Wheel bearing and axle failure - part three!

[John Z]

I dropped off the replacement axle this morning. Mid-afternoon i get a call from the shop, i was expecting the guy to tell me i could pick up the bus tonight.

Instead he told me the tube or axle sleeve is distorted. The new axle would not slide past the spot where the axle had broke. He even removed the axle from the other side to try and it would hang up in the same place. He said the old axle had turned blue from the heat, and you could see where it was rubbing. He then took a bar and slid in there and could definately feel a lump.

So i guess my options are:
  1 - have a new rear end put in, but the labor costs would be really high plus the cost of the rear end.
  2 - have the tube replaced. I have not had time to check this out, but i think i have heard of a mobile service that will come out, set up a jig and pull the old tube and insert a new one.

I am looking for advice from you guys as to which way to go here. If the replacement service is mobile, that seems to be the way to go. Do any of you know of anyone who has had this done? Did it turn out satisfactrory? Any idea of what the service cost?

I guess when i start tracking this all down next week i will get some answers, but just looking for some maybe good news somewhere. Thanks.

[Busted Knuckle]

John,
1st off sorry to hear about it, but as Forrest Gump said "it happens".
OK now for the good news there is an outfit that has been around for a long time call Axle Doctors or The Axle Doctor or something like that! They have a huge enclosed trailer they pull behind a 1 ton truck (or that's what they used to have) and basically they have a machine shop set up specifically for repairing any and all problems related to any axle! I can't tell you anything about their prices! But I can tell you growing up in the Towing business I've seen many customers call them out to our shop to repair axles! Let me tell you they are very good at what they do! I'd suggest googling them, or calling JD @ C & J Bus Repair and ask him for the one nearest you!(if I remember correctly you are in MN) HTH ! And good luck! Let us know if ya need more info/help!
  BK 

[John Z]

Thanks BK. Yep, i am a couple hours north of the Cities in MN. I was talking to JD a few days ago,,, he was the guy that steered me towards the axle i picked up. Yes, i will give him a call asap. Thanks for the good news,,, trust me, it was needed. Any chance the name was Axle Masters? A friend of mine was searching for the name in his memory and kept coming up with that. But yes, tonight i will google them and track them down. Any idea how much the Power Ball Lottery is up to? I need to hit one of those i think, and soon.

[Busted Knuckle]

http://www.axlesurgeons.com/index.html

Is one I find on google! HTH
 BK  
enter I didn't find anything on Axle Masters! And I find tons of info on "The Axle Doctors" out of Tampa, FL! But if I remember correctly the couple of different trucks that came to us in Paducah, KY were plated in IL, IN, OH. I just can't remember where but they definetly said "Axle Doctor" pn them and they told me they went everywhere working on broken axles! But it's also been 20 +/- yrs! JD ought to know someone! If not try the Axle Surgeons, worse thing that can happen is they quote such a high price we look into replacement rear end options for you! FWIW HTH!
  BK 

[Busted Knuckle]

4104 3rd member complete with tires FREE come and get it! Grants Pass,OR
ronlinda6067@msn.com

Richard 

John I took the liberty of moving this from where Richard posted it for kwajdriver (for his 9 - why? don't ask me! LOL!)

Ya never know this could be the item you need! Especially if anyone was coming back from Bus'n USA (Rickeral, OR) with a trailer they could haul it on for you!  Just a thought! Or if ya know any truck drivers that pull flatbed and run to OR. FWIW!
  BK 

[DrivingMissLazy]

BK, read the rest of the posts below that one and you will understand. Someone told kwaj about this free offer and I copied it from the BNO board and pasted it here to answer his question about it. Easy, huh?
Richard

4104 3rd member complete with tires FREE come and get it! Grants Pass,OR
ronlinda6067@msn.com

Richard 

John I took the liberty of moving this from where Richard posted it for kwajdriver (for his 9 - why? don't ask me! LOL!)

Ya never know this could be the item you need! Especially if anyone was coming back from Bus'n USA (Rickeral, OR) with a trailer they could haul it on for you!  Just a thought! Or if ya know any truck drivers that pull flatbed and run to OR. FWIW!
  BK 

[Sam 4106]

Hi BK,
I don't know how anyone else feels about your use of those moving smiley faces in your posts but for my tired eyes they are very distracting.
Thanks, Sam 4106

[gm4106]

Hi John
I know how you feel I had the same problems 2 years ago. I used Axle surgeons if you want some ins and outs the cost get up with me But I will say this they replaced the tube with a new one. I got all new bearings and seals from Luke's. And never had any trouble at all. I got all my advice from LUKE'S (US COACH)
888 262-2434

[John Z]

Hi gm4106. If you would email me (my email addr is in my profile) the cost of that service from axlesurgeons i would appreciate that. They are on my list of folks to call tomorrow. I have rcvd several votes of confidence about their work, so i have no qualms about using them. Just depends on the cost of their service and the other options. Thanks.

[Busted Knuckle]

Hi BK,
I don't know how anyone else feels about your use of those moving smiley faces in your posts but for my tired eyes they are very distracting.
Thanks, Sam 4106

Aw shucks an I thought they were cute! OK I'll compromise and quit using them in the body of my posts and leave them with my slogan at the bottom! Is that better?
  BK 

[kyle4501]

Hi BK,
I don't know how anyone else feels about your use of those moving smiley faces in your posts but for my tired eyes they are very distracting.
Thanks, Sam 4106

Aw shucks an I thought they were cute! OK I'll compromise and quit using them in the body of my posts and leave them with my slogan at the bottom! Is that better?
  BK 

Still anoying, especially when I enjoy your posts otherwise.

[Busted Knuckle]

Hi BK,
I don't know how anyone else feels about your use of those moving smiley faces in your posts but for my tired eyes they are very distracting.
Thanks, Sam 4106

Aw shucks an I thought they were cute! OK I'll compromise and quit using them in the body of my posts and leave them with my slogan at the bottom! Is that better?
  BK 

Still anoying, especially when I enjoy your posts otherwise.

Aw Shucks I heard a great politican (if there is such a thing) Said you can make most of the people happy some of the time, and some of the people happy all the time. But you can never make all the people happy anytime!

PS damn if I'm pissing that many folks off, I have another solution too! C-YA!

BK

[kyle4501]

BK,
You weren't pissing me off. You asked if it was better & I gave MY opinion.

The scrolling text anoyance issue comes up from time to time - some may like it, but it makes my eyes ache.

It's sad when someone lets something so little have that big an impact. . . .

But to pack up your toys & go home? ?

Like they say in the old country - " **** 'em if they can't take a joke. "

Do what you gotta do.

[Sam 4106]

Hi BK,
I'm sorry I stired up the bees in your bonnet. I thought a long time before deciding to post my message about your use of moving smiley faces. I can see now that I made the wrong choice. SORRY! You have contributed so much to this board that I didn't want to offend you. Please don't stop posting on my account. It will be much better for the group if I just skip over your posts and let everyone else bennefit from your knowledge. Again I'm sorry I made my comment.
Thanks, Sam 4106

[Tony LEE]

"I can see now that I made the wrong choice. SORRY!"

No Sam, not wrong at all, and it was a reasonable observation in the first place.

Thanks for bringing them to a halt BK. Good compromise that should make everyone happy.