(mis)adventure

[tsm1@domain.elided (Tom Mandera)]

Just thought I'd share a humorous (now) adventure this weekend..
unfortunately, it's not 4x4 related.. just my Scout.

I'd noticed a while back that my alternator bracket was broken (apparently,
not how badly it's broken), so I tighted up the belts to hold it all in
place.  (remember my '77 was a temp. driver until the body work on my '72 is
completed..)

Sitting in the Wendy's drivethrough on our way out of town for some
shopping.. I place my order, and then pull up one car length.. I hear a pop
and a few other associated noises, and find that steering (ps) is NOT very
receptive.. grab our food, and I pull out into traffic using the old
Arm-Strong steering.. run down the street to the Checker Autoparts..
noticing the engine temp going WAY up, the alternator discharging, and of
course the steering very hard..

Pull into Checker, shut the truck off and pop the hood.. sure 'nuff, my
belts had popped off.. NOT broken, but popped off.

The PS belt is on the front of the two pulleys, while the alternator belt is
on the back (closest to motor).  Some how or the other, after all this time
(6 months?), I had flexed the motor/truck just enough at Wendy's to allow
the belt to slip off the alternator.. which then took out the p/s belt..

Luckily, we were in town.. I could buy a 1/2" and 9/16" wrenches at Checker,
loosen the p/s, slide it, tighten the belt, then cinch up the alt bracket
again.  (For some reason, I'd left my tools in the garage...)

Just my fun over the weekend.. now I'm looking for a new alternator bracket! :-)

After all the 4xing I did, the curb hopping and various trips.. at the
Wendy's drive-in it jumps off the pulleys.. 

Oh, and this was right *after* I bought a new gasket for the brake
mastercylinder (FORD gasket?) and installed it.. the Scout god will never be
appeased!  (shoulda learned after that $70 bill for a 31" spare for the '72,
which was followed the next day by $1000 in brakes...)

*shrug*

-Tom Mandera, Helena MT
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout
'72 and '77 Scout IIs