Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT The "Glendora Garage"

[Dan in Pasadena]

They do and I have it but where we're going is WAAY the EFF out in BFE. You'd cook to death waiting for a AAA tow truck.

Here's an example of how hot it gets out there. Granted, this was August and we're going in June this time. Also assume the truck thermometer is waay off......but it was still ridiculously hot. I call it "check-the-cookies" hot. Like when you open the oven door and the heat hits you in a blast.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Yeah, yeah, so the question is, "Then WHY THE HELL do you go there?" The answer is once you get there this I what we do:


This year my sister's adult boys and I are renting two full size houseboats. Last time we did this was 11 years ago before what are now six total grandchildren under 10 years old. But they all swim. We put shade structures in the water as well as on the shore. Lots of good food and drink. It's a blast.

 

[kaymccampbell]

They do and I have it but where we're going is WAAY the EFF out in BFE. You'd cook to death waiting for a AAA tow truck.

Here's an example of how hot it gets out there. Granted, this was August and we're going in June this time. Also assume the truck thermometer is waay off......but it was still ridiculously hot. I call it "check-the-cookies" hot. Like when you open the oven door and the heat hits you in a blast.

We have the AAA and HELP tire guys. They're always cruising. They'll slap your spare on for you, and you're off. Usually by the time I've dragged out the jack n spare, and have pried off the hub cap, they're there to buzz off the lugs and mount my spare.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

We have the AAA and HELP tire guys. They're always cruising. They'll slap your spare on for you, and you're off. Usually by the time I've dragged out the jack n spare, and have pried off the hub cap, they're there to buzz off the lugs and mount my spare.

I get you but we're talking a seriously remote area heading to Laughlin, NV. I don't know if you're ever been there but it is faaar from ANY civilization and there is literally not a single tree. I had one of the rears on my 2008 dually develop a bubble on an inside side wall. Fortunately, the time we were only a few miles from coming into Laughlin so I drove it very slowly down the hill. Would have been ok if it had popped since it had dual wheels but still, I wa towing the boat.

On this truck with Chineseum tires - which I think will be just fine or I wouldn't have bought them - but the proof is doing this trip. I think the thing to do is be prepared.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I get you but we're talking a seriously remote area heading to Laughlin, NV. I don't know if you're ever been there but it is faaar from ANY civilization and there is literally not a single tree. I had one of the rears on my 2008 dually develop a bubble on an inside side wall. Fortunately, the time we were only a few miles from coming into Laughlin so I drove it very slowly down the hill. Would have been ok if it had popped since it had dual wheels but still, I wa towing the boat.

On this truck with Chineseum tires - which I think will be just fine or I wouldn't have bought them - but the proof is doing this trip. I think the thing to do is be prepared.

No trees sounds familiar. I'm sure I've probably been there in the last 60 years. But getting me to remember the names of every town I've passed through, well, it'd be a miracle at the very least.
If you're going out past BFE, then absolutely be prepared. I figured you were just riding on the freeway.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Kay, You'd know if you'd been there probably. It's the poor man's Las Vegas. It's right on the Nevada side of the Colorado River across from Bullhead City.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Wednesday, May 29th

Had our boat serviced today in preparation for using it next month after not using it since 2019! Found a really excellent boat mechanic that came to our house. Oil & filter, fuel filter, distributor cap & rotor changed and most important the coolant impeller changed. Found a slightly leaking hose clamp but that was it mechanically. And of course the batteries were long dead. This boat is a 2003 Centurion and it only has about 197 hours on it.

We bought it used back in 2005 or 2006 from two firefighters that owned it jointly. Used it a bit the first few years but between other long RV trips, COVID quarantine and hospice care for my mother-in-law there just hasn't been a good time to use it.

Glad to get this out of the way so I know it will be reliable for the trip.

 

[PugetDude]

Break
Out
Another
Thousand.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Break
Out
Another
Thousand.

A hole in the water into which you pour money. I suppose that's true but we haven't had to put much into this one so far.....because we haven't been using it I suppose. Plus the firemen that owned it kept after it like firemen keep all their stuff - immaculate.

The guy at O'Reilly Auto Parts actually volunteered that the batteries have a one year warranty. So he said, "...in 364 days discharge them and bring them in. We'll test them, call them bad and give you two new batteries". I was shocked that HE SUGGESTED THIS!

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Spent the day prepping for the houseboat trip mentioned above. Pulled the boat out of the backyard earlier in the week. I washed it, did some touch up and had a mobile boat mechanic service it.

