Moving right along

Over the past week, I have been doing some tire inspection stuff. I had had the air pressure checked on the rears and it was down..to do it properly, a shop needs to remove the duallies, so it is not a job por moi....anyway, they needed air and in the doing so, it was suggested that I might be getting 'cupping' on my front tires. This is a result of poor or weak shocks, and then the tires bounce as the vehicle is driven. I had had the front shocks changed out last year when I had the suspension work done at Canada Spring, so I think I have addressed that. However, to be sure, I have had a full inspection and front end alignment checked at Kal Tire in Burnaby. All was in perfect order and they rotated the tires just to move the cupped ones to the rear. There was no excessive wear and nothing to worry about, but...it was noted that one of the left rear calipers had been 'tagged'..jargon for having been damaged by a rock or some other sticking up in the road piece of shit. The brake then was not working properly, causing the pad to wear excessively. The answer is to get that repaired and sooner rater than later.  The Kal Tire shop suggested a whole shebang change...What was thought to be needed and ultimately what was really required was a bit different. Odd, how that happens...the shops seem to often have lots more stuff..read $$ than might really be required. Golly...how surprised am I? At any rate, while visiting my friends in Maple Ridge, Brian, who is an actual, honest to God, Ford wrench puller offered to take care of the problem. Took a good look at the rears and decided that calipers (that one that had been damaged) and pads would do the trick. Oddly enough, didn't need those pesky rotors...and the extra 2.5 hours of major major work, to do get at and replace them. Pull the axle, replace all the rear diff seals, one and on and on.....

This is where it gets 'see, I told you so-ishy'.....he, the mecanicky guy, was bending over and around and had put his cel phone in his chest pocket..and I observed that this was trouble looking for a whole to drop into. He laughed...and ten minutes later, while reassembling the calipers, off pops the most important socket of the whole works....down, down, down....we had to pull that iron manhole grate off, from under the wheel..slide it over, use a magnet on a rod to finally get the socket..and then slide the grate back over, all from the prone position.



 



Some pics from the drive up to Hope.



 

I have a favorite camp spot on the Hope-Princeton Highway. Just east of the park boundary, off by the Similkameen River. Normally you can drive most anything in to the river side but this time, it was awfully soft. I almost needed the 4 wheel drive to manage.

 A Memorial was set up for 'Mom and Jim'....

Driving around yesterday, needed fuel and found myself in the middle of a sales contest..two guys selling this canned wax. They offered to show me on the hood of the truck...holy crap...does it ever work. So, yes, I bought two cans...they thru in a an extra micro-cloth...what else could \I do!


 Here is a link to their site....

http://www.fw1canada.com/fw1-4-cans/



And this is a review. Guy bought his at Costco.

http://www.autos.ca/forum/index.php?topic=79902.0

Made a great supper stew in my Dutch oven..damn, it was tasty.