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For the rocker panels, I'm probably ahead of the game just by living in a rust-free state. Right now my inclination is not to add more armor, and just drive the van a little more gently. I don't think I will return to this road, it really is too rough for the van. Same with Hogsback Rd near Lassen. It's cool know I can travel on those roads, but there isn't really a good reason to, given the mechanical risk. The most annoying van issue right now is what I think is an exhaust leak. It's extremely engine load dependent kinda rumbly, like an aftermarket exhaust, but with extra droning on the highway. This has been present since around the time I replaced all the suspension. The noise became markedly more annoying during this trip. The hours of freeway to get home weren't great. So, does that sound like an exhaust leak? What's the best way to diagnose it? My first suspect would be the flex hose right before the catalytic converter. No evidence, but that seems like something that would be beaten to poo poo after 21 years, especially when I was offroading with broken engine mounts and worn out suspension. The flex hose is not separable from the catalytic converter, but there is a plenty of pipe in between to cut, and weld on a new flex section. Is that how these are repaired?
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Nov 9, 2021 00:58
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| # ? May 25, 2024 00:51 |
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Darchangel posted:I can't really comment on an aftermarket TPMS from experience, but they can't be terribly difficult to install. The old school ones required strapping a sensor on the the barrel of the wheel inside the tire, but modern systems, including OEM, just use a sensor that incorporated the valve stem. The tire has to have the bead broken, but it doesn't have to be dismounted entirely to install them. There are aftermarket tire pressure systems where the sensor is just the valve stem cap, and there's a little display that plugs into the cigarette lighter. I can't speak to the quality, but I bet you could find a decently reviewed one.
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Nov 9, 2021 02:25
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8===D
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Nov 9, 2021 02:55
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That looks like a great trip. Crazy how hard altitude can hit.ryanrs posted:8===D I feel like there's a comedy here somewhere where you get the TPMS and put together some ridiculously good system for notifying you and then you hit a huge rock and destroy the other rocker panel and as you pull to a halt and turn off the van to check, the light flickers on.
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Nov 9, 2021 03:05
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and nobody has made a joke about needing a rim job yet? for shame
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Nov 9, 2021 05:16
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Darchangel posted:That's a heck of a hit, but looks like it weathered it reasonably well. To add - most off-roaders do this because fixing rocker panels is well nigh impossible. Living in a rust-free state puts you ahead of the game, and its really just cosmetic damage, but IMO you should at least bondo the hole shut and rattlecan over everything. Its theoretically possible water could get trapped in there and rust out the rest of the panel, and/or rust into the van and leak on the floorboards. To add: I have seen another off road van before (I think its a Sienna?), in Prescott AZ. I got this pic and I spoke to the guy briefly, and he said he got his lift/suspension from a place in Utah. Unfortunately this was at least a year ago and I just ran into this guy in the parking lot of Starbucks. Have you thought about a lift kit? Also check out his custom tire carrier. 
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Nov 9, 2021 06:30
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Is … is that mounted to a piece of diamond plate tek-screwed to the body?
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Nov 9, 2021 08:18
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Krakkles posted:Is … is that mounted to a piece of diamond plate tek-screwed to the body? It appears to be also bolted to the trailer hitch.
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Nov 9, 2021 10:22
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Rock sliders would be easy to do and offer you some protection if you encounter more unexpected rocks. They are just like your idea of a 2x4 except made of metal (and generally affixed to some solid spots like the chassis rails on a 4x4). Even a length of something like 20mmx40mmx3mm metal box section would probably save your sills.Safety Dance posted:There are aftermarket tire pressure systems where the sensor is just the valve stem cap, and there's a little display that plugs into the cigarette lighter. I can't speak to the quality, but I bet you could find a decently reviewed one. These are the generic Chinese ones - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284247429968 I have one that cost me £5.99 i think and came on the slow boat. It does work, though 40psi or so is the max it will work reliably too (fine for your car but useless for my truck - but it tells me if one tire gets low) and the sensors will come apart if you bash them too hard and need regluing.
