ZMotorsports Shop Projects 2.0

[madison069]

Ok, just checked their website. Are these USA made or something? Just curious since their price is a little up there compared to my typical paint markers I buy.

 

[zmotorsports]

Shifter looks nice and factory! Nice that the physical part of the project wasn’t too complicated. I like those paint pens, might have to look into a set of them.

Thanks. I don't have an opinion on the Rev Lock paint pens yet, but I have been quite disappointed in some I've tried in the past.

I've tried Markal, Sharpie, Dykem and Milwaukee and none of them have really impressed me long term. I've read some good reviews on these from Rev Lock so we'll see.

 

[madison069]

Thanks. I don't have an opinion on the Rev Lock paint pens yet, but I have been quite disappointed in some I've tried in the past.

I've tried Markal, Sharpie, Dykem and Milwaukee and none of them have really impressed me long term. I've read some good reviews on these from Rev Lock so we'll see.

I have a yellow paint pens that still worked and I know it’s 10+ years old. I’ll take a look at the brand and let you know what it is.

 

[zmotorsports]

I have a yellow paint pens that still worked and I know it’s 10+ years old. I’ll take a look at the brand and let you know what it is.

All of the above ones I have mentioned seem to work great for the first bit. However, where I don't use them daily if I come back and grab one a week later I have been unimpressed with their ability to easily flow and mark. They require a lot of playing with to get the felt tip recoated with ink and marking again. I was hoping the Milwaukee would solve that as I have been so impressed with their version of the standard Sharpie markers, but I think the couple of Milwaukee paint pens are the worst of the bunch.

 

[madison069]

It’s probably been 2 months since I used it, shook it up, one push on the tip, and it did that mark on the bench.


I know it’s 10+ years old as I got it while in the oil field.

 

[zmotorsports]

It’s probably been 2 months since I used it, shook it up, one push on the tip, and it did that mark on the bench.


I know it’s 10+ years old as I got it while in the oil field.

Thanks Cody. That is one brand I am not familiar with nor have any experience with.

 

[madison069]

Because of your experience with paint pen, I decided to get some new ones as I use them to mark on engines and so on. I can start marking my bolts too.

I found them sold by the singles here,

https://www.forestry-suppliers.com/p/027931/diagraph-gpx-classic-paint-markers

We order from that company for work so I know it’s a good website.

I got one of each color but orange is not in stock so I’ll see how long it takes for me to get my order.

 

[WoodsTruck]

Because of your experience with paint pen, I decided to get some new ones as I use them to mark on engines and so on. I can start marking my bolts too.

I found them sold by the singles here,

https://www.forestry-suppliers.com/p/027931/diagraph-gpx-classic-paint-markers

We order from that company for work so I know it’s a good website.

I got one of each color but orange is not in stock so I’ll see how long it takes for me to get my order.

I may have to try those. I mark up a 300' fiberglass tape to indicate intervals and a regular sharpie bleeds off way too quickly.

 

[zmotorsports]

Because of your experience with paint pen, I decided to get some new ones as I use them to mark on engines and so on. I can start marking my bolts too.

I found them sold by the singles here,

https://www.forestry-suppliers.com/p/027931/diagraph-gpx-classic-paint-markers

We order from that company for work so I know it’s a good website.

I got one of each color but orange is not in stock so I’ll see how long it takes for me to get my order.

Thanks for the information Cody. I may have to order a couple and give them a try as well.

 

[madison069]

I may have to try those. I mark up a 300' fiberglass tape to indicate intervals and a regular sharpie bleeds off way too quickly.

I don’t use it often, mostly writing dates or notes on the engine filters and such. So I’m not sure how long it would last in a continuous use. But as mentioned, it sits on my bench for its random use and usually works after shake and push.

 

[zmotorsports]

I don’t use it often, mostly writing dates or notes on the engine filters and such. So I’m not sure how long it would last in a continuous use. But as mentioned, it sits on my bench for its random use and usually works after shake and push.

Sometimes it is several times a week I reach for a paint pen and then I won't use a paint pen for a couple to three weeks, so unfortunately, I've thrown away some that have dried up once the initial tip gets soaked. I don't mark every fastener that I tighten, but I do apply some Torque Seal or Rev Lock to fasteners such as brake and suspension once they are torqued to spec. I use paint pens for writing dates/miles on filters as you do Cody, but also when critical fasteners are torqued, I will put a dot on the head of the fasteners to let me know they have been torqued. Especially things like rockers when running an overhead or the heads of ring gear or flywheel bolts each get a dot confirming they've been torqued.

