Days you wished you never got out of bed..

[JDH429]

Theres a few good titles for this thread..another one..."funny now...not so funny then". "Whats wrong with this picture", "who brought the big hammer"...Keep it going please.

Just joined recently. was thinking a story to break the ice would be a good idea sooo.

We were In New Orleans working after Katrina. I bought a 70 yd trailer to use for debris hauling..
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-rQZSsHc7x00/US6BInk9UZI/AAAAAAAAAiw/C1WxiHKvCb4/s800/neworleans+214.jpg
Looks large yes, but the name of the game was how much you could haul of course as is the case on any job usually. The area we got some temp work in was all tight 1 1/2 lane neighborhood streets with ditches on both sides. This mammoth ex coal hauling trailer wasnt able to make the corners. So the contractor i was hauling for who had recently purchased a cheap tractor/dump trailer combo to take down( a week before i got there his driver was in an accident with the tractor and it was messed up pretty bad)...so he had this cute little 26' trailer just sitting around. Sweet! He offered to let me use it, a very nice gesture as i wasnt actually hauling for him on this particular job.

The day before the job was supposed to start i hook up to it and one of the younger guys staying with us at the place we were renting, jumps in the truck to put the box in the air to make sure everything worked fine...Well he ran the box all the way up and i think if i remember had his foot on the gas a little when the cylinder's last stage maxed out... and BOOM! the first stage blows the threaded ring off the bottom of the cylinder and down comes the whole box spearing the cylinder into the ground between the frame rails and pinning the truck in place. no unhooking and pulling it away.... i remember standing next to the truck when it happened and being showered with hyd oil..Oil was EVERYWHERE.













https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-f0zIN2xPpJE/US6AiIvdASI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/LJMnZDDK8ME/s868/neworleans+091.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3zXJx9CXiMg/US6AiKH3RuI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/eDt6VNpycq0/s651/neworleans+090.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-rNwPq6N9aXo/US6ARVzU8rI/AAAAAAAAAh0/hPvS_Zapi6g/s868/neworleans+087.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-qmSn9saIYzQ/US6AiDP2XfI/AAAAAAAAAiU/Un7ArGy46ik/s868/neworleans+092.jpg

The pictures dont tell much of the disgust that we all felt during an already stressful time...work was bad, the whole venture was a joke actually and this was just one of those moments that you almost laughed at cause what else could you do. So ordered a 55 gal drum of hyd oil, and a new Cylinder assembly from East which I paid for cause the truck was being used by me...and after a week of waiting for parts went to work finally. We packed it up and went home 3 months later never to return.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-8wEOXc08lgI/US6Tm17aAGI/AAAAAAAAAjg/kiGtjHeHzTQ/s868/neworleans+098.jpg

The End

[glorydays24]

Yea you're right sometimes it just doesn't pay to get out of bed.:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: But at least nobody was hurt.:) You know, the cylinder makes a good anchor though, lol.:p;):):D:eek:

Big John

[JDH429]

Haha, it makes a great anti theft devise. Yes nobody was hurt and it happened in our yard...Holy *** if it would have happened at the dump? Forget about it. Saw too many other guys having problems there.... like this guy...the box broke off the frame hinges...if you want to call that a box...got some help from the dozer guy.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-sjECjAXBuaw/US62h4Fc0RI/AAAAAAAAAkY/b202C-riXbk/s868/neworleans+102.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-alyv0-j7a_Q/US62h_Uq9YI/AAAAAAAAAkc/IN3C_1320WI/s868/neworleans+103.jpg

[Lil Giants]

"funny now...not so funny then"

That's a freaking awesome title.. I got a few of them tales I could tell as well, no pictures to show for it though. Keep it going, this is interesting stuff. :D :D :D

[dabears]

WOW lucky no one was hurt or worse!!!! I know what you mean about New Orleans... i Dont think i will EVER return there after my 2 month stay in the aftermaths doing rescue/recovery turning into cadaver recovery by the end of our stay when was with the FD... Something about diving down to go in the front door thru sludge,oil, gas, toxic waste etc to enter the house to search for bodies or poss living people.... It was experience of a lifetime alright!!!!


