Mid-Tenn Chapter Roundtable

[Piston Slapper]

My brother has a 97 1500 long bed that is white and gray sitting at the house with a blowed up motor (v-8) in it. Been sitting for a year now, he might sell it(the door and fender or maybe the whole truck)... I'll call him. see what he wants for it.

 

[AndyMan]

Ugh... sorry Scott. I know that sinking feeling.



Call me crazy, but before I went spending too much money, I'd try a "paintless dent repair place". They may be able to get the body straightened pretty cheap. I'd say 50-50 on the fender and probably a 90% chance of saving the door. Depending on whether you scraped through the paint, and how far, I might be able to buff out the scratches. I'd be willing to give it a shot anyway. I'd have to look at it.



Fender would definately need to be repainted.



If you're turning it in on insurance, I wouldn't take my route.



... and pull-a-part is the only yard around here I know of that might have the door and fender.

 

[AndyMan]

Mark, I got your VM. Bring you buddy and his gauges on. we'll can most likely get them done.

If he's got a FP gauge, and has the schrader valve, get a FP gauge kit from Geno's or Diesel Manor. Make life simple.

 

[Underwood Tire]

Mark, Quit beating up your sister! hehehe It still cracks me up that people get mad from forums! My daddy can beat up your daddy! Hump, de Dump, de Dump, Yo mamma don't wear no drawers!

gap, anybody's daddy can beat up your daddy,,,,,,,,,,, right now anyway :-laf :-laf :-laf

 

[BigPapa]

Thanks for the condolences.

I'd say 50-50 on the fender... .

It tore the metal on the fender.



Scott

 

[Piston Slapper]

thanks SquareTire Buy 3 square ones, get round one free!



BigPappy, Brother said don't know on the truck. He may have a motor lined up for it. But he is calling another buddy who has one sitting busted too thats been donating parts, let ya know. It'll be in west tn prolly if'n I find something.

 

[BigPapa]

Thanks Gap. I'm not afraid of a little driving.



Scott

 

[Cumminsman]

scott. i may have some 98-02 power and heated mirrors. the black ones. i'll have to look. or i may have a set of the chrome ones. let me see what i can find around here

 

[BigPapa]

Nick,



The '98-'02 mirrors would be great. I was thinking last night that I ought to just go ahead and upgrade. Thanks for the help.



Scott

 

[Cumminsman]

i sold those mirrors at the same time i sold my 01. sorry.

 

[HeavyHauler]

Hey Wade - could you bring your fancy radio tester to the meeting again? My SWR meter is showing me over 3 on all channels with this new Uniden. Tuning the antenna doesn't help any so maybe you could help me troubleshoot. Thanks.

 

[Got Smoke?]

Hey Wade - could you bring your fancy radio tester to the meeting again? My SWR meter is showing me over 3 on all channels with this new Uniden. Tuning the antenna doesn't help any so maybe you could help me troubleshoot. Thanks.

Hey Hans I have a Radio Shack SWR/Watt meter I run in my truck everyday b/c of my box. Its been re-tuned by my local tech, and I'd be happy to let you use it on your truck.



Idea... check all your coax for kinks or bad spots.

 

[WadePatton]

Hey Wade - could you bring your fancy radio tester to the meeting again? My SWR meter is showing me over 3 on all channels with this new Uniden. Tuning the antenna doesn't help any so maybe you could help me troubleshoot. Thanks.

I'll put it on the list. Won't work in the rain--like last time we tried it. Probably a bad connector or coax. A single-band antenna over 2. 0 has a problem somewhere.

 

[HeavyHauler]

Thanks guys. Strange how this just showed up on this little Uniden. I never had any problems with SWR on that Connex. I'll look over all my coax and connections and check for any obvious problems.



Could it be a ground problem?

 

[AndyMan]

The headlights on Feger's car had become really oxidized. He and I decided to wetsand them. Turned out pretty good. If any of you ever want to attempt such, here's some pics and a short write-up on how we did it.



Wetsand and Buff Oxidized Headlights



Hey Hans,



Whadda them little wood looking tab thingies stickin up out of the valve area in the cam pics you posted?

 

[HeavyHauler]

Hey Hans,



Whadda them little wood looking tab thingies stickin up out of the valve area in the cam pics you posted?

Andy - those are 1/2" wooden dowel rods that I modified to press-fit into the top of each tappet after the push rods are removed. The cam will only come out and go in with the tappets raised to the top of their travel so each cam lobe will clear. I rounded off one end of the dowel rod and then cut a slit right down the middle. The tappets are sort of bowl shaped on the top. I'll bring one to the meeting to show you.



So anyway, you press the dowel rods into the top of the tappets and then lift the dowel rods up until the bottom of the tappet hits the block (they are T-shaped on the bottom). Wrap a zip tie around the ones for each cylinder and the pressure will hold them up so you can get the cam out.



The piece of PVC pipe ripped down the middle was insurance in case one of the tappets dropped off the dowel rod (and then into the oil pan). Thankfully that didn't happen!



That was kind of a long explanation - sorry. It will make more sense when you see the tappet.

 

[HeavyHauler]

The headlights on Feger's car had become really oxidized. He and I decided to wetsand them. Turned out pretty good. If any of you ever want to attempt such, here's some pics and a short write-up on how we did it.



Wetsand and Buff Oxidized Headlights

Dang Andy, those headlights are amazing! Helluva job! I'm going to bookmark that thread - that will come in handy.

 

[99Supercab]

Dang Andy, those headlights are amazing! Helluva job! I'm going to bookmark that thread - that will come in handy.

If your headlights aren`t quite that bad, you can use a good quailty wheel polish on them. I`ve even heard of ppl using toothpaste with good results.

 

[sniper351]

Well, heck Andy, those lights look brandy new!!! Awesome work there!!!



Joe, the Edge is acting up on me, I'm gonna give you a call in the morning to see if it's me or the box. Louisiana is coming back together, saw some parts of New Orleans that are still without power, water, heck, they are without everything!!! But it is getting better. Glad to be back in Tennessee though, the dang misquitos are already back out there. I hated that. Can't wait for next weekend!!!



Shay

 

[Piston Slapper]

Andyman, I need to do that on the ol minivan, them rascals are yellow they have oxidized so bad. Can't see nothing. I drive around with the lights on bright sometimes and nobody even notices!