Pulled stuff from our shed today: EZ-Up, buckets & straps for hold downs, "Lily pad - floating island for kids to play on in the shallows, folding chairs, LP fire ring, pool noodles and more. Loaded it all in the boat, covered and tied down. I'll test tow the trailer a few miles tomorrow because I've not towed it with this truck yet. Sure it'll be fine.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Spent the day prepping for the houseboat trip mentioned above. Pulled the boat out of the backyard earlier in the week. I washed it, did some touch up and had a mobile boat mechanic service it.

Pulled stuff from our shed today: EZ-Up, buckets & straps for hold downs, "Lily pad - floating island for kids to play on in the shallows, folding chairs, LP fire ring, pool noodles and more. Loaded it all in the boat, covered and tied down. I'll test tow the trailer a few miles tomorrow because I've not towed it with this truck yet. Sure it'll be fine.

Make sure you've got a tongue weight of about 10% of the gross trailer weight. You didn't want all that **** to throw off your trailer balance.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Kay, You're right of course. Good reminder.

All the stuff is pretty lightweight but I'll check it. The trailer tag says gross weight rating for the trailer is 3500+ lbs so I assume (yeah, I know what "assume" does. Makes an "*** out of you and me"! ) the boat itself is somewhere around 3000 lbs by itself. All the "stuff" likely doesn't weigh more than 200-250 lbs but of course filling the tank adds a bunch.

The engine ran fine once the work was done. Left it running a good 20 minutes plus so I'm not too worried about it being old. I don't recall if I added Stabil or not. But it did run good so maybe I did. Mechanic suggested I add Seafoam fuel treatment and fill it before the drive so it'll dilute and all slosh around.

EDIT: Adding this trailer tag. Says it can handle 3,723 lbs so the boat likely is somewhere around 3,000 lbs, possibly a bit less if they're allowing for weight of the fuel, some skis, toys, cooler with drinks.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Kay, You're right of course. Good reminder.

All the stuff is pretty lightweight but I'll check it. The trailer tag says gross weight rating for the trailer is 3500+ lbs so I assume (yeah, I know what "assume" does. Makes an "*** out of you and me"! ) the boat itself is somewhere around 3000 lbs by itself. All the "stuff" likely doesn't weigh more than 200-250 lbs but of course filling the tank adds a bunch.

The engine ran fine once the work was done. Left it running a good 20 minutes plus so I'm not too worried about it being old. I don't recall if I added Stabil or not. But it did run good so maybe I did. Mechanic suggested I add Seafoam fuel treatment and fill it before the drive so it'll dilute and all slosh around.

Pilot stations that service the big rigs often have scales. You'll have to call to verify.

Seafoam is great stuff. It may smoke a little.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

For those that saw it last night: Ryan was right to shut down my Rant thread about my truck tire getting knifed @ Dodger Stadium last night. I shouldn't have posted it. It got us talking about negative things and we're not here to do that. Better to focus on the positives and so I will:

The truck behaved really weird after I put the spare on it. At risk I drove it home anyway and to the dealer this morning as I couldn't readily see anything obviously wrong. Turned out the spare rim was BADLY bent but I couldn't see that by the cell phone light in the pitch black parking lot last night. The service writer I always deal with, Omar GAVE me a brand new spare out of a lemon law buy back truck, no charge! Now that was extreme customer service and I truly appreciated it so I bought a box of See's candy and dropped it off to him with my thanks. I think he was shocked a customer actually gave him a thank you.

I think there have always been A-Holes in the world. A tiny percentage among all us "regular" people who are just trying to get through our days healthy and happy. But there are more of us than ever before so by percentage there are more A-Holes than before. This service writer is an example of a decent guy doing his job and going the extra mile for a customer. Thumbs up to him.

 

[PugetDude]

How did I miss a DiP rant?

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

I'll post this in the "What Did You Do In Your Yard Today" thread too - even though I didn't do it, I paid to have it done.
I need to get us off the negative and back onto good stuff:

A couple guys with a loaded down pickup came around offering to weed and spread mulch in our flower borders. This is something I've needed to do for the last couple years and have just procrastinated. They did a really good job for us and were fast too!

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

How did I miss a DiP rant?

Must have been nailing up wallpaper! Lol

 

[captain14]

Dan,

I read your other post yesterday. That’s too bad and glad you finally had a positive outcome at the dealer.

Is todays project getting the tire replaced and mounted?

I’d also look for a headlamp you can keep in the truck for emergency use.

