I spent a few days up at my cousins place in Linville. Ended up getting a tree while I was there. I love that place. There was something nice about strapping a tree to the top of 80 and coming home.
What did you do with your truck this week? (7 Viewers)
- Thread starter BMThiker
- Start date
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I bought a house.
dohcdelsol93
snoogans
put a water pump on the Heep Grand Cherokee.
Should have been wiring the heated fuel filter and relay/switch.
Should have been wiring the heated fuel filter and relay/switch.
- Thread starter
- #324
Spent the day before and the day after Turkey Day working on Bertha. Got the tank finally plumbed after wild goose chase for fuel filler hoses on Wednesday (hoses have two diff diameters at each end - go figure!). Then Friday got the fuel pump installed and the rest of the fuel lines linked from old hard lines to the new injector lines. Brian at ACC finished off the wiring of the computer & harness to the steering column and he checked the coolant lines for leaks with a vac tester - then we filled her up with antifreeze, oil and gas. Came really close to getting her turned over - but gotta double check our wiring and add some solid ground wires to the body. May also have to shim the starter motor - seems to be struggling like the teeth are engaged too tightly.
Sooooo verrrrry clooooose!
Sooooo verrrrry clooooose!
Southeast Overland
Get lost! Go explore!
Cleaned up my garage so I can hopefully start on my cut-n-turn after the holidays. Also worked on an order of RTTs and awnings so I can hopefully have both on my FJC for a Jan 1 trip to FL.
Tell me about starter shimming!
I have a Marks 4WD adapter on the 40 and it is a completely sealed adapter. Hence the starter nose and flywheel are completely hidden. I am currently playing a shim game just randomly guessing at what needs to be done hoping something will work. It'll start fine 2-3 times and then clank, clank nothing. Turn the motor over by hand to rotate the flywheel, and then fine 2-3 more times. Let's just say it got pretty hairy out on Gulches when it wouldn't turn over after stalling out. I had to put it in gear and get a tow up or back to rotate the engine just to get it started again. Hopefully it will be fixed soon so I can take her down for the Mt. Pleasant Parade.
Jeremy
Cut a factory fabbed bumper off of the junk cruiser, cleaned it up, painted it and put it on the 40. Cleaned up and painted the 8274 and bolted that bad boy up... I need taller springs now, that thing weighs a ton!!
Spent Thanksgiving day with Linda up in the N. Ga Mountains in the Porsche... I think I scared her a bit 
She did great for her first time out though. Stopped by Blood Mt.
Weather was a bit shaky so didn't get many pics... great day though.
She did great for her first time out though. Stopped by Blood Mt.
Weather was a bit shaky so didn't get many pics... great day though.
Pu the doors back on the 40. I guess I need to install the heater next.
dohcdelsol93
snoogans
put in a fuse box under the hood of the engine less cruiser to run items such as heated fuel filter and glow plug heater.
Mounted 2 lawnmower/ford style solenoids in the bay, one for starter other for glow plugs.
Installed a GM headlight relay for the electric fuel filter heater.
Drained fuel tank/cleaned lines.
Removed the last of the Smog system/anything gas related that i no longer need.
Ran wiring for new items being added. Cleaned up some rust under the battery tray.
Hopefully UPS will bring me a package from AA today so i can put the engine in the bay. Looks like i might possibly be able to re-use factory motor mount brackets but i won't know 100% until i can bolt my ranger OD on.
Still need to finish my wiring for the electric fan.
Got custom power steering resevrior bracket made, now i just have to mount her in the bay and plum the return line.
Found that the stock tranny mount is broken, got to order a new one. The stock clutch slave/master cyl were also leaking slightly. I need a pre 86 slave cyl anyway so i have the adjustable tip. It's also got a smaller body which will clear the HUGE diesel startetr much better.
Mounted 2 lawnmower/ford style solenoids in the bay, one for starter other for glow plugs.
Installed a GM headlight relay for the electric fuel filter heater.
