The Sacramento Surprise
Heading into Rio Vista, we headed north on a route to take two car ferries the CA Dept of Transportation runs. The first one is located on Route 84 going across the Sacramento River to Ryer Island. Traveled another 10 miles to reach the second ferry connecting with Grand Island and allowing us get back onto CA160, a pleasant and winding thoroughfare atop the levees separating the orchards and groves from the river, heading into Sacramento. When the farmlands start to transition into suburbs decide to jump on I-5 for a couple miles. Just before exiting to take Freeport Road into Sacramento, the car the rear of the car starts to vibrate and sway. Slowing down, the motion subsides and I start to think if this is an anomaly or not, turning onto Freeport Road, the shaking does not reappear.
Rounding a slight curve next to a golf course, things instantly go sideways as the 242 lurches with a loud ?Bang!? emanating from the rear of the car. A moment later the car lists and leans to the back accompanied by a torturous scrapping noise. From experience I pretty much knew what had just happened, the rear tire had separated from the car. Fortunately, the only traffic around the 242 turned out to be one car the next lane over, otherwise the lanes were empty. I guided the car off to the shoulder, its path marked by a whitish gouge in the asphalt. Shut down the car and went out to inspect the situation.
Tristan began walking down the road to locate the wayward tire. He locates it about 30 yards behind us in the median which he quickly retrieves. The median turned out to be another other piece of luck in this situation as the design of it involved a set of bushed and foliage between the opposing lanes which prevented the tire from going into oncoming traffic. There is only one stretch of this foliage barrier on Freeport road. Someone suggested later, the foliage might have been installed to prevent deer and other animals from crossing the road onto the ground of the golf course.
Digging through the truck, specifically in a box filled with a potpourri of fasteners, nuts, bolts, clamps, etc. five turbo lugnuts are located. The trolley jack is pulled out and after placing it on the ground next to the car find it sits about ? too high to be placed under the jack point. Tristan grabs the wheel well and pulls upward lifting the body upward enough to place the jack under the car and seconds later the car is raised upward. Inspection reveals the rotor has been significantly flattened in two places and the bottom of the dust shield totally ground away. The wheel studs look to be intact and did not seem to be bent or have issues with the threads. Fitting the tire onto the studs, the lugnuts are hand-threaded until snug. The car is dropped and the nuts are tightened with the lug wrench. Going around the car Tristan checks all the other lug nuts and they are all adequately snug. This mishap while pretty serious, takes us less than 10 minutes to get the tire mounted and the car operational. I start to think back on why could have wheel come off of the car. The most recent time I had that rear tire off involved installing the 242GT rear swaybar back in April, but I did use a lug wrench to tighten the nuts as I have experienced a wayward rear tire on one other occasion.
Traveling through Sacramento the roads thickened with traffic, everyone heading out early to start the weekend. Our original plan included going to the aircraft museum located at the former Mcclellan Air Force Base. Looking at the time and as well as considering all the work the 242 required since 8am that morning, decided to just head to Placerville, the starting point of the Motherlode 400.
Cars heading into the Sierra Nevada Mountains and beyond keep Interstate 80 at a slow but somewhat steady pace. All the while, I am at a heightened sense of awareness, waiting for the next mechanical misadventure the 242 will be throwing at us. The Volvo continues to run steady and strong, as we start climbing through the foothills, I begin to relax a little bit. Somewhere close to 5pm we pull into the Motherlode Motel to see assorted other vintage cars scattered throughout the parking lot. After checking in and unloading the car, join friends poolside with cold beverages in hand. We shared the tales of woe of our drive while watching and greeting the other cars arriving at the motel into the evening.