To Drive or Not to Drive: That is the Question...

[Joe45]

We spent a night in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There was no rain this time, so our tent dried out pretty good.
We had raviolis for dinner, with some buttered bread.
Tired, we went to bed and passed out.

 

[Almill13]

I hope you got to explore Boone and the surrounding area a little bit before you got back on the road. There are some great hikes in that part of the world. Also the blue ridge parkway is a fun drive with some scenic overlooks.

 

[Joe45]

Land Cruiser doing great.
One issue is when making a turn, left or right, there is often a "CLUNK". Something is loose. Could be a transmission mount? Leaf spring bushing?
Will check that at home.

Climbing hills is something! In Valle Cruses I had to go up some roads in 2nd gear. On the way home I have had to use 3rd sometimes. If I don't get a good running start at most hills, I have to shift to third and snail my way up. Better said, turtle my way up. Snail is in 2nd.
I'm wondering if the five speed will help with this, or just with going a bit faster.

35-40 MPH cruising speed is too slow for the long run. I don't need to do 80mph, but 60, even 55, would be great, as it would allow me to crusie there without revving the engine so much. It's not much a of a deal when people can pass on a lane, but when I'm on a road where people can't pass, it's stressful to have ten plus vehicles, including semis, waiting in a line behind me. One of the times I pulled over, about fifteen cars passed!

Bought a set of those wood bead seat covers. That made a huge difference in comfort!!! Just the reduction of the sweating from those vinyl seats has been a Godsend!!!!


Popeye's somewhere in Alabama. I really like Popeye's, but boy did they make this meal right! Tasted especially delicious, and big pieces!!!

Somewhere outside of Guin, Mississippi.
I was surprised at some of the beautiful areas here. Have been before but never that route.

Note the yellow candlelight on those headlights! I got the Toyota replacement kit for about $62 or so. Parts guy gave me a discount when he saw the truck.

We listened to The Hobbit, read by Andy Serkis. I think I mentioned it before, but he does an excellent job, and it's the best read version of that book I have heard.

Well, time to head out!
The road goes ever on...

 

[Joe45]

I hope you got to explore Boone and the surrounding area a little bit before you got back on the road. There are some great hikes in that part of the world. Also the blue ridge parkway is a fun drive with some scenic overlooks.

I wanted to, but can't linger too long, as I have to get back and empty out my room at work. I resigned from my teaching job-it was just unbearable how bad the freshmen were. Don;t want to get into the negative stuff here, but the stress and depression have lead to affecting my health. I have gained weight, have stopped working out, and was feeling like I was being drained. So I had to make a decision.

I illustrate, write, and do murals for kid's room, as well as do props for theaters-or at least used to. I am going back to that direction. Too much time and gifts wasted on those who not only don't care, but who look at those things with contempt.

I was, however, in that area back in 2005, and hiked a bunch of trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Boone, etc.
My nephew has no gear-so we must remedy that for adventures in the near future.
I'm also wanting to get into historical trekking. Have a flintlock kit (since 2006) that I need to finish, and a premade flintlock. My nephew and I are talking about doing that together soon.

 

[flx]

View attachment 3348978

I think your nephew needs an updated tshirt

 

[sterling]

Great read, thanks for taking us along. Officially the "cool" uncle for sure!

 

[fjwagon]

Land Cruiser doing great.
One issue is when making a turn, left or right, there is often a "CLUNK". Something is loose. Could be a transmission mount? Leaf spring bushing?
Will check that at home.

Climbing hills is something! In Valle Cruses I had to go up some roads in 2nd gear. On the way home I have had to use 3rd sometimes. If I don't get a good running start at most hills, I have to shift to third and snail my way up. Better said, turtle my way up. Snail is in 2nd.
I'm wondering if the five speed will help with this, or just with going a bit faster

Just reading your posts and seeing those wonderful pics makes me want to go camping. Your nephew definitely got something out this trip. I always tell people if you like driving a farm implement, this truck is definitely for you. Anyhow, I don't know about the clucking sounds but I would definitely put it on a lift and at least see what you are up against....better to know.
The window channel should be a simple fix. Just remove the window from the channel, clean the seal w/Dawn and reattach. Hopefully the seal is still usable. You can always get a seal from the dealer or donor from the same vintage. Toyota uses a lot of same hardware on cars. As
far as the clip, nuts & bolts hardware I usually pick those up at at salvage yard and save them in tool box. The clips are so easy break or loose but yet do a great job keeping the hardware in place.
The 5 speed tranny will definitely help for these type of situations. If it's a h55 tranny my experience is 1st gear reminds of the first gear on my hj47 I drive. The 5 speed definitely handles better. On the 47 you can be in 3rd and you may be only going 30 mph. Anyhow, keep enjoying you trip and be safe. And thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[jembourbe]

I think your nephew needs an updated tshirt

15: Checks out, no?

I'm enjoying your trip Joe.

 

[flx]

15: Checks out, no?

If I remember correctly my integral calculations this resolves as 10!

 

[70fj40]

The camping part of your story truly enhances the Landcruiser journey!
Hotels and Landcruisers don’t fit nearly as well…….unless you are Seaknight!

 

[jembourbe]

If I remember correctly my integral calculations this resolves as 10!

His shirt is a summation (not an integration).

 

[Joe45]

We got to Texas from Arkansas via I30. The entire trip had been quite pleasurable-until now.

