What did you do with your truck/shop today

[Jsdirt]

Yeah, I use water to soften them up first too. I'll hose the front down first, then every time I do a side, I'll rinse and then blast the front again, then do the wheels and chrome, then hit it again. By the time I get to the front, they come right off with soap and a sponge. Some you have to pick at a bit, but it's half the effort.

 

 

Replaced the sway bar end links things. Don't know if it'll help my problems any but the bushings are new now so I guess it can't hurt. Also dropped the transmission pan, changed the filter, and refilled transmission on buddy's F150. What a pain in the ass to do that w/o a nice fill tube/dipstick tube like we've got. Pumping the fluid in there from underneath sucks. Good thing he did all the work lol

 

What year model is the Ford? I've got to start keeping that in the back of my mind for when I start seeing those in my garage here. Another engineering brainstorm ...

 

 

Today's the day for tranny service I guess. Just dropped the pan on the '96 Tahoe today (in the 91° blazing sun), changed the filter, shift shaft seal, tail shaft seal, and flushed a case of Dex III through her - lucky for me there was an aftermarket cooler behind the grille - made it nice and easy. Once all that was done, I buzzed her a couple towns over to get a sticker. Thing had the big red "R" on her from '15 - that gets the cops attention (and the inspector asking a million questions). State porked my buddy out of 6 months on the sticker, because it had been so long for the "re-inspection". Will be due on 1/2018. He'll probably dump it by then. She's starting to rot out.

 

Shift shaft and tail shaft seals became a bit of a pain in the ass. First off, they sold me the wrong seal ... at least that's what I thought at first. NAPA usually never gets my parts wrong, so I had a hunch something was up. Sometime during it's 21 years of existence, someone installed a TH400 tail shaft housing on the transfer case! That threw us all for a loop. Didn't know that was even possible. Thankfully the guys at my NAPA have brains in their heads, and were able to figure it out - got me the right part, AND told me what it was supposed to be on (turbo 400 tranny). Well worth paying a little more for parts for service like that.

 

The shift shaft seal became a bitch thanks to GM's engineering brainstorm there - a plastic neutral safety switch hanging off the side of the transmission, with the shaft going through it. Dumbest thing I've ever seen. To top it off, they GLUE the damn connectors into the switch! WTF!! Guaranteed to break in two, which it did. Was just as well, because I had to absolutely destroy the thing to get it off the rusty shift shaft. Dumb dumb dumb! Engineers found the good stuff for their pipes that day ...

 

Finished fixing the cat / Y-pipe flange on that (all 3 studs broke off - had to remove cat-back system, then slam 2 of the busted studs out with Big Nasty, and drill out the 3rd), installed both tie rod ends and collars on both sides, plus the pitman arm and complete idler arm assembly. Had some fun with that one, as I had to cut the damn inner fender to access the steering box bolts (then play games with the stupid thing around all these damn braces and crap to access the pitman arm - ended up removing upper fan shroud ... in which every speed nut tore through the plastic, and took a half hour longer than it should have), and then bend the inner fender on the passenger side, AND fish around the airbag sensor to get to those idler bolts ... recessed way inside the frame. Of course, dropped a bolt down inside there, and wasted 5 solid minutes trying to fish it out of there with a magnet. GRRR!

 

HATE working on '96 up vehicles! They all suck!

 

I do miss the power delivery of the 5.7 - been a long time since I've really got to drive one. Thing shifts into OD, lay into the throttle and she doesn't even kick down a gear - just sets you back in the seat with torque, as the engine is barely turning 2k RPM. My Silverado will kick down every time and scream to 3,500 when doing exact same thing. Driving around town at 45, it's barely turning 1,300 RPM! I miss that. Big power deficit up top, though - don't really miss that much, but that would keep me out of trouble, for sure.

 

 

Bungee held fan up and out of the way, so I could lift up lower half of shroud out of there too.

 

Fun with the steering box ...

 

3 hours just do to idler and pitman arms!

 

 

 

 

 

Forgot the pic of the mangled tail shaft seal. Absolutely butchered the damn thing trying to get it out of there. Was corroded in there pretty good. Who knows when this tail shaft made it's way onto this vehicle. That seal may have been original to whatever vehicle it was in - could be over 35 years old!

 

Edited June 13, 2017 by Jsdirt

[Colossus]

I love the 2 door full sized Tahoes and Blazers

[StinkyCheese]

Yeah I'm with Chevor, what bugs?

 

JSdirt he has a 2011 (if I remember correctly) F150 w/ the ecoboost. No drain plug on the transmission, the rear diff, or radiator. No dipstick for the transmission. I don't have a drain plug for coolant either but my hose is on the bottom do less mess when ya king it to drain. His is over halfway up the block so lots of mess. I believe his fox bodies don't have drain plugs /dipstick/fill tube either.

 

I need to figure out what's messed up on my truck. I've had it balanced 4 times by 2 different shops, balancing beads, and it still wants to shake. Quite annoying as it started fairly recently. I can handle the supposedly right ride but not the shaking or loose altering feel.

 

Sent from my Find7 using Tapatalk

[michigan2500hd]

Had the Falken's road force balanced at Kan Rock Tire in Clio, mi. I bought them at Kan Rock Tire Flint, mi. but they didn't have a road force balancer. The manager sent me to the location that had one. In the first tire the tech calls me back and tells me the tire is shot. Tells me it's so over the place. After checking the others they tell me 4 out of 4 need to be replaced. I have maybe 3000 miles on them but I think that's a high estimate on millage.

