To the bitter fucking end

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher) 11/06/2020 at 21:34 • Filed to: Rust monster

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That’s how this bumper fought me. I finally had to bust out the sawzall ... And take a trip to the hardware store for more metal blades.

The new one is not as high of quality as the original, but that’s to be expected when you order a complete fully assembled bumper for $120 shipped. It still looks much better.

As for the trailer hitch, it was somehow even worse than it looked. Fortunately none of the bolts fou ght too hard. Nothing my battery powered impact and some PB Blaster couldn’t handle. The hardware is all good to reuse even.

The new hitch arrives tomorrow.

Anyways, to the bitter fucking end is how long I plan to stick around here. Who’s with me?

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 21:41

1

was that a reese or uhaul hitch?

Boxer_4 > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 21:42

8

I’m thinking the weight capacity label is a tad optimistic at this point...

Chariotoflove > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 21:42

3

Is it still professional grade?

I’m with you. 

jminer > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 21:43

3

I’m not going anywhere until I have to. I did try DT and it was alright. Talking to others on discord about other options too.

Niceky done  on that repair too! It had to cost half of that sales price just to ship the bumper so it looks great.

Stef Schrader > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 21:45

3

Until Fluffy Bunny eats ALL of the souls!!!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 21:47

4

Oh, I’ll be sticking around to the end as well...discussions are in place on Discord for whatever Oppo v.2 is going to be and fellow Opponauts have already joined up on the other ‘life raft’ sites to have somewhere to sit tight for when Oppo goes down, so I’d do the same if I were you just to let you stay in the loop.

Man, that HITCH....I am super glad  you didn’t unknowingly try and tow anything on that...

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 21:50

1

Yup. I'll be here 'till they shut the show down. 

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 21:59

2

That’s why I will always have an angle grinder and a gas axe. I will be getting a plasma cutter. But my experiences with reciprocating saws (even good ones) have all been disappointingly underwhelming...

As I said to davesaddiction... I'm going to ride Oppo down like Major Kong.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 22:01

2

You should order yours with rust holes pre installed and just save time.

Looks much better.

shop-teacher > Chariotoflove 11/06/2020 at 22:10

1

Slightly less so, until the new trailer hitch is installed.

shop-teacher > Boxer_4 11/06/2020 at 22:11

5

The really scary thing is, I towed about 4k pounds about seven weeks ago. 

shop-teacher > jminer 11/06/2020 at 22:12

1

When the bulk of the Live and Let Diecast crew moved to Drive tribe, I tried it. I didn’t much care for it. I’ll try again, if that’s where things end up.

sn4cktimes > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 22:12

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$120... wow. That IS a good deal.

shop-teacher > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 11/06/2020 at 22:13

4

I signed up for Discord last night, but haven’t posted anything yet.

I towed 4k pounds seven weeks ago ...

shop-teacher > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media 11/06/2020 at 22:14

1

Angle grinder was next, but I always grab the sawzall first. I've had good results.

shop-teacher > Stef Schrader 11/06/2020 at 22:14

0

Effin' A Fluffy!

shop-teacher > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 11/06/2020 at 22:15

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Nature ... And the DOT ...  will take care of the holes in due time.

shop-teacher > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 11/06/2020 at 22:15

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Factory GM.

I ordered a Draw Tite to replace it.

shop-teacher > sn4cktimes 11/06/2020 at 22:16

1

I times the eBay sale well. Regular price was $150. Which still really isn't that bad.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 22:35

1

I guess that shows how over built a trailer hitch is. 

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 22:40

1

Eep! 

Sn210 > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 22:40

1

LaLDiscord:  https://discord.gg/Jehy5Gu

Urambo Tauro > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 22:46

1

Hey the receiver’s still good! You just gotta downgrade the tow capacity rating a little bit. Here’s your new max load:

jminer > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 22:46

1

I'm not a big fan, but the community is what's important.  I'm building a test forum tonight for folks to play with.

shop-teacher > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 11/06/2020 at 22:54

0

Yep. In truth, the outer plates that the crossbar goes through, us still fully intact. The inner plates though ... DAYUM!

shop-teacher > Sn210 11/06/2020 at 22:55

1

I'll give it a whirl :)

shop-teacher > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t 11/06/2020 at 22:56

0

Exactly!

shop-teacher > Urambo Tauro 11/06/2020 at 22:57

1

Lol!

The outer plates that the crossbar goes through, was still intact. The inner plates, as it turned out, were more of a figment of my imagination at this point.

