What did you do to your truck today?

[mike5511]

20 hours ago, JGWALES said:

I bet your train Horns are very popular with everyone when you let them go...........

Kids love them! If Volvo would have put a decent air horn on the truck to begin with, instead of the sick goose sounding one it came with, I wouldn't have went to the trouble or expense. Those loud horns may save somebody's life one day.

[rickeieio]

We pulled in to Larry and Julie Wenning's (AV8R3400) place yesterday on our way home from the UP.  Had a pleasant evening with them and planned for a morning departure towards home (Cincinnati-ish).

This morning, I raised the hood to check the oil and wash the windshield.  I noticed fluid stains down the right side of the motor.  Not good. Somehow, we lost the cap off the coolant expansion tank.  Larry called the local KW dealer, and they had one for the trivial price of $51.xx.  Yikes.  Larry loaned us his car so we wouldn't need to unload the smart, (thanks, Larry), and we fetched the part, plus the windshield washer pump and a gallon of pre-mix anti-freeze.  $185.xx total.  Ouch.

Installation of the cap is the limit of my pay grade, but I prevailed. I'll wait until we're home to swap out the fluid pump.  The old one works for a bit if you whack it with a hard object, so I'm guessing the brushes are bound up.

So, a BIG THANKS to Julie and Larry for their hospitality and help.  The folks on this forum are the best.

[mr. cob]

Howdy All,

Replaced the AC/Heater fan resister and the fan motor assembly.  Got some serious air movement now.

Dave

[lappir]

It happened Wed., Thurs.  and Friday. Moved what I thought were newer tires from the Gold truck to the White one and then replaced all drive tires. The fronts were 11R 24.5 on the Gold truck but Low Pro on the White truck. Had I been smart I would have looked closer at the tires and would have realized they were only a few weeks older and could have left them in place. I won't make the guys do it again. I'll wait for a nice cool weekend and get some exercise. 

Rod

[ddm502001]

I am SO Lame, paint has fully cured so washed the Big Blue today, delved into cleaning well enough to coat with Silica Dioxide treatment.  Trying to get a better shine as going to Truck show 9/9 called Pride in Your Ride at Warrenton MO Fair Grounds.  Got down to working on buff compound around rivets that will not just wash off.  Have back of sleeper to finish up on, then will start on the application.

 

STILL looking at Toy Haulers, both TT or Fifth Wheel, NOT finding what wife can be satisfied with so far while prices are creeping DOWN.

[aknavy]

26 minutes ago, ddm502001 said:

I am SO Lame, paint has fully cured so washed the Big Blue today, delved into cleaning well enough to coat with Silica Dioxide treatment.  Trying to get a better shine as going to Truck show 9/9 called Pride in Your Ride at Warrenton MO Fair Grounds.  Got down to working on buff compound around rivets that will not just wash off.  Have back of sleeper to finish up on, then will start on the application.

 

STILL looking at Toy Haulers, both TT or Fifth Wheel, NOT finding what wife can be satisfied with so far while prices are creeping DOWN.

Check out the DRV Fullhouse JX450.  I think it has the best living space of the toy haulers out there.  Luxe has some pretty good ones too.  We're in a JX450, btw.

[rickeieio]

Not today, but in the past week.....  While doing ,my pre-flight at AV8R3400's home field, I was poking under the hood and discovered my coolant reservoir cap was a.w.o.l.  Larry was kind enough to loan us his car to run down to the Kenworth stealer and ransom a new one for only $51.xx.  While there, I really blew the budget by dropping another $115 on a windsheild fluid pump.  KW is proud of their stuff..

So, we got home Monday and while unloading tools and such, I put some assortment and repair kits on the tailgate of my pickup, so I could just back into the shop and put things away.  Well, since we've retired, it seems the squirrel population has exploded in our shop.  No matter what I'm doing, a squirrel gets my attention and "POOF", I forget what my immediate task was.  Sure enough, I got distracted and drove home and arrived minus my vehicle electrical repair box.  All my crimpers, strippers, tone generator, specialty bits for WeatherPack connectors, gone.  But, over the years, I've likely found enough tools along the road to be breaking even.  Still, it will take a while to assemble another box with all that stuff.  I wish I had taken an inventory to make it simpler.

