quadrcr87's garage projects

[quadrcr87]

"quadrcr87's garage projects

Other than some fence gates I made a few years ago, it is time to build my first door or should I say doors. I have always been fascinated with the simplicity of weld on bullet hinges and this was in my mind the perfect application for them. I started out by heading to McMaster-Carr to find a set that would work. I think I managed to pick out the right size as they fit nicely. I also added some recessed stainless handles and some magnet catches to my cart and got them on the way.
I must say seeing a package arrive on my porch is the highlight of my day during the pandemic.

First step was to visualize the doors, take some measurements and layout the cuts on the 1/8” sheet I picked up. I decided to step up the thickness on the doors to add some rigidity without additional bracing.


A .5” reveal ended up just right around the perimeter to provide space for the hinges. I wasn’t positive on the orientation of the hinges but it worked out and the doors still lift off.



After I tacked everything in place I verified alignment and made some small adjustments to the gap.


I cut out the relief for the hinges by drilling 1/4 holes in 4 corners and connecting them with a 3” cut off disc.


The alignment on the handles turned out spot on and I was able to use the countersunk 3/16 rivets for a flush face.


To finish of the doors I attached the magnetic catches with self tapping screws. I almost riveted them on and I’m glad I didn’t. The ability to make fine adjustment is key for a solid close on the doors.


At this point I thought I was home free with an excellent job for my first doors. That is until I installed the shelf.... I managed to align the bottom rivets securing the door right at the shelf height. The measurements I took placing the handles only considered the recessed portion and I forgot about the depth of the rivets!


I was able to salvage it by grinding down the back of the rivet to ~1/8” and that was just enough to allow the doors to close. Next time I really need to recess the front of the shelf slightly and not go right to the frame face.

Another lesson learned was on the magnetic catches. They take up quite a bit of usable height that I didn’t consider. My 8.25” shelf spacing to fit my 8” container doesn’t work out well when the catch is encroaching on that space. Other than increasing the spacing, what could I do here? Is there a different style of door catch I should consider that doesn’t take up space? Maybe a magnet inset into the frame somehow?
Edit- I found some magic latches from Fastcap that are very thin. I’ll get them ordered. I almost cut and recessed these old door catches but it would have been a ton of extra work.

Now that I had the doors functional but flawed I shifted my focus onto the aluminum top. My countersink bit arrived so I started testing it out on the 1/8” aluminum. I was having a difficult time getting a clean countersink with a consistent depth with my cordless drill. I drill press would have helped. I started digging though some misc. hardware bins and found a collar that fit perfect as a stop. Luck was on my side and it just reinforced my bad habit of saving everything!

You can see the first 2 attempts on the right were rough. The stop however did a nice job keeping the bit square and a consistent depth.

With this successful test I’m ready to finish fitting the top and laying out the holes. I’ll wait to rivet it on until after paint and I plan to keep the aluminum bare.


Taking a pizza break and then I’ll be back to start on the back and side panels.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[racer-john]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

Try running your cordless dril on alower speed when countersinking, Result will be smoother.

 

[quadrcr87]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

Thanks for the tip Racer-John. I have completed drilling and countersinking the aluminum top. I did find that the lower speed worked well. I did have some issues using the drill stop. 1. It caused the aluminum chips to clog frequently and not clear the flutes 2. If not careful it left an ugly ring around the hole where it contacted the surface. I used some painters tape to protect the surface and that helped but left a stick mess jammed in the flutes after each hole. Not a great process but I got it done.


Since I don’t have clecos, I put in 4 rivets to hold the panel in place. Here you can see how much a standard rivet sits up.

And here is a countersunk rivet for comparison. This turned out how I had hoped and it will be nice having a smooth top that won’t catch on anything.

The whole top is drilled and countersunk. I’ll wait to attach it until after paint.

The goal for the weekend is to get this cart done. Lots left to do.

 

[quadrcr87]

"quadrcr87's garage projects

Getting so close I can smell the paint fumes. I spent a few very productive hours in the garage this weekend and finished the last welding just as my welding gas gauge went to zero!

I cut the last 6 panels out of a sheet of 16 ga. steel with my angle grinder. I feel bad covering the entire garage with a layer of metal dust but the weather has been too hit or miss to do this outside.

