Back home with the new truck and JBubble's Monster

[Mother]

we had that same truck as a fire engine up till July 08

The hub retainers(real name unknown) would always loosen up on the front wheels

it made for high speed (the thing topped out at 55) death shudders when cruising down hill

[silentbob]

What happened to the old beastie?

As I was pulling off the interstate in Atlanta I got a warning buzzer.  The truck only has one buzzer and it can mean no air brakes, low oil pressure, high coolant temperature, low coolant level, or your glow plugs are on.   At first I figured I lost my air brakes and I would have to use all those shiny cars in front of me to stop the truck.  But the truck stopped and the gauge showed 120psi.  Then I noticed the buzzing was accompanied by a warning light on the dash.  The symbols on the light matched those of the oil and temp gauges.  I checked the oil gauge and the pressure was fine so I pulled into a gas station and checked the coolant.  The engine wasn't hot but the surge tank was low.  So, I added some coolant.  The light went out and the truck ran fine.  I had to add coolant a few more times but never saw a leak.  This had me worried because I thought I might have a bad head gasket although I didn't see any steam.  Then the light bulb went on in my head and I remembered that there was no pressure in the surge tank when I opened it to add coolant.  So I checked the cap and sure enough the spring was shot.  So when the truck would build pressure in the cooling system it would dump out the overflow under the truck.  I replaced the cap with one that a trucker gave me at the gas station and I didn't lose anymore coolant after that.


More later

[silentbob]

When I stopped for fuel I noticed that the top of the tank was getting sucked in and the cap was difficult to remove due to the high vacuum in the tank.  Being a Ducati owner, I recognize these symptoms as a clogged vent system.  I tried leaving the cap loose but I lost about a 1/4 tank of fuel down the side of the truck.  So for the next 1000 miles I just stopped periodically to open the cap and relive some of the vacuum.  Once I got to OK I tried to blow air through the vent line with no luck.  So, I removed the hose to determine if the blockage was in the hose or the tank.  Fortunately it was just the hose.  I replaced it with a piece of fuel line and the truck ran even smoother with more power on top.

[Monsterlover]

I may have missed it, but why did you buy this truck, and why do you have JB's bike?

Cool truck

[jdubbs32584]

I may have missed it, but why did you buy this truck, and why do you have JB's bike?

Cool truck

I is moving cross the country. Silentbob was picking up the truck about 4-5 hours from me and offered to throw my bike in the back and get it to San Diego. Now trouble, bobspapa, and somegirl are gonna get it further north for me. Mother and I will pick it up from somegirl at some point after I move out to Oregon Feb. 17th.


silentbob =

[silentbob]

Since I don't have any large parking spots where I currently live I figured I would keep the truck parked at my office.  So I drove over to my office Monday morning and after work I unloaded the bike and rode home.  When I got home I found a parking spot that looked like it would hold the truck.  So I got a ride back to my office, got the truck and backed it into this spot.  The truck is 22' long so I have to back the truck in and let the tail overhang the grassy area behind the parking lot so it will fit.  Well it was dark out and I can't see directly behind the truck since Steve put that giant Ducati Corse sign on my back window.  I backed it into the spot and the truck seemed like it fit perfectly.  I was happy and I went to bed.  The next day as I was leaving on my motorcycle I noticed that there was a large pine tree (8" diameter) behind my truck that was knocked down.  I figured it must have grown sideways all by itself and it was just a coincidence that my truck was parked up against it. 

Fast forward to the end of the day.  I come home from work and find a tow truck in front of my truck.  There is a parking notice from the apartment complex telling me the truck will be towed because it is a) too big and b) knocked down a tree.  The tow truck was a regular one used for cars with a boom on the back.  My truck has air brakes so when it is parked and the air pressure is released the spring brakes lock the wheels.  I told the driver I would move it and he said I needed to talk to the people in the leasing office because he already had orders to tow it.  I said I'll talk to them later but right now I am getting in my truck and driving out of here.  He thought about and probably realized that a) he couldn't tow my truck with his and b) I was going to drive over his truck if he didn't move it. 

So now the truck is safe and sound back at my office.  I need to buy a house with some land and no HOA.

[Grampa]

damn sideways grow'n trees

[dbran1949]

sb

If it wasn't the apt complex, city council would have probably passed an ordinace against it soon enough 

[DoubleEagle]

Wow Bob, that was one hell of an adventure !  More like an Odyssey.

I would have been thinkin' why me. 

Although it sounds like you handled it without loosing your cool .

Did you think that the ride home would be so much fun before you left Georgia ?     

You must have been a Marine or just have an easy going but tough as nails constitution. It sure helps to have the mechanical knowledge that you posses.

I thought you were going to have a sidekick to share driving duties with or was that wishful thinking ?

Glad you made it home with a great story , the truck you wanted, and what seems a cut on your finger at worst. Split Rims are a very scary proposition . I hope that you don't have to mess with them again any too soon .     Dolph

[Mother]

one thing you don't have to worry about with that truck

is losing air pressure

when the air tank dumps to below 60psi, the brakes lock up

also

that engine suggests working temps at 160

ours was happy about 190

It will easily cruise at 210 without a problem

warning lights blazing and whatnot

at 220 bad things happen

When i would run our Navistar up the hill at a whopping 17 mph, I would snake a preconnect to theoverflow tank and open the bail about 1/8th

I could make the trip on about 1/8th a tank of fuel

500 gallons of water

and 2 quarts of oil

for a 20 mile run up a 6% grade

I loved that truck

[silentbob]

I almost forgot.  After I made the pull up Mountain Springs grade I stopped at the casino to get some diesel.  I pulled up on the door handle which opens the door and unlocks it at the same time (well its supposed to anyway).  I shut the door and filled the tank with diesel.  After the pump shut off I tried to get back into the truck only to find all the doors locked.  The engine was still running, the lights were on, my jacket was inside the truck along with my cell phone ringing on the front seat.  I saw a border patrol agent and asked him for a slim jim but he didn't have any.  I checked the casino store and found nothing that would work.  Then I asked a casino security guard if he could help.  He called someone else who showed up with a slim jim.  They weren't allowed to touch the truck but they could provide me with the tools.  After a few tries I got the door unlocked and I was finally on my way. 

[OT_Ducati]

the destination is not the reward, the journey is...

[TAftonomos]

What is that truck?

How much do they cost?

Where can I get one?

I almost bought a uni-mog last summer, but chickened out.  Plus it was 8K

[Popeye the Sailor]

I almost bought a uni-mog last summer, but chickened out.  Plus it was 8K

But it was a unimog. How could you say no?

[Mother]

you passed up a mog for 8k! you should be slapped