I30 had a great deal of trucks going very fast. I had selected "Avoid Highways" on the GPS, but it still put me on a major highway it seems. No one was nasty or rude: just really fast moving trucks etc. having to go around. So, not wanting to be a jerk, and also not wanting to die, I got off the highway asap.

I forgot my road atlas at home and tried several times throughout the trip to find one, but couldn't. GPS is great, but maps are better-especially traveling long distances, and though we hadn't really needed it before, we needed an atlas now. Figuring if any place would have those atlases, it would be a truck stop, I veered onto one of those big trucker gas stations- a Loves, I think it was. They had the atlas.

So we got on 82 and headed West.

A few miles later I pulled aside to let some people pass. It was about 12AM by now. The people passed and I got back on the road. Immediately a big truck-not an 18 wheeler but a big box truck-came very fast behind me and started to tailgate. He was probably a couple of feet behind me, and it felt dangerous to slow down-pull over, so I tried going a little faster, hoping he would pass, or allowing some space to tuen on my turn signal to pull over.

The truck then went over the double yellow line and began passing me inchas to my left at a really fast speed. He then started to swerve into me and came withing a quarter inch of hittting my truck with his middle to rear. I had to pull away, with the wind and road making it really scary. I saw the edge of the big rear bumper barely miss us, and imagined what would have happened if that would have hooked into my truck.

This idiot continued on at a high rate of speed and a few minutes later pulled into a bank. I pulled in after him and he was walking to the ATM.

I asked if he realized he almost hit us with his truck. He answered "Yeah! So what?!"
I said he could have hit us, run us off the road, killed us. He replied "But I didn't, did I?!"
I said "I have a kid in the truck, a twelve year old kid! You could have killed us!! Are you crazy?!"
He replied that I was going to slow, and citing laws about blinkers etc.
I replied that I didn't even see him coming, and that he was so close I could barely see with his lights.
He continued with the law about hazards when going slow, getting out of the way...
I replied that nothing he said was relevant to him endangering our lives deliberately.
He went on to say "You need to get the hell out of the way" and "You need to get that pice of s*** off the road".

I had my twelve year old nephew in the vehicle, and the anger I felt, I can't describe. The fact my nephew was there, and that there are cameras everywhere, I'll just say that.

I got his DOT number, business name of where he works (from the side of the truck) and will report his actions to the business and the DOT. Was going to do it now but I want to get home. Will do it there.

We drove to Paris, Texas. No rooms. Decided to drive on and still no rooms. We wound up driving over thirty six hours-stopping only for coffee and bathroom breaks. Never again will I do that. Took a big toll.

Part of that drive was through 380, Texas and then New Mexico. This was, no joke, the worst long distance driving experience of my life. Hours of thatb road in 105 degree heat, no AC, having to roll the windows up because the wind was a constant gale force wind with huge gusts. nothing to see but flat land for miles and miles and miles. Few turn outs or passing areas, so people tailgating, passing close. Just an aweful experience.

We are now in Roswell, NM. A very good nights sleep in a nice hotel has done wonders, and we are about to head off home to the White Mountains, in Arizona. I look forward to seeing my wife and my two dogs.

 

[70fj40]

Joe45

Wish I’d known you were coming thru. I30 passes right thru where I live. I would have steered you onto Ark Hwy 70 west which goes all the way into southern Oklahoma then on into Texas. 2 lane most of the way and plenty of scenery and small towns to stop. Thanks for taking us on your journey. Good luck and nice truck.

 

[Joe45]

Joe45

Wish I’d known you were coming thru. I30 passes right thru where I live. I would have steered you onto Ark Hwy 70 west which goes all the way into southern Oklahoma then on into Texas. 2 lane most of the way and plenty of scenery and small towns to stop. Thanks for taking us on your journey. Good luck and nice truck.

Yeah, me too!
Your advice will be put to good use in future adventures!

Thank you!

 

[Joe45]

15: Checks out, no?

I'm enjoying your trip Joe.

Yeah! He’s 11 now.
The shirt needs to be a Land Cruiser shirt, so I will be looking into that!
Thanks!

 

[Joe45]

The camping part of your story truly enhances the Landcruiser journey!
Hotels and Landcruisers don’t fit nearly as well…….unless you are Seaknight!

I agree.
I like the hotel thing only when it’s a nice one-maybe every several days to relax a bit.

Funny enough, at a hotel in St. Augustine, the man at the desk said to keep it parked right at the entrance because it added to the hotel’s appeal.

 

[fjwagon]

Lol.

 

[flx]

His shirt is a summation (not an integration).

uuuuuuuuups

 

[Joe45]

Hello everyone!
I am now trying to solve a few issues with the doors.

Issue 1: Doors Don't Shut Right.

They don't shut right: you have to slam them to close, and they stay sort of pushed out. Seems like the weather stripping is sort of "getting in the way".

Took the weather stripping off the passenger door and it closes much better, but you can see the alignment is off.

I think the doors need alignment-correct me if I am wrong.

Here are some pictures:

Driver side:

 

[Joe45]

Passenger Side (weather strip removed):

Now that I took the weather stripping off of the passenger door, I will do it to the driver door, then clean the surface up with a wire brush, apply rust converter, prime...

I noticed the four bolt plates on the inside, which seem like the door adjustment points. I hear they are a pain, but I have to adjust the doors, so I also have to deal with them. Any advice is appreciated.

Maybe a silly question: do I adjust the doors before or after re-attacjing the stripping? Seems to me like before, since this will allow the stripping to seal better.
Also, can anyone tell if the door has the correct weather stripping?