Recovery from Purgatory

[mkcoen]

Or "It ain't Hell but I can see it from here."

So I have to go to Little Rock to pick up a M101A1 that I recently purchased. I figured get a copilot, take Monday to liesurly drive over from San Antonio, spend the night, pick up the trailer, and home before NCIS comes on Tuesday night. No problem, right? Yeh, right.

First I couldn't wrangle anyone into going with me. So against the better judgement of my better half I decide to go it alone. It's not so far and this way I don't have to worry about anyone else deciding when the latrine breaks are going to be or "where do you want to eat? I don't know where do you want to eat? Well what are you in the mood for...blah, blah, blah."

So it's been in the mid 90's here in S. TX and I figure it's going to be hot driving over in a uninsulated, non-A/C M1009. I don my trusty denim shorts and a light t-shirt, open all the windows (including the tailgate) and head out at about 70 degrees at 0800 with the faint ringing of the unsaid "I told you so" hanging in the air.

I figure I'll take the scenic loop up Hwy 281 to Ft. Worth instead of IH35 in order to miss the nightmare that is Austin rush hour traffic. By the time I get within 50 miles of Ft. Worth I have all the windows closed and the heater going full blast as it is now in the low 60s, raining and even with things shut down I have gale force winds coming through the vents. I left the heater on until I got all the way to Little Rock.

One half the drive made and the only serious concern is diesel going from 2.05 a gallon in San Antonio to 2.33 in Little Rock.

To be continued...

 

[mkcoen]

Bright and early Tuesday morning (early since I woke up at 0400 and couldn't get back to sleep) I head over to Camp Robinson to meet up with the GL guy. We were supposed to meet at 0730 so I parked down the road a bit and played poker on my cell phone (ain't technology great) and he actually showed up at 0715. I'm thinking things are looking up since I'll be able to get on the road a little earlier than planned.

Getting onto a NG Camp in AR is 10 times harder than getting on to the regular Army's Ft Sam Houston. I had to stop, go in, pull out all my ID, insurance, registration, birth certificate (okay, not that last one) and stand in line for 10 minutes to go 2 blocks inside the stinking gate. I really didn't know that the ARNG had more sensitive items than the US Army.

Then we get down to the GL holding lot and it turns out they don't trust the GL rep with a key to the yard so we have to wait even longer for someone else to come along and open the gate.

I get the trailer hooked up, sign the paperwork and still get on the road by 0815.

Finally!

To be continued but here's pics of the trailer.

 

[mkcoen]

So Monday I froze my butt off on the way over so I figure I'll dress a little warmer for the trip back and it was still in the low 60s when I got up Tuesday morning so I figure I'll be more comfortable this time around.

Now I'm headed westbound on IH30 and everything is going fine. The trailer is pulling like it's not even back there and I had made a couple of hard stops going into a rest area to make sure braking wasn't going to be an issue (I know some are going to say you're not supposed to tow anything with the 1009 except a 1/4 trailer but GMs own 1986 literature states "Blazer can move up to 11,000lbs of Blazer, trailer, cargo, equipment, and crew" and while I do need to lose some weight I think we're still below that number with an empty M101). I'm feeling good singing along to music only I can hear (all acapello. I don't hear any voices. Yes you do. No I don't! Shut up! You shut up!).

Life is grand until I start heading south bound on IH35 in Dallas. Things are heating up so I'm back to all the windows open and thinking about stripping down to my boxers. All of a sudden both Gen lights flash on and the sound of a wailing banshee starts coming from under the hood. With all of the construction going on in Dallas there's about 6" of shoulder so I'm going to have to try and make it to the next exit. Luckily (the only time) there's an exit and a Shell station. Total distance gone from scream to stop about 150 yards.

So I pop the hood and it appears that the #1 alternator belt gave up the ghost (that was the wailing banshee) and took the #2 belt with it. They are now both wrapped around the fan clutch in a Gordian Knot that takes me about 15 minutes to untangle. No alternator belts, no fan pully, no water pump turning means no go-go.

Fortunately there is a homeless gentleman who is intrigued by my predicament and wants to offer assistance. Once I assure him that I can handle things as long as I can find a parts store he offers up the advice that there's one only 2 blocks to the west. Not one to carry cash in general the only thing I can offer for his timely information is the butter dish I kept for spare change. Since it was nearly full I'm guessing I gave him about $20 in nickles, dimes, and quarters.

To be continued but here is Gen 1 belt.

 

[wsucougarx]

great looking trailer!!!

 

[mkcoen]

Well the 2 blocks winds up being about 1/2 mile one way and it's now in the mid 80s with me dressed for arctic training. It actually was uphill both ways as I was parked at the top of one hill, went down into a valley and the AutoZone was at the top of the next hill. And of course for anyone who has broken down you know that you never have car troubles in Beverly Hills. This wasn't Delverance/Watts/S.Side Chicago type neighborhood but let's say I'm just happy I locked the Blazer when I left.

I'm standing in AutoZone sweating buckets even though the A/C was probably set at 20 degrees and it takes the parts guy about 20 minutes to find the 2 belts I need. That should have set up a few red flags but my mind was kind of fuzzy by then due to the heat stroke.

I walk back outside the store and here's the homeless gentleman again looking fresh as a daisy wanting to make sure I had found the store. I thanked him again and set back off across the desert.

When I finally get back to the Blazer all is joyful as I know I'll finally get back on the road again. I slide both belts over the fan and attempt to loosen the alt brackets so I can get the belts on. Well what do you know. My 1986 American made former United States military vehicle has FREAKING METRIC BOLTS!! Need I bother to add I didn't have a metric socket set with me?

SERENITY NOW SERENITY NOW

Okay, calm down. It'll be okay. I have my trusty crescent wrench with me which of course won't be able to get to any of the Gen 1 bracket bolts.

