Half Drop

Since a month and a half (or so) back, when I got started, I've been collecting parts...

Before I mount up the new rims and tires, I wanted to get it aligned. Before I got it aligned, I wanted to replace the tie rod ends, ball joints and struts. While I'm at it, I wanted to drop it down just a bit. Auto Zone had a deal going on for struts, buy two and get the 2nd one half off. Not bad. Of course, no one has them in stock, so I had to mail order them. Rock Auto had about the best prices around for Moog suspension components, so they got my business for that. Dropped springs, I ended up buying from some place I'd never heard of before, but they had the best price on about the only brand that you can actually get anymore.

Most of the stuff came pretty quick, except for the front struts. Auto Zone sends me a message a couple days after I'd ordered them saying there was going to be a little delay. OK, no big rush. A couple weeks later, and they still haven't shown up. Got in touch, and they say so sorry, we don't have them in stock, and the manufacturer doesn't know when they will make anymore. Nice. I start shopping around. Amazon has a vendor who's got one on closeout for cheap. Sold!!! Only problem, the key word there is one. Look around some more, and Rock Auto has some on clearance for around twice as much, but still it comes out to a decent price altogether. Last Friday I head over to my parents house to try and get it all together. Start on the passenger side, and after pulling it apart, I'm getting ready to put the new spring onto the new strut. I open up the box from Rock and go to put it together, and discover that the strut is already pretty worn out, it would seem. It didn't automatically extend, and had very little resistance to movement. Huh. It looked pretty clean, but the top threads look discolored, and it has a hex drive for the shaft instead of a torx. I suspect someone returned their old one. I pull out the Amazon one, and it's much better. Put that side together, and it's around the end of the work day already.

I had to work the next day, but afterwards I found an Auto Zone that has a strut in stock, and swung by there and picked it up. It was late by the time I finished it, but got it wrapped up in time to get the spring compressor and the inner tie rod tool returned. Still have rear end to do, but it should be half the job of what the front was. It pulls to the left, but everything feels tight!!!

Not a huge drop, but I wasn't going for that anyway. You can also see in the final shot the black replacement fender.

More to come...

Haulin'

Or, "Will it Fit: Mobile Edition"

Last Friday we stopped in to a Goodwill store, and there was a fine looking recliner. Great condition, and a great price. On Christmas I had been lamenting that another Christmas come and gone, and still no new recliner. Of course, with the three of us, there was no room to haul it. Headed back the next day, but in the interim, came across a futon!!! My younger has been wanting one for quite a while. I actually told my parents that if they could find a good used one, he'd like that for Christmas, but once again, no dice. See, I was hoping that would happen, as they have better equipment for hauling.

So, him and I took Scruffy out there the next day, first stop where the futon was. Brought along much rope with the thought of, if it'll fit, hang it out the back and strap the hatch down with rope, a la the water heater adventure. Try as we might, it was a big no go for that, too. Headed over to the Goodwill, and picked up the recliner, which of all amazements, fit!!! As I had thought, it has to be in a reclined position, but that's all.

Called up my dad and asked if I could borrow his Trail Blazer. Don't think I'd made mention, but he got a Trail Blazer. Someone turned left in front of him in his Durango around a year ago and totaled it. The Trail Blazer is its replacement, and a fine machine. He took it off road a few months back for the first time in 29 Palms along with my mother, and they managed to get turned off the trail onto a crossing dry streambed, so they did do some trail blazing!!! Anyway, they got stuck in the loose sand and ended up spending the night in the desert, and found the cargo area to be lacking in length to sleep in. Thus, when I asked to borrow it to haul a futon, they said they didn't think it would fit inside. Well, still have ropes and tie downs, one way or the other, we got this. Well, surprise!!! Just a little tilt, and it fit in without any trouble!!! I took this picture and sent it to my dad with the message, "Don't know what your problem is!!!"

This last shot is the recliner again, only with no flash. It's a little fuzzy, but I liked the look!!!