<VV> I NOW HAVE A SPARE DRIVETRAIN. LONG.

Bruce Blackmon Bruce Blackmon" <blackmon@llano.net
Fri, 20 Aug 2004 21:30:49 -0500


Well, I did it, I went and got it today, and as it turned out I DID LOAD IT BY
MYSELF! The fellow that was there to help was worthless, worse than worthless.
Did everything wrong, could not understand what I was doing and just left.
There was a place that rents equ. had a nice, but large hoist, so went and got
it. Now the fun part. It's in the back of the building with nothing but dirt
and grass outside the door and it rained 2+" last night. They had cleared out
just enough to get to it, and nothing more. Barely room for the hoist. I could
only think to back the hoist in to hook up so I could just push it out the
door a bit and back the van into the right position. His idea was reach in and
get it and turn the whole thing around. I tried to point out that the big
wheels are for towing, the castors are for rolling loaded and they don't turn!
Went right over his head! Got more done without him. First, I had to turn the
DT around, but couldn't for a header catching on the table, took it off. The
other was ruined, rusted out and bent. Left it to protect the pan. Got it
sitting the right way and just the motor on the bench. Couldn't get the hoist
close enough for some 2x4s supporting the legs on this homemade workbench.
Good thing I brought my cordless "sawsall". Cut one board, pulled it out of
the way, and it rolled in perfectly. Could use the last link by the hook and
put the tranny end so it could rest against the arm, I padded it with a rolled
up blanket, and tied it off so it would not slip. It hung there very nicely.
Now I had to get it out and somehow turned about. Moved OK on the concrete,
but no room to turn all that was needed, so, out into the grass. Turned some
more but then no way. Finally got the van, and a 50' rope, and pulled it out
to where I could get to it. Did I mention I got stuck twice trying to get into
position? That's why the 50' rope, found a solid place and worked from there.
Set it to the right height, tied the rear doors back so I could see, only got
stuck once more and backed around till it was in position. Set it down, and
lashed it to the tiedowns in the rear so as not to end up in the front seat,
(Thanks CorsaBill),  dug the hoist out of the mud, hooked it back up, payed
her, $75, and said goodbye. Took nearly 3 hours just to load, with the sign
painters blairing the worst heavymetal I had ever heard, I do like some, but
this? It is home now. I am going to have a beer or two and go to bed and not
set an alarm. Been awake since Thursday am. Once again, Thanks to all for the
advice, and ideas, it helped. BRUCE    (now, where do I put it?)