Drained fuel tank/cleaned lines.
Removed the last of the Smog system/anything gas related that i no longer need.
Ran wiring for new items being added. Cleaned up some rust under the battery tray.
Hopefully UPS will bring me a package from AA today so i can put the engine in the bay. Looks like i might possibly be able to re-use factory motor mount brackets but i won't know 100% until i can bolt my ranger OD on.
Still need to finish my wiring for the electric fan.
Got custom power steering resevrior bracket made, now i just have to mount her in the bay and plum the return line.
Found that the stock tranny mount is broken, got to order a new one. The stock clutch slave/master cyl were also leaking slightly. I need a pre 86 slave cyl anyway so i have the adjustable tip. It's also got a smaller body which will clear the HUGE diesel startetr much better.
I seem to have missed the post where you removed it? Figured a celebration was in order if you did.
Jeremy
dohcdelsol93
snoogans
I seem to have missed the post where you removed it? Figured a celebration was in order if you did.
Jeremy
The engine was removed last Monday or Tuesday. That was an hour of easy work. Now i've hit the hard stuff
Found that in 87 cruisers got a larger input shaft bearing so my ranger OD would not fit.
Had to buy a new back plate and have AA machine it to the larger size.
It will be in sometime this week. Once i can bolt my Ranger OD to my tranny i can bolt my engine to my bell housing and start the fitment.
I've done about all i can do until i get the ranger OD rear plate in.
That and if David wants that engine i need it picked up. The boss man is getting on to me saying this lawn mower shop is looking too much like a garage.
My last project of painting a honda del sol turned into stripping the car down to the frame. 3 months later of pushing a chasis in and out of the shop daily i had a once red car come out white.
I think he's trying to avoid me starting another 3 month job.
replaced the rear output shaft seal on tcase. Going to replace the front output shaft seal this sometime week. Drove it to work and back last night. Did great. Gotta flush that heater core though. brrrrr!
Southeast Overland
Get lost! Go explore!
Wheeled it in some snow.
AND NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT MY UBER AWESOME NAVIGATOR - JOHN LEE!!!!!!
AND NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT MY UBER AWESOME NAVIGATOR - JOHN LEE!!!!!!
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Got my tire carrier unloaded last night and took some quick measurements. From a quick inspection at 11:00 pm last night looks like it will bolt right up. I will lose my tail lights, which is fine because I was going to have to remove them while wheeling anyway so I don't lose them. Looks like I will just mount some LED under the main swing bar. I will have to cut off the center bore that holds the tire up while you line up the lugs as it is 5.125" for 8 lug Chevy, that and remove the studs and re drill for the 6 lug rims. No biggie. Should work out nice. And it is a heavy biatch. Just the mounts on each end weigh over 25 lbs. ea.
Jeremy
Jeremy
Put a THC carb on the 40 to replace the tired 35 year old one that had been one there. Purrs like a kitten...
- Thread starter
- #339
not entirely truck related but....
I went backpacking, leaving Dig-Dug at Newfound Gap for approximately 30 hrs. We had every intention of camping for 2 nights, but the weather took its toll on us. My friend Brian and I left Newfound Gap around 1pm on Friday and headed up the AT. Being on the ridgeline between TN and NC and at almost 6000 ft. it was blustery and frozen.
The Appalachian Trail was covered in large patches of ice that looked like a frozen creek down the middle of the trail. Our first turn was onto the Sweat Heifer Creek Trail southward. It was a really well maintained and easy downhill hike to our first night's camp at Kephart Prong shelter (3500ft). The shelter has seen some improvements since my last time up here about 8 years ago. First they enlarged the canopy over the front and widened the fireplace. The old shelter was not as deep and had a chainlink fence (which was now gone) on the front to keep bears out. The old fireplace was about the size of a glove box and you could only stick a couple of piece of kindling in it. So very happy that it turned around for the best.
