Heading west. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

t walgamuth · #1 05-31-2016, 05:04 PM

Had the dodge at the shop a week back and got the new used rear end installed and the AC repaired.

Today heading out for an extensive western tour and immediately it is apparent that the AC is out to lunch. So I called my Indie and alerted him. We showed up ten minutes later with the trailer attached. He had us pull it right up through his parking area at an angle to get the front of the truck close to the garage. Found a place it might be leaking on the (dryer?....its a thing that looks like a fat black pickle with a couple lines coming off it).

We're in Galesburg Il now and its working like a charm. Galesburg has a lovely downtown with many late 1800 and early 1900 buildings. It appears to have a college (Knox?) as well.

We are meeting up with Lovely daughter #1 later and her family who left yesterday. They posted a fun picture on facebook of my Son in law making cappuccinos in a rest stop where he plugged into their 110 in exchange for a cappuccino!

My daughters label of the picture was "roughing it in Illinois, when you need a cappuccino you need one!"

Cheers!

(Never fear, We have plenty of Bourbon for tonight's respite.)

kerry · #2 05-31-2016, 07:10 PM

Where in the West are you heading?

INSIDIOUS · #3 05-31-2016, 10:44 PM

IL 'is' west of IN

He has arrived

TwitchKitty · #4 06-02-2016, 09:00 AM

The AC worked great on my 1991 Ford pickup for years until one day it didn't. I downloaded a parts diagram for the system so I could find all of the O-rings and check them. I replaced the factory crimped hoses and bought a compressor kit. Converted from R12 to R134 at the same time. Have not had to add refrigerant since, about two years. May go back to R12, probably not, works great. Spent around $250 or so.

I am due for a road trip. I collected a set of road maps that predate the Interstate System. It would be fun to take what is left of the old roads. Have fun.

t walgamuth · #5 06-02-2016, 12:19 PM

We're in the middle of south Dakota today. We'll camp tonight and next in the black hills, then on to yellowstone and will probably swing through utah on the way back. Some pretty cool stuff there.

Night before last we stayed on a corps of engineers campground next to the mississippi dam an dlocks near the quad cities. Nice campground for $20 per night and they sold us a seniors national pass which will work at national parks and other us stuff for $10 for life.

While there we saw a female snapping turtle laying eggs and a squashed leopard and bull frog smashed in the driveway. the dog tried to wallow in the remains! yuck!

Truck is running like a dream. the trailer is very stable in cross winds. Yesterday runnign 68 I got a tick under 12 mpg. today with a small tailwind I'm driving 69 and am looking at about 13 mpg.

The daughter and SIL are running a tundra half ton pulling an 8000# fifth wheel with tires that only require 40# pressure on the truck....seems undertired to me.

kerry · #6 06-02-2016, 12:22 PM

The National Park senior park is one of the best things about getting old in the USA.

t walgamuth · #7 06-03-2016, 10:47 AM

It is great!

We drove through South Dakota yesterday. The terrain is mostly rolling with loads of enormous pasture areas seemingly under cowed at least by indiana standards. The cows are up to their bellies in the long luscious grass. Does it get dry there and the grass stop growing? (Trying to figure out why there weren't more cows in the fields.)

Further west it got very flat but I enjoyed looking at all the different land forms and ways of farming. (I must have some farmer instincts having grown up around it)

Toward the late afternoon we took a small detour through the badlands. My Mrs. loves stuff like that. Toward the end of our little trip through we crossed over a cattle drive over gate. I thought Hmmmm, cattle in a national park? Then we stopped at an over look and soon spotted about 20 or 30 mountain sheep grazing, sitting and digesting and some youngsters scampering around. they run up and down on the sides of hills....amazing!

Then we got in the car and went along a bit further, looking out the right side at the sheep and suddenly I noticed to our left about a dozen Bison lying and digesting. They were chewing their cud just like a cow. Astonishing animals!

