Yeah the FLAPS replacement handles are junk. I bought my last set of oe handles off of a FTEer that was parting out a truck.

 

Thanks guys! I'll have to look into it!

 

They fit like a dream don't they? And they just feel "right" in the hand. Kind of like a 1911. Something about it just feels like it fits. It's a dumb mod, but that's still one of my favorites...

You guys that are headed to RRE have a good time. Wish I could be there, but it's just not in the cards for this year. Though, we are in the house now (as of the Fourth of July) I still have a lot of work to do and the monies is needed elsewhere...

 

Softening hose for fast fill mod..... #thatsinglelife

 

Drove my truck today for the first time in 3 weeks. It made me happy

 

Mine hasn't had a transmission in it for over a month. I miss it.......

 

This made me laugh.

 

I feel for you bill.

 

Long post, sorry!

Well, you have probably heard that I have striked out three years in a row to get to RRE. I made it down to Ripley, WV and my truck just bucked hard and quit running. Slipped it into neutral and rolled into the exit for Ripley. For five hours in the heat I worked on it. The codes were 0340 & 0344 so I changed out the CPS with my spare. No go so I had another known working CPS and put it in. No go again! By then I was checking all the usual things, then got Aaron on the phone. He had me checking all sorts of things that I can't remember because by then my brain was boiling. I also had to use my generators to run the ac in my camper because I was worried about my dog. Anyway, during all this six or eight people stopped by to see if I needed any help. I wrote down a bunch of numbers and three of them even offered me a place to park while I worked on it. The last guy offered me a place in his yard where a bunch of stuff was parked and he had a 50 amp RV plug in I could use. I said great and he brought back his 2000 SD 7.3 dually and with a logging chain I had he towed me about 3/4 of a mile to his place. I plugged in and put both ac's on high and was getting a drink when he knocked on my door. He handed me a plate full of food!! He said his wife was chewing his butt for not taking better care of me! "He's been out there all day in the heat and probably hasn't eaten (I hadn't)! By then I was in shock but ate the food and was getting ready to take a shower. Another knock on the door and he then handed me a set of keys for a 2003 Geo so the next day if I needed to run for parts I could. The next day I started working on the truck again, forgot something in the camper. Came back out and he had put up a big fan and umbrella for me to work under!!!

Back to the truck. Bill suggested because at this point I didn't have GP's to disconnect both little wires from the GPR. He thought that maybe it went bad and put a ground back thru the PCM & IDM because I didn't have a wait to start light. After the two CPS's changes I got the tack to move though. So then I changed the PCM out and I had a wait to start light but it wouldn't start. My last ditch effort was to change out the IDM and then it started. Reved it up and with my foot on the brakes (didn't want to drag the camper jacks) it acted good and blew black smoke. Went into the camper, showered and was going to try RRE again and make it 12 foot and it died. CPS code again so luck would have it (I needed some) the local Ford dealer had a CPS. This finally did the trick! By then I wasn't going to RRE, it just wasn't in the cards.


The next day I bought the man breakfast and left $100 bill in his key ring in the Geo. Only once in my life have I been treated better and that was at Nate's for the OX thrashing by the best of the best, FTE guys! I also called all the people on my notebook that gave me numbers to call etc. and thanked them. What an experience! The guy that helped me the most said " I've been there and I don't like it! I wanted to help!" AND, thank goodness for carrying spare parts!

 

Holy Toledo Glenn! That's quite the story. I'm glad she's going for you now.

With all the nastiness in the news here and around the world, it's stories like this that remind us that there is still plenty of good in the world!

 

That's for sure Todd! Another thing, a sheriff stopped by about two hours after I stopped. I told him that I tried to get off the ramp better but the engine was dead. He said that was OK, I did what I had to do. About three hours later another sheriff stopped just as the guy who was going to tow me stopped. The sheriff wanted me off the ramp NOW and wanted my license. I said that the first guy didn't care and I thought that all the people here were very nice. I told him I'm originally from Detroit and they are a bunch of AH's up there. He cracked a little smile then and Steve, the guy towing me said to just ignor him! lol Small town for ya!

 

Wow Glenn. I'm relay sorry to here that. It's pretty amazing though that you had an experience of good will like that on the road. I kinda get the feeling that you should leave a week early for rre.

 

Or fly in next year, rent a car and a cabin at KOA. Funny how I can travel all over the country for 11 years now and have this kind of problems trying to get to RRE. I think Bill is right, both of us are jinxed!!

 

Maybe you should plan to go to the next town and randomly stop by rre.

 

That's a bitter sweet story Glenn! Sure does the heart good to hear a story like that

I agree maybe next year you should drive a car and maybe leave the 5er at home. Heck there's a few of us along the way that'd offer a ride! Just not me... I don't need my truck jinxed

Just kidding Glenn!