Boat trailer and other things

The rain paused for a few hours, allowing me a chance to work on the boat trailer. One of the lug nuts took a four foot cheater bar on the wrench to get off. I kept waiting for something to snap, but it came off in one piece. WD-40 had loosened the others well enough so they didn't need any heroic measures.

I hadn't been too happy with the grease seals they ordered for me at the local auto parts store. That was a real disappointment. I even had brought the old seals in so they could take the numbers and measure it. The project got put on hold while I ordered some new seals on-line. The ones I found for myself fit better and look to be of better quality.

Now the trailer has new wheels and wheel bearings. A fairly simple wheel and bearing change became a bigger project than expected. Imagine if the job had to be done on the side of the road somewhere instead of my driveway. What would have happened is I'd have paid for a tow truck and a mechanic. There wouldn't have been much choice. That's what happened years ago when a bearing fried while crossing the Everglades on the Tamiami Trail.

When I started the job I was wondering if the bearings even had to be changed. The first wheel looked pretty good, but the second set had one bearing that was badly pitted. No doubt it would have been just good enough to get me out on the highway somewhere before falling apart.

Feeling ambitious I thought I'd do some work on the van. The veggie filter needed changing and that went pretty well. Then it came time to start the vehicle and nothing happened. The van's been sitting for a while. My first guess what there there was some corrosion on the battery terminals. After cleaning them the van fired up. I'd hoped to do some minor body work, but by then the clouds rolled in and it started to rain. So much for that. Considering it was supposed to rain all day, I was happy to do what I did.

After months of inactivity I'm working towards getting back in condition. It's a process. There were times when I actually felt old. However, not as old as I felt when I was 35 and almost died from smoke inhalation, so there is that. One thing about being badly injured at a fairly young age, you appreciate the good days like never before.

-Sixbears