Above 1200 Sq/FT The Salvage Garage

[Strouty]

Got all three loads of concrete blocks to my Buddy’s place, made for a late night yesterday and a long feeling day today. Perk is a pain to shift and there was a lot of shifting, now my shoulder feels like mush with a side of jalapeños. I took about 25k pounds per load, might have been able to do more if it hadn’t been all back roads with lots of steep hills.

 

[bulletpruf]

shoulder feels like mush with a side of jalapeños.

Is that what's for dinner at your place tonight? Sounds a bit spicy to me.

 

[Strouty]

It is for dinner, dessert, and breakfast......

I am over at the SG gathering supplies and materials for tomorrow's adventure, have a dozen things to do, likely get two done if I am lucky.

Perk and the Muv-All need to have wheels re-torqued, I spent about $400 on an older 3/4 drive torque wrench, had it repaired and calibrated, unfortunately, even though it has reverse, it doesn't torque in reverse. I never thought to check it, usually click style with reverse works both directions, basically useless due to the budd wheels (one side is reverse threads). I was a bit upset with myself for not realizing this prior to spending all the money. Can't win them all, seems like you can however, lose them all.....

 

[bulletpruf]

It is for dinner, dessert, and breakfast......

I am over at the SG gathering supplies and materials for tomorrow's adventure, have a dozen things to do, likely get two done if I am lucky.

Perk and the Muv-All need to have wheels re-torqued, I spent about $400 on an older 3/4 drive torque wrench, had it repaired and calibrated, unfortunately, even though it has reverse, it doesn't torque in reverse. I never thought to check it, usually click style with reverse works both directions, basically useless due to the budd wheels (one side is reverse threads). I was a bit upset with myself for not realizing this prior to spending all the money. Can't win them all, seems like you can however, lose them all.....

Damn.

I've got a big *** Proto 3/4" drive torque wrench; have had it for 10+ years and have yet to use it. It was used and has a sticker - "Not Calibrated" - so I got it relatively cheap. Anyway, I haven't bothered to have it calibrated yet. Where do you get yours calibrated and how much does it cost?

Thanks

 

[mybigwarwagon]

Time to change the studs.

 

[Strouty]

I don't actually know how much it cost for the calibration, the torque wrench needed to be repaired as well, so with the shipping and everything it was a bit over $400. I will have to get the name of the place for you.

The studs, well, you could swap out everything to have it uniform, but Budd wheels are supposed to have lefts and rights, it would screw with any tire guy. At this point, I just ordered another torque wrench, one that has a calibration sheet showing both clockwise and counterclockwise, so I know it will work. Only issue, it isn't calibrated recently, I can test it to 250 ft/lbs on the snap on truck, if it is close there, it will probably be fine for what I am doing. I can send it out later on and have it calibrated, at least after that I will know what I have. The Muv-All was originally going to be swapped over to stud pilot (hub centered) wheels, but it started getting expensive since the hubs would have needed to be swapped, in the end it turned out that it probably would have been a little more labor, but it really wouldn't have cost that much more. I am committed now, all new aluminum rims are the main kick in the nuts, also to change the studs you have to pull the hubs apart since everything is mounted inboard, it is a real chore, plus the studs are not cheap, then you need the outer studs and the nuts to go with those. Basically, it was cheaper to spend another $550 on a torque wrench.

Tonight I drilled a bunch of holes int he top lip of the small dump trailer, needed to have a good place to put the hooks of the ratchet straps. After drilling them, I used my new dimple dies to make them look nice and add some strength to them. Took about two hours from start to finish, but I will not have to worry about the straps sliding around now.

 

[xtremek]

Chuck looks like he's having fun. What's on tap for today?

 

[Strouty]

Need to get the lug nuts checked out, then building some stakes for the Muv-All, going to enlarge the existing pockets so they will accept 4” channel iron. There is a lot more I want to do, but we will see how things shake out.

 

[Strouty]

Only had three wheel nuts that moved, even then it was just barely moving, maybe an eighth of a turn, maybe less.

Got the backup alarm installed and just finishing up cutting the stale pockets out, now I can use 4” channel iron. I think I may even have some aluminum channel iron, if so, I will probably use that.

Still didn’t get everything done, but I feel good about what we did get done.

 

[86turbodsl]

I do want to get some images of him on a steering wheel, that is such a great movie.

I watch that every year on Feb 2. It's an amazing story of redemption. And one of my faves.

 

[Strouty]

Hauled a heavy load today, had to use multiple ratchet straps to keep the torque wrench on the trailer.

