Author Archives: robsworkshop

2006 Chevy Avalanche Z71 Page 3

Oct 13 2024

And now with the back end to the bench we have a few things to do.

The tailgate makes a nice work place…

Remember the list !

Remove the seats now that I have the proper tool.
Clean the carpets. New floor mats are coming.
Paint the trailer hitch. Can’t have it rusty.
Repair drivers side rear hatch cable.
Fix leaking gaskets on the box covers

Ok don’t get upset, but I skipped to #4 on the list. And I decided to replace both. This is what I’m talking about. And we are looking at the driver’s side. In the above photo I have them both open beyond where they would with the cables. The cables hold the hatches just beyond 90 degrees.

I’m not aware of these being a part you can just buy. So I’ll will be making my own. Mine may not look as scookum as the factory ones.. But then again those broke ! The passenger side is so close to breaking I may as well make two sets.

And those hinges are rusty. Nope can’t have that .. As you can see these are riveted on, so not easy to replace. I may use small bolts, or pop rivets just don’t make them tight. And the pop rivet idea works.

Yup that’s electrical wire and crimp fittings. I’m cleaning the hinges and painting them too. So skip back to #1 on the list. Drivers seat ! Came out easy with the right tools. And I’m $1.75 richer. I wonder what I’ll find under the passenger seat ? A quarter ! Now I have two bucks !

Not near as bad as it could be.. This should clean up real easy.

Yes it sure did ! Once it’s dry I’ll put the passenger seat back. The drivers seat will have to wait. Number one and number two are done. Well my fix for the side hatches did not work. The crimp on the wire was not strong enough.. So I’m making new ones with a stronger crimp and better wire. And I’m waiting for some pop rivets to arrive tomorrow. In the meantime I’ll remove the bottom seat cover. I was pleased to see the heater pad to be in perfect condition.

I’ve watched the videos on how to install these covers.. so I should have no problems. Oh my new floor mats came yesterday. The carpets are dry today so here they are.

The rear mats even cover the hump! That great…

The front’s are very basic but do the job of protecting most of the carpet. Sorry about jumping around from one thing to another. However I’m waiting for things to come, dry… and that’s how I work anyway. Passenger seat is back in, and it’s never going to look this clean again.

But I will try. There’s still a few things on the list, and I’m finding more… but let’s not rush into it. One more thing I did take the tailgate handle apart ( I know how ). Cleaned and lubricated and it works great. There’s protection product that blackens the plastics on the rear parts. It’s a nice contrast with the white.

I’ve got two days till the seat cover comes so I’ll work on the hitch and the spare tire mechanism. And the (hopefully) final assembly of the side hatches. Also paint the bottom of the doors.

Yeah! This time it works, and looks close to factory.. , So far so good.. Much stronger than my first attempt. As for the spare tire lowering mechanism… I’ll need the tools from an auto wrecker to make that work. That means today is hitch painting day. Done ! And paint the bottom of the doors too. It’s taking a while to work through the list.. Meanwhile the hitch is all painted up nice, and I use some undercoat spray on other bits under the rear.

Yes it does not look new that’s for sure.. But it’s got rust sealer under the paint.. should do well.

And with this photo you can see I’ve installed the new seat cover. Was not hard to do.. And that’s the list all done, except for some bodywork. That’s next .. So here’s a new video.

Mechanical stuff is next.. New page for that.

PAGE 4

2006 Chevy Avalanche Z71 Page 2

Oct 11 2024

With all washing done outside now it’s time to welcome the Avalanche into the garage.

What’s going on with the grill… Well that’s me changing the messed up flat black Chevy bow tie back to gold. Sorry it was bugging me. No I’m not sorry…

That looks bad, and if your going to shine up the rest of the front …well we need to fix that.

More to my liking!

I’m doing other things too. While we are up front I changed the daytime running lights and the turn signals to nice bright LED’s When they arrive the fog lights will be LED’s too. And there will be more to change in the interior. I also tested the trailer plug , and it shocked me by working 100% correctly. Today I got my new key fobs, 4×4 buttons, and new LED door lights, Now it’s time to rid the Avalanche of the parasite called a “remote start”. Of coarse it’s not working, and of coarse it’s causing problems. This means the driver’s seat may have to be removed. Two reasons for that… easier to work under the dash, and I need to replace the leather seat bottom. And wouldn’t ya know it.. there is special bolts holding the seat.

