Work Done 2025

[all night moe]

Driveshaft itself out of balance?

 

[NickW]

Driveshaft itself out of balance?

I hope not. It's brand new and "factory dynamically balanced"...

 

[MRD1985]

Reloaded the porch rack, all wood re-cut to desired length of 16”. Wasn’t completely empty, but some cold weather coming up and my schedule is jam packed for the foreseeable future. Had some help from my 5 year old too, he loves to help.

 

[MRD1985]

Yes, new carrier bearing and u-joints included. Honestly the price wasn't bad at $500+/- and theoretically "premium" and factory balanced, but it is aftermarket not OEM. It's really not a bad job to do either.

Considering I've done the u-joints half a dozen times or so and the carrier bearing 3 times I think, I figured it was time to try a different route. A bit disappointed I can't drive 80, but with a 21 year old vehicle with almost 400k miles what can I really expect without going down a rabbit hole.

What’s the frequency of vibration? Tire speed or drive line speed

 

[NickW]

What’s the frequency of vibration? Tire speed or drive line speed

Just took it for a quick test drive the other day. Vibration starts at 70ish and gets worse faster. Wouldn't drive line speed (driveshaft/rear end) and tire speed be proportionate?

I can tell you this... There's always been off and on vibration issues which is why I went a whole new driveshaft instead of just doing the carrier bearing and u-joints again. It always got better after doing the u-joints and/or carrier bearing, but it never seemed to last very long. The conversation about an out of balance driveshaft always happens after I do it. Last set of u-joints was put in a year and a half ago/16,000 miles ago by a shop instead of myself. The rubber in the carrier bearing was definitely getting bad again. This shop helped me with a multitude of things vibrating and clunking. Last spring ('24) between them and me we did both front wheel bearing hubs, front driveshaft, rear end bearing seal, driveshaft u-joints and a transfer case bearing.

This latest vibration started after getting a couple of units of treated 4x6x8's slid onto my trailer. It wasn't a gentle process... I was hoping the new driveshaft would fix it, but now I'm concerned it could be in the rear end. I will start simple and have the tire balance checked.

 

[MRD1985]

Just took it for a quick test drive the other day. Vibration starts at 70ish and gets worse faster. Wouldn't drive line speed (driveshaft/rear end) and tire speed be proportionate?

I can tell you this... There's always been off and on vibration issues which is why I went a whole new driveshaft instead of just doing the carrier bearing and u-joints again. It always got better after doing the u-joints and/or carrier bearing, but it never seemed to last very long. The conversation about an out of balance driveshaft always happens after I do it. Last set of u-joints was put in a year and a half ago/16,000 miles ago by a shop instead of myself. The rubber in the carrier bearing was definitely getting bad again. This shop helped me with a multitude of things vibrating and clunking. Last spring ('24) between them and me we did both front wheel bearing hubs, front driveshaft, rear end bearing seal, driveshaft u-joints and a transfer case bearing.

This latest vibration started after getting a couple of units of treated 4x6x8's slid onto my trailer. It wasn't a gentle process... I was hoping the new driveshaft would fix it, but now I'm concerned it could be in the rear end. I will start simple and have the tire balance checked.

Driveline vibration frequency will feel similar to rumble strips-high frequency . Tires will just be more of a shake-low frequency . Tires are always a good place to start.

Those differentials are not the most durable from my experience. At 400K I wouldn’t be surprised if at least carrier bearings have had it. Did you notice any play in the pinion when R/R driveshaft? Transfer cases also have their fair share of problems. Bushing in the back of the transfer case still serviceable? Could be other things also. Such as drive line angles. Is the vibration all the time at those speeds or just on acceleration and or deceleration? Don’t forget to check your front driveshaft u joints, as well as front axle u joints (behind hubs).

Rear hub bearings also worth checking

 

[Dieselhead]

Filled the spruce tote today and brought it up to the porch

 

[NickW]

Pulled both piers by myself by hand today. Ok, by hand and with big ratchet straps. They are wooden on floats and heavy. Typically we use the ATV to slide them up some PVC pipes, but with the boardwalk under construction and the weather starting to get iffy I figured I better get it done.

I did get some more timbers cut and bases set in place and semi level for the boardwalk too.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

Scored some roadside firewood today. It was from old split rail fencing posts. They were very heavy duty. I think they are cedar, but I don't get any smell from them. I cut them into chunks so I can burn them N/S in my stove. Chopped up a load of kindling from very large maple splits and blew the leaves around in the backyard so we don't step in hidden doggie stuff. I blow them along my fence line and they become mulch for the various bushes and plants that grow along the fence.
Had to buy a new tarp for my firewood stack out alongside my driveway. I was using a 10x20 footer folded in half longwise, making it a 5x20 footer. Unfortunately, the wind keeps getting under it since the direction changes every 5 minutes around here. I got a 4x20 footer, bungee cords and eye bolts to tie down the tarp. Have an annual physical tomorrow at the VA but after that I will get the stack re-covered. Always plenty to do around the homestead!

 

[NickW]

So we're up to 31 degrees; back in the swamp trying to at least get the framing, leveling and bracing done in the next couple of days...