 

[Strouty]

Slow start today, I had to prep some greens for Chuck, then I fed him, cleaned out the liter boxes, now I am planning what I am doing for the afternoon. I am working (with help) tomorrow, but it is supposed to rain, so I have to get things together so we will be ready. I would like to fix the toilet that is leaking and replace the kitchen faucet at the Hill, they have been driving me nuts, but I have had too much going on lately. I need both things to function, so I can't start and then finish it some other time, it has to be fix it now or don't start. I wanted to wait until later on to do it, but if I can get to it sooner, I will still be able to run for parts if needed. I just finished up a little bit of office work, have plenty of that to do this week as well.

Also have the NY loader pick up scheduled for the 18th of September, so I need to fix a few more things on Perk before heading off on that trip. Then the gate has to be done and all the trash removed from the tower site, lots of stupid time consuming things over the next two weeks.

 

[Strouty]

I decided to fix the toilet, I took it apart, but should have done a bit more research, it is not like a standard toilet of yesteryear, it is a Kohler AquaPiston and now I need more parts to fix it, would have been very simple if I had known what I was up against. I guess I am not a plumber. At least I can get the right parts today, so that is better than nothing.

 

[Strouty]

Almost 11, toilet is fixed, sink is temporarily working (need more parts for drain) and Chuck has been fed. I am going home.

 

[bimmer1980]

Yeah, plumbing is a pain. One of the biggest pains is getting the drain pipe fitting to seal against the bottom of a kitchen sink. Ug, I have fought with that on a couple of sinks and it *****.

Good to have the toilet working properly! That's a key thing in my book!!! LOL

 

[Strouty]

The toilet issue was more about my water situation, it would drain a 300 gallon tank in a couple days if you left the valve on. I need to get some spare gaskets and keep them in my plumbing supplies. The kitchen sink wasn't too bad, I just didn't have the right parts to finish it. Now everything works, even the new garbage disposal.

My Buddy has been working on the Blurb, changed the front and rear shocks, adjusted the rear brakes, added a new trailer wiring plug, changed out the blower resistor and then we found out the blower motor is not the same for a 1996, so I didn't have one in stock. Ordered that and found some NOS GM resistors for $11.00, they only had four, but I bought all of them. I cleaned the front rims up, then swapped out the climate head, assessed the radio, pulled the amplifier, going to the Salvage Garage to see about spare parts now.

 

[xtremek]

Sounds like a productive day.

 

[Strouty]

Well, it felt productive right up until after I posted, then things went downhill. The Blurb was shaking and vibrating terribly, we thought at first it was from rotating the tires front to rear, but it became obvious (after getting on the highway) that it was the rear brakes. Last time I adjusted them myself, they tightened up too much, my Buddy had to loosen them and then adjust them "properly" (his word), this time he adjusted them and they did the exact same thing. We aren't sure how they do it, but at this point the only way to adjust them seems to be to back them way off, then tighten them back up, otherwise they somehow over adjust themselves after being set "properly" while on the lift. Regardless, the Blurb is just cursed....

Between this time and last time the shoes and drums are pretty much smoked. They were new in the last six months or so.

I ordered new drums and shoes, most likely I will be able to turn the old drums on the brake lathe (just need to find some time ).

Then when we got to the Salvage Garage, we didn't have the correct tools to remove the steering wheel so we could get the clock spring out. We were able to get a few other parts, I actually changed out the factory amplifier for the radio, it didn't help, radio still shuts off randomly after playing for a few seconds. At this point I have replaced the radio and the amplifier, next is to replace the speakers, not sure if one is shorted out or something dumb that kicks in a protection circuit or something like that.

I have a ton of paperwork to do today, going to spend most of the afternoon and evening doing that, luckily it is raining and I can justify it mentally.

 

[xtremek]

Could it be a short in the wiring?

 

[Strouty]

I don't think so, if you unplug the radio (any radio, tried another factory one too) then plug it back in, it usually works for a few days like normal. I can't find any info on another amplifier, but I am about to run speaker wire directly to the speakers from my aftermarket head unit. If that doesn't solve the issue, then the curse is real.

 

[legenddc]

I was reading an old thread last night and you had made some comments in it about Suburbans. What's going on? Feel like you haven't bought one all summer.

Might be totally off here but any chance the stereo is, or was, tied into an alarm system? I could see that messing with things depending on how it was installed and/or removed.

 

[harley jim]

One of my chucks in the wild

 

[mybigwarwagon]

I was reading an old thread last night and you had made some comments in it about Suburbans. What's going on? Feel like you haven't bought one all summer.

Might be totally off here but any chance the stereo is, or was, tied into an alarm system? I could see that messing with things depending on how it was installed and/or removed.

Hummmm I haven't bought one all summer either. I did buy a 2 door Yukon though. Maybe that was a placebo.

