Well,
The ol gal did pretty well on our trip. I didn't keep an accurate count but we had to have clocked over 2000 miles. Lots of rough stuff, and some future changes noted.
Found out my rear sway bar quick disconnects were real quick, in fact they turned out to be self disconnects. This was purely operator error, as I used too small of washer as a backer after loosing the proper one. One good tug and the whole thing came out the end of the link, bushing and all. I am not sure where that happened-but when I crawled under to disconnect them, hoping for a softer ride, i was quickly disappointed. Nope, it's still going to be bumpy.
The e brakes I spent all the time on took a crap in KC on the way out from my parents sub division. We let them chatter until I could deal with it at camp. The driver side was rattling, and, once again due to operator error, me, using the old clips with new nails----
Yup, it let loose and that spring that is so much trouble to spring in there was rolling around and re shaped. lol
I tore all the stuff out and threw it in a pile, then zip tied the levers in place. Live free or die, in the mountains, with no park brake. Good times.
I should have done the other side too, because once we hit Salida for essentials ( walmart) it let go. So, I tore them apart in the wally parking world while Gman, Sheri and Traveler went in for the stuff.
she's a stubborn mule. Ran good and hard even though her driver tried to fry the transmission going up every bumpy foot of a 14k ft Mount Princeton in 4wd hi range. Yup, her trans was cooking about 245 degrees when we pulled over to cool down. She smelled a little funny but never kicked. Good mule
Back on the trail, I had to kick her as hard as I could in 1st gear for the final climb-235 degrees again. She made it. It wasn't until we were about 1/2 the way back down I stopped, and gave the shift lever a tug to 4wd lo range. We could have died.
Back on the highway I noted a few things.
First, my trip computer-economy thingy is needing some special education. This thing is on the short bus, we actually got around 3mpg more than it was displaying
2nd The bumper and front skid plate seem to act like a wing, which wants to lift the front end. 75mph requires 80 load, and really sucks fuel. 73mph seems to be the wall, if this makes sense. Anything over 65mph is really taxing everything, and, even with the trans bypassing the radiator, cruising temp was around 185 degrees. Coolant runs around 197 at 73 mph, with a 193 thermostat. The friggin skid plate is like a wrong way spoiler I reckon.
3rd the high trans temp at highway speed tells me a fan will not help. I need more cooling area, so, a second cooler will be installed.
4th I need to find a source for a thicker radiator. All of them I see are single row , but there is plenty of room for more-
5th MOAR tire for better ride.
6- some how some way the torsion bars just have to go. Cranking them up just makes them way too stiff. That road is a complete different animal on 33's with coilovers. I know this for fact. (nevermind the fact it was 8 years ago)
7- I have a small oil leak down the back of the engine, but it only lost 1/4 qt on the whole trip. I have yet to add any oil, I'm just going to change it.
8 loaded with about 1000 lbs of spare parts, tools and camping gear, add to that 2 people made the leaf springs very unhappy. I am amazed we didn't break them. Need more of that also. A f150 leaf should help.
She has some rust, which about 7 months or so ago had me thinking about putting her down and using the drive train for the Ranger. But after this performance, I think we'll fix the rusty rockers, and do some thingys so she'll be able to pull a pop up camper. We'll see if I can swing it.
)
