KATOOM

I burn wood all winter. Bought a splitter around 10 years ago from Tractor Supply. The biggest one they had. I think its 28 ton and it will shove though most anything I can get under the wedge. Wouldn't want anything smaller either as I've had to split some really ugly wood that doesn't "split" but rather tears apart or simply explodes in two halves.

I was going to ask the same question.....or assume the truck is haunted. If I understand the situation, it sounds like the truck simply doesn't like to re-start not long after shutting off when the engine is at full operating temperature. Correct? If so, we call that a "hard hot start". If this is the problem then a few questions: Has the VP been replaced? What fuel pump are you using? Whats the running fuel pressures? And just to make sure.....this ONLY happens when the engine is at full operating temperature?

With the weight on the truck, engine off, and someone wiggling the steering wheel back and forth enough to place a force on the steering components, look for any movement.

I cant remember if the DOR track bar uses a regular heim fitting but if it does then just know that even through they're stronger than bushings, they wear out surprisingly quick and are not the desired fitting for track bars for that very reason. Check out some forums where people talk about how fast their heim fittings wear. I think this is where Johnny Joints came from. And yes, the track bar will clunk on bumps because as the suspension travels up and down the side to side load on the track bar is what causes the links to wear out.

The clunk is more than likely the track bar. Check for all steering component excessive movement by having someone turn the wheel back and forth (engine not running) while you peer around for things moving. Bilsteins are supposed to be great shocks. I like my Rancho 9000's but everyone has their own opinion. Just stay away from cheap shocks because over time they cant stand up to the weight of the Cummins. Leveling coils.....? I'm not sure what you mean but you're probably referring to airbags? If so, I'll point out that my Timbrens are amazing, and they're half the cost of airbags which may or may not need future maintenance. As mentioned, if you dont have factory overload springs or you have front spring leveling spacers then your truck will want to appear as its squatting under a load. I dont know enough about shackle flips to advise about towing heavy with them but I have to say that I'd certainly be very leery and want to know EVERYTHING about the pro's and con's before lessening the trucks overall capacity. I do hear they can increase ride quality but I dont think my truck rides that hard and.....its a truck which hauls a lot of weight. If you have a WD hitch then it should ride at least perfectly level. If not then the WD hitch isnt set up correctly and not removing the correct amount of weight off the tongue. WD hitches remove weight from the rear axle by transfering it to the front axle and the trailers axles so that all axles share the load.

Just to make clear, in regards to "wear" I wasn't referring to the occasional jarring of load (like Moparman's example) but rather what it does to the lining when someone normally and more commonly downshifts and lets the clutch out without matching RPM's and then forcing the clutch to speed up the engine to match. Thats the reverse load on the disc material which causes rapid wear on the disc. Clutches work last longest and work the best with only one direction of kinetic friction placed on them. If the hubs you described were truly falling apart from shock load or stress then there must be some serious HP or serious weight (or both) being placed against them.

Like.....?

Not to "school" anyone, but just pointing out in case some reading may not already know.....clutch braking is very damaging to the clutch disc material by reverse load thrusting the disc which causes rapid wear. RPM matching and allowing full clutch engagement before decelerating is the proper method of "down shifting". OK, back on topic.....

If the weather conditions are too slick for the exhaust brake then I'm not only reacting with the throttle and brake much slower but I'm also driving much slower. So I guess it kinda equals out.

How about a houseboat instead.

I have rear drums and and the proportioning valve for the rear axle and my brakes work very good. As Moparman pointed out, exhaust brakes make a huge difference in overall wear and tear of service brakes since you learn to rely on the retarding power of the exhaust brake to do most of the "slowing". "Stopping" is still reserved for the service brakes though. I replaced my front pads with only 115k on the truck.....and there was almost 1/4" of material left. Why did I change them?.....well I'm not really sure. I guess I had the new ones and I had everything apart so why not. And maybe because I know that when the caliper pistons extend too far then they can start sticking upon retracting them back in place. Heck, the pads were only $50 or so. Yes, on the rear drums you have to make sure the star wheels remain properly adjusted, which can be more problematic in high corrosion areas. If using the e-brake while rolling backwards doesnt allow them to click every so often then you have to pull the drums and see if the adjusters are seized up from corrosion. Other than that, simply being hard on the brakes will generally cause more long term problems than not and eventually reduce braking ability.