 

[madison069]

Sometimes it is several times a week I reach for a paint pen and then I won't use a paint pen for a couple to three weeks, so unfortunately, I've thrown away some that have dried up once the initial tip gets soaked. I don't mark every fastener that I tighten, but I do apply some Torque Seal or Rev Lock to fasteners such as brake and suspension once they are torqued to spec. I use paint pens for writing dates/miles on filters as you do Cody, but also when critical fasteners are torqued, I will put a dot on the head of the fasteners to let me know they have been torqued. Especially things like rockers when running an overhead or the heads of ring gear or flywheel bolts each get a dot confirming they've been torqued.

For the random tip failure, they do sell replacement tips for the pens I listed.

 

[Xti04]

The milwaukee paint pen was a joke. Didnt work out of the package. I had an elmers paint marker I bought at Walmart almost 20 years ago that worked for probably 15 yrs before it died. I like the viz torque paint I have been using the last year or so. Makes it very obvious for me what I have torqued.

 

[zmotorsports]

The milwaukee paint pen was a joke. Didnt work out of the package. I had an elmers paint marker I bought at Walmart almost 20 years ago that worked for probably 15 yrs before it died. I like the viz torque paint I have been using the last year or so. Makes it very obvious for me what I have torqued.

Happy to hear it wasn't just me that wasn't impressed with the Milwaukee paint pen. Their black felt tip pens (Sharpie competitor) actually works quite well and seems to last a bit, but I was terribly disappointed in their paint pen.

 

[zmotorsports]

So what started out as a muffler replacement on the coach turned into a full replacement from the downpipe outward. I started by removing the stainless steel band clamps but then as I was inspecting my way towards the turbo, I got to the short section of flex pipe and saw another blowout of the 5" exhaust tubing just at the edge of the band clamp. Once I removed the clamp the rust was more prevalent so out the whole exhaust came.


Here you can see a small soot trail at the end of the muffler, right at the band clamp where the light is shining.


Better view here. The outer circumference of the muffler end cap is blown out.


Once I removed the band clamp at the flex tube, there was quite a bit more rust present.


Out the whole exhaust came.


And on the fabrication table to devise a plan.


After a trip back from my local FleetPride, I can start measuring and cutting. At first I thought I could save the flex pipe, but upon trying to get the small section of exhaust pipe out of it, I noticed I could see some light between some of the sections, so it will be getting replaced as well. I probably should have just gotten one while I was at FleetPride, but that's what I get for trying to save a buck. When the wife saw it she even said "just replace the whole thing and be done with it".


Stainless steel tip removed. I will clean this up and reuse this as it has only been on the coach for a few years and is in excellent condition. Plus, it now has that pretty gold tinge to it from the heat.


Sneaking up on the outlet cuts.


Just started working on the inlet tubes when the wife arrived home from work.






All in all, I shouldn't be upset as I replaced everything from the flex pipe outward back in 2007 when we first purchased the coach so it has approx. 95k miles on it and 19 years now. The previous owner of our coach smacked it on something and caved in the short section between the flex and the muffler which needed to be replaced, but also the muffler was freakin' huge and I could see the heat traces through it by the lengthy path the exhaust required to exit, so that is when I decided to replace everything from the flex pipe outward. It has actually held up quite well considering the environment it lives in.

Thanks for looking.

 

[SilverJimmy]

How loud is your coach with that muffler? On my 98 International S/O truck with the DT466 I just removed the muffler and replaced it with a straight pipe. The truck had twin 8” stacks that went to the top of the box so it wasn’t obnoxiously loud, kinda was cool cuz it announced my arrival! And the best part was I actually picked up 1 mpg!

 

[zmotorsports]

How loud is your coach with that muffler? On my 98 International S/O truck with the DT466 I just removed the muffler and replaced it with a straight pipe. The truck had twin 8” stacks that went to the top of the box so it wasn’t obnoxiously loud, kinda was cool cuz it announced my arrival! And the best part was I actually picked up 1 mpg!

It's not loud at all Sterling. My uncle straight piped his Beaver Marquis, but I just couldn't bring myself to do that. I can only hear mine when going under an overpass or driving alongside a K-rail for a bit with the window open. Otherwise it is inaudible, but keep in mind I'm sitting ~40' in front of it. I will get a short video of it when I get it completed and post it though. I have had a few people over the years approach me and inquire about what exhaust I am running on it though.

