RowdyRebel

http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=3104493&

I have the external style easy outs for use on any bolts that snap leaving enough protruding for these things to grab onto. I've always hated the internal ones that require drilling....never thought about welding a washer & nut to the broken bolt.....EXCELLENT idea! Hell, even the act of welding the washer & nut to the bolt will heat up the bolt and might break it free... Come to think of it, I did weld a bolt onto a plug after stripping the dang hole out trying to remove it from the F250's rear axle....resealed the rear diff cover and then couldn't get the stupid plug out to add the gear oil! I was about to drill & use an easy out, but was reluctant because I had JUST resealed the cover...and would have to remove it to ensure there weren't any metal shavings inside. That's when I saw my welder sitting in the corner of the garage. I prefer the plugs with the external square that you can put a wrench on rather than these stupid ones that have the internal square drive....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr9zUJ6U0ig

Stopped to let Dozer out before I entered the paper mill to deliver & saw this Werner truck parked.... .....seems to be missing something.

Just because you bought them 4 months ago doesn't mean they are new. If they sat in a warehouse for several years, they are still old. Check the DOT number for the date code to be sure.

I ain't in no hurry to get it done....it's more of a long-term project....unless it needs to be done sooner (i.e. if I break one). I plan on having this truck a while....it's only 10 years old. Hell, it's the newest vehicle I've got!

I wasn't too keen on the idea of cutting & splicing either, although it really isn't any different than the "stretching" process....which is why I decided to just wait until I can afford new frame rails, and then get some the length I want that are a little stouter than the ones I currently have.

I've got a 240" wheelbase....all I want to do is knock maybe 2' out...take it down to a 215" or 216", which is what I had been looking for when I stumbled on this one. It had every other spec I wanted, and the price was right....so I compromised on the wheelbase. I was quoted $2500 to cut 2' out of the frame and rejoin the front & back, but I'd rather not do that. If I'm going to change the wheelbase, I'll get new frame rails....so until I can afford to do that, it'll stay right where it is.

....said it when it happened....and I'll probably say it again when I get the repair bill. Funny thing is, I had just pulled another O/O out....got his petercar stuck trying to turn around at the site I was SUPPOSED to unload at....then they decided they needed me up at this other site. Don't know why I didn't put the chain away....just put it on the floor between the seats instead of stowing it away in the side box where it belongs. When I broke? The chain was handy....but they needed a road grader to pull me up to where I was going to be unloading after I had removed the short shaft...wasn't another truck capable of pulling a broken Mack. Even then, when the grader would start spinning it's wheels, I'd lock in and slip it in low to help out...didn't want the CHAIN (3/8" G70) to break, too. Once unloaded, I stuffed a rag in the hole and locked in the power divider to get back out to the paved road....then since oil was obviously splashing out, I made a cover out of a piece of mud flap, but when I checked the oil level, I couldn't even touch the oil with my finger....bone friggin dry. Lost all the oil on my way back out to the paved road, had no clue how far it was to the nearest place to buy some gear oil, and wasn't about to burn up a $3000 carrier to save a couple hundred dollar tow.... ...So, I called for a hook. Then I made sure the truck was positioned nice & straight, where it would be easy to hook to, and easy to pull out with once it was on the hook, and then proceeded to prep the truck tow while I waited. Since the short shaft was already out, and I didn't want the carrier turning on the front axle (no oil) I pulled the axle shafts on the front drive axle & secured everything on the catwalk with a 1/4" chain & binder and a few 120 lb rated zip ties. Disconnected the blue line and electrical cord to the trailer and secured them out of the way, and then plugged in the air line valve and adapter (the place I called uses Lincoln type air fittings...I just use the standard ones) into my air tank by the time the wrecker showed up so that all I had to do was bolt on the axle hub covers he brought while he plugged his red line into my air tank, blue line & electrical to the trailer, and chained up the front axle. Probably the easiest tow he'd ever done...all the dirty work was done by the time he showed up. I think I need to make some hub covers, though...the ones he had that fit were plastic, and the one leaked pretty bad. Good thing the differential had plenty of oil even if the carrier didn't.

I ain't gonna disagree with you. These are only 38K Mack rears...and I'm usually 35-35.5K on 'em. I'd love to upgrade to 46K rears...but holding off 'til I have the money to change the suspension over to either a Hendrickson AR2 or a Raydan Air Link....and if TOO many extra holes need to be punched in the frame rails, perhaps even upgrading those (they are only 1/4" thick now)....and while I'm doing that, I might shorten the wheelbase just a tad.... It's a work in progress. Just upped the springs on the steer to 16K....still have to do the axle. Right now, its "if it ain't broke, don't fix it...and if it DOES break, upgrade when possible". The broken piece is the output shaft on that front drive axle...that's the short shaft between the 2 drive axles on my catwalk.

I'm gonna go with "YUP!"

Man would I have LOVED to have been there to see that go down! I friggin HATE hypocritical cops who abuse the powers with which they have been entrusted.

....and here I always thought it was "magic"!

My little '86 Ranger (complete with 4-banger, 5-speed, 2wd, and 3.08 rear gears) pulled a borrowed 25' flatbed trailer when I moved all of my earthly possessions out of a rented house and into a storage unit. Of course I wasn't wired for trailer brakes, and I had to rig up something that would work with plain wires between the 4-flat on the back of the Ranger to the 7-round on the front of the trailer just to have tail/turn/brake lights. It did pretty well for what it was... The main thing a lot of people fail to do (and as a result get themselves into the most trouble) is to make the necessary adjustments to their driving in order to compensate for any shortcomings the vehicle may have.

I've got a S&W Governor on order....basically the same as the Judge, 'cept the S&W is made in the USA and shoots .410, .45 long colt, and .45 ACP, whereas the Judge is made in Brazil and shoots .410, .45 long colt, and .454 Casull. I've got a 1911 at takes .45 ACP, and have been drooling over Henry rifles for a while....probably go with one in .45 long colt....not as good ballistics as .44 magnum, but I like the idea of having multiple guns chambered for the same rounds....easier to stock up on ammo. I've got an 870 Remington...extended magazine tube (holds 7 rounds + 1 in the chamber) with additional shell carriers on the stock (5 rounds) and receiver (6 rounds) for 11 more rounds that are right there on the gun ready to load. I've always kept it loaded with this ammo from Centurion....it's a .65 round ball in front of 6 #1 buck pellets.....exiting the barrel @ 1300 fps...and it'll knock the tar out of anything in it's path. I recently bought a couple boxes of another similar ammo....a 1 oz rifled slug w/ 3 #00 buck pellets. Haven't tested that yet, though. I prefer to stick with store bought ammo for defensive use....less wiggle room for the deceased's family's attorney to make ridiculous allegations.

Sorry to hear the news, but glad you could be there with her in her final moments. Thoughts & prayers are with you & the rest of your family tonight and in the coming days.

WTF? A google image search for "Swift Truck Ditch" turned up an image....of my truck....taken in my driveway....posted on this here website!

The highways? Or the ditches?

Wow....ya learn something new every day. I was completely unaware swift even HAD a "minimum" standard.

Good thing it's a 250...stronger suspension & full floating axles.

She looks like she's ready to knock some sense into somebody...... Feeling better now?

Nope. Not yet, anyway...

As long as it is still the 8100# spring (16,200# pair) that I thought I was buying, I'm happy. It definitely rides better....big dips don't bottom out the suspension anymore. I feel much better riding around at 75% of the suspension's rated capacity than at nearly 100%. Wouldn't mind upgrading the axle, too.....but haven't broke it....yet....