Here’s an example I pulled from the web.

COAST Crew FL75

The FL75 Headlamp combines many modern Coast beam features into one front-loaded headlamp. The first button on the headlamp allows you to shine an ultra wide flood beam and then quickly twist the bezel to a long reaching spot beam with transition halo. The second button on the headlamp enables...

coastportland.com

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hi Captain,

I had the tire replaced yesterday. These Chinese tires don’t have a road hazard warranty - though of course the damage wasn’t caused by anything on the “road”

Glad that’s over now - a long day full of annoying things to do.

On a happier note my pups got their summer buzz cut yesterday. They’re going to the lake with us in a few weeks so I want them to be as cool as possible. Neither likes water much tho Fifi might walk in it up to her belly. They’ll be in the shade with us.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

I put this on the dog thread but any of you have experience with putting dog booties on a dog for hot pavement? Specifically, on an already-older dog, not a pup?

Heading out to the desert next week and I ordered booties for my two dogs and I'm pretty sure they're going to hate them but the pavement gets SO damn hot when it's 110*+. I didn't do this years ago with my avatar lifetime best friend, Sooner and he danced around. I STILL feel guilty about it.

 

[Bob Heine]

Dan, I hope they adjust to the booties. I spend most of my time barefoot and forget how hot the driveway gets. Crossing it means I do my own Sooner dance. They might accept the booties if they get a special treat each time they let you put them on.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Dan, I hope they adjust to the booties. I spend most of my time barefoot and forget how hot the driveway gets. Crossing it means I do my own Sooner dance. They might accept the booties if they get a special treat each time they let you put them on.

Good idea. They're SUPPOSED to arrive today. I'll try that when I put them on and hopefully they associate the treats with them. They'lll only be used for the walk across asphalt parking lots and while we load the houseboat. Once on the lake shore they won't be necessary (I hope.....hot sand I'm sure but right next to the water)

 

[PugetDude]

Dan, you have to post pics of the pups with booties, life jackets, and sunglasses...

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Dan, you have to post pics of the pups with booties, life jackets, and sunglasses...

We have life jackets for them from our older dogs that used to ride on our jet skis with us. We don't have the skis anymore but a boat now. These dogs have never been on it so I don't know if they'll be ok or terrified?

No sunglasses though I TRIED a pair of doggles on Fifi (larger dog) and she hated them so I returned them. But they're white dogs and I had their coats trimmed short. Now I'm a little concerned they might get sunburn so...... the girlfriend got the bright idea to put rash guard shirts on them that our granddaughters have outgrown. Tried one on Fifi last night and other than shortening the arms she didn't seem to mind it at all. Max will be an entirely different story. He hates grooming, runs away from brushing. So that'll be an adventure!!

Back about a dozen years ago:

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

1st time putting any trailer on this truck. Towed it a couple miles in "Tow" mode and it does fine. I noticed a feature I didn't know it has: when you engage turn signals the LC shows the side view of the trailer with its clearance to curbs.

Overall the rig looks fine in the first pic but in the 2nd pic it's squatting a little and will more when I put 4 people in it and a bunch of junk in the bed. In that view the tires look too low profile (a little hard to see) and the space between the tread and the wheel wells looks too large. Oh well. Nothing to be done before THIS trip.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Assuming your tongue weight is not over 10% of your trailer+load, which would need adjustment first, you could do airbags, or air shocks, or more springs, or you could use an equalizing hitch. Personally, I'd go for the hitch.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Assuming your tongue weight is not over 10% of your trailer+load, which would need adjustment first, you could do airbags, or air shocks, or more springs, or you could use an equalizing hitch. Personally, I'd go for the hitch.

Hi Kay.
Yeah, I'll likely do a weight distributing hitch when we get back from this trip. Ironically I have a brand new, never out of the box set of Firestone air bags for my prior Jeep Gladiator that I never installed and now have no use for. The Silverado has leaf springs not coils like the Jeep. I suppose something could be jerry rigged to make them work but I'll not bother with that. There's a "Hitch Depot" near us that I am sure can hook me up with a WDH.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Hi Kay.
Yeah, I'll likely do a weight distributing hitch when we get back from this trip. Ironically I have a brand new, never out of the box set of Firestone air bags for my prior Jeep Gladiator that I never installed and now have no use for. The Silverado has leaf springs not coils like the Jeep. I suppose something could be jerry rigged to make them work but I'll not bother with that. There's a "Hitch Depot" near us that I am sure can hook me up with a WDH.

