll be there in 30 minutes, turned out to be nearly 3 hours. Turns out, the guy who fixed it at the scales used a used fitting that wouldn't hold, and the line was joined together 3 times in a foot! The second guy replaces a foot of the old line with new, eliminating the third connector. By this time, I am just about exhausted and want to go to bed. I drive the 2.5 miles to my destination, and the damn regen light comes on again. I set it to regen and hit the sack.
Today, I get unloaded and start on back. Get about 20 miles from where I planned to get fuel and lunch, and all the sudden the check engine light comes on and the computer derates the power and speed. It's the regen again, so I limp it the 20 miles and start the regen again. This time it does the trick, no more light all the way back. Got my load for Monday and went home and finished pulling the compressor. Called a truck parts house, he says they have one in stock, so in the morning I'm heading down to get it. Will take most of the day to go get it and get it put on, I just hope that's all I have to fix tomorrow. Sat night is cruise in night, and we haven't had a car to take to one this year since the Lincoln is not finished and the Vette was in the shop 5 months. Hope to go in the Vette and enjoy some down time with friends, I sure need it after this week!
Wednesday, I go get the 2007 company truck, come back home and get the trailer, and head off to Nashville. Everything goes smooth, get the load off and head back home. Get to my exit where I hit the two lane, light comes on, the exhaust filter needs a regen to burn out the particulates. OK, I set it to regen, and go eat, come back and it's fine, so I go on home. Get home, get into some work clothes and start removing the air compressor.
Thursday, go load first thing. I notice this truck has a bit of a air leak, but don't think too much about it. I get to the scales in TN, they pull me into the barn for an inspection. The small air leak is now a monster leak, as soon as I shut it down I'm out of air. DOT puts me out of service until it's fixed. Call the company, they get a guy to come fix it on their dime, I'm not anything but lost time, but that lost time is enough that I can't deliver that day, so now I'm stuck having to kill time until the next morning. No biggie, had to do it before, but happen to remember I'm in the rented truck, and my pillow and bedding are in mine.....so, all I had to use for a pillow was my log book. Not much of a pillow. I price a pillow in a truckstop, $15 for a pillow the size of a postage stamp, I decide to pass on it. Head on out, get about 3.5 miles from where I'm delivering the next morning, and I hear PFFFFFTTTTT-----SSSSSSSSSSS.......yep air leak again! The repair done at the scales has just blown off! Find a place to stop on the shoulder and call breakdown. Guy says he'll be there in 30 minutes, turned out to be nearly 3 hours. Turns out, the guy who fixed it at the scales used a used fitting that wouldn't hold, and the line was joined together 3 times in a foot! The second guy replaces a foot of the old line with new, eliminating the third connector. By this time, I am just about exhausted and want to go to bed. I drive the 2.5 miles to my destination, and the damn regen light comes on again. I set it to regen and hit the sack.
Today, I get unloaded and start on back. Get about 20 miles from where I planned to get fuel and lunch, and all the sudden the check engine light comes on and the computer derates the power and speed. It's the regen again, so I limp it the 20 miles and start the regen again. This time it does the trick, no more light all the way back. Got my load for Monday and went home and finished pulling the compressor. Called a truck parts house, he says they have one in stock, so in the morning I'm heading down to get it. Will take most of the day to go get it and get it put on, I just hope that's all I have to fix tomorrow. Sat night is cruise in night, and we haven't had a car to take to one this year since the Lincoln is not finished and the Vette was in the shop 5 months. Hope to go in the Vette and enjoy some down time with friends, I sure need it after this week!