I added a cross brace out of 1/2” tube to support the divider between the bin rack and the open compartment


I had been thinking about adding a side handle but I didn’t want it to interfere when I nest the cart under my bench. I looked around the garage for ideas and found some inspiration from my top Craftsman chest.


I drilled and installed 1/4-20 rivnuts inset on the right side frame. It was a tight squeeze fitting the tool in there but I was able to get them set.

Then I cut out the arms from a 1/8” plate. Drilled and rounded the end profile. The width was determined by the 1” frame thickness minus the 16ga. panel.



This project is really making a mess of the garage. It deserves a good cleaning when this is done.

I was feeling the flow and didn’t take any photos of the rest of the handle build. I bolted the arms to the frame with a 1/4” plastic spacer and then cut and welded a piece of 7/8” tubing across as the handle.

Down and flush with the face of the frame.

It swings up and contacts the frame at a comfortable height and holds firm with some tension.






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[quadrcr87]

"quadrcr87's garage projects

Other than providing a pocket for the handle, the recessed upper side panels also allow access to the 1” frame for clamping material to the top of the cart. I think this will be useful when I use it as a miter saw stand. I may even make some hold down brackets for the base of the saw.


I welded the lower panels to the outside of the frame to maximize the lower cabinet space. I got the BOSS to help lift the cart onto my welding table. It feels like it’s approaching 100lbs. The table held the weight just fine but it had to overhang to allow access for clamping.

I have been measuring and laying out 1/2 welds to keep it as uniform as possible. I am surprised how well I can see the sharpie while welding. I can see the mark when I get to it.

Getting close to a solid cabinet now.

The last panel to attack was the back. I could have just welded it on but I decided to go the hard way.

A little corner detail. Washers are the best for finding the right radius because I always have so many sizes on hand.

The grinder and my hand have become one on this project. It amazes me how precise a 4-1/2 flapper disk can be when used carefully.


For some reason I had it stuck in my head that I wanted this panel to be removable (not easily). This could be helpful if I decide to modify the cart later but the main benefit to me is that it allows me to paint it separately giving me easier access to paint inside the cart.
I had a handful of pan head self-tapping screws ready to go but it just didn’t feel right. I really needed something flush so they wouldn’t catch on everything and hit the workbench frame. I counted up the flush rivets I had bought and I had just enough.
For some reason I find laying out hole patterns oddly satisfying. 4” spacing felt right and it met the look I was after.

It took a while to center punch, drill and countersink 40 holes but it was gratifying.

I was surprised to discovered that the countersink worked better on steel than aluminum. Going slow with barely more than the weight of the drill left a clean surface.

Exited to put my new rivet gun to work once the paint dries on this thing. Just under 70 rivets between the top and the back panel.

This cart has taken about 10 times longer than I originally thought. I do expect this to be with me the rest of my life and that makes it worth it.

***** Any changes or additions I should consider before I start painting tomorrow?





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[XJSuperman]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

Do you have somewhere to hang a grease gun?

 

[quadrcr87]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

XJSuperman- That is a good thought. Currently it hangs on the side of my toolbox but I don't really like it there. I will check if it has clearance to mount to the side and still clear the workbench.

 

[Monza Harry]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

Do you have somewhere to hang a grease gun?

With a drip, catch can that can be removed/drained just to complicate things and keep the detail level up with the rest of the project? Maybe on the inside of one of the doors, becoming one of my fav access points? Harry

 

[quadrcr87]

"quadrcr87's garage projects

I like the idea but there just was not enough room for the grease gun mount. Without the shelf it would have been possible. I decided to just finishing cleaning it up and sprayed it with primer tonight.

 

[jhn9840]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

Nice work on the cart. Have any idea what color you are going to make it?

jhn9840
John

 

[quadrcr87]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

Thanks John. I am going to match it with the bench I made as well as add a little black to tie in with my Gladiator cabinets.

I got a little color on last night but will need to finish up today.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jhn9840]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

The Rustoleum Hammered paint looks great

jhn9840
John

 

[quadrcr87]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

Finished up the paint tonight but I need to wait until tomorrow for assembly. It’s only 50*F in the garage so it’s drying slow.

Glad I left the back panel off because it was already hard to paint in the small areas with both sides open.


As I watched the paint dry I cleaned up and greased the old casters.

