Git-a-long Hitch

It's going to be an interesting day.  Just about any weather you can imagine ... we're getting it today.  It's 37 degrees and the sun SHOULD shine for a few hours before the big 26 mph winds begin yet again, followed up by rain.  

All the while, it's STILL snowing in California.  Since they have no clue how to drive in snow, most every road has been closed down completely.  In Montana or North Dakota, they don't even require chains most of the time.  I drove that area once in a motorhome while it was snowing.  SCARY CITY!!!  

Anyway, Miss Elva sent this little ditty to me and she would be right!  Hopefully I'll live long enough to sew up all that I have in my sewing rooms.

I'm taking a break again from the rodeo ... no use flooding you with cowboy pictures!  Breakfast was a healthy low cal plate of veggies disguised as pancakes with Canadian maple syrup.  No really ... that's a plate of veggies sitting there!  My food styling skills are pretty good, no?
 

I needed the extra strength to fix the hitch in my git-a-long.  As I mentioned before, I loaned out the hitch for a year and it ended up in an accident that totaled both the truck and the fifth wheel trailer.  It seemed to be fine, but what do I know.

I had some trouble hooking it up and it was not level like I thought it should be.  The fact that it tipped the wrong direction didn't help with my anxiety.

I tried to get it checked out at a dealer locally, but couldn't seem to find one reputable, so I called B & W.  I didn't think I needed the entire $1300 hitch, just the receiver top portion.  I finally said SHIP IT (from Kansas).  It was not cheap at $500, but this old hitch is actually 30 years old, so they do last a long time.  Amazingly, four days later it showed up by FedEx ... free shipping.

They said it was exactly like the old one ... no changes have been made.  That turned out to not be EXACTLY true, but the differences were minimal. 

I got out my tools.  Really, all I had to do was lift the old one off and set the new one on.  Eight times later my back was screaming at me since you can't raise up without smacking your head on the garage roof.  Ask me how I know that.

This was the biggest problem.  This little spring keeps the receiver at the right angle to hook up effortlessly.  Apparently it got moved in the accident and wasn't doing it's job at all.  "You'll have to take that off and move it up" said the guy on the phone ... "but you're going to break it, so just order another one now".

I like nothing better than a challenge!!  I actually got it off and placed in the proper position WITHOUT breaking it.  Again, lift the receiver off ... replace it.  Lift again, smear silicon grease all over the bushing and replace.  By the time I got done, I had that grease from my head to my knees.

TA-DA!!!  Well almost. I didn't have any Allen wrenches big enough to bolt the handle on (the one sticking out on the left), so a quick run over to the Chance house and Dan fixed it for me.  Look how level it is!!!!  The old one was an inch lower on the left.  

YAY!!!  The hitch in my git-a-long is like brand new.  Now if I can only get that silicon ring over the kingpin so I don't have to grease the plate.  

Surprisingly, it's the second day and I'm not very sore at all.  All that heavy lifting while bent over didn't seem to age me much at all.  The cracking of bones in the morning is epic, but otherwise I'm in good shape.  

I finished up this quilt in the afternoon as I watched yet another rodeo ... this time in Houston. 

My shadow is patiently waiting for his breakfast, so I better get to it.  Too bad my disguising skills don't work on HIS food.  He can definitely tell the difference between veggies and MEAT!

I'm also off on another exciting day of shopping.  The first Wednesday of every month is SENIOR DAY.  Hey, I'll take that 20% off any time.

It's also time for CONGRATULATIONS to the Chance house.  FORTY THREE years later, they are still married.  THAT is an accomplishment that obviously I was never able to master.  HAPPY ANNIVERSARY PATTY AND DAN!!