rancherman

I believe the only thing that is driving our economy right now, is inflation itself... The Fed refuses to raise interest, in order to keep spending continuing.... plus it helps keep their run away debt from growing any faster! The longer this bubble continues, the bigger the splat in the end.. In my business, ag, I see land values way over what the land can pay on itself. Rental rates aren't too far behind. (which goes hand in hand with what investors are willing to pay on land) They only desire a 'ROI' of 3-4%... which is far better than any bank these days!... So, when a young starting farmer or rancher has to finance a big chunk, he pays about 6-7%. Right there is the problem! He is paying MORE for interest, than what his competition is getting for their return on investment.. The young guy is doomed from the start. He'll be lucky to pay the interest, let alone the principle. What land is 'valued' (what 2 fools are willing to bid) and what it's 'worth' are 2 separate things!! I've seen 300% increase in what land is selling for in the past 5 years. My ag banker says we need 8-10% prime again, to bring balance back to the smaller operator.. Otherwise, we will all be eating corporate food in the next generation. He feels it's much smarter to pay more in interest than on a insanely high principle. ........... so, If by chance a person has a huge debt, which they are servicing ok with these cheap interest rate, suddenly gets a little 'notice' saying their rate is doubling, it's going to be a disaster.. I'm afraid it's going to get ugly, no matter what happens! We've been too obsessed with 'short term' money, and the long term problems have been ignored. We can't keep sweeping the problem under the rug forever! I also asked another banker I know, about the debt we owe the Chinese. Yes, we owe them a lot. Not as much as the Fed itself, SS, Medicare, all have underwritten massive debt. EU banks also have a hand in our spending. All of our debt held by foreign interests, 10% belongs to China.

My son dabbles in leather, and been wanting to try his hand at a set of seat covers for me... I did my own seats in my '73 Cuda (30 years ago) using 'snowmobile seat cover material'. The grain was almost a match for the original. Dang stuff never cracked, but when you jump into in on a hot summer day... Lets just say rancherman don't wear shorts!.. He's found a pretty good source of split cowhide, runs about 30 bucks/yard.. Unfinished, natural tan... now I just have to find a 'good enough' seat to dismantle, panel by panel, and use those as the patterns. Definitely a winter time job for me

Man, I've been preaching this fact for several years now, the H2O that is suspended within the fuel, basically at the molecular level. .....and most guys only roll their eye when I stumble though my rant.. They can't visualize water that is suspended is such a tiny form, that it can't 'drop out' and hug the bottom of the tank... where most pickup tubes can't reach.. Same type of homogenization that keeps whole milk from separating it's fat and non fat components. That said, I've had real problems when people say their fuel is cloudy.. Ok, what's it cloudy from? Water traces, or is the paraffins starting to congeal? Early last December, I was dead in the driveway... filters were snowed over. Now, you tell me, If that was 'whole water' from the bottom of the tank, It never would of been 'sucked up' in the first place! (It would've been a sheet of solid ice in the bottom of the tank.. safe and sound. between the water plug in our pipelines, and the final 'water bath- de sulphurization' process.. It gets hair pulling.

better quality? Could be! but I'd say more 'honest'!!!! Lets face it, one super arctic blast, and your whole Country shuts down! I live on the edge of 'cold as it gets', and 'not too bad' winter time conditions... I gotta think the end sales point play roulette with their blends. You northerners can't stand or tolerate a supply of junk! All we can do around here is *****... If you blend too much #1, lets say over 50%, then the consumer ******* about poor economy. Plus the price per gallon doesn't look very appetizing according to the station down the block (with only 10% #1)... So the price wars dictate just how much poor fuel is getting sold.... ugg.. I think a short course in fuel quality should be mandatory for all new diesel owners!

gotcha, thanks!

out of curiosity, will similar mods on the RH trans be as effective? I seen where they take the larger clutch packs/wider clusters out of the bigger trans, ie 48's to the 47's, even down to the 46's.. but was wondering if the VB TC mods worked as well in the non electric version?

my wife is concerned about the Women I may meet.... sheesh.

X2 !!! these days, ya never know! what do you do with a zebra? mount the head ( easy now, Dorkweed) full body mount? eat them? LOL< I almost had to blink twice... I thought that rock in the upper right corner was a lion or something!

www.tractorhouse.com

Good point Mike^^^^^^ Ya know, here's just a thought: When the waxes/paraffin are starting to congeal, and clump together, they are no longer evenly distributed in the fuel.. So within the liquid, there is lower content of the paraffin...then a portion that has a glob (microscopically of course) of paraffin... possible the liquid that DOES make it past the filter is possibly dryer because the 'goody' has been left behind?? ...... This is of course, me assuming the pariffins are a lubricant.......... So, technically, keeping the dang stuff melted/dissolved with an additive keeps the HFRR score low.. Tongue in cheek, additives help with keeping the score low, ONLY because it's allowing EVERYTHING through the filter??? I got a LOT of conjecture here ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ It won't be any better than when the fuel was warm... It won't be any worse when cold.

oh man, heated poop?

wow, I'd bet the liability on seat belt manufacturing is enormous.. After market belts may be non existent!.. Or they may be out there a dime a dozen!.. Salvage yard first??

true, alcohol evaps very easily... so does benzene, tolulene, all the rest of the 'secret' ingredients they use... IN A OPEN CONTAINER.. our fuel systems are for most practical purposes a closed vessel. A little will evap into the open area that is above the fuel until it reaches a saturated point, and can no longer hold any more... which point it will just condense it back to liquid and re mix with the fuel.. It never leaves the tank. Alcohol and the other light solvents are the worst thing we can put through our pumps.. but dang it, if it helps out with cloud point/gelling...what's a guy to do! (tank heater plugged in from November to March?)