Unfortunately I found that one of them was bent and varies close to a 1/4” in height as it rotates. It looks like it may have been manufactured that way because the bearing cup is uneven. This explains why sometimes one wheel would spin free like a shopping cart. I had assumed it was the garage floor variance. This just won’t do. Time to go shopping for a new set of 3” wheels.

 

[quadrcr87]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

My Christmas present is about 95% complete. After a 24 hr cure period I started assembly and riveted on the back. The hole alignment was just right as every rivet dropped in place with minimal effort. I also temporarily installed the old wheels.




And then the aluminum top installed with the same process. I added a couple dabs of silicone to the center of each panel before riveting to dampen them a little.

It has a bit of an aviation vibe and I dig it.

Installed the handles and doors next after adding a little grease to the hinges.


And lastly I installed the side handle. I had considered painting it black but I am glad I went with the color matched grey as it blends in.





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[quadrcr87]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

After attaching the rear panel I am having an issue with shelf fitment. I made the shelf full depth and it is just too tight and makes slight contact with the doors. Unfortunately my only option here is to shorten the shelf which will required a cut, weld and repaint. If this is my only issue I am ok with that.

I temporarily installed one magnetic latch at the top as these will be replaced with flat rare earth magnets when they arrive.

I decided to move the shelf to the top position as it prevents the door handle from hitting the shelf until I get that fixed. The drain pans and funnel box fit well. I also loaded up the hardware bins as well as some assorted hardware kits in the open compartment.


I think the black doors add a good amount of contrast. And go well with the hardware bins.


And the most important part, it looks right at home under the workbench. I just need to find a different floor mat as it doesn’t roll very well over the memory foam mat.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[quadrcr87]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

Does anyone have a good source on Delrin? I want to add a couple pieces to my 2” bench frame to protect the contact points where the cart hits.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[zmotorsports]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

Very nicely done. That is a workbench that will last a lifetime.

 

[Jeff Ivers]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

Really nice job on the cart! That is better made than any commercial stuff I've seen.

 

[XJSuperman]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

Looks good!

 

[royce]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

Quad,
That came out great.
The thought and detail shows nicely.
Well done

Royce

 

[quadrcr87]

"quadrcr87's garage projects

Really appreciate the kind words. You guys have some serious skills yourself so it means a lot.

Although the cart was a fun build, it felt good to get the garage cleaned back up and ready for some new projects. I am not sure that I have really posted any pictures of the garage layout so I figured I would take a couple after sweeping it out tonight. This is my 4th garage in the past 10 years. Normally the Harley and quad are stored in the center but I was trying to keep them clear of the welding. I’ll do a re org soon to fit a couple cars back in the garage for upcoming snow storms. I maintain an agreement with the BOSS that there is still room for her Jeep when the snow flies.

This side lines up with the 2 bay door and is the primary work area. The water softener takes up some primary real estate in the back corner along with the electrical panel and side access door. The pile in the corner is mostly empty boxes for eBay shipping and material storage.


Across the front I have a couple of toolboxes and storage cabinets. Mostly filled with saws, specialty tools and wood working tools. The mechanic tools are all in my main Craftsman box. The Husky box with the wood top is convenient for small projects like electrical and assembly. I also have my HF compressor, manifold and air reel centrally located here.

Looking from the front corner to the single door bay. As you can see with all of the toys in the middle it’s pretty tight to get 2 cars in. I used to squeeze a Polaris RZR in here too.

Looking from the single door in.

And finally the gladiator storage wall. I feel like I could do more here with a better arrangement. I may add a lower gear track for cords and small items. The issue is the very tight clearance for car doors as this side has only 12” of offset from the door to the wall. With 10’ ceilings I could also take better advantage of high storage.

I am making the 3 car work but I look forward to a detached shop in the future. It won’t happen at our current house so it is more long term. I will say the space limit also limits my junk collecting.






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

I am making the 3 car work but I look forward to a detached shop in the future. It won’t happen at our current house so it is more long term. I will say the space limit also limits my junk collecting.

The 3 car struggle is real! I remember going from 2 car to 3 car and it was like hitting the lottery. I'm grateful for what I have, but I'm looking at doing a detached shop at my house. The HOA and city might not go for it, but I'm going to give it a whack.

 

[quadrcr87]

"quadrcr87's garage projects

After taking those pictures of the garage I realized just how bad it needed to be cleaned and organized. So that’s how I spent my Saturday.
Step one was a crisp 40*F bath for the bike and quad to rinse off the layer of metal dust. Luckily I had the Harley covered.

