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Messages - Higher Caliber
Pages: 1 ... 3 4 [5] 6 7 ... 14
201
« on: April 01, 2017, 02:35:18 PM »
Road report- Just did 200 miles of interstate driving. All of the gauges stayed within an appropriate range. No funny smells or noises. Steering could still use some tightening *somewhere* in my opinion. I would like to find a steering dampening kit of some flavor and maybe swap out the steering shaft for something sans rag joint. Rides like a truck, which I'm cool with. Prior to lift and tires around town I hand calc'd a 15 mpg. Today on the interstate 75-85 mph... drum roll please... .............. 13.7! Lol, but she looks cool!  Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
202
« on: March 31, 2017, 08:51:23 PM »
Looks good, any rubbing?
*Had to improve front approach angle .
Well played
203
« on: March 31, 2017, 08:12:52 PM »
Looks good, any rubbing?
Had to take the front splash guards off.
204
« on: March 31, 2017, 07:06:57 PM »
Haven't washed it yet, but you get the idea! Rides like a 3/4 ton! Just the way I like em!!   Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
205
« on: March 31, 2017, 09:29:43 AM »
206
« on: March 30, 2017, 12:30:18 PM »
Well I already failed JR! I Think that one would have lasted a lot longer than the original which only made it 180k miles! Piece of junk!! Maybe next time :(
Honestly idk why they wouldn't make them all like that! Same with tie rod ends and U joints. How much longer does it take to put a grease zirt on this stuff?
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207
« on: March 30, 2017, 11:06:49 AM »
 My poor yellow old man was just diagnosed with bone cancer. He is terminal, too old for radiation and chemo. We have him on prednisone to slow the growth of his mass. We are just waiting for him to look uncomfortable and we will give him a big slug of Michael Jackson candy to send him on his way. He's acting like a puppy all hopped up on the steroids and pain meds though. Today, for the first time in 15 years of his life, he pulled his dog food container over in to the driveway, and pulled the lid off for a snack.... I started to jump in his ass but couldn't bring myself to do it and just put the tub away and gave him an extra bowl full. Gonna be a sad day when we put him down. The greatest gift here however is he won't have to suffer like he would if he was human. What does that tell us?? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
208
« on: March 30, 2017, 10:53:39 AM »
I appreciate the offer Don. I kind of have this fantasy to start flipping cars like they do on those TV shows. In all my vehicle searches over the past few years as the young ins come in to driving age I have found there are a lot of cream puffs out there for cheap, as long as you are patient and keep a few grand on hand and can be Johnny on the spot when something pops up.
I had over $20k dollars in equity in the duramax, so I have some wiggle room for this "build"! I figure she will be a peach until she isn't. And even then I could replace the whole rig for the cost of a major repair on her predecessor. Not to mention I am saving $600/yr on insurance so I'm liking the fact my maintenance costs will be covered in those savings!
Chances are however a couple of years from now, I will be posting a picture of my new Fully automated rocket powered Chevy space truck. And pass this dude down to my prematurely balded make a wish kid!
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209
« on: March 30, 2017, 08:35:38 AM »
Look at the idler with the grease line if possible.
What is this?
210
« on: March 29, 2017, 07:13:59 PM »
Diagnosed a great deal of my steering issue.. pitman is shot like a roadkill armadillo and idler ain't much better! She's gon be driving like new when she gets put back together!
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211
« on: March 29, 2017, 10:09:50 AM »
Just dropped her off for surgery... one of you guys said polished slot mags with whitewall out BFG's.... the more I thought about that, the more I was all about it... then I got talked in to these overstocked Helos on the cheap.... I'm not sure I have the patience for polish as much as I used to. I loved the black wheels on my dmax for their ease of cleaning. And well, in contradiction to my inner voice, I kept the whitewall out BFG's for nostalgia purposes!  Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
212
« on: March 29, 2017, 09:11:07 AM »
You think? I never heard of an accelerator pump on FI, might be wrong tho
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213
« on: March 28, 2017, 10:55:44 PM »
Got some lines wet in the back yard. Baby girl caught her first fish, reeled in by her big girl self!  Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
214
« on: March 28, 2017, 09:30:50 PM »
My "new" old pickup just runs smooth and steady but occasionally you put your foot in it to pull in to traffic and she just sputters and falls on her face. She doesn't die and then picks up and runs out fine. Any ideas? Has new plugs, cap and rotor, fuel and air filters. Feels like a fuel delivery issue, hence the new filter. I know these trucks have notoriously bad fuel pumps but I have never had one hiccup intermittently on me when it was on the fritz. In my experience they just start quitting and you have to kick the tank once in a while to get them to run in my experience, so I feel like it's something else. But not sure what.
