Thread: axle key
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Old 11-26-2020, 12:48 PM   #23
Patrick L.
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Largo Florida
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Default Re: axle key

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Peters View Post
Same guy. We got a service call and I went. Super cold morning and a Detroit 71 series wouldn't start. Big surprise huh. I pull up and this clown has the mouth flipped open and is grabbing and firing up the rose bud. The driver is standing next to him, I just kinda grab him by the arm and pull him back with me. This monkey starts waving that torch along the engine block to warm it up. Of course as was common in the day was a big ass can of ether mounted on the firewall. That tells me the engine is already ether bound. It didn't take long and the side of that engine came apart, blew the tire right off the rim and broke his arm in a couple places.
So, I then had to take him to the hospital and then tow the truck to the shop and change an engine.
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WOW! Lucky the guy was't killed. I have an 8-71 Detroit in an old grain truck. I always plug in the block heater on cold days. No ether. Scary story.

Back to the main subject, I just acquired a 31 Fordor and pulled the rear drums for inspection of brakes. After removing the axle nut cotter pin, I discovered that the axle nut was only finger tight. No hub damage that I could see, but very glad I discovered the loose nuts before something dire occurred.


I miss those old 2 stroke Detroits. I thought they were great engines but they didn't like starting in real cold weather without some type of help.


Its surprising the things one sees working on these old monsters.
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