Almost makes me want to build a deck! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIQ9A28XapQ&feature=youtu.be

I make my kids run along side! (they frown at me making them ride in the back!)

well, for me, it'd have to be the 96-97 12v and manual transmission... Just for the sake of horsepower rating (stock) and the simplistic nature of the 12v. Also the big Dana rear with the manual.. (same as the 3500) even though our 2000 dually with the 24 valve's been recently a little spendy... it should be reliable for many more miles. (now that I've learned what to watch for) (Thanks Mopar1973man.com) I'm sure the new stuff is much more fancy, faster, more powerful.... which in someone else's eyes, is their Holy Grail.. I'll buy theirs in about 10-15 years!

seeing this is a transplant, I'll bet you don't have a cel wired in, and probably have codes in the ecm? My 2000 did exactly what you are describing, ran for a bit, died, didn't restart until cold, repeat. it was my vp44, or at least the electronics in it.

Oh man, that's gotta be a rebuilt pump?? (gdp 9622380) 165 bucks for the whole kit makes it pretty tempting!

I agree too, the guy waiting-in-wait, well, he's got some 'splaining to do... He definitely 'planned' an action/set a trap/baited... This is yet another ' intent of the law verses the letter of the law' debacle/loophole all over again... This SHOULD be a common sense debate, we should be able to use justifiable means to protect ourselves, and the perp should've used common sense NOT TO COMMIT A CRIME in the first place.. I guarantee you they'll use that Minn. case to set new 'improved' lifestyles for all of us! maybe a moat around our houses filled with electric eels would suffice?

Sure, if I was going to be a trail runner/rock crawler, I agree 100%! I was only worried about the occasional deep frozen ruts.. (usually not a problem around 'here' gotta have MUD to make ruts!) or the 'hidden' stump that lurks in the grass. Or the rare curb rub.. Oh hell, any tire could be a victim under the wrong circumstances! I've seen 80 up to 120 psi recommended.. maybe some of my neighbors problems were from not enough pressure? anyhoo, UPS was here today, and I was checkin out his tires! He wondered what the heck I was doing.. and I told him! HA.. Almost a 'modern' tire, big ol tall rim, and short profile rubber...

gotcha. same here! http://www.eastwood.com/review/product/list/id/4837/category/473/ rattle can and brushable eastwood company shows a couple of products supposed to be rated for up to 1200 degrees. Doubtful the exterior of the elbow or downpipe sees much more than that.

After watching the Zimmerman case in Fla.. and now a recent shooting in Mont, the 'stand your ground' laws are going to be tested to the max. What's YOUR State saying about your Right to Defend yourselves? After reading the comments section in various news feeds, (which really these days is a hoot in itself) There are a lot of people that don't understand basic human rights! apparently these same people need laws on every facet of their lives, or they wouldn't be able to tie their own shoes! http://www.cbsnews.com/news/stand-your-ground-law-gets-major-test-in-recent-shootings/ MY feelings on this is: Someone either enters my house, attacks me or a family member... And IF I am prepared, (me being armed) doesn't deter the ongoing attack.. then I SHOULD be able to put them down. Now, I fully understand if someone is coming at me with a knife, it should be fairly easy to gain the upper hand, emptying a clip into this guy may not fair too well in court. But if someone is doped up, carrying a firearm, chance are they probably may just keep firing with a kneecap wound! Not saying it's ok to dump the whole clip, especially in their back (as in: they were retreating) Believe me, that has happened close to me a few years ago! ( self defense didn't work in that case) Then, on a related matter, 'insurance for shooters'. Say you were out plinking around, and a stray tags someone.. Now we are 'covered'???? Once again, lets give our ultimate responsibility of our actions off to a risk manager! Accidental shooting, NO PROBLEM! Just exchange insurance cards, and be on your merry way! Or how about this scenario.. Just as registering a vehicle, one needs at least liability insurance before they can drive it. So will this be just another way to make up a 'list' of armed people? (gotta have proof of liability before you can purchase a firearm?) I guess bottom line for me is, when push comes to shove, I'll do what it takes... and deal with whatever consequences may fall upon me later..

If you go that route, might as well send in the exhaust manifold too.. Black would be a nice color...

$255 Sanden, brand new. Free shipping. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dodge-Ram-5-9L-Cummins-Diesel-Brand-New-OEM-Sanden-AC-A-C-Compressor-w-clutch-/310352789450?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item484277bfca Just put one on my FIL's

Couple days ago, we posted back and forth on the merits of moving up to the 19,5 inch rims/tires. I just talked to my neighbor, who's worked on these from time to time. He's a little concerned that the bead area on these tires aren't real 'ruff country' friendly. ie: It doesn't take much of a side-shot to push the tire off the seal.. frozen ruts, branches, etc. The older rims he's worked with really didn't have much of a lip, it was more like a taper, ending in a small little raised lip. which made it really hard to 'seat' the tire.. and when it's time to dismount, shoot, just let the air out and it was broke down! Definitely need a puff tank to get them seated. These 'new' rims offered by vision, and other mfgs. may have made improvements in this area??? I also found a steel rim mfg on the east coast, made in USA, (of course more $$$ too) but before I plunge into anything, I'd like your guys thoughts! Thanks