The DisFort's Chit Chat Cafe

[jbrostek]

When I clean out the RV its usually the end of the season. Still got a few more races and likely a November trip down to Charlottesville area for some wine time with the wife.

 

[Sjm9911]

When I clean out the RV its usually the end of the season. Still got a few more races and likely a November trip down to Charlottesville area for some wine time with the wife.

Yup, I think were done for the season.

 

[4077]

Nice beach resort…

 

[Teamubr]

That looks pretty rough, Jimmy. Have a great time.

Yup, I think were done for the season.

That's kind of sad. We are just getting into a good stretch of camping after doing other things most of the summer. Heading to Meramec Caverns this weekend. A quick overnight at a Harvest Host near Quincy Illinois on the 25th and then to North Carolina for a week on Sept 1st. A couple of local things planned in September and October and then I'll have to put her away until March when we head to spring training.

j

 

[jbrostek]

@Sjm9911 Bittersweet this early in the season?


We still have Labor Day double and fundraiser. Not sure about October yet. And I just booked the end of season trip to Charlottesville with the DW which we will winterize after that trip.

 

[Sjm9911]

Its been a long year. Lol. Looking forward to just relaxing at home a bit, and cleaning out the garage and basement. I also have a closet full of fire books to get rid off. Did the bedroom closet last week. Took all the uniforms out and now I have an empty closet!

 

[jbrostek]

I hear ya. We had a busy summer, now looking forward to a couple of weeks with little travel planned. Really outside some races to attend, no trips planned till November.

I thought about going to the Hershey RV show, but turns out that's the weekend Melissa flies out to see a friend. I am not sure I would allowed to go by myself...LOL

First on my around home list is find out if my front tires are too badly cupped to rotate to the rear, and finish my utility trailer project. I did not work on it last weekend because well it was 92F in the garage by 10am and that wasn't gonna fly. At least the honey do list is long enough I can always do inside tasks.

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

One of my low beams burnt out. I figured it was going to be a quick swap. Well, no. I had to take off a plastic shroud with 10 plastic pins that I'm pretty sure I broke 2. Then remove the grill. Then three bolts on the headlight housing...one of which is behind the fender splash guard

Even then I had to slide my hand in behind the housing and thread the lights in and out. I would like to have a discussion about workability with an engineer somewhere in Detroit.

I replaced all 4 since I was already in there. I went with LEDs. They are bah-right. Thankfully, they are adjusted appropriately so they won't burn your retinas unlike so many of these new vehicles out there these days.

 

[jbrostek]

@Part-Time Paradise Ford is no better. Gotta remove the grill and the headlight to swap bulbs. I put LEDs in back in 2016, and the first one started to flicker/burn out this summer and swapped them for new ones. I love seeing into the future, and glad that the 2023 models focus the light better so even after adjustment they are not retna burning.

 

[Teamubr]

@Part-Time Paradise Ford is no better. Gotta remove the grill and the headlight to swap bulbs.

But the Ford is 4 or 5 screws across the top and a long blade screwdriver to pop the clips on the bottom. About 2 or 3 minutes.



j

 

[Sjm9911]

Nothing is easy , lol.

 

[jbrostek]

@Teamubr Yes, but like half the work on the front of the truck. Step 1: remove grill. Not too horrible, yet annoying enough that you have to remove it.

 

[Teamubr]

@Teamubr Yes, but like half the work on the front of the truck. Step 1: remove grill. Not too horrible, yet annoying enough that you have to remove it.

Yep,

At least these were much easier than Ian's Miata

• Remove battery
• Remove fuse box
• Remove plate holding battery and fusebox
• Stand on head, twist arm in 3 directions at the same time and reach 1 (maybe 2) fingers into a small hole
• Pray you don't drop the bulb in the hole.

j

 

[team bradfield]

found some falls on our way to Bar Harbor Maine

 

[4077]

found some falls on our way to Bar Harbor Maine
View attachment 786233


View attachment 786234

Hmmm, those seem familiar….

 

[4077]

A little post cruise/pre flight activity for today….flight home this evening (hopefully).

 

[Stratman50th]

A little post cruise/pre flight activity for today….flight home this evening (hopefully).View attachment 786387

We have annual passes. We enjoy it immensely! Probably because at our age it's history that happened in our lifetime.

 

[jbrostek]

@Teamubr Well its a miata, I figure everything starts with "Step 1: remove engine and transmission."

So on the projects front I finally got the utility trailer finished!!!! After delays, lack of weather and free time it is complete. It looks great and I hope it holds up for another 7-10 years before it needs any treatment like this again.




Yes I need to attach the plate on the tailgate, I just need some fender washers or a piece of stainless to cut into backers for the bolts. Also im using my crappy 2" ball reciever because I lent out my 5" drop to Ken and have not gotten it back yet.

On another note, I had a vibration that developed on the truck while towing. I took a look at everything and did not see anything with the running gear. Well turns out my tires (Faulken Wildpeak AT3) are really good at hiding the fact that they are starting to cup. I am going to bet this stared when my shocks where bad, but never noticed till the 2k mile trip to Disney and back. So now I am hoping once I rotate them to the rear that it will clear that up even if I have to deal with some small vibration from the rear. Otherwise I am buying a pair of tires early.

 

[Teamubr]

@Teamubr Well its a miata, I figure everything starts with "Step 1: remove engine and transmission."

So on the projects front I finally got the utility trailer finished!!!! After delays, lack of weather and free time it is complete. It looks great and I hope it holds up for another 7-10 years before it needs any treatment like this again.

View attachment 786488
View attachment 786489

Yes I need to attach the plate on the tailgate, I just need some fender washers or a piece of stainless to cut into backers for the bolts. Also im using my crappy 2" ball reciever because I lent out my 5" drop to Ken and have not gotten it back yet.

On another note, I had a vibration that developed on the truck while towing. I took a look at everything and did not see anything with the running gear. Well turns out my tires (Faulken Wildpeak AT3) are really good at hiding the fact that they are starting to cup. I am going to bet this stared when my shocks where bad, but never noticed till the 2k mile trip to Disney and back. So now I am hoping once I rotate them to the rear that it will clear that up even if I have to deal with some small vibration from the rear. Otherwise I am buying a pair of tires early.

Trailer looks great. I need to find something like that. Since I sold the truck, I miss not having something I can throw plywood or drywall in. A 4X8 deck would be ideal.

@Teamubr Well its a miata, I figure everything starts with "Step 1: remove engine and transmission."

Oh, we know how to do the engine/trans swap on a Miata.



We had an NA for the race team that we ran in enduros. Tom, our crew guy, also ran it in sprint races. He had a little incident at Nationals in Utah one year and we had to replace the front clip due to bending up both frame rails.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=707072045972808

Not Tom's fault, but still a mess. Impact was at about 90 mph. Miller was a fast track, even for a Miata.



It's good to keep a spare Miata on hand for parts. Bent one on top. New front clip on the bottom.



j

 

[jbrostek]

@Teamubr its a 7x10!! Found it way more useful then my old 4x8 trailer.

my fried works on Cahall‘s cars, they bring a complete SM prepped spare!! Done enough swaps of trans or engines in the evenings though.