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BIG FIX ALASKA...Thiokol 601

weatherby

Member
For anyone who may be interested, the TV show "Big Fix Alaska" on the National Geographic Channel is airing a show on fixing a Thiokol 601 broke down in bush Alaska. It aired in Michigan on 3-2-16, it can also be brought up on YouTube and Goolge it. The actual episode is titled "Muddying the Waters". They also used some footage of my 601 in the segment (only about 3 or 4 seconds) lol..I guess your 15 minuets of fame isn't what it used to be ha ha. They even put my name in the credits :thumb:
 
I bore down and watched that wreck of a show.

Fixing the Thiokol was weird, he turned it over before his pronouncement of hydro lock.

And he took a chopper to the machine, and later bivied in it, even though a nice gravel road was visible about 50 yards away.
 

3512b

Junior Member
GOLD Site Supporter
That's what I want to do when I grow up!
Be a field mechanic in Alaska!
The glory the fame! The respect!
Where do you apply?:wow:
 

DAVENET

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
A 'supposed' $18K to pull plugs, spin engine over, reinstall plugs, dump in some gas and drive home on a dirt road after a copter ride? Cool.

The best part of the entire show was the 3-4 seconds showing Weatherby's machine!!
 

redsqwrl

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
I'm too tight to drop the $1.99, I'll wait till it comes out on DVD and rent it. ( actually my internet is too crappy)

On a serious note, I actually got a few text messages from folks informing me of the show. Is it possible that snow catting is a thing?
 

caldonia

Member
Earlier this year an episode featured a field repair of a big ass Nowell. Had a bad foam filled tire. The guy tried all kinds of ways to create slack in the track to get the wheel off. Ended up just using a come a long to lift the track above the wheel. Huh! Just what I have been doing on my tiny ass Nodwell.
Love the show. Stuff breaks and there are many ways to make a repair.
 

3512b

Junior Member
GOLD Site Supporter
I liked the part where that cull complained about others getting a wrist workout while he was in Brevig Mission

I like that! going to find ways to use that one
Wrist work out in brevig Mission!


Yes there are many ways to do repairs in the field

but more times than not its " we don't have the time or the money to fix it right"
but they find it when you have to fix it two or three times!

don't ask me how I know
 

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Cidertom

Chionophile
GOLD Site Supporter
So, is there anyone in Alaska that hasn't been on one of these 'reality shows'? I can't hardly turn on the TV without seeing some sort of alaska TV program. "guys in the bush", 'bush babes', whats next, 'guys in the bush babes"? Poaching in alaska? " Martha Stewart's: Decorating the survival hut?

CSI Pipeline: While inspecting a third party electrical contractor, the owners electrical supervisor is mysteriously run over by a snow-cat operated by a contractor for Dis^^^&%$ Channel. The only clue was a scrawled note by the dead electrician " Et-tu Brutis"?
 

3512b

Junior Member
GOLD Site Supporter
That's cause we are special Tom!

And Scott. Has nothing to do with the short buss
Well maybe a little............:w00t2:

Most of programs make me real glad I don't have TV at home and only subject to most of the program's when stuck in a hotel some place and too lazy to pick up a book

I was approached by a producer looking for a couple of guys to go around and
"Advise" on repairing equipment. They wanted 3 people
Well in our shop in Anchorage, we had at one time 8 " steve's working in the building. Was great on so maney levels! Esp when a customer call to complain about a steve! Had 8 to pick from!

Well the 3 steve" that are field techs we are all over 60 And Been with cat dealers over 30 years each
I had the bright idea that be a good show
Course one guy would be the clown and bet it fall on my shoulders!
But could not get the other guys interested.
Just as well I couldn't Handel the groupies!

If it could be done to inspire young people to get into the trades I would have put more effort in it

On that note any one have or know young people looking for direction in their life I encourage them to inquire at their localCat dealership. Caterpillar and the dealerships have and are developing programs to get the man/women power need to support the product in the future.
See the line Three Steves. Over 60!
Been good to me
Seen lot of the world from New England Alaska Antarctica Asia South America
On someone else's dime put a roof over my head and supports my snow cat habit!
Course I had to drag some tool with me..
 

sno-drifter

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Looks like Caterpillar has been good to you Steve. And you are still Catten around. You coming to Mt. Hood in May?
 

