After work today I was off to Lake Pleasant to retrieve the plastic cover! Found it exactly were I pictured it coming off! Went down the hill again, parked by the water, turned off the truck and then ...GGGRRSSSSSHHHHHHHH....coolant is spewing out under the truck! When I found the culprit I wanted to slap myself! When I had replaced my radiator (not too long ago...its in the thread somewhere...) I remember telling my self the bottom clamp was not fitting correctly and needed replacing...what a good time to remember! It took me 2 seconds to find a hose clamp that fit properly...I HAD IT PACKED IN MY GEAR THE WHOLE TIME! UUUGGHH...a problem that could've so easily been avoided. Anyway I used the extra half gallon of coolant I had, filled the rest with water and drove home fine. The truck will be taking a day off from work and I will flush coolant and fill tomorrow.

Here is a pic of the new clamp next to the old one that did not fit.

 

Good posts, homie! lol.... LOVE it when people are just honest and throw out their 'OOPS's! haha.

Sorry bout the hose, but hey, you got it

Good trick with the umbrella... I've had to improvise with those too... CRAZY windy in the Sierras at times.

 

Nice work bro, I'll have to go through the entire thread when I get home from work!

 

Thanks Chef. "You got it" is right! Although I was upset about me forgetting to put a proper clamp on, I was proud of myself for being prepared! I've had numerous people tell me I'm just throwing weight in my truck with "all that gear"....yet I have never been NOT prepared for a disaster! I had coolant, water, rags, AND the right clamp!lol

The umbrella would work better with the weight of a PROPER 33" spare!!

Thanks for checkin it out man! Comments and questions are always welcome.


Today I picked up some Gates radiator hoses and did a coolant flush. The upper hose is hitting the intake a little bit...more incentive for battery/intake swap??

PICS


Removed and cleaned the overflow

New upper hose too close for comfort.

New lower hose.


Also did an oil change and sea foam treatment. MPGs are looking good...18mpg last tank....I will check again tomorrow after filling up.

-RONI-

 

Mine has a rust hole in the same spot that I hope to address over the next couple weeks.

If you have any ideas I'd be keen to hear it as I'm a bit lost on ideas for it really.

 

I have no idea man....It would be nice to get rid of it though! You do it first ...ill take notes

-RONI-

 

Well then, looks like I get to learn welding starting with sheet metal.

 

Great news on the fixes/mpg's... I've had some interesting results lately... Hit the road toward Havasu, Fathers day weekend.... Wound up getting nearly 24MPG UP TO the 40 Turn off.... Including the Cahon Pass, etc. Round town, if I take routes that are very 'uninterrupted', where I can do 35-45 most of the way with minimal stops.... Even a couple hills, I can get 17mpg/city... But around me, up and down the hill, 'sea of red' brake lights all around me, 20 minutes to go 2 miles.... Yeah, I'm lucky to get 13-14mpg's.. lol. Oh well, at least I know IT IS capable of more, right? Have to fish for 'gremlins' a lil more when I have time on the 'city stuff', haha.

Toward the top, you said, " I've had numerous people tell me I'm just throwing weight in my truck with "all that gear" " ....... I laugh at that, every time I'm told so, lol. In my rear panels, I have;

An extra TPS, AFM, Hose Clamps, both large coolant hoses, Some small coolant hose, vacuum hoses, fan clutch, coil, coil wire, rotor, cap, tow straps, 8K# come-along, flares, "Green Slime Kit" w/ compressor and trickle charger, power inverters.... and many lil things that if broken will leave you stranded! They all fit in there easily and are held still by wrapping in towels.... And they're what, 5-8# total? If that??? I say WHY NOT?

 

OH, yeah, but the BEST thing I have is in my wallet.... AAA-Premium... 200 MILES TOW W/OUT CHARGE!!! hahaha.

 

24MPG that's awesome¡ Most I've gotten was like 22 on the way to flag but that was before any major mods. Daaaannnnggg you are PREPARED! Lol. That's all just in rear panels?? Geez I have like rope and jumper cables in mine. I put most of my gear in ...."the case".

Lol would they tow you out of a trail?

-RONI-

 

I have cables too...

And yes, they will tow you from virtually ANYWHERE with "Premium" status... And I paid only like 30$ more to go from "PLUS" to "PREMIUM"... I've already used like 11 Miles to the exhaust shop this year... But there were 2 times in the last 20 years that I PRAYED I could have just called up and said, "COME GET ME!" hahaha. Yeah, I have seen them do it, but what they do is find a AAA Recovery Crew and then they bring it out to the road, ...THEN it's towed by regular tow. Probably wont ever need it.... BUT I WOULD RATHER HAVE IT and not need it than need it and be WITHOUT IT! hahaha. Plus, lots of GREAT travel perks, discounts in stores all over... etc. Just have to read up on it. I paid 350$ less on a Hotel Bill because I had it and planned ahead/booked ahead using it. Got 10% off a 350$ a night room for 4(2 bedroom luxury suite) for 10 days.... That's 350$ hahaha. It was business, I wasn't paying, but they sure appreciated me doing that! lol.

 

Love how you got the bed liner in. I want to do that too. After seeing your dry ice method I think I will wait for winter to do it. I'll just leave it outside on a -30 or -40C day and then bring it into the garage.

That's - 22 and -40F to my American friends.

 

If my fiance found a book like that I would be in such deep ˟˟˟˟.

 

Daaaannngg that's cold! I love my Herculiner....Ive applied it a second time and its more durable then just that first coat.
Yeah it gets pretty expensive. It's scary to look at but I like to keep track.


Went out to Saguaro Lake today. They closed so many hills it's lame!

Not really pics of the truck I guess but it was fun.

PICS







Watching the Dodge guys having trouble starting their truck. lol

BUTCHER JONES



-RONI-

 

Great pics, Roni! Great looking grub, man! :SALIVATING SMILEY: hahaha... Looks like quite the adventure loving location.... Got any more pics?

 

Dude it was deliciuos! We had a great time. A lot of butcher jones is closed now so it took a while to find a "legal" way of getting to the water. Unfortunetly that all the pics we took. Ill remember to take more next time. Maybe we can make the lake trips a weekly thing like we did last year.

-RONI-

 

most of Butcher Jones is closed for now - its only open to the first and second cove. I do think I found a "legal" way to get to the other coves, but not sure, I guess I'll have to get out there and find out.

I would like to do the weekly or however often runs out there like we did before too. Pending rain, I'll be heading out there Wednesday morning to hang out until around 3-4ish. Hit me up if you wanna come - its been a long time since we hung out!

 

I'm off work so rain or no rain I'm down to go Jeff PM sent.

Rinsed off the truck...I wanna clean it but...I know if I show up to Butcher Jones on Wed. with a CLEAN truck Jeff will...




PICS










-RONI-

 

AT WORK...



Just got off the phone with Jeff. I will Be heading out to Butcher Jones for the 4th should be a good time! I'm going weather it rains or not...I guess rain would make it a little different for us dessert folk!

Happy 4th...

-RONI-

 

Had a great time at Butcher Jones or "The Rolls" as the ranger called it. My cousin was in from Florida so I brought Him and his bro along. Met up with Jeff and a few of his friends at cove one and chilled by the lake.

PICS

With Chris and Lewis in the back seat + all the gear she sure was sagging!

Airing down


Lots of gear...strapped down pretty good.








The bees couldn't get enough beer! Pretty cool 4th of July pic if you ask me...




I guess this happens often here...




-RONI-