As it was getting dark we arrived at the Mystery mountain campground. My daughter had reserved our site next to hers so i drove right to it and pulled in (with some difficulty as the steepness of the driveways reminded me of the Hillbilly golf in Gatlinberg!) I dragged the frame of the trailer on the edge of the concrete pad getting on the site. Now I realize it would have been a piece of cake if I'd backed in instead.

The manager came over on his Gator and gave me a hard time because I did not check in before pulling on the site.

But the campground is lively with lots of tall pine trees. Probably will do some hiking today. Lovely cool and sunny weather. i am thinking we must be fairly high altitude here judging by the weather and my lack of stamina climbing the hilly terrain. I just asked and its about 5000 feet here.

kerry · #8 06-03-2016, 11:33 AM

We stopped at Little Big Horn last fall. Worth a stop if you're heading further West.

ILUVMILS · #9 06-03-2016, 12:11 PM

Pictures would be nice Tom, just sayin'........

David Wilson · #10 06-03-2016, 03:32 PM

If you go through Cody and have a couple hours to kill. There is a fantastic museum to visit. William Cody museum of the west. Might be named something different now. Went there in 05. Will be going again in August.

kerry · #11 06-03-2016, 04:17 PM

If you go back across northern Nebraska on Highway 20 there is a fantastic fur trade museum in Chadron. Could be the best on in North America. It's better than the one in Ottawa, I know for sure. Also, you could spend some time in Valentine and rent some canoes for a day and paddle one of the nicest rivers in the US, the Niobrara. Good camping at Smith Falls State Park. You could camp in the park and then paddle down the river from the wildlife refuge put-in to your campsite. Nice day's paddle. Kids would love it if you have kids with you.
Personally, I'd far prefer driving highway 20 than the interstate across southern South Dakota.

t walgamuth · #12 06-04-2016, 05:53 PM

I'll check highway 20 out on the way back!

Today I am writing from the library in Buffalo Wyoming. (Dick cheney's stomping grounds). Today the terrain changed again and now the grazing areas are becomming patchy with rocks protruding from the greenery. there are Pronghorns grazing nonchalently alongside the domestic cattle.

The Rockies are in the distance with substantial snow cover on display. whenever I see them I think of you fellows who live in Colorado.

Yesterday afternoon we went into Jewell cave. It was an hour and 20 minute guided tour. the cave was cool (and cool 49 degrees). It is a complete and extensive system which is gradually being explored. i really liked the metal platforms and stairways. Everything was up to snuff codewise except some of the sloped areas were too steep. It was constructed in 1972 according to the Guide, though it looked like it was built yesterday.

We stopped in Custer on the way back to the campground and ate at a little place which had fabulous food. I had the best Buffalo burger ever by two times. Little red potatoes too and great leafy condiments. I also had a lovely dark beer from Belgium.

On the way home we stopped at Mount Rushmore. The actual heads are so high up they are sort of a disappointment but the museum and the films of its construction are so magnificent that there is no disappointment. it is all very well designed functionally and built of quality materials.

We'll be stopping for the night shortly. tomorrow we'll drive through Yellowstone and camp on the far side. (Don't ask why).

t walgamuth · #13 06-06-2016, 09:21 PM

The picture added shows us at the snow line in the mountains....right before the tranny started acting up.

Yesterday in the mountains northeast of yellowstone, the transmission began doing funny things.....like not wanting to engage a different gear, grinding going into sixth and so forth. I was hoping it was just the slave cylinder gone south but this morning when I went to take it in to get it checked out it locked up and I had to rock it out by putting it in reverse then first.
so I got it in and they pulled the drain plug on the tranny and found nasty bronze parts apparently the synchro on sixth gear packed it in.
So now I am hoping to find a decent used six speed to fit the 03 dodge 2500 with cummins withing driving distance of yellowstone.
I talked to my favorite machinist and he said one should not tow in overdrive. I have always done so since it did not address the subject in the owners manual. Apparently the gear rides on needle bearings and does not get adequate oil, then the synchro comes apart due to too much movement.
anybody have a good used tranny?

anybody heard not to tow in sixth overdrive?