Freightrain

We have a local NHRA track(National Trails) and they are the WORST for sticklers on rules. We all joke about it, and luckily don't run there very often. I've run the wagon there for decades, but every year they come up with something else in tech to question. Usually just BS. One year it was the front body mounts, they are open for access to the bolts right? Ya, they told me to weld that shut because you don't want fire getting inside the car. Say what? Those pockets aren't open to the inside of the car stupid. Then one year it was my battery box. Alum box, bolted in the rear spare tire well with FOUR 3/8" bolts with washers and lock nuts. He questioned it and warned that it might come loose and hit me in a roll over. Say what? They only mandate the battery to be held by TWO 3/8" bolts and for some reason FOUR isn't enough. It just never ends. My buddy just finished up the repower of his car. It just went 9.001 at 150. No license, no chassis cert, no parachute(not mounted yet). No track has even questioned him or cared. But he won't go to National Trails! He just got the window net installed, so the car will be legal when he gets a chance to get it certified and make his license runs. I get it, they'd rather have you have too much safety equipment then not enough.

Local fellows that used to truck pull, had similar rules for S/S 4wd. (1) four barrel. Well they were one of the first around to have a big Dominator split in half and put inline on the custom intake. Oh if that didn't get them Chebbys boys all in an up roar!!!! They couldn't run with that small block Ford to begin with and then this? Oh, the humanity!!! Pretty ingenious carb. Does Holley offer that over the counter? I remember the 3 bbl version from way back.

That picture brought to you by FOX news.......................(so you know it hasn't been doctored up at all) BWhahahaha.....

This? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Photos-Challenger-off-road-log-truck-blue-and-cream-Canal-Transport/113798520002?hash=item1a7eeb9cc2:g:JrYAAOSwbsNdE74Q

Surely you must be kidding??

Fresh WHITE paint to boot. Though the rear of the cab looks pretty solid, the pinch weld and bolts are still visible.

I've met his therapist.........he has a mobile clinic.............

Whew....leaves me out.....................I'm usually called much worse.

If you can't find one, how about removing that one, having someone grind out the cracks and then weld it? Might get you through for a long time if it's not getting beat up every day. Patching it while on the truck will not fix it. Looking back at the pictures, it almost looks broken in half right below that center bolt? Might be worse then it looks.

That is why I get oil in every crack/crevice. Lots of it. Keeps things from rotting once it gets into a damp environment. I drill a hole in the upper inner fender of my beds. Get gallons of oil sprayed up around it, then put a body plug in the hole. Let it drip out for a week and do it again. My '89 looked brand new when I sold it even after all those years in the Ohio salt.

LOL!!! That goes for me too! Some days it would have been better to just stay home.

You will learn to take your time. You can't rush these transmissions. Smooth and steady will get it there. Timing is everything. I had a real time after putting the 237 in, as it does not rev as the old 673 did and I had to slow my shifting even more. Someone posted my two hand shifting that I did a year or so later after the first video. Yes, I have all the ATHS videos from back when. I also have the special all twin stick DVD that Lindsey put out about 15 yrs ago? Neat stuff. There is some of it on Youtube, but not all. I met Dr. Bill at the Syracuse ATHS nationals in '03. He invited everyone to climb in his W71 and play around. I put air steering on mine about 5 yrs ago. I gathered up pieces from a fellow here on BMT. I got lucky, it was a system from a fire truck and very low use. Everything was in good shape, just needed a few things touched up. It has worked flawlessly. Yes, they do have their drawbacks and I suppose when they wear out they can be bad. Surely beats Armstrong steering after all these years of driving it. Air o Matic was bought out by a company in Cleveland, Ohio(local to me). They offered some parts, but I see their website does not list it anymore. Likely going to get real scarce. Mine after cleaning it up, fixing the mounting bushing for the ram and installing a new boot(rancho shock boot) Here is the new bearing installed. The original bearing was gone, I had to make a bushing for this bearing as it was an odd size. Working at a machine shop has its advantages.