The next morning we got up around 9, by 9:30 it was sleeting heavily (which we weren't expecting until well into the afternoon based on the weather reports we checked before the trip) and were on the trail around 10. It sleeted all morning but was not melting, so we continued our trek up the Grassy Branch Trail, climbing 2500 ft in 2.5 miles. The challenge was staying warm without over dressing and sweating. The sleet was off and on throughout the morning but still sticking dry. We were both wearing a couple layers and taking breaks about every 250-300 foot gain. Stopped at the top of this hellish climb and ate a couple of power bars.
We started down the Dry Sluice Gap trail and the sleet had become rain and ground temps were right 34* so everything was just slush. Saw a bunch of gear on the side of the trail that someone ditched recently on their way through. We picked through it briefly to discover: a couple of cotton sweatshirts and t-shirts, a cotton hoody, a ziploc bag of toiletries, and bedroom f-ing slippers! No wonder they ditched this worthless crap. Within an hour my goretex jacket was clinging to me and my buddy's boots were soaked through. The plan was to hike to Cabin Flats campsite (about 6mi hike) that afternoon and then hoof it out the next morning. Already we were discussing what Plan B was going to be.
We decided we would take a look at the camp site first, which was up a little half mile spur trail and then decide whether we were going to hunker down for the night. We dropped our packs at the intersection and quickly strolled down to the site. The campsite was a complete 180 from the shelter. The site was overused and completely picked over for fire wood. We could even see where people had cut down trees. It was after 3pm and the rain was not stopping. With no wood on the ground for a fire, we decided that we still had enough daylight to trek all the way to our final destination without camping.
So back to our packs and fighting daylight, we hauled azz. My ankle was barking at me (stress fracture in Sept) and we were going to end up covering over a 13 miles in one day with 30lbs on our backs. We got back at 6pm which is o'dark-thirty up there and threw our gear into my buddy's SUV. We pulled out onto 441 and immediately a ranger pulls over right in front of us with blue lights flashing. He gets out and waves us down. I roll down the window and he says we're closing the road, are y'all going over to Gatlinburg? I say, no we're going up to the gap to get my truck. And he says well you just made it, because I'm locking the gate behind me and following y'all up to chase down any stragglers.
Man, we almost wound up spending the night anyway! We got to the top and now I know why they close it. The ride up was dark but nothing dangerous until we got within 400 yards of the peak. We couldn't see 6 ft in front of us. The fog was so thick near the parking lot, I look out my passenger window and tell Brian which way to follow the curb into the lot. We couldn't even see my truck when we first pulled in. We kept following the curbs until we got to where my truck was parked. The ranger whipped around like he had it memorized and followed us back down to the gate. They let us out and we looked for the first open restaurant which turned out to be a Waffle House. I had 3 cups of coffee, a bacon-egg sandwich and SSC hashbrowns. Made it home by 10:30 Saturday night and slept in my soft warm bed with very sore legs.
Cat, on the other hand, spent all day Saturday at ACC where she and Dugan got the sbc 350 to turn over and screeeeaaaammmmm! YES!!! (some say they even saw shooting flames)
I went backpacking, leaving Dig-Dug at Newfound Gap for approximately 30 hrs. We had every intention of camping for 2 nights, but the weather took its toll on us. My friend Brian and I left Newfound Gap around 1pm on Friday and headed up the AT. Being on the ridgeline between TN and NC and at almost 6000 ft. it was blustery and frozen.
The Appalachian Trail was covered in large patches of ice that looked like a frozen creek down the middle of the trail. Our first turn was onto the Sweat Heifer Creek Trail southward. It was a really well maintained and easy downhill hike to our first night's camp at Kephart Prong shelter (3500ft). The shelter has seen some improvements since my last time up here about 8 years ago. First they enlarged the canopy over the front and widened the fireplace. The old shelter was not as deep and had a chainlink fence (which was now gone) on the front to keep bears out. The old fireplace was about the size of a glove box and you could only stick a couple of piece of kindling in it. So very happy that it turned around for the best.
