Categories
Tech

Prepping the FZJ80 For dual batteries.

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In preparation for dual batteries and moving the radios over from the 60, I have installed the Hellroaring Technologies battery isolator/combiner.

The BIC95300B is connected to the main battery with 2awg wire through a 200amp AMG fuse. The power from the isolator to the second battery is also carries with 2awg wire, through another 200amp fuse, close to the second battery. Power for the accessories and radios is tapped off the second fuse, using 6awg wire, through a third, 100amp AMG fuse.

Next time I will detail the addition of the battery try and relocation of the washer bottle.

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Categories
Outdoors

Snow Play at Paradise

We decided to take a sunny Saturday trip to our favorite snow play area, at Paradise on Mount Rainier. For official information see the Winter Recreation Page.

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When we arrived at Longmire, the gate was closed for snow removal. There were about 30 other vehicles waiting to head up. Just after we parked and started heading to the bathrooms, the gate opened. It’s always a nice drive up to Paradise, but it’s even more interesting with over 4-10 feet of snow on the side of the road. The parking lot was clear and lots of parking available.

One new addition in the last few years is the visitor center. It is built more closely to the style of the original Paradise Inn and the Mountain Guide structure. There is a great variety of history, wildlife facts and cultural information. This building is open on weekends and holidays and is staffed by knowledgeable park rangers.
The groomer was broken down, so the rangers were digging the sled runs by hand. Usually, with the groomer, the end up with two deap, fast runs. Despite this, the snow was good and after several runs, the sledding was good.
To access the snow play are, located in the meadow just above the parking lot, they have to constantly cut steps in to the increasing layers of the snow bank.
Categories
Tech

Expedition One FJ Cruiser Bumper

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Had the opportunity to install an Expedition One bumper on a 2010 FJ Cruiser.  What a well built bumper, very complete and easy to install.  Customer chose to fit the bumper with a Superwinch 9k winch spooled with synthetic line and a roller fairlead.

Categories
Tech Vehicles

FJ 60 Rust Repair

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I have been watching a few patches of rust grow on the Land Cruiser for several years. I was washing the truck a few weeks ago, it’s after winter wash. While washing the left rear quarter I noticed a big patch in the very corner blast off. It was a hole about 1″ by 3″ long. I was just finishing loading up the remains of an old FJ60 I parted/scrapped. For as much rust as it had, I was presently surprised to find the very corner I needed was intact.

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I cut out the bad area and used it as a template to cut out the patch. Evidently I didn’t do to well measuring as I had to cut a little extra and double patch. After getting the patch about right, I tacked it in place, then went around, ever inch or so at a time to keep it from getting too hot, and filled in the missed spots. After that, I ground it down, filled with some “Liquid Metal” sanded and painted.

It took a while, but wasn’t too bad for a first try. Hopefully it will last for a while.

Categories
Uncategorized

Mt St Hellens Eruption

May 18th, 1980.

The best part was not having to finish school that year. I was in Mrs Littlefield’s 2nd grade class. She was a great teacher and I had a good year, just cool some how, not having to finish the year and not have to make it up. Had to go back to get my book fair books though, they came in after the 18th.

I think we had attended 8 o’clock mass, would have been near the end of communion at 8:36. We were home and probably already had breakfast. My neighbor and best friend Lorence was over; he, David and I were playing outside, Sibel’s house was just a whole in the ground and a dirt pile, we were playing in the dirt pile. Then the clouds started rolling in, it made the lake look dark an sinister, so we went down to play by the lake, creature from the black lagoon if I remember correctly. At some point, Ella called and Lorence had to go home because the Mountain had erupted and they didn’t know what was going to be in the ash clouds. Stephen was at a boy scout camp, up past Yakima I think and Christopher was down the street at some friends. As the darkness set in, there was a sliver of light, 360 degrees around the horizon. We settled in to cleaning storage closets. We didn’t have cable and I think mom and dad just wanted to keep our minds of what was going on.

I remember not being able to drive anyplace. The Entz’s took the neighborhood into town in their boat. Little red wagons in hand, the mom’s walked to Butrey’s to pick through what ever the store had available. Christopher and Stephen “got” to help clear off the roof, there were fears of collapse after it started raining. Dad has pictures of the mud flows off the shop roof.

Christopher worked at Spedburg pool and had to go in over the next several days. The pool had been filled, and they would have had the boilers on getting the pool ready for the season. The ash had sunk all the blankets. Using scuba gear, they had to clean the bottom and recover the blankets.

To this day, if you dig down in the field, you can find the layer of ash that has settled.