3rd Annual UY Mojave Road Expedition - March 14-16, 2014

[Seanz0rz]

The only wrenching I am planning on doing is when I break something! Those shouldn't take too long, and something you could do in camp.

[Jaydee914]

I'm hoping to at least get it all prepped over this weekend, (I think I need to move a brake line mount, figure out a way to keep the disconnected sway bar up and out of the way, and apply a liberal amount of anti-sieze) and then they show up on Monday. Who knows, I might be able to whack it out some day after work.

[Seanz0rz]

I'm an idiot.

I fell out of my truck, and on the way down, tried to grab onto something.

I managed to snap off the driver's rear door courtesy light switch. DOH! 25 bucks and I'll have a new one. The plastic was SOOO brittle!

[paddlenbike]

I'm an idiot.

I fell out of my truck, and on the way down, tried to grab onto something.

I managed to snap off the driver's rear door courtesy light switch. DOH! 25 bucks and I'll have a new one. The plastic was SOOO brittle!

I broke one of those on my friend's LTD. Awesome drive home with the door buzzer on constantly.

"Fell out of my truck." Ha, that's a sign it is properly high.

[Seanz0rz]

Luckily, this fails safe, so no light on the dash, but also no over head light and no alarm.

It was an awkward fall. I have the seat bottoms out, and the backs down. I was placing my pullpal between the cargo platform and the where the seat backs will end up. I went to put my hand on something to scoot out and missed, taking the switch with me.

I feel properly stupid for it, but it is far from the first, or the last, time I've fallen out of my truck. I don't even drink!

Here is the housing in the door jamb:


And the plunger and other innards:


The yellow part is the plunger. Those are the three big pieces that fell out. There were about 4 or 6 more shards that fell out too. Too shattered to glue it back together, and I suspect it's made of a plastic that is impervious to glue.

Oh well. Just feel so silly.

[Seanz0rz]

Last email has been sent out.

Weather is looking good, if not a bit warm. Hopefully the winds cooperate (they won't).

JD, I provided some quick instructions on how to get to camp. Use the coords I sent out in the camping info document to get there with a gps. You can also come in on the 15, but it is a little more complicated.

I'm about 1/3 packed. All the tools are in, fuel cans strapped on, and I checked the vital areas.

I'm breaking down and replacing my LED 3rd brake light with a standard bulb. I am getting an intermittent ABS warning light (usually only when it's warm out). I will eventually add a proper resistor, but this is an easier fix for now.

[paddlenbike]

I'm about 1/3 packed. All the tools are in, fuel cans strapped on, and I checked the vital areas.

I'm all set too. I had to drive to one of those covered concrete parking lot thingies where I used a pump to draw some kind of flammable liquid fuel from an underground storage tank, which I then transferred into an 18.5 gallon liquified fuel storage container that is located under the 4Runner. I should be all set now.

[4x4mike]

We're doing our food shopping Tuesday night, hopefully we've got our menu down by then. Ice packs are made, beer is chilling, 4Runner is good to go with the exception of a car seat swap out. My clothes are packed and the kids laundry will be started tonight. Camping Action Packers have been pulled so they just need to be loaded.

We have spent most of our time gathering/buying activities for the kids. Some for the drive and some for camp. Four loads of laundry and we should have enough items to keep them clothed.

[Seanz0rz]

LOL shut up Ken!

As is typical of this time of year, gas has jumped half a dollar in the last few weeks. Why on earth is it $4/gallon now?

I'm hoping I get my door switch before we depart.

I did swap out my LED 3rd brake like for an incandescent one, hopefully that solves the ABS light coming on. Everything else is pretty much ready. Tomorrow will be my major pack day, trying to Tetris everything into the back of the truck. Most food has been purchased, some of it has been made and frozen. Still have to refrigerate drinks and water.

[paddlenbike]

I kid, I kid.

My incandescent 3rd brake light has burned out twice since I've had my LED taillights, and it triggers the ABS light every time. Incandescent sucks. I wonder how hot the load resistor gets...they're pretty small with huge cooling fins.