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215
« on: March 27, 2017, 03:47:14 PM »
Friday evening was our 10 year anniversary party, (small group, friends and family, karaoke night, nothing fancy) and on the way home from work I had to stop to sign our tax prep paperwork. Getting into the parking lot I heard some ugly noises from my truck. Now I've been having tcase issues, but the parking lot is pretty uneven and truck makes a lot of noise anyway, so I played ostrich and parked it like nothing happened. When I came back out and went to put her in drive, it sounded like gears spinning against each other and would not engage. Driveline moves up and down about 1/4" at the output shaft brg, so I gambled and lost, 1 hr before we were supposed to meet for the party. Cursed a couple times, left it there and went out for the evening. Had a good time with the anniversary gathering and woke up early to have roadside assistance tow me to the trans shop where she currently awaits full diagnosis. Could have happened anywhere along my 45 mile commute rte, so I feel blessed it was in a Kroger parking lot that's well lit and patrolled and the manager knows me. Now I'm driving a 1990 short cab std bed manual trans z71 that my neighbor is loaning me and wondering why I don't just buy it from him...
Come on in to the old school! The water is fine!! (For now)
216
« on: March 26, 2017, 06:13:03 PM »
Momma and I came home (mine) to Texas for an anniversary trip. Decided on the Rodeo and a trip to Billy Bobs seeing as how one of my favorite artists was playing. Aaron Watson.  God bless Texas! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
217
« on: March 24, 2017, 04:54:40 PM »
Apparently the bed sides on these 400's are 2" shallower than the bed sides on the 800's. In the dmax I had it setting on pedestals. It's just sitting flat in the bed here! Worked out!
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218
« on: March 24, 2017, 04:28:53 PM »
Got the tool chest installed.  Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
219
« on: March 23, 2017, 12:04:26 PM »
While on the subject though. What is yalls take on changing the filter? I've heard rumors that will somehow lead to a tranny problem if it's never been done before
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220
« on: March 23, 2017, 11:58:12 AM »
I'm not going to conversate on break downs till they happen! That's just asking for bad mojo. One of the boys asked my wife two nights ago if she had ever had a broken bone, the answer at the time was "no". 30 mins later an open front door caused a tremendous vacuum on the back as she was stepping outside. Slammed her thumb and pointer in it! Broken finger and 6 stitches... see where I'm going?
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221
« on: March 22, 2017, 04:44:15 PM »
Still wondering if it is a 8.5 or 9.5 rear?
700r4?
Missed that from before. How do I tell?
222
« on: March 22, 2017, 02:06:31 PM »
Reflex brand bedliner applied today!   Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
223
« on: March 22, 2017, 10:28:10 AM »
That Coast to Coast UFO show talks about chemtrails all the time. It was entertaining for a time, then it got stupid and I avoid it.
Did you start listening to coast to coast patrolling graveyards?? That's how I got in to it!
224
« on: March 22, 2017, 10:15:48 AM »
No. Actually I wanted a 1972 Cheyenne C-10. Inherited my grandfather olive and white two tone with only 82,000 on the Odo and then some oxygen thief deserving of death stole it.
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Ouch! That hurt my heart reading that... something about losing heirlooms. My ex wife threw away a pair of my grandpas chaps and spurs when she moved out of our old house. I'd tell you what I did, but it's best you all maintain plausible deniability until the statute of limitations has expired....
225
« on: March 20, 2017, 12:46:34 AM »
Only gripe I have so far is the good for nothing cup holder in the dashboard! I must modify this situation! The other thing will be when my older boys have to climb in the back seat!!!  poor kids! My little girls LOVE daddy's "new" truck! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
226
« on: March 20, 2017, 12:43:36 AM »
227
« on: March 18, 2017, 12:03:51 PM »
She's really pretty stout on the underneath side. Not that my 11' wasn't beefy, but I'm convinced you could take the whole thing apart with a 10mm.
Im not going to do anything too radical as far as lift and tires, for the very reasons listed above. Going from the 265-75-16's, to a 275-70-18, for consistency with mommas suburban.
