Ratdude's Turkey Day Western Adventure

[ratdude747]

For the third time this year, I find myself heading west of the Mississippi to Quinter KS yet again (yes, I was there for labor day too!).

My grandma in-law had a heart attack nearly a month ago... and as a show of support, everybody's headed out there to celebrate the holiday with her.

Tomorrow I head out... and here's the plan:



Swinging by a metal shop to pick up some aluminum sheets (blanks) cut to size for a project (rebuilding a commercial popcorn machine I got at a flea market for peanuts) and spending tomorrow night in MO (visiting my buddy out there to exchange some electronics).

Driving my bullnose due to my Ranger being tied up (long story) and also because I'm a showoff looking to make a point and roll some eyes !

Here goes nothing...

[Gary Lewis]

Good luck!  Hope the trip goes well.  

And I understand about being a showoff.  Big Blue may go to our Thanksgiving get together.  

[Rembrant]

Safe travels! I'm jealous...I used to do road trips all the time, but I haven't in ages now. I miss it...or at least I think I do lol. I have a 450 mile round trip today for work, so there's that I guess...lol.

[ratdude747]

Made it yesterday...

[Gary Lewis]

Excellent!  And the mirror stayed on?  

[ratdude747]

Oh, that's right, there was an issue I noticed:



Noticed that while I was stopped for gas. Everything's still attached for now. But I'll need to fix that when I get home.

[ratdude747]

Made it home Saturday... with one more issue seen last night as well. Seems my headlight switch is going bad. For some reason in one stretch of road (after 45 minutes to 2 hours of headlight on time) the lights begin to flicker and cut out (low and high beams) but turning the lights on and off helps. Why the one area I don't know... but I'm suspecting burnt up switch contacts. I have the original switch which AFAIK is still good- it was replaced chasing an unrelated issue that was ultimately a corroded connector on the other side of the cab. I had this issue briefly on my way to OK for the truck show back in September so I should have known better.

I know there's a relay upgrade out there (and I have the spare relays to do it sitting I think)... but that's for a later day when I redo my power distribution: move starter hard power to direct battery cable and possibly add a secondary fuse box to eliminate floating inline fuses.

[Gary Lewis]

Glad you made it home safely. But the headlight issue is scary. And relays won’t fix switch contacts, although if they are overheating the relays will help.

[grumpin]

I’ve had two Ford trucks do that. Headlight switches fixed them both.

If you’re towing a lot I would recommend a relay, if not a switch should do it.

IIRC one truck was a camper special, the other I wired the trailer running lights to a relay.

Search for a Ford NOS, new parts are suspect out of the box nowadays.

Edit: Congrats on the trip!