14 September 2015

Oh why, oh why does Delores hate me so?  Was doing pre-trip checks this morning and discovered that the inside left rear tire on the RV had an air pressure of only 20 psi, i.e., she was a flat.  So called Green Mountain Garage and was told they don’t do flat tires, but to try Rouse Tires in Middlebury.  The person at Rouse said there were some customers ahead of me but to bring ‘er on in.  Major loss of power during that 10 mile journey, same as I was experiencing last year when two of the spark plug wires were disconnected.  When I got to Rouse, having filled the leaky tire to 70 psi before leaving Fern Lake, the tire was again flat and copious amounts of smoke was pouring from that area.  A quick inspection revealed that the brake caliper was leaking fluid onto the hot rim.  Rouse’s found a bad valve on the flat tire, easily and inexpensively repaired, but they don’t do brakes.  So called Green Mountain Garage back and begged them for an afternoon appointment, laying stress on being the owner’s (Chuck Munger) neighbor.  Limped down to Brandon, with the brake pedal going all the way to the floor the two times I tried to slow down, with emphasis on the word “tried”.  Unsafe at any speed, that’s me.  Green Mountain didn’t have the brake caliper… for some reason they don’t stock parts for 1995 F-Series Ford vehicles.  Roy, their new mechanic, found that two of the spark plug boots were torn and burnt / melted.  Green Mountain also didn’t have a set of vintage 1995 high temperature spark plug wires.  Put the needed parts on order and  Roy put some electrical tape on the spark plug boots, used a set of vice grips to pinch off the leaking brake line, added some brake fluid to the system, then Delores and I hobbled back to Fern Lake for the evening.  Did I mention that my middle name is, “Unsafe at ANY Speed”?