TRS Event Ford Ranger 40th Anniversary - Truck Nationals - Carlisle PA

[Rick W]

Hi strangers. I got in very late Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, completely exhausted. First thing Wednesday morning I decided to drop my phone in the water which is why you haven’t heard from me. I just got the new phone today and just got it working about 7 o’clock. I’ll review everybody’s everything and post a couple things probably tomorrow or Monday. Just wanted to let you know I was still alive.

 

[sgtsandman]

Hi strangers. I got in very late Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, completely exhausted. First thing Wednesday morning I decided to drop my phone in the water which is why you haven’t heard from me. I just got the new phone today and just got it working about 7 o’clock. I’ll review everybody’s everything and post a couple things probably tomorrow or Monday. Just wanted to let you know I was still alive.

Who are you again? Have we met?

 

[Rick W]

I was the old guy sitting across from you, sleeping in the chair…

A couple thoughts after reading the comments:

On the tow dolly, you can pick them up around here (if you watch Craigslist) for 3 or $400 pretty regularly. Check the bearings, make sure you’ve got good tires, and make sure you’ve got a spare. Use it, then paint it with - wait for it - rustoleum, and sell it for what you paid for it or more.

On using them, I’ve only used them a couple times, but we used to use them at work regularly. If we had long halls, it’s my understanding the guys always let about 2/3 of the air out of the tires. That way the strap gripped, but you still had enough air to roll it on and off.

Also, I used to tow a Volkswagen beetle with a tow bar, and the front wheels would always want to jump back-and-forth, I never figured out why. I would center them up, and then use a ratchet strap to hold the steering wheel in the center, and never had the problem again. Even if your steering wheel is off, you can center up the wheels, pretty much, and then tie off the steering wheel to the bottom of the seat or something, can’t you?

None of this is criticism in anyway, just information.

Next, Jim, let me know where I can send some tent money. I talked to @ericbphoto when I got there, but I was exhausted, and then I forgot to follow up. Just let me know.

Back to the tow dolly, I’ve done the same thing with car trailers too. Buy one cheap, check the bearings and tires to make sure it’s safe, get a “R&B“ spare or two, use it, paint it, and sell it for a profit. It takes a little work, but when I look at the fits you had with your tires, the torn fender, the stress, etc., if you buy one, fix it, paint it and sell it, it’s less stress and more successful perhaps. But remember this is from guy who is mostly retired, doesn’t have to work a day job anymore.

 

[Rick W]

As regards my adventure, I checked all the fluids in the truck before I left, and as I was doing the trailer, I had pulled all the wheel hubs, cleaned the bearings and re-packed them. But I never thought to do that on the new (old) axle on the truck.

I think it would’ve done fine, but the roads were so incredibly bad up around the GW bridge, I think it literally smashed the bearing to death. I lost the inner bearing on the left side. Fortunately, the way that rear axle was built, I could take the wheel and hub completely off and drive it safely with just the wheel on the other side. I did that, until I got down by my son, by Toms River, New Jersey.

Then I lucked out and found an axle repair place with a “the ranger station“ type guy running it. He had to cut the bearing piece off with a die grinder, but fortunately he had a brand new hub he didn’t want sitting in his shed of miracles. He polished up the scuffed up shaft, put the new hub on after cutting the old one off, and charged me a whopping 50 bucks. I never expected that up north. I tipped the guy with the dye grinder a 20.

But that wasn’t the end of the adventure. I was back near Carlisle on the way home when I started to hear a whine, sounded like it was coming from a wheel. I got out the drivers door, and immediately put my hand on the one that was just replaced, but the wheel was still cool. I kept walking around the back to axles on this side, then that side, then the extra truck axle, then the truck axle and the front axle, everything was cool. Then I walked around to the driver side, front wheel, and you could fry an egg on It. Fortunately, I found an open auto parts place, and I swapped that front bearing in the parking lot.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, except for the lousy weather, and incredibly dangerous construction.

Two things amazed me about the trip. First was how tough that little truck was. That 4.0 and the five speed transmission with the stage two clutch were bulletproof. It was like driving an automatic after I got up to speed. Very impressed.

The other thing was Lincoln. I can’t believe how good he was pretty much hanging out in the passenger seat, etc. etc. It’s the longest he’s ever been on a trip with me.

Sorry to all you other guys if he was nipping at you, that’s his breed till he gets comfortable. Next year we should stay for a week or two and he’ll get to know you.!

 

[Rick W]

As regards my adventure, I checked all the fluids in the truck before I left, and as I was doing the trailer, I had pulled all the wheel hubs, cleaned the bearings and re-packed them. But I never thought to do that on the new (old) axle on the truck.

I think it would’ve done fine, but the roads were so incredibly bad up around the GW bridge, I think it literally smashed the bearing to death. I lost the inner bearing on the left side. Fortunately, the way that rear axle was built, I could take the wheel and hub completely off and drive it safely with just the wheel on the other side. I did that, until I got down by my son, by Toms River, New Jersey.