So I change out the Gen 2 belt and figure I'll find the closest Wally World and just buy a metric socket set and be fine. Now I just need to take the Gen 1 belt back off so it doesn't get tangled up in anything. But of course the Gen 1 belt is inside the Gen 2 belt DOH!

I'm at that stage where I'm contemplating a 9mm to all four tires but pull myself together and stretch the Gen 1 belt around the battery tray so it's out of the way and soldier on.

There's a Wally World up ahead but it's on the other side of the interstate. Half hour later (midafternoon Dallas traffic) I get turned around and make it in to the store and get my purchase. I should mention that I am now drenched (I mean just climbed out of the shower drenched) and look far worse than the homeless gentleman from earlier in our story.

I get back out to the Blazer, pop the hood, loosent the Gen 1 bracket and spend another 30 minutes fighting with a belt that only later will I realize is about 2" too short. Remember our parts guy from AutoZone that took so long? Apparently when he couldn't find a direct match he just grabbed what ever was closest.

Back on the battery tray with the belt and screw it. I either get home or I don't. I'm too worn out to care any more and if I break down beside the interstate I have tow coverage.

Well I did make it home running on one altenator. I was almost 4 hours late and I was still soaked with sweat but it's home.

I can still hear the faint refrain of the unsaid "I told you so" hanging in the air but at least it's still unsaid.

 

[Green_gator]

Good looking trailer that you have there Mike. Glad that there was an exit near by for you to hit.

 

[zb39]

Nice nice trailer!

 

[mkcoen]

Thanks for the compliments on the trailer guys. It apparently was just overhauled before they turned it in. All fresh paint, new covers on the tailgate chains, new fiberglass racks and bows and 2 brand new tires. The only thing missing is 1 of the lifting hooks.

The downside is they didn't prep the bottom of the bed floor before they painted it so the underside paint is all flacking off in chunks about a foot square. Pretty minor and I should be able to remedy that without too much effort.

 

[Barrman]

Glad you made it home.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Note to self, carry extra belts! Wait, I do that! I learned many moons ago (in the 4x4 hobby) that extra belts help. Now, anytime I replace belts I toss the old ones in the vehicle somewhere!

 

[zb39]

Great read, glad your home.

 

[wreckerman893]

We all feel your pain........anyone in this hobby that doesn't have a few horror stories is either (a) brand new or (b) a LIAR.
Ask my long suffering side kick Freightrain about some of our (mis)adventures when doing recoveries or attending rallys.
If it was easy it wouldn't be nearly as much fun.
Glad you made it back without coronary damage.

 

[mkcoen]

anyone in this hobby that doesn't have a few horror stories is either (a) brand new or (b) a LIAR.

I've been trying to catch up with Sarge and Rory but since there's only 1 of me it's going to take twice as long.

Glad you made it back without coronary damage.

I didn't mention, because I don't like people feeling sorry for me or anything, but I do have Multiple Sclerosis. One of the things that affects MS is heat so when I say my head was a little fuzzy I meant that literally. It's not quite as bad as diabetic shock but has some of the similar characteristics i.e. confusion, difficulty thinking clearly, etc. It also affects coordination and causes muscle weakness so the walk, even though only a mile or so roundtrip, really screwed with me.

If I had been thinking clearly I would have bought a pair of nylons at WalMart and used that for the Gen1 belt. It's worked for me in the past but again, I was a tad angry and had a bunch of hornets buzzing around in my head.

But the lesson was learned. I've already got another set of belts in the tool box.

 

[M813rc]

Glad you got back okay Mark, and sorry you had such a bad time and were alone. Such things are better shared. That way at least you get an encouraging harumph from your compatriot whilst spewing vitriol that would embarrass the most experienced seafaring man. You no doubt recall us doing that very thing for Sarge when his trailer brakes locked up.

That said, I have to admit that the reading of your misfortune was hilarious! At this point I am of mixed emotions- either invite you along on future Sarge-n-Rory trips because you would fit in so well, or prohibit your participation entirely because having three fecal matter magnets of such magnitude together might be critical mass!

Sweet trailer, by the way.

Cheers

 

[Michael]

Nice trailer. I just added this to the CUCV FAQ post, I can't believe it wasn't already there.

CUCVs use metric bolts so you will need metric tools to work on them.

 

[mkcoen]

I got the correct belt and it turns out the AutoZone belt was not only an inch shorter but it was also too wide which took away another 1/2" at least by not seating in the grooves. Total time to take off Gen2 belt, remove incorrect Gen1 belt, reinstall both and crank it up about 10 minutes. Of course I was in dry clothes 10 steps away from an air conditioned Lazy Boy, but still, given the proper tools and equipment you too can make a field expedient repair.

Rory I would love to participate in another Rory-n-Sarge adventure. I only got half of one with the shop trailer. And as the great troubadour James Delaney Buffett sang "if it all blows up and goes to hell. I wish that we could sit upon a bed in some motel and listen to the stories we could tell."

By the way I also named both the 1009 and 101. The Blazer is Sgt Mator and the trailer is Tow Mator.

 

[Sumoman]

Makes my 101 look like a rat trap

 

[Barrman]

Mark,

I am a few miles off of 21 if you decide to cut the corner and take non interstates going to Little Rock the next time. Let me know if I can help.

 

[Chow717]

that is a nice looking trailer!

 

[mkcoen]

Mark,

I am a few miles off of 21 if you decide to cut the corner and take non interstates going to Little Rock the next time. Let me know if I can help.

Thanks for the offer. Since I haven't had this 1009 very long I wanted to stay on the more traveled routes. I guess that was good since I don't know how long of a walk to AutoZone I would have had otherwise.