Your right, its only about $6.....wait, no, Thats right......about $300....
I'm looking into it.

 

Yep,miserable hot I was in naples 2weeks ago to check other house and pick up a car.I made it from Sat 2 AM till Sunday 2 PM.I was gonna leave Sat night when I finished mowing but buddy with me wanted to see the beaches.After 15 minutes he had the same idea.Back to the mountains for some sanity

 

Jason, I was as good as there....til I saw the treadmills.....

 

We could keep that door locked, so ya wouldn't be accidentally exposed to the exercise equipment. I can see how that stuff might make you uncomfortable... Shouldn't be a problem though, since it'll be nowhere near the keg!

Here's a couple pics of me and the boys 'wheelin between Thanksgiving meals on Thursday:




The 'yota is an '84 4Runner with dual transfer cases (2.28:1 & 4.70:1 gives me 3 low-range options - including really S L O W). This winter while our trails are closed, among other things we'll install just enough lift for 35's or 37's - including generous fender trimming.

 

I am working on the planning phase. Good chance Donna and I will make it. Her sister is in Atlanta so that probably pushes it over the top. BTW, I am l am talking about the weekend of the 18th. I'm off the 12th thru the 21st.

 

I'll be going to BTS this week and rockcrawlin' next weekend. After that, we'll go fishin' whenever ya get here!!

Nookie, did you and Mom figure out the wheelchair access? What weekend were you thinking?

The Excursion will get pulled into garage for GP's on the 6th and barring unforeseen disasters - as soon as its done the F350 will come in and get torn down. Maybe I'll have it ready to go back together by the 18th? If not, we can look at the mess I've made and take bets on whether it'll ever run again!!!

 

Well, just looked at my work schedule and I am on call the weekend of the 18th
Gonna see if someone wants to swap....wifey complaining about $$ but that didnt stop her from dropping 100$ at wal mart for xmas garland

 

Thats why she's complaining!! We're cutting into the walmart budget!

Ya know, I'm certain that all of the things my money has bought at wallyworld would not fit in my house - stacked neatly from floor to ceiling. I hate that place..... Going there in a bit though, need anything?

Seriously, nothing from that place will last as long as the memories from a family roadtrip. THAT is the coolest thing about our junk running on VO. We are campers, so (usually) the most expensive part of a roadtrip is fuel. Figure ya gotta eat even when you're at home, so we load pop tarts, bologna, PB&J & ravioli in the truck and only eat out occaisionally. We spent about $300 on our last 3 week, 4800mi, 14 state trip - including food, fuel, campsites and even a couple nites in a hotel. Since I hadn't worked for months - we had a $300 budget and MADE IT WORK.

 

I thought I'd jump on here and give this thing a bump. I will finally pull the X into the garage for GP's, etc this weekend and start pulling the engine out of F350 sometime next week. Its been cooooold here last few days with lows in the teen's - but I have in-floor radiant heat in the shop, so it ain't so bad in here!

So, if ya need an excuse to come hang out - come on! We've got room to pull another truck in if somebody needs a hand or just a warm place to wrench on their project.

Meanwhile, I'll try to put together a GTG for next summer! (when none of my junk needs wrenching on... )

 

Not really a GTG, but Ray came by today and helped me TRY to remove the engine. I struggled until I GAVE UP (hours...) on the clamp on the baby's butt - that was TIGHT! THANK YOU again Ray for figuring that out...

So we ALMOST took the thing out of the truck. See, before you disengage the input shaft from ZF6 - the oil pan is HARD against the x-member. If you attempt to raise the engine to clear the x-member - the baby's butt is against the firewall. When I pulled engine last time, it was sans a head, both exhaust manifolds, etc. I was by myself and intoxicated, so there will be no witness to how I managed to pull it off! Same goes for putting the thing back in, except in addition to intoxicated - it was 2am and I was delirious from lack of sleep trying to get my junk on the road again on a ridiculous schedule.

What I do know is I put the engine back in with the turbo ON. I removed all but the back 2 body bolts and jacked the front of the cab and the trans up enough to line up over the x-member. I really dunno how I came up with that, but it really wasn't that hard. To me, it was certainly easier than trying to R&R the transmission (on the ground, with only a floor jack...). So, I'm gonna jack the cab up to pull the engine out and it'll just be ready to go back in.

It is entirely possible I'm just a dum, drunk redneck and I've overlooked a much easier solution. Feel free to tell me I'm an idiot if there's a better way!

 

put me down for this summer....sorry couldnt make it but my work schedule, no one wanted to take my weekend call (now why wouldn't anyone do that?)...did flush my power steering pump on my Ex today....never really looked underneath since I bought it ( been too busy on top), but noticed 2 seals on front passenger side axle spinning in the wind!!! needless to say wife was happy to hear I get to spend more money on HER vehicle!!!
Now to search forums on changing those seals!!!!

 

Its all good. To be honest, I've had more fun at the dentist...

Those dust seals on the inside of the hub are nothing to worry about. Post a pic if ya get a chance! Meanwhile, you don't wanna know how to change them...

Its EASY to talk me into a GTG. We spend as much time as we can on Lake Chatuge in the summer - lets plan a weekend camping trip!! Some will inevitably have to change their screen name to SkySki xxxx. Lol.

 

I saw a picture of a seal tool someone made out of galvanized pipe and a flange but darned if i can find it.... gonna be cold in the ole garage and waiting on ed parts guy for hub parts and seals.....

 

ran outside...dang cold in a t shirt... heres some pics...didnt even look at drivers side

 

All of mine look just like that. I fergot what it was for exactly, but was told they all do that. After over 200k miles in F350 and over 80k like that in X, I stopped worrying (a little).