I've been a member here for a number of years. Not a lot of posts, but I've been here. I joined up because I have wanted a bumpside for over thirty years and I thought, at the time, that I was just about to buy one. In 2008 I bought a '95 PSD and found myself in need of tech advice. Every time I Googled a question FTE had the highest ranking results. So I began spending a lot of time in the 94.5-97 7.3L PSD forums. I got excellent tech advice there, many problems solved and fixed, directed to many excellent tech pages, met some great people in the real world from there and basically learned a lot on a subject on which beforehand I was totally clueless. There is a real camraderie in the OBS PSD forum founded on a mutual love for these trucks into which I was welcomed from the very start.

About a week ago I finally got the bumpside I've always wanted -- a 1971 F250 highboy, 4WD with 4-spd, factory A/C. It also has a transplanted 460 from a 1976 donor truck along with the PS from that truck and it has PB, but not disc. The day I bought it I drove it 1100 miles home from Illinois to Texas. The truck ran great for that trip, but last Saturday I went out to start it and wouldn't start, no fire. I bought this truck to be a daily driver and I needed it on the road. (If you would like to debate the wisdom of relying on a 40-some-odd year old vehicle, let's make that a separate discussion.) I posted the problem up in the bumpside forum and in two days the only advice I got was to consider ditching my ignition for an upgraded one. I went on to fix the problem without having to "upgrade." Granted, since the motor was not even offered in 67-72 trucks that I know of, I see now that I should have posted in the Big Block V8 385 Series forum -- maybe that would have made a difference. However, that was not my experience in the PSD forum. The forum was about the truck, not it's individual components. It was a community of diesel truck lovers.

I'm not saying that anybody owes anybody anything here. I don't rely on the internet to solve my problems. It's sometimes faster and more convenient, but I still remember how to do things the old-school way. I have contemplated the differences between the two forums ever since the day I announced in the bumpside forum that I had purchased the truck and would pick it up in a week. The response was pretty lukewarm, especially compared to the very enthusiastic welcomes I received at the PSD forum four years ago. The differences in the two forum mindsets I think is that almost everyone at the PSD forum USES their trucks on a daily basis. Most of them are still work trucks, hauling equipment, hay, RV trailers -- heavy work. I think most of the bumpside guys are mainly hobbyists. When I had problems with my PSD, my questions were answered with the same sense urgency in which they were asked. Even to the point that I drove to a guy's personal shop 100 miles away and he swapped my bad turbo for an "extra" he had and helped me install it. (Thanks Rubberduck.) I was mistaken to think that I would find the same level of enthusiasm and interest for my true truck of choice. (Now the diesel guys will hate me.)

It is not my intention to offend or criticize or belittle anyone with this post. Just making some observations and voicing my conclusions. Let me add that by making a distinction between the mindsets of two groups and saying one is users and one is hobbyists, is not to say that one is any more or less knowledgeable than the other. The distinction was made to illustrate the sense of urgency with which each views a problem.

[/rant]

 

I like the [/rant] thing---very creative, subtle too!

I don't think anyone will take this as offensive but it does raise the question we've probably all had from time to time, wondering why some forums are more active and helpful, quick to replies to most threads while others just kinda sit there, lump-like with little activity. Same thing with some threads in a forum---they die quickly. Add in a bit of paranoia when you see your own username as the last contributor and curiosity ramps up, asking ourselves if we're thread killers?

If its any solace a few of the sub-forums go for days sometimes with no new topics or replies to questions. I guess it comes down to whose interested in what, how many others share that interest and how much time are they willing to spend online? I frequent the vans forums and its not quite as tight and giving a bunch as I've seen elsewhere here on FTE but vans in general, outside camper or RV uses just aren't all that sexy or fascinating it seems.

Maybe there is another user's group more closely attuned to your particular engine/chassis combo? FTE is still a valuable site for info but sometimes we need to have a secondary site as well?

[/opinion]

 

I have felt that way many times. I'm kinda glad I'm not the only one.

 

If it helps look at a few other threads----you'll see the same thing---we just notice it more often when its us!

(Watch that same thing happen with this one too! )

 

probably be me now



I find that true as well somewhat but to be honest I have always thought ceartain sections here were just a bit "snobbier" sorry if thats not true...

 

No,
it'll be me as usual

My take on responses is to take into account:
the number of people the same vehicle/engine,
the amount of time people have to devote to a forum,
and the attitudes of the target audience...

to the last point, on some audi forums I infrequently visit, MANY are snobs and belittle anything other than audi branded accessories even when proven better and cheaper....

maybe it's the fact that the Audi is not our primary vehicle and they have been told that that my ford truck is nicer and newer !

 

I'd hate to think there are cliques or a group of members unwilling to let someone new join in their de facto group for any reason. It does seem newbies somewhat need to be better known by other more established and frequent contributors to some forums.

To be honest though I'm primarily looking for specific info I can use for maintaining my Ford vans----there's nothing like real life hands on experience from someone whose already done something I'm facing.

IF my presence isn't welcome by the mob that's okay----with all due respect its just an internet forum and we shouldn't place too much importance whether we're part of the hip in-crowd or not. Sure its fun to be included but we'll all survive if not.

We'll see if anyone other than we four will chime in on this----should be interesting!

 

i have noticed the same thing. some forums are very active with a lot of helpful users, others are slower than molasses flowing uphill.... in Siberia....in winter.

 

I found this attitude in the 4x4 section of FTE, I just happened to to be catch a post i thought i could help with... Me and OP got ridiculed... I didnt stand for it and ridiculed right back, it got heated enough that i thought I was going to get a MOD warning or something...

 

like the BII forum lol..there are very few members there lol

 

When I had my '88 F-150, I felt that I had been snubbed in that forum on a few occasions. I just quit posting there.

I'm sure that some people feel that way in all the forums from time to time.

 

FWIW, my two bits, some posts in some forums get views but no responses. This could be because no one has the answer, and they don't want to guess or waste your time with something that they know isn't 100%. Check out the transmission/diff forums. Many posts with no replies.

Also, I think the OP is correct about the "demographic" of certain threads. I would expect older trucks to be more "hobbyist" oriented, vs. late model oil burners that are on the job.

FWIW, ymmv, good luck.

 

Just like any city.........FTE has it's "bad neighborhoods" too.

 

Yeah, I didn't mean to stir up any accusations of snobbery and snubbing, although I'm sure that goes on. I didn't really feel that was the case here. I think maybe I'm just an anomaly. I can't afford a nice new truck and I figure if I'm going to buy a used vehicle for $3-4K, what can I expect to get out of a newer vehicle? I'd rather spend my money on the classic I've always wanted and if anything goes wrong with it, I'll be in fairly familiar territory rather than being faced with a confusing array of vacuum hoses and computers. For the money that I spent for my '71 I don't think I could have gotten a later model truck that I would have been happy with, except for maybe another OBS PSD. For years my bike was my only transportation and I depended on it. Now I have my truck and I depend on it as well. I need it to be a daily driver so if it has issues, I have to address them immediately.

 

Norton your feelings or thoughts seem to have been well received, the fact others have noticed the same says a lot. In this case the words used can be interpreted differently, each person placing their own meaning on them which might skew their answer or that too being slightly misunderstood. Its all part and parcel to any forum regardless the reason or thing we have in common.

It was a good rant, get it off your chest and out into the cyber-world which alone has to be a bit of a relief.

Hope you're finding your answers anyway----this is still a good site most any day!