What did YOU do today?

[Rick W]

Yesterday I changed the master cylinder in the F250, but I didn’t have anybody to help me to bleed the brakes. So sweet pea came over today after church, and I walked her through the process. I had the thought I should check the bleed screws, make sure they were free before she got here, and that was a good plan.

I started with the driver side front, it was a 10 mm, and I just wiggled it back-and-forth, but I couldn’t get it to break loose with a combo wrench. So then I used a deep socket and a 3/8 ratchet, and I couldn’t break it loose. Then I used an 18 inch or 20 inch or 24 half inch breaker bar, with a reducer. Man, my butt was tight as I tried to just gently move it back-and-forth, but I did get it free and then I could handle it with a regular wrench. One down

I went to the passenger front, with the 10 mm socket, and I thought I had rounded off the nut. Oh crap. Then when I got to looking at it closer, it wasn’t a 10 mm, it was a 3/8 inch socket. I dug up a six point, and worked it a little bit, but it came out pretty easy. I use one side 10 mm, and the other side 3/8 inch?

Then to the passenger side drum brake. Using the 3/8 and the ratchet, it came out relatively easy.

The driver side rear turned out to be a big pain in the butt too. I worked it with a half a dozen tools and wrenches, and then all of a sudden it just screwed out. All the banging around must’ve loosened it up. Edit: the bleach was buggered up after that, and I went into the shed of miracles and pulled the screw out of a Lincoln town or a caliper. I’ve had sitting around forever. Cleaned it up and worked perfect.

We ran enough fluid through it to wash out all the old fluid. Just moving back-and-forth in the driveway it seems to be on the money. I’ll test drive it tomorrow.

I also broke down and decided to change this windshield wiper:

I think I got my money out of that one.

Before and after on Saturday, and also today, I also just did a bunch of cleaning on my workbench, around my workbench, and some other stuff that was in my pathways around the junk in the garage. I think I turned a corner with the physical therapy on my arm and hand, I’ve lost about 20 pounds since Christmas, and I’m doing physical therapy for my legs now. I can actually get up, do stuff, with no pain or little pain, and I’m not as wobbly so I’m not worried about falling over. Sounds silly, but it kind of cuts productivity.

The fuel system on the Road Ranger is next, all the parts came in.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

If you can't find someone to help, you can use engine vacuum to bleed your brakes. A mason jar and lid and enough clear tubing that fits the bleeder screw snug, and reaches from the front of the vehicle to the farthest brake bleeder. Drill two holes in the lid so that the tube barely squishes in. A shorter hose goes to the bleeder. The long hose goes to a vacuum sources on the engine, usually a nipple on the vacuum tree off the intake manifold. Fire up the engine and keep an eye on the fluid in the master cylinder, don't want to run low and screw up the work you've done. Start at the bleeder closest to the master and work your way back to the farthest away. It takes longer to find the jar and tube and put it together than it does to do the bleeding...

 

[Rick W]

If you can't find someone to help, you can use engine vacuum to bleed your brakes. A mason jar and lid and enough clear tubing that fits the bleeder screw snug, and reaches from the front of the vehicle to the farthest brake bleeder. Drill two holes in the lid so that the tube barely squishes in. A shorter hose goes to the bleeder. The long hose goes to a vacuum sources on the engine, usually a nipple on the vacuum tree off the intake manifold. Fire up the engine and keep an eye on the fluid in the master cylinder, don't want to run low and screw up the work you've done. Start at the bleeder closest to the master and work your way back to the farthest away. It takes longer to find the jar and tube and put it together than it does to do the bleeding...

Thanks, that sounds good. I had one of the harbor freight vacuum pumper things with the little plastic jar to collect whatever fluid, and I messed up and the fluid got into the pumper and killed the pumper. Sweet pea was the immediate option. I’ll get another one, but the engine vacuum is a hell of a good idea.

 

[Rick W]

I finally got around to putting my 2025 Sheriff’s Association stickers on the F250. I’ve got two of the little round ones left, and I’m going to put one on each of the Rangers. All the cars and trucks had them already, but this year they were black, which looks pretty good with my black and red trucks.

 

[pjtoledo]

Sat around in the waiting room while my wiffie had surgery. Should be a full recovery, sans a few parts.

 

[sgtsandman]

I did a bunch of little projects but the main one was clearing the garden and putting a layer of leaves over the bed as far as the currently dropped amount would allow. That ended up being about half the bed.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Choptop got unloaded after this weekend of taking care of a few things for Lisa.

As much as I don’t want to take away from trying to fix my vehicles, I may have to take a few days and some money and try to get this shop sorted out before winter really takes hold. I’d have a lot more access to things and room if the shop was 4’ longer. Be really nice if I can get some more shelves and stuff in there too, but that will be good winter shop work once it’s extended.

 

[97RangerXLT]

Choptop got unloaded after this weekend of taking care of a few things for Lisa.

As much as I don’t want to take away from trying to fix my vehicles, I may have to take a few days and some money and try to get this shop sorted out before winter really takes hold. I’d have a lot more access to things and room if the shop was 4’ longer. Be really nice if I can get some more shelves and stuff in there too, but that will be good winter shop work once it’s extended.

a few days of organization could actually help on future work. having things organized and knowing exactly where the tool you need is stored makes things go much smoother.