Then I lucked out and found an axle repair place with a “the ranger station“ type guy running yet. He had to cut the bearing piece off with a die grinder, but fortunately he had a brand new complete hub thhe didn’t want sitting in his shed of miracles. He polished up the scuffed up shaft, put the new hub on after cutting the old one off, and charged me a whopping 50 bucks. I never expected that up north. I tipped the guy with the Di grinder a 20.

But that wasn’t the end of the adventure, I was back near Carlisle on the way home when I started hear a whine, sounded like it was coming from a wheel. I got out the drivers door, and immediately put my hand on the one that was just replaced, but the wheel was still cool. I kept walking around the back to axles on this side, then that side than the extra truck axle, then the truck axle and the front axle, everything was cool. Then I walked around to the driver side, front wheel, and you could fry an egg on It. Fortunately, I found an open auto parts place, and I swapped that front bearing in the parking lot.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, except for the lousy weather, and incredibly dangerous construction.

Two things amazed me about the trip. First was how tough that little truck was. That 4.0 and the five speed transmission with the stage two clutch we are bulletproof, it was like driving an automatic after I got up to speed. Very impressed.

The other thing was Lincoln. I can’t believe how good he was pretty much hanging out in the passenger seat, etc. etc. It’s the longest he’s ever been on a trip with me.

Sorry to all you other guys if he was nipping at you, that’s his breed till he gets comfortable. Next year we should stay for a week or two and he’ll get to know you.!

 

[Roert42]

sleeping in the chair…

Yeah, sleeping….. definitely not blathering about putting rubber bands in his 8track machines and listening to def leprechaun or something.

was just over there sleeping the whole time.

 

[Rick W]

Yeah, sleeping….. definitely not blathering about putting rubber bands in his 8track machines and listening to def leprechaun or something.

was just over there sleeping the whole time.

Funny, you should say that, sweet pea says I talk in my sleep a little

 

[Jim Oaks]

I added an album called Carlisle 2023 and posted 40 pics or so. I have about 250, but they’re mostly duplicates of what I already posted. (I had my camera on burst and it just keeps taking pics until you release the button.)

Link?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Link?

https://www.therangerstation.com/forums/index.php?media/albums/carlisle-2023.25/

 

[Jim Oaks]

Sorry, I'm new here.

 

[snoranger]

As regards my adventure, I checked all the fluids in the truck before I left, and as I was doing the trailer, I had pulled all the wheel hubs, cleaned the bearings and re-packed them. But I never thought to do that on the new (old) axle on the truck.

I think it would’ve done fine, but the roads were so incredibly bad up around the GW bridge, I think it literally smashed the bearing to death. I lost the inner bearing on the left side. Fortunately, the way that rear axle was built, I could take the wheel and hub completely off and drive it safely with just the wheel on the other side. I did that, until I got down by my son, by Toms River, New Jersey.

Then I lucked out and found an axle repair place with a “the ranger station“ type guy running yet. He had to cut the bearing piece off with a die grinder, but fortunately he had a brand new complete hub thhe didn’t want sitting in his shed of miracles. He polished up the scuffed up shaft, put the new hub on after cutting the old one off, and charged me a whopping 50 bucks. I never expected that up north. I tipped the guy with the Di grinder a 20.

But that wasn’t the end of the adventure, I was back near Carlisle on the way home when I started hear a whine, sounded like it was coming from a wheel. I got out the drivers door, and immediately put my hand on the one that was just replaced, but the wheel was still cool. I kept walking around the back to axles on this side, then that side than the extra truck axle, then the truck axle and the front axle, everything was cool. Then I walked around to the driver side, front wheel, and you could fry an egg on It. Fortunately, I found an open auto parts place, and I swapped that front bearing in the parking lot.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, except for the lousy weather, and incredibly dangerous construction.

Two things amazed me about the trip. First was how tough that little truck was. That 4.0 and the five speed transmission with the stage two clutch we are bulletproof, it was like driving an automatic after I got up to speed. Very impressed.

The other thing was Lincoln. I can’t believe how good he was pretty much hanging out in the passenger seat, etc. etc. It’s the longest he’s ever been on a trip with me.

Sorry to all you other guys if he was nipping at you, that’s his breed till he gets comfortable. Next year we should stay for a week or two and he’ll get to know you.!

If you were having issues in Toms River you should have called me… I work in Toms River.

 

[snoranger]

Link?

Yeah… what he said.

I even tagged you in one of the pics.

https://www.therangerstation.com/forums/index.php?media/albums/carlisle-2023.25/

 

[Rick W]

If you were having issues in Toms River you should have called me… I work in Toms River.

I was actually further north, but that was the biggest town I could think of. I did think of you, but I stumbled up on this guy and he took care of it in 45 minutes for $50, never looked back.

 

[snoranger]

I was actually further north, but that was the biggest town I could think of. I did think of you, but I stumbled up on this guy and he took care of it in 45 minutes for $50, never looked back.

You got it fixed cheap and I didn’t have to do anything. Sounds like a win to me.

 

[RobbieD]

Sorry, I'm new here.

That's OK.

Just watch out for that Jim Oaks guy; he thinks he owns the place.