Yesterday I was carring the first of 7 little league baseball teams from Nashville Airport (BNA) to Martin, TN for the 11-12 yr old World Series! While I had seen 2 other of my our buses going the other way about an hr before headed to they're pick ups. We had stopped at a KFC/Taco Bell combo next to a Wendy's & Cracker Barrell. When we went to leave I had trouble with the B500 not wanting to go in gear, and had a "do not shift" light on. Well I'd had a problem once before and was able to "trick" it into going into gear by letting it roll while pushing D. Well no luck this time, and to top it off we were no stopped in the middle of the access drive to all these places. OK well one other trick someone had told me once was to try and trick it by turning it off, and back on real quick while holding in on the D. Guess what? Nope no luck there either. Engine dead and won't crank at all! Crap what do I do now?
Well I asked the coaches if they thought we could push the bus one way or the other and get it outta the way! Well here we are pushing it out along the side of the road, and I look back (I'm pushing at the open door, so I can jump in and stop it or steer it.) & see the boys pushing and the coaches watching, laffing and 1 taking a picture of it!
OK so now we're out of the middle of the road and on the side of the access rd. I open the engine compartment, and check the belts they are all there and tight. Hm-mm, OK what else would cause this? So I grab the wiring harness going to the alternators, and shake it. Ah ha, there it is. The main wire from the main alternator (this SETRA has 2 identical ones on it!) to the batteries drops down, and I can see it has broken loose at the end of the lug that had fastened it to the alternator.
OK I've called dad and told him to turn around and come after my group since he was like 5 Min's behind Robert when I passed them on the Highway, and he wasn't scheduled to be picking up until 3 hrs later. I tell the coaches I've found the problem, and just in case I can not get it fixed I have another bus coming. (Just what they wanted to hear! LOL! My bus is the 2ND bus they had been on today! They had been at the Louisville airport and American Airlines had canceled they're flight to Chicago & the connecting one out of Chicago to Nashville! So AA put them on a bus to Nashville Airport (BNA) which I met just north of Nashville and transfer ed them to my bus for the trip to Martin.) The boy & coaches go over and sit on Cracker Barrells porch in the rockers and play checker while waiting.
Now what to do with this wire broken of at the lug? I open the rear hatch and get where I can see the back of the alternator. OK get some tools out. Crap I've left my "big" tool box I take everywhere with me in the shop, as these little airport shuttles are such short hops and should be trouble free! Yeah right! *&%$#@(*!
OK well I have some little $20.00 "emergency tools" that I keep on every bus, and I have a Rubbermaid tote that has odds and ends in it. (just not battery cable ends! LOL!)
So I take the lug off the alt. hoping it is one of those that has the split in it where I can split it back open take out the wire in it and reuse it! OK my name ain't MURPHY, but he's a close cousin! &%^^$#@+&%$##$! No luck, it's one that has been stamped, and stamped hard!
Hm-mm OK now what? I can't just put the wire on the post and twist it, it'll never hold. Not to mention it'd probably short out around the stud.
OK what now? Do I call for a service truck?, Do I wait for dad, and catch a ride to a parts store? What do I do? Crap if I only had my other tool box! I know there are 2 of those stupid lugs in it! Crap! Well, OK lets calm down and just look through every thing I have and see if there isn't something I can take apart to use.
Walla wow, right on top there it is laying in the Rubbermaid tote. A roll of "plumbers strap"! I take it, a pair of side cuts, some needle nose pliers, roll of duct tape, roll of electrical tape, and some "zip ties". I go back in the back of the bus, and start by reeming a hole out at the end of the plumbers strap to fit over the post with the needle noses, then I cut it out about 3" long. I take the broken wire and strip it back about 1" and take and separate it into two parts. I put one through one hole and the other through the next one, then I bend the strap to bring the holes together and twist the wires tight! I take and wrap it tight with the duct tape, then I go over the duct tape twice with electrical tape. I use a zip tie around the wires and another one through that one and secure it to the alt bracket to keep the tension & weight off it. I put the "new wire lug" on the post and tighten the nut.