 

[Strouty]

I did buy three trucks and two loaders this year, so far, the year isn’t over yet.

The radio ended up being the rear most speakers, they both had a broken and shorted wire, so there must be some protection circuit. Spent most half the day installing new speakers, should have bought 5 1/4” with adapters instead of the 6 1/2”, not a direct fit, everything had to be customized as I went. Then this evening, we swapped out the drums and shoes, now the truck stops without pulsing, need to break things in and adjust them again, the E-Brake is about non existent.

It was nice to listen to tunes again, had the truck for more than a year without a radio.

 

[Strouty]

Yesterday I did not get any office work done, today I have to, I am going to try and finish cleaning things up this morning, then dove into the paperwork and get things completed. I only have today and a little while tomorrow morning.

 

[Strouty]

Still cleaning the office, I have made huge progress, but no actual paperwork done, yet......

 

[Strouty]

Made a run to the store to get some bins, just about ready to start tackling the piles, I think with the effort I put in cleaning up it will go well. Luckily there isn’t a ton of paperwork that has to be done before Friday. I have until about lunchtime tomorrow to get it wrapped up. I would much rather not being doing this, but it has to be done.

 

[xtremek]

Then be thankful you don't have my job. All I do is paperwork.

 

[Strouty]

To be fair, when I do paperwork, (or does it do me??), there is generally a lot of it. I am just wrapping up the assembly of all the documents needed, going to have to do some more data entry tomorrow. I also found the the entire month of February has disappeared across the board, not sure what happened, but every statement is MIA. Must be in limbo, my banker got back to me in about 5 minutes (at 10:00 PM tonight, she is great! This round was about 5.5 hours, I took out a bit of time to feed Chuck, now I am hungry and my back hurts from sitting, time to go home.

 

[Strouty]

Things just snowballed out of control.....

Accountant told me that she only wanted one company done, turns out (I should have realized this), but there is another company tied to that one that has to be complete and up to date in order to make sure they jive with each other. At least I have almost all the paperwork gathered, but now I need to go through a large box of receipts and papers to separate out some more things. I should be able to get everything done by Monday, then the accountant will be happy and when she is happy, the IRS ain't mad and that is all that really matters.

I am heading out now to get the sand and stone for the concrete at the tower site, that will allow us to get the gate up next week, right after we fabricate it.......

 

[xtremek]

I completely understand where you're coming from.

 

[Strouty]

Just finished pouring the concrete at the tower site. We mixed about 2 1/2 yards of concrete, will need to finish things tomorrow.

 

[xtremek]

Nice looking dump truck.

 

[Strouty]

The dump body is nice, but not on that truck, it is going to be on Bev at some point, then the crew cab is getting the utility body from the green HD series I picked up earlier this year. Lots of pieces and parts to swap around, just another day at the SG.......

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

Strouty - did you play a lot with Lego's as a kid?

That would explain how you work as an adult. Pop this body off that truck and onto that one. Building a crane truck from several donors.

All comments made in admiration.

Cheers

Jim

 

[cbacres]

Strouty - did you play a lot with Lego's as a kid?

That would explain how you work as an adult. Pop this body off that truck and onto that one. Building a crane truck from several donors.

All comments made in admiration.

Cheers

Jim

Not only did he have Lego’s , but a Spin Welder set to modify the Lego pieces to build stuff no Lego engineer could of though up.

 

[cbacres]

Just finished pouring the concrete at the tower site. We mixed about 2 1/2 yards of concrete, will need to finish things tomorrow.

That’s cool how you had the sand and rock loaded.

 

[Strouty]

The place I go to has a cute little loader, so it is easy for them to split it down the middle. Wish I could afford one like it, but the diesel Burb collecting is much more important.

This is their loader, it definitely punches above its weight class.


On a completely different note, Chuck broke two of his teeth chewing on something harder than they were. He now has one shorter upper tooth, doesn’t seem to bother him any, I knew that people would use nail clippers to trim rats teeth, I bet I could trim his with pliers, don’t really want to, but if it had to be done.

 

[Strouty]

As for LEGOS, well, I still have some. I actually just purchased Optimus Prime, I want to build it, but I don’t have a dedicated space yet. I figure another month (for real) and I will be moving things up into the office, that should free up some space in the house.

On the paperwork front, I had to go on a scavenger hunt, I now have all the things that I didn’t realize I would need so that I can actually enter the data. It is even organized, most of it by month, still have some deposit slips to go through in the morning, there was math involved and I was too tired to deal with it tonight.

 

[Strouty]

I guess there were even more legos than I realized, this doesn’t include my sets at the Hill, so I guess I still have a lot of them.