COVID blues

[Mopar1973Man]

Man I'm getting rather wore out on everything being late and held up because of COVID...

 

I know I posted this on a few other threads. Like @Wet Vette ask me to fix the old dish washer in the house. I did a few simple repairs of the float switch and the water line. Got it to run once again last for about 2 weeks and then the motor locked up. I tore apart the pump head and found a scrubby pads wound up in the pump head. Clean it up and it last another wash or two and then the bearing froze up in the motor. Ok. We both agree to replace the dishwaher. Head to Home Depot and looking at dishwashers and there is huge sales on some quality units. We got our eyes set on a LG that is all stainless steel body and door. Caught the black friday sales and now reduced to $498. Asked if there any units in stock. NOPE. I pay the bill and found out it will not come in till FEBRUARY!!! What?! OK... COVID...

 

OK. Another common repair is replacing a fan belt on a 2003 Dodge Dakota. Called the local NAPA store. Typically if they don't have it the store they can get it from Spokane by the next day. NOPE. They had to get it from another store in another state outside the normal travels. So its takes 1.5 weeks to get a fan belt. 

 

OK. Now I've got my steering box pulled out and shipping it back to Blue Top for rebuilding. Got it down to the US Post Office for shipping in a flat rate box which is normally 2 or 3 days. NOPE day 4 and notifying it will be late and still in transit. Man just to get a steering box from here to Blue top is now taking a week just about. UGH. Still got to wait on the return trip after he gets the part and ships me a new one. Now my truck is trapped in my shop till I get the new unit. I can move my truck till I do. 

 

OK. Another one. I got a job on a 1995 Ford Powerstroke that need a pedal assembly rebuilt. I found a guy in Arizona that rebuilds pedal assemblies and he got the old one and notified me that was the worst one he's ever rebuilt. Now he called me last week telling me he was shipping it back I'm still waiting on the rebuilt unit to get back. This is making job super long. 

 

As your seeing I'm super done with all the COVID issues in the world and its making my job slow and just can't get anything done being parts are just tough to get and get them shipped in a timely fashion. 

[dave110]

Don't worry. It'll get better. Once Joe and the newly appointed climate change 'czar' John Kerry get rolling....... yeah, it'll get better 

[dripley]

And I was done with Kerry a while back. Wonder what that sheet of $9 plywood that now cost $30 will cost in a year

[dave110]

The good news is that as Joe- John work tirelessly in the first 100 days to wipe the ICE off the face of the planet, our trucks will soon be worth more than our 401k's and we'll be able to afford enough sheets of plywood to build a nice box for ourselves should we choose to sell them. It may sound bad now, but once we all get the covid vaccine laced with a small amount of socialist kool-aid it will be all good. Trust me, and Joe, oh, and Nancy. Can't forget about her. I could go on and on about these left wing socialist #@$%&**'s but I'll stop before I get wound up.

[Doubletrouble]

 It's affecting everything. I have ordered some things that should have been quick. Like the 150amp breaker for my truck. Ordered it on Amazon. It left somewhere in southern michigan, went north (I'm in ohio) then got sent to Wichita Kansas! Then it finally made its way back to me in ohio. Took 9 days to make a 50 mile trip. Crazy!

 That's just the latest example, I've seem similar before. Doesn't make any sense to me at all.

[AH64ID]

Try finding reloading or shooting/hunting supplies.... 

[Mopar1973Man]

11 hours ago, dripley said:

And I was done with Kerry a while back. Wonder what that sheet of $9 plywood that now cost $30 will cost in a year

 

I bought 4 sheets of 3/4" OSB board and it cost a bit over $39 a sheet. OUCH!

 

9 hours ago, Doubletrouble said:

 It's affecting everything. I have ordered some things that should have been quick. Like the 150amp breaker for my truck. Ordered it on Amazon. It left somewhere in southern michigan, went north (I'm in ohio) then got sent to Wichita Kansas! Then it finally made its way back to me in ohio. Took 9 days to make a 50 mile trip. Crazy!

 That's just the latest example, I've seem similar before. Doesn't make any sense to me at all.

 

On that note if I order anything from Oregon it got to make a trip all the way past me in Idaho to Utah to come back to Boise. Adds about 2 days to shipping.

 

25 minutes ago, AH64ID said:

Try finding reloading or shooting/hunting supplies.... 

 

Thankfully enough... I already loaded up with shooting supplies while back. Not one of my common activities so my stash will last awhile. 

 

Good News. The pedal assembly for the Ford Powerstroke came in last night at like 6pm. I know what I'm doing today. 

[Dieselfuture]

[Mopar1973Man]

Now the bad news it snowing... Ugh! Now I get to work in the snow and cold today.  For the moment I'm happy as heck to sit right here at my desk where its warm and dry. Last thing I wanna do is get dressed and haul out to the yard to install a pedal assembly in a Ford Powerstroke. 

[That Guy]

14 hours ago, AH64ID said:

Try finding reloading or shooting/hunting supplies.... 

I started buying pallets a few years back. Was getting .308 for $0.33 a round for a 30k round pallet. Neighbor has his license and sells it to people at a good profit. 

