HORROR STORY- How NOT to appreciate the power of a Cummins.

[John - K5AWO]

It started off with a call about 10:00 a. m. today with, "John, the pickup won't start!%#^$&* ('85 Chevy HEI ignition died)



I'm at work of course... I sneak off and pick her up, take her back to work with me. Send her home in the CTD. So far, all is cool as it can be in 112*F coolness and a ride that won't go.



Fast forward to 8:00 p. m. after the solar eclipse has started and the temps are finally below 100*F.



Check the '85 Chevy pickup (old faithful for years). Lots of spin with new battery and starter this spring but no go, No spark...



I short chain the pickup to the back of the CTD. Instructions to most logical and understanding wife: Don't go fast, keep it slow. Remember, I don't have power steering AND I will not have any brakes. Don't stop quick, don't jerk. Take the freeway so I don't have to stop at all the RED lights.



First inkling. Pulled out of parking lot of death on to the side street leading up to freeway. 50 mph in less than 200 yards, I am standing on the brakes with TWO feet and manage to slide all four wheels and the only results I get is hearing the turbo wind up, the 47RE downshifts twice and we get up to 55 mph..... then BRAKE LIGHTS!!!



We are at the on ramp. I call her cell phone to tell her to take it easy, 560-0@#$% varoooommm! drop the damn cell phone.



We come off the on ramp at 50 heading for daylight! I jam the brakes to get her attention... ... whheeeeee whooosssshhhh and 65 here we are- 72 inches behind a CTD bumper, side rail freeway fences are a blur of whiteish nothingness...



I give up on telling her anything, just pray to the Lord she don't jam on the brakes.....



Off ramp time: Oh Lordy, she did it!!!!!!!! The brake lights come on at 65 mph and I loose sight of the chain and bumper in front of me. BOTH FEET, LEGS AND LOG CHAINS!!!! I hear screeching rubber, winding up turbos, and the gawd awfullist stink of burnt brake pads and drum linings... ... That ramp is 5 degrees downhill to boot. Oh thank goodness, the light at the ramp turned green a 100 yards before we get there... ..... what little brakes are left on poor ole Chevy I slam totally to the floor. She stopped!!



DON'T DRIVE OVER 30! WE finish up at about 40 mph, and I won't bother with the rest of the story as it gets unrepeatable fast... .

 

[SEmerson]

At least you had fun LOL

 

[Jim Fulmer]

LMAO, wish I was in the pass seat during this... . good story!



Jim

 

[Cummins Pilot]

And people stand in lines at places for a ride like that!



I watched this lady tow a car with a guy in it out of a Fred Meyers parking lot wanting to make a left hand turn at the light. She goes and then stops fast because another car was coming. The towed vehicle stops about 3 feet off the rear bumper of her SUV. car passes and shes on the gas like it was a race.



I about wet my pants laughing when her head about snapped off when the chain went tight.

 

[tURBOdIEZEl]

what a heck of a way to enjoy the power of a cummins.

 

[Big_Daddy_T]

Bet your sphincter wasnt the same for several hours.



I have a friend. He isnt too bright. Damn if he isnt the best towee Ive ever had. Ive explained tow theory to many but he was the only one who completely grasped it.



Second best towee Ive ever had was on the end of a 5 ft chain as I towed him backwards several blocks. I was going backwards as the tow vehicle. Middle of the night and I could not disable my very bright lights. He did a good job.

 

[RustyJC]

Sounds like a real E-ticket ride!!



Rusty

 

[RTillery]

Makes you wonder why we keep these women around. They can't tow, can't work on their own vehicles, they can barely drive. They whine when we want to go huntin or fishin or hang around with our diesel buddies. They say our trucks stink and we stink too. They complain when we want to spend money on important stuff like big tires and lift kits and comp boxes. They spend our hard earned money and maybe they feed us. They go out an buy those little shoes that make them walk funny and those tight clothes that don't hardly keep the weather off:---,,@#$%$%^&,,,, oh yeah, I just remember why whe keep them around!

 

[klenger]

Should have called 911!!

 

[Fred Swanson]

John, that was good. lol.

 

[RHARVEY]

How did the seat in the Chevy hold up



Rick

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

John, thanks for a great story! Reminds me of a similar experience when my lift pump died and I was stranded in N. Central Oregon. Got towed by another NW Bomber member Muddymess about 80 miles and had the thrill of going 65mph only 6 feet off of his back bumper The scariest part was when he hit the throttle in 4th gear and broke the back end loose Then there was the semi we passed on that 2-lane highway



Posted about it here on NW Bombers. . . (scroll down to middle of page, long post) http://www.nwbombers.com/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi?;act=ST;f=13;t=2607;st=15



Vaughn

 

[Bob Wagner]

thanks for the laughs

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

I think I must be married to her sister



Greg

 

[moel]

thanks for the laughs - laughed so hard got a charlie horse!

 

[TGreschuk]

Great Story!

I think I'm going to go out and buy a longer chain now... and an AAA membership...

Trent

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Getting a stalled vehicle from point "A" to point "B" the "cheap way" by use of a chain or tow strap can be the most expen$ive and potentially dangerous way there is!



Unless the tow is only a block or a few feet - FAR better to bite the bullet and get a tow bar or wrecker - might be FAR less expensive in the long run, and will leave you and the "helper" on speaking terms...

 

[justinp20012500]

Does the poor cheby have any breaks left???



I have people looking in my office I was laughing so hard!!!

 

[SGibson]

Reminds me of a time me and a buddy chain towed a 58 imperial out of an abandond lot in lot in east st. louis (ever been there?) spent half a day w/brake fluid,extra tires,jacks,guns,so we could make this a safe? tow back to st. louis, as soon as we hooked up,he floors this 454 half ton and i'm in back trying to steer, a huge rat runs up my leg across my chest off my shoulder to the rear deck and starts running laps around the car, the whole time Iv'e got jr. johnson ahead of me hitting one off ramp after the other, and this damn rat tail popping me in the face every 5 seconds, when we pulled up in front of my house the rat jumped out of a hole in the floor as was gone,my friend steps out of his pickup and tells me "man that was rough we should use rope next time". I could of used a rope on him.

 

[TxDieselKid]

Originally posted by Jim Fulmer

LMAO, wish I was in the pass seat during this... . good story!



Jim

Like a roller-coaster only with worse possiblities!!!