That's how they operate!
Redneck Roadside Assistance
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 444
Likes: 2
From: Franktown, CO
The same thing happened to me on my Excursion 7.3L. I was lucky - my son was with me. I put on a glove and held in place while he started the truck. Then I zip tied to the frame. But I like yours better, being a one man fix.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
From: TX
Given your experience, what species of wood is best for this temp repair? What brand name strap is that? What is the best brand strap you recommend using? What is the best nail - concrete, box, or finish? Where can I get a piece of firewood like that? Would you recommend oak, mesquite, or hickory?
Glad you made it home and nice improv!
Glad you made it home and nice improv!
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Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 15,014
Likes: 35
From: Semper Fi tell I die!
I thought you guys would appreciate this.
My starter decided to strip out the final mounting bolt hole (okay so I have been putting off fixing this for a while) this weekend as I tried to start the truck to come home from North Texas. I crawled under the truck to find the starter hanging by the cables. Great. What to do? I had been gone all week and really wanted to get home. I needed to be home in 7 hours (6 of that would be needed for driving).
I worked with what I had. A pair of side cutters, a ratchet strap, clothes hangers, nails and a piece of firewood. Made it all the way home just like this. The strap holds the starter to the mounting surface. The firewood wedged the starter so that it was level and the nails and clothes hangers tied everything together. In that moment I saw a big part of my granfather in me.
My starter decided to strip out the final mounting bolt hole (okay so I have been putting off fixing this for a while) this weekend as I tried to start the truck to come home from North Texas. I crawled under the truck to find the starter hanging by the cables. Great. What to do? I had been gone all week and really wanted to get home. I needed to be home in 7 hours (6 of that would be needed for driving).
I worked with what I had. A pair of side cutters, a ratchet strap, clothes hangers, nails and a piece of firewood. Made it all the way home just like this. The strap holds the starter to the mounting surface. The firewood wedged the starter so that it was level and the nails and clothes hangers tied everything together. In that moment I saw a big part of my granfather in me.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 2
From: Austin, TX USA
Unfortunately in DC they would fly a lear jet home (getting home in the 7hr time frame) - send a secure - enclosed trailer to get the vehicle, put it in storage while they had analyst spend millions to figure out the best way to fix it. In about 3-5 yrs they would then do the same thing...
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,815
Likes: 24
From: Houston
I'm glad to see others can appreciate this.
I think I learned a lot of this from my grandfather and dad. They were whatever it took guys. You learn a lot about "whatever it takes" growing up on a farm. On the farm there was the tool box...and the bailing wire box, lol!
I still can't believe it got me home. I was grinning ear to ear when it started.
I think I learned a lot of this from my grandfather and dad. They were whatever it took guys. You learn a lot about "whatever it takes" growing up on a farm. On the farm there was the tool box...and the bailing wire box, lol!
I still can't believe it got me home. I was grinning ear to ear when it started.
Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 15,014
Likes: 35
From: Semper Fi tell I die!
I'm glad to see others can appreciate this.
I think I learned a lot of this from my grandfather and dad. They were whatever it took guys. You learn a lot about "whatever it takes" growing up on a farm. On the farm there was the tool box...and the bailing wire box, lol!
I still can't believe it got me home. I was grinning ear to ear when it started.
I think I learned a lot of this from my grandfather and dad. They were whatever it took guys. You learn a lot about "whatever it takes" growing up on a farm. On the farm there was the tool box...and the bailing wire box, lol!
I still can't believe it got me home. I was grinning ear to ear when it started.
in the Marines we called that adapt and overcome.
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,815
Likes: 24
From: Houston
My dad was a Marine. In fact I was on my way back from spending the week with him at the VA hospital in Dallas. Titanium rods and screws put in his back.
Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 15,014
Likes: 35
From: Semper Fi tell I die!
congrats to him next time you see him on being the BEST.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 560
Likes: 3
From: 92592
What kind of wood did you use?
Want to make sure I have the proper supplies in Baja.
(We can always find nails in our tires and bailing wire wrapped around various parts of the drivetrain after 50-100 miles in Baja)
Want to make sure I have the proper supplies in Baja.
(We can always find nails in our tires and bailing wire wrapped around various parts of the drivetrain after 50-100 miles in Baja)