Still here, decided to just start new thread

[PatrioticStabilist]

I'm not saying to use Finish on  your car or motorhome, I did and for me it was ok.  But I sure wouldn't want to see someone mess something up.  I just figured if it made dishes and things shine it would the windows and vehicles.

It did do a great job on the house windows too.

These 2 pictures are of my old one after washing before waxing, that 2 year old wax job is still hanging on.  Nothing is chalking but white not as shiny as it was. but then it never has chaulked.  Will need to get it in the shade again to wax.  Hope to do it next week.

I took some degreaser and put it in my little sprayer.  I pulled up the door over the 2 radiators and started spraying the fins.  It worked great, the fins were black when I got through I noticed a lot of them were now silver and the water on the ground was filthy.  This is diluted cleaner, wonder what it would do full strength?  I could only clean the front 2, there is a radiator behind but not sure how to clean it, need to open the engine door and see, wasn't messing with it right then.  But I'm thinking only way might be from underneath.  Mine are side mounted radiators. Still I couldn't believe the dirt coming off them.

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

I ordered a new dash cover from Blondies Pit Stop in Colorado, saw pictures of one she made in another forum and looked really good.  I just got it the other day and lay it in.  It lay down nicely and I even had her embroidery the American Eagle name on it like the old one.  My original just had slits for the defrost vents, she enlarged them a bit and sewed binding around them.  I'm quite pleased with it.  She did not have a pattern for the 92 so I sent her my old one to use.  I will take a picture later.

Sue Anne and I were at a carnival and I won an of all things, American Eagle stuffed animal.  It's going in the motorhome, pretty neat.

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

By the way the foot is doing great.  I was not able to wear the aircast for the 3 weeks, only 2.  It rubbed my inner ankle so bad it was bleeding and hurting my back, hips, and knees, felt like continuing to wear it was causing more harm then good.

But I have been going to physical therapy twice a week and its doing great.  I'm also getting new orthotics made.  The tech and I are talking about making a custom brace for it.  You can get a shorter or longer one, think I will opt for the shorter one.  I told  him I won't wear it all the time but if doing a lot of walking or weight bearing exercise I will.  They cast it so it fits snugly and doesn't rub.

I also got the shoes they recommended they are New Balance 1540 with a solid sole built up.  I tried the white for my more dressier moments and now have ordered a black pair to use when working outside so the height change will be constant and I'm not changing going up and down.  They really help in the rolling in.  Not a cure all but sure are helping. Its been years since I have ended the day and my ankles aren't all swollen really big, I thought I would never see that change.

Also working on weight loss and this morning down almost 7 pounds in two weeks. I intend to lose 20 more, now keeping it off will be the problem. I did last time for 7 years, its changing your eating habits not dieting, hard to do when you love food.  While I'm doing so, hope its helping Sue Anne.

Next tackle the GERD and reflux, the weight loss will help of course, but I'm also doing it for the feet.  The docs have not said to do it, but I know it needs done. The interesting thing I noticed was at the sports medicine doc almost everyone with feet problems were overweight, so telling.  I am trying the add of probiotics and digestive enzymes and I'm having less heartburn.  At night before bed if I do have it about a half cup of kefir sure helps.  So yes, I'm finally looking after my health better.

Hope all is well with everyone.

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

I sent in today to see if I can get the 44 point chassis inspection done at the Spartan Factory in Charlotte, Michigan.  It might be a big mistake, they may say the old girl is falling in around me, who knows. 

It's $100 and then of course money to fix things. I read this is the only place you can get it done that cheaply, its about 5 1/2 hours from where we live there the factory.  My main item is getting a front end alignment, and check my steering. I will get the 4 point weighing, but its unloaded and the water tank is out so not what I want but will work for now I guess.  Tom and I think there is to much play in the steering but could just be my tire inflation, need to play around with it on these new tires, may need something $$$$ replaced.  I told them I want a list of critical items first, if its safety related will get fixed. Non emergency but things coming up that needs whatever, and last discretionary items. 

It's so old I really think I need to be doubly safe since we do take it on trips.  I asked for the 16th thru the 19th as Tom flies in on the 20th, may be cutting it to close.  If they don't think we can then will have to schedule after he leaves.

The last digits of the vin are pretty low in the 0000 digits, wonder if that says how many were produced?   

