This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.
Messages - Flyin6
1
« on: Today at 09:43:47 PM »
He made it through Cole Range, the super tough part of RASP. Now it's just four weeks of intensive weapons training and this young man gets assigned to one of our three Ranger Battalions!
I couldn't be more proud.
But there is a back story: I have been praying every day for God to give him another basement below the one he naturally has for when it gets really bad. I prayed for strength, for endurance, and all those sort of things. I did not know this until tonight but his mother has been praying for God to show up in Chris's life in a way that he would absolutely know it was God!
And he did!
Oddly enough Kat and I were sitting in the theater watching the latest Christian movie when Chris called. So we hustled out into the hallway and spoke to him for 30 min. He was telling us all about his experiences in a non-specific manner because he was not allowed to discuss details. He said, "Dad, you know, speaking of the spiritual nature of things, one night I was all junked up on the land nav course. I had to do waypoints 5km apart in a given time and the time was running out." He then said, "So I prayed and asked God to please get him through this land nav course." He continued that he looked at the map and looked around, but it was nighttime in Georgia (Flat). He said he thought he was near this hillside, so he took a heading and took off at a run. He said, "Dad just like that I ran up a hill and right to that waypoint! He said he ran to the next two and got both first time. He then ran to the finish and made it in time having found 100% of his waypoints!
He told me, "Dad, that had to be God." And right there is a pretty good witness about how a mother prayed a prayer, for God to show up, and he heard it. Chris cannot deny that he prayed because he was lost and out of ideas, and God intervened!
RTLW (Rangers lead the way) but God almighty reigns over everything!
2
« on: Today at 09:31:16 PM »
Well, this happened today: A new Kioti 6010 Cab tractor with a loader and a grapple. Good vid on a farmer who purchased one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rBiZQQnnDAI believe I mentioned this might arrive, and as of today it is on its way. Because of the situation surrounding my farm, that being we are not building our forever home there in the near future, and maybe not at all, but possibly... Because of that, the farm is now in a maintenance mode from my perspective. I will harvest round bales of hay off of it twice a year, totalling around 100 bales, I still need to bushhog the areas not harvested, and repair the roads, and do chores here and there. Therefore I feel another 60HP tractor is good enough. I actually built that farm with a 66HP John Deere then went into overdrive with the skid-steer and excavator. But a simple hydrostat tractor is all that I will need to keep the place in tip-top condition going forward. I already own a 60HP Kubota MX-6000. But I have to say that after two years on that thing, I really do not like it. It has a terrible "Treadle" pedal thing that makes the tractor super difficult to just operate. Then there's the pathetic loader. The Kubota's loader is rated at 1,700 lbs, whereas the Kioti's is nearly 2,700. That is a country mile better. No excuse, Kubota, you built us a weak-in-the-knees tractor. I traded in my Kubota today and picked up a brand new Kioti 60-horse tractor. It's so new that it is still all broken down sitting in a crate. I got to pick out my tires which will be the newest offering, the R14 which is half ag and half industrial tire tread. I added to it a third function routed to the loader so I could operate the grapple, and I purchased a Kioti 5' grapple. The new tractor with a cab will allow for AC when cutting in September, and heat when doing winter chores. It has a ton of cool features, some of which I may actually use! It is set to be delivered on Thursday.
3
« on: Today at 09:14:04 PM »
Don here is the recipe. If you or anyone reading this uses it and blows themselves up, it’s not my proble
Start low and work up looking for signs of over pressure.
66 degree day with 84% humidity.
240 gn hornady XTP
Vihtavuori N110 powder- 21gn
Virgin Starline brass
Magtech magnum pistol primer
Highest velocity- 1477fps
Lowest 1399
Mean 1427
Average of 6 rounds
Yea, that's cookin' Thanks and, warning heeded!
4
« on: Today at 09:12:22 PM »
Dropped truck off at local vehicle accessory shop yesterday to get drivers amp step fixed as it’s been in permanently down position for last month. Found a very weak but functional drive motor, decent accumulation of junk in drive gear as well. So they swapped on a new drive motor and then pulled and cleaned both sides of dirt and road grime. In addition they added some silicone to beef up the oem seal to the gear housing and $270 later all is well.
Excellent! Electric steps are great...until they fail in the down position!
5
« on: May 08, 2024, 09:10:29 AM »
Did you paint it orange for that kinda damage? Gues I missed it, how did you damage it?
Good plan on the batteries, mine are great so far at the ridge.
Does it have a hot water heater on demand unit?
