Left mine parked at home, stole the keys to my Brother in-law’s 2012 and headed up to see the giant redwoods in Sequoia. After that, went to Bass Lake, then to Yosemite. After driving a “new” 6.7, I’ve realized that I like driving my 12 Valve a LOT better, I need a muffler and insulation, and I really need an exhaust brake on my truck. The newer trucks already have one and it sure is handy. I’d still rather have a manual trans over a new 6 speed auto. I’ve also learned that a good MT tire can’t be beat when ya really need it. Turning a little **** on the dash to get into 4 low is easy, but I’d rather have a manual lever to shift than use electronics. Back up cameras are very handy when off road maneuvers are being done. If you’re not used to having electric running boards pop out from under the truck, you will almost fall on your methane maker every time you get out of the truck. Also, WD-40 on the hinges of those fancy electric running boards, will let them come all the way up and not hang down in cooler/wetter weather. 3.5 more hours until I get home, then I get to hop in MY truck and go pick up my Boxer from the dog-sitter. Man, these new trucks...

 

I spent a few hours planning and running a wire from the relay on the alternator circuit I installed the other day. The other end goes to a digital volt meter I have mounted under the dash. The idea is to monitor the battery voltage but I didn't want the voltmeter lit up all the time. So connected it to the switched side of the relay which is battery voltage when the relay is energized. It is energized by the key being on.

I also got a hole drilled to mount the relay on the firewall. I left it loose the other day and just tied it into the harness but it bothered me so I found another 1/8 inch bit and managed to get it drilled. Of course the VR and relay are in the middle of the firewall in the hardest most awkward location. Even standing on a step stool and leaning over kills my back and my left knee is now sore. I hate getting old.

 

Today I’ve been looking at mufflers. I like the sound of straight pipe, but since I’m still in high school and thus living at home my parents can tell me to an extent what I can and can’t do to my truck. My dad says I can’t straight pipe it so I order the Diamond Eye kit for $266 with the muffler delete pipe and use the muffler that a buddy down the street offered me. I guess it kind of counts as a muffler anyways. It is a gutted cat with 4 1/2 inch inlet and outlet so the expanded ends of the Diamond Eye kit should line up with it. With that I figure I’ll see how it is. I’m thinking it should give it that nice, deep sound and serve the function of a muffler by at least letting the sound bounce around in it. Maybe I’m wrong in thinking it will give it a deep sound, but if I just clamp it on then it should be pretty easy to order a AeroTurbine 4040 (unfortunately the 4040xl seems to be on permanent back order), and swap that in. I would get the Diamond Eye muffler with the kit for just in case, but I feel that from the research I have done the AeroTurbine is superior in performance. It seems they have somehow figured out how to increase the flow over a straight pipe even. Maybe the gutted cat idea is a bad one, but I’m kind of inclined to try it.

 

So how's the numbers?

 

14.7 and 67. Not sure which numbers you wanted. The voltage or my age.

 

The way I did It was get the Diamond Eye with the muffler as it costs the same with or without. Then I bought the muffler delete for like $40 If you go the other way the muffler is over $200.
I can swap the muffler in or out in 15 minutes as I used band clamps.

 

Lets not forget your PSA level as well..




you're charging at 67 ? At what point does your internal regulator implode ?

 

Much better now by using the "return or enter" button....

I stopped using stainless clamps. My "mix and match" of using a stainless muffler and clamps is rotting out the DE pipes due to the dissimilar metals of the galvanized steel meeting up with the stainless muffler or clamps. They still make galvanized band clamps, which won't cause the premature rot that I'm seeing.

 

Winter has arrived to Southern California so I put new windshield wipers on.

 

It has been on my mind the past couple weeks on how to install bed tie downs for securing cargo (dirt bikes, dog crates, pallets, etc.). Has anyone here installed some in he corners of the bed? If so, how did you attach them? I don’t want something that is going to rip out or bend the bed.

 

PSA? Non-existant due to disuse.

I had to switch to DeCaff because I was overcharging and the regulator went into A-fib.

 

I broke the stupid little "T" joint on my washers so I had to rush out to O'Reilly's and get a replacement before it starts drizzeling. Stupid plastic stuff should last more than 30 years!

 

This isn't really doing anything . . . but I ordered a couple of boxes of Dorman 610-563 studs for the front from Amazon, and 35 RAYBESTOS 6927N lug nuts from Rock Auto.


The studs are the extra long 9/16-18 replacements for our Dana 60 front axles, and the nuts are a 9/16-18, 60 degree cone, 1 1/16 hex lug nut (equivalent to Dorman 6412130).

Right now I'm running Gorilla nuts with Rickson aluminum wheels. Even with the insert style nuts, the fronts are scary regarding thread engagement, and the stock hex size looks pretty tiny in the 19.5 disk . . .

I mention this, because I think that these parts are about to be discontinued. So, if you are interested in going to long 9/16 studs up front, or running oversized hex 9/16 nuts with 60 degree seat wheels, you might want to buy now.

 

What leads you to believe the studs are being discontinued? Would they be available from another supplier?

 

I discovered this a while back and after hearing about Edwin's tribulations working on these beasts I decided to post this up. I discovered that these little 2 step ladders fit perfectly in the front fender wells and give you much more comfortable lift into the engine bay. I wanted to demonstrate, but I didn't ...Mark