flagmanruss

Per my testing... I ground down the paint & rust under the mounting screw where I grounded the Left Tail-light. Reassembled. The running portion lights nice & bright now but the turn only lights half & very weakly. This side I nicely soldered & shrink tubed. Yeah, that paid off! I am pissed because of the labor involved. I have another pair of lights intended for the camper, so I can swap in another light... I'm going to test both of them first. I'm going to contact the seller & see about returns. I hate this BS. I like these lights... but they have to be reliable. I used an ATV battery I had on the bench to test the 2 new 'spare' LED lights. Both work fine. I suspect the unit that's mounted is defective but there's always a possibility of another wiring fault. I'll test the problem unit directly with the battery & determine where the fault lies.

2 hose to pipe adaptors & a ball valve... a Home Depot fix. Anybody know what size the heater hose is?

OK, thinking about the in-laws Explorer with the heater that won't shut off... it has a small V8 (not sure) Lots of older vehicles had a heater control under the hood... a simple twist valve. Could the heater hose be cut & a ball valve installed to stop coolant flow to the heater in summer... a cheap fix on a spare vehicle that they don't want to spend money on. Does the engine/water pump require flow... so 2 valves could be used to make a by pass or would one work to just block the flow? I have a ball valve in my parts bit that I would donate if it would work...

There may be some play but I enjoyed driving the truck today. Likely a couple of days of rain while this storm passes off the coast... switching to the Cirrus because I'm extra slow & laborious getting in the truck... really s*cks in the rain.

I plugged the trailer into the 7 way plug. The right side, I was concerned about works & is nice & bright. The left side, doesn't work at all (running or turns) BUT the 3 center clearance lights, which get their power from the Left, are nice & bright. This says to me that the left is off ground... the clearance lights are getting power & making ground through their own mounting screws. Sooo, I need to pull the mounting bolt where the light is grounded & scrape it down to metal. Rust or Paint! I like these lights. (Good thing... they were rather pricy.)

I have my truck back... I'll test the new LEDs on the landscaper's style trailer & see if I got the wires right or need to switch them. I had to pull the trailer forward to work on it... thought the inlaws were going to use it a week ago... but it's annoying & I'll push it back while I'm that close.

My experiences are limited but it seems to me that the outside corner mouldings never have enough overlap. TVs & TTs are not built strong enough & they work... the flex breaks the seals & cause leaks... I'm just a regular guy, not able to afford the custom rigs that 'might' be better built... or not... Good luck with your project... probably what mine needs in the front but I can't go there.

I don't cowboy the truck... good thing... I'm counting my lucky stars that the rear axle didn't come out from underneath. It was really only held on the left... the right moving front to back, changing the alignment at whim. That's what wore the dish in the top of the spacer block! One good wrench could have twisted the axle out from under... the leverage must be enormous. Nobody wins in a wreck!

YEAH!! I have my truck back! 3rd Gen track bar upgrade, all new tie rod ends & adjustor sleeves. New U bolts, nuts, plates, used lift OEM block (new unavailable). Turned rear rotors, new pads, rebuilt calipers, new hose (chafe damage). New parts all painted with spray undercoater (I supplied). It looks good. $1100 in parts (plus I bought the track bar kit) $350 in labor (including the track bar) $60 alignment $75 tribute to the state. (Sales tax) Steering is lot tighter... yet I think there's still a bit of free play. I'm going to drive it some more & see how I feel.

This guy is being down right un-neighborly. If LE gets involved, the guy will quickly figure out who called. Unfortunately, he seems to be a F U kind of guy. One of my ex-inlaws, we'll call Johnny, had a garage in his backyard... built before zoning... he worked out there long into the night, fixing peoples cars & trucks. He stopped work by 11, if not before & was asleep by 12. Some work was done in the evening when it was cooler & friends would gather to chat... who could be enlisted to help. Garages & air compressors can be noisy but he did not try to piss people off. Long about mid-night, the across the street neighbor lit off loud fireworks which woke Johnny up. After a week or so, the fireworks became the topic of conversation & one of the guys volunteered, he'd make it stop. He got a balloon & set the cutting torch flame & filled the balloon, a used paper cup, half full of gasoline. When it became apparent they were going to ignite this devise, I took off (as a newly minted part-time Police Officer, I didn't want to have to give a statement). I had the 454 a half mile down the road when I heard it. First the Police showed up, then the Fire Department. I don't know how they ignited it... A bang? Yes, they had an air hose fail, they said. Several front windows on the house across the street were cracked. When I was there the next day, there were no marks on the patchwork of pavement. (Someone in the family ran a paving company.) But the scattered gravel that had been on the pavement had all vanished. Now they might even have sent them across the street to check for fireworks! Hmmm! I don't recommend such a thing... I don't know if you could get away with it then or now. But the neighbor quit the fireworks. I can think of a couple of people who seemed normal except at times they were crazy. I can not say for sure but I'd not have dared either one. As I sit here thinking on this... Why would anyone be shooting late at night? Are they Poaching? Maybe the Police should check it out? Drunk & disorderly with a gun? Cops hate calls like that... dangerous... It's not a good idea to Piss Off the cops.