And if you are going to add 4', how much extra money and effort is making it 8'? it is also much easier to get to the tool you need if you don't have to pull down ten other tools that are on top or in the way... Also consider a car port that you can put sides on, even if they are temporary tarp roof and sides. being out of the wind and rain/ sleet/ snow makes working on the cars easier. recruit Lisa and Paul to help with the reorg

AJ

 

[sgtsandman]

Choptop got unloaded after this weekend of taking care of a few things for Lisa.

As much as I don’t want to take away from trying to fix my vehicles, I may have to take a few days and some money and try to get this shop sorted out before winter really takes hold. I’d have a lot more access to things and room if the shop was 4’ longer. Be really nice if I can get some more shelves and stuff in there too, but that will be good winter shop work once it’s extended.

Sometimes, doing another project that is more beneficial in the long run will pay off over time. The short term gain takes a hit but in the end, speeds things up over all.

It may very well be that making the shop better suited to your needs will help get the other things fixed faster.

I find that to be true for me in a lot of cases. Things aren't getting done in the order that I would like, but ends up actually helping further down the road.

For instance, the yard work I did today doesn't help me get ready for winter but come Spring, it will help immensely in garden bed preparation. I looked at the weather forecast for the week, and it made better long term sense to do the leaves that it did to work on the suspension for the trailer. Though I would rather get the prep work done sooner on the trailer suspension. I can always heat the garage for prep and paint later. I can't necessarily do the same with the garden.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

a few days of organization could actually help on future work. having things organized and knowing exactly where the tool you need is stored makes things go much smoother.

And if you are going to add 4', how much extra money and effort is making it 8'? it is also much easier to get to the tool you need if you don't have to pull down ten other tools that are on top or in the way... Also consider a car port that you can put sides on, even if they are temporary tarp roof and sides. being out of the wind and rain/ sleet/ snow makes working on the cars easier. recruit Lisa and Paul to help with the reorg

AJ

Oh, I’m always taking a day here or there to do some organizing. Honestly, I need to get the shop extended and wrapped in steel and I need a new roof on my shed plus empty it out, build out the inside, and put everything back in neatly. The shed is probably gonna have to be a spring project because there’s not enough of me or money to go around.

4’ extension to the shop will make it an 8’x12’ which is just under the maximum of 102 square foot limit. Anything over that you need to deal with building permits and such because of politics and greed. I’m not going to really get into that on an open forum. I have probably 85-90% or so of the stuff that should live in the shop long term already stuffed into the 8’x8’ but I’m often digging for stuff and there’s hardly room for me in there. That said, it’s been amazing having this midget shop. I should have made this move 15 years ago. It’s all temporary until I can get my garage up, but it’s been worth every penny that I’ve spent on it so far this year.

I’ve considered the tarp carport deal, but I’ve had my fill of tarps. I’d like to get a metal carport, but it’s not in the budget at the moment. That would be a huge help too, especially since I’ve considered getting a pile of pavers to make a temporary solid floor which would allow me to use a creeper and stuff. Really just need my garage up and a lift in it though.

Sometimes, doing another project that is more beneficial in the long run will pay off over time. The short term gain takes a hit but in the end, speeds things up over all.

It may very well be that making the shop better suited to your needs will help get the other things fixed faster.

I find that to be true for me in a lot of cases. Things aren't getting done in the order that I would like, but ends up actually helping further down the road.

For instance, the yard work I did today doesn't help me get ready for winter but come Spring, it will help immensely in garden bed preparation. I looked at the weather forecast for the week, and it made better long term sense to do the leaves that it did to work on the suspension for the trailer. Though I would rather get the prep work done sooner on the trailer suspension. I can always heat the garage for prep and paint later. I can't necessarily do the same with the garden.

Oh, I totally get that. Which is why after 15 years I’ve finally pulled my head out of my arse and made my midget shop. Been so wrapped around “whenever I have my garage” instead of “what will help me out now” and the beauty of my current shop is that it can be repurposed when I have my garage up.

My current deal is that I need to get 4x4 working in something because winter is knocking at the door and I’m trying to be quiet and hope it goes away. I’m accepting that the green Ranger will not be done before winter. There’s probably a solid week of welding and fab if not more, plus a week or so to get it back together and probably another week or three to get everything buttoned up and sorted out. Thanksgiving is next week, that timeline doesn’t work well.

So, I’m forced to pivot. Choptop I may be able to get the brackets and get the front axle sorted in a week or so all told. That will give me a 4x4 that’s actually getting pretty solid mechanically. For a project that I’ve been trying not to work on much this year, it’s come a long way and is way less sketchy $#!tbox now. F-150 is still walking wounded, but if I can replace the front axle u-joints and give it a solid once-over, it will still be an acceptable emergency rig for winter. If I can get the shop extended before winter really hits, I’ll have a place to work on little stuff during bad weather. So, Ranger largely gets put on hold for now.