Mr. Chip is sending me a new one in the mail.....

Whoo hoo.... Customer service that doesn't sook....

 

Yeah that is nice to hear.

 

A new steering gear Cool

 

A nut........ you nut.

 

I found a 1st gen Dana 70 on CL the other day. Supposedly 3.54, maybe Posi, 112k on it for $150 3hrs round trip away. I texted the owner mid week about it but he said he wouldn't be home til the weekend. Texted the guy today before I left to pick it up to get his address and got "That left this morning. sorry"
Kinda grumpy about that.
I'll tell myself it was probably a 4.10 open carrier with a bent housing...

 

Just got done stuffing 1ton axles under the ramcharger.

Now comes the fiddling with dirveshafts and brakes...



Why do I suddenly have a craving for a gooseneck trailer

 

Maybe you want to be a truck driver when you grow up.

 

Ohhhhhhh that is frustrating. Happened to me before with other items.

 

I drove mine for the first time since Christmas, man I forget how much of a tank it is. I have decided that the only good thing about only driving it once a month is, that you never really get over the "giddy little school girl" feeling when you drive it.... The bad thing about only driving it once a month is your right foot is always heavy....

 

Today I cut the puny little body ground wire off of the negative terminal and replaced it with a foot long piece of 3 gauge copper welding lead. I soldered copper lugs on the ends and shrink wrapped them. For right now the body end is fastened under a rad support bolt. I'll be adding a proper ground block shortly.
I ran out of acetylene in my plumber's torch and it was cold enough that the propane torch wasn't working soooo... I broke out the oxy-acetylene torch. Man that melts solder fast!

 

It's funny how things work. I have one, fifth wheel rig with proper muffled exhaust, drives pretty normal. The other one, however, turned up a bit, 5" stack right behind the cab, nary even a wide spot in the pipes. The throttle return spring must be a little weak the way it drives.

 

FWIW,

BOBVA was dead on, with regards to changing out that pinion nut and washer.

Today, I took the brick for a 60 mile round trip to pick up materials, and wouldn't you know it... the steering is wacky again...

Raining like a ........ so I just went in the house. I can only assume the lock washer moved, compressed, or cracked, as the paint was still on the nut, and hadn't moved (quick peek). I'll be back under there tomorrow seeing if the assembly is loose.

I had thoughts of going right to the dealer and buying a new truck.... but they faded fast once I realized I had no money to pay for a new truck...

 

As I look back at my life I am thoroughly amazed at the harm I've been protected from...........by poverty.

 

I love it

 

No, it was probably a jerk.
I hate when people do that.