What the heck kind of nut is that! I’ve ordered the right sockets. Due to arrive in a few days. In the meantime I will work under the dash with the seats in. So I took the dash apart.. only takes me a few seconds because I’ve done this many times. Now I can find that problem black box.. AANNDD Found it !

And it’s 5 lbs of wires.. Looked up the wiring diagram for it to make sure I have all the connections.. Now your going bye bye.

And this is what I think of aftermarket remote starters. That’s the round file !

And With that done.. I was able to program one of the new Chevy key fobs I just got.. WE ARE GOOD ! While I have the dash apart I’m going to do some cleaning and change the older brake controller for the new ” Primus IQ” trailer brake controller. I have now done a good cleaning of the interior, except for the driver’s seat and the carpets. I have a week to do those things. Here’s a new video #2..

I’m finished with the front of the Avalanche for now, so today I’ll turn it around and back it in. There’s a bit of work to do on that end of things. Here’s my list..

Remove the seats now that I have the proper tool.
Clean the carpets. New floor mats are coming.
Paint the trailer hitch. Can’t have it rusty.
Repair drivers side rear hatch cable.
Fix leaking gaskets on the box covers

And of coarse install the new seat cover when it comes. One last photo before I turn the truck around.

All spiffed up except for the front of the hood. Let’s start a new page for that list.

Page 3

2006 Chevy Avalanche Z71

Sept 30 2024

This is replacing “Gramps”

I’ve lost count of how many Avalanches I’ve had over the years !

What ! Ok I’m told this is number seven.. What can I say… I love’m !

I have a post about those many many Avalanches .. HERE

All I have for now is the photos from the ad.. and the Avalanche is still in Edmonton because it needs a left front hub replaced before a long trip. I’m in no hurry, and will pick it up when I get a ride up there.

It looks good in these photos.. And the body is way better than others I’ve seen, the interior is also very good. However we need a bit of mechanical work. Oh .. runs and drives, the motor and transmission also seem fine..

I’ll start with the positive stuff first. This one is a Z71 off road package with the 17 inch wheels. The model is a ” LT ” which is the deluxe model of that year. As you can see leather heated memory seats, Bose 6 CD stereo, Power folding mirrors, Trailer towing package, Auto climate control, Steering wheel controls and all the usual stuff that Avalanches have. And as an added bonus this one has the 4:10 rear end gears for better towing. Roof rack and the owners manual is in the glove box too!

Ok enough of that… Now for the BAD ! The driver’s seat has a tear in the usual place.. They always do. But that is an easy fix, and it’s cosmetic..

Let’s see where to start.. Right away I need a new left front wheel hub, and possibly CV boots on that side too. The muffler is rusted out and the tail pipe is missing.. Too loud for me ! The check engine light is on… Told it is the O2 censer? We will see. The rear diff is wet from a leak.. The windshield has a big crack.. ( Alberta ! ). Someone installed an after market remote start piece of crap.. and of coarse it does not work and the cause of the locking not working.. I suspect the AC needs work too. The battery is old but okay for now. Needs a good cleaning too… But that’s just fussy old me .

The Avalanche went to a shop my daughter uses for an inspection of what’s up.. what’s wrong , what’s needed…. Here’s the quote.

“Hello Rob, here is a list of items we found during the inspection you can let me know if you would like an estimate for any of it. WINDSHIELD CRACKED, STEERING WHEEL OFF CENTRE , TRUCK WANDERS, POOR SHIFT QUALITY, PASS SIDE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT OUT, DRIVERS FOG LIGHT NOT WORKING, CODES FOR KNOCK SENSOR, EVAP VENT SOLENOID, AC REFRIGERANT PRESSURE SENSOR, MODE SWITCH CIRCUIT MALFUNCTION AND KEY IN IGNITION CIRCUIT MALFUNCTION ( there’s that f@%&g remote start), FRONT LEFT WHEEL HUB, MAY HAVE DAMAGE DUE TO OVER HEATING AND SEIZED CALIPER, Needs TIRES LT265/70/17 Thank you Alish.”

I corrected some spelling and added the comma’s. Well I knew of all these things but question the caliper. No mention of three of the things I was told by the fella selling the Avalanche. And they are.. The missing exhaust system, and the cracked CV boots. And the wet Differential ? Sooo The Avalanche is going to the muffler shop in Edmonton and they will also replace the hub. Not going to fix anything else for now just want to get it home..

