Folks,
Taking a vacation without unsubscribing is dangerous.
It has taken me 4 days to get through over 1060
e-mails mainly from the list.
Anyway...I have discovered MV Pudding!
Some of you may remember awhile back me speaking of a
broken front axle shaft in one of my M211's. Well I
finally got the opportunity to graft the needed parts
from the parts truck to the wounded one. I had
previously removed the axle shafts and pieces with the
exception of the third member to allow me to use the
truck without incurring more carnage.
Now picture 2 M211's parked face to face about 4 feet
apart and the respective bumpers covered with tools
and rags and containers. Let the fun begin...
I place the megabowl under the parts truck pumpkin,
take out the plug and the
the thickest, blackest pudding looking stuff starts
oozing out. Now I think to myself-"Self this could
get ugly" So I proceed to liberally apply my impact
wrench and pull things apart to find that everything
inside the axle has a nice thick coating of this
pudding. No emulsion just black as can be as if
someone mixed 90wt with moly grease to prevent any
from leaking out. It worked but wasn't fun to clean
out.
Now it's time to pull the third members and unlike the
center axle which left me a fair amount of manuvering
room, the front leaves none. First the tie rod has to
come off only to point out that a torque rod must be
taken loose to get it to drop free. I love my impact
wrench- 3/4 inch, electric, 1 each-!
Milk crakes and ratchet straps work great at catch
platforms when pulling the third members by your
lonesome, most of the time. I got the broke one out
letting gravity assist and called it a day.
Now on day two I am fresh and looking forward to
reassembly and the road test. But first I have to
pull the pudding covered third member from the parts
truck and coax it into the good truck. I have already
conceeded that the clothes I am wearing will never
again see the washer as they will shortly be leaving
the premises. I get my piece of plywood positioned
under the truck, ready the milk crate and ratchet
strap and commence to prying and wiggling. At last I
find the right vocabulary and the beast comes loose.
It lands on the milk crate, gets caught by the ratchet
strap, leans over sideways to continue rolling off the
milk crate, bounces on the plywood and rolls out
through the grass, dirt and gravel coming to rest just
past the first set of duals. Remember that nice thick
coating of pudding? Guess what it picked up along
this unexpected and displeasing trip? Ya'know, stuff
really splatters everywhere when you squirt it with a
100psi siphon wand and fresh diesel but that carrier
sure did look nice when I got done. After encasing
the now freshly clean third member in large rags I am
ready to install it.
When you work on these large green toys alone you
become expert on the different classes of levers and
other types of mechanical advantage but sometimes
neccessity breeds more than invention. This is where
children come into the picture. After devising a
clever combination of 2 jacks, a 2x6 and a seven year
old and grunting loudly after the first attempt lands
in my lap, we finally got that sucker in place. And
so ended day 2 and another set of clothes. Not bad
for a 1 long afternoon project.
Day 3 went better. I didn't run out of grease or 90wt
until I reached the last places that needed each but
all nuts and washers and tools were accounted for. 1
word of advise for those who wish to undertake this
kind of fun. Plan and extra day for garage and tool
clean up to collect your tools if you employ your
children to help you bring everything in. I know they
are all in the garage-somewhere. But after it all I
have my truck back up and 6 wheel drive capable again,
just in time to go get the one whose engine let
go...but that is another day(s) project.
Does "Keep 'em Rolling" imply that they have to be
under their own power?
Brian
52 M211
54 M211
and now 5 truck loving daughters/ tool retrivers
=====
Two points of Cowboy Wisdom:
Never squat with your spurs on; and
Never miss a good chance to shut up.
__________________________________________________
Terrorist Attacks on U.S. - How can you help?
Donate cash, emergency relief information
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/fc/US/Emergency_Information/
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Oct 08 2001 - 10:58:59 PDT