Any Racer live locally near Higgensville, MO or I-75/13

[Cglrcng]

Oh crap (I-70 and 13)

Did I really break down at the exit of Misery and 13 (Missouri, and I am not really making fun of your home State, it just hit me a lot like we call it a dry heat in AZ), on my way to Indy at exactly Midnight and just 6 hrs away from my first destination of a 50 day racing trip (I just realized that when typing the title above.

Not anything really major, far from home, not yet to Indy, have tools, but the left Stabilizer link bushing let go at the Lower Drivers side A-arm and it caused the Stabilizer bar to unload on left side, so the geometry is wrong on right front and that is causing the pads in the Caliper right front to drag on the disk, which quickly caused a shimmy that warned me (I must have an Angel I stole from my wife on my shoulder), as my 2000 Ford (fixed or repaired daily...not really it has been towing like a champ F-150, even over Vail/Breckinridge/Denver this trip plus 38 days in the Pacific Northwest befire this trip), towing racecar on ope tilt trailer on I-70 at 70 mph and it started a nasty shimy and had to turn slightly left to even go straight...got it (zero traffic behind me at midnight on Sunday night/Monday morning cusp as nearest headlights behind me was about 4 miles to 5 miles back), and I got it whoa'd down to about 20 mph and off at the next exit.

After a harrowing few minutes thinking about why the tire I thought was flat but wasn't (all 8 are fully inflated, and nothing at all wrong tirewise, and all the what if's that did not happen (or materialize like a big accident as I had a tailgaiter on my tail for miles had just taken the very last exit back), flashed through my head, I did the usual these days the old phone light flashlight front end midnight inspection!
-------
Sure enough, one too many Interstate potholes, bridge transitions and tilted concrete pads hit since last December. And that driver's side front end Stabilizer link is still there hanging, loose and free, the lower bushing is just gone. As in it just instantly left the chat.


----- Racer In Need:
Where am I, and what do I want?

At the Pilot Travel Center just N. of I-70 and 13 in western Missouri just a couple miles S.W. of Higgensville, MO. And looking for a safe place to drop the open trailer (and my race car on it of course), so I can go find the parts I need to get this truck fixed in the later AM (There is both a NAPA and O'Reilly in Higgensville.

Or the name and number of a decent local mechanic/shop mainly brakes, that is not going to need my first born child to put it on the lift so we can quickly but thoroughly check for any other issues once I replace both Stabilizer links and associated bushings.

I need to quickly (and safely), get back on the road today and get the last 6 hrs to Indy behind me. It would be a lot easier if I can drop the trailer and racecar while I get the work done, then hook back up and boogie.

Any help along those lines would be highly appreciated if you live nearby.

Worse case when Napa opens I will limp up the road and locate the parts to change both links, see if the geometry is back in shape once both sides are preloaded evenly, drive a little slower and get there in 8 instead of 6 hrs today then find a brake shop to put some new pads on the front and turn the rotors while I race.

Luckily I left early Saturday morning and racing does not start until Wednesday AM. Man, I was making good time too but Kansas roads got pretty bad the further east I drove...I-70 is pretty rough...like 93 (what will be the last link in the new I-11 is a little between Kingman and Las Vegas rough.

Here I sit at 2:48 AM broken hearted, if that had let go though at 70mph...I woulda sharted.

I can move that link on a full inch and spin it freely. Scary stuff. I am babbling, not much else to do...get a room for 3 hrs?

[Frank Castros]

Please someone help Gary fulfill his goal!

[Jim Parsons]

Gary, I would give Bob Shaw a call as hes the closest I can think of, Sedlia, MO.
660, eight two 6,7 two seven 5.

Jim

[Bob Shaw]

I am about 50 miles from you. Please call me. 660-310-9964.

[Cglrcng]

I appreciate everyone including you Bob, I was able to limp the truck 4 miles at 6:30 AM this morning the 4.1 miles to NAPA and the 2 Stabilizer Links were in my hand in 5 mins after he unlocked the door. 3 guys including the owner all at once like they were singing all in tune said The Muffler Shop and Auto Repair which was right up the street they opened at 8:00. And they had me and 8 other locals waiting and still worked me in at 9:00, but it was not just 2 links R&R and checking front brakes for damages.

Those needed to be replaced too as 1 had zero bushings left. But as soon as the lift came off the ground we both knew the passenger front wheel bearing was history too. It welded the race to the spindle and that whole corner had damages (Steering knuckle/spindle, rotor, you name it. And NAPA had all the parts in stock except the Steering nuckle/spindle...it will be here in the AM.

I am at Super 8

[Cglrcng]

Phone is dying, charger in the truck...need to know when they will be parking last rig in tomorrow evening (tuesday evening please) my info is also into buy a charger and will ck back. the truck...walking across the freeway. Thx

[Cglrcng]

Story just got worse. NAPA cannot get it here by AM even Wednesday. She found another a Hundred bucks more overnighter and I had her just order it with no idea time of arrival tomorrow and the removal & rebuild of that corner is not starting until it arrives as they cannot tie up a lift without the parts...these people though are great. Getting there by WED AM and getting it all ready by Q1 is the challenge now.

I still need to walk across the frwy and grab a phone charger. Be back soon

Could not even get a decent salvage yard nuckle/spindle here.

[Cglrcng]

98-03 F-150 most popular truck in the world and could not even get a usable salvage yard knuckle spindle here...well going to go bu call you Boby a charger. Will ck back in soon...I will Bob. Need to charge the phone...4 percent and dying.

[Cglrcng]

So will need to know last rig parks time tomorrow and first in on AM Wednesday please.. Bbs

[Cglrcng]

Got a charger, but when an employee if the shop offered me a ride to a Super 8 I grabbed my luggage, hygienic stu$f and a change of clothes. Everything else is in the truck. The truck is in the shop, up to the parts God's now and praying that overnight really means arrives in the AM...Been a comedy of errors ever since midnight last night. But the Truck, car, trailer are not wrecked. I was doing 70 towing when that started wobbling and grabbed the trailer brake lever and it was up on gain already...not a soul around me...anymore, just lights of 1 car back 4 to 5 miles and it went 70 to 20 in a flat second no tire squeeling or sliding.

That wheel bearing race was welded to the spindle and only thing holding the wheel on was the cotter pinnut and retaining washer.

So, schidt breaks and we fix it. It could have really dented a lot up...At least I can relate the story...it may have ended a lot worse and was steering perfectly until I hit 1 pot hole too many.

You see me drive in with that red white and blue Daytona on an open trailer at 7 AM Wednesday and have any extra people available I could sure use them for 10 mins please. A load of stuff to empty really fast out of the car, straps to undo (changing the oil tomorrow after > ck out here, while they fix the truck, but they cannot do much before that nuckle comes in.
Once I get the keys back fixed, hook up the trailer and still have map says 6 hrs 27 mins...without fuel stops so late Tuesday/early Wed. arrival is at this point best guess. Once in a pit unload car from trailer, 2 fronts to change and
air up. Fuel to ck, and get my credentials. I can make the Q1 and I'll clean up the mess later.