 

[SilverJimmy]

Mine ended up with a real low rumble. The funnest thing was I’d sometimes have to drive thru downtown Flagstaff and my truck would set off all the car alarms! Too cool!

 

[zmotorsports]

Mine ended up with a real low rumble. The funnest thing was I’d sometimes have to drive thru downtown Flagstaff and my truck would set off all the car alarms! Too cool!

Yeah, mine is nowhere near that loud Sterling. Just a little deeper and throatier than stock, but if you were to see the OEM muffler you'd understand why. My hell, it was huge and you could visibly see the paths of heat through the turns in the muffler. That was one of the first things to go back in 2007 when we first purchased the coach.

 

[zmotorsports]

Didn't get much time in the shop last night as I got home from work later than expected. Rather than get filthy crawling around under the coach I opted to rack the Jeep and perform a LOF service and tire rotation. I did stop by my local FleetPride on the way home and grabbed the last remaining component for the coach exhaust, a length of 5" flex tube to connect the downpipe to the rigid mounted muffler and tailpipe. I should have bought it when I bought the elbows the other night but thought I could save it. Upon further inspection it was showing signs of degradation, so I picked up a length of stainless-steel flex tube, so everything will be new from the downpipe outward now.

 

[SilverJimmy]

Mike, don’t know if you saw this, but BenchMark Abrasives is doing their Free 10 pack promo again. I believe you’ve given them good reviews before, so I went ahead and ordered the 4-1/2” mix 10 pack. Only had to pay $10.00 for shipping so $1.00 a disk is definitely a “Good Deal”! Thanks!

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike, don’t know if you saw this, but BenchMark Abrasives is doing their Free 10 pack promo again. I believe you’ve given them good reviews before, so I went ahead and ordered the 4-1/2” mix 10 pack. Only had to pay $10.00 for shipping so $1.00 a disk is definitely a “Good Deal”! Thanks!

Thanks for reminding us Sterling. Yes, I purchase from Benchmark and have had excellent results and recommend them. That is a screamin' deal.

 

[WoodsTruck]

Mike, don’t know if you saw this, but BenchMark Abrasives is doing their Free 10 pack promo again. I believe you’ve given them good reviews before, so I went ahead and ordered the 4-1/2” mix 10 pack. Only had to pay $10.00 for shipping so $1.00 a disk is definitely a “Good Deal”! Thanks!

Here you go spending other people's money again!

 

[zmotorsports]

I made substantial progress on the exhaust system for our coach last night.

Before commencing cutting the new bends up, I took some accurate measurements from the previous bends. I figured I could get the lengths cut by using the measurements from top of tube to top of tube and then just have to clock the bends to avoid interferences and get the proper alignment with things. Turns out that worked perfectly. I cut long a few times and ended up right at my original markings.


I used a straight edge to get the top of one tube aligned, then marked a line on the fabrication table where the top of the lower tube needed to be, this is for the inlet which consists of coming from the downpipe, through a short section of flex pipe and into the muffler. Measured @ 7.75" is where top of tube to top of tube needed to be.


I made the first cut an inch long on each bend to avoid being too short.


With one tube cut, I inserted it into the muffler, then double checked my mark on the second bend.


With high confidence in the outlet, I just cut it to length and test fitted it.


With the stainless steel tip installed it was near perfect.


I then moved forward of the muffler to test fit the first angle. I had to trim it back to the original marked line from my measurements on both bends and they fit perfectly.


With the bends test fit and marked for clocking, I could tack weld them.


Tacked and ready for final test fit.


That will work excellent. I will even end up with a bit shorter flex section, only about 8" between the downpipe and muffler inlet tube.



Stay tuned for a few more pictures..

 

[zmotorsports]

Continuing on with the coach exhaust work.

The next bit is rather subjective, but I am quite particular about exhaust tips, both in angle and especially the amount they protrude from the vehicle. I hate seeing them stick out so far that they are a trip hazard, but also I don't care for them angled down at the ground creating a dust storm behind.


I am very pleased with this location or position of the tip.


Approximately the same distance as my side marker lights.


Overview of the entire exhaust system.


Final welding of the inlet tube.


Final welding of the outlet tube.


Final welded components awaiting final installation and assembly.


