I think the t-case is buttoned up, it is staying dry for now anyway. I did a tune up on it yesterday, it was kind of fun changing all 8 spark plugs AND the fuel filter for about $30 and in less than an hour:
I have noticed some slobbering below the headers, I didn't now if it was valve cover seepage and the headers just kept it cooked off or what. So I change the plugs and the new ones that both the manager of O'Reillys and Rockauto say should fit my heads look totally different than those that were in the truck. Looks like the seepage was because there was no way for the plugs to properly seal. And then they protrude a lot more too. Looks like they were running nicely otherwise though, all 8 had a nice toasted marshmallow look to them. They haven't been out of the truck since the head swap in 2012.
I also noticed my rubber vacuum cap must not like engine heat:
And I drove it back up to Omaha today. It had a pretty decent load of gear to simulate its loadout for the trip.
Something isn't quite right in the rear suspension, I don't know if it is over sprung or undershocked or what. If I hit a good bump at highway speed it wants to kick the rear out some. That is probably my biggest snafu at the moment and one not easily remedied in a week and a half. If that is the worst thing I have to cope with I guess I can live with it.
It was kind of funny, I stopped to get gas on my way out of town this morning. I had filled it and left my truck at the pump (only one there) and went in to grab a pop. A lifted Rubicon Jk parked at the pump beside mine facing the same direction. Illionois plates, he had a offroad teardrop camper, the interlocking gas cans, maxtrax, mounted hi-lift jack, bunch of stickers... like a real deal overlander or as close to it as you get in Iowa. I was gawking at the Jeep as I waited in line inside and while the guy filled his Jeep I noticed he was continually gawking at my Ranger. We met outside the door not saying anything and I went over and talked to my wife a bit at her car and handed off the sweet tea she ordered. He walked back out still gawking at my truck. I wish I was out there when he was filling, i don't know what was so interesting about a 34yo truck with a small lift, mud tires and a topper because to most people that is what it is. He didn't hear it run, a laymen wouldn't know the axles have been swapped and not really a biggie wow thing if you do know. No big lift screaming for attention. Bed full of gear in totes is concealed by a topper. As someone that had every whiz-bang offroad thing there is the more I think about it the more I wonder what was so interesting.