Had the tidy bowl touch, today. Left home @ 5 AM, headed fer an auction in Dover PA. Got outta York, hit the mickey dee's, drive through computer was down, OK, I'll go inside, no BFD. Overshot the auction entrance, by a couple hundred feet, turned into the next driveway and heard a thunk, in the rear end of the ranger. Thought crap, just put a seal on it, this January! Felt around, and the pinion bearing is loose. Well crap, 80 miles from home , nothing is fried, so gotta find some tools! Eased on out after looking at the sale contents, and figgered there's nothing here, that I wanna risk loading up, and causin any more wear, so I slides on down to the local diner, this thing's really makin noise, now... Anyway, I stopped in the diner, and asked if anybody knew of a shop that may wanna tackle at least tightenin up the pinion nut. An older gentleman says my son may be able to give ya a hand. It took them 2 hrs, and a coupla trips, to get the right tools, we did it on the ground, in a flat parking lot. He tightened it up 1 full turn, after reaching the right torque. Said it felt like he was pushin against warm jello... I tipped him $120, for his time and effort. Figgered WTH, I'll see how close to home and a cheaper tow, I can get... Made it back to local tow rate zone, stopped at the local sam's club, to gas up, crawled under fer a quick feel, no not hot, so I dropped it at the repair shop, and bummed a ride home, from a friend... I guess I'll see next week, iffn I chewed anything up! Anyway sure felt good to not arrive home on a hook!
Its always a win to make it home. I went to town to get my gas powered hyd power unit and blowed a tire on it 2 miles from home. I went slow and didnt tearup the rim so it was ok.