What did you do WITH your Ranger today?

[Motorpsychology]

Last week not "Today," but loaded up the bike and went out to Theodore Roosevelt National Park for a couple days. Unusually nice weather for North Dakota.
Why I bought a SCab:

To commemorate Tracy's return to the Forum:

Little Missouri River TRNP:

After I got the bike unloaded and tent set up...

...The "Camp Host" stopped by to check on me!

He came around and actually got between me and the truck.
They are quasi-tolerant of humans but if you venture too close for too long they may charge you:

Antelope and prairie dog:

I should get a real camera. My Jurassic era iPhone 6 is ok for photo-depositing checks but not so much for everything else.
Had a great time and I'm hoping to drive-ride out to Glacier or Yellowstone yet this year; Bison Roundup in Custer State Park SD this fall for sure.

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[TVRangerSTX]

Hi KJ.

Well, Gate valve replaced. A bit more work than anticipated due to the sealing foam enveloping the nuts for the through bolts...Razor knife and small blade saw to cut away this black foam to gain wrench access. One nearly inaccessible through bolt... Now done and water tight...not too messy with my tank purge procedure...Glad that is over. RV manufacturers give zero thought to service access...

Best,
Phil

RV mfg? Sounds like car mfg...ever try changing spark plugs, or anything else in the engine compartment post 1969 car model?

 

[Blenner]

We loaded up for our first camping trip of the season. 4 bikes, 3,500lb trailer and gear.

 

[Wayne]

Hauled home a new air compressor. After much research and reviews I picked up a Central pneumatic 29 gal. 2 hp oil lubed compressor from Harbor freight. Funny thing is this has gotten great long term reviews (one guy had a 10 yr review on youtube) but Harbor Freight is discontinuing this model. Probably cuz it lasts to long! Got it set up and did the breakin cycle. Ran it through a few cycles and everything checks out. I'll put it through it's paces over the next few days and change out the breakin oil next weekend. Shop's a mess but hopefully I'll tackle some of that this weekend.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

RV mfg? Sounds like car mfg...ever try changing spark plugs, or anything else in the engine compartment post 1969 car model?

Hi Trevor,

I know this is a somewhat contentious subject, but at Ford each design engineer for each part of the vehicle has a Serviceability assessment and there is a whole group of engineers that do nothing but assess serviceabiliity as well as writing service procedures. The goal is no special tools from Rotunda for example. Each program gets to assess when serviceability is compromised and gives the program a thumbs down on some part or system... The program may bite the bullet or direct the design engineer back to the drawing board, so to speak. So the whole vehicle part by part gets assessed for serviceability as it is in the Design Verification Procedure & Report which is the Design Engineer's bible for their area of responsibility...

The RV industry gets an F for serviceability for any parts of the RV not from an auto manufacturer like the Freightliner chassis of my Motorhome....

Best,
Phil

 

[P. A. Schilke]

The Ranger took me to The Home Depot for some home repair supplies and inspiration. Of course I came out to a downpour.

Swear we were going to have a tornado but it let up.
Needed to fab up some block offs for holes in my aircooled tin.

Found inspiration in some roof flashing. A hole saw and tin snips later, we have some patches.

Finished. Not bad for $1.50

I'll get around to painting them later. Have a cruise tomorrow and the Ranger may get some more work in this weekend taking the boat to get wet.

Hi KJ,

Used to be a VW mechanic while getting my ungrad degree at UCF... Had a 1600 in my 1957 Bug, punched out with 92mm barrels...010 mechanical distributor...no vacuum can....Zenith NDiX two barrel carb from a 356 Porsche...

best,
Phil

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Hi Folks,

Ranger had to chase to Home Depot today for two more Zero Gravity chairs after my chair that I have had for 17 years failed yesterday....it was not a pretty sight with me being stuck in the failed chair....Sheesh. There are two HD in Flagstaff and the one that had the chairs was the cross town HD...drat! Also had to chase fresh Kale for Tito...he refuses to eat the WalMart bagged kale...only the fresh stuff for our tortoise....again sheesh!