Damage: just read back a few posts...wrecked it! Yes, on demand water heater. I wish it did not have one, but it is what it is. This is the latest thing, but the old 6 gal hot water tanks worked much better I'm told.
6
« on: May 07, 2024, 04:17:35 PM »
I meant ether and match to set the bead on the tire…
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
"Breck" hair spray works pretty well too and It's the primary fuel for your potato gun ;-)
7
« on: May 07, 2024, 04:15:56 PM »
10mm is just a longer 40 cal. Same dies.
Actually the 10mm came first, then the limp wristed FBI folks couldn’t deal with the recoil so they started down loading it and realized they didnt need all the cartridge length….and the 40S&W was born…
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
1. They're listening, ya know... 2. You're not making any friends over in Quantico 3. We all are probably on some list 4. There's likely no one over there who is vindictive...:-0
8
« on: May 07, 2024, 04:13:21 PM »
This has turned out to be an interesting story
Holman motors completed all repairs yesterday except for the slide's awning, which had not come in yet.
THey asked me to come pick up the camper and just bring it back when the awning came in. So I motored up there yesterday to pick it up as requested. After arriving, I got to inspect the work, which was excellent, and it looks better than when I purchased it. But something was not finished which the tech noticed, so I was sent home to come back today.
I did that, arriving before 0900. While awaiting them to marry up the camper to my truck once again, the brown truck showed up and guess what was inside??? My new awning!
So they sent me home with a rental/loaner and kept the dually. I guess I'll go pick it up tomorrow and be back up to 100%.
That's great because when the bumper is bolted onto the Ram, the truck will be mission-ready, and work will shift to the camper. It will get loaded with all the essentials while I figure out what that looks like.
I own a 2K HF generator that is whisper quiet, so I'm contemplating getting a generator box and bolting all that to the backend. I think I will add a second LIPO battery because people who have boondocked for over a week in my model camper, advise that 200 amp/hr. of lithium will carry all your needs. They carried a small gas generator to top up the batteries when it was cloudy, so I think I'll prep in the same manner.
I also plan to add a soft start capacitor to the AC unit and perhaps another one to the outlets circuit. That should allow me to run the AC and a coffee machine on a 2K generator.
Also on the list is a ladder, a cell phone booster, and the Star Link antenna with a roaming plan.
9
« on: May 07, 2024, 03:58:47 PM »
Divide your new tire height by the old tire height. That will give you the percentage you are off.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Copy that...4% 33.1/31.8=1.04xxx 65 indicated X 1.04 = 67.6 70 indicated X 1.04 = 72.8 Closer than I thought ...And thanks
10
« on: May 07, 2024, 08:54:32 AM »
Someone say pond and zero turn???
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
;-)
11
« on: May 07, 2024, 08:51:50 AM »
Sorry for being MIA for a while Chief. I’ll be at the ranch and look up the recipe and post it with my usual disclaimer.
As for the 41mag, I have a ruger Redhawk single action. I was able to replicate the exact ballistics of that weapon in my G20 10mm by adding a more supported KKM barrel and Wolff 20lb recoil spring. It slings 200gn Hornady XTPs at 1350. Can you imagine that? 14 rounds of that in a semi auto? It’s a beast. And even with the heavy recoil spring it still throws brass 15 feet!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
No worries about being late, I expect that you are a bit more caught up at work these days. (Retirement will feel sooo good!) Sounds like a cool gun! I reloaded my .41 mag ammo, but have lost all memory of that... The 10mm is a bit of a mystery to me...sort of like my 6.5 PRC. Speaking of that, I never realized it was a .264 Winchester magnum. one of my favorite all-time cartridges... I'll likely start pistol reloading on that .44 magnum. 9mm is still pretty cheap over at Buds...
12
« on: May 07, 2024, 08:46:38 AM »
Thanks all for the discussion and tips...
The test drive yesterday was amazing!
I have the suspension I was looking for and the power along with the extended gear from the larger tires.
It is just so perfect right now!
The ride is firm but not harsh. You hit a pothole expecting a jarring but instead you get a modulated bounce that stops mid stream. The cornering is nothing short of spectacular. Cutting the gear back with the 2" larger diameter tire makes the torque surge instead of leap. It's so useable and darned quick too.
I have zero complaints at the moment, and I drove it over 100 miles to be sure.
When the speedo says 70, I am keeping up with traffic and speeding past the semis. In KY most folks drive 75-80 and the trucks at 65. Without knowing for sure I am 5mph off or perhaps a tad more. I'll have to get that dialed in.
13
« on: May 05, 2024, 08:14:13 PM »
When you raise the front end, the axle mount beams or control arms or whatever they are now pointed down a little, so that pulled the caster out of there that I need to track straight down the highway.