I still want to be able to work the truck and let the truck work for me. Because, well it's a truck. But on the same hand, I want to fill my sophomore in high school fantasies I had for trucks... finally found the girl! ;)
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228
« on: March 18, 2017, 03:12:51 AM »
I should probably take pictures... but I always think of that after the fact.
Had the dual exhaust put on today. Went with the SS409 muffler. Not quite as loud as the flowmaster, but a nice deep throaty tone that tells momma I'm home.
Then had some admin tasks to do back at the FOB before moving on to the steering problem. First located the adjustment on top of the steering box and hosed it with the WD39+1. I let that percolate and swapped out my wiper blades, and the old Fram air filter for a K&N.
With all the love and affection, strength and intestinal fortitude I could muster, I worked for close to an hour to break loose the lock nut from the adjuster bolt. Adjuster bolt is a 3/16 Allen head btw, and the nut is 5/8. Then right as I was about reserved to warm her up with the perfect mixture of acetaline and O2, the thing magically came loose.... it was a God thing I am certain. After taking the old mans name in vain a couple times, he decided to show me who was in charge... I jacked up the front end, tightened her down to stop and backed off 90'sh degrees as prescribed by the General. While in the air I found the wheel bearings were tight as new, the ball joints were snug and happy, but the tie rod ends of the inner and outer variety both to port and starboard were wiggly in nature. Guess that's gonna be a thing. So I took her for a test drive and had pulled about half the dead steer out of her only to put an emphasis on the wander. (Maybe I was just spoiled for too long by my 50k dollar grenade?)
Next I went in to town for dog food and brake fluid. The muffler shop fella diagnosed the low brake pedal for me when he was under there. Turned out one of the brake line segments just aft of the fuel tank and before the splitter had been ate up by rust. I already had on hand a few lengths of that easy bend copper brake line so it appeared to be a plug and play job if I could teach my five year old to pump the brakes... I couldn't.
I swapped out the line, and called a "buddy" who I have helped out a multitude of times to come in for an assist, but he failed to show. Imagine that.
So I got innovative and cut the hose off of my garden sprayer and shoved a brake fluid container north of the bleeder screw with some fluid in it on the right rear. I then pumped the brakes until I heard sputtering, then again 7 times, for St Patty and 3 times for a nice even number, tightened the bleeder, Filled the reservoir and repeated 3 times. The left rear got the same treatment. Fired her up and voila! No bad brakes light. Took her for a spin and she stops like she did back in 98 I reckon. Pedal feels mid 2000's'sh.
I feel like I will swap the tie rod ends out right before she goes in for the lift kit, that way they can align it for me at the same time.
All in all it was a productive day off!
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229
« on: March 16, 2017, 08:15:44 PM »
Nice truck Blaine. If I may , I'll offer some brake advice:
Those trucks have always had a somewhat spongy pedal, but when the 4 wheel abs unit starts leaking pressure (internally) they get worse.
First try adjusting the rear brakes. If it still feels too spongy try pulling a few full blown panic stops (in dirt!) and that will cycle all of the pistons in the unit, and that should reseat everything for a while.
We are going to bleed the brakes tomorrow and give it a shot, then maybe it will be a little dirtier and I will feel better about "panic stopping". I need to get a feel for her under panic anyways. Great advice. Any tips on the steering? The play I feel when I drive is between the steering wheel and the box. I turned the ignition on, and rotated the steering shaft to find this out. I google fu'd up some instructions on tightening the adjustment screw on the steering box to dial things in. Any advice would be appreciated.
230
« on: March 15, 2017, 10:42:29 PM »
Good to hear from you Blaine. Great thing about that interior color is that it will hide blood stains well.
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Yikes! True story!
231
« on: March 15, 2017, 07:26:07 PM »
Y'all are going to think I'm crazy, but I sold the D-max.... time to build smtg new. After spending time in my daughters truck, I just forgot how much I like the 88-98 Chevys. So when my father in law offered his up for sale, I popped on it. Here's my 3800 investment so far. You may remember from duramax forum when I located this truck for him. Well he drove it for a year, had an awful stroke, and it's been sitting ever since. And it was NASTY... but here she is now, all prettied up again. Introducing Tina, the 1998 Z71    I'm going to keep her simple. This was my dream truck in high school. So I'm going to make all those dreams come true. I need to chase down a low break pedal issue and a steering wander. Reflex bedliner on Wednesday, dual flow master exhaust, 2-3" RC add a leaf lift kit and new wheels and BFG tires... that'll be about it! Stay tuned! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
232
« on: January 02, 2017, 10:47:38 AM »
Morning gents-
Just heard from a couple of y'all and it seems I have been missed a little bit. Truth is I have checked in a few times just to see how things were going but I have been reluctant to post much. Honestly I have been struggling to reduce my social media signature, not do fear of the Clintons, but just because I got to the point I was too hung up on what was happening on the screen of my phone. From time to time I would catch myself lost in the forums or the social dumpster that is Facebook.