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

Tom put a new fan on the generator before our last trip.  Before that I kept telling him we must have a leak as I would add water to the bottle, I was watching it closely and kept water in it.  Also on occasion when it was running it would skip a beat, not enough to interrupt power but I wondered about it when it did.  We figured something was wrong with it.

Well since the new fan, runs like a champ, no skipped beats, not using any water or coolant.  I have it running today with both AC's on full blast.  When I moved it out of the sun, the temp gauge I have set up on the dash said 107 so it is hot here.  90 with 46% humidity.  I put it under the trees as I'm hoping to start waxing later.  But may not make it today, this time it will go into the garage its to hot now to leave it setting out.  Looks like we may have some rain coming in, we sure need it, so likely no waxing today. But I'm thrilled that was all that was the matter with it, can't remember but think it was right at $100 and of course Tom's labor.

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

Now 100% humidity so my work outside is done today, durn, I had way more I wanted to do.

Maybe if its done early enough we will head for the lake to fish a bit.

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

I got the motorhome waxed up to the windows all the way around, oh I'm tired.  I did it partly in the garage and after the sun went down but it wasn't dark.  I will move it to the shade tomorrow and do the upper part.  The paint shines, its far from new but it still really shines.  The white does to but I see swirl marks in it.  I'm going to wax it at least twice, I'm using the Mequiers cleaner wax. When I waxed it when we first got it a lot of white came off but not now, in fact none.  But I still want to get the swirl marks out of the white, how can I do that?  I guess many coats like before that is a killer.

I bought my boat, its an economy boat very basic but nicer then I thought it would be.  It's a  2013 Lowe Skorpion 16 ft, with a modified V. I guess that is a glorified jon boat, but supposed to be more stable, with a 30 hp Mercury motor, also 4 seats, 2 on risers 2 in the bottom basically. He said its stable as a 16 ft can be. He said this is a good boat motor and easy for me to handle, it has a power trim or tilt, is that the same so I can get it up if I get shallow, I remember seeing guys trying to pull them forward.  A console, electric start, fish finder, navigation lights, I don't think I will need those.  2 batteries, a trolling motor, bait well, and fish well, plus other storage and a bilge pump, important to me!!  The trailer has the tongue that folds back, not sure what its called.  It's not like the one I had some  years back it was a 20 ft inboard, with a 6 cylinder engine I think.  The thing was so heavy no way could I get it out and even Tom had issues at times, so worthless for me.

I told Tom if I'm getting one its going to be new, I don't want to have issues out on the water with Sue Anne, or at least minimize them for sure.  We are getting her a really good life jacket.  She needs one that will keep her head above water as she does not swim at all and I don't swim good enough to save her, might not be good enough to save me, so I'm getting a good one too.  We always wore them no matter how hot we got.  Tom thinks the ones that inflate when they get wet or you can pull a cord are good but they are very expensive, however, they are cooler, but I think what if it malfunctioned.


We will likely only go on the lake by the house or Sullivan lake, I can't see us doing much more then that.  Who knows we might.  Anyway, its a nice looking little boat.  I told the guy at the boat sales when I walk in here lead me directly to it, I will put on blinders, do not want to see those GORGEOUS boats all around here.  LOL!

So I pick it up in the next few days, lets see if I can back the thing in the water!!  That should be good for a laugh or two.

 

[ArdraF]

lets see if I can back the thing in the water!!  That should be good for a laugh or two.

If no one else is around only you will know it! 

ArdraF

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

Yes, but when I do stuff like that, seems like someone always sees me.

I had left the motorhome out yesterday to get ready for work today, hadn't listened to the weather.  Turned it on just before going to bed, oh my gosh sounded awful.  I lay there for awhile and dozed off, at 2AM it sounded worse.  So I'm getting up, getting dressed and had to get the mower out of the garage first and put the motorhome up.  So wouldn't you know we got 40 mph winds but not much else, some rain.  But better safe then sorry, would have hated to get 5 inch hail like some did.

I hope everyone is safe from these storms.  Also those of you in the sw, hope you aren't burning up from the heat.

I didn't work on the motorhome today.  Our little town has an annual Chataugua festival so I'm doing the yard instead as our house is next to the town on the main road so want the lawn to look nice.  I will get it done, needed to rest up the arms some anyway.  Well not gonna happen, going out to weedeat while its cool.