How far down did that cylinder jam into the ground? Im keep looking at the pics and thinking wow i think i would just walk back in and go back to bed....

[Acadieman]

I like the truck, and that does look like it would've caused some headaches!

[JDH429]

Lil Giants, Im a huge fan of yours. Cant tell you how many hours i spent watching your videos and reading your posts.
Dabears, Your exactly right. Its was an experience ill never forget. I was down there with a great bunch of guys. we all looked out for eachother. Saw some incredible things but couldnt imagine doing the work you did. Glad you made it back safe.

[Lil Giants]

Thanx for your kind compliments, much appreciated. :)

I see you starting your miniature constr fleet with a dump trk, what will your co. be called?

What's the next "funny now" tale to be told? :D

[JDH429]

Hmm, hadnt thought of a name. I havent begun to build my fleet yet. Still gathering knowledge and parts. This forum is really helping.

Not sure if this will ever be "funny now", even 5 years later to my friend who was the original owner of the truck who specd the truck out. It was his pride and joy.

Second owner tipped it over into the road side ditch while running down the road...loaded.
Before
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h1JDYNvfgZg/UTUDrv3VV7I/AAAAAAAAAmE/bXX9d_bImkY/s868/Picture+071.jpg

after
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-PL9YcMwZq1c/UTUDXA7RnMI/AAAAAAAAAls/XoWyYRz2g0o/s868/DSC01077.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-XgejVl1QBq8/UTUDbT-stLI/AAAAAAAAAl8/i7YdBffsouI/s868/DSC01090.jpg

It was a sweet truck.

[doodlebug]

Hmm, hadnt thought of a name. I havent begun to build my fleet yet. Still gathering knowledge and parts. This forum is really helping.

Not sure if this will ever be "funny now", even 5 years later to my friend who was the original owner of the truck who specd the truck out. It was his pride and joy.

Second owner tipped it over into the road side ditch while running down the road...loaded.
Before
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h1JDYNvfgZg/UTUDrv3VV7I/AAAAAAAAAmE/bXX9d_bImkY/s868/Picture+071.jpg

after
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-PL9YcMwZq1c/UTUDXA7RnMI/AAAAAAAAAls/XoWyYRz2g0o/s868/DSC01077.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-XgejVl1QBq8/UTUDbT-stLI/AAAAAAAAAl8/i7YdBffsouI/s868/DSC01090.jpg

It was a sweet truck.
That's a "Hurtz don't it!"
Cheer's, Neil.

[kcusumano]

how many trucks do you have

[kcusumano]

and how many trucks did the contractor have that you were working for

[hvy 1ton]

Not much left of that truck. What a shame. Gotta ask, why the big rubber on the lift axles? The few quints and supers here run the little tiny wheels/tires on the lifts. Most Quads are setup like that tho.

[BRICKNICK]

Ohhh man those pics of that honey of a kw wrecked is heart breaking....what a shame.

[kcusumano]

thats a nice skid steer that contractor has

[doodlebug]

Not much left of that truck. What a shame. Gotta ask, why the big rubber on the lift axles? The few quints and supers here run the little tiny wheels/tires on the lifts. Most Quads are setup like that tho.

Those lift axles are rated around 13,000lbs with lo profile 22.5 rubber, the little axles that you are seeing are 6 lug and only 8,000lb capacity. They tend to wear out faster than the larger axles. Mack had a dump truck in Vegas 2 year's ago with 18,000lb lift axles and 385 super single tire's, was spec'd for an East coast state. Hope this answer's your question?
Cheer's, Neil.

[JDH429]

So before my thread goes to page 2 in this category, I think its time to give it a bump with another quick story or two In the day of the life of dump truck driver.

