I really have a hankering for hitting some trails. South island anywhere. Something a bit more on the technical/rough side? Or just getting to some nice/remote places. Anyone up for getting out for a day?
Wheeling?
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Some memories....
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- #4
Can hit some trails when you're back too Jon!
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I'm absolutely up for another Hidden Lake trip this year. Already sorted that out with swmbo. The trip in those pics above was an excellent time; one of my favorite.
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Fixed it.
Thanks for the invite... I’d love to come, but can’t get away at this time. Love the pics... sure reminds me why I’ve got a 40... makes me want to ignore all my responsibilities, throw caution to the wind, and get away 
Picked up a tool to help with “yard work”. The bonus will be it’ll also work well for clearing overgrowth off trails, etc. Only downside is its about 2 m in length so perhaps the chainsaw would fit better. The notion of an 8” carbide blade spinning at 10,000 rpm is both fun (& scary). “Safer” than a chainsaw because the part that’ll cut limbs off is anchored 1.5 meters away.
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Nice! Those are very handy to have around. I'd like to use one of those on the blackberries growing over the rental house next to me - at 6 in the morning when the lazy fellas are trying to sleep in.
I used a stihl version to clear brush off old roads when I was a kid.
I've got a stihl 034 I lug around for bigger stuff that's in the way. Smaller stuff I just drive over. 'brushes' all the grease/oil off the bottom of my truck.
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I'd be up to it depending on when and where. If I'm off work I'd go.
Nice! Those are very handy to have around. I'd like to use one of those on the blackberries growing over the rental house next to me - at 6 in the morning when the lazy fellas are trying to sleep in.
I used a stihl version to clear brush off old roads when I was a kid.
I've got a stihl 034 I lug around for bigger stuff that's in the way. Smaller stuff I just drive over. 'brushes' all the grease/oil off the bottom of my truck.
Its been sitting for a couple years so it’ll need some TLC... after it’s not oozing gas when tipped the wrong way, you’re welcome to borrow it to clean up the yard. I’d suggest waiting till 7:30 or whenever bylaw enforcement won’t freak on you. The renters will still be equally happy. If you want we could also compare our Chainsaws, weed eaters, and the bush cutter to see what works best for various tasks around the yard
Do you have some trees that need to be cut up into rounds?
On a different day you can come over to my place and we piss off my neighbours who called bylaw enforcement because the grass in my back yard got too long. I’d cut it before they came... now bylaw is wants me to clean up the pile of grass clippings that are in a back corner of the yard because my green bin was full. I need a taller fence... one my pretentious, pain in the ass neighbours can’t see over. While I’m at it, 10’ high and concrete. Preferably sound proof. The neighbours got all excited and pissed off when, for the first time in 8 years, my dog barked in the yard for a couple minutes... 8 years. She never barks... never did until Covid at least. After listening to their garage band almost every weekend for the last 14 years... till 11 at night or later.
Sorry... rant over
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Its been sitting for a couple years so it’ll need some TLC... after it’s not oozing gas when tipped the wrong way, you’re welcome to borrow it to clean up the yard. I’d suggest waiting till 7:30 or whenever bylaw enforcement won’t freak on you. The renters will still be equally happy. If you want we could also compare our Chainsaws, weed eaters, and the bush cutter to see what works best for various tasks around the yard
Do you have some trees that need to be cut up into rounds?
On a different day you can come over to my place and we piss off my neighbours who called bylaw enforcement because the grass in my back yard got too long. I’d cut it before they came... now bylaw is wants me to clean up the pile of grass clippings that are in a back corner of the yard because my green bin was full. I need a taller fence... one my pretentious, pain in the ass neighbours can’t see over. While I’m at it, 10’ high and concrete. Preferably sound proof. The neighbours got all excited and pissed off when, for the first time in 8 years, my dog barked in the yard for a couple minutes... 8 years. She never barks... never did until Covid at least. After listening to their garage band almost every weekend for the last 14 years... till 11 at night or later.
Sorry... rant over
Neighbors are fun aren't they! Thanks for the offer of borrowing the brush cutter. My neighbors like the blackberries as they hide their activities...LOL. I was just joking about heading over there in the morning.
Anyhow, back to wheeling chat....
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- #16
Right on! We'll be in touch. Are you ever free week days? Sometimes that's the easiest time for me to get away. And I'm fine with driving up to Cowichan area if that makes it easier. I don't really know the trails up there though - so would be relying on you in that regard.
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Those things are the cat's ass for broom.
I removed a forest of it out back when we moved in. Old growth broom with 3" diameter stumps. If you scalp it flush with the ground when it's flowering it doesn't grow back, and the roots rot away in a year or two...the hundred million seeds on the ground are another matter. Apparently they stay viable for at least 60-80 years so it's pretty much impossible to fully eradicate. All you can do is make sure nothing flowers and no new seeds are dropped.
Wish they'd deal with it more intelligently with the highway crews. Mow that s*** down when it's flowering, not in mid summer when they're just helping spread the seeds. Or , crazy idea, treat it like an invasive species.
/rant.
Little Stihl I have the sawblade mounted on is just about dead now from all the broom killing abuse. When it dies I think I'm going to go for one of the multi tool ones. There's quite a few attachments I'd have a use for, and I'm well into the double digits on small engines around my place. Be nice to cut that down a bit.