For those of you with stomach issues, I have tried everything docs have suggested.  I started taking probiotics and digestive enzymes, from GNC a couple weeks ago.  Also since I have reflux so bad, tried 1/2 cup of kefir before bedtime and switched to Lactaid milk, also stopped drinking coffee, sigh.  I cannot remember the last time I haven't had heartburn at night or the horrible feeling of stuff coming up my throat.  I hope it continues to help as I'm sleeping so much better.  Never could figure how using something like nexium and reducing stomach acid helped digest your food. 

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

Sue Anne and I are going to the Spartan factory in Charlotte, Michigan, to be there August 12th.

I'm getting a front end alignment, 4 wheel weights, and checking the steering as Tom says there is to much play in the steering, I figure this will be dollars!  We may be opening a can of worms, going to have the 44 point check done and see if anything else is critical to be done.  He said he imagines they will also do the brakes.  He thinks the pads had oil on them.  They were adjusted once, and he didn't like it so did them himself.  He thinks they could be better.  I thought they were done at the first place we went after buying it.  I think they did something about a leak on the rear axle if I remember.  That particular invoice I can't find right now, I have the other one from them.

We will have them make a list, of critical for safety reasons and hope to have those done, necessary but can wait, and discretionary.  He said the rest he can do if needed. I can only imagine on one that old what they will find. 

Our coach is so old she couldn't find the vin number.  I copied every number I could find and resent them to her, so maybe something was different back then I don't know.  So that is the plan.  I told Tom this may cost us more then the coach!! 

 

[Larry N.]

Is the VIN on your vehicle registration? Perhaps on your purchase paperwork?

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

At first she asked for just the last 6 digits, when I sent the whole number she found it.

Now today she wants to know the date of original purchase, are you kidding me?  This thing has had at least 3 known owners and I think I pulled a report and saw 5 including us, one of the CarMax deals.

It appears they had a pacbrake put on and the valves adjusted in Nov 1992 and it had 17250 miles on it then.  I found another sheet for the 3rd Spartan Rally addressed to a CJ King, 12304 Candy Ct, Saratoga, Ca, so I suspect he was the original owner and it was likely purchased in late 1991.  I found him online, showed 85 years old and his phone number.  But when I tried contacting the property has someone else in it per the operator as that number has been disconnected, so suspect he has passed on or moved.

Just interesting, wonder if its the oldest American Eagle still running.

This should prove interesting.

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

We took the boat out today, but it was HOT, HOT.  It had rained this morning and the wind was blowing a bit to much, but first chance we've had.  Even the small boat is hard for me to get in, going to have to get an electric winch for me as Sue Anne is unable to help.  Normally I can back up trailers and things fine, this I had all over the place, luckily no other fisherpeople around.  I will get better.

Sue Anne and I enjoyed it but nothing was biting, I mean it was 95 or more so we were only out about an hour and a half.  We will be tan this summer if nothing else.

I have got to learn about the fish finder and depth finder.  It said 1.5 ft out in the middle of the lake and I almost panicked.  I asked security when I got in, he said no way, so I need to read what all that stuff is.  I didn't beforehand, so guilty. :-[

Sue Anne said she had fun anyway, it was just hot, we need to go earlier in the morning or later in the day.  I think we missed the cooler days of spring already.

 

[Wizard46]

Any day fishing is better than a day at work.

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

It's been so hot we haven't even tried to go again.  It's been 95 with humidity of 70 and 80%, brutal.  Keeps forecasting rain but never happens, just hot and its not summer yet.  It's as bad as Houston!

I have been busy cleaning and cutting grass that is growing like crazy.  Tom is coming in tomorrow so I like to have everything clean and neat, that way I don't have to do it for awhile.

Seems like he has been gone forever this time, not sure why.

My garden is looking really good but I had to water today its pretty dry. 

Nothing happening here.  Hope all of you are enjoying your summer.

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

Tom is home for 3 weeks, good to see him.

He has 3 things to do on the motorhome this time.  Install the new water tank, he said that won't take
long.

My step is out and won't go in, the magnet came off, said he has to look into that to see what he needs to do, the step itself is only 2 years old.