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Nov 9, 2021 11:07
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I'm torn between the likely higher quality of the OEM-style internal sensors and the low price (esp install cost) of the valve cap sensors. e: amazon reviews sorted by date are really not inspiring confidence. ryanrs fucked around with this message at 17:52 on Nov 9, 2021 |
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Nov 9, 2021 17:36
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That's pretty awesome that the brake setup worked as intended! Sucks about the wheel but it was bound to happen eventually. Method beadlocks on order yet?  I would say given your use case you should be putting the tpms sensors inside... Honestly, probably carrying spares of the stem portion (if it's replaceable) too. I've broken valve stems off off-road and if you have any way to break the outer bead - a high lift and your front bumper should do it - and reseat/refill the tire, it can mean not being stranded or otherwise disadvantaged on the trail. I lost a valve stem on a small fallen tree in deep snow and my spare was giving me worse traction, so I swapped the stem out and put the original tire right back on.
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Nov 9, 2021 17:58
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OK, so I'm thinking of this display and Huf RDE014V21 sensors, as suggested by the helpful review. Is there such a thing as wheel/sensor compatibility? Like does the valve stem hole need to be in a special place? Because these 20 year old steelies probably weren't designed with that in mind.
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Nov 9, 2021 18:15
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Krakkles posted:Is … is that mounted to a piece of diamond plate tek-screwed to the body? Looks like a good way to turn a rock/bumper impact into body panel damage. That's a 2.5 gen SIenna (2006-2010), you can tell by the round backup lights. It had a donut spare, so he had to make this device. My 1st gen does not need a tire carrier because it has a full size spare underneath. There's actually a ton of room under there. It could definitely fit something bigger than my 215/75R15 KO2s. Later generation Siennas reclaimed that space for folding the seats, I think. My seats come completely out of the vehicle, leaving a flat floor.
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Nov 9, 2021 20:25
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I think the best repair strategy is to take it to my normal mechanic. This all seems like normal mechanic stuff, and I don't have the specialized tools to do it myself. - tire mounting, tpms sensor install - exhaust leak - windshield replacement Then afterwards, I'll take it to an alignment shop to evaluate how much things were tweaked and if the alignment needs adjusting. (My mechanic doesn't have the machine).
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Nov 10, 2021 03:21
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Hmmm, the black -1 variant looks a lot more like the non-TPMS valve stems on my wheels. The manufacturer says not to use the black one over 210 kph, which won't be an issue, heh. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-rde014  https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-rde014-1 
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Nov 10, 2021 18:15
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Definitely get the rubber style, way less likely to break off if it rubs something.
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Nov 10, 2021 18:27
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honda whisperer posted:Definitely get the rubber style, way less likely to break off if it rubs something. Yeah but only 210 kph
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Nov 10, 2021 21:20
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Elephanthead posted:Yeah but only 210 kph I guess we'll have to cancel the grass only any % Nuremberg speed run. Serious answer: there's got to be a version that would work and haul rear end while having a rubber stem.
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Nov 11, 2021 01:57
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I think the issue is centrifugal force. The metal one has a much more substantial ball joint and carriage bolt. The rubber one has a little self-tapping screw into the brass valve stem. But the rubber sensor looks like a better match for my wheel, and the part number is pretty close to the sensor part number the TPMS display recommends. There is also the possibility of a corrosion issue if I use an aluminum valve stem on a steel wheel. In any case, all parts have been ordered and it's off to the mechanic nov 18.
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Nov 11, 2021 02:27
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ryanrs posted:I have a Milwaukee jacket, but it's kind of overstuffed and doesn't play well with layers. I should give it another try though. This is why the vest is the superior garment.
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Nov 11, 2021 11:07
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ryanrs posted:I need a bumper sticker re. Lady Momentum, Patron Saint of 2WD.
