What did you do to your non-G body project today? [2022]
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I've had rattlesnake on a camping trip a few years ago. It did taste like chicken but there was a lot less meat on the frame than I expected. Maybe it was anorexic.
Learn the Right Way to Skin, Gut and Cook a Copperhead Snake
If you happen to bag a copperhead snake, you're in for a treat. Not only is it edible, but many people say it's actually fairly tasty.www.wideopenspaces.com
We have good sized bull snakes around my place. They aren't poisonous or aggressive. All they do is eat mice and stay out of sight. I don't like snakes in general, but I'll take bull snakes over mice any day. You have to get a little more out in the desert before you start seeing rattlesnakes.
I about ran one over yesterday, but I've only ever seen them out here on the warm road.
My first day in Ft Bliss TX I went out at dawn to dump trash into the dumpster. Hanging out of the dumpster was a rattlesnake about 6 feet long. He looked like he had eaten some bad mess hall chow and was hung over. He could barely move. I took a cement block and bashed his head in, then showed it to the Drill Sgt. He said it would be on the menu for lunch.
Redneck trailer #1 got made watertight (when needed) today.
Bought this cap originally off a late 90s dodge long bed. Added bonus is I can now rent it to joesregalproject when he misses his old one or around Christmas when he wants a red and green truck. Instant income stream.
Price was right, $60. If I find another aluminum one that's more period correct I could easily get more than that out of it... or, just charge joesregalproject what, $20/week rental at the Christmas season?
Bought this cap originally off a late 90s dodge long bed. Added bonus is I can now rent it to joesregalproject when he misses his old one or around Christmas when he wants a red and green truck. Instant income stream.
Price was right, $60. If I find another aluminum one that's more period correct I could easily get more than that out of it... or, just charge joesregalproject what, $20/week rental at the Christmas season?
Ooh that's a nice one... paint it to match my truck and you can probably double that rent.
The gears finally came. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they were YUKON gears in a YUKON box. I thought USA Gear as a cheaper brand of YUKON but I got the good stuff, and with a set of adjustment shims. First I took my dial indicator and checked the ring and pinion backlash. I got .009" which at 180k is pretty damn good considering .005"-.008" is the range. Knowing the R&P was not the issue I replaced the old spider gears for a baseline measurement. With the original .038" washers I had side gear clearance of .024". That is pretty bad as .005" is acceptable. I removed those and measured the new shims that came in the kit. They measured at .048", .039", and .030".............................
First I placed the side gears in with the middle set of .039". With just the side gears in place the pinion shaft was very tight to the axles. There was no clearance at all and the shaft could hang there all by itself.
Then I tried the thinner set of .030" washers and I had a very sloppy .030" side clearance. That told me to go back and try the .039" washers again. This time I added the spider gears. It is frustrating to try and get the spiders and their cup washers in place properly to accept the pinion shaft when the carrier is in the axle housing. Most videos do it on a bench and that is fine. I am working with the carrier in the car so I accept the aggravation. You rotate an axle to get the spiders to revolve around the carrier. You need a lot of patience and just advance/retard the gears a tooth at a time so the other does not fall out the back. Once they are in place you slip the pinion shaft in so they won't wander. Now you can measure again as the planetary gears are spreading the side gears. I found .003" clearance on both sides and that is spot on.............................................................................
Just to satisfy my own curiosity I mounted the dial indicator to the carrier to measure the spider gear backlash. I got .006" backlash. That matches up to the .003" on both side gears. I find that very interesting because it would indicate all of my spider gear play was in the gears themselves. The original washers were .038" and I had .024" side gear clearance. With the new .039" washers I have .003". Assuming the OEM washers were .039" and they only wore .001" in 180k miles then all the play was in the worn spider gears. Now when I check the play at the driveshaft I have very little compared to when the gears were banging. I inserted the pinion shaft retainer bolt which has a patch of Loktite on it. I torqued it to 12 ft lbs.
Here is the backlash of the spider gears. The dial indicator is mounted by magnet to the carrier. .006" of play. The old gears I could see them lift up and get cocked between the side gears. That was how badly worn they were.
I used a paper gasket on the cover. I schmear some Ultra Black on both sides. That never leaks. I will give it over-night to cure before adding fresh gear oil. Notice the welded O2 sensor bung with a threaded cap for checking the oil level.
First I placed the side gears in with the middle set of .039". With just the side gears in place the pinion shaft was very tight to the axles. There was no clearance at all and the shaft could hang there all by itself.
Then I tried the thinner set of .030" washers and I had a very sloppy .030" side clearance. That told me to go back and try the .039" washers again. This time I added the spider gears. It is frustrating to try and get the spiders and their cup washers in place properly to accept the pinion shaft when the carrier is in the axle housing. Most videos do it on a bench and that is fine. I am working with the carrier in the car so I accept the aggravation. You rotate an axle to get the spiders to revolve around the carrier. You need a lot of patience and just advance/retard the gears a tooth at a time so the other does not fall out the back. Once they are in place you slip the pinion shaft in so they won't wander. Now you can measure again as the planetary gears are spreading the side gears. I found .003" clearance on both sides and that is spot on.............................................................................
Just to satisfy my own curiosity I mounted the dial indicator to the carrier to measure the spider gear backlash. I got .006" backlash. That matches up to the .003" on both side gears. I find that very interesting because it would indicate all of my spider gear play was in the gears themselves. The original washers were .038" and I had .024" side gear clearance. With the new .039" washers I have .003". Assuming the OEM washers were .039" and they only wore .001" in 180k miles then all the play was in the worn spider gears. Now when I check the play at the driveshaft I have very little compared to when the gears were banging. I inserted the pinion shaft retainer bolt which has a patch of Loktite on it. I torqued it to 12 ft lbs.
Here is the backlash of the spider gears. The dial indicator is mounted by magnet to the carrier. .006" of play. The old gears I could see them lift up and get cocked between the side gears. That was how badly worn they were.
I used a paper gasket on the cover. I schmear some Ultra Black on both sides. That never leaks. I will give it over-night to cure before adding fresh gear oil. Notice the welded O2 sensor bung with a threaded cap for checking the oil level.
Okay, the last time I had snake for an appetizer was in the Black Hills more years ago than I care to remember. Think the vendor bought them from a ranch or farmer but the fry cook that prepared them got it right. Nice, not too chewy, and went down okay. Backed that up with a plate of gator strips; just like the chicken variety, maybe even had them for dinner. The usual fate for a laying hen that quits laying eggs. Think that was the year that Carmichaels from Florida was there and offering fresh crab, Hot and Steamy out of the boiler. Breakfast of Champions.
So, with the head of that Copperhead safely removed and consigned to the fire, can it be filleted out and pan fried??
Nick
So, with the head of that Copperhead safely removed and consigned to the fire, can it be filleted out and pan fried??
Nick
On my 88 C1500 the spider gears had eaten away at the shaft. It came out with a slide hammer. Reassembled with new AAM gears and shaft and no more reverse to forward clunk.
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