Between the two of us, rough guess, 70,000 rounds in personal stock. 

 

9MM is crazy right now.

[Mopar1973Man]

I'm glad I got 9mm back after the last shortage. No warning shot given due to the price of ammo.

[JAG1]

Let them have free rein to flock up the entire system and in four years Donald (the man with sense and logic) will come back with a landslide win.

 

 

Edited December 1, 2020 by JAG1

[Mopar1973Man]

Man it just isn't getting better. My steering box I mailed out in a Flat Rate USPS box should of taken only 2 days to go from here to North Dakota. Nope! I just called Ryan at Blue Top and verified on the 30th that he got it. It took a total of EIGHT yes! EIGHT DAYS to go from Idaho sit in Seattle WA for nearly 5 days then finally at the last second got to Ryan. Now it going to be another 8 days to get back.

 

I've opted to ask Russ my landlord of the other shop if I could barrow a steering box so I can get my truck to move. That would allow me to start another job needing to do a trans fluid change, filter, governor pressure solenoid, governor pressure sensor, adjust the bands, etc. But I'm not going to lay in the snow and mud to do it. Hell no.

 

I just landed to injector jobs both Common Rail truck both will not start or run any longer. both trucks have over 200k+ miles on the stock injectors. One does start but takes a pretty good hit of ether to fire up. Injectors are leaking so bad it can't make rail pressure any longer. Now I've got to call good ol' DAP and get to sets of injectors coming but in the same token I want the two truck owners to pre-pay for the injectors. I'm not going to pull $5.5k out of my pocket. Then I get the long wait of getting parts from Utah which typically is 2 days to here. 

 

I've got return customer the VW Passat needs more goodies as well I gotta find a cam sensor, set of spark plugs, and oil change for that beast. Again call around and see whos got the better price and who can get it here like right now. Not months from now. 

 

As for my previous post. The pedal assembly on the 7.3L Ford Powerstroke turn out absolutely stellar. 

 

I installed the pedal assembly and was shock how good and tight the pedals feel and the clutch is smooth to operated now. Even the owner that got health issues can easily start his truck and drive it. Zerk fitting to lube the pedal shaft and all bronze bushing not plastic! The company that did this work is Alter Ego Motorcycles down in Arizonia. Super nice gent and he's will to do any machine work for me now. Another one in my phone list for future needs. 

Edited December 1, 2020 by Mopar1973Man

[Doubletrouble]

 On the injectors from DAP and your steering box as well, would it be better to spend the extra money to have it shipped via FedEx or UPS? It will cost a bit more but you should get the parts you need in a much more timely manner. Just a suggestion.

 I know what you mean about laying in the snow and mud to work on things. We just got our first snow of the year here in north west ohio overnight. I have things to do outside but haven't been able to. I've been laid up again with a torn meniscus in my right knee. Haven't worked since November 20th so it's gonna be a rough finish on 2020 for me. Money is gonna get super tight for a bit. Have a doctor's appointment Thursday to see what they can do to get me back to work.

 Still have 10acres of corn in the field and a broken combine to fix not to mention numerous other projects to get to. They keep stacking up and I'm unable to do much at the moment.

[Mopar1973Man]

Even UPS and FedEx are getting bottle necked here too. Not much better about getting stuf here either. Stuff we pick up off of Amazon like my latex gloves or the alcohol (rubbing 100% medical grade) still like weeks to get stuff in. 7 days to get get my screen protector from California to Idaho from UPS. Heck I could of drove there and back quicker! Only takes me a bit over 18 hours from Home to Mohave Valley, AZ. Makes me wanna fix my truck and go do hotshot work. I can drive like the wind and for long hours easy. Back to reality I need a steering box that is taking a vacation in the postal system regardless if is USPS, UPS or FedEx. 

[Doubletrouble]

 I haven't ordered much lately, didn't know FedEx and UPS were backed up to. Probably doesn't help that the holiday season is in full swing so they are all busy as can be with internet shopping being the preferred way to do things these days. 

[Mopar1973Man]

Yup... Already been warned by the local mail lady, UPS drive and the Local FedEx gal. Going to get worse and slower. 

[dripley]

9 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

I just landed to injector jobs both Common Rail truck both will not start or run any longer. both trucks have over 200k+ miles on the stock injectors. One does start but takes a pretty good hit of ether to fire up. Injectors are leaking so bad it can't make rail pressure any longer. Now I've got to call good ol' DAP and get to sets of injectors coming but in the same token I want the two truck owners to pre-pay for the injectors. I'm not going to pull $5.5k out of my pocket. Then I get the long wait of getting parts from Utah which typically is 2 days to here. 

Whats $5.5k among friends, just do it. 

 

Man thats a lotta cash to lay for freaking injectors even if the owner is paying for it.

Is that new or remans?

[Doubletrouble]

Makes me glad I have a 2nd gen 24 valve. Injectors are much cheaper.

[That Guy]

Once I get around to it, buying an entire set of 12v injectors for less than the cost of 1 CR injector will be nice.