road trip OCT 22 through NOV 05

[OPCOM]

going up and down thrilling steep grades, engine braking was a must and I spent most of this in 3rd.

Patrick,

Do you have an engine brake installed? Where did you get it?
A short description and/or picture would be appreciated.

As with Cranetruck's road trip I now follow yours and let my imagination be the video. Thanks for keeping a log of your travels and sharing it with us. Safe driving to you.

No additional brake, just the load of the engine. It takes power to turn the engine, so remaining in a low gear as the slope is descended gives a braking effect. Someone calculated the horsepower etc on the mil-veh list before, perhaps it is in the archives.

 

[cranetruck]

That was me Patrick, came up with something like 50 hp of braking power for the engine alone, about twice that with the exhaust brake.

 

[OPCOM]

Well Doghead, the locals have tonight told me it was a "hoot owl", but I am not sure. According to them the big birds are afraid of nothing, and that one was just unlucky. I was only a little more lucky than the alleged dragon, as the next morning (today) about 30 miles out of Winchester in the pouring rain the other blade decided to fall off. There was no choice but to keep going but at a slower pace, and finally got to Clark's this afternoon. rain-x is your friend.

At Clark's, I met the owners, both father and son run the place. They let me take picures in the warehouse and workshop, but it was too wet for my camera outdoors. The people that work there are some of the most decent people you would ever want to meet.

I bought 8 new wiper blades, an improved type over the old kind I had. The new ones have a box-like structure holding the attachment tab in place, versus the old kind just having a thin tab of metal sticking out of the spine of the blade. I also picked up new style wiper arms, which have adjustable length and a little more tension than the old ones. The performance difference was very noticeable. They also have the new all-metal wiper motors, for those of us with the somewhat crummy plastic ones.

Clark's also advised me about the aforementioned power imbalance, told me to check valve clearance as it is a common problem and causes the sort-of half-miss that the truck has been blessed with for so long. I bought a couple of rocker arm gaskets so I can do the job later. The cover is leaking oil anyway. I don't have the tools or book on me and not sure I want to take anything apart 900 miles from the home 20.

I was shown the old and new style head gaskets, and took pictures. So often these have been discussed but I don't recall pictures to make it clear. The new ones have no burnout slots and also have integrated rings. Clark includes these in every gasket set, and that is why it cost quite a bit more. also the new windshiedls, they are very well made. I have 90 pictures, and until I get home I can't put these on the server but should be able to attach a few small ones here.

It's still raining! Tomorrow I head for Bjorn's.

Bjorn - Yow, a guest house? you really know how to treat a guy. A nice turnaround point and a good climb to 3000 FT! I'd do the same for any SS member, the bunker of doom has HVAC and plumbing, as well as a choice of firearms for guests. Maybe you might take a trip south some time.

Lastly, the stack of crates in a picture below has a part number, but Clark's can't identify these flywheels. The number supposedly is for 5-ton, but it's not the same part. Anyone know what they are for?

Well it has been a long day following a very short night's worth of sleep last night so I need to retire.

 

[hndrsonj]

I never realized the rings were not an integral part of the gasket on the old style! Installing them would definately be a pain in the A$$.

 

[OPCOM]

Hey I'm at Cranetruck's place. Opie is here as well. We just finished looking at the crane truck, the 8x8, and Opie's M109, which is real nice and clean inside. well the coffee is brewing and have to go,

 

[Recovry4x4]

Good deal Patrick. You are in very good company there with Bjorn and Opie. We will need some pics of all the trucks together though.

 

[doghead]

Yes, more pics please! BTW, are you having fun yet?

 

[emmado22]

The guys at Clarks are indeed great people. That mystery NSN is for something thats no longer in the system, thats for sure. I just checked. Did Clarks still have any humvees left? Eric and Arnold did a kick ass job on mine!

 

[OPCOM]

We got some pics, maybe not all the trucks in one pic but all of us with the trucks. I'm on Bjorn's computer, maybe he can post some. Traded a few parts and pieces etc, and I got to see how the engine brake works first-hand, it's really cool! Fun? you betcha this is alot of fun!

Clarks's I didn't see any humvees, but there could have been a few stashed somewhere. I'm going to plan the route back, let me print the info, and see what I can come up with,

 

[OPCOM]

Heading north at all? Sam Weiners is in Northern Ohio. I am in S. Ohio and offer food and shelter(maybe an adult beverage too) if you make it through these parts.

I would like to, but seeing it took me about all week to get here, I better head south in the morning. I could always visit another time, and if you are ever in Texas please look me up! After this trip, I think a yearly MV road trip should become an instituion.

 

[OPCOM]

There is always:

Shirley's Surplus & Sales
411 Highway 36 West, Barnesville, GA 30204
(770) 358-9555

He has a number of different MV's and other MV related items on his lot. I've visited once a few months back. If you do decide to head this way...holla and lunch is a sure thing

Andy

I will take you up on that, Atlanta is on the way south, and I'd like to do lunch and see Shirley's. Might take me a day to get myself on track..

 

[OPCOM]

I probably won't be able to visit SECO, as much as I would like to, it is in the opposite direction. Commo Central would have been possible, had I been a little earlier, not delayed by the rain so much. Maybe I can visit that another time. I'll call them certainly, and see what they got.

 

[cranetruck]

Patrick and Peter (Opie) arrived within minutes of each other, just after 15:00 hrs today.
It's windy but otherwise the weather is cooperating.
Patrick has an impressive amount of electronis in his S-280 "commo box".
Glad Opie took the time to drive his deuce from Roanoke about 65 miles away.
Always good to meet Steelsoldiers members!
Note that Patrick has 1100's in a dual config in the rear and commercial steering tires in the front, seems to be a good set-up for the highway.

Opie left for Roanoke at about 18:30 and Patrick is spending the night.

Lots of fun to have company, here are some images.

 

[GamaGoatGirl]

Thanks for sharing the pics! Looks like you had a nice afternoon!

 

[Opie]

Boy, was it DARK driving home on the Blue Ridge Parkway tonight! I felt like Ichabod Crane waiting for the Headless Horseman to lurch out of a dark stand of trees. I'm home in one piece. Many thanks to Cranetruck and his family for putting up with a bunch of interlopers. I had a blast.

(Edit: Well, I DO have a 1C, so I guess I WAS "whistling past the graveyard." )

(Bjorn, can you adapt the automated parallel parking system from the new Lexus for my deuce? I wasn't doing so well getting into/out of tight situations this evening... )

 

[alphadeltaromeo]

I've sent you an IM with all my contact details. Give me a yell...and be safe on your journey!

Andy

 

[clinto]

Patrick, when you get near Atlanta, let us know. I am in zip code 30666.

 

[alphadeltaromeo]

Clint - you're welcome to join us for lunch if you'd like...?

 

[CGarbee]

Post the route as soon as you figure it out. I'll be running up and down I40 between Raleigh, Hickory, and back to Raleigh in my Cummins powered M37 with the M101A1 and will keep my eyes peeled for you...

 

[clinto]

Clint - you're welcome to join us for lunch if you'd like...?

Okie dokie, can do.

On the other thread, Bjorn said Patrick was gonna be crashing at the Flying J in Commerce tonight, I sent him a PM, I live real near there, so I can mosey up there in the deuce and grab a greasy burger with Patrick and check out his commo van.