Re: Re: Home from the BBQ at last

From: Walt Felix (Walt@Walt-n-Ingrid.Com)
Date: Tue Jul 27 2004 - 13:14:50 EDT


Unfortunately, it won't be quite that simple, he swapped the fronts to
another set for the trails and swapped back before leaving. He probably
knocked something in the front end out of whack. The ruts are getting pretty
deep and he managed to pop a bead with 20psi. Even with my 33x13.50 Baja
Claws, I was having a hard time with a few of them on the last day. It was
like riding the kiddy car ride at an amusement park, let go of the wheel and
the truck would steer itself through the trees. The steering wheel, like the
goggles, "Does Nothing!" (inside joke) I really tweaked something in the
front end of the truck after going down mud lane. Knocked the front end so
far out that when we went out for ice cream that night, I turned around
about two miles down the road and swapped to my tow Dak. The '88 wanted to
go either left or right (no center) and the left front wheel was squealing
the whole time. Left a mark on Jon's road from the driveway to where I
turned around and back. Mike and I had to eyeball the toe before I could
put the truck back on the trailer. I only have a inch of clearance between
the trailer's wheel wells when the toe is set correctly. I don't think I
could have gotten it on the trailer easily the way it was.

On another note, I'm definitely considering a set of Dynatrac Pro Rock 60s
as a future upgrade. I feel my Dak was very capable, and seemed to pull
like a tank. But, I've been unhappy with the less than sturdy Trailmaster
IFS lift. I bend something out of shape every I take the truck off-road.
Everything I fabed up myself, didn't budge any, but I mangled the
Trailmaster front skidplate and lower control arm lift brackets. The
Trailmaster parts are all fabricated out of 1/8" steel and are just not
strong enough for that level of abuse. The main skidplate and crossmember I
made are fabbed out of 1/4" and didn't budge any. Even the torque bars held
the weight of the truck while I attempted to climb the upper falls. If it
wasn't for the rear axle truss getting hung up under the lip of the rock, I
would have had that. It just needed to be an inch or two higher and it
would have cleared. I'm now regretting not making a try at the lower falls.
I still feel I would have been able to do that and it would have been a
blast to put it to the "Creeeeeeeeepy" SCORE folks (another inside joke). It
would have been great to ask, "What was that Jeep thing I didn't
understand?" Anyhow, it'll be a little while before I can start swapping
axles on my Dak. Ingrid and I are moving in Sept and I suspect I will have
allot of other things going on until late fall. Since the new house doesn't
have a garage, any work will most likely have to wait until spring. I'll
have to see how the credit cards are then. 3 bedroom house and only a small
apartment's worth of furniture, I suspect they may be up there. Odds are
Mike will be done before me ;)

Walt
http://WWW.Walt-n-Ingrid.Com

P.S. I finished uploading all my photos to my gallery.
http://www.walt-n-ingrid.com/images/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=34&thumb=1

""Bill Day"" <billday@consolidated.net> wrote in message
news:002501c473c5$6ec25e80$4c58b0d8@bill...
>
> Something simple? Did you get all the mud out of the wheels..... Mud can
> do some funky things to balance and such....
>
> Bill Day
> billday@consolidated.net
> http://users.consolidated.net/billday/
>
> A rich man isn't always wealthy, he just has all the love he wants and can
> give..
>
> AIM - BadManD73 (Catch me if you can!)
> '95 Ext Cab 3.9L Mag 4x4 Flame Red 3.55 LSD turning 30x9.50x15's
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Terrible Tom" <SilverEightynine@aol.com>
> To: <dakota-truck-moderator@bent.twistedbits.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 12:06 AM
> Subject: DML: Home from the BBQ at last
>
>
> >
> > Just a short note as I am off to bed real real soon. I arrived in
> > Marion Ohio at my friends house at 6:45 eastern, stayed the night, and
> > departed about 9:30 am the next day. I didnt arrive home until 10:50
> > central time tonight. I stopped off in Chicago to see another friend
> > and my uncle. Dealing with Chicago area traffic ate a lot of time.
> >
> > I lost most of the mud off the Ram on the way home (curses!) but I have
> > photos - and she is still plenty dirty. Now I have to track down that
> > steering wheel shimmy problem.
> >
> > I had a wonderful time and can't wait to do it again!
> >
> > sleep calls! Goodnight!
> >
> > --
> > Terrible Tom -- AIM & Yahoo Name: SilverEightynine
> > http://members.aol.com/silvereightynine/
> >
>
>
> ---
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