The Butterfly effect....and re-using a bad drum

[ubtripn]

How taking antibiotics prevented me from putting on the correct drum. (You will benefit from this story.) I took a round of prescribed antibiotics, was not told that I should ALWAYS take a pro-biotic when taking these medicines. (Even if I had been told I probably would have thought it was marketing.) Long story short I caught C-Diff which is one of the new superbugs going around caused by too much antibiotic use and other factors. I had an employee I may have caught it from. You don't want this stuff, most people recover but 10% flat out die or end up with a colostomy bag. I NEVER saw it coming. I am 46 and healthy, or rather was.

But life happens, I have 2 boys in college and that is where ALL my money is spent. Providing for schooling and transportation. I originally built my 68 as a back-up and for when I need a truck, truck. I chose the 68 because if a truck had to be built exactly to my specs this is what I would prefer. It has a new engine, suspension, front brakes, new almost everything but the paint and about 10K on it now. I did not do the rear drums when I did the front, I have no excuse for not checking them. I get an indication the right rear is leaking, I go to take the drum off and it won't budge, I spend 12 hours on it over the weekend but I need to drive it to work so I re-assemble I drive it yesterday and get home and start working on it again. 4 hours to get the drum off and I tore it off in the end using heat and BFH's. (Did not want to cut it off because the old ones are thicker than the new ones.) Hell job for sure. Not only is there no material but the rivets are gone and there are two DEEP grooves in the drum. Autozone had on for 40 bucks but I don't have it. (Not an appeal for money) School and this up-coming C-Diff procedure have taken it all. I am all that stands between the world and my sons so I am good with it and I work everyday to do it. Anyway, the point being---I had to re-use the old drum to get to work today with new pads. Everyone knows these new pads will groove in and then the drum won't come off. I have never been forced to do something like that but life is life. Take a look at the old shoes:



So remember this:

1. Only take anti-biotics when an infection is verified by the doc and this is my opinion, not medical advice, just ask your doctor about it.

2. Always take a probiotic with if you must use one. Again, only my personal opinion based on what I learned others do.

3. NEVER US DURALAST PARTS: The tolerances were so off I had to enlarge some holes and some hardware parts were simply built out of spec. Everything was the "right" part but built bad. It is getting harder to find quality normal parts.

4. Power drum brakes all around, when rebuilt do a really good job. Not as good as disc but good enough for me for sure.

I find it funny that for many years I treated my vehicles far better than my most important vehicle which is my body. Ironic.

Anyway, thought I would share this nugget so I might prevent anybody on the board from getting C-Diff. If you look up the symptoms it is literally like Ebola met cholera or something, really horrible and on the rise. Beatable by most though for now. Do yourself a favor and google it. (For the Moderators, Pro-biotics is a general name not brand=)