Something loose.

[1SGPETE]

Since our class C has been sitting all through this pandemic and we have cancelled our plan to travel to Alaska this year, we decided to take it out for a few days and stay in Texas. We normally don't use camp grounds so they being closed or restricted to day use only does not bother us. While out I was forced to slam on the brakes due to traffic stopping suddenly in front of us for a construction flag man.
After we got going again, it was slow go for a while, stop and go for several miles.
Each time we started to roll, I could hear something thumping in what seemed to be the front of the vehicle. First I had to be sure it was us and not the vehicle next to us.
Each time we got slowly rolling, the thump came back, but it would stop as soon as we got up a little speed.
This told me that some thing was rolling around loose in one of my hubs.
We finally got out of that work area and I pulled over into a parking lot.
I got out and as Sandra drove slowly. I walked along side and listened.
It was definitely coming from around my drivers side front wheel.
I crawled under the front and felt and checked everything that I could reach. I had recently changed the sway bars on the front so I checked them over very good.
Since I was worried about this noise, we drove back home. I went out with the plan to remove the front wheel and see what was in the hub.
AS I looked at the wheel. I noticed that the hub cap skin has these huge holes in it to match the vehicles wheel.
I went and got my little removal device and took the skin off. Some thing fell out of the space between the skin and the wheel.
It was a perfectly round hunk of very hard dried mud. which I recognized as a wasp nest.
While we were sitting at home waiting for this virus to go away, a wasp family must have moved in to that space. and when I slammed on my brakes at the construction site, it must have broken loose.
It would roll around the inside of the skin making a hollow thumping noise until we got to a speed that it was forced to spin with the wheel., then start that noise again when we slowed back down.
Now if the refrigerator problem can be as easily fixed.

1SG Pete

When I got out of the Army I became a paramedic, one of the things I taught my guys was to not look for zebras with a patient, check first for ponies.
Check the simple stuff first.
I should have followed my own advice.

[Marcm157]

It's amazing how thing form in places we would never expect!. Critters of all sorts have caused havoc on many trips!!

[Screwby]

Originally Posted by 1SGPETE

Since our class C has been sitting all through this pandemic and we have cancelled our plan to travel to Alaska this year, we decided to take it out for a few days and stay in Texas. We normally don't use camp grounds so they being closed or restricted to day use only does not bother us. While out I was forced to slam on the brakes due to traffic stopping suddenly in front of us for a construction flag man.
After we got going again, it was slow go for a while, stop and go for several miles.
Each time we started to roll, I could hear something thumping in what seemed to be the front of the vehicle. First I had to be sure it was us and not the vehicle next to us.
Each time we got slowly rolling, the thump came back, but it would stop as soon as we got up a little speed.
This told me that some thing was rolling around loose in one of my hubs.
We finally got out of that work area and I pulled over into a parking lot.
I got out and as Sandra drove slowly. I walked along side and listened.
It was definitely coming from around my drivers side front wheel.
I crawled under the front and felt and checked everything that I could reach. I had recently changed the sway bars on the front so I checked them over very good.
Since I was worried about this noise, we drove back home. I went out with the plan to remove the front wheel and see what was in the hub.
AS I looked at the wheel. I noticed that the hub cap skin has these huge holes in it to match the vehicles wheel.
I went and got my little removal device and took the skin off. Some thing fell out of the space between the skin and the wheel.
It was a perfectly round hunk of very hard dried mud. which I recognized as a wasp nest.
While we were sitting at home waiting for this virus to go away, a wasp family must have moved in to that space. and when I slammed on my brakes at the construction site, it must have broken loose.
It would roll around the inside of the skin making a hollow thumping noise until we got to a speed that it was forced to spin with the wheel., then start that noise again when we slowed back down.
Now if the refrigerator problem can be as easily fixed.

1SG Pete

When I got out of the Army I became a paramedic, one of the things I taught my guys was to not look for zebras with a patient, check first for ponies.
Check the simple stuff first.
I should have followed my own advice.

We had an old salty retired Corpsman as our EMS instructor and he said the same thing to us lol. He’d see us all in a “can’t see the forest for the trees” while running a trauma/medical scenario and reign all us panicked noobs in and explain it in those terms. It’s where I learned about Ockham’s razor and have applied that to my every decision since.

[1SGPETE]

Originally Posted by Screwby

We had an old salty retired Corpsman as our EMS instructor and he said the same thing to us lol. He’d see us all in a “can’t see the forest for the trees” while running a trauma/medical scenario and reign all us panicked noobs in and explain it in those terms. It’s where I learned about Ockham’s razor and have applied that to my every decision since.

Thanks for that. As a Paramedic instructor, I taught Occams Razor every day and I too have used it in my every day life,
Except in checking for wasp nest I guess.

1SG Pete

[1SGPETE]

Originally Posted by Screwby

We had an old salty retired Corpsman as our EMS instructor and he said the same thing to us lol. He’d see us all in a “can’t see the forest for the trees” while running a trauma/medical scenario and reign all us panicked noobs in and explain it in those terms. It’s where I learned about Ockham’s razor and have applied that to my every decision since.

My favorite teaching thing was to tell them, "when you find yourself in a situation with a patient that has you all lost and confused, " "sit back take a deep breath and say" " Whos dying here? "It ain't me'. !!
Works every time.

[Screwby]

Originally Posted by 1SGPETE

My favorite teaching thing was to tell them, "when you find yourself in a situation with a patient that has you all lost and confused, " "sit back take a deep breath and say" " Whos dying here? "It ain't me'. !!
Works every time.

I remember running scenarios and we found ourselves running and rushing around like the world was on fire. Everything was an emergency to us and catching him smirking and shaking his head was confusing. I’ll forever be grateful for the lesson learned to slow down, take a look around and realize everyone is looking to you for stability in a messed up situation. You cannot panic (at least outwardly) for you are the one they called to help, not add to the chaos. Years later when responding to calls we’d find ourselves smirking and shaking our heads as panicked newbies or nursing home staff rushed around as we casually walked onto scene like it was just another day. Good times...

[1SGPETE]

Those days are long gone behind us now.
We don't rush for anything these days. a 2 day trip takes us 4 and we seem to enjoy the trip and one another more for it.
Your years as a Medic are never forgotten. I still look at guys younger then me and from their stance or the way they walk or breath, I still make my own private diagnosis of what ails them.
I see that you list Indiana on your profile. My wife's brother lives in south Indiana. I.ll have to look up the name of the city. Nope it came to me, North Vernon. We had planned to make a visit there this year but due to the virus, we cancelled our trip. Maybe next year.
What we want to do is follow the Mississippi River from The Gulf to its source in Minnesota. But, it seems to be always flooded along the river.
Hopefully this next year also.
Be careful out there my friend.

1SG Pete

[che57vy]

The good thing is you did not find a bird nest in the motor like I did.