14
« on: May 05, 2024, 07:13:53 PM »
Yippee!
15
« on: May 05, 2024, 07:12:23 PM »
I did a bunch of yard work after the truck work. This time of year I am at the plant beds almost every day. Burning weeds, trimming bushes and trees, grass cutting 2.5 acres, and cutting in the beds...Whew!
16
« on: May 05, 2024, 07:10:20 PM »
Chore, thought it was fun? Almost can't tell there are 2 dogs there, spot above the nose gives and eye is about it.
Glad the bags aren't leaking, some you don't have to think about now.
At least it has a solid axle, IFSs are worse.
Yeah, glad I don't have to revisit those bags. The alignment is tomorrow, then I'll get to the front bumper. That may take a bit longer. I'm thinking of welding in a winch mount before I install it. I was thinking I may want a winch to pull trees off the trail for when we get off-road with it.
17
« on: May 05, 2024, 07:01:56 PM »
Installing that Carli piece is not all that easy.
The cylinder is gas-charged to around 200 psi, I think. Anyway, compressing it is not for someone recovering from RA!
The tricky part is that there are four little alignment spacers that fit either side of the heim joints. So while compressing that thing and trying to line it up, one needs to somehow slip in the bolt just a little ways, then get it through the first bushing, then the Heim, and then the fun begins. While you are pushing the thing to compress it, with your third and fourth hand you need to force in the lower spacer...to where it aligns with this spring-loaded bear trap, then get that bolt through the second (pinched in place) bushing then through the mounting ear.
If you can do that, well kudos to you because I only got it after some focused praying and zero cursing or bad thoughts.
Get that done and you're nearly finished. I did not torque, just got everything snugged up. The locking nuts will keep everything in place, but if you read of a dually careening off a mountainside with a lop-sided camper on the back, well, I guess it loosened back up!
18
« on: May 05, 2024, 06:53:53 PM »
I had just had the stocker off so removing it again was pretty straight forward
Carli's piece looks so much more refined.
19
« on: May 05, 2024, 06:51:52 PM »
Next up was the front Carli steering stabilizer.
20
« on: May 05, 2024, 06:51:03 PM »
These two are never far away. The big one was laying against either rear dual wheel just before I started on the liner re-installation. As if the dog knew where not to be!
21
« on: May 05, 2024, 06:49:22 PM »
Before the weather turns foul, I will get up in there with a bunch of 3M cavity wax and spray a good coat over my arms and hair! :-0
The stance is what I was looking for:
22
« on: May 05, 2024, 06:47:53 PM »
I began the chore day by reinstalling the rear wheel well liners
They are pretty big, but unlike the GM units, these are a lot thinner and floppier. I trimmed four big inside flaps away that were obscuring the part of the overload spring that I like to view to see if they are in contact with my revised pads. Once I did that the liners were easier to handle.
Oh, and the airbags are holding air just fine now. It was the Pac-Air flexible inlet fittings that were the culprit.
23
« on: May 04, 2024, 04:04:12 PM »
I have severe osteoarthritis in one hip and more not quite severe in a knee and other hip. Tried cortisone injections with limited success. The past 6 months I have had injections of Monovisc in the severe hip and have had some relief. Next will be replacements. I have had good results from keeping my weight down and avoiding sugar any flour.
Copy on that. I have all but eliminated sugar, but seem to eat bread more often. I think the most important thing about bread is to stay away from enriched flour. Sourdough and more "ancient" and less processed wheat is best.
24
« on: May 03, 2024, 01:19:02 PM »
Don, I'm a firm believer that the key to mobility is staying mobile. Glad you're fighting through this!
That is a simple fact and wisdom learned from many who came before us Motion is lotion and all that So I had another crazy thought. With this RA, you never really know if, for example, you need a knee replacement or it is just an RA attack. It was my shoulders last summer/fall, but now it's my knees. Believing I may be on the mend from a direct RA attack, I began thinking about knee replacements. I have had surgeries on both. No meniscus remains in either knee, and I have a good diagnosis of severe Arthritis in both knees. So, has anyone heard of that Chicken based grease that is injected to fill the joint's inner cavities? I know here comes the jokes..."Man, you get that stuff injected and you'll be able and willing to chicken out in a fight and run away..." Heard all of em But if you have a good one, please share Back to my reasonin' I was thinking I could convince a doctor to inject me with the stuff for the summer's upcoming trips. Then as the effects wore off toward the fall, I could opt for one or two replacements and heal over the Christmas holidays. I could avoid all the festivities I don't like anyway and heal up during the nasty cold/wet months. Be back in the saddle sporting shiny new metal parts for the Alaska trip in 25! Just some thoughts at the moment, but there just may be some late summer sweet corn there...