Hauling the hot rock in and out of the Asphalt yard on night shift was some of the greatest entertainment you could get while collecting a paycheck. Lots to see and lots of idiots on the road at night...Some were other truck drivers, yes. The arguing and **** talking on the radio between brokers was always funny too.


Waiting to get loaded..

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-DF_r7sxzVdA/VSWnZJuvVjI/AAAAAAAACfc/FB-6Mag4n24/w1207-h905-no/Picture%2B882.jpg

waiting to get unloaded...


https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XSe_gtpLsNU/VSWnWjuThPI/AAAAAAAACfM/1HmU9nC9FQ8/w1207-h905-no/Picture%2B860.jpg

Me getting back to the shop in the evening after a long day..Its Corona Time..Or something like that.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-kK4DMc8EpUg/VSWpdHxoGlI/AAAAAAAACg8/ZsiXwv1WUBA/w1207-h905-no/Picture%2B906.jpg


So one day im rolling out of the plant with a load of black stuff, heading to the paver..Im coming around the corner before leaving the yard and coming up on the RR tracks which you need to cross to get in and out ( no crossing lights here) and see this...

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Pja_1auNZtI/VSWnQ8FeCJI/AAAAAAAACe8/UWsOl1kE340/w1000-h750-no/Picture%2B864.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-PAw6g6XwWpk/VSWnQ3gh91I/AAAAAAAACfE/50StvUg90ts/w1000-h750-no/Picture%2B865.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xqKSu2B55us/VSWnQ0KGP6I/AAAAAAAACfA/HbmYPRyN-VY/w1000-h750-no/Picture%2B866.jpg

Engine that gave out the *** whoopin

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FzLzlU9WTx8/VSWnbqeTTnI/AAAAAAAACfk/jE8Mis9AHfc/w1000-h750-no/Picture%2B869.jpg

I wonder if you get a ticket for parking on the tracks?

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--gH2Ji5sPhA/VSWngWSmrRI/AAAAAAAACf8/n_CM4jJbt6c/w1207-h905-no/Picture%2B870.jpg


So the story ended up being that this was this guys first day and on his first round coming back to get his second load, and didnt look as he crossed the tracks...Whats crazier is a few montsh later another truck got hit here again...wonder if there still isnt a crossing light there?


A few weeks later Im on my last load of the night, Its 430 am. Im heading out to the zone to unload and head home from there when the car in front of me comes to a hault on the freeway in this narrow pass (this is part of the section we were working on)..Its foggy and the road is at a low spot right here..Somebody forgot to strap down their jetski and lost it right here..I think if i remember, a few cars hit the **** thing and I was like just a handful of cars back from going through myself and blasting that thing...So the road closed down, and i sat there for 4 hrs with a load of asphalt in the box..Needless to say by the time the road opened back up and i made it back to the yard I was a bit worried id have a 25 ton cube of hard asphalt in
the box...Luckily it came right out..Thank god for the old diesel presoak, it saved me that night ( we would use a weed sprayer to presoak the box with diesel so the asphalt would not stick).

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7U0JVCq8yBU/VSWnjk0lJEI/AAAAAAAACgM/R7SgIcXTTpw/w1207-h905-no/Picture%2B872.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-eottzvyI2sk/VSWnkBaZlgI/AAAAAAAACgU/ldUVGGSEfFE/w1207-h905-no/Picture%2B873.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Q0y6XREBjuQ/VSWnotIhbCI/AAAAAAAACgs/D0X-yi6xHDc/w1207-h905-no/Picture%2B875.jpg

[doodlebug]

Never a dull moment anymore!
Cheers, Neil.

[DieselKid]

Cool pics! Thanks for sharing!:)

What year's the T800? Looks great hooked to that brand new East dump!

And always good to see another member from Ohio!:D

-Alex

[JDH429]

Cool pics! Thanks for sharing!:)

What year's the T800? Looks great hooked to that brand new East dump!

And always good to see another member from Ohio!:D

-Alex

Alex, That truck was a 93. N14 mechanical motor, 9 spd. Was a good truck, sank alot of money into it, but you know how that goes :)