Yesterday, I lubed the front and rear drive shafts on the 97 and added some grease to the knuckles. As I finished, my wife walked into the garage to see which truck to drive for an errand. I suggested the 97, and as she hopped in, I asked her to do me a favor. "When you get to the bottom of the drive, please do a lap or two around the cul de sac in reverse if you wouldn't mind." Without batting an eyelash, she did. I like to do this in the OCD belief it helps distribute the grease in the shaft joints a bit before driving off when the slack in the joints goes the other direction.
Today, I did the same on the 93, and again she came out to head off for an errand on cue. As I handed her the key to the 93 (97 had a new trailer light wire connector still not zip tied in place), I asked if she could do it again.
I mention this simply to illustrate how being an 80 owner could be a problem with the wrong spousal unit. Fortunately, my wife is not the type to be concerned with the neighbors wondering why she's doing laps in reverse for the second day in a row....
It's a mad, mad world but I've got the most understanding wifey in it.
On another note, I also put a new O ring on the slightly weeping (1 drop per week) transfer case speedo output and found it refreshingly easy. Took more time to wipe away accumulated grease (5 minutes) than actually changing the O ring (1 minute). I also realized I'd somehow put the rear shaft on out of phase when I pulled it last summer to clean and grease the spline. So, I corrected that somewhat sheepishly. Hope this is the slight roughness I've been feeling at freeway speeds.
DougM
Today, I did the same on the 93, and again she came out to head off for an errand on cue. As I handed her the key to the 93 (97 had a new trailer light wire connector still not zip tied in place), I asked if she could do it again.
I mention this simply to illustrate how being an 80 owner could be a problem with the wrong spousal unit. Fortunately, my wife is not the type to be concerned with the neighbors wondering why she's doing laps in reverse for the second day in a row....
It's a mad, mad world but I've got the most understanding wifey in it.
On another note, I also put a new O ring on the slightly weeping (1 drop per week) transfer case speedo output and found it refreshingly easy. Took more time to wipe away accumulated grease (5 minutes) than actually changing the O ring (1 minute). I also realized I'd somehow put the rear shaft on out of phase when I pulled it last summer to clean and grease the spline. So, I corrected that somewhat sheepishly. Hope this is the slight roughness I've been feeling at freeway speeds.
DougM