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
funny you guys are bitching about reality tv. I spent my time in front of the camera this weekend of course I only get paid for my snow cat time, and my groupies are the tv stars which I make their life easy. I usually don't get much air time as I'm paied to do the job right and not make mistakes, that cause conflict.
 

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
as far as bush mechanics I think they should find a real bush mechanic who lives in the bush not some one who travels from the road system.
 

3512b

Junior Member
GOLD Site Supporter
I like my road trips!
350 miles to tok today!
Good Coffey in Egale river
Banana cream pie in Eureka! Yum!
Potato soup in glenallan!
Missed a few caribe on the tok cutoff
Flush tolits and pizza at fast eddies in tok and a good room to my self but slow internet

And a nice warm power house with a 3 ton over head crane that's my new best friend for the next ten days!

Beets hiking 350 lb of tooling threw tsa and baggage at the airport!
Sleeping in the school gym and using a old air filter for a toilet :whistling:
But sure my time is comming:hammer:
 

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Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
I like my road trips!
350 miles to tok today!
Good Coffey in Egale river
Banana cream pie in Eureka! Yum!
Potato soup in glenallan!
Missed a few caribe on the tok cutoff
Flush tolits and pizza at fast eddies in tok and a good room to my self but slow internet

And a nice warm power house with a 3 ton over head crane that's my new best friend for the next ten days!

Beets hiking 350 lb of tooling threw tsa and baggage at the airport!
Sleeping in the school gym and using a old air filter for a toilet :whistling:
But sure my time is comming:hammer:

you are living the rock star life..............
 

Trackrig

Member
Earlier this year an episode featured a field repair of a big ass Nowell. Had a bad foam filled tire. The guy tried all kinds of ways to create slack in the track to get the wheel off. Ended up just using a come a long to lift the track above the wheel. Huh! Just what I have been doing on my tiny ass Nodwell.
Love the show. Stuff breaks and there are many ways to make a repair.

It's really rather simple if he had the experience and went prepared - just use two Handy Man jacks, one either side of the tire to lift the track up. It also works if you run a com-a-long across from the other side of the deck and hook it to the track right above the tire.

Then you need a small 2-ton hydraulic jack. Put it under the wheel hub which is controlled by the torsion spring suspension putting pressure downwards. You might get the tire off without the jack, but it's about impossible to get the tire back on once the hub falls down.

Bill
 

Trackrig

Member
So, is there anyone in Alaska that hasn't been on one of these 'reality shows'? I can't hardly turn on the TV without seeing some sort of alaska TV program. "guys in the bush", 'bush babes', whats next, 'guys in the bush babes"? Poaching in alaska? " Martha Stewart's: Decorating the survival hut?

CSI Pipeline: While inspecting a third party electrical contractor, the owners electrical supervisor is mysteriously run over by a snow-cat operated by a contractor for Dis^^^&%$ Channel. The only clue was a scrawled note by the dead electrician " Et-tu Brutis"?

I can't say I know anyone who's been on one. I know even less people up here that watch them. They're filmed for people Stateside to watch that have never been here.

Anyone seen the movie On Frozen Ground? They wanted to film it at our house where the Hansen lived when he was killing the girls. We told them no and they couldn't believe we refused them.

Bill

Bill
 

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
It's really rather simple if he had the experience and went prepared - just use two Handy Man jacks, one either side of the tire to lift the track up. It also works if you run a com-a-long across from the other side of the deck and hook it to the track right above the tire.

Then you need a small 2-ton hydraulic jack. Put it under the wheel hub which is controlled by the torsion spring suspension putting pressure downwards. You might get the tire off without the jack, but it's about impossible to get the tire back on once the hub falls down.

Bill

this is likely why you all never see me unless I'm in the background as I go prepared and nothing gets dicked up
 
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