.:-- 4th Annual KY/TN March 2016 Land Between the Lakes Meet--:.

Just trying to get some ideas out there....

 

You're good man lol. We've got 3 months to BS/kill so keep the ideas coming!

 

Lol. I guess I mean REALLY bored.

 

Slacker!!!

 

Yeah, been slacking lately

 

Hopefully I get to play in my truck some this year since I actually have tread on my tires

 

You stock?

Later.

 

Love the tilt-shift effect on this picture. Would be great if we could get this kind of shot again this year.

Later.

 

1 wheel drive equals no play time. Sorry ......... Not sorry.

 

Went and got the parts for my welder this morning and was practicing a little bit because I haven't welded in 2 years, how's this look? I'm asking you because I know you'll be honest. Lol

 

Nope. Just never really done a trail ride. Tore up some hay fields and cow pastures in farm trucks though. (20+ years ago)

 

Didn't you miss the seam? Those pieces don't look fused.

 

I'm planning on being there and I'm close to stock at the moment. (2" lift and tires) Planning on a few changes before March, but no so much I'll be the wildest thing there either. Too many 4wd's destroyed in my younger years.....Now I don't get too brave. Long story short, there'll probably be stockers that'll go places I won't.

 

Just practicing beads lmao

 

Like crap. Looks like your heat is good though. What welder? Mig? With or without gas? Flux core or solid wire if mig? What's your feed rate and heat set on? What thickness metal? Does the welder have a chart on it?

If mig .......

Practice technique. Small loops is the easiest for me. Imagine drawing a cursive E over and over again. You have to find a steady consistent speed. Try and be comfortable where you know that you can stand/sit in one spot and move from side to side in a smooth motion.

Practice pushing and pulling. Tilt the head back to about 45°, pull the trigger and start a puddle. Once you have the puddle then either push it where you want or pull it where you want. It's very important to keep a puddle. This is why moving in a smooth steady motion is so important. If you can control your speed and steadiness then you will be a good welder

 

Just pay attention to the experienced folks and be willing to take criticism and advice. I'll never encourage someone to stay in their safe bubble. Being uncomfortable is what I enjoy most about offroading. But some people are just fine with being outdoors. I got nothing bad for you either way. Just don't tell me you'll do it later, to get out of the present situation, with no intentions of actually doing it later. No need to act like someone you're not.

 

Millermatic 130. Mig w/ gas. Solid wire, feed rate is 40ipm, voltage is on 2 out of 4. Metal that I'm practicing on is .120 wall sq tubing and .120 wall hrew piping.

I'm also doing this while sitting on my knees crouched down in my garage floor, but I'll definitely give the e thing a shot.

 

I'm stock...lookin' forward to meeting you guys!

Later.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be a know-it-all, far from that.....But I've been off roading off and on for more than 40 years. I bought my first truck in 1972 when I first got a drivers license. During the '70's. '80's, and into the '90's, I wore out more trucks than most people ever own. There was a point where I was in the woods 4 or 5 times a week. A couple Jeeps and an early Bronco I had back then were just about as wild of a vehicle as there was to be found in it's day. About 20 years ago, raising a family, building a career, and paying a mortgage took precedent over my hobby. I still owned 4wds, they just worked for a living rather than playing on the weekends. My current ride is the 17th 4wd I've owned. A couple years ago, I decided it was safe to go play again. My wife went 4-wheeling with me for the first time....and she LOVED it. Now I'm getting back into it again. SLOWLY..... For the most part, it's like falling off a log....Picked most of it back up like I'd never been away. There has been a "re-learning curve" in a couple situations (ie, first time I got in really loose sand....etc) But one thing HAS changed....My willingness to hammer the daylights out of my truck isn't quite what it once was. Call that getting older...call it not having the "throw caution to the wind" attitude at this juncture in my life....call it whatever fits. I just don't and won't have the audacity I once had. I'll go 'wheelin', I'll try a few things, but there's a limit as to how much I'm willing to risk damage and abuse. So it's not so much about not knowing what can or can't be done as it is about knowing what I just don't have it in me to tear up a nice truck anymore.....ie...I'm "careful" now days.

 

That post didn't make you sound like you know it all. Just made you sound like you go through a lot of vehicles and you're old .........

I won't tell you my life story but I'm much younger then you and I don't like to tear up my truck either. I also usually do a pretty good job of that while being one of the hardest wheelers. Driver mod. That's all I gotta say.

I will never make fun of someone for not wanting to tear their truck up. You pay for it, not me. Just enjoy yourself. That's all that matters