Got A Work Van On GovDeals Today!

[EastCoastCB]

hey I may not be able to leave sht alone. but i got a shorty now that cruises along the highway at close to 13 MPG.. 65 at 1600 RPM.... And ice-cold air conditioning...

I'll bet EC leaves that van alone... thats his make $$ van now.. doesnt mean he will keep it long though.. rather than mod it.. if he finds something he doesnt liker, he'll flip it for twice what he paid and win an auction on another one for half the price!

-Christopher

You REALLY know my mind, Chris!!!!
Roxy's laughing out loud at that post!

 

[EastCoastCB]

I've used the little non=spray bottle of rain-x for a while now with no negative results. Works as advertised.
For washer fluid I run the CHEAP stuff. Also the cheapest wipers.

 

[EastCoastCB]

Ordered a hitch for the van. $160 with free shipping. Including plug and play wiring and a 2" ball and mount.
Not too bad.
I'm gonna use some Rust Reformer where the hitch mounts on the frame of van, then paint it with a rattle can, just for good measure.

 

[cadillackid]

I havent had any issues with the rain X fluid.. the only washer fluid issues i had in a bus was when I drove the red bus from florida to ohio in december. forgetting that the texas schools filled it with the blue-water stuff which froze and cracked the bottle...

I havent yet found wipers that are wort ha crap to put on the busses.. ive tried several kinds... none are worth anything..
-Christopher

 

[Brewerbob]

I've used the little non=spray bottle of rain-x for a while now with no negative results. Works as advertised.
For washer fluid I run the CHEAP stuff. Also the cheapest wipers.

The RainX fluid does the same thing and save me the effort of doing the wax... because lazy.

 

[Brewerbob]

I havent yet found wipers that are wort ha crap to put on the busses.. ive tried several kinds... none are worth anything..
-Christopher

Is that the wiper blade's fault or the wiper's? I guess mine are pressed pretty tight against the windshield. It takes a decent amount of effort to pull them away from the windshield. Nothing terribly tight but not all loose and floppy. Nobody likes loose and floppy.

On the bus I don't have any complaints about the blades. I don't like the spray pattern at all but I've not driven it enough that I've even gone to look to see what can be done about it. Wheel covers are a bigger priority which I oughta order today since it's payday.

 

[EastCoastCB]

Thought I'd post an update on the van, as its the only vehicle I've had time to mess with much.
Treated the rear frame rails with some rust reformer. Today I'll topcoat with something and tomorrow I'll be putting my hitch on the van.
We spent a couple hours lubing all the latches and hinges as well as greasing that sliding door and its mechanisms. Gotta keep those in perfect order! Cleaned up the interior a bit more, too. I can't believe how much better these ride and drive than the Fords. I've driven quite a few ford vans over the years and have never been a fan. The dodge feels a bit cheaper, more generic, but it has a quality to it that's endearing.
Planning to do the PS pump this week or weekend. Can't find ANY info on how to work on these vans. The upper fan shroud has to come off to access the belt and tensioner. But the oil fill tube and dipstick tube seem to be in my way.
Looking all over for a manual for this thing. All the Haynes/Clymer manuals suck and don't actually even cover this. They just say "remove shroud".

 

[EastCoastCB]

Had a nice afternoon. Got a nap in. Then decided to get the hitch on my van. I've been waiting as I've been treating the frame rails with Rust Reformer and then I primed em with Rusty Metal Primer.
Hitch is on. Odd, there are three holes for the hitch on the frame rails but every hitch available for the van only has two holes on each mounting flange.
Oh well. Its a Curt hitch. They seem to make nice stuff, as the one on my Subaru has been good, and the powedercoating holds up real well.

The bad news is my nearly new trailer has... You guessed it! An ELECTRICAL GREMLIN.
Jeeeezuz. the ban of my existence, electrical problems!
one light on the three light middle bar on the rear, just a marker light really, its not on. The turn signals aren't working. One of the side parts of one tail light not lighting up. But brake lights and running lights are working.
I thought maybe it was the dodge's wiring. But it was one of the nice, easy Hopkins wiring plug and plays that goes right into the factory dodge harness connector.
Put the trailer on the subaru and its the same. Its been a few weeks since I checked my trailers lights. Glad I did tonight.
Trailer is a couple months old Triple Crown. Its under warranty but I'd have to tow it to Ocala. Not my favorite drive. I'll see if I can fix it tomorrow.
One thing after another these days.