Then I swept and mopped the race deck floor. I do love the look of the tiles but I don’t think they work well in a working garage that includes metal fab. In the future I’ll have race deck in an attached garage and bare sealed concrete in the shop.

With the center sectioned cleaned I got the toys parked tight.


Then I turned my attention to the parking pad in the single bay where I park the Subaru through the winter. The Subaru is my commuter car so it sees the most miles and road slush.

With 110k miles it’s due for struts and I have them ready go when I get some motivation

The last area I tackled was the mess of material storage by the water softener. I don’t think I have seen the floor here since the summer of 2017. I need to come up with a good way to store a mix of wood and steel cutoffs. I may throw something simple together tomorrow.

My wife’s jeep is due for an oil change and rotation so that on the agenda for Sunday as well.

Feels good to have things getting back in order before the holiday. Maybe Santa will come through this year and bring me a 4th garage bay? Oh and if he is feeling extra jolly it would be nice if it was deep enough to fit my truck.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[larry4406]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

Nice shop space.

What don't you like about the Race Deck flooring in your shop? I have been considering it.

 

[quadrcr87]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

Nice shop space.

What don't you like about the Race Deck flooring in your shop? I have been considering it.

Overall I do like the floor it just seems better suited for a garage focused more on parking cars. I am sure I could protect the floor with pieces of wood, steel or blankets but realistically I just don’t do it.

I find that it discolors and stains with hard use. I have some rust stains and yellowing that is not easy to clean off (snowblower and gas leaks). I have also burned holes in a couple tiles when a stray weld bb rolls onto the floor. There are also a couple permanent dents from floor jacks and the motorcycle lift table.

 

[quadrcr87]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

With the garage clean and with room for the cars the focus shifted to vehicle maintenance.
First up was the Jeep. This will be Santa’s sleigh this week so I needed to make sure it was ready for the 6hr present run.

As you can see it’s a tight fit to get the garage door closed.

After an oil change, fluid and filter check I shifted my focus to the windshield washer system. The BOSS reported that the passenger side wasn’t spraying.

The sprayer nozzles were so brittle they crumbled upon removal. They were definitely plugged as the line sprayed strong into a bottle when tested.


$60 and a trip to the dealer and we have working sprayers. I went OEM because they changed the design and had a supersede on these at some point in the past 9 years and hopefully fixed the problem.

Then I did a quick tire rotation. At the cost of these 32” tires I rotate religiously.

Last step on the Jeep was a quick interior detail and window clean.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[zmotorsports]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

Jeep turned out great. Nice place to work on it also.

 

[quadrcr87]

Re: "quadrcr87's garage projects

With the Jeep getting all the love the Subaru was getting jealous. It’s a good thing it’s small because it doesn’t get much room over here.

It’s still 1k away from an oil change but I checked all the fluids and the air filter. Coolant was a little low and I am hoping it isn’t a leak. The battery was the a bigger concern.

At just 2 years old there was a lot of corrosion forming on the posts and hold down. I really like this battery cleaner as it neutralizes the acid.

The battery is ready to go for winter.


This one got a quick interior clean as well. I by no means am a vehicle detailer. I have slowly made the change from Armor-all to Griots and the difference in results is noticeable. I should start waxing and buffing my vehicles at some point because I never have.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[quadrcr87]

Just before I took off in Santa’s sleigh for a gift delivery, a new set of casters arrived for the oil change cart. I am extremely impressed with the quality of these from Service Caster Corporation. They are made in PA and cost $15ea. That’s about what you pay for much lower quality at tractor supply or Home Depot.

Greasable axle and shielded ball bearings at the swivel.

The wheel lock mechanism is much stronger with more engagement. The teeth are finer so it is also much easier to lock.

I never thought I would be adjusting/leveling caster wheels but here we are. With the through bolt axle the wheel height has a slight adjustment.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[zmotorsports]

Those appear to be nice, quality casters. Thanks for the info.

Have a Merry Christmas and safe travels.

 

[quadrcr87]

Those appear to be nice, quality casters. Thanks for the info.

Have a Merry Christmas and safe travels.

Thanks Mike and Merry Christmas to you as well!

 

[quadrcr87]

After a short holiday trip for some socially distanced present exchanges with my family, I’m back in the garage. It was a very odd Christmas exchanging gifts spread out in cold garages wearing masks.