Before closing up for the evening I used some Busch's chrome and stainless steel polish to clean up the tip. I actually don't mind the gold "tinge" that the tip gets with some time on it, but upon cleaning some road tar off with 0000 steel wool and then the polish, it ended up removing the gold coloring so I did the entire tip to start over.



I have been trying to work on some personal improvements lately and one of them is showing gratitude in all things in my life and not taking opportunities for granted. Last night while lying on the ground working on the exhaust system I happened to look above the muffler to spot a couple of broken welds holding the battery box which holds all four of the house batteries to the frame were cracked and/or broken. At first I was ready to be pissed because it just seems like dilemma after dilemma lately getting the coach ready for the 2026 travel season.

I had to look at the situation and ask myself what can I be grateful here and it hit me, I am grateful I that I spotted it before I lost the batteries on some stretch of rough highway somewhere and drag them along by the cables, and I am grateful I spotted it before installing the muffler, because I will have full access to the welds without the muffler blocking the work area, which is probably why I didn't see it during one of my routine chassis inspections.

In the end, I am grateful that I am going to be able to repair it quickly and that I have the ability to repair it properly rather than having to rely on someone else. There is so much in this scenario I have to be grateful for, once I stopped and actually looked at it in that light.


Thank you for looking.

 

[ScepterToad]

Exhaust is coming along nicely Mike! Glad you found the welds on the battery box. For sure don't want those failing! My BIL has a mostly failed battery tray on his Super C. Pain to get to to fix.

 

[SilverJimmy]

You can always do what most do and wail “Why me?!” and be pissed off. Or you can ask “Why me?” and then know that it’s because you have the skill and experience to handle it and you and your loved ones benefit from you being you!
I am willing to bet that in your position at work, when something like this happens unexpectedly, you are extremely calm and lay out a precise plan of attack to resolve the issue, but when it’s your own stuff your passion and desire to be ahead of these things gets you going down a bad path of self doubt.
That is something that I have struggled with in my life. Thank you for pointing it out and explaining your new view of setbacks, I am going to try to look at them also as an opportunity, not a barrier to success!

 

[LXCam]

Ya Mike, that was a blessing in disguise for sure. I’ll go as far to say it was actually your lucky day.

A unlucky day would have been you dropped the battery package in the middle of nowhere, destroying them all, causing a catastrophic short in the electrical system taking out controllers and burning up a bunch of wiring plus one of them bouncing up into the air hitting a buss load of nuns sending them off a cliff….


Now that would’ve been a bad day

 

[zmotorsports]

Exhaust is coming along nicely Mike! Glad you found the welds on the battery box. For sure don't want those failing! My BIL has a mostly failed battery tray on his Super C. Pain to get to to fix.

Thanks Keith. I thought of you and your recent experience with the exhaust on your HR Scepter as I was disassembling the exhaust and removing it from the coach the other night. If memory serves you had a clamp lose tension and the exhaust tipped or turned slightly, correct? And I had made mention of adding a small tack weld in addition to a clamp? When I was removing the clamps and seeing my small 1/2" or so length tack welds and nothing had moved in ~95k miles and 19 years, I think I gave you sound advice.

As for the battery box, it is mainly the back panel, but it is up where it connects to the chassis, so I am glad I discovered it when I did and it shouldn't be too bad to repair on my coach, especially before the exhaust goes back in.

Ya Mike, that was a blessing in disguise for sure. I’ll go as far to say it was actually your lucky day.

A unlucky day would have been you dropped the battery package in the middle of nowhere, destroying them all, causing a catastrophic short in the electrical system taking out controllers and burning up a bunch of wiring plus one of them bouncing up into the air hitting a buss load of nuns sending them off a cliff….


Now that would’ve been a bad day

Thanks Cam. Yeah, the image that went through my head was pretty much how you described it. Plus add in the worst section of road with no shoulder to pull off on AND a torrential thunderstorm. I imagined Highway 89 between Page and Tuba City, AZ in a downpour.

 

[LXCam]

Thanks Cam. Yeah, the image that went through my head was pretty much how you described it. Plus add in the worst section of road with no shoulder to pull off on AND a torrential thunderstorm. I imagined Highway 89 between Page and Tuba City, AZ in a downpour.

RIGHT!, that's what I'm saying.

On a side note, I'll be kicking off a project in Page in a few months. I can't begin to tell you how much I'm looking forwards to the commute. It hasn't done anything but get worse since your visit down here.