 

[Garbanzo62]

My neighbor had a tree come done across his driveway, he he cut the part over the drive and stacked it along the road.. I asked if I could take it and he said yes.. and then he said if you want to cut up the rest and take that you are welcome to it.. Have a lot going on at the moment, but that is on the todo lsit

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

leaves, leaves and more leaves...

 

[MRD1985]

83 bags of leaves done. Not done yet, leaves still on the trees

 

[Whitenuckler]

83 bags of leaves done. Not done yet, leaves still on the trees

Holy cow! you should call the vacuum truck guy! He will suck the whole pile up...oh well we can tell you enjoy it

 

[Whitenuckler]

So we're up to 31 degrees; back in the swamp trying to at least get the framing, leveling and bracing done in the next couple of days...

View attachment 342280

Getting motivated to build fences and a gazebo/sauna in the spring. How's your back doing?

 

[Dieselhead]

83 bags of leaves done. Not done yet, leaves still on the trees

My parents get tons of leafs. I just mulch em up with the mower a couple times a week and never touch them dang brown bags

 

[MRD1985]

Holy cow! you should call the vacuum truck guy! He will suck the whole pile up...oh well we can tell you enjoy it

It be comes cumbersome. And very monotonous. Yeah for a for a couple hundred bucks lol. Plus I’d have to blow the leaves about 300-400 feet from my back yard to the street. It’s much faster, and cheaper just to do this. It would take me a long time to get all the leaves from the back to the front. Plus with all the wind I’d just piss off my neighbors and they would
Have a yard full of leaves

 

[MRD1985]

My parents get tons of leafs. I just mulch em up with the mower a couple times a week and never touch them dang brown bags

I wish! Tried mulching. Stuff is Just too thick and clean up is much longer than blowing and bagging. I have way too many big, oak red oaks and a lot of huge white pine trees. Plus 4 Norway maples and a red maple. I can pack a bag solid in about 2 minutes

 

[NickW]

Getting motivated to build fences and a gazebo/sauna in the spring. How's your back doing?

Tired and sore by the end of the day every day, but I lift with the legs and move cautiously so I haven't done anything serious to it yet on this project. Carrying treated 4x6 and 6x6 timbers down a steep hill then slogging over bogs and holes with minimal clearance requires caution.

 

[Whitenuckler]

It be comes cumbersome. And very monotonous. Yeah for a for a couple hundred bucks lol. Plus I’d have to blow the leaves about 300-400 feet from my back yard to the street. It’s much faster, and cheaper just to do this. It would take me a long time to get all the leaves from the back to the front. Plus with all the wind I’d just piss off my neighbors and they would
Have a yard full of leaves

The neighbor across from me has huge trees next to the road. He didn't set any bags out so far. It's so windy here sometimes, he was just patient until they blew away. I used the lawn mover bagger and had about 10 heavy bags. Now I am just filling up the compost bin. I'd like to rake up the remaining leaves in the back 40 into piles so I can continue to load it into the compost bin every 2 weeks. If you leave it spread out it freezes up.

 

[Dieselhead]

I split just over a cord of all-nighters today composed of red and white oak. Some rounds around 26” heavvvyy…woke up some carpenter ants from their winter slumber too…
Can you spot the flying oak round? Fell off the beam as I was playing paparazzi 😂

 

[NickW]

I split just over a cord of all-nighters today composed of red and white oak. Some rounds around 26” heavvvyy…woke up some carpenter ants from their winter slumber too…View attachment 342323


View attachment 342322



View attachment 342324

I always keep a can of ant spray handy when splitting so they don't go re-establish the colony...

 

[qwee]

Well I shelled out $230 and obtained an electric wheelbarrow. A tractor is too expensive and wouldn't work too well where I am at anyways. I have about 3/4 of a cord of pine to retrieve in the mountains. It is about 100 yards up a hill.

I'm going to try this e-barrow out and see if it makes things easier. I've never used one so don't know what to expect. Using a regular wheelbarrow, it took me about 3.5 hours to retrieve/load about 3/4 of a cord of small pine rounds last week (rounds behind e-barrow). The e-barrow seems powerful. (I'll do a follow up to see if this e-barrow gets the job done).

 

[Whitenuckler]

Well I shelled out $230 and obtained an electric wheelbarrow. A tractor is too expensive and wouldn't work too well where I am at anyways. I have about 3/4 of a cord of pine to retrieve in the mountains. It is about 100 yards up a hill.

I'm going to try this e-barrow out and see if it makes things easier. I've never used one so don't know what to expect. Using a regular wheelbarrow, it took me about 3.5 hours to retrieve/load about 3/4 of a cord of small pine rounds last week (rounds behind e-barrow). The e-barrow seems powerful. (I'll do a follow up to see if this e-barrow gets the job done).

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View attachment 342365

Does that regenerate power for braking coming down the hill?

 

[qwee]

I don't know. It has a brake which will help down hill. It has reverse and I think it has more than one forward gear - though I'm unsure how to go from forward to reverse, and how to change gears. I hope it will pull me up the hill. I'll be learning. I was trying to roll the rounds part ways down a hill about 40 yards but it wasn't working too well. Little rounds go every which way when rolled. Whereas big rounds tend to go straight down the hill.