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Old 09-02-2021, 04:33 PM   #41
JRTJH
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That deck looks great and I'm sure you're proud of it (now that it's done) LOL

Earlier this summer, DW got the "brilliant idea" that she wanted to rip up the carpet in the "snow globe" (the 24x26 glass room on the back of our house). She decided that laminate (like she talked me into installing in the rest of the house) was what she wanted. So, the "Independence Day Sale at Lowe's found her tossing away my independence....

Ripping up the carpet and pad was fairly easy and I just hooked a strap to it and dragged it out of the house with the tractor. Once out, it was easy to use the forks on the front end loader to move it to its "final resting place"...

THEN CAME THE BEATINGS !!!!! Up and down, over to the workshop to cut each section of laminate and back (on my poor knees) to put it in place and measure the next piece... The "long runs were easy, but cutting the ends and the start/finish runs was not the same... I've still got "calluses on my knees" and that's even with wearing gel knee pads all day, every day of that ordeal....

Next project for me is to finish the retaining wall on the hill down by the lake. It's not a difficult job, but lots of "rebar spikes" (homemade nails to be more precise) to cut and then holes to drill to pound them in with a sledge hammer. Before that's over, I'll be proficient in building a railroad since I'm using RR crossties as the timbers for the wall.....

I never thought I'd say this, but I'm thinking that when winter gets here, I can slow down, sit in the snow globe and watch the white stuff swirl around outside.... That might be just the break I need... Nah, then I'll be shoveling that stuff.... Hmmmmm what was that about retirement being a time to relax and enjoy what we worked so hard to achieve ?????
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Old 09-03-2021, 08:34 AM   #42
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Wow, that looks like a really uncomfortable job! I like the Trek but was concerned when I built out deck that the stuff gets real hot and retains that heat so bare feet and puppy feet would be scorched. It does look great and likely holds up a lot better than pressure treated lumber.
I have had issues kneeling down for a long time, so actually being able to stand on the ground and just throw a leg over the joists as I moved along, to me was a lot easier than being on top of the deck as I put the next board down. And you are correct, the type of decking does get very hot when it's in direct sunlight. We bought a deck umbrella to put on it with a water/sand filled base that is right at 200 lbs....so pretty stable. And yes, the Trex should out live me...or at least I'll be at the age that I really won't care anymore....25 year warranty

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Old 09-03-2021, 09:04 AM   #43
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I struggle with the bolded part almost every day. I still enjoy the "solitude" of being on a creeper under a truck and today's trucks have enough clearance that it's actually comfortable under there... My fifth wheel has even more clearance than the truck, so taking a nap under the trailer is not just a "remote possibility"... That said, the "mentality of giving up my independence to a younger mechanic" is the part I struggle with more than anything else in the decision making process... At my age, it takes me longer to do a job, but the biggest hurdle, at least for me, is how much longer it takes to "recover" from the physical challenges of "overworking"...It often hurts more the next day than it does while doing the job.. LOL

About 5 or 6 years ago, I was "sliding off the roof of my trailer (like I'd always done) rather than use the ladder. "Just jump off, it's easier and faster"... On the way down, in that half second that I was in the air, my mind "flew through the possibilities" and I came to the conclusion that I'm getting too old to do this..... The potential to break an ankle, twist a knee or worse were all images I saw in that half second or airtime.... Since then, I've used the ladder to get off the roof. That's just one of the "concessions" I've made through the years, but I'm not about to "concede my youth to someone younger," at least not quite yet.....

But, yeah, sometimes it's not as much fun to do the dirty work as it is to just crawl under there and look at things and watch the rust form... LOL

Anyone getting older needs to really heed the portion in red above. As we age our resilience drops quickly and significantly all while we aren't even aware of it.

