flagmanruss

I want to gather the necessary parts... What do I need? Places to get them? Particularly how do I fix the vacume actuator for the H/AC? Thanks, guys! Russ

I haven't found a permanent way to discourage wasps but on the underside of the South porch railing & such, a quick mist with bee spray keeps them gone for several weeks.

As an "old school" mechanical mind... I've always wondered about the switch away from the cam driven mechanical pumps I was so familiar with... & which seemed bullet proof. But actual testing is something this topic really needs.Russ

We've had to knock out 3 huge white faced hornets nests this year. Yes, yellow jackets & such like rearview mirrors, passenger side door jams, under trunk lids, under the deck, under the roof on the horse shed, several places on the backhoe (South side under the ROP canopy, under a stabilzer leg (one of the afore mentioned WFH nests)). I am deathly alergic & now, with my bad legs... can't out run them. I think we doubled our Raid budget this year... & not over yet. Y'all be careful out there!Russ

I met a gentleman at a re-enactment event... He had tire troubles enroute & had bought 4 new LT radial tires reccomended by the "dealer". Supposedly they were correct capasity for his large enclosed cargo trailer. All 4 had failed in a few hundred miles. My horse trailer can with E rated bias ply trailer tires & have held up fine... No, I don't like spinning a heavy trailer like a top but sometimes crap happens & ya just got to. The maker had advertized radials... when I called him on it, he said they stopped installing radials because of problems. My 16' landscapers trailer came with bias ply trailer tires... I don't use it a lot but have had 2X the supposed cap in hay, more than once.So I concur... buy trailer tires.

Why not slide the BHAF forward as long as you've made all that room?

I think you mean stays in 3rd. I don't know if it is broke or not as gearing is different than mine 4:10s. With slight changes in throttle I often manipulate gear. I take it this was not like this before?

Hard to see in your picture... does look close in the fenders. Are there enough spring on there? I'm afraid that the dimensions may be the controling factor.Russ

Years ago, I had a big ground cable go bad on my old 79 Chevy C30. I went to start it with a mechanic watching & all the small grounds melted! Found the problem! Unfortunately, it was at the garage then so had to have them replace them.Russ

Hey, buddy, I think somebody stole the bed offen yer truck! LOL!! Glad you're making progress.Russ

No fuel company would EVER tell you to use something that is not EPA certified. Not even if it works. Not even if it's better. Just read the fuel pumps for Ultra Low Sulfer Diesel Fuel. "Required for vehicles after XYZ year, recommended for all." They don't care is ULSD has less lubricity. They don't CARE if your VP44 goes South. They're not paying! It's my truck. I am paying. Naturally, I feel a bit different about this issue. Russ

I've patched an acrylic tub with FG. Worked fine. After 5 years, cracked someplace else. Patching plastic parts is indeed trial & error. Glad it worked for you.Russ

OK, you guys are not gonna wanna hear the right way to fix fiberglass... just like a boat, except there's really no pressure on it. I've patched lots of F-glass. Scuff up the inside, slap on a bandaid of cloth soaked in resin. Grind out the crack the same way as described & patch with autobody putty. If the crack won't lay flat, you might have to grind some of the cracks first but it's better to let the unit align itself than cut it free & then have to hold in that way while you repair it.Russ

I have used my block heater a bunch... stretched the OEM batteries an extra year that way. I never noticed a change in the electric bill or when I plugged in the stock tank heater. I think both have thermostats. I have a HD timer & have used that as well. Great if you know for sure when you're going to launch. There was never a noticeable change when I ran a business from my ex-s place, even thouh all the machines were electric.Russ

I don't have guages on my stock truck yet. I don't do well with GPS & other things at heights other than instrument cluster altitude. (My GPS is now on a bent aluminum bracket that I slip into the airvent.) I also have issues with focal length. Might as well not have them as bringing them where my eyes can't focus. I'd like a colum mount... (I'd have to move the display for my Escort radar detector system). The only other place I like is above the cup holders which I only close when vacuming the rugs (rare)... still further away than I'd like. Russ

Do you really need air bags? My goosneck horse trailer throws a lot of load in the truck. The trailer is aluminum but the axles are VERY far back to clear the full manger door. With the gooseneck & dressing room stuffed with re-enacting gear, cranking the jack is real work. Lately, I've been blowing gaskets (head gaskets, output cover gaskets) on my old Dayton compressor. My mechanic has resealed my aluminum wheels on the Cirus... so it's only needed air every other week, instead of every other day! LOL!!Russ

I haven't got a round 'tuit but I have a remote temp sensor (AC tech type). I want to sneak a probe into the filter box & the second under the hood & see what the temps really are & it the CAI snorkle does anything. Russ

Intermittants are always a bow-wow to fix. You never know if you fixed it or it it's in the "gonna work this time mode". Russ

When I could not use my truck & let it sit several months, the rust wreaked havoc with the brakes & I got a lot of rust on the undercarriage. Now, I try to use the truck at least some once a week, even if only a quick trip to town. I intentionally drag the brakes, under power if necessary, down a long hill to clean off the discs. Russ

I'm thinking that the Second Gen fender snorkle, CAI... are a carry over from the gas engine trucks... certainly not a special for CTDs. I've been contemplating a manual change over from warm underhood air for the winter to a CAI for summer. Why not?Russ

I would think that farm trucks would be targeted by the ball busters, since farms might just have off-road tanks hanging about. Pitty that!I have an off-road diesel (JD410) but if & when I run it, it gets the same fuel as my truck. Just too much bother for it's anual fill up. Speaking of which, it's time to start it again. I saw an off-road pump at at fuel company when I was buyng clear kero for space heaters. Colored kero clogs the wicks up when we go camping. I'd burn more in fuel, going to get it, than I would save in tax... Russ

Just the condenser, several years ago, set me back $500. I think the condenser may be gone again, plus the heater core, plus the vacume control. Once the dash is out, might as well fix them all. I can't really turn wrenches myself anymore... can not even stand unsupported & only one good hand. Russ

I had a garage install a new condenser several years ago, pretty well broke the bank & the dash plastics have never fitted just right since then. I've recharged the AC just to get by. The AC / heater is stuck on defrost (the default mode) so the vacume vent control is out. I haven't been able to test the vacume yet. (My ability to accomplish anything is pretty dinimished by my disability.) So now I'm smelling antifreeze. Might as well make it worthwhile pulling the dash.I just the Cirus back from the shop today. Brakes all around (discs, pads, drums, shoes, a rubber line), and hopefully sealed the rear tires to the rims. I might just sign my check & hand it to them, but they'll probably want the rest of their money too.Russ

Leave it to Geno's... what a neat tool. Wish I'd had it for my applications when I was working on gas inboards (boats).

Mike: Here's a link to a directory that I built on my MS site. http://msrefugees.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=symptom&thread=15517&page=1 A lot of members can just find things on their own now. If a question comes up, I can quickly refer them with a link to the directory. IF I haven't looked it up before, I add it for next time. I started with just a couple of items... each update is a simple "edit." It's set to "only staff can post". Just kiddin about taking hostages. Russ