Sure enough they found the caliper to be damaged, so got that replaced and new brake pads. Driver’s side axle boot is split , but I’ll fix that. It’s funny no one is mentioning the rear differential ? The Truck should be good now to drive back home safely. So I’m taking the bus to Edmonton this weekend and do just that. And that worked out good. Got all the fixes done quickly and at a very reasonable cost. Drove the Avalanche the three and a half hours home without any issues. The steering is still a little loose. Or an alignment is needed, and I think the front axles are protesting. But the truck was WAAAAYYY quieter and the cruise control worked perfectly. I could be hearing and feeling the 8 year old tires.

We are home !

And I’m taking inventory of the things I found inside.. The manuals, inspection sheets from 2021, key fobs, the proper antenna and a pair of RV mirror extenders.

I thought I’d better make sure the mid-gate works. Sure enough the cover that covers this gap and folds with the mid gate has come off it’s mounting, and there’s what seams like 19 years worth of dirt too.

So there is certainly some cleaning to do… I’ll start tomorrow. Mostly the interior and the motor bay.. I thought of a way to fix the broken mounting ears on the cover.

This is some kinda moulded fibre something ? And these hold the whole thing in place.. I’ve seen this before. They brake if you jam something up front and it catches the lip. Here’s my fix. …

Pop rivets ! and a custom metal ear. After the cargo area was clean and dry, I re-installed the cover.. Speaking of cleaning… How’s this..

That looks like a rust stain.. Nope it’s from heat ! And that’s what you get for not replacing the tail pipe from the muffler back. Good thing the rubber mat is not damaged. As I clean I’m realizing that the body and all the “avalanche” bits and pieces are in very good condition. No dents.. All the covers and cubbyholes work the way they should. While I had the pressure washer out I cleaned the door frames. Also treated some rust spots.

Looks great ! Original white paint by the way. Someone liked those “Bose” speaker emblems a lot.. They just had to have them. The interior will get it’s turn for cleaning in the garage soon. But the motor is next while it’s outside. Darn I forgot the “before” photo.. But anyway here’s the after.

It wasn’t super bad.. mostly dusty. Just as long as I feel better. I took the two headlights into the garage for a good polishing. And then I used a ceramic coating on them.. Yup they are better too.

Now the turn and DRL’s look not as good. Oh well… One more thing too do while I have room in the garage.. Clean and treat the box covers. Found a good product for fixing the faded grey.

Supposed to last a year.. We will see.. But it really did remove many years of fading. And now they look new and so does the other plastics !

Looks like it’s wet.. But it’s not. So with the messy stuff done, it’s time for the Avalanche to visit the garage… But first here’s a new Video I made..

New post for the interior work…

Page 2

1993 Award Classic 23 Page 4

Let’s get going on the cabinets !

Or at least the doors and drawer fronts. Then they will be ready to install in the spring.

Above we have the two doors from under the sink from both trailers. One painted black on the front only , and one not. I’m carefully removing the build sheet from our trailer to apply it over Dave’s door. You can also see the black painted furnace cold air intake on the pile. This is unique to our trailer so it’s the only one I have. I stripped the black paint off and now it looks like new. Wood plugs cover the screws on this and also on the two wall mirrors.

This is finished with Minwax Polyshades classic oak satin finish. All the doors and fronts will get this treatment. They will also get new handles to match the gold ones used in our trailer.

Here’s the old and the new. And the old are looking old. Got more of the gold ones coming. I should say that I removed anything that can be taken to the garage to work on.. The trailer is about to get covered , and will stay that way till spring. One other thing I removed was the bathroom door. It too was painted black only on the outside. Nope I can fix that.. Here’s a few photos showing the transformation.

Stripping the door down using a friendly paint stripper. Then I applied a dark stain, wiping it off right away to even out the colour.

Still needs a second coat but now we have an oak door on both sides. But the satin poly finish will make it “pop”. Meanwhile I’ve been collecting some of the electrical goodies.

Blue penny lights to use as night lights. ( I have more coming). And two different types of USB charging ports. I like the one on the left. These will be replacing the useless TV cable outlets.

Now I’ve finish all the re-finishing that needed to be done. All the parts and pieces have been stored back in the trailer. Except for the ones that will be modified like the night stand. It was a warm day so the cover went on too.

I like to keep mother nature away for my RV’s as much as I can. These covers breathe and repel water too. All ready for winter !