Need a new belt tensioner on the engine, I was hearing this noise and thought I had a hose with a hole or something, he said the bearings are going out of the tensioner.  Told me its an easy fix, take out 1 bolt and put a new one on.  So a lot less then he usually gets into.

I've got both ends and one side waxed.  Need to do the top half of the last one.  Going to do that today.  I have a new wax ordered and I'm going over all of it again with it next week, that should last a year or two I hope.

Oh we also decided to put in a new K & N filter.  Like hubby and I said after cleaning it.  Why didn't we think about it being very old and not just get a new one anyway.  It has to be degraded after so many years.  After I get the numbers off it we will order one.

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

No numbers on the K & N so Tom took it with him.  If we can't find one we may just convert back to a paper filter.  He said this was filthy after my trip, but not on the inside.  I had cleaned it just before and added about 4200 miles on it.

He also went to see if he can order the belt tensioner from Napa.  We have lots of semis here as they haul coal to the power plants and for the farmers, if not here Terre Haute or Vincennes or online. He walked in as I was typing, they had one in stock but not quite right so he ordered it will be here Tuesday, I know that will quiet things down.  $175, no surprise.  They have to call K & N tomorrow
to get the filer, $150??  He got tubing for the water tank, but said it wasn't the right size so going to get a different one tomorrow.  We just have to drive a long way to get anything.  So he said he will just work on my step instead.

Ok, the swirls after waxing, I'm a stubborn cuss, just convinced it was not oxidation.  Well boys and girls its oxidation.

I got a 3M product for fiberglass boats, this is for minor oxidation which mine is.  I think when I first
bought it it was major but 5 coats of wax cleared a lot of that.  I have went over half of one side, one time and its looking good.  I bought Zymol wax that I used to use on vehicles, we bought new ones so I didn't need it anymore and forgot about it.  It's a good wax but sometimes more effort to rub it off. Now its looking good.  But I'm going to redo the whole thing, well all the cr?me with cleaner then rewax, the rest with wax its not oxidized.  I'm going to have to stop for today, where its parked that side is starting to get in the sun.  But I have plenty of other things that need done.

 

[winnone]

I always look forward to reading your posts Carolyn...especially when I'm feeling lazy and want some motivation!  If Carolyn is doing that much...then get up and do something!  That's me talking to myself!  Don't think we aren't reading if we don't reply...it just gave us the get up and go to get up and do something!  Thanks! 

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

Dear old Tom worked his magic.  He tested the step motor, he tested wires, etc.  Found out we had not oiled the step enough and it would go in and out with a lot of effort.  So he oiled and greased the heck out of it.

I said magnet to begin with, he didn't think so, finally decided humm, must be magnet.

We stopped at an RV place by the old Stuckeys on 41 south of Terre Haute, had never been there before.  Found out on these steps there are innumberable combinations of magnets.  They kind of groaned when he said he was troubleshooting.  But they were very nice folks, we were going to get the model number and come back, Tom thought those were just generic.

But the other guy said wait, I've got a box of stuff like that from Kwikee steps I have left over.  He went back and found it and chased us out the door with it.  He and Tom went through it and wouldn't you know, exactly the one we needed.  He sold it to us, are you ready for this?  For $5!

They were so nice and seemed very knowledgeable and Tom and I had been talking about making the Cadillac tow ready so we decided to have them do it.  I'm still worried about covering the front in some way so it won't get all messed up.  The mud flap does a pretty good job but my Saturn at times would get filthy. So by giving good customer service and just being very accomodating folks they made some money.  We will see how it goes but if their work is good we may have found a good service center.  Tom said it was obvious they knew what they were talking about.  Here's the best part their labor is $75 and hour, we haven't seen that anywhere.

So he ran a new vent line and overflow for the new water tank, he showed me the old one was crimped almost in two, that can't be good.
Tomorrow getting the new belt tensioner and hopefully the new filter and this stuff will be done.  I want to flush out the lines and I have a couple other things for him to look at, just little stuff like making sure I got the icemaker line tight enough.

I have done a bit more on waxing but its hot out there and I have to keep cooling off.

 

[Tom and Margi]

Caroline, you're my best excuse for taking a nap.  By the time I finish reading everything you do in one day, I'm ready to kick back in a recliner and shut my eyes for a while.  ;D  So happy Tom is home to help you out a little.