flagmanruss

Dear Daughter got a FREE refridgerator from an Uncle Billy who is moving. Nice side by side... huge. Although I'm clearly not able to do any of the hefting, I volunterered to be transprtation officer with Cummins & landscape trailer. I hung a U turn in Uncle Billy's cull-de-sac, straigtened the rig out & backed right up to the refridgerator outside the garage. I had adviced DDaughter to rent a refridgerator hand truck from U-Haul which was done. I was concerned about the expander metal on the trailer ramp but we laid plywood over it & a couple of strong guys rolled it right on. I'd given the tieing down a lot of thought. I'd have liked the load over the axle but there was nothing to keep it up-right. I felt the risk of it getting loose & tipping over on a pothole was just too great. We secured it to the upraised ramp with a 2" ratchet strap. Added a couple of 1" straps for bonus & another over the top. Before leaving home, I had my wife get our water jugs, 5 gallons each... 8 I think... a row across the front of the trailer & strapped down for counter weight. 320# if my calulations are correct. (When we traveled with horses, we trucked plenty of water... also much use at encampments.) On her narrow older neighborhood street, I had to go by her driveway & turn around by backing into a neighbor's (nice wide) drive... Then pulled past & backed into her angled drive pretty easily. The neighbor, across the street, came over with his strong son to help & the fridge was soon off the trailer, up 4 steps onto her porch, turn & up 2 steps into her front door... & into her kitchen. I stayed out of the way. I am shopping, starting today, for more HD ratchet straps. A truck is only half a truck without necessary equipment. I will not buy a strap with out putting my fingers on the fabric. I've had flimsy straps chafe through in a single use... The cleap ones in sealed packages.

New type guages require different in tank connections... not going to happen. An aquaintance on a Powerchair forum offered to take a look at it. I shipped it to him in a flat rate box. He found a burnt trace where the hot lead had grounded. He glued a spec of stiff wire (off a resistor) & soldered the ends. He insisted the switches were not reliable (though I just think they were hard to test with the board loose but I was not going to argue with him. He replaced the switches... unsoldered the components from the board. He had said he would not accept payment... I included a check to cover the postage... It was shipped back along with my check! I can't be sure (unless I fill the tanks) but think it's fixed.

Has anybody thought of running a spin on filter in the trans cooler line? A lot of marine engines had adaptors for inaccessable filters with high mounted remotes... same remote base in the cooler line. edit http://www.summitracing.com/search/Part-Type/Automatic-Transmission-Filters-Remote-Mount/ http://www.dieselsite.com/dieselsitetransmissionfiltersystemdodge2003-200759l.aspx

No Mice inside (had to remove the mouse habitat aka delux under hood insulation (NOW). Mice get in through the heater by climbing into the cowel drains which are hidden behind the hood hinges. I pushed SS pot scrubber up under the hinge... the cowel still drains but no more mice inside. I have been going through the door pockets, glove box, center seat storage, under seats, straightening out. i have added & modified to my needs. I forgot, both my car & truck have screwdriver & wooden construction wedges and a long stiff wire (better than old fashioned coat hangers). I have gotten the call to open a family member's car in a lockout situation. A bit of tape or thin wood to protect the body finish, while prying slightly to introduce the wire. Possble targets... manual or power locks, power windows, the door handle. I added a claw hammer after watching a program about for to break out a auto window in an emergency (like a baby in a hot car). In the demo, striking the center of a side window with a tire iron, bouces off, barely divots the tough laminated safety glass... at it's strongest point. In the demo, they used a tool to attack any side window, near the lower rear corner where it is the weakest. After punching a hole IN, the rest of the window can be pulled OUT. It worked in the demo, but I noted the window was not fully framed... usually a guide at the front, absent at the rear edge.

Wife was packing to go... windshield wiper came off the arm. It's not old & she been using it several limes as she moved the truck around the yard. Mystery failure! As far as I can tell, the click latch is AWOL on the one that came off. Fortunately I had saved a previous set of wipers in the box when I installed winter wipers... so this saved her trip & my windshield. The used wiper snapped in with a solid click. I just bought a new pair to go under the seat... if it can happen once, it probably will again. (Just have to remember to rotate the spares. I also added a carpender's hammer to the tools... just in case...

