I should stop by on the way up, since the way back will be late (close to midnight) haven't visited with you and Lil Bubbles in awhile. Takes me two hours to get to Stockton from here, so if I can leave by noon, I should be at your place between 1:30 and 2 pm.
I have switched phone companies recently and don't have your number saved in my phone, so I will not be able to call in advance.

Jim

 

damn this month flew by...vacation until the 8th for me!

 

Happy end of June! I sure hope Pick N Pull does a super sale this weekend. Time for power steering.

 

I'll be glad when this month is over. Had two flat tires yesterday, one on the trailer right after leaving Manteca, and the other on the truck coming back from Chico, just south of Sacto. Wasn't my day. The trailer tire was one of the new ones I bought 2 months ago. And while I was trying to figure out how I was going to get the spare out of the bed of the truck a Freeway Rescue tow truck arrived. They are part of the CHP and roam the freeways during peak hours, and/or the numerous construction zones around the state. He helped me get the trailer tire replaced.

Then about 10pm on the way back from Chico, the passenger side front tire of the truck blows out, and I almost lost control of the truck. I was able to pull off the side of the road by an off ramp (Elk Grove) and a passing motorist stopped to help, but couldn't because his lug wrench was not deep enough to reach the nuts since the studs on the front were so long.

He suggested calling 911 to see if the Freeway Service was available. They weren't as they work reduced hours on Sunday. So I called AAA only to find out I had already used my allotted 4 roadside assistant calls. Luckily I still have my Allstate Roadside service, so I called them, and was told a tow truck would be there in an hour. He shows up about 11:30pm and finds out his lug wrench will not work on the front wheel either. He also finds out that he does not have the tools needed to get the spare tire off the bar under the truck bed. So he calls his boss, who suggested he take one of the rear wheels off, and put it on the front, which of course he can't do since his lug wrench will not fit.

So, to make a long story short, his boss comes out with a medium duty tow truck, and gets the spare down, and installed on the front. Three and a half hours later I am again heading south to Fresno,with the firm plan of selling the truck and trailer, and getting out of the transport business. This is my second tow with this guy in Chico and both of them ended up costing me money instead of making a profit.

The first tow was the one where I ended up having to replace the trailer axle and 4 tires, and this one I will have to replace the truck tire. Luckily for me, the trailer tire that blew was the new one as Les Schwab replaced it for free. But I still need a truck tire, and I am not about to take any tows until I get one. What I am afraid of now is if something mechanical happens to the truck, I will be up a creek as I have no reserve fund for that. And Allstate's roadside assistance gives me only $250 a year to work with, and I used up $50 of that last night. (They offered to tow it to Fresno, but at $8 a mile, it would have cost $1,184!). So, I will be once again looking for a Ranger pickup, but one with an extended cab in the hopes that I can move the seat back far enough to allow me to operate the pedals correctly.

Of course, in order to do that I will need to have the truck and trailer sold already. And guess who calls today? Bill, the guy who bought the black Jag from me. He bought a '55 Buick from someone in Hawthorne, and wants me to pick it up for him. So I told him to give me a couple of days to get a tire for the truck, and I will go down there and get it. I still plan on selling the truck/trailer, but I have not had a tow in over two weeks, and now I get two in two days.

If things work according to plan, I will have a Ranger I can drive, and use to transport ATV's and motorcycles. Should have a larger profit margin with a V6 instead of that 460. And no trailer insurance to worry about.

Jim

 

Dang, Jim. I had thought of trying out your transport idea. All I needed was a trailer. But after reading of your woes, maybe not...

What if you made it a point to be more prepared for future runs? If you had all of the what-if equipment with you on your last trip, your experiences wouldn't have been as bad, don't you think?

Sorry to hear that things didn't work out for you. It sounds like a good gig. Maybe you were underbidding too.

 

That is the problem I am facing at the moment. Not being prepared. I had both spares, but I just assumed I had the tools needed to drop the spare, and remove it from the swing down mount. Come to find out I don't. There is a long thin rod mounted under the hood I thought was the one needed to drop down the spare. It isn't. I don't know what it is for, but it is not for the spare. The biggest problem is lack of money. Had I started this back when I got the settlement check instead of trying the car flipping idea, I would have a reserve to use for emergencies. I don't have that now, and every trip I take I am stressed out because I worry about a breakdown. That is why I am selling the truck and trailer, not because it is a bad gig. It is still a good way to bring in some extra cash, but I need it to bring in a steady income I can live on, but I don't have the funds to build it up to that.

If I can somehow get a part time job here to bring in a steady income, then I can do the transport thing with the Ranger, but limit myself to ATVs and motorcycles. Another thing that is killing me is using the F350 as a daily driver. I thought it would be easy to get a tow a week, and keep the money coming in. That has not happened. By the time I do get a tow, the F350 is so low on gas I have to get paid up front just to be able to do the tow, or borrow money from a friend until the tow is over. I agree, I am underbidding too, and that does not help the situation either.

Jim

 

July's all topic thread is located here:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post14473911

Jim

 

Jim, dont misunderstand me but I thought your brother had some money invested for you. You have my number if I can help you in the short run

 

Hank, the money I sent my brother was so he could start a business. Technically I invested in him. He has not given up on the business, however, it has not prospered like he thought it would. Partly due to low demand, but also partly due to people who said they would help, and then not doing so. And, on top of that, his health is failing, and he is having financial aid issues at Oregon State. He only needs two more classes to get his Bachelor's Degree, but the financial aid has stopped. He has promised to pay me back every penny, but until he gets the degree, and gets a good paying job, (or the business finally does take off) I have to wait. Thanks for the offer to help. I pray I don't have to take you up on it.

Jim