Why wait? It's not exactly a big install. Since it's a boat trailer, you'll need a crossbar adapter, as well as the WDH, and maybe a fresh ball. You stick the WDH in the receiver. Hitch up the trailer. Clamp the crossbar adapter to the long tube of the trailer. Bolt the chain clamps around the crossbar. Adjust for desired level. One hour if it's hot n miserable

 

[Geoff289]

Some gratuitous advice from down under

You want 10-15% tongue weight for stable towing. Bags, helper springs, air shocks etc. shouldn't be used to compensate for trailer tongue weight, that does nothing to address the leverage effect of the tongue weight 48 inches or so behind the fulcrum (axle center line). A proper WDH puts weight back on the front by doing what the name suggests - distribute the weight. Bags etc., even replacing the rear suspension with solid blocks, just hold the same leverage point up higher. Bags etc. are for addressing the load in the tow vehicle, not the load its towing.

https://www.rveethereyet.com/understanding-loading-weight-distribution/

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

So we're back from the Lake Mohave houseboat trip. It was fun to a point but the houseboats weren't in great repair. The water pumps weren't reliably working in ours - got a lot of air along with the water. Like an RV everything is built lightweight that doesnt stand up to the rigors of irresponsible renters so some non functional drawers, etc.

And of course I had to have the requisite drama in 108* heat. On the return trip yesterday I had a boat trailer tire blow out between Baker and Barstow, CA......meaning the middle of no-#$%ing-place. But there was a dilapidated Shell station a couple hundred yards from where I stopped on freeway. Being the fool I am I had not brought sufficient tools. The tire beat the hell out of the trailer fender and was destroyed. Little left by the time I crawled to the shaded station.

 

[Jeff Ivers]

Man, that is a really tiring experience!

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

The gas station had zero tools but did have a very large pipe wrench which I used to bend and beat the fender back out of the way so I could put the spare on. As I unlocked the spare cable lock I realized I had two keys that fit but would not turn the lock!! Likely rust from years in & out of lake water so......I had a very-inadequate-pair- of-electical-pliers I used to CHEW the cable in half to get the spare off. Man, what an ordeal in that heat. Sweating like a hog.

Then the new bottle jack I'd brought would not QUITE raise the trailer high enough. about 1-1/2" too low. Scrounged some flat rocks from a pile of debris - still no luck as the rocks weren't flat enough. VERY fortunately as I was trying to think of another way a pickup truck of angel homies pulled in, saw my dilemma and had a 3-1/2 ton floor jack with them. SAVIORS. I made short work of the tire change with that. I offered them money, beer, water, soda but they turned it all down. I shook all their hands and thanked them profusely in Spanish and English. One of the guys said they'd once had the exact same issue on their truck and have carried the giant jack with them ever since.

Reminder to self: I had taken SO MANY trips without ever using my travel box of tools or the little HF floor jack that I stopped carry in them. "Wake-the-EFF-up, Old Man!" and ALWAYS carry the tools. Made it home safely from there another 2 hours. Exhausted, filthy, a little sunburnt. But my girlfriend and my granddaughters were impressed that Papa got them through the issue. Now I've got to cosmetically restore that rim, get a replacement TWO tires - the spare is pretty damn old.

 

[Bob Heine]

On the return trip yesterday I had a boat trailer tire blow out between Baker and Barstow, CA......meaning the middle of no-#$%ing-place.

Dan, that section of road must have a curse on it. In 1955 Dad slowed down for the Barstow railroad crossing on Route 66 and there was a terrible crashing sound, like someone had rear-ended us. We all piled out to discover the trailer hitch (a class 1 bumper hitch) had fallen off and two 1/8" thick 1" wide perforated straps were all that were still attached (with 1/4-20 bolts). Put the steel dolly wheel on the trailer hitch and three of us walked alongside while Dad crept over the tracks. Within sight was a "Custom Trailer Hitches" sign on a big warehouse. When we got there the guy looked at the hitch, then looked at our New York license plate and said he couldn't believe we made it out of our driveway with that hitch. For about $10.00 more than what Dad paid for the junk hitch, they custom fitted a C-channel setup that lasted for 30,000 miles of towing that trailer, including a trip from New York to Alaska and back.

