How'd it go today?

[Jonny]

That really blows, Rich. Fuckin thieves should get their thumbs cut off.

Probably not much help but if I'm working at the plant (often) I spend alot of time scouring eBay for tree tools and climbing/ rigging gear. I'll keep my eyes peeled. I remember a new orange roperunner and a zigzag/ wrench with the aluminum tether. Tell me some of the high dollar items and I'll keep my eyes peeled. Might help, ya never know.
If the thief goes for pawn shop, they might be smart enough to go to the next closest city/ county, and not sell in the area it was stolen from. Check other Craigslist pages as well as your local one.

Consider it might be someone from another tree service too, thinking a hacky fly by nighter. The fast cash one can make climbing also attracts some scumbags.

 

[Fiddler]

didn't figure it was kyle...dang nice rant though

 

[flushcut]

Rich, If you ever catch the guy I have a nice piece of oak I use for beating things. I'll drive down and bring it with, it'll be fun.

 

[Raj]

Crap Rich! Hope your gear gets replaced.

My 2010 f150 has tight steering, won't return to center. Guess there is a steering shaft with 2 u joints. Sprayed them down this morning, noticable improvement. May be that will buy some time?

I have some nice jobs scheduled, I need the truck working. With the bad start to the year I don't have the cash to do major repairs.

 

[SeanKroll]

My old F450 didn't turn back to center on its own. Steering felt tight. Grease, they forgot about grease, and oil changes, and adding oil when low and black.

 

[Raj]

My 94 f350 seems to have nice steering, just off a bit when going down the road. I replaced the powersteering hose after the belt took it out. I guess the hose has a design problem with seals.

 

[Fiddler]

Boss called today. Starting work tomorrow.

I’m looking forward to getting back to the golf course.

Lots of cleanup, tree work, & machine maintenance for a week or two in prep for opening.

 

[Mellow]

The turbo went out on my 2016 F-550 chip truck this morning on the way to a job. Again! First time was at 7,000 miles. Now it has 20,000. I limped it back to the shop at 15 miles per hour to unhook the Nifty Lift trailer and unload the Avant, then had it towed to the dealership. Still under warranty but they won't have the parts until Monday or Tuesday. WTH! Amazon can deliver stuff to me overnight, why does it take 5 days for the dealer to get a part?

It's an Easter miracle!!! My truck was fixed and ready to be picked up at noon today! Kudos to my service guy for making this a priority. =D>

 

[MasterBlaster]

On a Saturday! Cool!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Awesome turn around!

 

[FireFighterZero]

Dang! That seems like short notice Dave.


Glad you are glad to be back at it.

 

[SkwerI]

Outrigger started leaking bad on a big condo job this week. Trying to get the cylinder out to get it fixed on Monday, need the truck Tuesday thru Thursday. Spent 4 hours on it getting this far, 3 hours of beating on this damn pin. The pin holds the end of the cylinder inside the square tube as well as holding the foot on the end. Can't do anything with it until I get it out of the tube. Even bought a bigger sledge hammer, just mushroomed the end of the pin as well as two sacrificial impact sockets.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Damn!

 

[Mellow]

I'm guessing a shop press would have been ideal for that job???

 

[SkwerI]

Have to be a big one! I've tried it before on a couple others from the last truck and it never worked. If it's bad enough to be this hard then it's too hard for a typical shop press.

I just got it to move another inch. Getting closer!

 

[Mellow]

Do you have a torch?

 

[Raj]

I have a portable hydraulic bearing puller that can be set up as a press.

 

[pantheraba]

Hire a pro to do it.

 

[SkwerI]

Do you have a torch?

Not a full size one, just a little plumbing torch. Can't hurt to try.

Hire a pro to do it.

The last time I 'hired a pro' to do it, it sat in their shop for 3 days while all my jobs were on hold until I finally went down there and removed it myself in their shop. Took me 3 hours and I still had to pay a day's labor for their guy who worked on it. Nope, I have until Monday morning to get it off and get the cylinder up to the shop. Again, I need it for the rest of the week so dropping it off at a 'pro' shop on Monday means I lose a week's worth of work. You got $5K to pay for the lost work plus the repair bill? I don't.

I do pay for a lot of repairs but for this particular job I just haven't found anybody who can do it any faster than me. They all bitch and whine and ignore it until I run out of patience and pick it up again.

 

[FireFighterZero]

I have at times blown out the pin on both sides untill I could disassemble the part and get it to a press.

Just have to cut it below flush.

Hard on torch tips.

You know....for future reference.....since you dont have a torch.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

A wood splitter with the wedge off can be used as a press in a pinch. I've done my universals with mine. Sacrificial socket also necessary. Just have to be ginger about it with a 21-25 ton.

 

[MasterBlaster]

There's a plan! I bet Brian doesn't have one, though.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

 

[MasterBlaster]

A wood splitter? Firewood ain't a hot commodity in FL, plus he doesn't sell firewood.

 

[SkwerI]

A wood splitter with the wedge off can be used as a press in a pinch. I've done my universals with mine. Sacrificial socket also necessary. Just have to be ginger about it with a 21-25 ton.

No firewood splitter but I do have a 31K lb bucket truck with four very big outriggers. Now you got my mind spinning. I just have to rig up a stand to hold everything in place and use the rear outrigger on the truck as my press. I'll work on that in the morning!