You can shift the main without the clutch, but sometimes it takes longer to learn the finesse to get the load off the gears to allow it to change. Flat land it should be easy. Hills, not so much. Here is a video I made about 15 yrs ago, long before Youtube. It got passed around the internet and a couple people posted it to Youtube when that came on the scene. There are many more similar videos> This is when it still have the 673 in it and I was just bobtailing it around. with 4.62 gears, I would start in 3rd LO. I'm getting soft. I have A/C and power steering now, along with the 237.

Neat little trailer. Does it have spring suspension? Almost looks like it? Seems unusual for those kinds of trailer. Most are solid axle.

I oil spray my F150 twice a year. Fluid Film mixed with used motor oil(got lots of it). Smells bad for a few days, leaves marks for a week, but Never any rot. From about 2008-2016 I drove an '89 F150 that came from NC. The frame was still shiny black(except for the red dirt). I oil sprayed it 2x year and when I sold it, it was still as perfect as the day I bought it. I do the same for my current '95 F150. You've got to get it down in the doors, fenders, hood, rear bed lips, tailgate. It's crazy to see 3-5 yr old pickups with the rear fender lips rotted off. You can see the guys that buy the big Bushwacker flares trying to cover it up. I hate undercoating. It seals moisture in. Will look purdy, til chunks fall off and there is nothing behind it.

Pacific NW. There is a used pickup truck dealer in Eastern Ohio that flies out, buys a few, then has them trucked back. He does any mechanical on them, as he sells many to PA residents and they still have inspections. He carries a neat selection, prices are not horrible, considering having to get them back here, etc. He mostly only deals in 4x4.

I've heard some 237 rev better then others. Guess it's all in the pump setting. They were meant to run on the governor all day, so you aren't really hurting anything. On road, mine cruises at 1800 all day. Shifting is correct. Once in next higher main gear, blip the throttle and move the compound back to UD. Downshifting: Run the compound back down OD, D, UD, then move it back up to OD(left out throttle and let motor drop down enough to get in gear. Then pull main out and rev up motor and put in next lower gear. Repeat. Believe me, after 18 yrs of traveling in mine, it's wearing on me. Even with all the upgrades, it still beats you to death ESPECIALLY with the roads around here. Smooth roads, it fine. Cruises right along. Few and far between.

I used this fellow, eh? https://dcsupershinestore.com/products/http-dcsupershinestore-com-collections-dc-super-shine-kits-products-copy-of-dc-super-shine-deluxe-kit-with-menzerna-rouge-bars Watched a few videos and gave it a try. I bought a 6hp Dewalt grinder(big ol bastard). Ya, it bites hard if you don't do it right. Though now I'd like to get a smaller, slow speed grinder for touch ups. Did the new tanks for my B.

So easy...a girl could do it....

Yes, you can run that 237 up to 2100. Though some I've heard don't seem to pull strong up there. Mine seems to do fine? If you want to not use the clutch, remember to ease off the throttle just before you want to shift. That eases the torque off the gears and will allow you to pull it out of gear. If you have it pulled tight, you won't be able to shift without the clutch. You'll feel it want to slide out of gear when you find that sweet spot. Steep hills, likely not, as you might loose too much speed to catch the next gear. It's a learning curve. It took me all summer to get used to shifting my 237 compared to the old 673. The shifts were much slower, as the motor doesn't drop in rpm as fast. Shifting in Reverse? Simple. Start in LO, get it moving, ease off throttle, slip into Direct. Run up RPM, ease off and slip into OD. Works really slick actually. I do it every time I put mine away as I back up my driveway into the garage. Air leak? Check air chambers(broken diaphram) or even a line/fitting.

Better? I know Ipad's and such are horrible for rotating pictures.

After a few options I used a slack puller to get my pitman arm off. Tighten it, smack with bfh and off it came.

Just keep experimenting. Unless you really like shifting? LOL! I used to play a lot with mine for no reason...then after 10-15 yrs I only use enough gears to get the job done.

I would not worry about starting anywhere near 1st gear. You've got plenty of gear in the back, as that 13:1 first gear, plus 8.x in the back is 104:1 to the tires. With my added Spicer box behind my triplex in LO-LO, my lowest gear is 100:1 to the tires. Believe me, you don't need that to get moving. I only use that for slow truck races LOL!! Figure about 3rd gear for getting moving. Might even get 4th LO??