 

[ntsqd]

Somewhere I read "If you don't like what you're seeing, change your perspective." It pops up in my head every once in a while, and reading above caused it to do that again.

ETA, just stumbled onto this:

 

[cs26k]

Mike your story about re-framing problems with gratitude reminds me of one of my favorite stories about my Grandma, who was 94 years old at the time. My wife and I were in the depths of helping my mother-in-law downsize from her mold-infested McMansion after she was unexpectedly widowed. After a few months of non-stop problems, obstacles and never ending labor, we were telling my Grandma the cliff notes of all we were going through/putting up with/sacrificing to get my MIL's life back on track after years of her poor choices. We finished up our pity party and before responding my Grandma paused, gathered her thoughts and said "Well, isn't it wonderful that you're able to help".

Shifting the focus away from the problem and towards the fact that we were alive, able-bodied and capable of meeting the challenges completely filled in the rut of negativity we were stuck in. That one sentence she spoke changed my life.

Thanks for jogging my memory, and much respect for the re-framing you did!

 

[ScepterToad]

Thanks Keith. I thought of you and your recent experience with the exhaust on your HR Scepter as I was disassembling the exhaust and removing it from the coach the other night. If memory serves you had a clamp lose tension and the exhaust tipped or turned slightly, correct? And I had made mention of adding a small tack weld in addition to a clamp? When I was removing the clamps and seeing my small 1/2" or so length tack welds and nothing had moved in ~95k miles and 19 years, I think I gave you sound advice.

As for the battery box, it is mainly the back panel, but it is up where it connects to the chassis, so I am glad I discovered it when I did and it shouldn't be too bad to repair on my coach, especially before the exhaust goes back in.

Yep, exactly right Mike! And I did go back and hit it with a small weld.

I must say though, it hit me pretty hard how much I have to learn on welding because your welds are WAY better than what I did, plus I'm guessing it didn't take you nearly as long as my one weld did. I think the one weld I did on mine around the whole pipe took me well over an hour, maybe longer because I had to stop and start so much. Then again, I did do 10 pie cuts, so maybe I'm not that far off.

 

[zmotorsports]

You can always do what most do and wail “Why me?!” and be pissed off. Or you can ask “Why me?” and then know that it’s because you have the skill and experience to handle it and you and your loved ones benefit from you being you!
I am willing to bet that in your position at work, when something like this happens unexpectedly, you are extremely calm and lay out a precise plan of attack to resolve the issue, but when it’s your own stuff your passion and desire to be ahead of these things gets you going down a bad path of self doubt.
That is something that I have struggled with in my life. Thank you for pointing it out and explaining your new view of setbacks, I am going to try to look at them also as an opportunity, not a barrier to success!

I think you are giving me too much credit Sterling. I have been known to have a hot head, both at work and in my personal life. Some have described it as a short fuse that has already been lit, although much more so in my younger years but it has been something I have struggled with it my entire life. I am ashamed to admit it, but I am sure my wife and my son have felt the brunt of it over the years and for that I am embarrassed and very disappointed in myself. That being said a few years ago I looked in the mirror and didn't like the person I had become. I saw someone staring back at me with a chip on their shoulder daring someone to knock it off.

I tried to make this big transformation, and it didn't work nor last, if anything it got worse for a short spell. So, then I started focusing on small things that I could do daily to improve my demeanor and temperament and when (not if) I failed, I shook it off and remembered that tomorrow is a new day and started over. I would say the biggest mind shift I had was several years ago when I quit looking at my profession and skillset as something I do because I wasn't smart enough to do anything better and started looking at it as the blessing it was, because this skillset has not only provided me and my family with a pretty good life, it has also allowed us to benefit from having some luxuries that many can only dream of. My wife often tells people that if it weren't for my skillset then we wouldn't have the vehicles, home or toys in which we have had the opportunity to enjoy over the years.

