My newb mistake gives the boss a good scare...

So I leave the receiver after my first drop on a 2 drop load, and head for a fueling station. Get up to 9th gear, and have to slow for a curve. Let off the throttle and get this horrible grinding / vibration in the shifter and frame of the truck that went away when I got back into the throttle. WTF? I've been having intermittent problems with the splitter synchronizer not synchronizing (and grinding) when going from low to high range, so I thought maybe the splitter hung up halfway in. Stopped the truck, worked the splitter a couple of times, then went back up through the gears. All is good until 9th, then same thing - grinding / vibration on decel, but only in 9th and 10th.

So, I call the boss and give him the news. Told him I was going to see how it went during the 10 mile trip for fuel and let him know whether it needed to see the shop NOW, or could finish out the trip. He asked if I thought I could defer the shop visit until I got it back to MD, and I offered him the options of a shop visit / repair bill or a shop visit / repair bill PLUS a tow bill to the shop from BFE. He didn't like that answer. He's still a bit gun-shy when it comes to the transmission, since he had it replaced last month (right before I came on board) when a cooler line ruptured and went undetected until the transmission was a smoking puddle of goo. Ok, maybe not quite that bad, but it had to be replaced.

Anyhow, I get to the fuel stop and am still having the issue. So, I decide to make the 280 mile trip to the second drop. Splash enough fuel in for the trip, clean the windshield, grumble about the starboard side fuel cap's retaining chain that broke and fell into the tank, then get in and crank it up. Scan the gauges and switches and.. wait.. what's this? Air suspension dumped? Wha? >.<

Yeah, I dumped the tractor air bags at the receiver to raise the rear of the trailer because the dock was a bit high. I forgot to air it back up when I left the dock, and can't believe that I didn't notice a rough ride. And yes, the 'problem' went away after the air was back in the bags. Go figure.