 

 

[dblr]

10 hours ago, ddm502001 said:

I am SO Lame, paint has fully cured so washed the Big Blue today, delved into cleaning well enough to coat with Silica Dioxide treatment.  Trying to get a better shine as going to Truck show 9/9 called Pride in Your Ride at Warrenton MO Fair Grounds.  Got down to working on buff compound around rivets that will not just wash off.  Have back of sleeper to finish up on, then will start on the application.

 

STILL looking at Toy Haulers, both TT or Fifth Wheel, NOT finding what wife can be satisfied with so far while prices are creeping DOWN.

River Stone will have a new floor plan at the Hershey show, not sure when it will be on their web site, I really liked it but do know the garage is 13' if garage size is important, the living space was the best that I have liked in a toy hauler.

[lappir]

Installed the "Cross Fire" tire pressure monitor/equalizers on the drive tires last weekend. Watched a few "You Tube" videos before starting and learned a few things. One of the things I wish they had mentioned is how to install them on the Aluminum Wheels with those tiny holes. I'd replaced the Aluminum wheels on my other truck due to the size of the holes and a "Valve Core" issue on one of my early trips North From Florida. Had a TPMS alarm, stopped removed the TPMS to put the pressure gauge on it to fine the "True" pressure and when I let the gauge come off the stem all I heard was a HISS,SSS,SSSSSS.  Could not get my hands or my valve core tool into the stem to address the Hiss, so a $1xx service call later the outer tire was removed, the valve core exchanged and I was back on the road. A couple of years later I put on my first set of Cross Fires. They have been on the trailer since she was new in 2013. May need to replace them when I mount up the new tires in the next few weeks. 

Now for the solution to the inner wheel stem issue with the small holes and the 1/2 inch nut you need to tighten down on the stem. 

A 3/8 drive 1/2 inch tubing Crows Foot that my local Auto parts store had hanging where I could see it. 

From the You Tube videos I learned about anti Seize and Dielectric grease on a few fasteners. I didn't have a supply and neither did the shop, so that's why I made the trip to the parts store. I added the suggestion in the comments of one of the videos I watched. Haven't seen a response yet from the content creator. 

 

Rod 

[ddm502001]

Have to say Love the looks of the DRV Line, just well outside the budget we can accrue.  If money were no object could do that JX450 in a heartbeat,

[JGWALES]

On 8/29/2023 at 2:44 AM, lappir said:

Installed the "Cross Fire" tire pressure monitor/equalizers on the drive tires last weekend. Watched a few "You Tube" videos before starting and learned a few things. One of the things I wish they had mentioned is how to install them on the Aluminum Wheels with those tiny holes. I'd replaced the Aluminum wheels on my other truck due to the size of the holes and a "Valve Core" issue on one of my early trips North From Florida. Had a TPMS alarm, stopped removed the TPMS to put the pressure gauge on it to fine the "True" pressure and when I let the gauge come off the stem all I heard was a HISS,SSS,SSSSSS.  Could not get my hands or my valve core tool into the stem to address the Hiss, so a $1xx service call later the outer tire was removed, the valve core exchanged and I was back on the road. A couple of years later I put on my first set of Cross Fires. They have been on the trailer since she was new in 2013. May need to replace them when I mount up the new tires in the next few weeks. 

Now for the solution to the inner wheel stem issue with the small holes and the 1/2 inch nut you need to tighten down on the stem. 

A 3/8 drive 1/2 inch tubing Crows Foot that my local Auto parts store had hanging where I could see it. 

From the You Tube videos I learned about anti Seize and Dielectric grease on a few fasteners. I didn't have a supply and neither did the shop, so that's why I made the trip to the parts store. I added the suggestion in the comments of one of the videos I watched. Haven't seen a response yet from the content creator. 

 

Rod 

Thanks for the post. I want to put a monitor system on my truck. But have Aluminum Wheels. I was under the impression that i just screwed on 6 sensors on each valve stem. Sounded easy enough. 

[rickeieio]

Cross Fires are not a true tire monitor system, but rather a system where you have a hose going from the tire to junction at the hub, where it equalizes the tire to tire pressure of that set of duals, down to a certain point.  At that point, the color bar in the balancer changes so just by walking around the truck, you can see if one set of duals is low.  Not a bad system.

