rancherman

I use them for gasket surface cleaning.. be careful tho, it will remove aluminum quite readily!

both have their pros and cons... need air compressor for the air tool.. and lugging air hose around.. but still need power for the dremel... Hot days, I like the air tool... much cooler in the hand. and cheapo die grinders are still ~20 bucks..

I've only owned the rh trans, are the re's the same?: they only circulate trans fluid to the cooler when the tc is locked up? (seemed bassackwards to me)

Does it do it (pop out) on deceleration? if so, this is PROBABLY a syncro ring.... and in your case, not too bad to fix. Trans can stay in place, and fixed from the rear... and fairly cheap. I think 1 ring is ~ 30 bucks? If you find it welded.... stop right where you are, and get it replaced or fixed right.. I've never heard of a welded unit lasting very long..

good idea on the epoxy/ sealer, Just make dang sure they are located in the right spot!!! My '94 gasser is rusting in the most peculiar places too, only on the 'hefty' iron... none of the sheetmetal is affected.. exhaust manifolds, engine block itself, springs and perches. not just jive ol rust, but nasty flaky hunk of crud! I've never seen a block erode away like this 360! I chalked some of it up to the electrolysis these rigs must be going though... aluminum radiator, Iron block, a zillion electrical circuits... but most of it is because of its former use: golf course fertilizer truck.. (me learned a valuable lesson there!) ....... how many people in here can tell me if they remember getting 'zapped' when they step out after a road trip, and turn to close the door????? My 1994 was the first vehicle to snap me, and still does.... It was almost frightening going across the desert a few years ago! My kids refused to get out and use the restroom! My older crap never snapped me.

AS far as your original question about 'best all around DIESEL' I truly believe what you already own is about the end of an era.... Diesel originally were the grunt-dirty-forgiving-lug till you die pack mules.. very little could go wrong, because there were very few components that would screw up and stop em in their tracks... Fast forward a few decades, and the new rules of life have everything micromanaged, controlled, and executed to the Nth degree, and it's only going to get worse. Now, don't get me wrong, these new machines are truly engineering marvels, almost a shame to get them dirty! But the price they are commanding makes me only shake my head, I've heard new pickups might break the $100k mark before 2020....

for 40k, you should be able to go through (rebuild) everything that moves, rotates, swings, clicks.... PLUS have enough left over to buy 2 rust free rolling gassers for body donations.. This is you 'donating' your time of course. Wife thinks we go 'out west' for vacation.. funny how the flatbed always seems to follow us on a fishing trip! ;)

Thanks Bill, I totally forgot about the 'second tank'! And the fine folks at the court house will want more too.. Not so much because it's a diesel, but it's valuation.

how long do you plan on keeping it? trading every couple years, or long term? Cash buyer or financed? Gassers tend to depreciate a tic faster on the value.. Me, I'd go cheap as possible (gasser) for the short term gig, diesel on the longer haul. If you plan on racking up 2-300k miles then the diesel is how I'd roll. Cummins option (new) is what 8-9k these days??? That would buy a LOT of gasoline! Figure your cost-per-mile, (fuel wise) more than the mpgs. It's closer than you'd expect. Gasoline's kinda settled into a 50 cent less per gallon these days.

Most truckers run around 60-65 on the interstate, and I feel comfy sitting in their 'rocking chair'.

We got pounded last night again, and Weather Channel was present to document 'live'. I really have mixed feelings about these guys, and the way they present their findings On one hand, people can see first hand the destructiveness of tornadoes, and the seriousness of seeking shelter. On the other hand, there are waaaay too many 'wannabees' looking to be the next youtube phenom. last summer, a 'team' from WC was killed. Oh, It was such a 'tragedy', they played that out for a week! Duh, I was taught as a baby to seek shelter! Last night, Stanton, Ne. and Pilger Ne. were hit and it looks bad... and sure enough, on the Weather Channel's scrolling bar across the bottom of the tv screen, said: "Cows on highway, wouldn't allow storm chasers to pass". ........aw, too bad.... These are feedlot heavy areas, I can't imagine the mayhem of thousands and thousands of loose cattle, and the loss of life and property is going to be high on this one. They've 'romanticized, glorified, spectacled natural disasters' soo much have they taken the 'fear factor' out of the seriousness?? Not to mention the gawkers that may impede the rescue crews trying to get out and help!