As for wheeling, I wouldn't mind something mild...I definitely need a bit of a shake down run. See how many things I need to readjust or weld back on afterwards...
but first I have to see if I've found my shimmy, or I won't be going far.
Gets pretty savage above 80. I readjusted the toe, tightened up the steering box and the wheel bearings. They were actually quite loose so I'm hoping they were the problem.
Got it up to 90 past the graveyard on cedar road ( seemed fitting ) and no shimmy, so I think I got it.
Need a proper highway burn to see for sure tho.
Those things are the cat's ass for broom.
I removed a forest of it out back when we moved in. Old growth broom with 3" diameter stumps. If you scalp it flush with the ground when it's flowering it doesn't grow back, and the roots rot away in a year or two...the hundred million seeds on the ground are another matter. Apparently they stay viable for at least 60-80 years so it's pretty much impossible to fully eradicate. All you can do is make sure nothing flowers and no new seeds are dropped.
Wish they'd deal with it more intelligently with the highway crews. Mow that s*** down when it's flowering, not in mid summer when they're just helping spread the seeds. Or , crazy idea, treat it like an invasive species.
/rant.
Little Stihl I have the sawblade mounted on is just about dead now from all the broom killing abuse. When it dies I think I'm going to go for one of the multi tool ones. There's quite a few attachments I'd have a use for, and I'm well into the double digits on small engines around my place. Be nice to cut that down a bit.
As for wheeling, I wouldn't mind something mild...I definitely need a bit of a shake down run. See how many things I need to readjust or weld back on afterwards...
but first I have to see if I've found my shimmy, or I won't be going far.
Gets pretty savage above 80. I readjusted the toe, tightened up the steering box and the wheel bearings. They were actually quite loose so I'm hoping they were the problem.
Got it up to 90 past the graveyard on cedar road ( seemed fitting ) and no shimmy, so I think I got it.
Need a proper highway burn to see for sure tho.
I finished giving it a once over... replaced a cracked grommet, cleaned out the rust and water out of the pull start, and greased up the gear drive. I’ve got an 8” carbide blade and harness on the way. 1.8 hp engine spinning a steel rod and gear drive... connected to a carbide saw blade to spin it at 5-8k RPM. Fine piece of Japanese engineering that’ll cut through bush up to 3.5” in seconds.
Saw one video where they were comparing different blades. During the durability test the carbide blade cut all the way through the 2.5” steel pipe they were using to abuse each blade.
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I finished giving it a once over... replaced a cracked grommet, cleaned out the rust and water out of the pull start, and greased up the gear drive. I’ve got an 8” carbide blade and harness on the way. 1.8 hp engine spinning a steel rod and gear drive... connected to a carbide saw blade to spin it at 5-8k RPM. Fine piece of Japanese engineering that’ll cut through bush up to 3.5” in seconds.
Saw one video where they were comparing different blades. During the durability test the carbide blade cut all the way through the 2.5” steel pipe they were using to abuse each blade.
Thread hijack continues...
Mine isn't carbide, but it only takes a couple minutes to sharpen back up with a chainsaw file. Hit so many rocks scalping broom you pretty much have the file in pocket all day. Not sure how a carbide blade would react to rocks?
My stihl is the smallest straight shaft , and they say not to even put one of these blades on it, but it works great as long as you rev the grandmother out of it first. I got it cheap and used, so my give a s*** for it's complaints is low.
This was about an hour of cutting...
Lawn mower trailer with a 4x6 roof basket on top, piled as high as I could reach.
One of about 50 loads.
Burn pile was something...went from a rather frightening tower of flame to pile of ash in about 40 minutes.
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- #20
As for wheeling, I wouldn't mind something mild...I definitely need a bit of a shake down run. See how many things I need to readjust or weld back on afterwards...
but first I have to see if I've found my shimmy, or I won't be going far.
Gets pretty savage above 80. I readjusted the toe, tightened up the steering box and the wheel bearings. They were actually quite loose so I'm hoping they were the problem.
Got it up to 90 past the graveyard on cedar road ( seemed fitting ) and no shimmy, so I think I got it.
Need a proper highway burn to see for sure tho.
I've found death wobble is always worst around 80km/h - some sort of resonance speed or something. Stupid e-hub system in the 90+ JDM 70's does not lend it's self to proper wheel bearing preloading. The slip ring system has to line up in a particular spot. So I always had a slightly loose wheel bearing on one side. Wobble was bloody frightening at times with the old out of balance BFG M/T's I ran a few times years ago. Now that I've gone with manual hubs and proper bearing pre-load it's worlds better.
I bet yours is fine now that you've tightened everything and adjusted toe.
Sounds like we should try to organize something with audaciousduo then. The trick is always finding a day that works for everyone.
Although not ideal, I can make Weds, Thurs or Fri this week work, and likely Saturday also. The weekdays I can't leave Victoria until 9am (kid drop off), so not sure if you guys would be ok with a bit of a later start (10am if cowichan area).
Week of Aug 10th we're gone camping all week, so that won't work. Last couple weeks of August are pretty much free at this point though, and are much easier for me than this week would be.
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