TheeMikeB Build Thread

[TheeMikeB]

Replaced my oil filler cap gasket today. I replaced my VC gaskets a while back and cleaned everything up but am getting a slight oil smell still. I noticed some sweating along the filler cap area and hoping this is the cause.

Part was like $3.25 @ the stealership. Took about 2 min to swap out.


Old one was deformed and pretty stiff:

Used a little pick tool to pop the old one out:

New one slipped right into place:

Wiped up the filler area and now to drive a few days and see if the smell stays away.

 

[TheeMikeB]

Scored a Lincoln 175hd with cart and 10lb bottle of gas for $350! Boom!

 

[slowpoke99]

Not a bad deal on that welder. And those lights are pretty damn bright considering how small they are. Looks really good man!

 

[red-runner]

Dig your rig. Stealing ideas for lights.

Sorry off topic, but I dig the Per Welinder deck in the pictures above. ...takes me back. If you still skate, give me a shout whenever you're down in SoCal. We got 4Runners and a little halfpipe in the back yard.

 

[slowpoke99]

Dig your rig. Stealing ideas for lights.

Sorry off topic, but I dig the Per Welinder deck in the pictures above. ...takes me back. If you still skate, give me a shout whenever you're down in SoCal. We got 4Runners and a little halfpipe in the back yard.

That's funny! I noticed the deck too. Talk about a trip down memory lane. I had that same deck years ago along with Rodney Mullen's and and a bunch of other Powell boards.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Is the big three in your future?

 

[TheeMikeB]

Dig your rig. Stealing ideas for lights.

Sorry off topic, but I dig the Per Welinder deck in the pictures above. ...takes me back. If you still skate, give me a shout whenever you're down in SoCal. We got 4Runners and a little halfpipe in the back yard.

That's funny! I noticed the deck too. Talk about a trip down memory lane. I had that same deck years ago along with Rodney Mullen's and and a bunch of other Powell boards.

Ha yeah my Per Welinder.... I've actually never skated that board. I found it helping a friend do an apartment clean out of a tenant that skipped town. It needs trucks and I just never got around to it. Embarrased to say that was like 8 years ago or something.

I had a few Powell boards over the years... my last was a Mike McGill that I had for ever... sadly I don't even know where that ended up. Currently I have a Steve Steadham in the garage that I actually move out of my way more than I ride it. I'm older and rusty :sobbing: I'd hurt myself on a 1/2 pipe lol.

Were in So Cal do you live? I pretty much grew up in SD and lived all over. I went to Mt Carmel HS. Class of 91.

Is the big three in your future?

Yeah might as well since I've gone this far. I'm probably going to relocate my Winch Control Box so when I go get wire for that, i'll get the necessary supplies for the Big 3.

 

[red-runner]

I'm older and rusty :sobbing: I'd hurt myself on a 1/2 pipe lol.

Were in So Cal do you live? I pretty much grew up in SD and lived all over. I went to Mt Carmel HS. Class of 91..

I'm out around El Cajon/La Mesa (Mount Helix). Granite Hills class of 91. I'm an old rusty dude as well. No one under 35 is allowed to skate my ramp, unless their parents skate with them. Old Man Army FTW!

 

[TheeMikeB]

I decided to flush my power steering yesterday after an interesting trip to the smog station on my Corolla.

As part of the smog check the place I go does a quick 'basic inspection' of oils/fluids. The guy came out and said that my trans fluid needed replacing which I knew was getting close to time... no big deal.

BUT the interesting thing he said was that my power steering had 'the wrong fluid in it'. I didn't check when I was there since I was in a hurry and figured i'd go through it at home. When I got home I popped the hood and took a peek... my power steering was filled with BRAKE FLUID!! I was like WTF?? We have had this car for about 2 years bought it used from Concord Toyota as a commuter car, with 27k miles and it now has like 54k on it. So I checked the service records on Toy owners and sure as shit the last 'professional' service was done by Concord Toyota and the service was power steering and brake system flush. So it seams that CT filled my power steering system with brake fluid. Unfortunately it was like back in 2011 and like 30K miles ago so I didn't even bother to call and try and pin it on them.

