A Mother-Frocking Cork-Soaking Week from Hades!

[Mad Manny]

A story of broke Brakes, whistling Blower's, Masters & Slaves & busted Balls:

Prologue:
In this Thread I refer to my Colt Seats which Bugger re-upholstered for me:
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=1323
Little was I to know how fortuitous it would be that I got the Colt back on the road that weekend.

Background:
I run a small home Improvement company.
I have a 7 vehicle fleet - two of the vehicles are essentially spares,
Yes, my OCD has me believing one should put cushion covers on the cushion covers to protect the cushion covers.
I praise Mithras that I am so.

The Story:
Friday, Forking Friday:
On Friday week ago I collected the above mentioned re covered seats & gave them to my brother to refit.
I also gave him the parts to service my 2003 KB300TDi.
On that same Friday my one team tell me, that despite strict instructions to complete a large painting job - they failed to do so.
I then hurriedly restructure my plans for Monday as their failure to finish the job Friday means have a site too many on Monday.

Saturhey!:
On Saturday as I was shuffling vehicle around to meet my new Monday plan I receive word that KB300TDi's rear brakes are FUBAR & I need to get the rear drums skimmed & the shoes re-bonded.
The fan belts are also in need of replacement.
This is a major blow as I'm a vehicle short with a job too many.
So I restructure my restructured plan.

Blue Monday:
Monday I drive my KB250D to a new painting job in Vanderbijl Park (I don't work that far, but the client is a friend & club member).
On the Hi-way there I hear a high whistle every time I depress the accelerator.
I get to the site & find the Turbo pipe is off.
I ask one of the guys if he heard the whistling - he says the bakkie has been doing that for weeks!
I re-attach it.
I have to spend the entire day in Vanderbijl, but I use the time wisely banging out quotes.


I send one team to my Meyersdal site in my old KB280DT which is a spare/back up vehicle.
The Colt (also a back up vehicle) goes to complete Friday's job.

Torn Tuesday:
I tear the driver of the KB250D a fresh arseh*le for not telling me about the whistling noise.
The KB250D goes to Vanderbijl.
The Colt to Meyersdal.
I go spares hunting in my D-Teq.
Spend R4k on spares. Most on order for collection Thursday.

Wednesday is vehicle drama free - but other issues make for a crappy day

WTF Thursday:
On Thursday morning I get in the D-Teq & press the clutch - the pedal falls to the floor like a stabbed Arab.
I think WTF! But manage to reverse into the street. I drive to the Yard, but the pedal falls to the floor when I change gear - I have to pull it up per foot.
I get to the Yard & we decide to not use it.
Problem is we are starting a new job & I have take a team there because:
KB250D to vanderbijl
Colt to Meyersdal
KB300TDI Fubar.
I grab the Spare KB280DT - its 21 years old with 433000km.
I spend the day working at the new Lonehill site - the client is so pedantic & precise he makes KurtG look laid back & easy going!

Thursday nite I call Grips - he is convinced it's the Master cylinder.

Forking Friday Bloody Friday:
Friday I'm back in Lonehill.
KB250D to Vanderbijl.
Colt to Meyersdal.
KB300TDi Fubar.
D-Teq Clutchless.

I go to Eagle Canyon Isuzu - I decided not to skim the drums & re-bond the brake shoes - I bought new - the drums are actually Nissan drums & have been skimmed before.
So I ordered new on Tuesday which were due to arrive yesterday.
On arrive Isuzu Parts tell me the order STILL hasn't arrived!
I then ask for a quote for a Master Cylinder - R5700! .
I then chat to two Isuzu mechanics - both say either Master or Slave cylinder - but if it's Slave, there should be a leak.
Evidence points to Master (as Grips predicted).
I go see a few clients then head back to Lonehill. En route I pop into my local spares shop - they can get me a Master Cylinder for R570. That 10% of the OEM Isuzu price. 10%!!!

I head back to the Lonehill site - we load all our stuff (close to a ton) on the old girl & head home.

I initially thought of taking the Hi-way, but changed my mind & headed down Witkoppen to Honeydew (thank you Mithras!).

Driving along I thought about the tough past week & how glad I was that it was over.
I also thought about the recent vehicle trouble & how rear it is for me to suffer so many breakdowns at the same time.
Although, we drove both the vehicles to where we could fix them - which is good.

Anyway I'll soon be home & this will all be over...

But then!

More later...

[Mad Manny]

A story of broke Brakes, whistling Blower's, Masters & Slaves & busted Balls:

The 'more later'...

Driving up Witkoppen I stop at the intersection of Malibongwe.
For those who dont know the area - this is a major intersection. Now, at just before 17:00 it is busy in every direction.

The lights change and I pull off, as I hook 2nd I hear a massive bang! and the vehicle screeches to a halt - right smack bang in the middle of the intersection. I smell tyres burning, like one wheel locked up, or fell off and got dragged under the vehicle.

Me and my two guys jump out, at a quick glance, with traffic passing us every which way, I can't see anything wrong.
We kneel down to look under the rear and a taxi driver shouts and points to the front left wheel.

