1993 Splash in SC

[Curious Hound]

I didn't realize you left the Navy so young. IDK why I thought you were a career guy.

6 years was enough. The sub was fun. The Navy, not so much.

 

[sgtsandman]

I didn't realize you left the Navy so young. IDK why I thought you were a career guy.

I'm one of the few stupid enough to go career.

 

[sgtsandman]

Just for fun...
Added an altimeter with roll indicator. Ive6been wanting an aircraft altimeter to install. But working used models are more expensive than I want to pay. This was more affordable. Is 15,000ft high enough?

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The 2019 already has the inclinometers built into the dash display, if you select the right setting. The altimeter would be neat. Of course, the 2011 would need this or a separate altimeter and a inclionometer for yaw and pitch.

 

[Curious Hound]

Well, the altimeter/inclinometer is getting returned. The mounting bracket wouldn't hold position in summer heat no matter how much I tightened the screw. I took it out of the truck and planned on epoxying it in position. I would have been happy with that. But as I turned it over in my hands in the shop, the damping fluid started leaking out of the inclinometer vial.

I would still like to find a reasonably priced used altimeter from a plane. That would be cool to install.

In other news, I cleaned and repacked the driver front wheel bearings. The rollers and races looked OK. Reinstalled. The passenger side had not had any water intrusion, but the o-ring on the hub flange was also broken. I'll drive it a week or 2 and then double check the bearing preload and do a front end alignment prior to the Colorado trip. I've got 2 weeks to accomplish that.

Also cleaned the inside of the windows and sprayed a red cross on my first aid kit to make it more obvious if someone else needs to find and grab it.

You can see the air pocket forming in the inclinometer vial.

 

[Robertmangrum.rm]

Well, the altimeter/inclinometer is getting returned. The mounting bracket wouldn't hold position in summer heat no matter how much I tightened the screw. I took it out of the truck and planned on epoxying it in position. I would have been happy with that. But as I turned it over in my hands in the shop, the damping fluid started leaking out of the inclinometer vial.

I would still like to find a reasonably priced used altimeter from a plane. That would be cool to install.

In other news, I cleaned and repacked the driver front wheel bearings. The rollers and races looked OK. Reinstalled. The passenger side had not had any water intrusion, but the o-ring on the hub flange was also broken. I'll drive it a week or 2 and then double check the bearing preload and do a front end alignment prior to the Colorado trip. I've got 2 weeks to accomplish that.

Also cleaned the inside of the windows and sprayed a red cross on my first aid kit to make it more obvious if someone else needs to find and grab it.

View attachment 131624

You can see the air pocket forming in the inclinometer vial.
View attachment 131623

My first aid kit is packed in an Adidas lunch box under the rear passenger seat. I've been looking at getting a first responder bag but haven't pulled the trigger as of yet.

 

[Blmpkn]

My first aid kit is packed in an Adidas lunch box under the rear passenger seat. I've been looking at getting a first responder bag but haven't pulled the trigger as of yet.

Someone send this guy an earth toned 600d nylon bag covered in molle straps STAT

 

[sgtsandman]

My first aid kit is packed in an Adidas lunch box under the rear passenger seat. I've been looking at getting a first responder bag but haven't pulled the trigger as of yet.

My truck has two now. A waterproof one mounted to the rack on the driver's side. I removed the flashlight and put a torniquet in it's place. We use head lamps and a regular handheld flashlight seems like a poor choice for a kit the generally needs both hands to use what is inside.

The other is strapped to the back of the passenger side head rest. It's a smaller kit but, like the fire extingushers, one is accessible from either side of the vehicle.

 

[Curious Hound]

Today's goal was to do the wheel alignment and rotate tires. Time was limited because I had a friend's wedding to attend this afternoon. I also needed to replace the damaged power feed flex conduit going to my heat pump.

So I jacked up the front driver side wheel. First, I tried pushing and pulling the top of the tire to feel for bearing play. Didn't detect any movement. So we'll call that good. Then, out of curiosity, I shook the wheel side to side to check for play in the steering linkage. Holy crap! No wonder the truck has been difficult to herd into one lane. I found 2 major issues. One was looseness in both pivots on the idler arm for the K link cross arm. (I donknow the names for these things. I just call them what they seem to be) the other was a very loose ball joint where one of the tie rods connect to the cross arm.

First, I fiddled with the idler arm. Remember, I had rebuilt this with bronze bushings instead of the red poly bushings. Well, a little wear here and a little wear there and too much slop somewhere else all adds up to "way too much floppiness". That's a technical term you can quote. Best I could do today was to add some shims and tighten down the pivot bolts with red loctite. If I have time tomorrow, I might make some tabbed locking washers just to ensure the pivot bolts can't loosen up on their own. 0.105" shim washers are difficult to make without a surface grinder. But I did good enough.

Then I tightened up the castle nut on the loose ball joints connection. Everything actually feels snug right now. Driver side camber is still slightly off. I'll try to address that in the morning.

In other news, after the wedding I finished rebuilding a second spare locking hub and re-organized the toolbox. I think everything I need to have in the toolbox is in it now and ready for the Colorado trip, except maybe the wheel bearing locknut socket. I'll put that in after the tire rotation tomorrow.

 

[Curious Hound]

Also discovered that my steering box is leaking from the lower end. I'll carry extra fluid to Colorado.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Also discovered that my steering box is leaking from the lower end. I'll carry extra fluid to Colorado.

I wouldnt worry about it too much, it will quit leaking eventually.

 

[Curious Hound]

I wouldnt worry about it too much, it will quit leaking eventually.

I knew I could count on you for that line.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I knew I could count on you for that line.

 

[sgtsandman]

Tolerance stacking can be a real problem.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Also discovered that my steering box is leaking from the lower end. I'll carry extra fluid to Colorado.

Maybe you'll go home with one of these t-shirts:

 

[Curious Hound]

Maybe you'll go home with one of these t-shirts:

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I didn't think Utah was on our route.