[marco]

Here's the story:

Since I've owned the truck, the steering wheel has always made noise when turning back and forth. Two days ago, while driving down the road, my horn would randomly go off.

Last night, I was at the gas station. When I got back in the truck, my steering column was smoking and fire was coming out of the wiper arm.

Luckily, I had a fire extinguisher in the truck, or things could have been worse.

After looking at the damage today, I figured that some part/spring/screw or whatever caused a short w/ the power going to the horn connector. This short at the bottom of the steering column caused the fire to travel to the top of the steering column by the wiper switch area.

Please see my wanted ad:
Wanted Ad for steering column stuff

[ 10-16-2001: Message edited by: marco ]

[ 10-16-2001: Message edited by: marco ]

 

[miniyota]

that sucks! <IMG SRC="smilies/crybaby2.gif" border="0">

i carry an extingusher in my beast! <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

my wires from my fog lights caught on fire. luckely i knew to go disconnect the battery really quick and only roasted the wires. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

 

[Cracker]

<IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0">

yikes! What a place for THAT to happen, too!
I bet everyone at the gas station was thrilled! NOT!

Makes sense, I guess, cause isnt the horn circuit high amp? Like 20 or 30 amps?

I learned a similar lesson last year.....

Two months after putting in a brand new rebuilt 3rd in the rear, I was driving home at 2AM on the expressway doing 70MPH. I'm in the middle of NOWHERE, with very little to no traffic at all, and the rear wheels lock up, and there is a loud bang!....Luckily, I was coming right up to my exit, so I coasted halfway up the ramp. As I'm getting out, I see a flickering orange glow thru the drivers window, coming from under the truck. I jump out and look, and the dshaft and half the pinion are laying on the ground, and the 3rd is on fire...yes, FIRE!, right next to the gas tank....Luckily I had a brand new extinguisher behind the drivers seat. Even after I put it out, the housing was glowing red-hot!

I learned two lessons:
1) Fire extinguisher = Good.
2) Very slow leak between 3rd and axle housing = BAD!
(I guess I must have let it go too long, and the pinion bearings seized up, and blew everything apart)

Anyway, glad to see everyone is OK, and there's not that muh damage. (relatively speaking).

I was going to say I have an extra column & everything, but I'm in NY, and you can probly get one closer & save shipping. If not, drop me a line.

 

[marco]

Originally posted by Cracker:
<STRONG> I was going to say I have an extra column & everything, but I'm in NY, and you can probly get one closer & save shipping. If not, drop me a line.</STRONG>

Thanks for the offer.

I noticed your sig... I was looking at the budbuilt.com website and saw some cool designs for the shock mounts... keep up the good work.

 

[Cracker]

Actually, I'm not affiliated, other than its a Bud-dy of mine..... (pun intended <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0"> )

Yeah, Bud has some good, practical ideas.....

[ 10-16-2001: Message edited by: Cracker ]

 

[4Wheeldog]

Nice Rig, glad you saved it! I have had a couple of bad experiences with fire in vehicles, and it is amazing how you can drive along oblivious with flames come out from the vehicle. It is probably really lucky that it happened while you were stopped. Bailing from a burning, moving vehicle is bad. (Ask me how I know!) Hope you get your parts soon. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

 

[marco]

Originally posted by 4wheeldog:
<STRONG> Bailing from a burning, moving vehicle is bad. (Ask me how I know!) </STRONG>

OK, I give in...

How do you know?

 

[steveh]

Glad to hear you avoided a major meltdown!

 

[Booger Weldz]

thank god you saved your truck before that got outta hand!!!!!! <IMG SRC="smilies/pissed.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/nuke.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/pissed.gif" border="0"> i think ill go get an extinguisher tomorrow... <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

 

[85TrailToy]

That had to be a scary few seconds! <IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0">

...and I just sold a column too.

 

[sgirt]

I keep my fire extinguisher between my seats on the back wall. Right where I can get to it if needed. Never needed it yet. Hope that I never do.
Good to hear you had yours.

 

[SeaBass44]

I saved my Iszuzuuuuaroo roado from burning to the ground when I lived in Phx Az back in 94 cause I had a fire extinguisher in my rig[2x] lol, the auto trans dipstick came lose and got atf on the ext manifolds, poof fire! it happened 3 times that day untill I got to the car wash <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

 

[Al Kaholick]

that sux, but nothin compared to a kid i went to highschool with, I think his name was adam, anyway we used to wheel in this place we called russel ranch, but its houses now (im only 19 WTF) anyway this was back in the day when all i had was a stocker, and his rig was nice, it was a jeep i forget what year, arb's and all the goodies, rolled a bunch of times down this hill, we called it top of the world if anyone else has ever been out there, then it caught fire, by the time it burned out nothing was salvageble, we went out and I found a piece of metal melted sooo bad i couldnt tell what it used to be, ever since then i kinda feel like i should have a fire extinguisher, but im a dumbass so i dont have one

 

[ryanwhit]

man, that sucks, but good job on takin care of it before it got too bad <IMG SRC="smilies/beer.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/beer.gif" border="0">

 

[Ryan]

I always carry a fire extinguisher, EXCEPT the one time I caught on fire. I just finished slappin' the vehicle together the night before the trip, and had forgotten to put the extinguisher back on. Catchin' on fire is one thing, catchin' on fire while hanging 10' off the ground from a winch cable is, well, interesting. Luckily a friend had one, and made it to his vehicle and back before too much damage was done. The engine died right at the top of the wall, and without thinkin' I tried to start it and started pumping the gas. I geuss gas spilled out the back of the carb and ignited(duh). Melted a few wires and deformed the distributor a little, but it started right back up and, well, I'm still driving it that way(I'll fix that TOMORROW).

Now I carry 2 extinguishers.

<IMG width=390 height=596 SRC="http://www.pirate4x4.com/ubb/uploads/provinggrounds2.JPG">

<IMG width=384 height=590 SRC="http://www.pirate4x4.com/ubb/uploads/provinggrounds3.JPG">

 

[Corey]

Glad you are OK.
I carry two fire bottles in my rig.
One up front mounted to my Husky mat, and the other one out back.
Never hurts to carry two of them.
Corey

 

[TNToy]

Originally posted by Corey:
<STRONG>Glad you are OK.
I carry two fire bottles in my rig.
One up front mounted to my Husky mat, and the other one out back.
Never hurts to carry two of them.
Corey</STRONG>

<font color="yellow">
Good ideas on mounting positions... I'll have to keep those in mind.

I like your cargo box, too.

<a href="http://www.pnw4runners.net/cargobox/box3.jpg"><img src="http://www.pnw4runners.net/cargobox/box3.jpg" width="320" height="240" border="2"></a></font>

 

[Corey]

Thanks, it holds quite a bit of crap.
Better than than the Rubber Maid boxes I had back there.
A carpenter at the Boeing plant I work at built if for me in August.
Corey