1993 Award Classic 23 Page 3

Black & White

Let’s have a look inside shall we. This isn’t my first interior design rodeo.. Yes it needs a bit of work. We want to keep the black and white theme but tone it down a bit.. In other words less back. We’ll start with a video tour.

See what I mean.. Some things are not ever to be done and some things should be left as they were. And there are things that need a change. Like the stereo situation.. The fancy little blue tooth thingy.. Nope not my thing. This is my thing…

I had all these things in my garage, the Kenwood stereo, voltage readout and an old aluminum sign which has donated many pieces to different projects. Oh look the batteries are in need of a charge. A week later the battery is not showing signs of charging… Hmm. Not that we will be camping on the batteries …but that means the inverter charge isn’t doing it’s job. Have to check on that.

September 9th:

Road Trip ! I took my truck to my friend Dave’s to steal parts from his old Award trailer. Came back with lot’s of goodies. Some we need like the two twin mattresses, Hot water tank, Roof AC unit, stove, microwave, cabinet doors and drawers. Plus other bits and pieces.

I’ll use that small corner cabinet in the new living room I plan to make… Later.

Exact same stove and microwave… Ours are still good.. Only need the steel cover off the stove

I’ve got plans to use some of this stuff. Can we say ” night stand with two drawers” OAK !

I’m going to clean this AC up and test it.. If it works I’ll swap it with mine … but not the cover, that’s toast. And not before I Re-test the AC in the trailer. Same thing goes for the hot water tank… I’ll make one good one out of two..if I have too.

Here’s the AC from Dave’s trailer.. After the wasp nests, leaves and other crap has been cleaned out. The control panel on top for the test. It’s alive ! works as it should blows 58 F on high.. That feels cold enough. Then I tested the one in the trailer.. It too seems to work.. same temperature. Both on a 15 amp circuit. These are not big AC’s only 1100 BTU’s But if you try to run them on a long 14 gauge extension cord I don’t think that works well. So I have a spare AC.. And about the hot water tank.. Dave’s Award trailer had the exact same by-pass set up for the hot water tank. But his worked !

I cut the two ends off to make a straight through by – pass with no valves. Now I can install this and things will be back the way they are suppose to be.

And of coarse along with those goodies came two twin mattresses that were in a 30 ft Award trailer. They need toppers but these are hard to find and are a perfect fit. Next Spring you will see a big transformation inside the Award. But in the mean time I can work on the cabinet doors and drawer fronts.. Let’s start a new page for that shall we !

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1993 Award Classic 23 Page 2

More About Award Trailers..

Yes that’s an SUV in the mountains near Banff Alberta. No equalizing hitch, Steep hills, No problems ! However it would have been a nicer trip with the equalizing set up.. and more air in the Buick’s tires. Things got a bit too bouncy at times. Also I suspect too much weight up front in the trailer.

Here’s a new video I made… a tour of the outside:

We’ll discuss the interior in a different post. Let’s see and start at the front of the trailer. Some of these things are unique to Award trailers. Like the hitch and tongue.

That’s a very good coupler but there is no way to lock it. Interestingly it fit a 2 ” ball, most travel trailers are 2-5/16″. The whole hitch is very narrow so you can turn sharply without jack knifing and hitting the corner of the tow vehicle. I plan to change the jack for a power one.. Notice no batteries up here, and the propane tanks are in the front hatch. No need for a cover. All part of keeping things slippery.

The front window is very unique to the Award trailers. It is two pieces of curved lexan with an air space. You can’t get these anymore, but this one is near perfect … even the rubber trim looks new. Mostly the trailer body needs a bath and a polish. Next year I would like to replace the vinyl insert on the trim. I opened up the awning today.. Just want to make sure it works ok and no damage.

Could use a bath, but very good condition. This pleases me. I’ve inspected around the trailer 100 times and have found very little to complain about. I let the awning dry in the warm breeze. That’s when I found a broken piece on the front rafter slide. New piece ordered. Oddly the strap wasn’t even in it’s slot… just tied up at the end. We can’t have that.. It’s needed to open and close the awning evenly.

