Subject: Re: Sunday 8th broken car (LONG) Date: Monday, October 08, 2007 10:42 PM
This afternoon, Sunday, was General Conference. I went to the noon broadcast. At 2 PM the broadcast let out, and I went out to the truck. Called my parents, and see what they are doing. We decided to go to dinner after the 6 pm broadcast, so we would have plenty of time to sit and eat.
I felt a very gentle prompting to go to the Scott and Judy's house. I drove over there, and knocked on the door. No one answered, so I pulled out the cell and called. Bethany called up to Scott, who came down to open the door. We then went upstairs where he was watching TV. He, and Seanie (4) were watching the LDS television on the set, there was a show on the church's expansion in Africa and India, and also the humanitarian aid program.
Telephone rang again. Bethany called up the stairs, the phone was for Scott. he asnswered, and finds out that Judy's car had broken down, and that they (Judy and Gwen) need mechanical help. He asked some questions, aparently three of the lugs had come off, and he suspects broken studs.
We got coats, and such. Decided to take my Blazer to my place to pick up the needed tools.
We went first to an auto parts store, and bought five studs, and five lugs. On the way, I was told that he'd had a prompting that they should not go. Told them, but they went anyway.
We got to my house, and loaded two jacks, and the impact wrench and generator. And some other small tools. A blanket for seanie, figuring he would get cold later. Unload some stuff out of the Blazer. Unload the vacuum cleaner, and the propane infared heater.
I looked at the map, and found the best route.
We talked food, and I thought there was a McD along there some where. We did see the golden arches in the distance. We stopped for dinner at McD in a town beore Interlaken. Scott and I had quarter combos, and Seanie got a burger happy meal. He ate less than half his burger. Scott says sometimes Seanie gets ketchup only.
We got there. They said the front end was shaking around. They stopped at a garage to ask about it, and the guy would not let them go on. They used cell phone to call Scott at the house. Right on the north edge of Interlaken. The gas station was closed. We jacked up the front, and pulled the two remaining lugs. Three studs had sheared off. We realized that we needed an allen wrench to get the caliper apart, and didn't have one with me. I had two in my red tool box that was back home, in the van. Since we had Seanie, I drove the Blazer, which has more seats. The van would not have had a safety seat for Seanie. Though, the van would have had the needed tools.
Lesson is to bring the red auto repair tool box when going to fix autos.
I looked through my tools which I had in the Blazer. I had a few combination wrenches, wire brush, and some other odd tools. No 3/8 allen wrench. I did have an allen wrench set that folds out like a pocket knife. Didn't think any of them was the right size, so I didn't try them.
Fortuantely, I had seen the sign for an atuto parts store in the town just north of us, less than five miles away. I went and didn't find them. I stopped at the ambulance base, there was a fellow there mopping out the ambulance floor. He says the parts store had moved. The store closed at 3, the Napa Auto Parts closed at noon on Sunday.
Went back to the car, and we tried to get the bolts out with vise grips. Got one out, but the other was rusted in. I got the propane torch out of the Blazer. That wasn't enough heat to loosen the threads.
Finally I had to go buy tools. Ithaca was closer than Geneva. There was a detour, and it took a long time to get there. I found a Lowe's, and decided to stop in there. The store hours were white paint, on clear glass. It was impossible to read the store hours from more than about four feet away. Closed.
Went then to the Walmart, and went to the tools section. I threw a Mapp torch in my basket, and then went to look for allen keys. I got two sets, one was L shaped allen wernches, and the othe one was tips for socket wrench. I also got a cheap socket set, and two extra socket ratchet handles. And a deep socket set in half inch drive. I called Gwen on the cell, and asked if there was anything else needed. She asked Scott, who said no. I asked if the gals or Seanie needed a Pepsi or anything. Gwen came back to the phone and said "Just get us home." The tools came to about $105 with the tax.
The return trip, I took the truck detour, which went way out. route 79 west, and then 120 north, and finally got back to 96. passed the sign for a small town, and wasn't sure if I'd gone too far. I got out the map, and I was between Trumansburg, and Interlaken. I couldn't rememer which town was it. the sprit said to keep going north, and so I did. And finally found them on the edge of Interlaken.
Back to the broken car, the allen wench tip did the job, the other bolt came out. The caliper came off with minimal problems. The studs pounded out. we pushed in the new studs as best possible, beat them in with the hammer. I needed a pin punch. I'd brought a cold chisel which did the job. Put the wheel on, and Scott tightened them down with the breaker bar, I sensed he over torqued, not knowing that it's really easy to over torque with a two foot breaker bar. Oh, well.
Judy had them all load into the station wagon, she was driving. I ased if Scott might ride with me, as it would be nice to have company. We were able to discuss the car repair, and sure did help forge our friendship.
We had decided to go a while, and then check lug tightness, in case the studs han't bottomed out. We stopped at a gas station, checked lug tightness. They were all tight.
Judy walked over to me, and asked if I wanted to go through Waterloo or Geneva. Since Geneva was closer to home, I chose that. Figured it was less distance. We took 96A into Geneva, which went right past the road to the Seneca Lake camp turn off. At that gas station, there was a McD, and we stopped to wash our hands. They had a bit to eat, and Seanie wanted a small chocoalte shake, which he started to sip through a straw. I had food and drink in the truck.
We got back into the cars, and headed back Scott and I decided to retorque the lugs some other date, the girls wanted to get home. We stopped at the Coastal gas station near my home. Scott got went into their family car. I headed home.
Christopher A. Young . .