Hi Big Ray.
My trip home started with the chap selling me the set up saying "you will find it horrible to start with but you will soon get used to it", famous last words, It was a wave then into first gear when I found the clutch bite instead of gently pulling away it was a case of were off with a jump, then came the first gear change to second, well I missed that and we came to a halt again so back to first and this time gave the engine a good rev so I had enough time to find second. The next step was to turn right at the busy A60, must have waited for about 15minuets before the road was clear enough for me to pull out and off we go. 5miles down the road I pulled into a garage to fill up with petrol, got some strange looks and a few nice comments off other customers, after standing with the nozzle in the fuel tank for around 5 minuets with no petrol being delivered the chap in the kiosk came out to me and said "are you sure you want petrol and not Diesel" after assuring him I wanted petrol he switched the pump on. next problem was manoeuvring out the petrol station, getting in was OK but out required a tight turn, I nearly had to pull the sockets out my arms trying to get the wheels locked over, but we made it without demolishing the station. Right so we are now on the road travelling at around 35MPH till we get to a hill, not very steep but down to second gear and nice que forming behind, finally got to the Motorway and it was pouring down with rain, the little wipers were going like mad but no clearing the rain and the cab was leaking from all over the place, my wife Janet was running round the cab trying to block some of the holes with bits of tissue and wipe the misting up off the inside of the windscreen at the same time, after a while the rain slowed down so I hit the floor with accelerator and managed to do the clock, 50mph after first going through two terrifying speed wobbles, first at 40mph then at 45mph when the lorry shook violently from side to side and the steering wheel took a lot of holding, at 50 all seemed OK till I took my foot off the pedal then we got a loud vibration, might have been exhaust.
We had to stop again for petrol on the motorway and a break then off on the second part off the journey, going along nicely till we got to M42 and hit the snow, the strange thing was when all the other cars and lorry's were slowing down due to slippery handling the goddess didn't feel any different so I pulled into the middle lane and sat there at 35mph and sailed past everyone, when I got to my home the snow had built up and manoeuvring was getting difficult so I slipped her into 4wheel drive and it went into my drive easy.
When Janet and I finally got in the house we found both our voices were a little croak due to all the shouting at each other over the engine and transmission noise.
After all this we still love our new toy and can't wait to start exhibiting in April.
would like to try and get rid of the speed wobble though.
Sorry to be so long winded but you did ask :red:
All the best
Cedric