I see my older kids spending way too much time on this of that and our time is so limited anyways I tried to set the "unplugged" example. So I limited my time to 25 minutes of social media per day... which seems like a lot but it's really not.
Secondary to this, I have moved my grandmother to town and she's quite the handful. But she raised me as a boy, so I guess it's time to return the favor, seeing as how my deadbeat egg donor and my aunt looked the other way when she needed them.
Then you add in school. 9hours for fall, 12 hours this spring. But I can see the objective as far as that goes and hopefully will have my bachelors all tied up by this time next year! Haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up, but we shall see!
Other than all of that, things are going pretty smooth. I'm slotted for the NRA LE handgun instructor next week to add to my list of professional credits. House is great! Work is great! Fam is great! My eldest boy was accepted into University of Arkansas and my second eldest boy is going to be a credentialed welder by the time he graduates high school. Eldest daughter is beautiful as her momma and just got the braces off! Trickling down to the youngest girls everyone is happy and healthy!
Momma and I have worked through some issues recently. We sought out some professional counseling and we are picking away at things that have hindered each of us for a long time. Just little stuff that becomes big stuff. Its actually helped a lot! In many ways. Never fear the couch gents. No shame in reaching out for help!
I guess that's about it for now! I'll check back a little more frequently!
Y'all take care!
Stay staunch!
Blaine
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233
« on: November 14, 2016, 09:10:31 AM »
911!
Morning Gents!
What am I doing today? Changing batteries on the Dmax apparently!
Best commercially available batteries for the money? Go!
We have oreilly, auto zone, napa, wal mart, sears, battery outfitters etc...
Need to know in the next hour or so and this is a high traffic thread!
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234
« on: September 15, 2016, 04:42:39 PM »
I had to buy my own first ride.
Me too... Maybe I'm crazy but we have 9 kids and I look at it as a tool. Now she has to help transport kids around. Last Tuesday we were split in to three different states playing volleyball, football practice, FFA, and quiz bowl. My wife and I both have over full time jobs and the oldest is dual enrolled in HS and college courses. The second oldest is dual enrolled in high school and getting his welding cert at the tech center... Until I can get Scotty to beam the little insurgents to and from, Emma is going to have to pitch in and help! LOL
235
« on: September 15, 2016, 12:26:16 AM »
Bought a new truck! Found this rig for cheap! Going to be my daughters first truck. The consensus amongst the "experts" who were selling it was the trans had crap the bed, but knowing these trucks like I do and the way it drove, I wasn't believing it. (Just shifting erratic and hard... tire chirping hard) CEL on... Had it in my mind, throttle position sensor, so first stop was o Reilly and a $49 part later and the transmission magically came back to life and shifts dreamy like! So pics-     I noticed the radiator had a split in it, so picked up a new one of those too before it exploded at the least opportune moment. Then took it for a good detailing. Even after buying parts I'm still under 2k in to it... 98 Chevy 1500 2wd 146k miles 350 automatic... May just keep it for myself! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
236
« on: August 01, 2016, 01:26:17 AM »
Not necessarily. Depends on how I'm operating. Running simple traffic all I know by the time I get to the window is whether the tag or vehicle the tag should be displayed on is stolen.
Now if you are parked at a dope house and I'm waiting for you to roll away, I'll run the tag and thusly the registered owner so I can get as much info as possible before the stop.
You should go do a ride along with your local PD or SO. I could explain more offline. What's got you curious?
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237
« on: July 31, 2016, 12:46:55 AM »
Staple holes mean the DL was seized (post DUI) and mailed to the state for admin suspension at one point. We staple them to the suspension app.
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238
« on: May 31, 2016, 05:22:22 PM »
 Popped the cherry on the garage! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
239
« on: May 29, 2016, 07:01:34 PM »
It does its job. Always goes bang! Just kind of hangs out on my ankle mostly.
