Rally Countdown - PRTJ

[Agnem]

Well it was balls to the walls around Moose Valley this weekend, with all 4 trucks getting some kind of attention. I finished up the Hypermax cowl intake on Lady Moose (took like 15 minutes total to put that in ), fixed a few scrapes and still need to do the oil in the GV unit. I also unclogged the air horns. The Night Moose got a HAM radio and antenna mounted to the front of the bed, and Matthias is working on a bed cover of his own design. He and his brother also did some minor body work. The Scarlet Moose was re-assembled, the 2" body lift and former Moose Truck wheels are on. I welded his front bed corners back together (they were coming apart at the stake pockets). He still has fluid changes to perform. The Moose Truck is pretty much ready to roll. There were some optional things I would have liked to have done, but they will wait. I did discover that I am in need of pivot bushings on the IFS. Hopefully what's left of the ones that are in there will hold up until the rally is over. Guess after 28 years, those rubber items finally are giving way. Our last and final challenge (hopefully) will be on the 30th. We have to get 4 trucks to the rally with only 3 drivers. Graham will be getting his learners permit on the way to the campground. I will drive the Scarlet Moose until he gets his permit, then I'll instruct him on the way to the campground. Once there, Matthias will ferry me back to the house and I'll get the Moose Truck and we will return. Over the course of the weekend, our friend Scott is coming to the rally on Saturday and Sunday just to ride with Graham, so he can drive around. When we are ready to go home on Thursday, we will have to do the ferry move again. I thought about borrowing a trailer, but it's only 1.5 hours from home, and just cleaner to run back and forth.

 

[freebird01]

i got a return line to fix this week.....install my other CB since mine died....and finish a banner and a crap load of stickers

 

[GRU]

got the washer and dryer taken out of the camper and built a nice closet, patched the rear gray water holding tank. hoping my water heater element comes in by thursday morning! havent even touched the truck yet. need to snug up steering, load up my aux fuel tanks, polish all my aluminum, touch up some paint, check trans, transfer case and rear end lube, install cb, clean interior. 3 evenings to go... my first rally! im more worried about pulling the hill on 322 coming home than anything else right now!

 

[subway]

got the washer and dryer taken out of the camper and built a nice closet, patched the rear gray water holding tank. hoping my water heater element comes in by thursday morning! havent even touched the truck yet. need to snug up steering, load up my aux fuel tanks, polish all my aluminum, touch up some paint, check trans, transfer case and rear end lube, install cb, clean interior. 3 evenings to go... my first rally! im more worried about pulling the hill on 322 coming home than anything else right now!

the hill at the water dam? i know that hill, my grandparants live right at the top of that sucker!

 

[Agnem]

That hill has got to be one of the worst in PA on a major road!

 

[icanfixall]

I know this thought is a little late but why don't we start getting ready for the next ralley when we get home. I do enjoy reading what everyone is doing but its kinda like these new programs on the boob tube... Ya got 1 week to build or repair something.... that usually takes months to do "properly"... Like build a house in 48 hours... Can you smell all the crap used to glue that place together... And don't you load the ruff about a month before you install any drywall so it doesn't buckle... Nope... No way I want to live in a house built in 48 hours. I personally repair or upgrade what I drive long before I depend on it to get me somewhere. shakedown cruises will tell you plenty. Now looking at this another way.. A person buys a new car or truck. then drives it across the desert to some far away location. I'm sure thats a fair thing to do but for me... Nope... I trust nothing till I have given it a shakedown run... sometimes several runs. And surely anything can go wrong driving anywhere. But if you know your rig... and have a spare everything behind the rear seat..... Then hopefully its just a simple road side repair that gets you up and running again.... When I drove 2200 miles to the 2008 ralley I had a spare set of injector lines complete and a spare injection pump. I did not have any spare injectors... Thats something I really should have had back there behind the seat.. I still don't carry a spare injector nor a set.... Time to make some changes.... I wish all the members and non members a great 10th ralley and a safe trip to and from. I trust Mel and suzy will put on one great ralley. One to remember... I reacll my ralley and its something I will remember for a long time. It was one of the finest group of people I have ever ment. Heath and wife did a great job finding and hosting the event. Everyday was something differant. Campfires were something I still feel the heat from whenever I see a campfire on the tv. If anyone reading this is on the fence about just showing up for one day get over it and do it. The timing clinic put on by Mel is a million times better than fantastic. I watched him work on truck after truck. He was like the enegiser bunny never running down.... Well, I did a timing clinic up at Towcats one weekend. I started around 1pm and finished around 11pm. Talk about worn out... I slept great that nite thats for sure. Will I do it again... Yes... all I need is a date for this to happen. I really don't like working on hot engines but sometimes it has to be done. I worked on hot steam generating boliers and equiptment for 25 years. With several thousand degrees of heat and 4000 lbs plus of steam you don't get much in the way of chances. So a tiny engine at 190 degrees is easy to get by. Its not a job its an honor to work on someones truck....

 

[subway]

what and get all that last minute stuff done ahead of time so i can relax, what fun would that be.

Gary i bet you send your taxes in early to

 

[Dsl_Dog_Treat]

what and get all that last minute stuff done ahead of time so i can relax, what fun would that be.

Gary i bet you send your taxes in early to

Yeah! That's what vacations are for.

