5 Tons of Fun

[TheOffice]

What Edgewater needs are cheap day laborers! We're too old for that crap!

[Ajax]

What Edgewater needs are cheap day laborers! We're too old for that crap!

I won't hire 'em. Every time I have, I've been bitten in the ass. They do half the job and run off with half or all of the money. All you guys barking about what a wonderful work ethic these people have, must have better luck than I have. Hell, I can't even recruit trustworthy, reliable racing crew. I'm a lousy judge of character, I've always said.

It's just easier for me to buy the tools necessary for me to do the work myself or with the Ranger's help.

[BeauV]

Ajax, it is VERY COOL that you are hauling real heavy stuff with Ox. Good truck, really good truck!

[Audrey]

Very cool indeed. Have you thought about bringing the ol gal to Bring your wheels to Deale? https://www.facebook.com/events/173672979933714/

I'm planning on making a trip out there this spring hopefully. If I can stand the 3500 rpm cruising racket...

[Ajax]

Very cool indeed. Have you thought about bringing the ol gal to Bring your wheels to Deale? https://www.facebook.com/events/173672979933714/

I'm planning on making a trip out there this spring hopefully. If I can stand the 3500 rpm cruising racket...

Huh. I'd never heard of it. It's right around the corner, so I'll go if I'm not tied up with something.

Edit: 2100 rpms is pretty loud in this thing. There are decals in the cab that mandate wearing hearing protection in accordance with Army Regulation blah-blah dash blah.
Once I get past the belts, hoses and coolant, I want to start tackling all the spot rust and get it cleaned up.

[kimbottles]

Very cool indeed. Have you thought about bringing the ol gal to Bring your wheels to Deale? https://www.facebook.com/events/173672979933714/

I'm planning on making a trip out there this spring hopefully. If I can stand the 3500 rpm cruising racket...

Put your ride on Ajax’s beast and go together.

[BeauV]

Very cool indeed. Have you thought about bringing the ol gal to Bring your wheels to Deale? https://www.facebook.com/events/173672979933714/

I'm planning on making a trip out there this spring hopefully. If I can stand the 3500 rpm cruising racket...

Put your ride on Ajax’s beast and go together.

[Ajax]

Well, it's 5 tons of pain right now.

While driving close to home, the transfer case rear output shaft bearing failed. There was a screeching and then a banging as the parking brake drum (on the driveshaft) began making an eccentric movement. Luckily, I was very close to home and was able to limp in.

I can grab the output shaft and move it around more than I should, plus the seal is ruined and leaking gear oil now.

I've located a replacement for a good price. The transfer case weighs around 500 lbs. I'll be purchasing a heavy duty transmission jack to swap it out.
I'll buy the parts and have the original transfer case repaired and kept as a spare.

Big trucks mean big, spectacular failures.

[LarryHoward]

Not a lot of fun.

[Jamie]

There is a surprising amount of therapeutic value in car repairs.

I just helped my colleague remove the badly bent front a-arm off his son's Audi. My knuckles look like I've been in a prize fight, and I have some strange bruises on my hip, but it sure felt good to get it done. Next Sat we to get to put the new part on. Let's see what we messed up getting the old part off.

500lb part, eh? Sounds like a challenge.

[LarryHoward]

There is a surprising amount of therapeutic value in car repairs.

I just helped my colleague remove the badly bent front a-arm off his son's Audi. My knuckles look like I've been in a prize fight, and I have some strange bruises on my hip, but it sure felt good to get it done. Next Sat we to get to put the new part on. Let's see what we messed up getting the old part off.

500lb part, eh? Sounds like a challenge.

Well, I certainly agree with that. Plus there is a lot of good is hanging out int eh garage with my son kibitzing on maintenance and mods to the "fun cars." Since he is 24, we are on "borrowed time" and I'm afraid in another year or so, he'll take a transfer out of the area. I'll certainly miss those afternoons getting out hands greasy together.

[Ajax]

There is a surprising amount of therapeutic value in car repairs.

I just helped my colleague remove the badly bent front a-arm off his son's Audi. My knuckles look like I've been in a prize fight, and I have some strange bruises on my hip, but it sure felt good to get it done. Next Sat we to get to put the new part on. Let's see what we messed up getting the old part off.

500lb part, eh? Sounds like a challenge.

Well, I certainly agree with that. Plus there is a lot of good is hanging out int eh garage with my son kibitzing on maintenance and mods to the "fun cars." Since he is 24, we are on "borrowed time" and I'm afraid in another year or so, he'll take a transfer out of the area. I'll certainly miss those afternoons getting out hands greasy together.

I'll bring the 5 ton down for other maintenance. I can be your adopted son.