My dad had a deck built on his house - about 6' or so above the ground. He was about 70 and still ran around like a kid, until..... One day as we were all working on the house he came out the back door and took a run across the deck and just flew through the air (like a cuckoo bird) heading out to the shed - BAD idea. He hit the ground and immediately started writhing in pain. He had twisted his knee badly. He took that injury to the grave at 87 still limping and in pain - he never recovered. We all "need to be careful out there".
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Old 09-03-2021, 09:25 AM   #44
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That deck looks great and I'm sure you're proud of it (now that it's done) LOL

Earlier this summer, DW got the "brilliant idea" that she wanted to rip up the carpet in the "snow globe" (the 24x26 glass room on the back of our house). She decided that laminate (like she talked me into installing in the rest of the house) was what she wanted. So, the "Independence Day Sale at Lowe's found her tossing away my independence....

Ripping up the carpet and pad was fairly easy and I just hooked a strap to it and dragged it out of the house with the tractor. Once out, it was easy to use the forks on the front end loader to move it to its "final resting place"...

THEN CAME THE BEATINGS !!!!! Up and down, over to the workshop to cut each section of laminate and back (on my poor knees) to put it in place and measure the next piece... The "long runs were easy, but cutting the ends and the start/finish runs was not the same... I've still got "calluses on my knees" and that's even with wearing gel knee pads all day, every day of that ordeal....

Next project for me is to finish the retaining wall on the hill down by the lake. It's not a difficult job, but lots of "rebar spikes" (homemade nails to be more precise) to cut and then holes to drill to pound them in with a sledge hammer. Before that's over, I'll be proficient in building a railroad since I'm using RR crossties as the timbers for the wall.....

I never thought I'd say this, but I'm thinking that when winter gets here, I can slow down, sit in the snow globe and watch the white stuff swirl around outside.... That might be just the break I need... Nah, then I'll be shoveling that stuff.... Hmmmmm what was that about retirement being a time to relax and enjoy what we worked so hard to achieve ?????
LOL....I honestly don't know how I ever got anything done before I retired....cause I seem to be working my behind off these days. On a side note, when I started working in a Steel Mill right after I turned 18 years old, I was on a Labor gang (before I got my Electrical Apprenticeship), and being a laborer involved everything from digging holes, jackhammering with a 90 lb jackhammer, pouring concrete, and a 2 1/2 month stint of being a "gandy-dancer".....or in layman's terms....placing ties and rail and driving railroad spikes. On the driving the spikes part, we would pair up...two guys. One of us would "set" the spike, then the other guy would hit it with his spike maul, by that time, I was positioned to be the next hitter, then him, then me...back and forth until the spike was driven. It usually only took about 4 or 5 hits and the spike was in. Every once in a while, we'd get four guys around one spike and let 'er rip. It still amazes me to think that you could take an over the shoulder swing with a spike maul (not very big around) and hit the head of a spike at basically ground level. Oh the advantages of youth!
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Old 09-07-2021, 10:20 AM   #45
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This showed up in my "inbox" today
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Old 09-07-2021, 10:32 AM   #46
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This showed up in my "inbox" today
I am guilty of doing stupid things like that.
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Old 09-08-2021, 04:38 PM   #47
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Some decades ago I did all my own maintenance along with many repairs, as my Dad had taught me to. I was an aviation hydraulics mechanic when I was in the Navy and one of my shipmates who turned out to be my best friend (not really shipmate as we were assigned to an antisubmarine squadron and never stepped on anything that floated) and I had a lot in common and we did a lot of automotive work on the side. We rebuilt the 327 in one of our Chief's 63 Corvette (and had the pleasure of breaking it in for him). We also bought basket cases and made complete vehicles out of them. We bought two 67 Firebird convertibles, one that was hit in the rear, the other was hit in the front. We spent about 6 weeks making a whole car out of those two and a Pontiac dealer bought it from us for $4000. Lots of salvage rebuilds. This was late 70's, early 1980.

Me and my buddy got out of the Navy and I pursued a law enforcement career on the east coast (working at local car dealerships occasionally) while my buddy taught himself how to overhaul differentials and opened the first of three Rear-End Shops in northern California in 1985. He invited me to run one of his stores for him in 1993 but I was doing my thing working with the US Marshals by then and reluctantly I turned him down. We stayed in touch through the years and we always planned on visiting one another from time to time but other than meeting him in Tampa when he came to Florida to buy an airplane, our careers kept us apart. We both figured we would find the time later when we could slow down and enjoy life I suppose. Long story short, my best friend died of lung cancer last December. Don't put off seeing friends and loved ones folks. We never know what tomorrow will bring.