Now for the moment of truth, I turn the key on, then I twist it to the start position..................................~!@#$%^&*)(*&^%$#@!~!@#! Nothing! Again I try it just in case I didn't do it right the first time. Nothing!
Oh yeah when I saw the problem I was at the rear of the bus and had switched it to no start!
OK I' left the key on, and I'm at the rear control panel. I put it on rear start, and push the starter button! Vvrrrroooom! Sweet 60 series hm-mm! YES IT DID IT! OK AM I A GENIOUS OR WHAT?
OK I put tools away and fasten the hatch back down. I back up to the Cracker Barrell open the door and step out and ask if there is anyone wanting to go to Martin, TN. I almost get run over and knocked down by a herd of 11-12 yr olds! On the road again, I can't wait to get on the road again!
OK I called dad and told him I had it fixed, and was pulling out. He said "are ya sure?, I'm only 8 miles away coming up on the next exit" I said "Ya I'm sure if ya come on all ya gonna see is some some we left behind as I floored it getting on at this one! LOL!!"
Wow problem solved!
Might not have been a clever cork fix, but I was able to fix it with what I had and got it back on the road! Now I'm off to the shop to fix it right! C-YA! ;D BK ;D
Good story, BK. I enjoyed it. M
So BK, is your middle name McGiver? LOL. Sounds like a very ingenious roadside fix. Jack
Ok, good sentence structure, lots of paragraphs lol, I think your english teacher would be proud lol.
Sounds like a case of Mexican engineering to me. Glad you were able to get it going. Can not imagin being stuck with a load of kids.
ED
MCI 7
Very good! I like it. You get high points for inventiveness, and extra credit for use of all the man's tools! Duct tape, electrical tape, and zip ties, let alone plumber's strap! I think I only have two of the four items on my coach.
Quick thinking roadside fix!...is one of my favorite post to read. Always learning whatever the person have done to get it fix until home base with user friendly tools.
Sorry that you had to confront the problem and with limited material to work with....but commend you as a good thinker and doer to get it done.
What we can learn from this is to always taking your emergency tools & etc on a very short trips. Also to be patients with having many children and their leader.
Your folk are proud of you!
Thanks for sharing your news from your heart.
Take care.
Sojourn for Christ, Jerry
Your right...your a genius ;D Plus you have an ending...craig is just going to string us along untill we each pay the quarter he is asking!
my grandpappy used to say duct tape and baling wire will fix anything. that's my emergency kit. but your fix would make pappy proud.
nice job!
i've got to get to western tn some time just to meet you. i got another 5 ac in parsons to look at, are you on the way?
Hey BK
We are going to have to deduct points 'cause you didn't use baling wire, ya used "zip ties". Everybody knows ya got to carry and use baling wire!
Anyway, glad to see ya saved the day
Rob
91 LeMirage XL
Missouri
Ya know this could be a sticky "The art of the roadside repair."
Quote from: letz4wheel on August 06, 2008, 05:04:17 PM
Your right...your a genius ;D Plus you have an ending...craig is just going to string us along untill we each pay the quarter he is asking!
Oooo, good idea! Maybe I can pay for the next bottle of Bus God Wine! Ok everyone.... ante up!
Hey, that might be a good name for the next batch from the Dungeons of the Moosibou Winery!
you greedy bastar*!!! first you tantalize us with chocolate fudge, then beer can chicken and now you want to hold us hostage to your wine and methods for road fixes.
your as bad as bill!!! (gates). ;D
sorry, let me be clearer. BK, this was meant for Gumpy, not you. ::)
Yeah yeah yeah. When I get as much money as Bill has, I won't be so greedy. Till then... pay up!!
Did Jack share any of the fudge I sent him last New Years? I told him not to give you any.
How's Fran? Still guarding her laundry carts?
Hey, did you ever put that gasket on your engine heater? Did it leak?
