May 24, 2010

View of the day-Ahhh, success. loaded and ready to weigh.

We were up early and eager to start the task of getting the combine loaded. We had to go on a parts run...and run we did, all over town looking for a circuit breaker for the General. After hitting about six different places, we came home empty handed...no breaker for us. This just means we have to drive in daylight only until we find one.

We went out to the CaseIH dealer where the combine was and used their ramp to get the shop trailer out of the General. It was a good thing they have a high, well built loading dock because we knew getting the trailer out after yesterday's calamity was going to be tough. After getting the trailer straightened out and switching receiver hitches a couple of times to get the right height, we managed to get it pulled out so we could survey the damage to the box. Surprisingly enough, the inside of the shop was intact...the wrenches were even on the wall and they usually fall off just going down a rough road.

The front cap had been bent forward ripping out a couple of self tapping screws, so we got it bent back into shape and screwed down as best we could. The elastic cord that pulls the tarp over was pretty much shot and after a good stretch broke all together so now that is something else for the list of repairs. We did get everything back together and were able to close the tarp...we were very happy that it turned out to be an easy fix considering how that trailer was rolling around in the box.

After we finished with the shop, we got the combine trailer unhooked and checked to see how the new combine was going to fit on it. Marilyn drove it up on the trailer...the nice thing is it has a higher clearance so now we don't need to use the ramps to get it on the trailer. After getting the truck backed up, we discovered that with the longer auger there wasn't enough clearance to the box of the truck. We knew once the trailer was hooked up, it would raise the auger by about 18 inches...but that would still be close, so we figured we could just swing the auger out until the trailer was hooked up to the truck and swing it back in. But the auger wouldn't swing out.

Chris from the dealership, was supposed to give us a quick rundown on the changes from the 2588 combine, but he was on lunch break so we figured we would move the blocks that had been on the trailer for the other combine and see if that gave us more clearance. By the time we had moved the blocks a couple of times, Chris showed up and explained the 'transport' switch that disables everything for moving...including the auger. By this time we had made enough room for the auger without having to swing it out and we finished off strapping it down and went for a weigh-in.

We had a visit from Kevin, our farmer from the Timken area who was in town on a parts run and happened to see our stuff parked in the lot as he passed by. After we finished chatting, we took the truck and combine over to the Great Bend Coop elevator where they told us we could weigh the rig on their scale...so we could make sure we had the weight distibuted legally...and we succeeded. After weighing the truck, Al had to back the combine trailer on to the scale because the scale wasn't wide enough for the whole rig. It turns out we even have some pounds to spare on the back axles, so that was a bonus.

We were planning on getting to Cherokee, OK today but there were wind warnings and it was blowing hard out of the SE all day. We decided to stay put and avoid the struggle against the wind, found a parking spot for the rig and called it a day.

After hitting the Great Wall Chinese buffet for supper, we went back to the camper and while Al cleaned up, Marilyn got the dish hooked up so Al could watch the hockey game. HABS LOSE!!! HABS LOSE!!! The perfect end to a perfect day...for Al at least. Marilyn has to go to NexTech to upload the blog, and it is right next to the Walmart Supercenter.

The perfect end to a perfect day...