This only a story for folk’s amusement and possibly some therapy for myself. So this past weekend was a long weekend for me and I figured a good time to start a couple projects on the truck. 2001 Dodge 2500 crew cab. Let me tell you I regret starting them all at once. The theme of the story is "nothing ever goes right".

The projects are a leaking steering gear box, rear axle pinion seal, tighten up the ebrake and change a light for my plate (I failed inspection in Mass for the last two). So I start with the pinion seal, got underneath and started to remove the two clamps and four bolts. Get three off great no problem last one, rounded it out. Remember, "Nothing ever goes right". I bent the clamp back and figured I would get it out in the vise once I remove the pinion. So I check the pinion nut and of course I do not have the right socket. Before I started I ordered the diff cover gasket and pinion seal from autozone. I have banned Advanced Auto. The people there suck in my area. They were supposed to come in the previous Tuesday and on Saturday still not in. Remember, "Nothing ever goes right". I took off the diff cover and drained the gear oil.

So I move onto the steering gear box. I go to loosen the three bolts, holly Christ are they tight. I had a plow put on and two of them are used to hold the plow frame to the truck. I think they might have been over tightened a bit. Get the big breaker bar and put a leg on it and they come loose. I go to pull the return line off the cooler and I twist it once, break the coolers alum. Outlet right off. Remember, "Nothing ever goes right". So I now I start loosening the bolt that holds the cooler on, broke the bolt. Remember, "Nothing ever goes right". So I go to pop the tie rod end out of the pitman arm and I cannot find my fork. Remember, oh you get it by now.

Next project. E-brake, pop the boots of the backing plates to tighten the adjusters and the first one leaks fluid. OH THIS IS GOOD! Pull the tire off, the drum off, figured leaking wheel cylinder. Nope it’s the axle seal; everything is covered in gear oil. Pull the axle. I have a full floating rear end, all this time not sure if it is the 60/70 or the 80 series. I pull the lock tab and find it’s a rounded hex locknut, guess what don't have the socket for that. I buy a 2.5 and it’s not big enough and no one in my area has the 2 9/16. Why would they because "Nothing ever goes right". I ordered them online and have them overnighted.

Shift projects, steering again, get the fork and have to beat the holy heck out of it to finally pop the tie rod. Now that is garbage because the boot is ripped. Drop the steering box and clamp it in the vise. Use a 3/4 drive breaker bar and pop the nut. Try a puller and the pitman arm is not coming off. Break a puller and just no luck. Nothing ever goes right. My buddy luckily is a dodge owner and a metal fabricator and he has made a tool to get the pitman arm off, he takes care of that for me the next morning. This is now Wednesday, which I decided to take off from work figuring snow was coming and I needed to finish the truck.

You guys bored yet? I hope not cause there is plenty more.

So next morning, clean the diff and cover, put that back together. Thread in the new tie rod end and wait for the socket to show up. Guaranteed by noon delivery. 5 minutes to 12 they show up, pull the lock nut off and I am excited. Things are starting to go right. I jump in the jeep and head out to pick up the pitman arm and gear box core. Get home about 2 hours later and popped the old oil seal out. Grab the new one and its to big. The local parts guy determined by the size of the brakes, 13x3.5, that I have a series 80 axle. I don't. Do you know why? You do by now. Back in the jeep to get the right seals. 45 bucks cheaper and I am back home. Clean everything up, three cans of brake cleaner later and I am putting the axles back together. Axle back in, brakes back together (went easy surprising), start to fill with gear oil. Don’t have time for the pinion seal because the snow is coming. Drive shaft back in with the rounded out bolt and strap that has been bent back and fourth a couple times.

Back to the steering, new gear box in, ordered cooler from the dealer (120 bucks) that’s in, new pressure line, cooler comes with the line from it to the pump, but I was told that all I would need is some brake line and hose to do the return line from the box to the cooler, guess what. That was wrong, do you know why? Yup!! Needed the special fitting with the seal. So I am stuck again. 8pm, it’s snowing, and there is now way I am going to get this done after working on it for 14 hours.

Nothing ever goes right and I am going to bed. Luckily we did not get enough were I needed to plow. Got the right hose for the steering and put that in last night. The cooler is currently zip tied in because I broke the bolt, remember, and we are suppose to be getting more snow soon.

Four days later and two nights it’s back on all fours again. Not done, but running and somewhat drivable.

I still have the pinion seal, fix the cooler mounting, adjust the brakes, plate bulb, and the other side rear axle seal. I started with four projects, I fixed two and now I have five. Interesting. But hey I don't have another four days to waste right now.

My question is "why can anything ever go right?"

I hope my story makes you realize that your day is not all that bad.

 

I honestly didn't read your whole article but I can answer your question.

You ever heard of Murpheys' Law? Well the son-of-a-b!t*h is friends with EVERYBODY

 

Yep, Murphy is an a$$.

When your done with your nightmare you can come help with mine

 

I think You should pay some one tow work one yr truck. I know you my not want to but the rate you where breaking $hit (I only read half) It might be a better idea?

 

Yeah I guess you guys are right. It seems to happen an awful lot when I am trying to get to much done in such a small time frame.

I won't pay someone to work on something I can do myself. You don't think the same issues would have happened to a "trained professional"? I would have to have paid him more in the end. Stuff breaks, it is going to happen on an 8 year old truck with 116K on it. Don't forget my truck is used as a truck. I plow, I own two rental properties, I am a home owner. I don't think there is a day that there is not something in the bed of my truck. You would think dodge, ford, gm, etc would design a truck that would go 300K no matter how you drive or work the truck.

 

The difference is, if it happened to the professional, he broke it, he bought it.. Ususally you wont have to cover the cost of the stuff that breaks when they are working on it.. Saves you time and money.. The amount you have to spend to fix the stuff you break, would almost pay for the labor.. And more than pay for the aggravation.. Though, I tend to do stuff myself I probably shouldn't.. hehe... I wont work much on my wife's car though, it's still under warranty, so I let the shop handle it.. Although I did the brakes.. Got some nice drilled rotors for it too.. They were cheaper then the OE parts.. Anyway, I will do some stuff myself... But when I considered my transmission and oil pump in my truck, I found it's cheaper to let the one armed mechanic do it for $1200, than to do it myself for $800 plus aggravation and extra cost of whatever I screw up..

JimK

 

Well this is how I see it. I go to the shop I need the gear box and rear pinion seal replaced. Ok so lets say they charge me 700 on the optimistic side. They dig in and find that the axle seal is leaking, not somehting they broke but something else wrong. That needs to be replaced, might as well do both sides and now because the shoes are covered in gear oil you need a brake job. Lets say thats another 500 bucks. 1200 bucks to do what I am going to do for less than 750. I also think my numbers are low for shop costs. I also know what I did and what I did right or wrong. I understand what you are saying and tranny problems always go to the shop. That cost me 1200 bucks the last time.

 

Oh so even if they did or did not break the cooler or tie rod end. The only things I broke that I am buying. They still make out just fine. Those two parts cost me 170.

 

My luck runs about the same man, I feel your pain.

 

wow. i think you win the prize for today, maybe the month. way to hang in there though....