So what did you do with your truck today?

[Black dawg]

Bw1356 tail shaft -0
7.3 idi -1

How?

 

[Nero]

Bw1356 tail shaft -0
7.3 idi -1

Impressive.

You know you're supposed to ease into the clutch, right? Not dump it?

 

[Austin86250]

Impressive.

You know you're supposed to ease into the clutch, right? Not dump it?

Now that’s isn’t any fun is it

 

[Dirtleg]

Today I changed out the glow plugs on BigUgly. I installed the previous ones in 2008. Even with brand new batteries it has been impossible to start below 35f lately.

I was going to do it Saturday, and I started to, but as soon as I reached in to disconnect the wire from the front driver's side glow plug the return line cap on the injector there snapped a line off.

It was about 15f outside and early afternoon at the time so I put my tools away and waited till today. Saturday night we got about 7" of snow that then got polluted with about 2" of sleet on Sunday. It hasn't reached freezing yet so now I have about 4" of hard pack ice. I don't fall through it or leave footprints. Truck with a full 100 gal tank of diesel in the bed (8k lbs) sinks about and inch into it. So it's still cold and icy, upper 20's today, but at least the sun was shining.

Anyway I did the first 6 glow plugs and replaced my broken return line cap with a new section of hose in about an hour. The 2 glow plugs under the turbo took me about 2 hours. I had to remove the rear most fuel return lines and the turbo waste gate actuator to get to the furthest back plug. I used an extension magnet to get the new glow plug into the hole. No way I could get my hands in there at all.

With everything finished and put back together I went to start the truck. Wait to start light stayed on for a very long time compared to before, and when it went off, it didn't cycle on and off like it was doing prior to the new glow plugs. Also unlike before with temps down in the 20's it fired up immediately. I don't remember a start that quick, even during last summer, in a long time. Funny how when things slowly degrade, we just get used to and don't realize how bad they've gotten.

So yeah. It was a good day.

 

[XOLATEM]

The only thing this one has to do with my truck is that in order to use it...I gotta be able to get it out of my driveway. The 'Could have killed The Girl' driveway...(It has a slope that ranges from mild to wild to West Virginia style...)

It is (or was, last Sunday evening) a three inch layer of snow under a crust of solid ice that you can walk on and not break through.

We shoveled it by hand. The two of us with two hand shovels...I am sure that anyone that spotted us working on it must have laughed at first and then soberly thought that we were nuts.

We tackle-ed the north facing part first because it will not get enough sun to melt any time soon.

It was also the steepest. And it was the one that 'hardened' the two of us the most for the rest of the task.

So far, the last three days, The Girl and I have been shoveling the thing by hand for at least four or so hours each day. Remarkable how much progress the two of us have gotten.

I estimate about 70-80 yards per day at an average of 10-11 feet wide per.

CORRECTION...I was fulla cr--p on the distance...we averaged 53 yards a day after today and the contractor tape measure don't lie. (This correction is after the fourth day)

If you don't believe it we have pictures and I can measure it tomorrow with a 300 foot tape measure.

YET ANOTHER CORRECTION...after the fifth day we looked back and outdid ourselves...when we finally measured it...turns out we did just under 100 yards that Friday and brought our five-day average to 62 (!!) yards per day of hand-shoveling.

When I realized that it was possible that we could probably do the whole thing I broke it to Her gently but She eventually came on board and figured that it was a worthwhile accomplishment.

Funny how that works.

I am going to shop for a snow throwing attachment for the skid steer for next year. And...I have a snow blower that needs fixing that I am going to drag out of storage and fix up. Got it for free before someone tossed it into a dumpster.

Live and learn.

 

[Nero]

Today I finally unplugged my timing advance solenoid. After dealing with a weird issue where anything after 2000rpm it just wanted to accelerate really fast... I got tired of waiting for the coolant temp to warm up to turn it off.

Oh, and I got lost out in the woods again. Be back home Sunday. Five days of rain ahead for me.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I got lost out in the woods again. Be back home Sunday. Five days of rain ahead for me.

Sounds like fun except for the 5 days of rain.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

It is (or was, last Sunday evening) a three inch layer of snow under a crust of solid ice that you can walk on and not break through.

Have you tried to ride a DR350 around in the snow yet?

 

[XOLATEM]

Have you tried to ride a DR350 around in the snow yet?

Hahaha...I thought about it...but that was Saturday, before the whole thing turned to a sheet of ice.

That is...if I can get it started in the cold without resorting to.....well, you know....ether....to do that I either have to take out the sparkplug and put it back in or pop the covers and seat. I usually just kick it until my leg goes to 'bout falling off....

It is remarkable how long I will kick that sumbeech (I say that lovingly) when I am determined to make a few passes around my modest track. It has gotten a lot easier than it was about ten months ago when I first proudly hauled it home.

I think that I still have a knot on my right shin. I'm going to call it my 'Bike College Knot'.

Golly Day that HURT !! As hard as I whacked that leg I am surprised that I didn't break it.

Turns out that a different routine is needed for temps below, say...40* than summertime temps.

If it doesn't fire up right away then I come back to it later...takes patience...and also a blast around the yard can't be scheduled down to the minute...ya gotta be willing to have a 'window' of time allocated for the event.

Sometimes I am tempted to run around without a helmet, but I 'dutifully' put it on...along with some odd color gloves and a pair of HF safety glasses.

I love that bike. It just works. I don't want or need anything faster, lighter, bigger, or more convenient... After decades of wanting one I finally am enjoying the adventure. I must be one lucky guy...ever feel that way when you get on your bike ??