The business side of the trailer! Like I said in the video .. I think it’s great that all the heat producing stuff is on this side. I don’t need to replace any of these doors and hatches. Just the two keyed locks. Which is now done.. they are keyed alike, and I have four keys. I’ve ordered the electric jack for the front. Once that is replaced the outside is good for now. Oh Oh I was washing the trailer mostly the roof and the vents. But I decided to carry on and do every thing. Has to be done before any re-sealing. Then I can install the two vent rain covers. Well I discovered the window in the door had sagged down on one side leaving a gap for water to go though. I’ve had problems with these in the past.. There is very small tabs inside that hold the glass, and one was broke off. A small block of wood works, can’t see it , it’s inside the frame. FIXED! Also it has bugged me that two of the “A’s ” are missing from the decals.

Must be my mild OCD or something… But this really does bother me. So I fired up the Cricut cuting machine and make four new “A’s” that are just a bit fancier. I have lots of 3M sign vinyl so why not.

There is actually five places that say “Award” on the trailer two of then being the front nose. Both those are in poor shape from road rash.. So I may just take my eraser wheel to them. Well here is the new fix ..

Not so boring . I made new decals for the first Surf Side trailer I restored too. The folks on the fiberglass trailer forums loved it…

Anyway I like things to be nice.. Sooo I will do the sealing and install the covers and say good to go for the winter. However while I was installing the new sliders for the awning rafters I decided to give the awning a much needed bath. It was a nice warm day so the awning would dry. While I was rolling it back up the ratchet cam decided to let go of the spring. Good grief.. what next ! So I had to take that apart and investigate. The wheel that the cam grips was badly worn. So I used a file to give it new teeth. Works great again…for now ! My new electric jack came , but I’m leaving that job for the spring.

The inside…well that’s a thing that needs a chat on a new post..

Page 3 Interior

1993 Award Classic 23

Aug 23 2024:

Our new trailer… 31 years young !

This is the photo from the ad. Yes the battery compartment door is bent.. First thing I did was straighten that..

So let’s talk about the trailer.. By going back in time

We had a 1994 27ft Award trailer for many years back in 2005. One of the best trailers for towing and rolling down the road. We took that trailer through all four western provinces. Here’s a photo of our rig..

Very aerodynamic and a not an intimidating size this makes these trailers road warriors. Plus they were made in Canada, and had features not common for those years. It’s because of these things ( and I’ve had enough of crappy old stuff) That I went looking for another Award trailer. Award made these trailers in three sizes.. 30ft, 27ft and 23ft. And very few of any size for sale in the western part of Canada. This 23 ft popped up and despite the 4 hr drive to get it I jumped on it.. And like our first Award trailer this one is a one owner trailer. Or in this case more like one family. The granddaughter inherited the trailer a few years ago. Unfortunately that young ladies had some black paint and a bush. So not looking at all like it was from the factory.

I get it.. oak is not everyone’s thing. And she tossed out the couch and chair up front, then built ( and I mean BUILT) a dinette with a BIG table. A table made from 2×6 lumber !

That’s cool… BUT it added a lot of extra weight to the front of the trailer. She also put some plywood pieces over the twin beds in order to use a queen mattress. And kept the mattress..

Fortunately none of that was attached . So I took all that away when I got home. We have decided that the twin bed would be better for us.

Opps she ran out of flooring. That’s ok a piece of carpet will work for now. And I’ll need to build a new night stand. There was a floor to ceiling cabinet there. I want a night stand, so it’s better if I make one.

Enough complaining about someone else ideas on improvements.

I’ve dealt with worse things. What I have bought is a very solid 31 year old trailer. It was mostly stored under cover. And that shows on the outside. The big things for me … A working large two door fridge. Electric and propane. No electronics too. Have a look…

I don’t see any circuit board here. Therefore it works ! Second thing .. solid floor. I could not find any bad stuff. I do think the sky light over the tub leaked at some time.. Some crunchy bits in the ceiling over the tub only. Don’t ever plan on using the tub for anything but storage. My 94 and my friend Dave’s had rotten floors. It can happen from plumbing leaks or in Dave’s case water sitting on top of spay foam used for insulating the under side of the floor. Not this trailer. The plywood looks old under the trailer but still strong. The plumbing works good no leaks, pump works as it should. All the lights work. The toilet is a newer one that’s taller and more deluxe.

Opps again with the flooring.. No big deal. There is work to do… Not sure I like the gold heat vent. It’s part of the decor.. I know.. Surprisingly the wife likes the black and white theme. Who’d a thunk that.. So the plan is to make more curtains like the front ones for the bedroom.