[BeauV]

I have to say that a great side benefit of my son being a Marine is that Camp Pendleton has a set of maintenance bays which are fully equipped. Lifts, tools, air, etc... I was stunned. We put new motor mounts and a new clutch in his Audi station wagon (which had 170,000 miles on it). It was a great time with my kid. I was really sorry to see him move east and sell the old Audi. Yes, his new Subaru is a much better car, but no more wrenching together. Me Sad Dad

[Ajax]

My new transfer case has arrived.
In an Army steel shipping can that by itself, weighs 100-200 lbs.
On top of 3 pallets.
For a total shipping weight of 1,000 lbs.

[Benno von Humpback]

Packed in cosmoline!

[Ajax]

No, I asked about that. No cosmoline, just fill it up with gear oil. I worried about how to purge it of cosmosline, if it arrived that way.

[SemiSalt]

At least it's heavy enough that you know you are going to need some sort of machine to move it around. None of the "hey, Bud, give me a hand here!"

[Tim Ford]

All y'all are sick. I'd rather do just about anything on the planet than CAR REPAIR. Just plain hate it, although I do agree, having it done and working properly is a good feeling.

One thing makes it almost palatable, that did not exist when I first dove into VW repairs circa 1968: YouTube videos that do an amazing job of diagnosis and aiding toward repair completion.

Best of luck with the repair, Rich!

[TheOffice]

No worse than working on a boat! And less crawling into tight spaces.

In high school I had a choice of physics or auto shop. Took auto shop and never regretted it.

[Benno von Humpback]

Anything on a boat engine takes twice as long as it would on a wheeled vehicle and carries double the risk of losing skin from the upper extremities or straining the back.

[Ajax]

All y'all are sick. I'd rather do just about anything on the planet than CAR REPAIR. Just plain hate it, although I do agree, having it done and working properly is a good feeling.

One thing makes it almost palatable, that did not exist when I first dove into VW repairs circa 1968: YouTube videos that do an amazing job of diagnosis and aiding toward repair completion.

Best of luck with the repair, Rich!

I don't "love" car repair. I'm a little cheezed that this thing has experienced such a large failure, so soon but it's old and it's built for the gov't so that's 2 strikes against it.
I'm hopeful that once I swap in the new transfer case and replace all the fluids, belts and hoses that it's "relatively" trouble free given the very light use that it's going to get.

[LarryHoward]

Anything on a boat engine takes twice as long as it would on a wheeled vehicle and carries double the risk of losing skin from the upper extremities or straining the back.

You never worked on a V-8 powered 1970's Pony car. Pulling out the wheel well liner and using 2 universal joints to remove spark plugs was just the beginning on those. My Macan is very tightly packaged but at least it doesn't seem to need much attention.

[Tim Ford]

Anything on a boat engine takes twice as long as it would on a wheeled vehicle and carries double the risk of losing skin from the upper extremities or straining the back.

Not to mention, the stuff you drop is usually retrievable, whereas on a boat, it invariably goes swimming (at least for me it does).

I like working on boats because I love boats...cars, not so much. Probably the one thing upon which Al Gore and I agree...

[Benno von Humpback]

Anything on a boat engine takes twice as long as it would on a wheeled vehicle and carries double the risk of losing skin from the upper extremities or straining the back.

Not to mention, the stuff you drop is usually retrievable, whereas on a boat, it invariably goes swimming (at least for me it does).

I like working on boats because I love boats...cars, not so much. Probably the one thing upon which Al Gore and I agree...

Sailboat auxiliary engines are garbage.

[Benno von Humpback]

Anything on a boat engine takes twice as long as it would on a wheeled vehicle and carries double the risk of losing skin from the upper extremities or straining the back.

You never worked on a V-8 powered 1970's Pony car. Pulling out the wheel well liner and using 2 universal joints to remove spark plugs was just the beginning on those. My Macan is very tightly packaged but at least it doesn't seem to need much attention.

Yeah, my car repair experience began with a series of early Hondas, included a Mazda GLC and a Dodge Omni, and ended with a 1986 Golf GTI.

[SemiSalt]

Another army truck owner's experience: https://youtu.be/eI6Mfhekx3k

[Ajax]

I took the 5 ton around the block for its monthly exercise.

I pulled into the driveway, got out and opened the hood. I'm not sure if this thing was in the engine compartment or if it just happened to show up when I pulled back in, but a European hornet the size of my forearm bumbled into the cab of the truck and sent me scrambling. I nearly fell 6 feet to the ground trying to get away from this thing. This thing can reach the pedals and the steering wheel when it sits in the driver's seat!

[Slick470]

Had a bald faced hornet build a nest in my shop this spring. Hate those bastards, they are nasty, foul tempered, territorial and quick to sting. Been stung by one just walking down my front walk before. Killed it with a shot from the wasp killer spray the first chance I got.

[Panope]

It might be common knowledge, but I just discovered that WD-40 is very effective on those bastards. We've got the 'yellow jacket' variety out in these parts.

Steve

[Audrey]

I've refused work on boats before due to hornets and wasps, mud daubers, etc. I'm not allergic, but I'm not an exterminator either.