kempers_gramp
Expert Expediter
Well it finally happened, expensive breakdown #1.
Driving under load somewhere between Saracuse, and Rochester, NY on I-90, coming off of the travel plaza, on a Sunday night, my co-driver, shifting from 5th into 6th found nothing. As he said it felt like the gear was there, but there was nothing. All of the other gears were fine, reverse, 1st etc....
Immediately we pulled over, and began to make phone calls to any repair facility that we may be familiar with, within possible driving or towing range, preferring Freightliner dealerships, or service points, just because thats the reference book I have in my truck. To no avail, of course everything was closed until morning, with the exception of a Petro truck stop, I believe at the 41 exit. With the phone call there, they refered us to a small local repair shop. I believe, without the business card in hand, the name of the shop is Smith Heavy Equipment and Truck Repair. He told me to bring the truck there immediately. Impossible due to the load onboard, but with a couple dozen phone calls by my dispatcher, she was able to locate a cross dock for us to use, and nearly 4 hours later we had the load happily on its way. Again I called Dave at Smith and he again told us to come right over, his mechanic was waiting. Did I mention it was now about midnight? His mechanic had come in from home upon our first call, and was patiently waiting, but with the snow now accumulating, all involved, including the mechanic, decided it be best to wait till morning to diagnose the lack of 6th gear.
Upon arriving at his humble residence, at 8:30 a.m. with a small shop, his mechanics cheerfully greeted us. Dave, the owner offered us a ride to a hotel, or back to the Petro while they took a look at the tranny, we should know something before noon.
I got a call about 10:30 a.m., diagnosis complete, yup 6th gear was gone, and the tranny housing was now grooved, barring rebuilding of that tranny. To make a way too long story shorter, they suggested a 9 speed tranny for my FL80, with a 3126 cat. With everything needed to complete the transformation from 6 speed to 9 speed, including labor, about $4,000.00, with a 2 year nationwide warranty on parts, and back on the road within 48 hours. Not too bad considering that Freightliner wanted about $6,0000.00 for the same, and well they couldn't get the parts for about 3 days, and another 2 days or so to put in a transmission, la da da da da.........etc....etc.....
Now, will it work or not, I guess we'll see, and I'll keep you posted. Any questions or suggestions go ahead and ask, I'll answer them or try in a timely manner.
If this mechanic lives up to his reputation, I'll be sure to pass that on to you too.......but for now all I can do is cross my fingers and pray that things work out.
By the way, the company I contract to is lending me the 4 grand & change to do the job, plus money for a hotel, food, and some sort of entertainment for the next 2 nights, to be deducted over the next 4 weeks from my settlement, even though freight had been slow, I have renewed faith in the company I lease to.
"I'm not much, but I'm all they've got"
Kempers_gramp
Driving under load somewhere between Saracuse, and Rochester, NY on I-90, coming off of the travel plaza, on a Sunday night, my co-driver, shifting from 5th into 6th found nothing. As he said it felt like the gear was there, but there was nothing. All of the other gears were fine, reverse, 1st etc....
Immediately we pulled over, and began to make phone calls to any repair facility that we may be familiar with, within possible driving or towing range, preferring Freightliner dealerships, or service points, just because thats the reference book I have in my truck. To no avail, of course everything was closed until morning, with the exception of a Petro truck stop, I believe at the 41 exit. With the phone call there, they refered us to a small local repair shop. I believe, without the business card in hand, the name of the shop is Smith Heavy Equipment and Truck Repair. He told me to bring the truck there immediately. Impossible due to the load onboard, but with a couple dozen phone calls by my dispatcher, she was able to locate a cross dock for us to use, and nearly 4 hours later we had the load happily on its way. Again I called Dave at Smith and he again told us to come right over, his mechanic was waiting. Did I mention it was now about midnight? His mechanic had come in from home upon our first call, and was patiently waiting, but with the snow now accumulating, all involved, including the mechanic, decided it be best to wait till morning to diagnose the lack of 6th gear.
Upon arriving at his humble residence, at 8:30 a.m. with a small shop, his mechanics cheerfully greeted us. Dave, the owner offered us a ride to a hotel, or back to the Petro while they took a look at the tranny, we should know something before noon.
I got a call about 10:30 a.m., diagnosis complete, yup 6th gear was gone, and the tranny housing was now grooved, barring rebuilding of that tranny. To make a way too long story shorter, they suggested a 9 speed tranny for my FL80, with a 3126 cat. With everything needed to complete the transformation from 6 speed to 9 speed, including labor, about $4,000.00, with a 2 year nationwide warranty on parts, and back on the road within 48 hours. Not too bad considering that Freightliner wanted about $6,0000.00 for the same, and well they couldn't get the parts for about 3 days, and another 2 days or so to put in a transmission, la da da da da.........etc....etc.....
Now, will it work or not, I guess we'll see, and I'll keep you posted. Any questions or suggestions go ahead and ask, I'll answer them or try in a timely manner.
If this mechanic lives up to his reputation, I'll be sure to pass that on to you too.......but for now all I can do is cross my fingers and pray that things work out.
By the way, the company I contract to is lending me the 4 grand & change to do the job, plus money for a hotel, food, and some sort of entertainment for the next 2 nights, to be deducted over the next 4 weeks from my settlement, even though freight had been slow, I have renewed faith in the company I lease to.
"I'm not much, but I'm all they've got"
Kempers_gramp
and claims the truck won't go under 66 m.p.h.. Just kidding, we are in the high 11's at 63-65 m.p.h., but expecting better after break in. Hell, with all indications we ought to be up aroud 23 or 24 m.p.g. by the end of summer.