 

[mike5511]

On 8/26/2023 at 8:39 PM, rickeieio said:

Not today, but in the past week.....  While doing ,my pre-flight at AV8R3400's home field, I was poking under the hood and discovered my coolant reservoir cap was a.w.o.l.  Larry was kind enough to loan us his car to run down to the Kenworth stealer and ransom a new one for only $51.xx.  While there, I really blew the budget by dropping another $115 on a windsheild fluid pump.  KW is proud of their stuff..

So, we got home Monday and while unloading tools and such, I put some assortment and repair kits on the tailgate of my pickup, so I could just back into the shop and put things away.  Well, since we've retired, it seems the squirrel population has exploded in our shop.  No matter what I'm doing, a squirrel gets my attention and "POOF", I forget what my immediate task was.  Sure enough, I got distracted and drove home and arrived minus my vehicle electrical repair box.  All my crimpers, strippers, tone generator, specialty bits for WeatherPack connectors, gone.  But, over the years, I've likely found enough tools along the road to be breaking even.  Still, it will take a while to assemble another box with all that stuff.  I wish I had taken an inventory to make it simpler.

 

 

Don’t send those squirrels to my house!!!! I’ve got plenty of my own😲

[mike5511]

On 7/25/2023 at 6:14 AM, JGWALES said:

I bet your train Horns are very popular with everyone when you let them go...........

Just got back from a trip and never did crank them open except once for some buddies as I was leaving town. I did give two friendly little toots and one small knucklehead toot on the 1800 mile round trip. The factory air horn is a joke. Even the kids giving the sign are disappointed if I blow it!

[lappir]

On 9/1/2023 at 5:58 AM, JGWALES said:

Thanks for the post. I want to put a monitor system on my truck. But have Aluminum Wheels. I was under the impression that i just screwed on 6 sensors on each valve stem. Sounded easy enough. 

You are welcome. 

I had the TPMS for a while, but so glad I converted to the Crossfires. As rickeieio mentioned. They do not inform you while driving that you may have a low tire, but if you walk around and look at them at every stop you will know if one of the tires is loosing air. 

[rickeieio]

Those of you who know me, know that I tend to go down a different path than what's generally thought of as the norm.  

So, watching my bride fight with the crappy little plastic fifth wheel lube disc, I thought to myself, "Self, there's got to be a better way."

One better way is to emulate what the commercial fleets do, and cover the truck hitch with plastic, or imbed pieces of plastic into the plate.  Dan Habermehl has done this and it works well.  I think Mark Blatchford has done it as well.

My way is to source some 1/8" UHMW-STS and cover the trailer hitch.  What's UHMW-STS?  It's UHMW that's impregnated with silicone.  The STS means Slicker Than Shi......Stuff.  That's straight from the fellow who developed it at Crown Plastics, in Harrison, OH.

  I got most of the way done with it today, may finish and snap some pics tomorrow.

[lappir]

2 hours ago, rickeieio said:

Those of you who know me, know that I tend to go down a different path than what's generally thought of as the norm.  

So, watching my bride fight with the crappy little plastic fifth wheel lube disc, I thought to myself, "Self, there's got to be a better way."

One better way is to emulate what the commercial fleets do, and cover the truck hitch with plastic, or imbed pieces of plastic into the plate.  Dan Habermehl has done this and it works well.  I think Mark Blatchford has done it as well.

My way is to source some 1/8" UHMW-STS and cover the trailer hitch.  What's UHMW-STS?  It's UHMW that's impregnated with silicone.  The STS means Slicker Than Shi......Stuff.  That's straight from the fellow who developed it at Crown Plastics, in Harrison, OH.

  I got most of the way done with it today, may finish and snap some pics tomorrow.

Can't wait to see the photos. 

I just use the 5th wheel lube in a bottle. It's messy, sticky and when it's cold doesn't flow very well, but it works for me and the guy who told me about it. I take it yours's is a one and done (for a while) thing? Mine is an every time I hook up application. 

 

Rod

I changed Steer tires again. I'd put what I thought were younger tires from my old truck to the newer (to Me) truck and then checked the date codes. Just a few weeks apart but a whole different size. Went back to the LowPro 24.5 all the way around on the new to me truck and now have a full set of 11R24.5 on the Old Truck. 

