Different Hood

Monday started out kinda crappy. I came in early just to clean out a valve on top of the air compressor on the Mighty Binder - it was leaking a bit and causing continuous cycling. The air dryer sounded like it was sizzling. Cleaning the valve would do the trick.

So, popping the cover found the little piston all gunked up. Cleaned 'er up, greased it up a bit and back together she went. The spring under the piston actually was able to put upward pressure on it.

But, it wouldn't pump up. So, I whacked the regulator. It started pumping, albeit slowly. Oh well, I could replace it later. But, it quit pumping again. Apparently the regulator is all crudded up, too. I needed to get going. So, it'was spare truck time. I spent about an hour moving the bare necessities from truck to truck - most of our "spare" trucks are pretty well ready to run with all the necessary equipment, so it wasn't that big a deal.


It's a Kenworth W900 - I think a 2005. I've mentioned before that KWs rule - they're just screwed together better and are on the whole far more quiet inside. They're not without faults - it seems most of ours have issues with the plastic dash moulding around the steering column rattling and squeaking. This one has a wad of paper towels stuffed into a crack. There is some pretty wicked wind noise from the passenger area. But, it's quiet enough inside to allow these things to be a bother, so there is that.

This pic is northbound US83 between Garden City and Scott City, Kansas. This little stretch epitomizes "flat." Everyone who travels between KC and Denver on I70 just think they've seen flat.



Speaking of east of Denver - here I am getting ready to blow the doors off a chicken hauler. Most of that particular brand are limited to speeds under sixty five.


We are not. Seventy five is the limit, so I wasn't speeding.



KW also has what they call the "Smart Wheel" as an option. The lower left buttons are for the cruise, and the lower right are for the compression brake - 0,2,4 or 6 cylinders on. When you're dropping down a mountain, having the jakes on full might slow you down more than you want. So, just cut back the braking cylinders. Ya don't have to keep reaching for a switch on the dash with the smart wheel.



Most of the rest of the gauges and switches. The Mighty Binder has most of these, but not all. I was parked in some road construction so you can see the flasher button is on. I don't like the idea of being rear ended in a construction zone.

So, the Mighty Binder has not been repaired - our mechanic is snowed under with other stuff. I can change out the regulator, but he also wants to replace the air filter in the air dryer - which is a pretty nasty job. More than this fat and lazy trucker wants to do on a weekend. So, I'm kinda like Brer Rabbit here - throw me in this briar patch! I like the 'ol Binder, and want it back, but I'm in no pain in this office, either!