I failed my intelligence test with our boat trailer. It was a tandem axle with surge brakes on one axle. I thought about getting a spare but the rim was a 6-lug and with no Internet I had no easy way of finding one. Of course I could have written to the trailer manufacturer but that would be a sign of intelligence. The tires held up fine and I always checked the pressure before leaving but I failed to check the lug nuts. You would think a clicking sound coming from behind me when towing would have been a hint but again, sign of intelligence. When the ones on one wheel loosened up, they hogged out the holes on the steel rim and the tire and rim cruised past us when I slowed down on an interstate on-ramp. Five minutes before, we were crossing the Throggs Neck Bridge between Long Island and upstate New York. You would think I would get serious about finding a spare but I ended up relying on my neighbor's powers of observation (he was a State Trooper). He found a tire with six-lug rim floating in the Hudson and brought it home in his little Jon Boat. It had been a float for a mooring in the river but after scrubbing off the green slime and tendrils, sandpaper and paint and a trip to a gas station to swap tires, I turned it into a match for the other three. Twelve years later I sold the boat and trailer and it still didn't have a spare. I haven't gotten smarter because the Cadillac has no spare -- it has a spray can of sealer and an air pump neatly mounted where a donut spare would go.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Bob,
First and most important: How are you and Liane doing? It's been a week since I've been on the board. All quiet on the Southeastern front? How's your terrorist mini-Godzilla killer, Jasmine?

Your story makes me feel better knowing a guy as smart as your career required made dumb decisions like I made going out (multiple times!) without my tool box. Of course the stupidest thing is I HAVE A ROAD BOX and left it! I also used to have a small 1-1/2 ton Harbor Freight floor jack for the road but sold it off at our moving garage sale in 2020. I have one of their 3 ton Daytonas now. Maybe too big to carry? But on the other hand I already have it, so why buy I suppose!

The trailer rim edges got roughed up on the couple hundred yard crawl off the highway to the derelict gas station. No cracks, bends or gouges fortunately. I sanded the edges there were no significant pits. I painted the rim with semi gloss rattle can black and that rim will be the spare now. Close up is of the roughest remaining spot. Compare the edge in the photo above. There's a little texture but nothing you can catch a fingernail on so I don't think it'll cause any issue with a new tire on it.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

^^ All that was left of the tire, the sidewalls. I had to cut them off with my angle grinder.

 

[PugetDude]

Dan, I highly recommend you purchase a set of Cheap Chinese Trailer Tires as replacements. I've heard good things about them here on the GJ.

Glad you're home safe without further roadside drama.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Dan, I highly recommend you purchase a set of Cheap Chinese Trailer Tires as replacements. I've heard good things about them here on the GJ.

Glad you're home safe without further roadside drama.

Thanks PD.
Ironic isn't it that the cheap Chinese tires on the truck came through the trip just fine. BUT, now having dealt with the trailer drama I AM wishing I'd spent the extra dollars for whatever confidence some American made tires (BFG's? Other? Who actually MAKES them here nowadays?) might give me. I know it'd be false confidence - there's no assurance whatsoever an American made tire wouldn't have failed. No tire left so no idea what caused the flat. Incidentally, the trailer tires are "Duratracs" which says it's made in Thailand. I both them about 2 years ago. The tires that WERE on the trail since I bought the bot were Kellys but hey were car tires not trailer tires. The trailer tires are Load Range D's so 8 ply.

 

[captain14]

Dan,

It’s too bad about the condition of your lodging this week. Did you view any pictures on line beforehand?

Do you ever venture out and not have any “live entertainment”?

I have watched more than one YouTube video on trailer upgrades. They all mention a box with trailer only tools. What’s the condition of the other trailer tires?

 

[Swanny1953]

Dan, I keep one of these in the toolbox on the car hauler, “just in case”.

Amazon.com

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Dan,

It’s too bad about the condition of your lodging this week. Did you view any pictures on line beforehand?

Do you ever venture out and not have any “live entertainment”?

I have watched more than one YouTube video on trailer upgrades. They all mention a box with trailer only tools. What’s the condition of the other trailer tires?

The lodging was the houseboat and the website pictures are accurate but they don't show you some of the cabinet drawers are broken and the faces just screwed on. By the time you go to use the water you are miles away from the marina and didn't know the pumps aren't working properly. The boat uses lake water to flush the toilet and flushes go to black water tanks. We ended up collecting our melted ice and using it to rinse dishes, etc. We'd brought lots of bottled water to drink. Baths? What are those?!

Dan, I keep one of these in the toolbox on the car hauler, “just in case”.

Amazon.com

Very interesting. I'd never seen those before. Certainly lighter than a floor jack. Thanks for the link.