RE: [ihc] Center pins

["Ed Sohm" <idaemes@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I have a good story on the subject of scary shifting axles.

I drove a semi for a while in 95-96('86 Pete 359, 425 Cat, 15 speed).
On one trip, I loaded meat in Iowa bound for Texas with two drops,
Arlington and Lubbock.  As I rolled down the interstate south of OK
City, there was a big bang and a truck driver behind me told me I must
have hit something because he saw something go flying.  Nothing seemed
out of the ordinary but I stopped at Paul's Valley and looked everything
over.  I couldn't find anything so I kept going.  

Arlington, Lubbock, pick up a load of cheese in Lovington, NM and head
for the caves outside of Carthage, MO.  Deliver there and the dispatcher
found a load of chicken going right back home out of a plant not far
south of there. I can't remember the name of the town. Cassville? The
name is not important unless you are looking at a map or know the area. 

I drop my trailer at the dock and pull away.  Another trucker hollers at
me on the CB asking what is wrong with my truck.  I get parked and look
it over.  The front drivers side is drooping.  Lift the hood and notice
that the axle is slid back about 4" and the u bolts are angled.  Closer
examination reveals that the bottom leaf had broken right through the
center hole and the front half was gone. Quick call to the dispatcher
and I learn there is a Peterbilt dealer in Joplin, but they don't think
they can come tow it in until the next day.  What if I drive it in? They
will fix it that night, they are open 24 hrs.  Getting dark, no
taillights on the truck, it is always hooked to a trailer.  I sure don't
want to get stopped for no tail lights and have to tell them that the
only reason I am bobtailing is to limp into the shop to get my steer
axle slid back before it falls off.  I take the back roads.  Now, if you
are looking at a map, you can appreciate how foolish it was to try to
take back roads with a loose axle.  Curves in the middle of curves.
LSS, I made is there and they fixed me up.  Living proof that God looks
after idiots. I wouldn't do it again. I was in a hurry, wanted to make
money, save the tow bill, and get back home rather than lose my load and
sit at George's Chicken in SW Missouri all weekend. No offense intended
to George or to SW Mo.

Center bolts are pretty easy to find (NAPA), and cheap.  I wasn't sure
what size we needed for a Scout so I got 2 each of three different sizes
for ~$10 and kept the extras. The worst part of the job was loosening
and re-tightening the u-bolts to get the new pin in.  I'm with Tom, 5/16
or 3/8"

Ed Sohm
Battle Creek, IA 

'71 800 B
'74 200 4X4 Travelette Camper Special
+ a bunch more

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ihc@domain.elided [mailto:owner-ihc@domain.elided] On Behalf Of
Ryan Moore
Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2003 3:56 PM
To: hofs@domain.elided; ihc-digest@domain.elided
Cc: T_R_E_Jr@domain.elided; dnuenke@domain.elided
Subject: [ihc] Center pins


First section is to Hoffs, since he's the only one who I know can
actually 
post right now...

As far as I know, I still can't post to the digest... and wouldn't you
know 
it, problems abound.  I don't know how everyone else is doing... to be 
honest I stopped reading because it got so annoying to not be able to 
respond to posts when someone asked a question which I knew the answer
to (I 
tried to say many times that my scout has a robert shaw 195 in it when
that 
issue came up too)...

Can you forward this message for me if you don't have an answer
yourself?


I mentioned a good while ago that my scouts triangle spring leafs were 
spreading sometimes on my passenger side front spring. Someone else said

their's did too, so I didn't worry about it.  Today something drew my 
attention, just felt like I needed to check out that spring.

I decided to assure myself that the spring was ok by feeling the bolt on
the 
bottom... so I reach under and I feel a nice smooth piece of metal...
which 
felt nothing like a bolt or a hole for it to go in.  Seems the axle had 
already shifted and covered up the hole from a broken center pin.  I had
to 
have been driving it like this for a long time now, with multiple long
trips 
on the interstate in the meantime and just today finishing a 90 mile or
so 
each way drive.  Makes me really nervous thinking about how lucky I am
that 
the ubolts appear to have been tight enough to hold the axle in its 
appropriate location... well, within a few iches, I think it is 2 inches
off 
of where it should be.  This is the reason I think it's been like this
for a 
long time, because it explains why I my steering wheel was off center 
towards the left, when I was trying to figure out why when the lift
would 
pull it to the light due to the drag link.  Thought it was just play in
the 
steering box with a slight pull to the right, but this seems to pretty
well 
explain it.

My question is:  what size is the center pin, or bolt or whatever you
want 
to call it?

The local 4x4 place doesn't stock them because "the parts stores do" and
the 
NAPA only has 1/2" ones, and I thought they were 7/16ths.

Of course, I imagine almost everything will be closed tomorrow and
there's 
probobly no way I'll get an answer in time to get anything today.  I can

only hope that I can get the pin and u-bolts in time to get the scout on
the 
road again in time to head to TN.  I leave saturday with a friend for a 
short trip to N.C. and then I have to head to TN on the 5th.  It's not 
looking very hopeful to have the scout on the road in time, but I'm
going to 
do my best... I'm still a little in shock thinking about what could have

happened if that axle had started sliding around going down the
interstate 
or if I'd tried to make a panic stop.

Thanks,
Ryan (not having the greatest day at the moment)

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