Well I guess I am the owner of a Mitsubishi BD2J, like it or not. My appt. with the doc. was canceled. We left Tues evening about 8pm Okla City. I drove till about 2 am and pulled into a rest area past Terre Hute Ind and slept for a couple of hours. The next day was a long haul across Mo and Okla. We arrived at the destination avout 8PM Wed. evening. After calling the dealer and getting permission to drop my trailer, we found a motel. The next morning after some much needed rest, we drove to the dealer and examined the dozer. I had purchased it sight un seen. (which I will never do again or reccmond). But all in all I guess it was pretty well what I expected. He had several other small dozers for sale and I am sure glad I didnt buy one of them. They sure can look good in pictures on E-Bay but when you see them in person, they are pretty rough. After the paper work, we headed back about 10 AM. Every thing went smooth and it was going to seem like a long boreing trip back home. On the Turner Turnpike about 30 mi east of Tulsa, had a blow out on the trailer. (no problem I thought) I had thrown in a spare tire for the trailer. I was driving a Ford 350 with a mechanics utility box on the back, pulling my skid steer trailer, rated at 14,000 gvw. Some how my jack and lug wrench was not in the truck. So I had to hobble about 5 miles to the next exit and pulled into a U-Hual dealer. He loaned me a jack and lug wrench. (lost about two hours of travel time) Back on the turn pike and about 20 miles up the road, the other tire blew. I knew I was in deep doo -doo then because thease tires are 16.5 and they are almost non existant. I had 3 more good tires on rims back at the shop, plus 2 16" tires on rims which I was wating to change over to. But using it locally I just never got around to it. We had to drive about 15 mi on a flat. The left lane was closed for repaving, so that made it harry driving on the berm avoding all the traffic, finally a man working for the turn pike came along and told me I could move into the left lane and drive there. That relived some of the stress. Finally a Exit. A gas station. Nearest town was about 15 miles away, they let me drop the trailer. Go to the nearest town and fined a tire store. No 16.5 tires. He called a big tire store about 20 mi away. They had only one in stock. I wanted to buy two, one for a spare. He said he would remain open till we got there. After $158. less, I had a tire, went and bought a lug wrench at Auto Zone ( had 4 of them at home) wen back to the trailer, unloaded the dozer and it tipped the trailer up high enough I could change the tire without a jack. Back on the road again (4 hours lost) we drove to Springfield Mo. and got a motel about mid night, next morning, I inspected all the tires and they all looked good. On our way again, about 30 mi from Rolla, bam, the spare I put on yesterday blew. A wrecker operator on the I-44 said the next town exit was about 3 mi. I drove there. unhooked the trailer, and went to the nearest town. I didnt even try to buy a 16.5. I asked where was the nearest salvage yard, went there and bought 2 used wheels and rims off a Ford pu. 16" $158, went back and installed one and back on the road. I wanted to beat the 5 oclock traffic in St. Louis. I have had two Ford 350 and both leave something to be desired in braking ability when loaded. Though I have brakes on all 4 trailer wheels. Its still unerving in traffic trying to make a panic stop when some one pulls in front of you. We made it through St. Louis without incident, on to almost Ohio boarder in Richmond Ind. Pull over at a rest area, sleep two hours, and back on the road again. We got home about about 7:30 AM. My body feels like it has been run over. I am getting too old for this, I keep telling myself. So now, getting the Mitsubish checked over and fixing all the little things, lights, etc. Does any one know the crossover number of the fuel, oil and air filter to a NAPA number or other. Let me know. After getting this one ready I guess I will sell the Allis.