While I had the tires off and the weight off everything I greased all the places I could find in the steering area. A guy told me that you should do that every so often to make sure all the areas get some new grease. If the weight is still on it all the time it could prevent the grease from flowing into the tighter areas. Seems reasonable. 

 

Rod

[mike5511]

3 hours ago, rickeieio said:

Those of you who know me, know that I tend to go down a different path than what's generally thought of as the norm.  

So, watching my bride fight with the crappy little plastic fifth wheel lube disc, I thought to myself, "Self, there's got to be a better way."

One better way is to emulate what the commercial fleets do, and cover the truck hitch with plastic, or imbed pieces of plastic into the plate.  Dan Habermehl has done this and it works well.  I think Mark Blatchford has done it as well.

My way is to source some 1/8" UHMW-STS and cover the trailer hitch.  What's UHMW-STS?  It's UHMW that's impregnated with silicone.  The STS means Slicker Than Shi......Stuff.  That's straight from the fellow who developed it at Crown Plastics, in Harrison, OH.

  I got most of the way done with it today, may finish and snap some pics tomorrow.

I'm interested. Was thinking about this last week. My trailer saver is an older one and uses a 1/8 plastic disk which deforms every time I use it and has to be flattened out. I've used 3/16" disc and it does the same. Neither will stay up on the pin when you unhook. I'm open to a new idea. The head doesn't have any channels cut in it to hold grease plus grease is a mess. Looking forward to see what you come up with.

Edited September 3, 2023 by mike5511

[rickeieio]

Verbal preview:  We have the MorRyde rubber snubbed pin box.  It has two bolts, fore and aft, that hold the shafts the plate rides on.  My plastic skid will be formed to follow the angles on the ends of that pin plate, thus allowing me to secure the plastic with just those two bolts on each end.  Pretty simple, if it works.  If it doesn't?  It will.

I spent 60 years applying and then cleaning off grease on farm machinery and vehicles.  I'll lube the pin, but that's all.

[Danfreda1]

[mike5511]

22 hours ago, rickeieio said:

Verbal preview:  We have the MorRyde rubber snubbed pin box.  It has two bolts, fore and aft, that hold the shafts the plate rides on.  My plastic skid will be formed to follow the angles on the ends of that pin plate, thus allowing me to secure the plastic with just those two bolts on each end.  Pretty simple, if it works.  If it doesn't?  It will.

I spent 60 years applying and then cleaning off grease on farm machinery and vehicles.  I'll lube the pin, but that's all.

So you're putting the "plastic" on the trailer hitch? I need to go look at mine........... I've made the disk out of the UHMW stuff. Can't seem to find the stuff with -STS. A link would be great!

Edited September 4, 2023 by mike5511

[mike5511]

13 hours ago, Danfreda1 said:

That would be nice but I'll bet it is thicker than 1/8"?

[rickeieio]

That's what led me to put the slippery stuff on the trailer side.  I could fasten it easier.  Got it done today.  It doesn't show well in oictures because it's black, same as the hitch.

I formed the plastic to the "shoe" of the hitch, then drilled holes to match the shoe mounts.  If I were doing it again, I'd trim around the bolts and use smaller screw to fasten the plastic to the vertical surfaces.

I doubt you'll find a source for uhmw-sts.  It's not sold in small quantities, but rather used for industrial applications, like conveyors and material handling.  I just got luck, walking into the office cold, and met the president.  He gave me a piece of scrap to try.  Funny side bar, he banks with our daughter, just up the road from his plant.

[Danfreda1]

Mine is 3/16. Could be thinner just use smaller flat head screws. I used brass screws for awhile until I saw that they didn’t loosen up over time then put stainless 1/4-20 screws in. 

[Chad Heiser]

54 minutes ago, Danfreda1 said:

Mine is 3/16. Could be thinner just use smaller flat head screws. I used brass screws for awhile until I saw that they didn’t loosen up over time then put stainless 1/4-20 screws in. 

I moved the one you made for me (thanks again) over to my new (to me) hitch when I swapped them after my “incident”.  One of the best mods I’ve had done.  I did have to drill new holes in the (new) hitch head.  Of corse the gussets underneath the “new” head were located slightly differently than they were on the old head and of course interfered with the screw holes.  This required making some modifications, but I got it all to work.  It’s nice to not have to mess with the lube plate anymore.