Tuesday, September 25, 2012

#116. or, What's the good news?

 I've been looking back over the last few posts and it occurs to me that I might be a tad negative. As much as, oh-woe-is-me, makes for a decent post, I think I need to make an effort to be a little bit more positive here.

  That being said, the alternator crapped out in my combine on Sunday. I called the after hours parts line at my dealership and had the fellow go in and get the alternator for me. (Which costs extra on Sunday.) My kid ran in and picked it up and when he showed up with it, it was the wrong one. So, I kept going with the one that was failing. All the while, feeling a bit like the astronauts on Apollo 13, trying to figure out what I could turn on and still have enough amps to actually run the computer that runs the combine. I had to turn off the A/C and the GPS! It was getting pretty old school. Until the pitman arm broke on the wobble box  and shut me down completely. That's the thing that makes the round and round motion of the belt and pulley into the back and forth motion of the knife that cuts the crop.

  That positive part is still coming.

  Monday morning, first thing, I run into the dealership to return the wrong alternator, get the right one, and pick up a new pitman arm. Turns out, that the alternator for my combine costs a Thousand dollars! Also, it's been replaced with a different Thousand dollar alternator that requires a four hundred dollar update kit to make it fit in the hole that the original one fit. BUT there is still ONE old style alternator in the city that will bolt right in. They also have my pitman arm there, (which costs $500.) so my parts lady sets it up so I can run in there and pick it all up. The city is an hour away, so it's after lunch when I get home and start putting everything back together.

  Now! Here's the positive part. I got my workout in!

  I started with the wobble box and that bitch weighs about 40 pounds so I got a little weight lifting in, struggling to get that thing into place. Also, my heart rate SOARED when, for a few seconds, it was looking like the last piece that was left to put on should have been put on in the first couple steps and I though everything would have to come back apart to put that one piece in. Luckily I was wrong and it indeed, did go on last.......but still? Raising your heart rate is good, right?

  Then I worked on the alternator which involves packing it up the back ladder into the engine compartment, up over the engine, through a trap door into a crawl space behind the engine. Then, you do an arm extension, holding the 10 pound alternator, past the radiator fan, bend your arm at an impossible angle and put the alternator onto the bracket. Back out of the crawl space, over the engine, into a different trap door, wiggle in past the rad hoses and put the long bolt into place to hold the bottom of the alternator. Then back to the first crawl space to install the upper bracket. Which for some reason doesn't fit. So I take it home to modify it.

  Once I got that all bolted in, I tried to put the belt on. Except it doesn't fit. The alternator, that bolts right in, has been beefed up at the lower bracket and won't tip far enough over. That's why the upper bracket wouldn't fit. Everything has to come back out, taken home, and have a bit of the bracket ground away to let it lean over to where it should be. Then back into the combine to be re-installed again.

  It took all day! I think I was up and down that ladder and back and forth over the engine about 400 times. I worked up a pretty good sweat. By supper time, I was rolling again.



  It's week 4 of the Pish Posh 8 Week Challenge. and I started it out with a full day workout, baby! So far so good!

   ..............except I can't help but feel that a gym membership might be somewhat more affordable that the $1500 it cost me to get my workout in?

30 comments:

  1. Man that's a lot of work! I bet there was a lot of cursing going on too, amiright? At least you're running now.

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    1. Yes Dan, I might have sworn once......maybe twice. Still looking for a trouble free day.

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  2. Man, whatever you had planted had better be worth it! :)

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    1. Actually, the crops are not all that good this year. Too much rain early on, then too much heat later. A lot of plant but not much seed.
      There's always next year? :)

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  3. The joys of farming...I never live or really worked on a farm but I have spent my fair share of time on some.

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    1. I could use a little more joy these days. But actually, the weather isn't bad, so I don't have that stress as well.

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  4. Damn, and I thought a personal trainer would be expensive. I tried to look on the positive side this week, too. I did about as well as you did, BTW. Oh well, this 8 Week Challenge is hard!

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    1. For some reason, I found the spring challenge to be a little easier to maintain. I think my body is trying to pack on some extra pounds to prepare for the upcoming winter?

