The Bus is fixed and we're home in Franklin!

[Ncbob]

If it weren't for the fact that I couldn't buy a box of popcorn if I went to a movie I'd probably be the happiest BusNut in the country!

I want to thank Ray Cox, Wild Bob 24 and all of you stalwarts who supported our quest to get the old "Foolish Pleasure" up and running again.

We've had calls from most of you and the support was tremendous. It took about all the patience we could muster to deal with the moment to moment problems but a few of you offered to remember us in your prayers and I'm sure that tilted things in our favor.

The mechanics and obtaining the replacement gear went like Gangbusters  and the crew at CWC Equipment took everything in stride and they performed their job s perfectly. The derailment was in our private lives.
When things go awry Jackie's blood sugar goes ballistic, the dog is totally out of his element  and he wants to bite anything within reach and I swear that all the distilleries in the country have gone to 32 hours a week!

I'm telling you guys...If Hell had sent an invitation I might have accepted it!

We're now back and have Internet access so things are calming down and I'll be checking in every day to make sure the are no waves in our little world. If there were, Obama has more than enough oil down in the Gulf to calm the seas.

Thanks again to one and all....happy to be back.

NCbob

[oldmansax]

YEA BOB!!

Glad to hear your OK. I didn't call because I couldn't be any help & I figured you had enough problems.

Enjoy the summer!

TOM

[cody]

Bob, we quietly cheered you on from here and wished you the best of luck and even said a prayer or 2 for you guys for everything to go right for several reasons, I figured when jackie got upset she would raise a knot on the back of your head with the skillet, kind of a heavy metal thing and besides I got more questions that I haven't thought up yet about my old onan generator, but being shy and innocent like I am, I'll give you time to get the blood pressure back to normal, just glad you guys are back to what normal might be for a busnut.

[Ncbob]

Cody, it's taking every bit of strength I can muster to keep from wetting my britches! But I'll say this for you, m'friend, you can always be counted on for exactly the right response for the moment....depending on your point of view.

Tom, as always, we can predict that whatever you offer is hearfelt and poignant. I've sat on the sidelines as you did wanting to offer a miracle which wasn't necessarily in my grasp to help someone who was really in a jam...and found that no matter how I wanted to juggle the averages...it managed to work out. We just want to help and sometimes it's not in the cards.

As for me, I will do as you and most others do, I'll sit on the sidelines and watch to see if there's an opening for me...and if not will wait patiently and hope all works out.

Guess that's what make our little society work so well.

NCbob

[NewbeeMC9]

Glad y'all made it and I'm sure your AC units will enjoy the break

[tomhamrick]

Welcome back to good old North Carolina!!
Tom Hamrick

[cody]

Bob did you replace the entire unit or as it sounds just the broken gear, knowing your sence of going beyond the patch up or band aid method I'm thinking you probably had the unit rebuilt and thoroughly checked over to prevent any reacurrance in our lifetimes but you post was kinda short on the remedy and as you know expiring minds want to know so we can learn.

[bevans6]

Which parts did they end up replacing?  What actually broke?  Any thoughts on why?

Brian

[Ncbob]

Basically the front seal and bearing went about the same time. There must have been some bodacious heat in the gear box as it melted a plastic do hickey in the lower front of the case and from there things went to hell in a hurry.

I heard all the rumbling but was not about to make a stop in ATL. It sounded expensive and I figured trying to make repairs in ATL wasn't gonna get any cheaper. When Clarence took the top cover off the case the main drive gear was blue. Fortunately the gear the Ray Cox sent passed inspection and he installed it. The new gear has a bit different personality on the shift timing but it's actually better. I was able to salvage the Reverse Solenoid off the old gear and the drive flange, u-joint and yoke off the new gear as he used my old one. Right there I put about $400 back in my spare parts bin.

All's well that ends well...it says here in fine print at the bottom of the page.

NCbob

[FloridaCliff]

Bob,

Glad you both are in Franklin, Safe and Sound.

Now enough excitment and take a break....................

Cliff and Gang

[cody]

Yep bob, relax and enjoy some quiet, I was picturing the cost of the repair being much more painfull but it certainly was bad enough, you can buy a lot of spade bits in all different sizes for the difference in what it could have run, I was watching a show on tv that showed a place in franklin that had a gemstone mine or something like that is that your town?  It really looked like a nice town from what I could see.  I always dread any kind of on the road repair simply cause of the unknown factor you can run into from time to time with the local wrench turners so the more I can learn the more I can save, I've been very lucky so far, just glad you guys are ok and all is well with you or as well as things can be for the dreaded busnut condition.