Nothing like a day from H#*L.
Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 3:16 pm
Just after daylight this morning I was headed to meet my boss for a computer class, and had a flat on my truck. No problem, I'll just change the tire. Then I realized that the lock in the rear of a Ranger, to keep people from stealing the spare tire, does not work after 11 years of nobody looking at it. 
So I figure, I should be able to get the tire off some other way. Then I realized it does not matter that I can't get the spare off the truck. It is is flat anyway.
Got a friend out of bed, requested two cans of fix-a-flat be delivered to my location, he said it would be about an hour. Yes, I owe him now.
Called the boss and told him to go on without me, this was going to take awhile.
When the fix-a-flat was delivered, quickly figured out it does not help much with a slice in the sidewall.
Finally got the truck jacked up. Of course I could not find the jack handle so that part went a little slow, cranking up a bottle jack with the end of a lug wrench is not easy. 
Took off the damaged tire, finally got it to a tire shop. Natually they did not have the same tires in stock, so put the closest thing they had back on it. Then took the truck to another shop and had them cut the cable holding the spare under the bed with a cutting torch, and put air into it. The guy there said, don't guess your day can get any worse. I said I don't believe that, I have had worse, we will wait and see when this one is over.....
Morals of the story are:
1. If the spare has a lock on it, check it occasionally to see if it still works.
2. If the spare doesn't have a lock, still check it occasionally to see if it has air.
3. Real friends that have no problem getting out bed to come help when needed are a blessing.
Kevin
So I figure, I should be able to get the tire off some other way. Then I realized it does not matter that I can't get the spare off the truck. It is is flat anyway.
Got a friend out of bed, requested two cans of fix-a-flat be delivered to my location, he said it would be about an hour. Yes, I owe him now.
Called the boss and told him to go on without me, this was going to take awhile.When the fix-a-flat was delivered, quickly figured out it does not help much with a slice in the sidewall.
Finally got the truck jacked up. Of course I could not find the jack handle so that part went a little slow, cranking up a bottle jack with the end of a lug wrench is not easy. Took off the damaged tire, finally got it to a tire shop. Natually they did not have the same tires in stock, so put the closest thing they had back on it. Then took the truck to another shop and had them cut the cable holding the spare under the bed with a cutting torch, and put air into it. The guy there said, don't guess your day can get any worse. I said I don't believe that, I have had worse, we will wait and see when this one is over..... Morals of the story are:
1. If the spare has a lock on it, check it occasionally to see if it still works.
2. If the spare doesn't have a lock, still check it occasionally to see if it has air.
3. Real friends that have no problem getting out bed to come help when needed are a blessing.
Kevin