For any of you who want to read up on the differences..... This website has plenty of information and five PDF's which may or may not answer your questions. https://www.nmma.org/certification/oil/tc-w3

Why most people would by this: Filtration factor.....maybe 2. Bling factor.....10!

Thats an old 170 Ford inline 6. Possibly in a Falcon, Ranchero, or Mustang.

On topic..... as you mentioned that we're seemingly in a throw away society, just know that brand new rotors are not always of the quality they should be and can often be out of true. So dont be too upset about using the old rotors. I never replace my rotors or have them turned unless I absolutely have to. I think its a myth that you cant put new pads on an existing rotor. Just burn the pads in properly and you shouldnt have any problems. And yes, bee's are a lot of work. I know people that have them and its crazy what they have to deal with.

Thank you. Haven't laughed like this in a long time.....

Dont worry guys..... I understand some of our well minded leaders have it all figured out. Apparently college tuition will be free and society's problems will be fixed. Smart phones are government paid. No one will have to perform any tedious manual labor any more and everyone will be making triple digits with huge retirement pensions, and bonus.....all medical will be free too boot. We'll be able to use in any bathroom we choose, wear anything that fits (if you feel like wearing clothes). We can have sex with anyone and anything we desire, and marry everything including inanimate objects and fictitious beings. There will no longer be issues with high priced fuels as municipal transportation systems will readily take us wherever we need to be in electric buses or bullet trains pointed in every destination. Drugs will never be a problem again as all of them will be legal and you'll be able to get them and do them at your leisure. The police system will no longer be needed since no longer breaking the law is a problem as everything is now OK. Guns?.....who needs guns in a place like this because our world will be a FREAKING UTOPIA!!!!! And yeah, EVERYONE is welcome too. Not sure where all the money will come from and I'm not sure about much of the details, but dont bother asking questions..........because thats not the point.

Get used to it..... Today people seemingly dont want to work, dont care to learn any valuable trades, aren't being taught anything in school worthy of life tools.....and all the skilled people will be retiring. Soon there will be no one left working at any place of business who haven't learned everything they know via an on the job two day DVD video training session. No matter though because not long after their probation period they'll just trip and fall while at work and then simply collect SS for years to come as they sit around smoking medicinal pot. In point.....start learning how to work on your own truck because there isn't too many out there who'll know more that you will.

That be exactly what I'm saying. I've had to work around smog laws for decades as I grew up in the muscle car era. Got a diesel and thought I wouldn't have to deal with CARB smog garbage any longer. But here we are.....

Dont misunderstand what I meant. Yes, the EZ is illegal per CARB emissions laws.....as so are many many performance modification products. But again, I've run an EZ for about 14 years and simply remove it every two years for as long as it takes the tech to pass the truck. As for the RV275's, I absolutely love them. Neither the EZ nor the 275's will turn this 4 ton truck into a race machine but the overall gain in daily get around with the two of them combined is more than ample, and the towing performance is undeniable. I tow around a 14k 5th wheel and I need all the help I can get. The RV275 injectors hardly smoke at all and only under a heavy throttle. Even at that, its nothing to shout about. They pass the smog snap test with ease as there's no more exhaust smoke over that of stock injectors under those conditions.

I'm shocked you just dont take it off for the smog inspection..... I've done this multiple times since I've had my EZ and it takes maybe 5 minutes. You dont have to remove the boost elbow either as it does nothing during the test. The only other component under my hood which doesn't look OEM is the aFe intake, but I had them send me an EO sticker so thats no longer a problem for the tech. Dont let CARB get the best of ya.

Running a fuel lubricity additive (whatever you choose as long as it works) is great for the injectors. LOTS of pressure going on inside them and they need all the lubrication help they can get.

Come on leathermaneod, install a gauge.

Hey I was kinda hoping some other members would step up and install a temperature gauge.....

The only modifications I have is the EZ and 275's. Injectors installed about a year ago. ECT was around 215*. Whether or not the truck pulled harder during the boost bump, I cant say. With that kinda weight behind you its difficult to notice much since things dont respond too quickly other than the pyrometer needle.