Turns out to be a great thing to keep me in shape. I am constantly looking for trails to clear and paths to make to motor that thing around. It has decent torque putting around in low gear to climb and it has motivated me to keep an eye out for riding possibilities.

The variable venturi carb is working out pretty good...maybe I will change over to the pumper carb in the future, but we will see...

No, sadly I didn't take the bike out when it started snowing...believe me, I was tempted...

We were too busy hustling up firewood with the tractor, splitting it as a team with the splitter that I found on Craigslist 'way back when that I finally dragged out of storage last year and fixed up for this season...works great...and then my job is to fling, Her job is to stack.

She makes stacking firewood an art. Running the woodstove for Her is an art, too. I never knew that there were so many rules...She is constantly refining Her techniques on getting the most BTU's from the wood. So far it has been easy to keep the house at and around the lower 60's and if it dips below, say...56* we fire it a little harder. Right now it is 66* in the kitchen. It is 16* outside.

Sitting and reading a good book in front of the stove is something the both of us look forward to in the off season.

Right now is a pretty cool time, all things considered. The air has plenty of oxygen in it and we are getting hardened to physical labor. I threw together an outside vise and stand to sharpen chainsaw chains and finally learned how to sharpen a chain. The local deer herd is looking good for next season and we can't wait to get started on the garden.

Got plans.

How are things your way ?

 

[IDIBRONCO]

That is...if I can get it started in the cold without resorting to.....well, you know....ether....to do that I either have to take out the sparkplug and put it back in or pop the covers and seat.

Turns out that a different routine is needed for temps below, say...40* than summertime temps.

Have you checked your valve clearances yet? That can make a huge difference in how it starts.

.ya gotta be willing to have a 'window' of time allocated for the event.

Sometimes I am tempted to run around without a helmet, but I 'dutifully' put it on...along with some odd color gloves and a pair of HF safety glasses.

I need to have a window too. It's for the same reason that I always wear my helmet, gloves, and goggles. I can do something small. Then I want to go for a 10-15 minute test ride just to see if there's been a change. I often find myself coming back 2-2 1/2 hours later.

How are things your way ?

Frustrating. It's decent weather during the week, but likes to get colder and windier on the weekend to keep me from doing the things I need to get done.
One more thing. If you've never ridden a motorcycle in the snow it's an entirely different way of riding. There's not much traction to be found. You need to rely more on momentum to go most places than engine torque. I like to ride in the snow once in a while. It helps me practice my balance. Especially on packed snow. I also move forward and back a lot more to help get traction.

 

[XOLATEM]

It's decent weather during the week, but likes to get colder and windier on the weekend to keep me from doing the things I need to get done.

I feel for you, Brother. Don't that just beat all...?

If you've never ridden a motorcycle in the snow it's an entirely different way of riding. There's not much traction to be found. You need to rely more on momentum to go most places than engine torque.

Thank you very much for the heads up. I'll keep that in mind if I get a hankerin' later. You probably just saved my skeletal integrity.

I always wear my helmet, gloves, and goggles.

Thanks for that, too. I'll be less tempted to backslide. I'll be thinking of you every time I tug that upholstered bucket over my noggin'. Too bad we are over 1000 miles apart...I would ride behind you, anytime. Probably learn a lot.

Stay warm, cozy, and safe, Buddy.

Cupholders, forever...

 

[XOLATEM]

Have you checked your valve clearances yet? That can make a huge difference in how it starts.

You know, it just hit me why that would make a difference...valve timing in relation to the compression event...just a little bit one way or another COULD make a difference....

Brilliant. Thanks, Buddy.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

You know, it just hit me why that would make a difference...valve timing in relation to the compression event...just a little bit one way or another COULD make a difference....

Brilliant. Thanks, Buddy.

Yes and if a valve isn't opening far enough it can be hard to start. I think it first shows up cold, but that's certainly NOT an absolute. Valve clearances can be tricky enough to check that people just plain won't check them. It takes some time. It can be frustrating. It's good to know how and have the patience to do it though. It's a skill that fewer and fewer people have these days.

 

[Dirtleg]

So after the new glow plugs and a cold soak down into the teens, truck fired up on first attempt after wait to start light went off.

It died 5 seconds later, but started and kept running on 2nd attempt. I'll take it.

Also almost no smoke show on startup now. And it's quieter when cold as well.

I don't want to jinx myself, but it almost seems like it's working properly.

Except for the 2 return line caps I messed with during the glow plug swap. Now they are leaking. Oof. Guess it's that time again. I do keep a return line kit in the truck, as if there is something that might strand me somewhere and I won't be able to get the parts right away, that could be it. It's just a small box anyway so not hard to accommodate.

 

[Dirtleg]

I feel for you, Brother. Don't that just beat all...?


Thank you very much for the heads up. I'll keep that in mind if I get a hankerin' later. You probably just saved my skeletal integrity.


Thanks for that, too. I'll be less tempted to backslide. I'll be thinking of you every time I tug that upholstered bucket over my noggin'. Too bad we are over 1000 miles apart...I would ride behind you, anytime. Probably learn a lot.

Stay warm, cozy, and safe, Buddy.

Cupholders, forever...

I would think twice about riding in this mess we currently have. I have renamed it Snice. Looks like snow, acts like ice.

I was clearing it with the Skid steer and when I got under it and pick up, it stuck out 2ft past the bucket edge. The ground under it was dry. It also took a lot of the gravel with it, which is why I didn't do the whole drive.