 

[Agnem]

! Gary your funny! It's kinda like this around here... Winter. Nobody does anything. Spring. It rains. And rains. And rains. BUT ONLY ON WEEKENDS. Summer. Starts June 21st. Yea... that leaves about 9 or 10 days to get every thing done. Then when we get home from the rally, it's time to go boating until... Fall. Fix what you wore out over the summer. Lawn mowers... that kind of stuff. Winterize the boat. Then it's winter time again.

 

[towcat]

I know this thought is a little late but why don't we start getting ready for the next ralley when we get home. I do enjoy reading what everyone is doing but its kinda like these new programs on the boob tube... Ya got 1 week to build or repair something.... that usually takes months to do "properly"... Like build a house in 48 hours... Can you smell all the crap used to glue that place together... And don't you load the ruff about a month before you install any drywall so it doesn't buckle... Nope... No way I want to live in a house built in 48 hours. I personally repair or upgrade what I drive long before I depend on it to get me somewhere. shakedown cruises will tell you plenty. Now looking at this another way.. A person buys a new car or truck. then drives it across the desert to some far away location. I'm sure thats a fair thing to do but for me... Nope... I trust nothing till I have given it a shakedown run... sometimes several runs. And surely anything can go wrong driving anywhere. But if you know your rig... and have a spare everything behind the rear seat..... Then hopefully its just a simple road side repair that gets you up and running again.... When I drove 2200 miles to the 2008 ralley I had a spare set of injector lines complete and a spare injection pump. I did not have any spare injectors... Thats something I really should have had back there behind the seat.. I still don't carry a spare injector nor a set.... Time to make some changes.... I wish all the members and non members a great 10th ralley and a safe trip to and from. I trust Mel and suzy will put on one great ralley. One to remember... I reacll my ralley and its something I will remember for a long time. It was one of the finest group of people I have ever ment. Heath and wife did a great job finding and hosting the event. Everyday was something differant. Campfires were something I still feel the heat from whenever I see a campfire on the tv. If anyone reading this is on the fence about just showing up for one day get over it and do it. The timing clinic put on by Mel is a million times better than fantastic. I watched him work on truck after truck. He was like the enegiser bunny never running down.... Well, I did a timing clinic up at Towcats one weekend. I started around 1pm and finished around 11pm. Talk about worn out... I slept great that nite thats for sure. Will I do it again... Yes... all I need is a date for this to happen. I really don't like working on hot engines but sometimes it has to be done. I worked on hot steam generating boliers and equiptment for 25 years. With several thousand degrees of heat and 4000 lbs plus of steam you don't get much in the way of chances. So a tiny engine at 190 degrees is easy to get by. Its not a job its an honor to work on someones truck....

gary-
we have yearlong good weather to work on our trucks
they're beyond ******* deep in snow a good part of the year.
besides, they have to work to repair all the damage done to the trucks all winter long before they can get to the "fun stuff"
but then again, we have yet to successfully pull off a rally too.

 

[subway]

besides, they have to work to repair all the damage done to the trucks all winter long before they can get to the "fun stuff"

that one hit home, i hate rust, i am fighting back but is a hard battle if you fall behind

i have spent more than a few days fixing a vehicle in 10-20 deg cold. those are the needs fixed or we are screwed ones, not the tweaking for fun stuff.

 

[160k87F250]

Going to fix the last major problem tonight. Lots of minor things will be ignored, again. Get the camper out of storage tomorrow and grocery shop for the trip. Wednesday night and all day Thursday help my GF move. Yep putting the IDI to work before vacation. Then Thursday night, pack the camper and get ready to roll. Friday morning hook up and enjoy a short drive to the rally. Looking forward to seeing everyone.

John

 

[icanfixall]

Sorry guys... I completely forgot about your weather compared to our west coast weather. We have deserts out here where you don't leave a tol sitting in the sun... If you do its not something you will hold very long without gloves. The childrens playground equiptment is the same thing... Just too hot to use safely. I never have worked in the cold like is found on the east side of the US but... I have worked in hot high humidty surface condensers during the 40 degree rain we get out here. Your in a very hot himid inviroment for an hour or so shoveling out debris sucked in on the sea water. That includes dead cats, dogs, rats and fish... The smell is never something you will ever forget. Then after sweating in this mess you climb out into the 40 degree rain... Your work clothes are soaked by the hot himid inviroment. Now your out in the cold. The clothing gets so cold against your body it hurts. You actually are making a huge steam cloud around you. Every movement you make sends another painful shot thru your overheated body from the now nearly freezing wet clothes... Thats some body shock right there. And some crazys in the nothern countrys of europe pay to do this kind of stuff. Be in a steam house and open the door and jump into the ice hole.... Nope... Not for me....

 

[160k87F250]

that one hit home, i hate rust, i am fighting back but is a hard battle if you fall behind

i have spent more than a few days fixing a vehicle in 10-20 deg cold. those are the needs fixed or we are screwed ones, not the tweaking for fun stuff.

I totally agree!!!!! No time for the fun stuff when its 20 degrees outside

 

[hesutton]

Well, after pulling the camper with the new injectors, there is definately a nice improvment. The vibration is still there, but only at 2000-2300RPM. Less of a range than before. Running it down the highway at 2500RPM, everything is smooth and the truck is running at 65MPH. Overdrive, drops the RPM in to the vib zone, so I'll likely just pull it in 4th and run at bit higher in the rev range.

So, I will be leaving with the 5'er tomorrow once I get out of the OR. We'll camp at "Wolfie's Campground" about an hour east of Columbus for the night, then on the PA on Wednesday.

Getting excited!!

Heath