I think many of you that grew up in the 70's and 80's, especially in High School, can relate to the welding and automotive classes offered in the public school system back then and the type of kids that took those classes. Personally, I took them because I loved having a wrench in my hand and really didn't have any other interests. However, there were a vast array of kids that took those classes because they were told by teachers and counselors that if they weren't smart enough to pursue a career in technology, computers, medical, or a laundry list of other careers, then they could always "just be a mechanic", so many of those were my automotive classmates. I began to think at an early age that I just wasn't good enough to be anything else and for some odd reason it stuck in my head throughout much of my adult life. So much so in fact, that as my son progressed through Jr. High and into High School, my wife and I really didn't give him the option of not going to college. It was talked about often and "highly suggested" he pick a topic to focus on because come hell or high water he was going to college and becoming more than either his mother or myself. My wife of 5 children and me of seven children are the only ones in our respective families that do not have a college education, so it was that important that our son did not follow in our footsteps but had every opportunity in life to do something more with his. I have often been embarrassed and ashamed that I do not have any formal schooling, but only more recently I started looking at my chosen career as a blessing rather than a curse and that has been a complete mental shift for me. Although my son has his own life and family now, I still wake up every day hoping that I am not a disappointment and that I can make him, my wife, my DIL and grandchildren proud. As I am getting older, what I will leave behind in terms of legacy is becoming more and more important to me, and I'm not just referring to tangible things or financial legacy.

Over the past couple of years, mainly since my grandson was born, I have been turning to scripture and self-reflection much more than in my younger years. Although I think I have had a fairly strong feeling of right and wrong in the spiritual sense much of my life, I didn't always follow or "choose" the correct path. Many times, I did what I thought was more fun even though I knew it defied my soul and over the years I have had to be more mindful of choosing paths vs. letting the paths choose themselves for me, if you know what I mean. I strongly feel that all of the blessings I have been given are from God and I need to work on myself to be worthy of them.

Lately I have been searching for answers about a lot of things, and I feel very deeply that while most everything I have questions about can be found in the scriptures, I also have a hard time reading them with the right mindset sometimes. To aid in my search I have also been seeking stories from real people about real events that took place in their lives as I LOVE hearing other's stories and what life events had impacts in their lives. I recall a common theme from several stories lately and that is if we ask the Lord for more patience or to be kinder for example, the Lord doesn't remove unpleasant people from coming before us, nor does he remove obstacles in favor of patience. If anything, he allows more of those "opportunities" to let slip through and confront us, thus allowing us to experience them head on and make certain choices and decisions in which we can grow from. Last night's experience was merely my latest "opportunity" to learn.

A couple of weeks ago I read an account of a man who was held as a POW in WWII and he and a fellow POW not only prayed but also taught each other from their personal experiences and from what they remembered about the Bible and its teachings. One man during evening prayers thanked the Lord for the flees in their barracks. His companion asked him the next day why on earth would he thank the Lord for the flees of all things because they are so disgusting and relentless to their existence. The man answered by saying that due to the flees, the guards don't want to come into their barracks and therefore leave them alone for the most part allowing them to focus on their faith and continued learning from one another.

For some reason that account hit me rather hard. IF they can "choose" to look at something as disgusting and that inflicts so much misery and constant annoyance as that, surely there is something in each opportunity that I am presented with to be grateful for, if ONLY I "choose" to recognize it as such.

I am not going to lie, when I laid there and saw those cracks when I was so close to being ready to stab the exhaust back under the coach for the last time, I wanted to scream and be pissed off. BUT, I stopped and remembered that story about the flees and chose a different mindset.

Now I am not saying that all of my problems are solved and I had any great transformation, but I took it as a small personal triumph that I didn't lose it and chose to remain calm and collected. Once I started looking at it to devise a plan it became less and less stressful and started looking more and more as a slight "hiccup" and a learning opportunity.

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike your story about re-framing problems with gratitude reminds me of one of my favorite stories about my Grandma, who was 94 years old at the time. My wife and I were in the depths of helping my mother-in-law downsize from her mold-infested McMansion after she was unexpectedly widowed. After a few months of non-stop problems, obstacles and never ending labor, we were telling my Grandma the cliff notes of all we were going through/putting up with/sacrificing to get my MIL's life back on track after years of her poor choices. We finished up our pity party and before responding my Grandma paused, gathered her thoughts and said "Well, isn't it wonderful that you're able to help".

Shifting the focus away from the problem and towards the fact that we were alive, able-bodied and capable of meeting the challenges completely filled in the rut of negativity we were stuck in. That one sentence she spoke changed my life.

Thanks for jogging my memory, and much respect for the re-framing you did!

Thank you so much for sharing that. THOSE are the kinds of real life stories I am referring to in my post above. These "life lessons" that we are fortunate to receive are priceless and often don't hit us in real time, sometimes it is days, months or even decades later that we remember them and they have an impact in our life.

Thank you.

 

[zmotorsports]

Yep, exactly right Mike! And I did go back and hit it with a small weld.