Must be a bunch of youngsters here. I thought it was fricition tape and bailing wire and pork rind for the rods! John
Quote from: junkman42 on August 07, 2008, 08:54:30 AM
Must be a bunch of youngsters here. I thought it was fricition tape and bailing wire and pork rind for the rods! John
I grew up with bubble gum, balin' wire, bob wire, bacon rind and a bar of soap.
The soap was to stop up the rust holes in the gas tank.
The bacon rind was for fixing the babbet rods when they hammered out 40 miles from town.
The bob wire was for strapping stuff down, like the hood and convertible top.
The balin' wire was for tieing things up, like mufflers.
The bubble gum was for holding things together like a pair of wires that were just a bit too short, or plugging up a hole in the radiator.
As quoted on Mythbusters and elsewhere...
"All of life's problems can be solved with two things—duct tape and WD40. If it moves and it shouldn't, you need duct tape. And if it doesn't move and it should, you need WD40."
;D Thank ya, thank ya very much! I'll be here all week! LOL! Oppps I mean I'll be here 'til ya all run me out! ;D
Now y'uns has done got my head so swelled up I can't fit back in the engine compartment to finish fix;n it right!
Yesterday was spent fix'n the altenator on mom's van that went out Tuesday also!
& to make things worse she took the dually to a Dr's appointment in Paducah and brought it back Full! (I mean full of junk! The bed was crammed packed, the crewcab rear seat was cram packed and she had just enough room in the front seat for herself! (thank god the stores had a closing time! or she would have bought a trailer to bring the rest home!) Yes she went shopping after the AM Dr's appointment and didn't get home until around 9:00 PM.
By the way her response when dad & I complained, was "blame Cat. she's the one who said it was a
SHOPPING TRUCK!"
Now on top of that while trying to do a simple alt replacement the belt tension-er decided to be contrary and after much persasuion, cussin, and finally removing it all togeher. It was discovered that the threaded part the bolt that holds the pulley on & acts as a place to put a ratchet (or a fancy belt tensioner tool which is what I was using at first) on and pulling on to relieve the tension. Had busted up and was just letting the bolt turn. So we needed a new tesioner too! So I called Advance Auto Parts back and had them deliver a tensioner & a new belt too (figured might as well replace it too, while we had the old one off!)
Now comes the fun part, they send the wrong tensioner. Which dad noticed as the delivery driver was backing out. So I ran and caught him (yeah funny sight! LOL!) and gave him both tensioners!
Now I call the store back again! This time I get the main guy who handles commercial accounts. I tell him what's up and he laffs and say's "well ya know it happens often when Adam sends parts"! (Adam is THE store manager! LOL!) So while I got him on the phone we decide to see if the belt is right. Yup sure enough the idiot sent the wrong belt too! So I tell him to please have the right parts ready when the driver gets there. Well this time the right parts show up, but now the price is higher! I tell ya I win for losing! 5 trips the driver made in all between bringing the altenator, forgeting the core & picking up the core, bringing the wrong parts, bringing the right parts, and coming back to pick up the wrong belt again (yup forgot it too!) LOL! So we spent yesterday crying and laffing both over mom's van! So nothing got done to my bus!
OK personal replys;
Quote from: JackConrad
So BK, is your middle name McGiver? LOL. Sounds like a very ingenious roadside fix. Jack
No but we used to have a driver we called that because he carried a couple of goofy things in his brief case that he would use to "fix something" on every trip. Does that count?
Quote from: cody
Ok, good sentence structure, lots of paragraphs lol, I think your english teacher would be proud lol.
I'm larn'n!
Quote from: edvanland
Sounds like a case of Mexican engineering to me. Glad you were able to get it going. Can not imagin being stuck with a load of kids.
ED
MCI 7
Panamainun! I was born in PANAMA! LOL! Close though! ;D
Quote from: gumpy
Very good! I like it. You get high points for inventiveness, and extra credit for use of all the man's tools! Duct tape, electrical tape, and zip ties, let alone plumber's strap! I think I only have two of the four items on my coach.
