What did YOU do today?

[OK Phidaux]

new member, changed my spark plugs on my "new" 98 3.0 with 101k on the clock, it wasn't running that bad, only an occasional misfire detectable with an automatic tranny. old plug gaps ranged from 0.065 to 0.085 my guess is they were original plugs. had to re-gap new plugs from auto parts store to match emissions sticker 0.042 to 0.046. It was 80° degrees outside today so just worked in shade instead of jockeying cars in and out of the garage. have not checked after dark to see if any wires are arcing, two appear to have been replaced. Took about 3 beers and 2 hours to complete.

 

[Bill]

I drove from Sacramento to Fresno last night while driving into 40 mph wind and rain. I filled up the gas tank this morning. I got 24.3 mpg. That's low for my Duratec. The wind, rain, and water on the road created enough drag to destroy my fuel economy on this trip. However, the new tires kept a good grip on the wet road.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Today was the second christmas with the inlaws so that took up a portion of the day but not a bad time. After I got home I continued the tool cleanup process from the other day, kept some for myself but a bulk will go to my brother or whatever of that he wants... put a handful of small files through the sonic cleaner to see how many are usable as is, a few need a vinegar bath to de rust and sharpen (nifty trick). Then I spent too much time fixing a junk pipe vise that should probably have just gone in the scrap pile as it's the lightest duty pipe vise I've ever seen... but hey, welding, bending and tinkering time is fun so what the heck... Tomorrow I'll do a little bit of grinding to clearance for the moving jaw then I get to install the 5 bolts and it'll be done... welding cast iron might not be the best idea but it's definitely in less pieces now

 

[JohnnyO]

Tire chains for the snowblower arrived from Amazon. Old snowblower had smaller tires and the chains wouldn't fit on the new one. If you've never tried it, they're a game changer.

 

[pacstud]

Strut assemblies arrived yesterday for wife's car. Decided to get ambitious and put em on last night. Glad I did, wind chill going to put us in the double digit negatives today with blowing drifts of snow. Yuck.

 

[sgtsandman]

After getting the utility trailer back in the driveway, I started prepping the 2'X2"x1/4" square tubing, that will serve as a cross member for the new suspension, for paint. The sanding and priming has been completed. I'm hoping to get the painting done tomorrow so it has time to cure before I start actually installing the suspension and drilling holes for the 1/2" bolts that will hold it and the suspension in place.

Quite a bit of work has to be done before I get that far. The fenders and brush guard/steps need to be removed so I can mark the position of the current spindles on the frame. Another reason they have to be removed is that I'm going to have to make spacers to move the brush guard/steps way from the frame to clear the suspension mount flanges after the suspension has been installed. The new suspension mounting flanges are 3/16" or 1/4" steel plate. So the current configuration will never clear and I don't want to weaken the brush guard/steps by cutting the angle iron that makes up their structure.

Needless to say, the paint should be nicely cured by the time I get to working on the new pieces.

 

[sgtsandman]

The 2011 has gotten it yearly permission slip from the state to be operated on public roads this morning. $80 to get a vehicle emissions tested and have a safety inspection this year.

I take the 2019 to get it's permission slip in the afternoon after taking my latest DD-214 to the VA office at the Country Court House.

The generators were given their quarterly run and I finally had the chance to drain the fuel out of the lawn mower and the string trimmer, then let the things run until they were fuel starved.

I also have the kerosene heaters in the garage running so the paint and cross frame metal are are warm enough to paint. That last part is probably going to take a little bit. I'll periodically go in the garage and check on how things are progressing.

 

[youngbuckwithapickuptruck]

i went to a chain autoshop for a free alignment check and tipped the guy $20 for doing it. but then he went full service and spent a while checking my full undercarriage. shop was empty though. dick move or no?

he gave me this read out on the attached image. considering my steering wheel is pointing a tiny bit counterclockwise towards the left, should i loosen my tierod end one full rotation on the driverside to set the steering wheel centered? or do i have it backwards and the passengerside tierod end be loosened a full rotation?