25
« on: May 02, 2024, 10:17:32 PM »
Rheumatoid Arthritis can be a bear.
It started affecting me last spring, a little more than a year ago. As the disease took hold it made me an effective cripple. My low point was a morning when I could not get up out of the chair to go to the bathroom. It is an awful disease and it kicked my butt for sure.
It takes months to get an appointment with a Rheumatologist, but through the utter persistence of my wife, she got me in in a week.
I had to undergo a lot of tests. I had studies done on my heart, Liver, and Kidneys. Some of those studies involved minor surgery. I confess starting last May until late this past fall, I was pretty miserable.
The Rheumatologist started dosing me with Hydroxychloroquine, two times a day. The thing about treating RQ is that they are aggressive or else you could suffer permanent joint damage.
I discovered I could take a small dose of prednisone and get 2-3 days of relief. The long-term drugs take at least six months to start to become effective. Luckily, I think I am a little past that point now and hopeful of finding a cure.
I am writing this here because as soon as I started gaining mobility, I started working out, but it has been a slow road. At first, I could only do 10-15 minutes of walking on a treadmill. I could not reach down to the floor or even effectively bathe myself. Yea, it was a bit_h.
As I started getting a little better and then a little bit more, I started walking more. I could not bend my wrist to do even a single pushup! By comparison, I used to do 100!
Well, today, I completed a 4-mile hike, and just yesterday I did a hike up and down 500-foot elevation changes at a place called Benger Mountain. It has been a real struggle, but I am fighting it with everything I have.
At the moment the pain from today's hike is under control after taking three Tylenol, but I am making headway.
I will not give up and hope to fully recover from this crippling disease.
26
« on: May 02, 2024, 09:51:55 AM »
I did the same thing to mine. Weld it back together and carry on...
With your torture testing background I can’t say I’m surprised….. 
Well... ;-)
27
« on: May 02, 2024, 09:02:32 AM »
Congratulations, Matt for delivering the word of God on a daily basis for years now!!
Coming to this thread has become a regular thing for many of us here.
In fact, we have now visited this thread and God's word over 100,000 times
May the glory be to God for he is the very reason we have this thread.
But also, Thanks Matt
28
« on: May 01, 2024, 11:18:46 PM »
Costco here is the same as the stations and No diesel! Why be a member?
Wow, not here. Costco is way cheaper than anywhere else, even Sam's Club. And it has diesel.
29
« on: May 01, 2024, 11:17:51 PM »
I did the same thing to mine. Weld it back together and carry on...
30
« on: May 01, 2024, 07:14:50 PM »
Knocking on the door of 100,000 views
One hundred thousand times someone wrote or read God's word!
31
« on: May 01, 2024, 07:13:06 PM »
32
« on: May 01, 2024, 07:11:58 PM »
NW MT
D $3.95
G $3.50
Both have been floating within 5 cents a gallon of those prices for a couple weeks
Kentucky is approximately the same. Costco fuel, of course, is about 50 cents a gallon cheaper.
33
« on: May 01, 2024, 07:10:40 PM »
Tate,
Thanks for that update.
My takeaway is that Mopar is doing their homework and installing some stout components. That, and now we know for sure that we are back to clutch-type limited slips.
Another takeaway is that this newer carrier is going to be a tad bit more difficult to play with given its pressed-together nature.
I for one will just run this factory setup until Trump leaves office after he completes his second term in 2033.
34
« on: April 30, 2024, 07:46:31 PM »
I then added 20 psi to the bags to test for leaks overnight.
That raised the rear end a bit more.
Obviously, the back end will settle down with 4,000 lbs. in the bed, but I can say, I am pleased with the results.
35
« on: April 30, 2024, 07:42:29 PM »
I did not get any pics, but I added a 1" spacer beneath the airbags. I then used bolts that were over 1" too long. After threading them through the spacer and mounting them into the bottom of the bags, they protrude downward. The idea here is to allow the suspension more flex if I ever extend it in more severe terrain. The Carli shocks will allow for more droop so these bag extensions will accommodate that should it ever happen.
Here are the finished Carli install shots:
36
« on: April 30, 2024, 07:37:39 PM »
Here's a before and after showing the additional height with zero air pressure.
Before looks like 43 1/4"
After is 44 3/4"
Some of that is just the fact that the suspension has not settled from being unloaded on jack stands for two days. but I easily picked up an inch +.