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Nov 13, 2021 19:58
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For a minute there I thought I cracked a lower control arm mount! Nope, just cold worked it a bit. I'll hit this area with zinc paint once it's back from the shop.   Thanksgiving is coming up and I'm going to go somewhere for a 5 day trip. I want to go up north, to Trinity NF, to stalk cute woodland creatures. But if it's going to be rainy/snowing up there, then I'll head south to explore Mojave National Preserve. I should know later this week as the weather forecast converges.
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Nov 15, 2021 19:05
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It's not an exhaust leak. The loud engine noise and droning disappeared when I pulled off the skid plates. I think the problem is that I've bend up the skid plate enough to where it's always in contact with the exhaust pipes, and acts as a sound board to conduct and amplify the engine noise.    This warped skid plate is probably worse than an exhaust leak because I'm not entirely sure how to bend it back. I have a 10 lb sledge hammer, but I'm not sure that would do anything. I also sort of don't want to be sledgehammering sheetmetal in the middle of my apartment complex. That just seems rude. The fabrication shop has a forklift that could maybe be pressed into service somehow?
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Nov 16, 2021 22:22
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Im sure you wouldn't be beating that back into shape for very long. I'd just go for it at whatever seems like thr least impactful time. And you make it the most impactful. Put the edge on a scrap of wood and go to town.
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Nov 16, 2021 22:28
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In the future I'm going to try not to crash into as many rocks.
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Nov 16, 2021 22:34
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Success! I drove down to the marshlands and beat the poo poo out of the plate with my sledgehammer. It was fairly to bend back.ryanrs posted:In the future I'm going to try not to crash into as many rocks. Never mind, I'm totally going to keep crashing into rocks.
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Nov 17, 2021 00:35
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ryanrs posted:Never mind, I'm totally going to keep crashing into rocks. That's the spirit!
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Nov 17, 2021 01:42
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If this happens on a regular basis you should consider if you can brace the skid plate somehow to prevent it from bending - a little rib added across the back with angle iron welded on might do the trick, or at least make it bend half as often but be 3 times more of a pain in the rear end to straighten out again.
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Nov 17, 2021 03:31
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If the rib is on the bottom of skid plate, it gets caught on rocks, making it much harder to slide over obstructions/terrain. If the rib is on the top of the skid plate, then it touches the exhaust pipe anyway. Really the best solution is just to beat on it with a sledgehammer once a year. It took a lot of rocks to bend it up so bad, so it's got a decently long maintenance interval, at least.
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Nov 17, 2021 03:41
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Oh it took a year? Yeah I would just keep beating it back. I meant rib on the top - was thinking you might be able to put one forward and one aft of the problem location if the exhaust has slightly more clearance elsewhere.
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Nov 17, 2021 03:45
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Van's back from the mechanic! New windshield, new spare, and sporting a state-of-the-art TPMS from the 2010 Ford Crown Vic. Pressure sensors appears to update pretty quickly, once a minute or so, even just rolling around a parking lot. I wouldn't be surprised if the sensors went into fast update mode when I air down to 15 psi. I'll see how it behaves on my big trip next week. The tire from the destroyed wheel looks ok, so I guess I'll keep it. Possibly I might get it mounted on a 6th wheel, for the coveted double spare. Just need to bolt the skid plates back on and we're ready to go out again!
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Nov 19, 2021 22:16
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ryanrs posted:Possibly I might get it mounted on a 6th wheel, for the coveted double spare. What's your opinion on duellys?
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Nov 19, 2021 23:14
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My understanding is they are worse offroad. e: Oh wait, can you even get short bed duallies? I think a long bed dually would have taken significant damage on McIver's Cabin Rd. At least the Sienna is good in tight stuff in the trees (seriously, Camry platform turning radius). ryanrs fucked around with this message at 02:08 on Nov 20, 2021 |
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Nov 20, 2021 01:47
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It's always a ton of loving fun when you get a rock wedged between the sidewalls and it shakes you like a paintshaker until it flies out at warp 9 and clobbers something on the car or whoever is following you, depending on their luck But still I recommend a dual front wheel Sienna build
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Nov 20, 2021 02:05
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I think what I need right now are places to go. I am open to anywhere in California, though the extreme ends are quite a drive. I prefer places that aren't developed campgrounds. I like building fires and shooting guns and hunting. With these restrictions, most regional, state, and NPS parks are out. A few state Fish & Wildlife parcels are good, like Tehama Wildlife Area, but not the small waterfowl parcels. National Forests and BLM land are great. Here are some general areas I've been meaning to explore. - Far Northern California, Trinity, Shasta, Lost Coast, where the trees haven't burned yet. Find more squirrel hunting spots. - Deeper into the Mojave. I should check out more of the desert BLM land and Mojave National Preserve. There's also the Colorado desert, but that's a 9 hour drive. - Sierras, but that is more of a summertime thing. I don't trust snow, in general. - Los Padres around Santa Barbara, never been there before. - Modoc? I think it snows there.