 

[cadillackid]

wonder if water got into one of the lights.. but almost sounds like maybe a ground wire screw just isnt in tight to the frame.. or if the trailer is supposed to get its ground through the ball instead of an actual wire in the harness? (I hated old trailers that liked to ground through the ball.. it never worked for crap
-Christopher

 

[EastCoastCB]

Water is very possible. I had to drive with it through a BAD rain yesterday.
AFAIK all the lights on the trailer were working normally until I got caught in that downpour.
But I only discovered this tonight. I'll limp it through mowing tomorrow, and then I'll take it to Ocala tuesday. I RARELY use warranties but I paid top dollar for this trailer and the lights are pretty chintzy so I wouldn't be surprised if they'd crapped out already.
They'll almost surely try to sell me their sealed led lights, which it should come with outright.
I'll get them at Rural King for half their price if that's the case.
WHy would one light in the 3 light marker bar be out but not the other two?
That's what's making me thing its probably just the result of cheapo lights that got super wet while in use.

 

[EastCoastCB]

Another afternoon of fixing electrical gremlins complete!
My trusty multi-meter saved the day again! I love this thing.
I was able to test and see that I was getting proper voltage up until the tail lights themselves. So I upgraded to some LED's I got at Tractor Supply. Now I have MUCH brighter, more durable, waterproof tail lights!
One of these days I'll be able to just go out and MOW!

 

[Tango-SKO]

For some reason I'm thinking your mower might have a cup-holder.

 

[EastCoastCB]

It does, but why?
I've never used the cupholders on mowers for anything. All they do is get your drink all hot and dirty while shaking it up.

 

[Tango-SKO]

Just don't run across that many people who sound anxious to "go out and mow" unless there was some other reward involved

 

[EastCoastCB]

Just don't run across that many people who sound anxious to "go out and mow" unless there was some other reward involved

oh, lol I rarely ever drink. But when I do have some beers, I definitely don't enjoy a hot, dusty, shaken one off a mower!
I've just had so many problems lately, I've been behind on my business. Need to get out and mow some yards ASAP!

 

[cadillackid]

that multi-meter saved our "A**" when we were working on your wipers.. glad you got the lights fixed.. and more knowledge for you in electrical troubleshooting too!!
-Christopher

 

[EastCoastCB]

that multi-meter saved our "A**" when we were working on your wipers.. glad you got the lights fixed.. and more knowledge for you in electrical troubleshooting too!!
-Christopher

Yeah, what a great gift that multi-meter has been. I'll have to thank John again! And you Chris, because I'd still be trying to get my wipers working were it not for you!
Gettin better all the time!
I was so happy when I saw 12+ volts at the rear of the trailer! I knew it was the lights themselves then.
As far as I can tell they just were so cheap they rattled to death in a month of use. The bulbs were there, non were blown. But some were out of their holders and even after putting them back in and making sure everything was good they wouldn't work. Running lights only.
So now I've got fancy LED's and its the first time I've actually gone with LED lights of any kind ever. I'm an incandescent man, but this called for drastic action! BIG improvement!

 

[cadillackid]

thats enough to write the trailer company and tell them what a POS their lights were.. as dangerous as it is to have no lights on a trailer. .esp in the rain at night.. one would think they would spend some money on that..

but hey now its fixed right!!! way to go at it!! when something breaks.. you UPGRADE!

-Christopher

 

[EastCoastCB]

thats enough to write the trailer company and tell them what a POS their lights were.. as dangerous as it is to have no lights on a trailer. .esp in the rain at night.. one would think they would spend some money on that..

but hey now its fixed right!!! way to go at it!! when something breaks.. you UPGRADE!

-Christopher

Their response when I called told me all I needed to know.
I had followed the wires from the vehicle all the way back almost to the lights, and came in for a smoke session in the ac to cool down. I called Triple Crown and said my month or two old trailer's lights were acting up. Guy instantly insists they send me "a new light". I was merely inquiring about the lights, not even suggesting the lights themselves were bad. But he was INSISTENT and hurried to get my name and info to send me "a new light". They know how shite the lights on these trailers are.
He couldn't get me off the phone fast enough.
I couldn't get to Tractor Supply fast enough! Got my led's, made them fit with some moped engineering skills, and presto- problem fixed.
I called a buddy who has a trailer from these guys and he said he had to replace the lights almost immediately.
I'm no electrician, as you all know. But IMHO their wiring looks amateur at best. I may have to re-do that sooner rather than later.
But I'm just happy to have a work van, trailer, and mower at the moment!

 

[BlackJohn]

Who knew your new best friend would be a multimeter CB?
Congrats on gaining some confidence to use it when these gremlins appear.
How's that mower doing that had the clutch pto problem?
I helped you celebrate that victory from afar.
Tough day changing plugs and wires here on van. Both front wheels had to come off along with the doghouse inside. The it took 32" of extensions on my ratchet to get at them. Good motor but poor design on the 4.3L Vortec.

It really is nice to see you guys tackling some jobs you thought were otherwise beyond your knowledge levels.

Keep up the good work friend.

John