I love the tires but I'm nervous to get the same ones again. I take my findings back to the store I purchased them at and I'm told the manager won't be in until wed of next week and to call back.

Also that most likely too much time has passed for them to do anything about it. Really? I just bought them in the fall and most of the time they were in my garage.

Then the acting manager says he doesn't think the balancer was calibrated correctly and that you have to use a special adapter for all terrain tires.

Sheesh I'm getting steamed at them. I bought tires for my wife's car there a few years ago and had a shake/ vibration. They said it was a bent rim. Funny how after but her new tires a year later it rides great.. No vibration.

The good news is that my truck rides much better now that I had the tires rebalanced. I will be nice to the manager when I talk to him when he gets back but if I get the runaround I may have to drag him over the counter and slap him around until he gets some sense.

 

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[Jsdirt]

I've found alot of tires from many different brands having defects like this the past few years. Seems like across every parts line of business on automobiles, they're cutting corners so much in a desperate attempt to save a buck, that it's starting to affect their products.

 

I've got a set of Generals on the Grand Marquis. Noticed the vibration immediately. I balanced them myself, and all are within .10 or an ounce or less, yet they still shake. Pisses me off. I'm committed now, since they're bought and paid for. Gotta live with it for the next 5-6 years. Won't be buying Generals again.

[CadillacLuke24]

Seems to be hit or miss, one of the Goodyears on my Cadillac had a runout, the rest have been ok. The Wrangler SR-As on my Chevrolet have been great. The Michelins I've run on my Cadillac, as well as the ones on Dad's assorted Cadillacs, have also been great.

 

It's been a week and a half, but I wounded Clyde. Got heavy eyelids on the way back from Gillette and hit a couple metal fence posts.

 

Got things squared away with the rancher, so that's all good.

 

Got Clyde in for work Monday morning. USAA cut the check yesterday afternoon, and they want 8 days for repairs. Hopefully they don't take that damn long.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Got off fairly lucky in the damage department, though there will be some involved parts swapping. Wish I could be the one swapping the parts, but if I want insurance to pay for it, guess I gotta play by their rules. I will be getting a new windshield afterward, so it will be like a second chance at a clean front end, so that's a plus.

 

I did get him all cleaned up the end of last month, so I was finally able to get pictures with all my goodies on. So happy with how things turned out.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 14, 2017 by CadillacLuke24

[StinkyCheese]

Dad ran Generals on the truck when he was alive. Didn't say anything against them that I can remember. He didn't go through the hassle of rotating the tires so when it was time to replace the rear tires I was going to stick with Generals. I don't know if they randomly ceased production of them in that size or everyone was just out at that time but I couldn't find the ones I wanted online so I said screw it and had my tire shop order me 6 Michelins. I also couldn't have 2 Generals on the front and another maker for the 4 on the rear, it would eat at me. Tire selection was pretty abysmal for the stock tire size, I think only 2 brands were selling them, so I changed to a different size but kept the same overall height. I still don't know why he never really rotated, it's not like he was doing it himself. I rotate them myself and it's easy.

 

 

 

 

 

^^^^^ BUGS!!!! lol. I've never personally let mine get anywhere near that horrible but it's not completely uncommon to see here.

Edited June 14, 2017 by Chevyguy85

[Jsdirt]

HAHAHA! Looked like my truck after driving to CA in 2.5 days from MA. It really stands out on black.

 

Here's a prime example of what happens when you don't rotate your tires ... and don't listen to your mechanic (me!) who told you to get a front end alignment after ball joints were installed ...

 

Guess which were on the front ...

 

Edited June 15, 2017 by Jsdirt

[CadillacLuke24]

Yeeeeaaaaaahhhh you should listen to your mechanic.

 

I'll take the two to the far left for $400

 

It was funny, when the power steering went out in my Cadillac, everybody told me my tires were under inflated. What they didn't know is that I'd dive bomb turns to aid with steering. Once I got the hang of no power steering, and replaced my front tires, they looked waaaay better.

 

Rode by the body shop last night and Clyde was parked in the service garage, as opposed to their storage garage out back.

 

SOOOOOON.

Edited June 15, 2017 by CadillacLuke24

[Jsdirt]

I'll ship 'em free to ya for that!

[RyanbabZ71]

Comparing two trips to VA not to shabby

 

Avg MPG

 

Wifes van (Sienna 3.5L V6) - 21.5 mpg

My Truck (6.2L V-8) - 17.7 mpg

[Chevor]

With highway tires you would be up to at least 19.5 mpg....

[dasimmon]

Dad ran Generals on the truck when he was alive. Didn't say anything against them that I can remember. He didn't go through the hassle of rotating the tires so when it was time to replace the rear tires I was going to stick with Generals. I don't know if they randomly ceased production of them in that size or everyone was just out at that time but I couldn't find the ones I wanted online so I said screw it and had my tire shop order me 6 Michelins. I also couldn't have 2 Generals on the front and another maker for the 4 on the rear, it would eat at me. Tire selection was pretty abysmal for the stock tire size, I think only 2 brands were selling them, so I changed to a different size but kept the same overall height. I still don't know why he never really rotated, it's not like he was doing it himself. I rotate them myself and it's easy.

 

 

 

 

 

^^^^^ BUGS!!!! lol. I've never personally let mine get anywhere near that horrible but it's not completely uncommon to see here.

man!!! i have driven from cali to georgia and mine still didnt look that bad!!

[Chevor]

I have seen worse...in North Dakota.

[Dale L]

Here in Alaska we get these swarms of little green beetles. I've watched the windscreen of my airplane go nearly opaque flying through a swarm.