I'm confused... they are blaming computer faileres on lead free solder. I googled it & it seems 60/40 is still available but discouraged. I still have a spool of 60/40 from my electronics work & I'm not about to change. I don't eat circuit boards...

Electronics can & do create their own heat during use... your readings indicate this. So I ASK is the first problem, the board heating up in use & not being originally designed to disipate it. Chip indicated latest Bosh Upgraded computer has a larger heat sink. http://www.bluechipdiesel.com/injectionpumpfailures.html This is the #1 one of the VP44 failures... The are also mechanical issues which have fixes available in Blue Chip rebuilt IPs. Note there are no new VP44s being sold in the USA. ~zero~

A separated computer is an interesting idea... as I posted earlier, Chip (Blue Chip Diesel) describes heat soak from the hot engine as a major problem... after shut down & cooling stopped. Certainly idling after a pull, until normal operating temp is reached, can get rid of excess heat... But what is the board were not or minimally connected to the block... so heat soak would disappate. A small cooling fan could move excess heat away from the propsed separate housed board. I think one of the problems... same as the OEM lift pump... was the design requiement that the power package be all self contained as purchased. Too late the VP44 was dropped... rather than perfected...

Agreed, yes, defective parts must go back for the dealer to get credit. My thought to get the parts would be in a non-covered situation, giving you a chance to argue the exclusion & if not, to exhamine for your own & our education as to the cause. What would have annoyed me the most was the original flat statement that "No, that's not covered!" without seeing the truck. A lot of folks might have taken them at their word & taken it to their own mechanic & had it done at their own expense. I don't believe the dealer did not know about the recall... and if they weren't sure, they should have said "We'll check", not NO. Likewise, the dealer really can't say if a failure was caused by a defective part until the parts in question were exhamined. When I had a customer's boat with a problem, we bent over backward to be honest. Very often calling after we'd opened it up.

How many miles are on the truck? Orignal front end parts? OEM didn't have grease fittings, at least mine didn't. TREs are wear items like ball joints, etc. These parts are expected to wear & get loose, giving warning to replace them. I don't think they should "break" (as in shear off). My question is did the part seize or how did it fail? I'd want the parts. Is the steel crystalized? I can't see the pictures clear enough to judge the nature of the failure. I don't believe Warantee does or should cover normal wear & tear. On the other hand, properly made steel parts should not break in the middle. I'm not happy but I've had parts rust through... I'm disapppointed at their rust resistance but I know Chrysler is not going to pay.

Some barbed wire, fresh off the coil... strung loose... is like tangling with a squirming snake. I hated cutting down old wire because it was so nasty when it would spring back. Then again, you could electrify it with a solar charger! I had a mini-horse stud that was an escape artist / fence buster. He would climb fences or charge through them... I ran an electric fence with a battery charger... intended for 6v dry cells. I put a gromet in the case & ran it off an old 12v car battery. Stud walked up & put his nose on it... put him on his arse. He did it 3 times while I was watching. Never got out again...

SOL?? You'll have much better traction if you go to the dealer armed with the RECALL NUMBER.

