Truck break down stories

Not technically a breakdown, but in the eyes of the law it was. Going across the scale eastbound in Wendover, UT. Break lights worked going across scale, didn't work in the back getting an inspection. The cop saw them working when we pulled around back, brake light switch went on a brand new truck, needed a hook to SLC and wait for the part.

My favorite. Our brakes froze sitting overnight at truck stop in Idaho on I-90. Everything is iced over. Finally got out of truck stop, figured when we hit pavement we can get them unstuck. Not so, we got stuck going up on-ramp to cross over highway. Guy in a 1980 F100 pulled us up and over to other side. We had about 20000 pounds on I guess. And it was icy.

No advice on how to get out of these, well, except, don't set your trailer brakes in the winter.

 

about 5 years ago when freight was extremely slow for me, I decided to take a load outside my usual area. ft. lauderdale fl. less than 200 miles from home I get a flat on my drive tire. have it fixed. 3-4 hours later I smell anti freeze, pull over, have blown hose on top of thermostat housing. walk 2 miles to t.a. & collect 8 old jugs & one of the shop guy's gave me a used 3'' hose for free. tied jugs together filled with water & carried them back down the interstate. got going again. made it to my destination, got unloaded the next morning. got reloaded & on the way back as crossing a fl scale I notice my temp climb all of a sudden. pull over in scale park area & look under hood & main belt is gone. luckily I had ole spare belt. after unloading near home, I was glad I made it back. since that day. I have never been without all size hose's to fit everything on my truck, plus belt's & 9 gallons of water.

 

Years ago my wife and myself are heading out from NC to Houston. Just before the Ala line on I-85 the engine starts knocking bad. I mash the clutch and coast to a stop. I call on the CB for a northbound to take us back to the old 76 truckstop in LaGrange. A truck stops across the interstate to take us there. It turns out it was a company from just down the road from where I lived. He is a very nice guy, and he takes us to our front door at home.

That was Friday night. Sunday, my dad and myself drive down to check out the truck. After much checking, I drop the exhaust manifold, and see aluminum. The piston is melted. We come back home.

Monday I round up a good used head and a good used piston, plus tools and gaskets. Monday night my wife and myself head out to the truck.

Point to note. The truck is sitting in the emergency lane of I-85 south, just before the Ala line.

We get to the truck Tuesday morning around 10:00AM, and I start tearing it down right there beside the road. The piston is melted, and the head is full of melted aluminum. I pull the piston and replace it, put on the head, start to put on the rocker box, and see it has some cracked rockers. We drive to Montgomery and pick up a rebuilt rocker box. Later that night (Tuesday), my wife is holding a flashlight as I am buttoning up the last of the parts on the engine. All the time cars and trucks are passing right next to us, as I am only a few feet off the main road.

Around 2:00 AM she starts up. Everything checks out OK. We are both covered with oil and grease. My hair had enough oil in it to lube a 5th wheel. I kiss my wife goodbye. She heads back north, and I climb in the truck, heading on to Houston with my load.

I have many more like this from the "good old days" of trucking.

 

I had to prime the fuel pump in the middle of a one lane, no shoulder work zone with jersey wall on either side and heavy traffic behind me. Happened on westbound I-80 in CA between truckee and the scales. Truck had acted as though it ran out of fuel despite having about 200 gallons on.

 

Just got a call from a driver in 801 can't buildup air pressure. Left parking spot got as far the corner and that's all she wrote. Good news it was the governor. $119 and he is on his way.

We had brake downs however my worst was in Wytheville Va same truck. We spent $500 before the trip replacing the clutch bearing and adjusting the clutch. He made it to SC for his 3 drops and on the way home at TA the clutch let go.

 

Now that's what you call determined, Glad to hear.

 

my first truck i built was a 4300 int egale had a 400 big cam 1 i droped in it it was worn out before i put it in the truck carried a handful of headbolts with me it would break one about every other month when it started chirping i would stop and pull rocker box off and cold chizel a slot on top of the broke bolt and screwdriver it out and put the new bolt in had it down to a science after a while. many times i did that in a rest area or along some back road. that was the good ole days.