 

[youngbuckwithapickuptruck]

also finished rebuilding this ramp that burned down, cuase someone was living inside my aerostar

i want to haul a big bag of gravel from home depot 45miles away. are they really only $30 for a giant bag? is there a deposit on the bags? i hear theyre 1100lb bags or possibly upwards of 3/4ton? whats the proper way to strap them to one of these harbor freight trailers (haulmaster 1720)? which type gravel should i use for mixing my own concrete?

 

[Li'l Work Truck]

I'm sitting in the kitchen on a PTO day with a list of things to do, sipping on a homemade chai my wife made for me, knowing that there's only so much procrastination allowed in a day before work must be done. That's pretty much the amount of time it's going to take to finish this drink, make a deposit to the Bank of Flushing (conveniently located ATM in the bathroom), and break into my tools before setting off on an attempt to get a tire replaced for my wife's 2013 Abarth.

Good day to you all.

 

[sgtsandman]

also finished rebuilding this ramp that burned down, cuase someone was living inside my aerostar

i want to haul a big bag of gravel from home depot 45miles away. are they really only $30 for a giant bag? is there a deposit on the bags? i hear theyre 1100lb bags or possibly upwards of 3/4ton? whats the proper way to strap them to one of these harbor freight trailers (haulmaster 1720)? which type gravel should i use for mixing my own concrete?

I'm not exactly sure how the whole bag thing works. So, I can't help you there.

Be careful on the loading of the trailer, gravel weight adds up real fast. The max weight on the VIN plate includes the weight of the trailer. So, if you don't know what that is, weigh it before you load it. Scrap metal places and gravel yards will often allow people to weigh their vehicles on their scale for free or a small fee.

Over loading the trailer can cause the axle to bend, even if it otherwise seems to be towing fine. Then the only fix is to replace the axle. A bent axle will cause tire wear on the inside of the tire, kind of like what you see when the toe is out of alignment on a vehicle.

 

[Li'l Work Truck]

i want to haul a big bag of gravel from home depot 45miles away. ...i hear theyre 1100lb bags or possibly upwards of 3/4ton? whats the proper way to strap them to one of these harbor freight trailers (haulmaster 1720)?

I suggest building side rails and make sure whatever floor you put on that can handle the weight between the supports. Tarp the load and use over-rated ratchets - at least 4 of them. Ratchet under the side rails so as not to bend the steel of the trailer and keep constant contact with the load. Make sure the anti-fold bolts are installed. That weight is about the most I'd put on that trailer. I'd run back home with your flashers on, or take the slow way back, whichever is better.

I did, however, move a classroom-style piano on that trailer, behind a Ford Festiva with a manual trans... I had pictures. If pushed, I may go looking for them.

 

[sgtsandman]

i went to a chain autoshop for a free alignment check and tipped the guy $20 for doing it. but then he went full service and spent a while checking my full undercarriage. shop was empty though. dick move or no?

he gave me this read out on the attached image. considering my steering wheel is pointing a tiny bit counterclockwise towards the left, should i loosen my tierod end one full rotation on the driverside to set the steering wheel centered? or do i have it backwards and the passengerside tierod end be loosened a full rotation?

If they were doing a proper alignment, they should have done it in such a way that the steering wheel is straight. A little goes a long way as far as alignment adjustments go. So, I wouldn't mess with it. You could take it back to the shop and ask them to straighten the steering wheel, like they should have done in the first place or live with it. Since you paid for an alignment, they should make the correction at no charge.

 

[youngbuckwithapickuptruck]

Since you paid for an alignment, they should make the correction at no charge.

i recently did the steering rack myself and eyeballed the toe. then i went in for a free alignment *check*, tipped $20 and then asked for the printout.
my steering wheel is a full rotation out, i know this cuase i snapped my clockspring /facepalm.

i left the truck on the stock bottlejack while i went out for breakfast, this windy, dusty morning. now there is sand all over it, and i only noticed after closing it ...how do i remedy this situation?

 

[sgtsandman]

For the clock spring, there should be videos on Youtube that will take you step by step. Too detailed to put in a forum post. There might be a "how to" article in the tech section of the website. The job normally isn't hard but it's still more than one can properly describe in a post without detailed instructions and a bunch of pictures.

For the correcting the steering position, whichever way it is off, tighten one side and loosen the other the same amount until you get the steering close. Without an alignment rack, close is the best you are going to get. In the end, it's going to need an alignment by a shop to get it totally correct.