So I flushed my corolla trans using the return line disconnect method and flushed my ps system doing the drain/refill turn to full lock a bunch of times/repeat method till fluid was nice and clean.

This got me to thinking about my 4runner as I think that was the only fluid I have NOT replaced in it, and since the reservoir is a black can it's hard to see it's color. So I checked mine and it was FILTHY! See here:

GROSS!!

Well now it's filled with some nice clean DEX III and I have little more piece of mind.

 

[TheeMikeB]

MY MWW 3/4 rack showed up today. Me and [MENTION=73865]4Runnin Tahoe[/MENTION] shared the shipping cost since we both live in Walnut Creek.

Arrived well packed as you can see here:

Got it home and unwrapped it:

Prepped it for painting with a little TSP:

Then hung it up in my garage and threw on a few coats of Rustoleum bed liner.

Going to let it dry overnight and prob install tomorrow. Can says 72 hrs before hard use so should be good by the weekend.

 

[TheeMikeB]

Got my [MENTION=77764]Whitson Metalworks[/MENTION] rack mounted up last night. Did a test/practice load of my equipment for my camping trip this weekend @ Gold lake. Going to work out awesome, I was a little worried the 3/4 rack wouldn't be enough rack but after doing a test load I can see it's perfect. Going to free up so much space inside the rig and allow me to keep my seats up.

Didn't get any pics of my test load since it was dark by then, but I'll take some tomorrow when I'm all loaded up.

 

[Whitson Metalworks]

Looks good! You should have no issues piling stuff on it. How about a wind noise report next time you're out, i'm curious. Thanks again!

 

[BoarderDave]

Wow.. that rack fits perfectly. Very nice buy! Looks great. Bet it will work quite well also.

 

[TheeMikeB]

Went up to Gold Lake/Snake Lake with some guys from TTORA last weekend. Loaded up my rack with a tub of camping supplies, chainsaw,6 man tent, 2 chairs and a bbq. There was still plenty of room up there.

No wind noise with this all loaded up... still not sure about empty yet.

Here is a pic of us wheeling heading down to Deer Lake:

Some scenery shots on the way home:

It was hot out heading home and stopped along the Yuba river at this awesome swimming hole area... it was too inviting not to stop for a swim:

 

[tre9er]

Lake a little low there?!? Those boats are in gridlock and the banks exposed

 

[BoarderDave]

Lake a little low there?!? Those boats are in gridlock and the banks exposed

We are hurting for water right now in CA... :moping:

 

[TheeMikeB]

Yes the lake is low (that lake you see there is Bullard Lake), it's bigger than it looks and those are houseboats that are moored there.

Rant on... We are suffering a man made drought due to politics as usual. CA pumped about 81 BILLION gallons of water right out to the ocean in efforts to protect the 'delta smelt' a tiny 3" fish that's on the 'endangered species' list. This decision killed many farm jobs as well as drove up food prices etc... typical politics... rant over here is a good article about it : http://spectator.org/articles/40982/emptying-reservoirs-middle-drought

 

[Granada7]

Love it up there! Right near Downieville if I'm right? Always had good wheeling up there

 

[TheeMikeB]

Love it up there! Right near Downieville if I'm right? Always had good wheeling up there

Yep... about 25 min past Downievill and about 10 past Sierra City, I love all the little lakes out there... we hung out at Deer lake for a few hours while wheeling at lunch and did some swimming... had the whole thing to ourselves.

 

[TheeMikeB]

I finally "mounted" my Scangauge. Was toying the idea with putting it under the stereo head unit in the empty space but sorta saving that for a Ham if I decide to go that direction. Besides it's much easier to read and control while driving.

Used about a 5" piece of Velcro and secured it to the steering g column.