[AT] First forklift attempt

[rdhaskell at juno.com]

Hi all
This is the story of Sunday's attempt to retrieve the forklift from
Tehachapi CA.  Delete now in you are not interested.

I left home about 8:30 AM. topped off with Diesel, went about three
blocks and stopped for a left turn.  I should tell you I drive a '94
Dodge Diesel 4x4.   The light turns green, I run through second gear, go
into third and the engine spins freely, try fourth and nothing.  A string
of cars behind me is backing up and to my right is another line also
making the lift turn.  I put it in four wheel drive and made it over to
the right shoulder.
I get out and expect to see the rear drive shaft on the ground, but there
was no sound.  The first thing I notice is the left rear tire is sticking
out about a foot more than it should, and gear oil is dripping on the
ground.  The nut holding the bearings on the spindle had backed off, the
tire,hub, brake drum, and axle had all come out of the housing.  I jacked
it up and pushed it part way back in, but the brake shoes wouldn't go
back in  the drum.

For a minute I considered fixing it there, but the steady stream of cars
and trucks whizzing by made me reconsider.  I called my friendly tow
company to haul the truck and another friend to get the trailer.

Back at home after much cleaning I found that the small metal clip that
is driven into the plastic insert of the retaining nut had come loose and
was laying pulverized in the hub.  A new set of brake shoes,  axle seal,
three hours cleaning and chasing parts and I was back on the road.

Not exactly what I had planned, but it could have been a lot worse.  Like
breaking down 150 miles from home instead of 2.  Or having the wheel come
off on a curve at speed with the forklift on the trailer.

Ron Haskell
rdhaskell at juno.com
Riverside, California
USA
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