Propane refridgeration is definately an option... all RVs are propane. Seems crazy to use heat to make cold... not cheap however. The old snow bank is not a bad idea... I've seen many people create a hole in the snow bank facing a door that slides or opens in. During power outtages, we bring a big old boat cooler to the deck. I also built an old fashoned wooden box... 1/4 plywood with 1x1 corners with exterior trim slats. The voids were filled with 1" board foam. And the outter shell was constructed to accept a sprefoam shipping cooler with 2" thick walls & cover. When we did 12 day primitive camps, we put a chunk of dry ice in the bottom & our frozen food on top. We opened it once a day, removed the next day's dinner to thaw in the regular cooler. The cold lasted over a week. Hospitals recieve these insulated boxes several times a week with refridgerated supplies. They often come with a matching cardboard box... An ice house is labor intensive. Ice must be made or cut... you could make ice and store it. and then moved to your insulated storage. Making your own in saved plastic jugs is easier than cutting ice. Every old farm around here had an ice house. My grandfather's dairy farm (he bought in 1899, original parts of the house & barns dated to King Philip War in1675) had a spring house... built over a year round spring. When I was little, the water was piped into a concrete trough where the milk was cooled in milk cans. The overflow was routed to the livestock for drinking purposes. The spring house has been gone for 50 years now & mechanical refridgeration required by law. A nearby fellow, dammed & tapped into a spring/stream on his property & it fed drinking water into his house through a plastic pipe... the overflow went to his animals. You might wantto think about a root cellar... I've seen some in a main house... others dug into the ground nearby. Make a good storm cellar too! Is that far enough back in time for you? The "new" barn was altered when I was a kid... it was post & beam construction as is the house. It was impossible to remove the wooden pegs holding the joints in place. The old barn was destroyed by lightning... i was a close thing getting the animals out but a lot of equipment was lost. The spring house & corn crib were taken down in the 1960's to make way for progress...

WalMart plastic shoe boxes are what I used under my seat. My bungies (used one original hole & drilled another) keep it from sliding froward on hard stops. I have a smaller tupperware stacked on top & inside the shoe box.

Just a note, Blue chip diesel site is still up & updated... incidentally credits Mike & this site for the IAT & it's affect of VP44 operation. always interesting to read.

Ok, guys... Chip of Blue Chip used to have info up on his site (don't know if it's still up). Said the electrical failures were att heat caused. Claimed to have tried coolers, fans, insulation & a number of other ideasd to cool the VP44... without success. HE felt the issue was it was bolted to a large hunk of hot iron... nothing could overcome that. Keeping the engine at proper temps is surely a help. He knew about but didn't comment on the increased fuel flow concept. In my opinion, cooler fuel can't hurt. Letting the engine idle to cool off... and avoiding heart soak with the continuing fuel flow... seems logical to me. A lot more troubles in hot climates...

My Grampa owned a dairy farm (he bought in 1899)... Uncle owns in now... always had shotguns in the barn to protect the livestock. As kids we'd spot nasty snapping turtles in the pond & gramps would dispatch then before they could injure a cow. From the time I got my horse... I aways kept a couple of barn guns. One in my shop, a single shot 12G with shells on a butt sleeve. My barn gun was a Bay State Arms 16G single shot... is behind my bedroom door as I write this. Barrels cut to 18.5". Accounted for hawks in the chicken coop, racoons, woodchucks both in the garden & digging holes in the pasture (horse with broken leg pretty much must be put down) & sick foxes. It's a heart breaker to have to put down a good horse. I got good use of force training... too many people do not understand the fine line between when you can use a defensive weapon & when you must hold your fire.

I used to keep a some sort of foul weather gear in the vehicle. I outgrew the nice gear the boatyard paid for... I had some cheap plastic but was water proof or my cowboy saddle coat. When I left the PD for medical reasons... turned in my warrant which was endorsed for firearms... so went my right to carry. Really should get a permit as is more readily available in my present location. My choice would probably be a 3" M66. My 645s are rather big for Concealed Carry.

I took a fresh look... again tried to put a bigger plastic bin under the front driver's side & reminded myself it wouldn't go because of the power seat works. I tried a bigger plastic bin on the passenger's side & the latch mechanism blocked it... so back to what was there. There are maps & compass in the center seat bin... first aid kit in the glove box, aspirin, assort of pain relievers, spare fuses. The 12V extension cord is helpful because a 12V air compressor needs good power to run & extension to get near the tires on the truck. (Helps to have the engine running because it boosts the voltage.) I have a cheap overnight bag with a change of clothes & an extra fleece coat in my daily driver. Moves to the truck when I drive it. I just bought a jump-start box... not sure if I'll carry it & where. Wife was a hospital lab technition (retired) and trained a Ski Patroler (First Responder Cert... everything an EMT would have in the field that wasn't on the Rescue Truck)(retired). She carries her patrol pack still.