      I could sell you a new, used combine? It can be a workout sometimes. :)

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    2. I agree about the Spring challenge being easier! I curbed some serious bad habits in that one and have maintained. This time around, I'm struggling every day. Boo.

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  5. That for sure does sounds like a good work out. And it's sexy, too ;)

    But even though it was a good work out, let's hope that that is the last combine-induced work out you'll have this season, cause it sounds like you're wallet is getting a work out, too!

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    1. I tried to get a picture of all the bruises on my arm this morning from forcing my arm into places that it had no business being, but I couldn't make them turn out right. Are bruises and scars sexy? Because I have plenty of them.

      I don't have much choice but to keep adding the things I need to keep it going. However, it just keeps getting better. One day, there will be nothing left to fix. :)

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  6. Oh my gosh, friend!
    That workout was a killer! That wore me out just reading it! Yeah, you're right - gym membership is SOOOO much cheaper but HEY! You are looking on the bright side of a craptastic situation and that is a bonus!

    Let's hope that is the last of your Combinecardio!

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    1. Hello, my friend!

      I don't really know why they have to cram the alternator into such an awkward spot. I mean, it's not like it's a small piece of equipment. You would think that that the things that have a chance of actually being an issue, could have a nice handy spot in case it needs to be worked on. But that would be too easy.

      Combinecardio is the only cardio I'm getting these days. It will have to do. :)

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  7. Wow Ken! Is this the "new to you" combine that was lost like Babe in the City, then broken by the older Ninja combine? Clearly, though good blog fodder, this combine should have stayed lost.

    Hopefully you get to raise Cain with the dealer every time something breaks.

    Oh, I even wrote a farming post on a week that you've been too busy to read it.

    Hope the process of harvest treats you better and we see ya back on Dude Write soon.

    WG

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    1. The one and the very same. It has been a bit of a test. I think I'm getting a handle on it though, I mean, what else can go wrong? Or do I even want to tempt fate?

      I did catch your post while I was unloading grain into the truck the other day but didn't have time to comment and didn't get back to it. Looking forward to getting back to Dude Write and giving all of the fellows over there, the attention that they deserve.

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  8. Here's to next week! :)

    I'm actually feeling pretty good this week. I'm not sure if I'm going to weigh on Thursday or not though.

    Stresses are a part of the season. I'm certain that I'm not the only one going through this.

    There's still a month left. I'm going to own the challenge! :)

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  9. Goodness. And I complained about my work on Monday... Now I feel silly. That does sound like an excellent work out and you have my utmost respect!

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    1. Thanks Michelle.
      Not every day is crappy, just the odd one.
      I'd prefer to get my work out in a somewhat less expensive manner. Hoping that will come later in October.

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  10. Hi Ken -- I thought "Nothing runs like a Deere"?

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    1. Hi Debra. :)

      That's what they say. Unfortunately, things break down no matter what colour they are, then the only green I see is the green leaving my wallet!

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  11. Man I love country tractor talk - a language I'm slowly learning after leaving the city for the country.

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    1. If you ever need help buying a combine, I have a little experience. :)

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  12. I was wondering how you were going to make this story positive. Good going!

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    1. Thank you. The whole middle part got to be a bit more complainy and ranting than I had intended. The post was intended to be more positive all along. Guess I needed to vent?

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  13. Well it did sound like you had a great workout even if it was filled with stress and frustration...

    Man I hope your next workout is a little more enjoyable. Some weeks are just going to end up being craptacular weeks and although yours clearly was I am impressed that you looked on the bright side! Yay!

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    1. Hi Carrie.

      I just wanted to be combining. yet when I am combining, it's pretty much just sitting there. I was about half done fixing before I realized that what I was doing was actual activity. Not the kind I was looking for, but activity none the less. I guess that's a good thing? :)

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  14. Wow Ken... can you share some of that positivity with me? I don't know where to find it in my own Challenge challenges.

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    1. Hi Reanna!

      Actually, you sort of inspired it when you commented on my not going to get taller, why complain about it?
      There's good things happening, I just need to watch for them. :)

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