That said, I have enough friends at the (Ford) dealership level that I don't get my hands dirty anymore. They do my maintenance and repairs on the side plus I get employee discounts on parts so what more could I ask for?
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Old 09-08-2021, 05:19 PM   #48
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This showed up in my "inbox" today
Actually been doing that all this past week,
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Old 09-08-2021, 05:32 PM   #49
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Actually been doing that all this past week,
My back hurts just looking at that truck !!!!!

I think that's why I have a tractor with a front end loader and a flatbed trailer so I don't screw up the truck by hitting it with the tractor !!!!!

On second thought, I KNOW that's why I have a tractor with a front end loader !!!!!
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Old 09-09-2021, 10:11 AM   #50
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From the ‘sympathy pains’ in my back, you better run that truck by a CAT scale before you drive very far….��
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Old 09-09-2021, 12:38 PM   #51
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I do basic maint. and repair on my vehicles, nothing seriously in depth though. I like doing oil changes because it forces me to look underneath the whole car to see if anything seems off. Also gives me something else to teach my kids. Was actually starting to look into replacing rear springs & shocks on my tow vehicle since she'll be pulling some weight routinely now.
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Old 09-09-2021, 12:59 PM   #52
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I do basic maint. and repair on my vehicles, nothing seriously in depth though. I like doing oil changes because it forces me to look underneath the whole car to see if anything seems off. Also gives me something else to teach my kids. Was actually starting to look into replacing rear springs & shocks on my tow vehicle since she'll be pulling some weight routinely now.

You need to follow thru on replacing those springs and shocks on a 10 year old Armada pulling a 32' trailer. You don't say which model but I suspect the gvw of the trailer will be 72-7500lbs. And a 32' wind sail behind that Armada is going to give you heck on a busy freeway or good crosswinds.

You also need to look at your tires; if they are just P rated passenger tires and not LT, which come on an Armada, you need to pull them off and put LT tires on there to stabilize that ride. You mention kids so I'm sure you want that vehicle to be as stable as it can be as an Armada is not an ideal tow vehicle. Another thing I would suggest; when you are replacing those springs and shocks install a heavy duty Hellwig anti sway bar. Good luck on the mods.
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Old 09-10-2021, 09:30 AM   #53
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You need to follow thru on replacing those springs and shocks on a 10 year old Armada pulling a 32' trailer. You don't say which model but I suspect the gvw of the trailer will be 72-7500lbs. And a 32' wind sail behind that Armada is going to give you heck on a busy freeway or good crosswinds.

You also need to look at your tires; if they are just P rated passenger tires and not LT, which come on an Armada, you need to pull them off and put LT tires on there to stabilize that ride. You mention kids so I'm sure you want that vehicle to be as stable as it can be as an Armada is not an ideal tow vehicle. Another thing I would suggest; when you are replacing those springs and shocks install a heavy duty Hellwig anti sway bar. Good luck on the mods.

Was not aware of the LT tires or sway bar suggestion. Thanks for the heads up on that!
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Old 09-18-2021, 11:02 AM   #54
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bwahahahaha.


My tow vehicle is 31 years old. Many of them were not born when this was built in Flint. The sight of a throttle body injector would cause them to curl up in a corner whimpering....



If I were to take it into a chevy dealer Id get blank stares from service and lowball cash offers from sales....ergo.... ;-)


(plus I have my own heated shop with a lift so I will get made fun of if I go somewhere else...)
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Old 09-18-2021, 12:32 PM   #55
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I do basic maint. and repair on my vehicles, nothing seriously in depth though. I like doing oil changes because it forces me to look underneath the whole car to see if anything seems off. Also gives me something else to teach my kids. Was actually starting to look into replacing rear springs & shocks on my tow vehicle since she'll be pulling some weight routinely now.
To be brutally honest, with that rv I'd be replacing the springs & everything above them to something more suitable as a tow vehicle for a RV of that length & weight.
Just my .02 cents!
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