Best,
Phil

 

[KJRR]

Hi KJ,

Used to be a VW mechanic while getting my ungrad degree at UCF... Had a 1600 in my 1957 Bug, punched out with 92mm barrels...010 mechanical distributor...no vacuum can....Zenith NDiX two barrel carb from a 356 Porsche...

best,
Phil

Nice! Isn't everyone with an aircooled VW a mechanic out of necessity?
Stock 1600 in the Thing, but planning something bigger, maybe a 1776, after supply chain issues clear up. Hard to get engine cases and parts right now.

 

[TVRangerSTX]

Hi Trevor,

I know this is a somewhat contentious subject, but at Ford each design engineer for each part of the vehicle has a Serviceability assessment and there is a whole group of engineers that do nothing but assess serviceabiliity as well as writing service procedures. The goal is no special tools from Rotunda for example. Each program gets to assess when serviceability is compromised and gives the program a thumbs down on some part or system... The program may bite the bullet or direct the design engineer back to the drawing board, so to speak. So the whole vehicle part by part gets assessed for serviceability as it is in the Design Verification Procedure & Report which is the Design Engineer's bible for their area of responsibility...

The RV industry gets an F for serviceability for any parts of the RV not from an auto manufacturer like the Freightliner chassis of my Motorhome....

Best,
Phil

Thanks for that info Phil,
Actually I was JK ( as my 6 yr old grandson likes to say?)...as the last spark plugs I changed were actually on my original 1969 Cougar convertible, 351 Windsor! No one changes spark plugs on new cars anymore, even if they could find them! That said it needs a new gas tank and brake lines to be driveable, and they are easy to access?One of these days...first I have a little toy to work on, a 1981 Honda 110 Trail that needs the gas tank cleaned out as it's somehow filled with gunk...

 

[Dgc333]

Installed the Ford brake controller today. All in all not a bad job, took about 2 hours with a coke break just before running the wires up to the headliner. Only worrisome part was pulling down the headliner to get to the third brake light connector but it popped right out and back up into place when I was done.

 

[JasonTremor]

Went to Home Depot to pick up a new garage door opener and ten 80lb bags of quikrete. Stacked all bags next to tailgate to simulate 800lbs of tongue weight. Truck was level.

 

[Tracy Bowman]

Last week not "Today," but loaded up the bike and went out to Theodore Roosevelt National Park for a couple days. Unusually nice weather for North Dakota.
Why I bought a SCab:

To commemorate Tracy's return to the Forum:

Little Missouri River TRNP:

After I got the bike unloaded and tent set up...

...The "Camp Host" stopped by to check on me!

He came around and actually got between me and the truck.
They are quasi-tolerant of humans but if you venture too close for too long they may charge you:

Antelope and prairie dog:

I should get a real camera. My Jurassic era iPhone 6 is ok for photo-depositing checks but not so much for everything else.
Had a great time and I'm hoping to drive-ride out to Glacier or Yellowstone yet this year; Bison Roundup in Custer State Park SD this fall for sure.

Great pics & how cool to be so close to a free roaming buffalo!

 

[Motorpsychology]

Hi Folks,

Ranger had to chase to Home Depot today for two more Zero Gravity chairs after my chair that I have had for 17 years failed yesterday....it was not a pretty sight with me being stuck in the failed chair....Sheesh. There are two HD in Flagstaff and the one that had the chairs was the cross town HD...drat! Also had to chase fresh Kale for Tito...he refuses to eat the WalMart bagged kale...only the fresh stuff for our tortoise....again sheesh!

Best,
Phil

Who sez retirement is the life of leisure!!

 

[subquark]

Did a truckie thing, went to Lowe's and bought 10 40-pound bags of dirt. Sure was nicer to load them into Soupie's bed rather than my tiny Scion (which is being donated to a Veterans Charity).

 

[JACKSMYDOG]

Did a truckie thing, went to Lowe's and bought 10 40-pound bags of dirt. Sure was nicer to load them into Soupie's bed rather than my tiny Scion (which is being donated to a Veterans Charity).

Any credit earned for working your truck today, was negated by "truckie"

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