Broke Down 69...The Adventure Continues

Your not an idiot, I just didn't want someone driving all over the state of Utah looking for a free meal!!

 

Good deal. I think they try to keep the drivers happy.
As an independant, they need to keep the trucks comming in. when I can I do stop there. people have always been very helpful and pleasent.

Parking lot while mostly dirt is usually in good shape and seems to never get so full as to not find a space. May have to take a good hike from out in the hinter lands to get to the building.

 

I haven't been out that way in a decade but when i ran the northwest every week it was on my list of places worth stopping at. Nice little truck stop and sure as hell beat the flying js.

 

Man, that is a sour thing to have happen.
There is a woman in that location who is also a trainer. She likes to drag in trucks just to oversee her trainees. It is not uncommon to have two or three trainees in at one time.
fortunately, she tends to stick to level 2 and 3. sounds like you may have had the opportunity to meet her. Yeah she can be less than cordial at times.

 

Sounds like your typical Utah POE. I think these people must live a very frustrating life, one they try to take out on drivers. Petty bureaucrats....smh

 

As I have gotten older I tend to let my feelings be known when something or someone rubs me the wrong way, sometimes nicely sometimes not nicely. The days of me standing and taking something I don't care for from someone just because of who they are are are over. Especially folks nowadays, everybody seems so angry, I always greet people with a smile and respect, yes sir yes ma'am, no matter where I'm at, I don't necessarily expect that in return but I don't expect to be the end result of somebody else's problems. I understand people have bad days but I'm not going to be treated crappy as a result of that.

 

I thought about this post quite a bit today. Truck owners are constantly chasing air leaks, electrical gremlins, and balance and alignment issues.

"Good mechanics aren't necessarily good plumbers" - my owner operator brother, a master plumber of 30 years

The air system is a plumbing issue. Most leaks aren't in the hoses, they are at the connectors. Get a spray bottle and fill it with water and a splash of Dawn dishwashing soap. Spray down your connectors. Leaks will bubble. This is also a good way to find leaks on your tires and valves.

If you buy X feet of airline at a truck stop or parts supplier, they use a cutting tool. Therein lies the entire problem. If you look at the end of the hose after they cut it, one side of the hose will have a sharp nipple sticking out. MOST MECHANICS WILL SIMPLY USE THE CUTTING TOOL, THEN INSERT THE HOSE INTO THE CONNECTOR.

I'm "shouting" for great emphasis on that last statement.

If you leave that sharp nipple on the end of the hose, I guarantee that when the hose is inserted in the connectors it will puncture the O-ring in the connectors, even severing it. At a MINIMUM you should use a sharp knife or razor blade to cut that sharp nipple off. Mechanics don't do that. Perhaps out of ignorance, or not wanting to take the time to do it the right way.

The BEST method is to use a small pipe cutting tool, going around the hose to give a completely clean cut that is absolutely square. THEN use a very fine sandpaper to round off the square edges. THEN when you insert the hose into the connectors it will be flush and won't pierce the O-ring at all.

Another tool for finding air leaks is a length of garden hose. Use it like a stethoscope to listen for air leaks after you have maximized psi and shut off the engine.