The Wild Crow - Flight Preparations

Good luck on the shakedown cruise! I don't think you ever stop tweaking the package, but that's what makes it fun. Enjoy!

 

Thank you sir

 

Two small modifications down.

Added the Unifilter to that, that, that, whatever you call it thing on the passenger side. You know the one that eats its own filter after a while and costs a bunch to replace. Hopefully I've kept that from happening with this:


Also added the HD TechDeck. Haven't gotten the other parts to hang our phones from but that'll be ready enough to add later

 

Let me know how the Tech Deck thingy works out as when I get a GPS or at least for my phone it may be handy

 

Here, I did a thing, finally....Here is a brief photo synopsis of our 9 Day GWNF trip (linky to it's thread)

Campsites


Rocks


Different Rocks


Fire Towers

 

Need to add Westmoreland St. Park to your trip list he he

 

Added!

 

Jumpin! Jack Flash, it's a Gas Gas Gas

Two full days. Lots of swearing, some busted knuckles, and a couple of Homer Simpson "Doh!" moments and it's in - despite the rain and cold. The 34 gallon Long Range Automotive gas tank is in. And the truck still runs!

I'll apologize now for a lack of photographs, this took two 8 hour days to do - I'm slow, I know, but pausing to take pictures and I'd still be out there swearing....


I've had it for months, it's been lying in the garage waiting for the right time. Here I am with a few days off work and there's the plan. Install that tank!

Unwrapped and ready. Notice that front bracket? It's bent, had to be during shipping, but what can I do at this point but bend it back flat....







Disconnecting the old stuff was painful, fat hands, fat arms, fat head means you can't see, reach, or twist turn connections to disconnect. This clip on the fuel pump for example.....I had to push that clip with a screwdriver (by feel not sight) and Beth had to pry it up with another screwdriver from the other side to break it free


The old gas tank came out


and I proceeded to install the URD fuel pump upgrade (in case I get a supercharger....but also to get a replaceable inline filter). URD's instructions are awesome. Well written and lots of pictures!


I'd like to say the install of the new tank was easy peasy, but I'd be lyin'. The instructions are just large blocks of words. Sentence after sentence (paragraphs you say?) no pictures, no real detail. I read and reread and rereread. Ultimately, what really helped was pictures provided by @paranoid56 on the 34 Gallon Fuel Tank thread. A great big THANK YOU! to P56! I wouldn't have had such success without you!

Raising and lowering the tank multiple times to get the fuel lines right - seems the URD kit and the LRA tank don't like each other much but we got the lines run and the filter filtering. The brackets on the outside were relatively easy to bolt up. The front bracket wasn't bad. That rear bracket though! It's that slightly L shaped bracket in the tank picture. It's a pain to install. The tab mounts onto the OE tank strap hanger. The only way it mounted flat is the way I chose - but the tank holes didn't line up so I had to drill new ones and even then the OE bracket made it almost impossible to get the bolt and nut on. Here's me struggling to do so, one arm was wrapped over the exhaust with that index finger wedged between two brackets in a not comfortable fashion to hold the nut still long enough to start the bolt.....


Once that was done everything got buttoned back up and I put 5 gallons or so back in. (BTW at 5 gallons the truck read absolute "E" on the gauge) Truck fired right up!


I'll let you know how things work out but so far, the first fillup and the Ultragage reads 523 miles to empty......of course it puked down the side of the truck at shut off - so I'll need to figure that one out.....later......

 

Congrats James thats quite an undertaking it's a good thing you have a lovely asst. Now that's a mod that should really help you both reach your goals for the extended travel. 523miles that's quite an exstension. Cool and good pics also Buddy

 

lol told you that install is kinda a bitch. as for puking, check that vent hose.

 

Looks good. Wouldn't mind having one myself but not high on the priority list right now.

 

You mean the big vent hose to the charcoal canister, right? I initially cut about 3 inches off of it judging from your picture showing it kinked (bed off) that may not have been enough. ....

 

yea, that little thing would make my fuel pour out when filling. But i was only able to see the kink by taking the damn bed off.

 

Just for kicks gets some shots of the inside of the gas tank. I took these before installation...






On a secondary and unrelated note. My Baja Design flood lights had to be removed in order to pass inspection.......10 minutes tops to remove them.......10 minutes tops to reinstall.....

 

Next time just stretch a socl over them. It's easier. Do you have an SWR meter?

 

Couldn't really get away with that at the time. I was over a month and the dude said if they aren't there I'll pass it. So they disappeared...

No, but I could stand to borrow one

 

I put a Cb on the old Christmas/ birthday wish list. If I get it we'll just have to have us a little tuning party I'm sure somebody has one I can borrow. I hope y'all are well long time no see

 

Sounds good! We're all good here hope all y'all are too.

 

We're fine once we got past Christie's heart procedure, which scared the shit out of me. She's all good now. I'm in work therapy but the prognosis from the Doc and therapy isn't very promising for me to return to doing what i was doing so I may end up being retrained to do something else. The uncertainty of all this is unsettling to me.

 

Wait? What happened? What'd we miss? Heart procedure!?