I'm supposing he's drunk or otherwise a problem & will not listen to reason. Give it a try & write down the date & time & any witnesses. Is it legal to record in your state? Record the request... especially if he's likely to give the F U. Since the A** H*** will quickly figure out who complained... expect retaliation. My experience (years ago) with local PD... start keeping a log. Report every violation. Document it. Get recordings if you can. The longer you wait, the first reported becomes the First Incident" If you don't report it in a timely fashion, it didn't happen. Be sure what you are doing is a violation. Don't waste the Police time with things that are not actionable. It is possible to be as big a jerk as he is but it's not likely to work... and he can use any violation you do against you. He has to look like the sole AH. A neighbor always resented us when we built the house on the lot next to his. Too bad he didn't buy the lot when it was available. Anyway, he came over & stood in my driveway & made a fuss. The second time & took a recorder with me... I whipped it out & held it up when he threatened me "I'll blow your f-ing head off!" The State Police responded... I plaid the tape. The Trooper asked if I wanted him arrested. I said no but I never wanted him in my yard again... trooper said I couldn't go over there. I said Good. 20 years later, the guy died but he never came here again. Wives & kids went back & forth... it was worth it. I didn't say my shotgun (riot gun) was as big as his & backed up with my 45... that would have been messy.

I second the barbed wire... several strands...

No a tire store didn't show them to me... I was scooting WalMart automotive and just saw them. I stopped by to check on my truck... it is done. The boss wanted to take it for a (another) test drive. They used up the spray undercoater I'd brought in. The bill was not together yet. I'm holding my breath but what ya gonna do? I hope that by being patient they were able to get me a better deal. We'll see. More important, is that I have a trustworthy truck.

I still have my Safariland Kevlar vest... had to buy it myself (because I was part time). 1/2" thick Rated to stop any handgun. I wonder if it would be any good all these years later? I remember the sample pieces... 6" squares... we test fired. It was great fun & interesting to see the mushroomed slugs falloff the material.

The left light, the wiring is more exposed... ugly. On the right, I drilled a extra wire hole through the bracket which I thought was neater. I am seriously going to upgrade my drill bits. Cheap drills are ok for wood but horrible for steel... I am going to trash the cheap ones because they keep finding their way to steel projects. The lack of a white plate light is only a violation at night... I just pull the pin on the gate & it pretty much falls to the ground. I don't think a light could survive much of that. It's been that way since a month after I bought the trailer (10 years or so), when the plastic bracket was torn off. Though I should have put the destroyed bracket back when I replaced the light that was damaged... so I could tell a cop "See!" I mounted the plate above the light on the little trailer, so it can't hang up... was even closer to the ground... but there's no ramp on the tilt trailer... white light is underneath, shinning at the ground. LOL! If I like the plate above the light deal... I might change the big trailer also. This was a more recent thought. Tail lights too bright, I like it! The bright glow is DOT tape which I did the flat surfaces of the frame, when it was new also. I originally thought I might be taking it to re-enactments where parking is a dark field. My idea was to make a black trailer so reflective that anyone hitting it would feel very stupid. That didn't happen much so not really tested the theory. I'm not replacing it as it comes off... Guess I would big pieces...

Yes, I checked the fuse & there's still power (DVM) to separate pump switch (what got loose) and the circuit board. There's not much on the board... a bunch of 270 ohm resistors & 3 2N390 2 leg little transistors... diodes. Transistors have 3 legs, diodes 2. (hard to see under) I think it hit near the transistors diodes the way the board was sitting upside down. The traces look undamaged. Resistors will check for continuity. I haven't done a transistor since I was a kid. I should have paid better attention when Dad was in a teaching mood but I did build several kits. At the Electronic Shop I wasn't a bench tech... did wiring, techs did boards. That's still an option since the board is marked for the components values. I can do resistors... maybe diodes... or get a tech to do it.

I think I'm right that this was a common part, with a sticky label by each maker... but the circuit board has a 1995 patent date on it. Ventline L5071 So it's an obsolete part. Vent line now makes RV Mobilehome range hoods & such, and these panels were sometimes incorporated into the hoods. Now owned by Dexter Axle. Ventline was no help... gave me the extension for their Maintenance Dept. I found a supposed "Distributor" in my state... a trucking company that apparently handles mobile homes. The receptionist was nice but hadn't a clue. She thought it might be Special Order... her supervisor is out for the rest of the day... to call back tomorrow. No dealers in nearby Connecticut, 2 in Massachusetts. I may be wasting my time...

