I’m alive!!!!
The thoughts of what could of happened were I in a different section of road. Traveling slow on the only two car wide flat section of a 4 mile one lane road the drivers steering arm fell off. 3 bolts were missing for who knows how long. The last bolt popped off on the above mentioned section 4 miles in on that road in the late after noon.
The day before I was attempting an area called Devils Punchbowl!!!!!
Next morning a South African showed up with a bag of metric bolts. we found the head of the popped stud and used the cone washer on one bolt and used a nut as a cone washer on the second bolt. Slowly crawled down the 4 mile road to marble. Got on the coconut telegraph and Jim came through withs Johns phone #
Next day drove 20 miles on paved road to Johns home and made contact. John spent 6 hours on the phone and waiting for return calls hunting parts. 2:45 that day we got word of a ball joint housing 20 miles away. The picture we saw looked like it had been rusting in the ocean for most of its life. We drove up in Johns 45 to pick it up and by the time we got to another John’s shop the part had been bead blasted and most of the threads were chased and studs, tie rod arm, cone washers and nuts were in place ready for paint. He had a complete ball joint rebuild kit, bearings, seal, felt and all ready to go. Back to Carbondale by 5:00 and painted the parts.
I got to Johns this morning at 7:45. He started his day at 6:30 the morning and worked straight thought the day dismantling cleaning test fitting ironing out used part issues checking preload requirements and making sure every piece was properly installed. I gave him a hand where I could but only room for 2 hands. At 5:00 I drove my pig away in perfect running order.
As I sit in a hotel room tonight and ponder the variables, what if’s, could of’s, I feel very luck.
Turns out that when we saw the broken parts it was obvious I was also lucky to have survived the 20 mile drive to his house. The three bolt holes that had missing bolts( 2 with temp bolts) were almost completely stripped and the top trunnion bearing had vaporized
I only have a few pics of the event to spice up this boring diatribe.
After I first reported my mishap, besides Jim and the mud hens I know, there were half a dozen other people I have never met dropped what they were doing started hunting for the information, parts and people that helped get me back on the road fully repaired In 2-1/2 days.
Thanks go to all
A special thanks to John Brasier for taking lead and also his wife Mitsy for her hospitality.
The thoughts of what could of happened were I in a different section of road. Traveling slow on the only two car wide flat section of a 4 mile one lane road the drivers steering arm fell off. 3 bolts were missing for who knows how long. The last bolt popped off on the above mentioned section 4 miles in on that road in the late after noon.
The day before I was attempting an area called Devils Punchbowl!!!!!
Next morning a South African showed up with a bag of metric bolts. we found the head of the popped stud and used the cone washer on one bolt and used a nut as a cone washer on the second bolt. Slowly crawled down the 4 mile road to marble. Got on the coconut telegraph and Jim came through withs Johns phone #
Next day drove 20 miles on paved road to Johns home and made contact. John spent 6 hours on the phone and waiting for return calls hunting parts. 2:45 that day we got word of a ball joint housing 20 miles away. The picture we saw looked like it had been rusting in the ocean for most of its life. We drove up in Johns 45 to pick it up and by the time we got to another John’s shop the part had been bead blasted and most of the threads were chased and studs, tie rod arm, cone washers and nuts were in place ready for paint. He had a complete ball joint rebuild kit, bearings, seal, felt and all ready to go. Back to Carbondale by 5:00 and painted the parts.
I got to Johns this morning at 7:45. He started his day at 6:30 the morning and worked straight thought the day dismantling cleaning test fitting ironing out used part issues checking preload requirements and making sure every piece was properly installed. I gave him a hand where I could but only room for 2 hands. At 5:00 I drove my pig away in perfect running order.
As I sit in a hotel room tonight and ponder the variables, what if’s, could of’s, I feel very luck.
Turns out that when we saw the broken parts it was obvious I was also lucky to have survived the 20 mile drive to his house. The three bolt holes that had missing bolts( 2 with temp bolts) were almost completely stripped and the top trunnion bearing had vaporized
I only have a few pics of the event to spice up this boring diatribe.
After I first reported my mishap, besides Jim and the mud hens I know, there were half a dozen other people I have never met dropped what they were doing started hunting for the information, parts and people that helped get me back on the road fully repaired In 2-1/2 days.
A special thanks to John Brasier for taking lead and also his wife Mitsy for her hospitality.
s Nuts Now 
. Glad ur safe Gordobe