Hey it was what was handy at the time. LOL!
Quote from: letz4wheel
Your right...your a genius ;D Plus you have an ending...craig is just going to string us along untill we each pay the quarter he is asking!
LOL! He's outta luck here,
I we started with noth'n and still have
most all of it left! LOL!
Quote from: manasst
my grandpappy used to say duct tape and baling wire will fix anything. that's my emergency kit. but your fix would make pappy proud.
nice job!
i've got to get to western tn some time just to meet you. i got another 5 ac in parsons to look at, are you on the way?
Well it depends on which way ya coming! We are 98 miles from Parsons (mostly N but slightly west too!).
Quote from: Skykingrob
Hey BK
We are going to have to deduct points 'cause you didn't use baling wire, ya used "zip ties". Everybody knows ya got to carry and use baling wire!
Anyway, glad to see ya saved the day
Rob
91 LeMirage XL
Missouri
Rob the bail'n wire was in the tool box at home! I guess I could'a took some off the luggage bay door that I used a while back to make a "temp" linkage (of course that was like a yr ago, and it still works so why fix it again? right?) So I Do have bail'n wire fix'n somethin! I want those deducted points re-added! LOL!
Quote from: gumpy
Oooo, good idea! Maybe I can pay for the next bottle of Bus God Wine! Ok everyone.... ante up!
Hey, that might be a good name for the next batch from the Dungeons of the Moosibou Winery!
Sorry see above! LOL!
Quote from: manasst
sorry, let me be clearer. BK, this was meant for Gumpy, not you. ::)
ROFLMAO! Yes I understood without the explanation! LOL! ;D
Quote from: junkman42
Must be a bunch of youngsters here. I thought it was fricition tape and bailing wire and pork rind for the rods! John
John I have to admit at 42 I am a young'n, by like Hank Snow sings "I've been everywhere & I mean everywhere man"! LOL! By the way we used shoe tongue leather for the rods & mains! LOL!
Quote from: Dallas
I grew up with bubble gum, balin' wire, bob wire, bacon rind and a bar of soap.
The soap was to stop up the rust holes in the gas tank.
The bacon rind was for fixing the babbet rods when they hammered out 40 miles from town.
The bob wire was for strapping stuff down, like the hood and convertible top.
The balin' wire was for tieing things up, like mufflers.
The bubble gum was for holding things together like a pair of wires that were just a bit too short, or plugging up a hole in the radiator.
Dallas I thought "bob wire" was what was used for prairie fencing! LOL!
And for those of you I didn't "QUOTE"
THANK YOU TOO! I was try'n to keep it short and sweet! LOL! yeah right! LOL)
Bryce,
Your right,
Bob Wire is the stuff they make prairie fences with.
It was unusually handy along just about every road when I was growing up.
Just try having the hood latch break on a '65 Corvair in the middle of the night. It's amazing how strong bob wire is, and it'll catch on just about anything. In fact, if you every fall down an elevator shaft be sure you have a hand full of bungy cords and bob wire.... they are bound to catch on something and break your fall! :D ;D
Dallas
Quote from: Dallas on August 07, 2008, 02:25:13 PM
Bryce,
Your right,
Bob Wire is the stuff they make prairie fences with.
It was unusually handy along just about every road when I was growing up.
Just try having the hood latch break on a '65 Corvair in the middle of the night. It's amazing how strong bob wire is, and it'll catch on just about anything. In fact, if you every fall down an elevator shaft be sure you have a hand full of bungy cords and bob wire.... they are bound to catch on something and break your fall! :D ;D
Dallas
LOL!
By the way it was still yer wife's fault that the trk came back overloaded! LOL!
That's right, blame me,poor little me! Woe is me!! Give me the blame but don't tell everyone that it was really me that fixed your bus the other day. Tell your mom I said "you go girl"!