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240
« on: May 28, 2016, 10:03:55 PM »
241
« on: May 14, 2016, 10:55:13 PM »
I have the t1.
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242
« on: May 14, 2016, 10:54:27 PM »
Actually we are on hold. All available funds are going toward final house necessities and to refilling the savings account! No PDW but my fridge is friggin cool!
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243
« on: May 10, 2016, 11:23:35 PM »
Started moving finally! Then dad came up so we had dinner and did some fishing!  Throw back Thursday before she made me her prince!  (She wasn't as impressed holding me back then) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
244
« on: May 08, 2016, 03:31:59 PM »
 Brackets came in from King architecture. Ordered online thurs morning. On the doorstep Friday afternoon! Was surprised! Here is the representation of how they will mount!  Phase 1 panels are ready for the powder coating! Phase one consists of all of the "fall to your death" areas around the back porches!  Then an evening at the track! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
245
« on: May 06, 2016, 09:33:35 AM »
Just the micro. Honestly if I see it with my naked eye, I can be sub "minute of bad guy" w/o magnification. If I can't see it, I probably shouldn't be shooting at it without a certificate qualifying me to shoot that far. If I ever get to the point I can't boot a door, I'll lay in the weeds on over watch!
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246
« on: May 05, 2016, 05:54:32 PM »
Yeah, I have evolved. I know in the past I have been pretty closed minded on a few things. This example being one of such things. However the micro has not presented the tunnel focus to me like the ACOG did. Of course I don't spend much time in application outside of an area much bigger than a room anymore... :(
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247
« on: May 05, 2016, 10:43:51 AM »
I used to have that relationship with our co-op. But alas no co-op where I live now. They were my one stop shop from propane to feed to seed to cow supplies and tires and all petroleum products. Then they would invoice me monthly and at the end of the year if our co op was doing good, we would get a dividend check right before Christmas at a percentage of what you had spent with them over the year. It was a pretty good deal. I'm sure y'all have something similar up your way
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248
« on: May 04, 2016, 10:59:44 PM »
Yessir! It is a "pro star" machine. It's praxair's house brand. I just rented it but it's only $1000 unit and I've been pretty impressed so far really! It was praxair's answer to the hobby welder that has been burnt by harbor freight but can't afford a name brand machine. By their admission it is about 50% the machine a miller of the same recipe is at 25% of the price. Honestly I don't know much more about it than that! I got it off the floor and set it up myself and went to melting! I learned how to weld in ag class in high school and had my own small scale fab business when I was a kid. Did mostly fencing and hand rails. I worked for a summer as an apprentice to a pipeline guy my sophomore year.
My dad taught me there were a thousand ways to make a dollar and if you could learn to do all of them, you could make a thousand bucks... I've only learned how to do a couple hundred so far but it's paid off on occasion! Haven't always been a "doctors wife"!
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249
« on: May 04, 2016, 07:19:13 PM »
About 14 years ago I crawled out from under a Great Plains no till drill after nearly setting a wheat field on fire and having the biggest glob of slag you ever saw drip down my shirt collar across my nipple and settle in my belly button and vowed to never don a welding hood ever again! Well today I broke my vow. After getting a bid on porch railing at over 50$ a linear foot I got pissed, took two weeks off work and decided I'm gonna do it myself! Well... So that's what I did today! It's not like riding a bike but I think I can still lay down a decent bead by golly!  My "jig"  Ready for powder coat  Not bad eh?? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
250
« on: April 25, 2016, 05:26:12 PM »
Well I did something I never do- I always support my local shops when I need new tires. I buy them from the four wheel drive shop and have another guy mount and balance. It generally ties up about four to five hours of my time once it's all said and done and I'm generally out around 1300 bucks. Well I needed tires in a bad way, really bad way and called the new discount tire in my area. Tires were on the shelf!! I haggled for a minut and the guy quoted me $1000.03 out the door with lifetime rotation and balancing. New generation BFG KO2's. He assured me their tires would come out of the same factory the other local guys tires did... In other words they weren't Sam Walton specials. So I pulled in the drive and bit. My card cleared at 1506. I was on the interstate test driving at 1557. The crew paid damn close attention to protect my wheels and all three guys working on my truck, while I watched came over, shook my hand, thanked me for my service (veteran tag) and introduced themselves at one point or another during the process! I was super impressed! Local guys never did that and hated me watching. I still won't use wal mart, but these guys might have a new customer...   Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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