Ball joint sheared right off, the control arm is on the ground, the vehicle dropped onto the wheel, causing damage to the fender, tyre flat-spotted because it got dragged.

So here I am, vehicle is fully loaded, can't move & in the worse possible spot in the middle of a busy intersection on a busy payday Friday afternoon!

I'll continue the story later...

[HenriSteyn]

You need a maintenance manager who does planned maintenance!

[Mad Manny]

A story of broke Brakes, whistling Blower's, Masters & Slaves & busted Balls:

Continued...
So here I am, vehicle is fully loaded, can't move & in the worse possible spot in the middle of a busy intersection on a busy payday Friday afternoon!

It's just before 17:00. I put the hazard lights on & get out of harms way.

A tow truck operator who was parked across the way on an Island (yes, it's the type of intersection where it's profitable for a tow truck to sit & wait) walks over.

He looks under, says its the lower ball joint.

I call Erin of CGI (My broker, a Forum & Club member) @17:01 - Erin says he'll get it sorted.

The Tow Truck guy, Johan, says he'll tow me for R850 - I tell him to wait to see what SANTAM says.

Around 17:12 I haven't heard anything, so I tell Erin that Tow Trucker Johan can take it for R850.
Erin tells me to tell Johan to F-Off (Erin hasapotty mouth)
I tell Johan what Erin says. He takes it well.

Finally SANTAM calls & asks if it's true I have a Tow Trucker standing with me.
I say yes, they want his name & company, I pull the device out Johan's shirt pocket to see the company name on his shirt 'FIRST HELP'.
I give the info to SANTAM. They say FIRST HELP is an approved Service Provider, they'll sommer authorise him.

Anyhoo, another 30 minutes of back & forthing, delayed when Johan told them there is resultant damage.
This changes the definition from 'Breakdown' to 'Accident' & a new round of authorisations is required.

Finally the SANTAM guy calls & I explain - very clearly - that it's getting dark & it's only a matter of time before someone drives into the bakkie - there'd been a few close misses already.
He then speaks to Johan who is reluctant, obviously, to do anything without approval.

We piggy back it (on the bullbar! & head off - it's 18:00. It's dark. It's cold!

En route SANTAM calls to complete the claim form, I hand the phone to Johan & they give final authorisation - meanwhile we are already nearly at my yard.

Unfortunately Johan HAS TO take the vehicle to a Storage Yard once he drops us off. On Monday it goes to the Panel Beaters.
This means, in the freezing cold & pitch dark, we have to unload everything out my truck.

18:40 we are done, I see Johan off, my guys knock off, I jump in the Colt, still warm from the trip from Meyersdal & head home.

Bringing an end to 8 tough days...














As far as I can recall, this is the first time in the 21 years that I have had The House Doctor, that a vehicle has not made it home on it's own.
Even when the SBV van rammed into my JMC & bent it like a banana, it drove home - crabways... but it got home

[ZR6SGN]

Love it. Nicely told. Sorry for the mishaps.

[Crips]

If I didn't know any better I would say it almost sounds like you are driving landrovers

[BushWacker]

Johan was driving Land Rover… that’s why there no photies …

[Paul#25]

You obviously have done something to upset the bakkie god.....

[KurtG]

This story, single-handedly, proves LesseW right in always saying that Isuzu’s are the most unreliable vehicles in the history of the universe.

Sorry for your mishaps, maybe take Henri’s advice from post #2

[Jorrie]

You write a good story Manny. Consider a career change.

[Erin]

Glad you got home....eventually.

[HenriSteyn]

A long hard week.

Manny you need a 4x4AG weekend away asap!

[Shane]

This story, single-handedly, proves LesseW right in always saying that Isuzu’s are the most unreliable vehicles in the history of the universe.

Sorry for your mishaps, maybe take Henri’s advice from post #2

Funny you say that...

My recently departed dad drove an Isuzu.

At 300k km's it still started easier than any other vehicle I've ever driven - or owned!

After standing untouched for over 6 months a light flick of the key would start the motor without any issues.

But oh, the ball joints.......

Probably the kakest design/quality on the market today.

The only problems it ever gave were ball joints + steering rack - on a regular basis!

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

[BushWacker]

Atenção Manny meu Amigo ...
We all know Isuzu make the most Diesels
in the world and they make some fine motors.
But you seem to need to still learn that
theres a lot more to a hard 4*4 than a good engine.
Surely you should know this by now ... ?
From many accounts of Overlanding breakdowns,
its well known that many, if not most,
are due to suspension and/or Drive -Train failure.
Comprendez ?

(PS I hope you wore your mask
throughout all these predicaments ...)

[HenriSteyn]

Years ago I was working in Stutterheim at my brother's sawmill about 15km out of town.

A courier came to deliver goodies. In an Isuzu. And a ball joint let go right at the factory entrance. No way in no way out.

To move it would have caused bodywork damage. Courier hub was 90 km away in East London.

Only way to save this was to dash to the local spares shop in town and get a spare. Luckily they had.

Dash back, and try to do the repair. But we cannot get a jack under the chassis. Lucky the forklift is a big tractor wheel type so it could go off the side off the entrance road to give a lift.

Few hours later the bakkie was on its way.