What do you keep under your seat? Everything you need to USE a truck... I'll go first... door pockets: 4 TCW3 quart oil bottles (2 in each side), small hand tools (multi-tip screw driver, adjustable wrench, multi-tool) tire pressure guage work gloves (canvas, leather, rubber) double ended snaps handy for tie downs & tent set ups flashlight I have a plastic bin that fits under each side. I drilled the seat brackets for a short bungie to keep the stuff from sliding out on a hard stop... bungie hook had to be opened so it could go through the bracket. Front: tie down ratchet straps, bungies tow strap & anchor shackles magnetic wands for trailer hookup 12V power extension cord (10', 14/2 marine harness with cig lighter plug/socket) roll of paper towels Back: Spare fuel filter Dodge can spare filter set Air Dog duct tape trailer hitches (hidden hitch & 2" ball on a reese drop insert). The WD hitch only gets used with the camper & parts store there as well. Spare Jesus clips & hitch pin. small hank of Parra cord, winter front & hardware (off season) A twin size wool blanket (surplus) on back seat... protects seat & emergency use. Old towel on grab handle on seat back... for times when wet hands will not do. Share your ideas...

OK, I'm old school... I specifically bought a quad cab, long bed. I got my fifth wheel camper gone before I took the C30 camper special, std cab/long bed old school fifth wheel & gooseneck hitches (fixed, solid to the frame), off the road. The Dodge is has a gooseneck Hidden Hitch centered over the axle. (The guy who set my Chevy up... highly experienced fabricator... recommemded the gooseneck be 1-2" ahead of the axle centerline but not possible with the purchased Hidden HItch). I've never regretted the long bed. My gooseneck horse trailer has the axles further back than ideal... a lot of weight on the ball but never a problem. I have twice had to jackknife to 90 degrees to get out of a jam... no problems from it but it is hard on the trailer tires & axles... scuffs them pretty had on ashault. It is possible to cab-crunch even a long bed because my friend did it. He was very unhappy. He has a new truck since then. About every problem I can think of... heavy equipment, trucks, trailers... wouldn't have been a pickle if a spotter had been used.

Many years ago, I restored (cab off) my 79 C30 Chevy... I filled the door seams with a catalized epoxie rust proofing. It filled the seams up to the spill point, so there's no where for water to pocket. I don't recall the name & do not know if the product is still available but I'd use it on pocketing components. Another product to use is POR15. I'm thinking another "sample kit" would be enough to do the spring parts. POR15 needs to be used in warm weather... if was too cold when I did that little trailer frame & it went on thick.

I just got my truck back from the "front end" shop... My rear bottom plates had rusted through & the right side had pulled through so the U bolts were splayed at the top. Under power the rear axle was working & actually dished the top of the spacer blocks. Shop had to search for GOOD used spacer blocks, other parts were new. I've had my front sprinig perches rust out also a couple of years ago. I dropped off paint cans for the shop to paint all my new parts before assembly.

Keep in mind, the 4:10 ratio is not ideal unless you run rubber with larger circumfrance. My rig has the optional tire size and seriously, at highway speeds, it's I'm wishing for another gear. And I'm a second gen with more power than you. A taller tire would reduce your pulling power BUT also give more distance per rev. What was the stock ratio back then? I find the stock ratio is pretty much best for typical use... was sold a bill of goods when I got one with 4:10s.

I'm looking at steering box braces... one more expense trying to tighten up the steering on my truck. It seems all of them replace the nut under the pitman arm with an extension which engages a bearing... a high quality ball bearing. Most units bridge frame rail to frame rail, claiming to stiffen the chasis by so doing. One product mounts entirely to the driver's side & claims that the frame naturally flexes & the bridge designs can put undesireable pressure on the steering box internal components... they also do extreem off-roading which I don't. There are differences in designs & also thickness of materials... Thoughts? First hand experiences?