My truck needs towing!

Or … how to tow the tow vehicle, when the tow vehicle needs towing.

Yes, you read that correctly. I needed to have my truck towed to the shop. Oh, I was not happy!

I jumped in the big white truck one morning to go to the grocery store. The truck drove just fine in a straight line, but every time I turned a corner, the truck jumped and bounced as if one of the wheels wasn’t turning. I drove the truck home immediately.

As a retired truck mechanic, I started through the list of diagnostics that I would follow on any vehicle brought to me with this behavior. Eventually, I eliminated everything except the rear differential. But I didn’t take the cover off the differential (and drain all of the stinky differential fluid out) and inspect it because I didn’t have the specialized tools needed to repair it, even if I found the problem. I simply called the nearest Dodge dealer and scheduled an appointment. And then I called AAA for a tow.

While on the phone with AAA, I described the problem and said the truck could not be towed with the rear wheels on the ground. Because of the front axle’s 4×4 transfer case, just to be careful, I asked that they send a flatbed truck rather than the usual tow truck. The person on the phone did not understand why I was asking that, and did not guarantee that’s the type of truck that would arrive. I was cordial, knowing I would simply refuse to let a regular tow truck haul my truck away.

But, look what showed up!

The driver of the flatbed tow truck said his dispatcher got the call from AAA and knew absolutely that a flatbed was needed, so that’s what they sent. The driver thanked me for asking for a flatbed and for describing the issue with my truck so well.

He and I had a great time chatting about trucks. He loved my truck. He said he hardly ever tows a Dodge RAM pickup … but that one of the common problems requiring a tow for them is the differential.

 

 

 

With my truck up on the bed of the tow truck, I took a photo from behind, looking at the rear wheels, spare tire, rear axle, differential, and lots of other details. [No that is not a mouse on the left side, just part of the device that holds my truck to the bed of the tow truck.]

Below … the cover of the differential.

 

And off she went to the Dodge dealer. The work was done within two days and my truck was back home on the third day. The screw that holds the center alignment pin for the spider gears inside the differential had backed out, allowing the center alignment pin to drop, so the spider gears were out of alignment and would not turn in tandem … so the two rear tires were not allowed to turn at different (differential) speeds when the truck was turning a corner … so the outer tire on a turn had to skip or skid around the corner. The mechanic inspected everything in the differential, found no other damage, replaced the center alignment pin, and inserted a new screw (this time with a dab of the proper grade of loctite on it, which Dodge does not do with new trucks). While my truck was in the shop, I had them do a number of other things … service the front axle’s 4×4 transfer case, replace the engine exhaust manifold bolts, and a few other things needed for preventive maintenance on my 70,000 mile truck.

My online research showed that, just like that tow truck driver said, problems with the rear differential are somewhat common with Dodge RAM pickup trucks with about that many miles on them. One might think I would dump this truck in that case, but every vehicle has its weak point/s. When I worked for FedEx, I maintained a fleet of 50 trucks, bumper to bumper … all Fords. Two common failures with those Fords trucks were starter motors and automatic transmissions. I replaced LOTS of Ford starters and got so I knew which FedEx drivers started their engines the most so simply changed out those starters before they failed. And I got so I could rebuild a Ford C6 transmission in my sleep! Does that mean Ford trucks are bad? Not on your life.

It was kind of a funny profession … being a truck mechanic … or any vehicle mechanic. If things didn’t break or wear out or leak, then I wouldn’t have had a job. So the fact that things in this world do break or wear out or leak is a good thing! As well, I was trained to look for things that were wrong … broken, weak, worn out, leaking, etc. Maybe it’s a funny way of looking at life … purposefully looking for what’s wrong. And maybe that’s why now, since I don’t do that work fulltime any more, I so much enjoy looking for what’s “right” … people and things that are enjoyable and interesting and fun.

Anyway, the truck is now back home, safe and sound, and ready for more adventuring. My next camping trip is planned and I’m just about ready to go. Vroom, vroom!

 

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8 Responses to My truck needs towing!

  1. Jan says:

    Truck mechanic work stations have some interesting features as I recall. I believe the cat’s name was Michelin…

    • Ann says:

      Oh, yes indeed. I was working alone as usual at the FedEx station I was assigned to when, one morning, I continued to hear a very tiny “mew” … 15 minutes later another tiny “mew”. I kept looking at the closed shop door thinking the office folks were playing a trick on me as I was working on a truck inside my shop. But eventually, what did I spy in the corner, poking its little head out from the inside of a pile of Michelin tires … but the head of a very tiny little orange kitten … “mew!” He must have come in earlier in the morning when the outer door was open. What could I do but take him home and name him Michelin. 🙂 So, yes, a very wonderful feature of that truck shop … a pile of Michelin tires that produced a kitten!

  2. Ginger D says:

    So glad you were close to home when you had that problem, and didn’t get stuck somewhere.

    • Ann says:

      Boy I thought of that too Ginger. My very first thought was “what the heck!?” and my very second thought was “oh man I’m glad this didn’t happen when I was towing the trailer!” Yep, glad it happened when I was close to home.

  3. Tim in Montana says:

    Ann, I know I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again, if I ever need a good mechanic, I’m going to be heading your way! My truck is a Ford F250 and you are right on about the transmission, the C6 transmission needed rebuilding at 90,000 and again at 170,000. That’s the only thing that’s gone wrong with the truck. Just you keep those wrenches warmed up.

  4. JudyB says:

    One of the reasons my husband and I stopped RVing was because neither one of us knew anything really mechanically about the truck or the trailer. We felt we were in over our heads. Sure wish we’d had you along Ann!

    • Ann says:

      I know the feeling JudyB. When I bought my first boat, a 26′ power boat, I was nervous! How do you drive something that doesn’t touch the ground?! And how do all the systems in a boat work? And what tools do you need to fix things? Etc. At least I knew the engine stuff, so that helped. But it’s hard when you feel you’re in over your head, isn’t it? And maybe not very fun. Lots of what I do these days is teach friends of mine (when they want to be taught), or at least share what works for me. And it seems I always have something to learn too.

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