37
« on: April 30, 2024, 07:33:31 PM »
I finished up the rear suspension and repaired the leaky airbag fittings (I think...)
I pulled the air bags off and tossed the factory supplied cheapo swivel fittings in favor of the brass ones the local truck repair shop gave me yesterday
38
« on: April 30, 2024, 10:06:17 AM »
So here's a question: I like the lug nuts showing look, that and the rear hub showing. It is either that of slide on the cheapl plastic hub caps.
Question, Leave em off, of go all girly and install them back like factory?
I don’t mind it either.
My .02..
I’m not sure how much luck and crap will get on them.
What I’ve found with my Chebby ones, they are clean.
In my trailers, without the plastic caps, the mud and goo really plugs up the threads.
So much so that I’ve had to shorten some wheel studs.
My vote would be based on your operating conditions.
Not to goooey, then lose ‘em.
Gooey, probably keep ‘em.
Good thoughts... My concept of the operation is that I want to be able to visibly see if any lug nuts are loosening up with all this road warrior stuff coming right up...
39
« on: April 30, 2024, 09:02:28 AM »
We do have a pond that would hold it. 96 does speed it up considerably.
Sam's right. Ponds eat zero turns. My neighbor across the street, 3X! If it weren't for my truck and its front winch, would have been a fiver! Oh and then there's a notable member of this community ;-)
40
« on: April 30, 2024, 09:00:27 AM »
So here's a question: I like the lug nuts showing look, that and the rear hub showing. It is either that of slide on the cheapl plastic hub caps.
Question, Leave em off, of go all girly and install them back like factory?
41
« on: April 30, 2024, 08:58:39 AM »
Getting there. Dodge has always had solid running gear. Some of the earlier auto trans were not up to snuff and not a huge fan of the AAM front axle.
Stock wheels look good too.
Doing steps on it too? I sold my powersteps as I prefer the side protection of the stationary.
On the steps, dunno. It came with the cheapo side steps and actually, they do work. My oldest son says I need to lose them. I would prefer AMP Research steps for this one, but again, dunno... Opinions?
42
« on: April 29, 2024, 09:07:43 PM »
I had to attend a fire department board meeting, so I did not finish.
Chatting with the guys at the truck shop, they told me that my airbag leak issue is being caused by leaking swivel fittings. They do not use them but have some better stationary solid brass fittings. They just gave me two of them for no charge. How cool is that?
So here is the resting condition as of COB, today. I'll get on the bags tomorrow and hopefully, have it ready for the alignment shop.
43
« on: April 29, 2024, 09:04:28 PM »
After the U-bolt thing, I was able to proceed, and managed to get the first, then the second Lift block installed with the new hardware.
44
« on: April 29, 2024, 09:02:03 PM »
Very quickly, I noticed the warehouse guys sent me the wrong U-bolts, so I had to go out and have some made up for me. Having to take a couple of hours to chase down the U-bolts effectively killed any chance I had of finishing the install today...
In the box, you can see the Carli-supplied U-bolt, and the one I just took off my truck. They are the same length!
So is life, no big deal.
45
« on: April 29, 2024, 08:59:34 PM »
As is usual, the dog chose a spot that was in the way of everything...
I throw boxes and trash on him thinking it will startle him, but he never moves...
46
« on: April 29, 2024, 08:58:20 PM »
They sent me the rear shocks, lift blocks and U-Bolts.
The shocks have a lot of gas pressure. I'm talking getting a jack to compress them!
47
« on: April 29, 2024, 08:56:42 PM »
Today I got after the rear suspension (again).
Before adding the Carli stuff, the rear is about level with the front.
48
« on: April 29, 2024, 06:35:12 PM »
That'll work!^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
49
« on: April 29, 2024, 06:32:47 PM »
96"??? What???
Huge, that is what that thing is.
Now get that boy of mine on it mowing your pastures. He needs to learn to operate stuff like that...
50
« on: April 29, 2024, 06:31:15 PM »
Moving along!
Hope you get the nice ride you’re after first round this time.
Just caught the 12 bolts in the rear axles.
I think it was 8 in the 11.5, so that one has been beefed up considerably.
It is apparently. I chatted with Tate this morning about it. He sent me some detailed information about that axle. We can settle the argument about which kind of differential is in there. It is a two-piece differential with internal clutches preloaded by some Belville washers. Apparently, it is possible to rebuild it. There are 30, 32 and 33 spline axles depending on what truck you are driving. The dually gets the mutant strong stuff. That is why everything seems so darned oversized in the pics of my truck axle.
|
Show Posts