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Nov 20, 2021 04:58
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ryanrs posted:I think what I need right now are places to go. I am open to anywhere in California, though the extreme ends are quite a drive. I prefer places that aren't developed campgrounds. I like building fires and shooting guns and hunting. https://www.overlandtrailguides.com/post/mendocino-backcountry-discovery-trail I've drove most of this when I was a teenager, 20+ years ago. Back then it was rumored you could make the loop, but it wasn't like we could Google it  There's a shitload of empty space out on this drive; I think there's a day stretch where there isn't even a gas station. it used to be beautiful, but I have no idea how the areas been impacted by fires. Either way, you should be able to make it through the whole loop pretty easily. There's some side trails around lake pillsbury that are absolutely too much, but they're all (or were) well marked. There can be snow at the top of Hull mountain - I'm not sure how the loop would work if that path is blocked, but you can 100% always get across to 101 through potter valley
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Nov 20, 2021 10:58
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i was gonna recommend the lake pillsbury/mendo natl forest area too. lots of fire roads through there that aren't really maintained, with some nice views. some burned spots, but lots of not-burned stuff too
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Nov 20, 2021 11:34
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Oh yeah, I left off Mendocino NF because I've explored that a fair bit already. e: I could do a meandering trek north, stopping for a night or two in Mendocino, then heading up to Six Rivers, etc. I did that last year, after the 2020 fires burned all my spots in Mendocino NF. But then all the new places I found during that trip burned in 2021. This is why I've also been thinking about the King Range. It's a long way away, but it's probably the least flammable forest in the state. I'd like to get to get to know an area really well, the different seasons, over several years. I haven't been able to do that in other parts of the state because literally every forest I explore burns. 
ryanrs fucked around with this message at 19:42 on Nov 20, 2021 |
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Nov 20, 2021 17:45
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 Screenshot from Minivan GIS to show the extent of the problem. I'm looking for gray squirrel habitat, so mature forest under 5,000 ft elev. Within burned areas, not all trees are burned, especially in deep valleys and other topographically isolated areas. But there is a lot of damage, and a lot of areas burned completely. Some areas burned hot enough to kill all the manzanita roots and sterilize the soil seed bank. The 2020 fire damage can be seen now in Google Earth (not Google Maps). Go to Lake Pillsbury and you can see the burned trees. I don't think anyone has 2021 aerial imagery up yet.
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Nov 20, 2021 21:34
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 So I was checking out some aerial imagery around Lake Pillsbury, and that kinda looks like a beaver dam. I didn't know there were beaver above Scott Dam! I'm not sure, though. I've searched social media in the area, and nobody is posting beaver selfies. Lake Pillsbury gets a lot of recreational visitors, so I'd expect to see some posts. Hunting 2021: We have the beavers on satellite, but aren't getting any hits on social media. As a squirrel hunter, I think maybe shooting a beaver would be like a deer hunter shooting a moose. Oh poo poo, what am I going to do with this huge animal? And you'd have to take care not to damage the pelt, and cutting out the castor glands, so many details. If there are really beaver there, I will e: new rifle not needed, restrictive night hunting laws only apply when hunting raccoons for some reason ryanrs fucked around with this message at 19:12 on Nov 21, 2021 |
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Nov 21, 2021 06:06
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