I must say though, it hit me pretty hard how much I have to learn on welding because your welds are WAY better than what I did, plus I'm guessing it didn't take you nearly as long as my one weld did. I think the one weld I did on mine around the whole pipe took me well over an hour, maybe longer because I had to stop and start so much. Then again, I did do 10 pie cuts, so maybe I'm not that far off.

Thanks Keith.

I watched a YouTube video a few weeks ago where a guy was bragging about the work he had done on his coach and several people jumped all over him in the comments criticizing his work and parts selection choices. I thought to myself that the work this gentleman did was not what I would have been ok with today, but they were pretty in line with the caliber and quality of work I did several decades ago when I was very green and still developing the basics of my skillset. Then I thought about how bad that gentleman must have felt reading those comments, here he was proud of what he had done, only to have it ridiculed and criticized by others.

I often have to refrain from responding to some of those same kinds of comments about my work, because while it may not be up to someone else's standards who has refined their skill to a higher level than my own, it is an improvement upon what my work was yesterday or last year. While we all want perfection, we often times have to accept progress. The fact that we are trying to improve and become better at something means we are still working at it and trying to do better today at something than we did yesterday.

As I was looking over the exhaust system from 19 years ago, I could immediately see a much better end result than the one I pulled out. Did the old one work? Absolutely. It worked flawlessly for 95k miles and 19 years and it didn't fall out from under the coach. Will the new one stay in place for as long? I hope so....

I think that is what we really do well on this forum, help others to achieve a better result than yesterday.

 

[SilverJimmy]

I imagined Highway 89 between Page and Tuba City, AZ in a downpour.

Living in Page for almost 30 years and the last 10 of them driving that road twice weekly in my Snap-On rig I know it almost like the back of my hand. Although I would have to take a sledgehammer to my hand and mangle it into a twisted broken shattered pile of flesh for it to start resembling that stretch of highway! We all call it the Rapids because it’s rougher than the ones in the Grand Canyon just a few miles to west of that road. Thankfully the AZDOT has added a bunch of passing lanes and closed off the open range areas so it’s not as deadly as it once was. But you still have to definitely be an aware driver and watch out for any and all hazards, with #1 being the road itself!

 

[Chipm]

I think many of you that grew up in the 70's and 80's, especially in High School, can relate to the welding and automotive classes offered in the public school system back then and the type of kids that took those classes.

I can relate to the mental challenges you are describing. I grew up in the 80's and 90's when they had gotten rid of the automotive programs at our schools because everyone should go to college. I went to college, wore a suit and tie to work for twenty years, but always loved working on cars. Six years ago I decided to be a mechanic for a living and I have never been happier. BUT, for the first two or three years there was a constant whisper in the back of my mind that I was somehow an underachiever or slacker for working on cars for a living. On top of that, I also had some imposter syndrome because I did not go to tech school and get formal training like so many other guys in my profession.

At the end of the day, I decided that I love working on cars, I love taking care of my customers, and I am good at it. There is no outside arbiter that I have to **** up to in order to feel satisfied with my days work.

 

[mercracing]

Mike, for more years than I care to think about I was a hot head. I could blow up with the best of ‘em over the smallest things. After the blow up I would often feel bad for yelling at my wife or friend. Like you I’ve turned to God and am a lot better than I was. You hit the nail on the head when you said He won’t take away the chance to blow up, in fact He will give you more so you have more practice at controlling it. I’m trying to remind myself that the majority of things that try to frustrate me are things that really don’t matter at all. They are minor inconveniences and by tomorrow I will probably have forgotten all about them.

Keep up the good work, I love following along with the work you do. You’re an inspiration to many.

 

[Xti04]

Mike the harder I try to not be something the more challenges I seem to face.I have been pushing to be more positive and accept setbacks and failures without beating myself up over it. Last night we finished a timing belt job on a landcruiser and after it finally warmed up I was about to go test drive it and I noticed it dripping under the car. It had a steady drip from the under tray just like it did when it came in. I started to get frustrated, but I slowed down and traced it to some water that had been held by the lower tank of the radiator. It poured out and was causing the drip. I blew it out and dried it all off. After letting it sit and some I didnt notice anymore leaks and no leaking after test drive. I can look back on it this morning and be glad I slowed down, and that I caught it before I gave it back to the owner, reducing a comeback and it restores confidence in my initial diagnosis of pressure testing and finding a leaking water pump. The thought of missing a radiator leak when I tested it was making me more upset than anything.