Santa was good to me this year with a couple new tools. I’m really excited to up my wood working skills with a new router. After some quick research I can already tell the accessories and bits are going to get expensive.

The minions were happy to have a new friend as well.


Hopeful that the lake will actually freeze this year, I started getting the quad ready for ice racing. I swapped the rear paddles but I will be leaving the front. The Razorback front tires work surprisingly well on the ice and it’s a popular setup in the non studded class.



The BOSS also put a trick little carbon fiber exhaust guard under the tree from one of my sponsors.

This addresses an issue I have been having burning my pants and boots where the exhaust routes to the muffler.

It took a while to get it positioned but I finally found an orientation that cleared the fender and exhaust bend.



I still have quite a few things left to get ready. I have a 1” shorter rear shock to try that should transfer the weight to the rear tires a little better. I’ll also need to play with the jetting to account for the ~50* temp drop. Fingers crossed that these freezing temps hold for a few weeks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[quadrcr87]

Last night I spend some time cleaning up a couple neglected areas. It seems that when I get busy during race season I pile things in cabinets rather than staying organized.
I started the night by cleaning up my oil, filter and parts cabinet. I try my best to keep this cabinet dedicated to Powersports and not mixing in automotive.

The next area I tackled was the bench under the radio. Being located adjacent to the door to the house, this bench tends to collect bits and pieces from projects and a pile of receipts.

As I was clearing it off I realized I could really make this workstation more efficient with some organization. Currently I have a magnetic rail on the face of the shelf that limits my usable height and access to the bench surface. I always have a pile of cords and lights being charged on the bench surface that get in the way as well.

My plan is to relocate the magnetic rail to the wall below the power strip and add a charging shelf. I have some material left over that should work well and a 4 day weekend to get it done.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[quadrcr87]

I’ve been taking it easy the past couple of days but I did manage to get out to the garage for a few hours.

Before I mounted the mag rail to the wall I needed to make a backsplash. It always bugs me when I leave dirty marks on the white walls. This aluminum plate will prevent that when I go to grab a tool.

It was a bit of an odd shape but eventually I settled on a 20” x 8.5” plate to fit the 18” mag rail.

The plate was pretty beat up from spending time in the scrap pile. I cleaned it up with some fine grit paper and a scotchbrite pad for a brushed finish.

The HF mag rails come with a very thin sticker on the face that tears easily. To offer a little more protection I cut some vinyl strips from some left over graphics and wrapped it around the edges. It laid down pretty well with the help of the heat gun.


For mounting, I drilled and countersunk 2 holes from the rear for flush 3/16 rivets. And then 4 more holes countersunk on the front at 16” spacing.




I really should have done this a long time ago. The tools hanging on the front of the shelf were in the way for far too long.

Next up I will finish up this bench with a 16” shelf to the left of the mag rail.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[quadrcr87]

I didn’t have enough aluminum sheet left over for the shelf size I wanted so I decided to use up a scrap of pine I’ve had for a while. This also gave me the opportunity to try out the new router I received for Christmas.
For the first time running a router I was extremely impressed with the finished edge. I look forward to picking up more bits to try. I also want to build some sort of MFT tabletop for holding material for routing and cutting.

Using two pieces of 1x4 yields a 7x16” shelf. Both pieces will be supported by the shelf brackets but I added a few pocket screws to pull the halves together.

For the finish, I wanted to try something new. I pickup up some Ebony stain and wiped on 1 coat.

After a couple hours I put on a coat of wipe on poly. First time using the stuff and it was very easy and went on even.

I don’t think I will use this color stain often but I do like the look of it. It’s probably not warm enough to go with anything in the house.

The next step is making the shelf brackets from angle iron. Unfortunately my 10” blade lost a carbide tooth and can’t do it. I was surprised to see the actual blade cracked as well. I’ll have to finish up next week when my Benchmark order comes in.



Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[quadrcr87]

I figured while I am waiting for the new metal blade to come I should clean up my mess and bring in the BOSS’ Jeep. The rear brake parts I ordered showed up last week.

The pads wore pretty even and they weren’t making any noise but they were very near end of life. Living in the rust belt new rotors are pretty much a necessity as well.



After I cleaned up the calipers and slides, I lubed everything up before assembly. I used to buy those little packets of line at the checkout counter but this tube is much easier and lasts a long while.