Last time I was out in Wyoming, I couldn't believe how hurried people were, ON VACTION! I swear they were possessed, and had to see as many miles as possible in a day... They missed a lot in the process.... but, on the other hand, the moose jams in Yellowstone were ridiculous too... I came up on a group of 20-30 cars on the side of the road, people running with their cameras wizzing away, and figured there was a critter that wanted it's pic took... lo and behold, it was a dang chipmunk. Sigh, I realize there are masses out there that have never seen a chipmunk.. ..... I think the 2 legged beast would be far funnier to document in the wild these days! Don't even ask me what I think of the 60 foot pusher/bus 'campers', pulling a Humvee, AND a 28 foot powerboat.

Until AH came up with the hp ratings of the ford, I was going to say something about those 'multi colored, bald tired rigs' that always seem to show up at the track; Nitrous. They'll let you get the jump, and about half track they'll push the button... just enough to get around you... sneaky buggers. edit: after reading your op again, "blew by me at the top end"..... I'd say that's exactly what happened to you. NO2. 1/4 mile or 1/8th? what was your trap speed..

Duct tape, bailing wire, skoal....and vice grips. I'm a real MacGyver type!

I'm liability only.. but I think you can go to www.geico.com or any other online insurance.. and plug in some quick answers, anonymously , and 'see' where you're at. I started using the online insurance last year... I love the NO PRESSURE from the far side of the desk! I wish I could find other type of insurance online too! (Farm Business mainly)

Chevys cruze diesel is a euro built/designed engine?

meh, couple tubes of jb weld..

all I can come up with is an automatic is 'power shifting' every dang time.... hundreds if not thousands of times a week... even if the tc isn't locked up, it's got to be more violent than a manual... who takes their foot out of the throttle to upshift an automatic? you guys are 'hitting' the input with *insert your engine torque here*...... manual is normally lower engine torque, then rolling back into power.

Man, you've pulled some nice numbers on your pull down... It's hard to believe you may have a leak! Is your condenser pretty good shape? ( fins clean, not all smashed) do you hear your cooling fan on all the time? When mine engages a lot, , I know it's time to blow out the radiator/intercooler/condenser you say it's a tad better at hwy speed, which makes me wonder now if the condenser isn't getting enough air, and you may be getting high intake pressure, causing the compressor to shut off. There is a low pressure, and high pressure cut out. Can you hear it clicking in and out?

g56 was introduced to replace the nv5600.. New venture went belly up. (ummm, 'they had problems') This was also the time when Mercedes owned Chrysler... So This Mercedes designed, Brazilian built trans was put into play.. The g56 is still 6 speed, the ratios are dang near the same as the New Venture.... And the G56 has been used in tons of commercial trucks around the world... It uses a straighter cut gear, which is noisier, but doesn't put as much lateral pressure on the case.. (which is aluminum btw) It's a perfectly fine trans for what our trucks are designed for, it's when the trucks are attached to a set of drag slicks, a pulling sled, etc, is when things get goofy. Nv's have problems with lubrication, bearings will seize, syncros prematurely go out... '56s the gears are a little whiney, the trans 'chirps' in neutral, and the case will bust under extreme usage.. There are 'fixes' for both. As far as the larger input.... Your 2001 should have it 1 3/8ths inch is what the splined area will measure.... Yours will also have the better quality synchronizers too. This is good, because that is all that is available for rebuilding this NV. The old style is 'gone'. You'd have to upgrade the whole trans to newer specs in order to 'rebuild' 1999 up to about mid year 2000, they had 1.25 inch input

Isn't the 4 link control arms set via eccentric bolts. which sets the squareness-to-the-frame.. it's more of a one time deal at the factory, but certainly can change with wear/butt load of miles, and of course the various - or + degree'd ball joints for setting castor/camber.. ( I still don't know why they are offered!... ia there an inherent problem from the factory? ) Probably neither one of these would affect fuel economy much, as long as the fronts aren't plowing down the road, Like mike said. only handling and tire wear... How many Fords have we witnessed 'dogtracking' down the road in the past 30 years? It's not cool when a person can see the hubcaps on one side of the vehicle directly in front of them!

Oh hey Russ, I'll have a rust free rolling frame available around here this summer... it's the 1998's extended cab, w/8 foot box. (long frame) I gotta clean up some of my junk.. and you sure can help yourself

well, ok then. rust?

......control arm brackets come to mind...... if your spring cups rusted out, (quite thick btw) There may be other issues on the horizon..