Hidden Winch Project Finally Finished!!

This is it, finally buttoned up!!

I'm going to finalize the Hidden Winch page, but this was the type of news that makes front page headlines...(in the little world I escape to in my head anyway). 

I still have some work under the hood to devise a way to fully duct the snorkel so that it is water tight. I'd like to have a mechanic peek at my steering linkage, and I'll probably need to have the power steering flushed (primarily because I want to extend the stock hose to allow the reservoir to once again mount in the bracket instead of being strapped to it. 

Minor details.

This, however, was a major milestone in the build of this truck.

Google ME!

Ok, don't actually google "me" as I don't even start to make a blip on the radar until maybe the fourth page. BUT...someone did stumble upon my humble little blog and posted some questions about the Hidden Winch project.

Felt pretty good to be relevant. So I rushed home and made some posts, including this one. Really looking forward to mounting the Shroud this weekend. Fingers crossed that I finish with a stout system.

I also feel that every post should have a picture.

My girl did some work today. We're installing curb and gutter. The electrician's mobile job trailer was in danger (not actual hazard-type 'danger') of being fully bounded by the ensuing concrete pours on an island scheduled to receive landscaping where they had staged it. Unfortunately, the foreman had left with the only truck equipped with a receiver hitch that could move it. The earthwork foreman was leaving but loaned me his 3-ball mount hitch (as my 1-1/4 ball wasn't going to cut it). I literally had to say, "Hey man, my ball isn't big enough. That's emasculating. 

Anyway, here's my girl pulling a full size trailer loaded with electrical gear. Not bad for a mid-size truck. Put her in 4-Lo and away we go. I still suck at backing up a trailer. I should have turned her around once we got to pavement and tried using the front receiver to push it into place with her snout.

-will

I've been busy...

Usually when a guy 'has been busy' it means that things have kept them largely away from whatever their particular past time is. I've been doing my best to tackle a bit of both: those things which keeps one busy and then those pleasant diversions that offer an escape from the hustle and bustle.

The difficulty with working on my various build pursuits is that this truck also is my daily driver which means I can ill afford a mishap or incomplete installation which would prevent usage of the vehicle for mundane activities such as grocery shopping or, you know, going to work.

Well, in the photo above, I've got the winch installed (although still not 'hidden' as I need to devise a custom means of mounting the bumper shroud), the 2" body lift (above and beyond the 2" suspension lift), and the snorkel.

I'll set up build pages for the two new items to cover them in greater depth. I had hoped to take the long holiday weekend to finalize my various build threads, but my wife also eyed this weekend as a good opportunity to visit her folks who recently relocated back to North Carolina. That isn't a bad thing. The whole spirit of this blog is about getting out on the road. The problem that I encountered was that I didn't have enough time to finish the work begun on Friday in time to iron out a few of the kinks encountered before our departure time on Saturday. It was very nerve-wracking not having my truck with us on the trip. Sure, people road trip with lesser-equipped vehicles all the time. Unfortunately, my mind has been fixated on a series of contingency-planning exercises; so, just getting into another vehicle with only modest capability takes a bit of woo-sahing to get back to my prior nonchalant way of life.

We had a good time. It rained, but there were no floods. X on the need for a snorkel. The house wasn't as remote as we had assumed. X on the need for a solid rear axle and 4WD; my wife's selectable AWD and all around independent suspension was sufficient for the highway driving. Our initial route was available and not snarled by traffic. X on the need for the CB radio to communicate with truckers to find alternate routes. It was fine. I enjoyed my wife's company and it was no big deal. But if we travel anywhere further than 4 hours away from home, the truck IS coming :)