CA - AZ "newbie run" Truck Haven Oct. 20

[zukman]

update on rti ramp center is done! It is 10' long and 22" wide and will sit at 30 degrees when sides are done.

 

[BKennedy]

Are you RTIeng yourself??

Went out to Anza Borrego State Park via Julian/Banner yesterday. Took Oriflame Canyon to Rodriguez Canyon then down to S-2. Drove around the dry lake, Little Blair Valley area, then back home through Grapevine Canyon, Culp Valley and Ranchita. Weather was real good for this time of year. Warm and breezy with light clouds. Did not do anything too difficult because we were alone (Sarah and I).
When we hit the highway to return, I heard the all too familure buzz of a Dana 35 wheel bearing going out. Made it home in one piece. Spent a few hours replacing the toasted bearing and its partner this evening. As usual, it was the inner bearing that was wasted, replaced the outer because it was full of metal shavings. That has not happened in a long time (several years), since I started using lock-tite on the outer nut (thanks for that one Winter). Before I started using lock-tite, I was burning up a wheel bearing about one time a season. Those 35" tires put a little more leverage on the spindle than the stocke tires. You know when you do or don't do something and then wonder about it for a while? I repacked the left side after Moab last year, but left the right side alone due to time constraints, then forgot about it until I heard the buzz coming from the right side. Dumba%s:

 

[Stic-o]

Ok I'm bad I've been busy playing with the spud gun and not the truck:

My Spud gun thread

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1754480#post1754480

 

[Dannyboy]

wow, lots of pics and good stuff already getting me excited.

Since I won't be making the Thanksgiving run I might as well come to this one.

&

Since the girlfriend is crazy about wheeling I might as well come out (with her)

&

Since I just dropped about $1200 on the truck (half of what I paid for it) I might as well come out.

Sign me up, my rig will be ready as long as the brakes I ordered show up, the springs get built correctly, my diagnosis on my alternator being bad was why I was not charging my battery and I can find out how to find a replacement driveshaft u-joint to mate a manual Explorer driveshaft to a 9" axle.....and what was the other thing....oh yeah, my tow rig is in San Diego getting new head gaskets and EGR cooler at the Ford Dealer so that probably should get back to Phoenix and then turn around and go to Truckhaven.

My girl is coming out from San Diego if anyone has easy directions from that way.

 

[Exploderpilot]

Dannyboy, it's looking like we are gonna have a san diego convoy, call me tomorrow, and i'll give you directions for your girl.

 

[Black Goblin]

Hey Exploderpilot you still thinking of coming by tomorrow. I belive I have the money for the metal. I am gonna go by the place toorrow after class and pirce it and if I can I am gonna buy it. I need to mak the shock mounts and put them on to so the ride wont be too bad on the street and dirt. My front end bounces really bad over bumps because I blew out my stock stile shocks.

I did fix my exhaust today though. got all my torque back for the tow out there. I am gonna try and get my stearing stabalizer on tomorrow morning at school.

 

[Exploderpilot]

well, i can come by, but i brought no welders.....got dropped off. but we can still do it, i gotta come back down thursday too....and i will see if i can get the wife to bring the welder down tomorrow anyway.

 

[Black Goblin]

well, i can come by, but i brought no welders.....got dropped off. but we can still do it, i gotta come back down thursday too....and i will see if i can get the wife to bring the welder down tomorrow anyway.

Ok its kewl. If you can get the welder that would be kewl but if not its ok. there is still a few things you could help me with. I have some lights that I need to install and my tow hooks and I have an alarm I want to install before we go out to truck haven.

Atleast the list is slowly getting smaller

 

[FAKRWEE]

Wow, I’ve been on the road and finally able to connect to the internet on a decent connection. What a difference a week makes. Looks like this run is going to be bigger than our last annual TH run. Lots of surprises and an RTI ramp to play on thanks to the Zukman.

The Navajo is finally going in for the canvas top Friday. It was supposed to be finished this week but bad luck held the project up. First the welder who was supposed to do the bows got bit by a spider. He got and infection and couldn’t work for a couple of days. Then this week the top guy was supposed to have started on Monday, but his dad passed away on Sunday. Now he begins on Friday and it supposed to take a week. That means I will be picking up the Navajo and heading strait for TH on Friday…….if nothing else goes wrong. Regardless, I WILL BE THERE.

Hey Dannyboy, did ya buy the Motor home? Anyway glad you’re going, haven’t seen you in a while.

Is there any potluck planned or just bring your own? 8 days and counting.

 

[cybergasm]

Is there any potluck planned or just bring your own? 8 days and counting.

Nothing as of yet on the potluck it been asked a few times in this thread but no ones come with a defintive answer.

dang 8 days i better my butt in gear and start getting things together

 

[FROADER]

I'm guessing no pot luck. I wasn't planning on it.

 

[RockRanger]

Sign me up, my rig will be ready as long as the brakes I ordered show up, the springs get built correctly, my diagnosis on my alternator being bad was why I was not charging my battery and I can find out how to find a replacement driveshaft u-joint to mate a manual Explorer driveshaft to a 9" axle.

Did you ever fix that cracked shackle?

 

[Dannyboy]

Did you ever fix that cracked shackle?

yup, plus everything else on the rear end, brand new springs, shackles, u-bolts, rotors, pads, shocks, tires, brake lines, u-joint and paint!

 

[Black Goblin]

Wel I got my stearing damper on today and I found a hairline crack on one of the tabs for the left I beam drop bracket. I went strait to the muffler shop I use and had him weld it up before it actually decided to crack all the way through.

I got my swr meter today and I am going to get my front shock mounts tomorrow to mount my res. shocks so I can get rid of the bounce in the frnt end and the pop when I turn the wheel and the truck starts to lean.

Man this is the most I have ever had to do to a vehicle to get it ready for something like this lol.

I can't wait till I get to TH and actually put to use all this stuff I have done.

 

[carlover]

Having some issues with funds at this point so im a "maybe" to make it out there. Damn i could use this for a mini vacation though....Anyone from my area going out there friday??

 

[FROADER]

mounty71 and I will be taking this route Friday morning.

 

[carlover]

Maybe i could meet up with you guys around the corona area? If im reading that right you guys are on the 91??

 

[FROADER]

Yeah, 405 - 55 - 91 - 215 - 60 - 10 - 86 - Truck haven.

We can meet up. We are going to leave my house about 9:30am.

 

[carlover]

It might just be easier and faster to bypass the 215 and 60 and just shoot up the 15 to the 10. the 91/60/215 interchange area is a ***** most times day or night lol. After looking at the map i have a good idea where you guys are going. Ive been to anza-borego many times with the family.\

But either way ill meet up with you guys if im going. Gotta sit down and figure out how much it will cost me to go. Gotta love attorneys and court fee's lol.

 

[FROADER]

Yeah, that part sucks, but it's only a few miles.

North Marina is pretty much 2 miles north of the 86S and S22 intersect.

I would normally go the 15 south to 79 towards indio and go through Borego but I want to avoid the hills and windy roads with the trailer.