I was making progress, or so I thought... brain fart... set back. I was solder splicing & heat shrink tubing the leads to the power switch in the water systems panel on the kitchen wall. I have a new switch ready to go in. Meanwhile the rest of the panel was not functioning correctly... so I removed & cleaned the circuit board with rubbing alcohol, a Q tip & toothbrush like we always did at the Electronic Shop. I got the panel working!! Just then the power lead... I should have pulled the fuse... gets lose... hits the circuit board, there's a spark. The fuse is still good but the circuit board is non-functional again. I guess I fried it. FLYING FORKLIFTS!! I'm so pissed at myself. I'm expecting this is a common part which each brand slaps their cover on... hopefully. If so, it's just money. But I thought I had it... Sigh... Negative progress for the day.

I've been upgrading my trailer running lights to LED units as time permits. I just replaced the lights on the "landscape" trailer (hay trailer). Although these lights were not intended for this type of trailer, they were an almost perfect fit. I had to drill holes to mount them & run wires... drilling was harder than I expected. The left side has the tap for the center clearance light set... The right light does not. The plate is fastened to the ramp & not lighted (illegal). But so is losing the plate when it drags the ground. I'm wonder if these lights show enough light to the side or if I need side markers??? Opps! The idiot OEM used the same colors for both wires on each side so the Left side the clearance light tap indicates the running lights... on the right side there's no easy way to tell. Yes, I could run a jumper full length to test continuity or could just test with a vehicle... when my truck comes home.

That was the point, really. I found I needed to be aggressive & catch up on any accumulated wear. I pointed out that when I use the truck, it's to haul a 30' & heavy camper... it needs to drive like new, just to be safe. I don't think I've been driving it enough... it's so easy to jump in the Cirrus with all my stuff in it (like my walker & scooter). But I should pick a day or 2 every week to exercise the Cummins. (It's just such a dang high lift to put my scooter frame onto the backseat! ) My list is still active: getting the rusted out doors fixed getting the AC fixed (important for my MS). New skins... I was surprised to find tires in my size that were only P rated...

It's been hard not to be a PITA at the shop doing my work... I have been stopping in occasionally, showing interest but not everyday & just long enough. Stopped in today. My truck is back on the ground with new rear brakes, the rear brakes had seized. My instructions were to check all wheels for brake drag... been there before. New U bolts, spacers & bottom plates installed. I saw the rusted out bottom plates allowing the U bolts to separate out of position. See earlier pictures. 3rd Gen track bar kit & bracket installed. I asked about the track bar kit... the shop's first... they said it was a PITA but got it done. I asked about the condition of the original track bar & they said the ball & socket was definately worn / getting loose. The truck was over the pit when I was there... using all the paint I left to use on the new parts. I don't know how much this is going to cost me... this shop has always been honest & fair. I can't wait to drive it!

I would have to say the year round humidity. Even things not exposed to salt... rust quickly. My cottage (built in 1960) was a mile from the ocean... the nails rusted out in the floor. In 2004 I laid ceramic tile floor... put 500 screws into the sub floor before laying the cement board. No place in the state is an hour from salt water. We have the dread H, H, H weather... (Hazy, Hot, Humid) As I type this at 8:45 AM it is (relatively cool this morning... cold front went through yesterday)... it's 72 degrees & 75% humidity.

Well, the Scotch Bright pad didn't do anything either. The only thing that helped is the vinegar. I'm scraping the softened verdigris with any metal tool that'll get in there. Still digging. I can't get the other F spade connector of the switch. Afraid to try to hard.

I find Scotch pads to be pretty gentle especially as there is no backer behind it. I am going to use it on corroded brass contacts this time. I have used it on corroded alloy wheels, SS pistols (with a frosted finish already), swords & knives (steel), Scotch pads without a backer, are not as abrasive as sanding discs or drums. The Dremel is high speed but not all that powerful. Not as strong as a die grinder. Don't need air to use it. My original Dremel was better made than this one & this one is 25 years old.

I have made my own Scotch Bright buffing pads for my Dremel for years using the mini-arbor for the tiny cut off wheels. I just cut circles from the pad I want to use & push the screw through the center with a washer on either side. I usually use a double thickness. It doesn't matter if they are exact because they quickly become rounded from wear. I've been known to use them until they've worn down to the washers like the reddish ones in the pictures. I have done this for years & is one of my most frequent Dremel uses. Moderators: I am duplicate posting so this doesn't get lost in the other topics. I'm putting in in General because I didn't see a board for Tools & Tricks. You may move this if there's a better place.