Beautiful day. Gorgeous day! And I finished a big project yesterday, and today all I had was shit-shoveling which I wrapped up relatively early, and then I could go out and play. Wanted to take that little ATV down the wash to where the Jeep can’t go. This was the day.
But I didn’t get there. Looks like I burned out the cheap-ass Chinese clutch in the sand. Turned around and limped it back toward home and almost made it. Got within a mile or so. And then we were just done.
Walked home. Came back with the Jeep.
Alas.
Ah, well – at least it won’t cost me anything to tear into it and see if it’s something I can fix myself. But I am bummed. That little thing is useful for back-and-forth between chores, or would have been in spring/summer/autumn. Not so good in mud. Sucks in sand, to be honest, it’s like powering against the brakes. Which I think is what took out the clutch.
Good news is that the little ATV appeared so useful that Landlady pledged enough money to take the bigger one to town and get it diagnosed. Personally I think the engine is toast, but I’ve been wrong before. In fact it happens often.
Neighbor D is bringing his flatbed down on Monday morning for the regular run to town. Meanwhile I’m charging the battery and stripping off those stupid boxes, which will make it easier to deal with while the engine isn’t running.
Bummer, dude. Let’s hope the clutch is an easy fix.
I thunk it woulda handled sand ok. Tires a bit too hard and narrow?
Lovely day for a one mile walk. Hope you were wearing one of those gel socks for your walk home. And your new boots. And thanks to your full out anti-rodent activities, the Jeep actually started up and ran. Life is good. Need more traps??? Peanut butter?? a small, localized nuke??
You’re right that ATVs are handy. I spent years dismissing ATVs as fun but useless toys. I was completely wrong.
I lucked into a fifteen year old ATV in fine condition and it immediately became indespensible. It’s a mystery why. It can’t do anything that a tractor can’t do. It just drags my ass around and a wagon full of stuff but it does that simple job so well I’m pleased every time. (Plus I’ve got a snowplow on it and that’s worth its weight in gold.) Especially handy is that it starts every time and warms up quickly. Firing up a tractor requires sacrificing three goats and using a wrench to fix whatever broke this time, just so I can spend 20 minutes warming it up. When/if this one dies I’ll pony up for a used replacement within hours (and complain about the cost while I’m doing it).