The next morning we got up around 9, by 9:30 it was sleeting heavily (which we weren't expecting until well into the afternoon based on the weather reports we checked before the trip) and were on the trail around 10. It sleeted all morning but was not melting, so we continued our trek up the Grassy Branch Trail, climbing 2500 ft in 2.5 miles. The challenge was staying warm without over dressing and sweating. The sleet was off and on throughout the morning but still sticking dry. We were both wearing a couple layers and taking breaks about every 250-300 foot gain. Stopped at the top of this hellish climb and ate a couple of power bars.
We started down the Dry Sluice Gap trail and the sleet had become rain and ground temps were right 34* so everything was just slush. Saw a bunch of gear on the side of the trail that someone ditched recently on their way through. We picked through it briefly to discover: a couple of cotton sweatshirts and t-shirts, a cotton hoody, a ziploc bag of toiletries, and bedroom f-ing slippers! No wonder they ditched this worthless crap. Within an hour my goretex jacket was clinging to me and my buddy's boots were soaked through. The plan was to hike to Cabin Flats campsite (about 6mi hike) that afternoon and then hoof it out the next morning. Already we were discussing what Plan B was going to be.
We decided we would take a look at the camp site first, which was up a little half mile spur trail and then decide whether we were going to hunker down for the night. We dropped our packs at the intersection and quickly strolled down to the site. The campsite was a complete 180 from the shelter. The site was overused and completely picked over for fire wood. We could even see where people had cut down trees. It was after 3pm and the rain was not stopping. With no wood on the ground for a fire, we decided that we still had enough daylight to trek all the way to our final destination without camping.
So back to our packs and fighting daylight, we hauled azz. My ankle was barking at me (stress fracture in Sept) and we were going to end up covering over a 13 miles in one day with 30lbs on our backs. We got back at 6pm which is o'dark-thirty up there and threw our gear into my buddy's SUV. We pulled out onto 441 and immediately a ranger pulls over right in front of us with blue lights flashing. He gets out and waves us down. I roll down the window and he says we're closing the road, are y'all going over to Gatlinburg? I say, no we're going up to the gap to get my truck. And he says well you just made it, because I'm locking the gate behind me and following y'all up to chase down any stragglers.
Man, we almost wound up spending the night anyway! We got to the top and now I know why they close it. The ride up was dark but nothing dangerous until we got within 400 yards of the peak. We couldn't see 6 ft in front of us. The fog was so thick near the parking lot, I look out my passenger window and tell Brian which way to follow the curb into the lot. We couldn't even see my truck when we first pulled in. We kept following the curbs until we got to where my truck was parked. The ranger whipped around like he had it memorized and followed us back down to the gate. They let us out and we looked for the first open restaurant which turned out to be a Waffle House. I had 3 cups of coffee, a bacon-egg sandwich and SSC hashbrowns. Made it home by 10:30 Saturday night and slept in my soft warm bed with very sore legs.
Cat, on the other hand, spent all day Saturday at ACC where she and Dugan got the sbc 350 to turn over and screeeeaaaammmmm! YES!!! (some say they even saw shooting flames)
No upgrades or repairs to my rig....but:
1- Gave a good rundown to my sliders and rear bumper. Sliders have gouges and scrapes all over on both sides and even a good dent on bottom. proved that bolt on sliders are every bit as solid and secure as welded sliders.
2- did not hit my rear bumper one time no matter what I went across or tried to climb...
3- drove the DIRTY DIVA in sleet, rain, snow and temps in 20s
Front bumper should be here in a week or so...
1- Gave a good rundown to my sliders and rear bumper. Sliders have gouges and scrapes all over on both sides and even a good dent on bottom. proved that bolt on sliders are every bit as solid and secure as welded sliders.
2- did not hit my rear bumper one time no matter what I went across or tried to climb...
3- drove the DIRTY DIVA in sleet, rain, snow and temps in 20s
Front bumper should be here in a week or so...
