Living in a small town can be a curse and a blessing. Most of the time I really enjoy living here, so close to the middle of nowhere. Today was one of the few days when I almost wished I lived closer to a big city. Yesterday I had bought all the parts I needed to fix the brakes on my truck, and I was hoping to get the entire job done today. After I’d disassembled one entire side of the brake assembly and cleaned all the grease and brake dust from the backing plate, I began installing the new wheel cylinder. After getting it bolted on I tried hooking up the brake line, but the fitting on the brake line was too small for the threads in the wheel cylinder. I went back to Checker Auto hoping that they would not only let me return both wheel cylinders, but that they’d actually be able to get me the correct ones. It turned out that they weren’t able or willing to do either, and I got really pissy with two of the people working there after they informed me that they wouldn’t take back the opened cylinder and couldn’t find the correct ones in their computer.
I wasn’t about to try the same thing at another parts store because I’ve found that when one has incorrect information regarding parts for my truck, all the others do as well. I went to the parts department at the Ford dealer hoping that they would be able to find the right parts, and I didn’t fare much better there. I had to go back home twice–once to get the VIN off my truck, and once again to measure the brake drum–before they could even find the parts in their computer. They ordered two wheel cylinders, but the person working there wasn’t entirely confident that they were the correct ones. The parts won’t be here until Tuesday, so the truck will be sitting on jack stands in the driveway for at least a few more days, or possibly another week if the right parts don’t come in.
I still wouldn’t give up living here for anything, but days like today leave me wanting for at least a few conveniences that this town doesn’t have. And I’m still not certain that I would trade those conveniences for the other problems that come with living in a heavily-populated area.