Jesus Freak's WMO tow truck

[chillman88]

I know, but we're not driving the Oregon trail.

Just because you're less adventurous than some of us

 

[Jesus Freak]

Just because you're less adventurous than some of us

I got too many kids to be adventurous. I use caution at every obstacle.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

On this piece it says "disconnect for fording". So you're forced to ask "should I take this off before I drive?" Because aren't we "Fording" when we drive? Has this crossed anyone else's mind?

I started saying the same thing when I started working on these for a living when I was 23. No. You're not alone in that line of thinking.

I think "fording" refers to crossing rivers.

I know, but we're not driving the Oregon trail.

Just because you're less adventurous than some of us

Well, being adventurous, crossing rivers, pretending to drive the Oregon Trail, etc. can come at a cost. He first came in before started working on these for a living, but I did get to do a little bit of work to a truck where the driver did or didn't do whatever. A few months before I started, we were getting A LOT of heavy thunderstorms in the area. One or two every morning for several weeks. Since that particular area is along a river's flood plain, there was water everywhere. It barely had a chance to drain away. This guy decided to drive through/across a flooded pond (is what I was told). He apparently didn't disconnect that hose and the water was much deeper than he expected. Deep enough that he didn't make it across. Long story short, 8 bent rods and 1 new engine later, he had learned a very expensive lesson. In the shop, we called him "The Submarine Captain".
Now for my adventurous-ness. I was driving 50 miles one way to go to work in my 1975 F150 with a 429. Not smart, but that's all I had to drive. There's a town along that highway that always floods around it and they shut down the highway. I was working 3rd shift at Tony's Pizza (where they make Tony's and Red Baron's frozen pizza). I worked on a loading dock (mostly) where it was supposed to be 15*-20* year around. There was big cooling units on the ceiling which was probably 25' over the floor. We had to wear hearing protection. These storms were so intense that we could hear the rain on the roof, over the fans, with hearing protection on. I remember one morning, coming out from work at 8:00 AM, there was a pretty new Camaro parked in the row next to the street. The parking lot sloped enough that the water was completely covering the front tires. I was parked in the next row and the water wasn't close to my truck. I had gotten tired of always having to drive 20 or so miles farther to go around the closed highway so I removed the mechanical cooling fan, put bolts in the water pump to hold the pulley on, and installed an electric fan on a toggle switch. I also packed the front wheel bearings with marine grease. That way, I could turn off the fan and drive around the town where the highway was shut down, through the flood waters. I honestly don't know how deep the water was on that flooded dirt road, but it was probably at least half way up my grille. After the "Camaro morning", I decided to drive around town to see just how bad the streets were flooded. At that time, the storm drains were lacking to say the very least. I had fun making my wake bounce off the front of houses.

 

[Jesus Freak]

I bought an 85 f250 IDI to get my T19 that I swapped out my C6 from. That truck had bent rods from "fording" a stream without pulling the hose off.

 

[snicklas]

Y’all be careful out there on The Oregon Trail… don’t die of Dysentery

 

[Jesus Freak]

Y’all be careful out there on The Oregon Trail… don’t die of Dysentery

To late.......

 

[1mouse3]

I got too many kids to be adventurous. I use caution at every obstacle.

But fording is fun...

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[Jesus Freak]

But fording is fun...

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As a FedEx driver, I actually drive down roads that my bosses tell me that I'm not allowed to just to prove it can be done. I drive thru sand traps in 16 and 24' box trucks that everyone else gets stuck in. I actually get the regular drivers in trouble with FedEx because I deliver stuff they say can't be delivered.

That's some fine "Fording" though @1mouse3, I hope you removed your piece of hose. If you were rocking the twin turbos, you could've had way bigger rooster tails!

 

[Nero]

Gotta wash the undercarriage somehow! I totally dig how the shifter is just... A hole in the carpet.

 

[1mouse3]

I hope you removed your piece of hose.

I think that was still sitting in the parts bin at the time.

Gotta wash the undercarriage somehow! I totally dig how the shifter is just... A hole in the carpet.

Yes its a good way to wash her and parts need to fit some how.

 

[Jesus Freak]

I really haven't gone on about all I did to this truck before I started driving it. So today as I was working on my steering gear I took a couple pictures of my brakes. To me, I think, and I'm playing off of @IDIBRONCOs thread "who's smarter", that when you bring an old vehicle online, if you can, you should replace or repair a handful of certain critical components. I can't always do this but if you can than do it and you won't regret it. I've mentioned several times that these trucks ARE their fuel system so, if you can, go over the whole system before you depend on it. The other thing is the brakes, before I trusted this 9Klb thing on the road I replaced all the critical components of the brake system front and rear.i didn't do the rear rubber hose or the brake booster yet. It actually could use a breake booster but i don't sweat my master cylinder, calipers, front rubber hoses, rear wheel cylinders, shoes or pads all that stuff is new and installed by me...... and I know me and trust me..... sometimes. Did my steering gear start leaking? Yes, it's illogical to think you can fix everything, but you can cover the critical areas. And new cars break too, apparently Tesla's spontaneously combust.

 

[Jesus Freak]

I got my steering gear back together. Should be legit. And I left the "Fording" hose off, mostly to declutter but I'm afraid I might be "Fording" sometimes so it's probably better without.

 

[Jesus Freak]

I just want to say: my tow truck has been operable for 3months now, and NO fuel system problems! I'm really happy with my 3 way valve set up. With the sight glass in the cab it's pretty slick watching how fast the diesel fuel comes into the system when I shut down. The night time temperatures are finally getting low enough to make it fussy to start in the morning, so I'll probably start using the block heater.

And at some point I want to turn the fuel up. I don't even get black smoke pulling 8 rolls of hay up hill.

So yeah, I'm pleased with my setup. I plan on replicating it on my dually when I get to it.

 

[Jesus Freak]

Towed my first car. It's a 88 Chevy spectrum. Took it straight to scrap metal, no hope, no title. But the truck did great, wheel lift was perfect....... happy, happy, happy! The stuff you find as a FedEx driver.

 

[Nero]

How'd scrap take it with no title? Here at least they won't touch it. Only way to get rid of a no title car is to.. Erm... Park it down town? Wink wink.