CTSenVy > Stef Schrader 11/06/2020 at 22:58

2

That’s not the version of Ragnarok  I was expecting. Oh well, hail our fluffy overlords.

shop-teacher > jminer 11/06/2020 at 22:59

0

I totally agree.

Hopefully it goes well!

CTSenVy > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 23:04

1

Need to get setup with Discord or wherever everybody is heading to.

VincentMalamute-Kim > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 23:08

0

I bet the factory GM hitch was made by someone else. Maybe Draw-Tite!

shop-teacher > VincentMalamute-Kim 11/06/2020 at 23:11

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Probably. The one I ordered is different design than the original. Looks a little cleaner and neater.

shop-teacher > CTSenVy 11/06/2020 at 23:12

3

Its daunting to move, to learn new systems. This community is too good to just let disappear though.

Urambo Tauro > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 23:13

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Man... I shudder to think what would have happened if you had tried to tow something that was heavy enough to finish that last little bit off.

shop-teacher > Urambo Tauro 11/06/2020 at 23:27

1

It was the outer plates that were holding. There is basically nothing left of the inners.

Urambo Tauro > shop-teacher 11/06/2020 at 23:39

1

Exactly! If they were all rotted as badly as   the inner plates, a trailer would have just torn it off as you retracted the tongue jack, and resulting damage would have be en minimal. But in this case, t here’s still enough strength in those outers that you might hav e made it some ways down the road before it let loose.

RallyWrench > shop-teacher 11/07/2020 at 00:59

1

I'm here for it. Forward unto the breach, once more.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > shop-teacher 11/07/2020 at 01:26

0

So I just replace the leaf springs and hangers on my 27 year old, 176k mile truck That has never left colorado. Had to grind off the hangers, but the frame is minty.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > shop-teacher 11/07/2020 at 01:50

1

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > shop-teacher 11/07/2020 at 06:42

1

No worries about posting, it’s just nice to know you’re there so you can check in on news of Oppo v2.0

shop-teacher > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media 11/07/2020 at 08:43

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How did they sneak a camera in my garage without me seeing them?

shop-teacher > Urambo Tauro 11/07/2020 at 08:46

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I towed 4k pounds seven weeks ago, so there was clearly enough strength left in those outers to do that. That actually makes it scarier to me.

shop-teacher > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 11/07/2020 at 08:46

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Wow. My frame hasn't been that clean in years.

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > shop-teacher 11/07/2020 at 09:30

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Got my white, rubber floor/crank window version pimped with toolbox, mudflaps and mats that say GMC, Fuel pump (suspect) 4 oxygen sensors, tailgate handle and bezel and a couple other things coming from the rock auto. G ot the trans serviced. Drove 765 km on a tank the other day. Which is only about 15 mpg, it can do better. coincidentally 15 liters per hundred KM is the same as 15 mpg. they cross paths at about 15.3. With the right size tiress or close enough, (factory size is 235/75/16 which no one makes?) I run about 1900 rpm at 120 or 75 mph. Window sticker says 28 highway, which would be a miracle I’m hoping the 02 sensors help with that. I’ve been told that 4.3 can return good mileage if not working too hard. It has a trailer brake controller so I assume it has worked hard previously. Just jamming in all the truck facts in that fit before oppo explodes.  I did join the oppo dicord so I can find my internet friend after the oppocalypse. 

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > shop-teacher 11/07/2020 at 09:32

1

Come to think of it i’ve seen those factory ones rot, yours wins the rust contest though.   The British have a saying “he who does not look under car will break down in France”  or something to that effect. 

shop-teacher > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 11/07/2020 at 09:58

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I won something!

My prize was a fabulous shower of rust flakes!

shop-teacher > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 11/07/2020 at 10:06

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These are good trucks, but they’re getting old and need some loving. The EPA highway rating on my truck is 21 mpg. I have achieved that exactly once. I was on a trip in the upper peninsula of Michigan. 500+ miles of almost entirely steady state cruising at 58 mph is what it took to pull that off. The most amazing thing about my truck? Original tailgate handle bezel. The original DRL bulbs still worked until about March this year too. I’ve also had an EVAP code since January. Probably has something to do with that little vent line dragging on the ground ;)

I joined discord too. I don’t want to lose any of my friends here. I’ll be posting here though until they lock me out!

If you buy some 17" steelies, you’ll have plenty of tire choices. 245/70 /17.