NorthernWoodsman
Adventurer/tinkerer
Any updates?
1997 Cummins Towho/Expo
- Thread starter blakeape
- Start date
So this ole' beast is finally getting some love. I got a set of custom made National (I think) leaf springs off a friend. He had them on a 2002 Cummins but went to some Alcans when he built a custom camper. I'm sure you'll see it here someday. Anyway, I have the springs installed but am waiting on some 2.5 inch blocks and new U-bolts to put the rear together. I plan on reinstalling my Airbags but now I should only use them for extra load capacity instead of the 2-3 inches of lift I got out of them by running them at 50psi at all times before. These should ride much nicer and I no longer have the 5.5 inch tall block and associated axle wrap. I fixed a broken fuel tank strap, adjusted my door hinges to hopefully cancel some rattles and yanked the bed. My bed is failing and I have to ratchet strap the bed sides together to get the tailgate shut. I want to build a flatbed but am leaving for a trip to Moab on April 7th and might have to slap the old box on for now my bigger priority is a 2 tanks heated system to run the truck on waste vegetable oil. The tank will go where my spare tire was and is almost done.
And her moving a shed I helped a friend build last fall.
And her moving a shed I helped a friend build last fall.
I know my post is a little redundant, but I am copying and pasting it from pirate.
The truck got some love in the last few months. I installed a used set of National springs in the rear. I went from a 6 inch block to a 2.5, the ride is significantly improved, I now run the airbags at 10psi when empty instead of 50psi to achieve the lift I want. I also installed a 32 gallon auxiliary fuel tank where the spare tire was. The tank is an aluminum boat fuel tank that I cut in half and had a friend tig weld and end cap on. It is for my 2 tank veggie oil conversion but can run diesel too if I run out of grease, The tank is heated by engine coolant and just work great on a 2000 mile round trip to Moab. The WVO system works well and is controlled my a series of valves and a brain. Basically the system starts on diesel, gets warm, switches to WVO, then switches back to diesel before you shut it off to purge the fuel lines of WVO. I am very happy with the system and went 994 miles on 9 gallons of diesel on my way to Moab before I ran out of WVO and had to start buying diesel. If I had filtered more before I left I would have gone farther.
A flatbed is in the works too. I have to ratchet strap the bedsides together to get the tailgate shut and the stock box leaves little room for extra stuff when the camper is in.
The truck got some love in the last few months. I installed a used set of National springs in the rear. I went from a 6 inch block to a 2.5, the ride is significantly improved, I now run the airbags at 10psi when empty instead of 50psi to achieve the lift I want. I also installed a 32 gallon auxiliary fuel tank where the spare tire was. The tank is an aluminum boat fuel tank that I cut in half and had a friend tig weld and end cap on. It is for my 2 tank veggie oil conversion but can run diesel too if I run out of grease, The tank is heated by engine coolant and just work great on a 2000 mile round trip to Moab. The WVO system works well and is controlled my a series of valves and a brain. Basically the system starts on diesel, gets warm, switches to WVO, then switches back to diesel before you shut it off to purge the fuel lines of WVO. I am very happy with the system and went 994 miles on 9 gallons of diesel on my way to Moab before I ran out of WVO and had to start buying diesel. If I had filtered more before I left I would have gone farther.
A flatbed is in the works too. I have to ratchet strap the bedsides together to get the tailgate shut and the stock box leaves little room for extra stuff when the camper is in.
I wouldnt mind checking out your truck? I am in Bozeman. I had a F-350 for 3 years before i sold it. burned VO and saved TONS on road trips. I am in Bozeman.
I am in Columbia falls up by Kalispell. PM me if you are ever coming up this way and we'll get together.
Jake
24HOURSOFNEVADA
Expedition Leader
I love Cummins, hate the Dodge front end. Your 4Runner looks good too.
Your winter kayak pics made me laugh. It reminded me of a buddy that dropped in after a nice snow storm. He dropped in about 100 yards above the water line and thought sledding his kayak to a wet entry would make for a fun ride. He did well and stayed vertical until about five feet from the water line where rolled it on his side and took a rock to his face. The momentum and speed carried him into the water. He survived that one with a great scar and some serious laughs. He even finished paddling that day.
Sadly he didn't survive a ultralight accident a year later. He was a great friend and a good adventure buddy that I think about often and miss. Thanks for the pics.
Your winter kayak pics made me laugh. It reminded me of a buddy that dropped in after a nice snow storm. He dropped in about 100 yards above the water line and thought sledding his kayak to a wet entry would make for a fun ride. He did well and stayed vertical until about five feet from the water line where rolled it on his side and took a rock to his face. The momentum and speed carried him into the water. He survived that one with a great scar and some serious laughs. He even finished paddling that day.
Sadly he didn't survive a ultralight accident a year later. He was a great friend and a good adventure buddy that I think about often and miss. Thanks for the pics.
Thanks for the compliments, I am very sorry to hear about your friend. I have lost 3 good friends to water and think about them often. I have definitely scaled back the risks I take kayaking, skiing, dirt biking, etc. I actually just ordered a stand up paddle board. I am looking forward to being challenged on water, but not scared for my life. Kind of like the whole expo vs rock crawling idea.
Finally started my flatbed. Never really wanted one but they make a lot of sense and give a lot more storage space with a camper on. My stock box was really getting rough too, it needed a ratchet strap to shut the tailgate. I mounted the front with some 1/2" grade 8 bolts through some spring to give a little compression and allow some flex.
Thanks, I am using 14 gauge tread plate steel for the deck and some 14g smooth for skirts, boxes and misc. I haven't totally decided on how to attach the camper yet but something will come to me. Eventually I will probably build or buy a couple boxes for the top of the flatbed, but for now I will make some removable sides and tailgate. It will also be getting a swing-out tire carrier so I can carry a full size spare.
My truck has a B&W turnover goose neck hitch that is attached directly to the frame so I am building a hatch with a cover around the hitch, you can kind of see it behind the grinder and plasma in this pic. I got my stake pockets and receiver tube for my removable rack welded in them started slapping down the tread plate. Its going well, but it all takes time. Tomorrow will be a big day because I need to put the camper on and take off for a kayaking/rafting trip to the Lochsa river with my wife on Friday afternoon
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