“What?”
Walter did not answer.
He pulled a small flashlight from the pocket of his overalls.
Shined it into the coupling.
Then he asked:
“When did you test this?”
Lucas looked irritated.
“About forty minutes ago.”
“Machine empty?”
“Yes.”
Walter nodded.
“Thought so.”
Lucas stepped closer.
“What difference does that make?”
Walter reached for a wrench lying on the service cart.
One engineer stopped him.
“We already torqued that.”
Walter looked at him.
“Then you won't mind if I take it apart.”
Nobody answered.
Walter loosened the retaining bolt.
Removed the coupling.
Held it in his palm.
At first, Lucas saw nothing unusual.
Then Walter tilted it toward the light.
Along one side of the internal spline was a narrow strip of bright polished steel.
Everywhere else, the metal was dark.
Lucas leaned closer.
His expression changed.
One of the engineers moved beside him.
“What is that?”
Walter held the coupling between two fingers.
“Wear.”
Lucas stared.
“That amount shouldn't create the load we're seeing.”
“Not sitting still.”
Lucas looked up.
Walter pointed toward the combine.
“You checked it with nothing pushing against it.”
Lucas glanced at the coupling.
“What difference does that make?”
Walter held it higher.
“Enough to make all five of you look in the wrong place.”
Nobody laughed.
Walter climbed down.
Lucas followed.
“Explain.”
Walter wiped grease from his fingers onto a rag.
“When the rotor's empty, that coupling sits centered enough to turn clean.”
He pointed toward the polished section.
“Put crop through the machine, torque loads one side.”
Lucas looked again.
Walter continued.
“Spline shifts.”
He made a small twisting motion with his hand.
“Coupling starts walking sideways.”
The youngest engineer moved closer.
“So under load it binds?”
“Not all the time.”
Walter nodded toward the combine.
“Just enough to drag the rotor.”
Lucas looked toward the exposed drive assembly.
“But the sensor data should show that.”
Walter looked at him.
“It does.”
Lucas frowned.
“Where?”
“Your overload code.”
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Thunder rolled somewhere beyond the western tree line.
Walter looked toward the sky.
“You fellows planning to discuss it until the corn gets wet?”
Lucas snapped out of his silence.
“Get a replacement coupling.”
One engineer reached for his phone.
Walter shook his head.
“You don't have one.”
Lucas looked at him.
“How would you know?”
Walter pointed toward the service truck.
“Because I watched your parts man search for one an hour ago.”
Lucas's jaw tightened.
Walter was right.
The nearest replacement was at a dealership almost ninety miles away.
Even if someone left immediately, rain would arrive first.
Lucas looked toward the standing corn.
“How long will it run like this?”
Walter shrugged.
“Could make ten feet.”
Lucas waited.
“Could make ten acres.”
“That helps.”
“You asked.”
Another rumble of thunder rolled across the field.
One engineer looked at the weather radar.
“Rain in maybe ninety minutes.”
Lucas swore quietly.
Walter looked again at the coupling.
“Got a shim kit?”
Lucas turned.
“For what?”
“Drive alignment.”
One of the younger men nodded.
“In the truck.”
“Bring it.”
Lucas looked suspicious.
“What are you thinking?”
Walter walked toward the combine.