After getting everything torqued to spec I had the BOSS help flush and bleed the system. She just loves it when I ask her to pump the pedal 100 times. I have been looking at vacuum bleeders but I haven’t picked one up yet.

With any luck this will be the last time I do brakes on this vehicle. The plan is to pick up one of the new Broncos in 2-3 years.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[quadrcr87]

Nothing too exciting going on in the garage the past few days but I have been killing time practicing with my new router. I have never made a French cleat before and thought it would be a good way to hang my Ford Superduty grille. That ended up being a fail.


Here is how the grille has hung for the past 5 years. Just a piece of wire barely holding on a screw. The plan was to hang this on a cleat to hide the hardware and move it closer to the ceiling.


The grille was removed from my old 2000 F250 with the legendary 7.3L diesel (front end converted).The grille serves as a reminder of that great truck and my desire for another diesel. Selling was the right decision at the time but I still miss it.


I build the cleat out of some scrap 3/4” plywood I had laying around. I used a 1/8” round over bit on all of the edges and a large chamfer bit to create the 45* angle for the cleat.

I find myself using the cart as a router fixture table because it’s easy to work on and clean up in the middle of the floor. I have some ideas on how to make this work better.....more on that later.


I took down the grille and used this opportunity to give the wall and ceiling a good cleaning.

This wouldn't be GJ if I didn’t take the time to polish the grille and remove the 10 year old dried on bugs. It was removed from the truck due to pealing chrome sometime around 2010, but it still looks good from a distance.

For a finish I used the same ebony stain and wipe on poly as the shelf I made earlier. This photo was taken before I added the front cleat supports.


I secured it to the grille with 2 of the existing mounting holes.


Then I drilled and countersunk 2 holes to secure the cleat to a stud with 2” deck screws.


Test fitting the mount I realized something wasn’t right. It really did not hold very secure. A test fit with the grill confirmed it. It held but with a light pull on the grill the cleat would slip off. I think my issue is the height of the upper cleat and the distance of the grille from the wall. It puts too much leverage on the connection allowing it to pull from the wall instead of directing that force straight down.


I’ll master the French cleat on a future project. For now I abandoned it and just screwed the mount directly to the wall and attached the grille. I still accomplished my goal of practicing with the router.


I had a couple orders arrive from Benchmark and Amazon. Now I can get the shelf brackets made this weekend and get started on the next project.


Thanks for following along!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[zmotorsports]

Nice job on the grille mount.

I can't believe I'm saying this but, those early 2000's Ford Powerstrokes were built like tanks. The only real weak point in my opinion is the 4R100 transmission and they can be built up to last. The 7.3 Navistar engine was a strong and reliable engine that can go several hundred thousand miles easily even with some abuse.

My BIL and sister bought a new 2000 4-door shortbed Powerstroke in late 1999 and it's still on the road running strong. He has about 150k miles on it now so I know I'll be doing a transmission here in the near future but otherwise some minor problems like the injector wiring harness running under the rocker cover, vacuum locking hub seal and some ball joints and it's been on the road reliably since new. He just had a new seat installed and had some paint touched up along with adding a Champaign color along the bottom body line and fender flares. Truck still looks good. He was looking at new ones about 3 years ago and I talked him out of it and convinced him to keep the old 7.3 Powerstroke and invest the $70k plus elsewhere. I think he really wanted a new one but was looking for someone to talk him into a new one vs. talking him into keeping the old one.

 

[quadrcr87]

Nice job on the grille mount.

The 7.3 Navistar engine was a strong and reliable engine that can go several hundred thousand miles easily even with some abuse.

Thanks Mike. I sold mine with about 220K on the odometer. I replaced the same items as your BIL and sister as well as a set of glow plugs and a starter solenoid. Midwest rust was starting to take over the truck so I even replaced the whole bed with one out of Texas. We repainted the quarter panels and cab corners at the same time. I knew the turbo and trans were going to be next on the list but I decided to sell it instead.

At the time I had a company truck so my wife was driving the Superduty as her daily. We decided to replace it with the Grand Cherokee she has now. Much better for her purposes. At some point I will replace my 2013 F150 with a diesel and all will be right in the world. The current Ford 6.7L looks to be a solid option.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

I think we'd get along good.....this is the "new" love of my life when I got a few months ago. My 2nd 1999 7.3L. I call it my Grandpa Tow Rig Special.