No you can not successfully paint a stainless steel sink. And mac-tac self sticking wrap a counter top is not good either. The faucet is nice ! That’s the factory wood sink cover.. YES ! Oh no I’m complaining again. You know we have our own ideas on the ideal set up for a trailer would be. So having some things that need changing is a good thing. For example the sink being painted… We would prefer to have just a single sink. Never saw a good reason for the double. More counter space would be better. So.. to go from a double to a single will require a new counter top. Prefect I’ll get to use new Formica instead of vinyl sticky stuff. Both the bathroom and the kitchen need this done. This post is getting long so time to start a new page…

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Fix’n Stuff Gramps Page 4

Aug 2024 :

Now that the truck is running great and reliable to go anywhere , it’s time to get the trailer wiring done. Today I made space in the garage. Plans are:

Repaint the hitch with rust paint.
Install new 7 and 4 pin plugs.
Run the wire for the back up camera.
Push the dents out of the rear bumper.

I have all the parts I need so let’s get to it !

Here’s what I have so far.. There is more on the way. I’m going to replace more than just the lever on the steering column. The high beam part of the switch is not working .. New one coming and a new cam for the turn cancel too. Above I have a new trailer plug 7 and 4 pin combo, and the adapter. New digital brake controller. Back up camera with a screen. Key less locking kit. New headlight switch. And the new multi function lever.

Gramps in in the garage ready for all this work to be done. I have to run the power wire and the camera wire to the front first. Here’s the test for that.

Very handy for both backing up and hooking up trailers. It won’t be automatic when in reverse, I’ll have a switch on the dash. Same thing for the 12 volt power to the trailer plug. I want control over these things. Here’s a short video of the progress…

I realized that the wires to the back of the truck needed to start at the front. So I started taking the steering column apart and the dash too. I’m still waiting for a few parts and added to the order today. While I have the dash apart, I’m changing the lights to LED’s. Polished the lens today and now that looks so much better. Progress has been slow on the truck.. But I got back to it.. Have all the parts I needed and it’s time to get the steering column back working. I decided not to pursue the locking system at this time. That involves removing a door panel… Nope I hate doing those. Here’s what I’ve done so far:

New parts in the steering column DONE. Horn fixed too.
Cleaned and polished dash parts.
Installed back up monitor and wires going to the back.
Running a power wire to the back , with switch.
Installed new brake control.

The monitor fits nicely here.. works great..

Just need to get the truck up higher so I can run the power and the camera wire. A jack and jack stands work good. Wasn’t too hard.. And I got the wiring mess at the back done. We now have a nice trailer system. With a camera !

I do need to paint that hitch though.. One more thing left to do .. The old ash tray is getting a makeover. With a new 12 volt plug and two USB ports for charging stuff.

This will be handy, just need to install this back in it’s place. I’ve tested all the wiring and it’s all good. I’m hitting the road in a few days …so the truck will get a good test. We are good and ready for the road trip.

And what a road trip ! I didn’t get far and the transmission started to act up. Not serious things at first… So carried on. Just geared down on the mountain passes and that worked fine. The overdrive ( 4th gear) was slipping and jumping around on even the slightest hill. So I put some magic (no slip) in the trany thinking that may work. Nope ! On the way home after going over the third and highest pass It started to get a knocking sound at slow speeds. And the oil pressure gauge was going up and down.. I was determined to get home so I put up with that.. And I did make it home.. Turns out that noise is coming from the motor… and it’s bad news. We suspect it to be a rod bearing.. Not fixable given how long I drove with this happening. So Gramps needs a new motor ! YIKES ! So I could throw more money at the truck … Lots of money and still have other things to fix.. Or cut my losses and sell Gramps as is.. I’m choosing the latter. The final determination of the problem is the oil pump. It was failing off and on and that lack of oil damaged one of the connecting rod bearings on the crank shaft. This would have damaged the crank as well. Still drive able but with a bit of noise. I got it across town and drove it onto the semi truck trailer that was taking it to it’s new home way up north.

Bye Gramps. I hope you can be fixed.

70’s Enclosed Trailer Intro

June 2024

Something different this time…

This was an old U-Haul rental trailer that somehow found it’s way on to a farm not far from home. And I found it in an estate sale. I’m told it’s been sitting here for many many years. Yup I’ll agree with that. The plywood is rotten. The tires are shot so it’s not going home with me today. Price reflected the sad condition, and it’s still solid except for the plywood.

These are the only photos I have for now..( I’m so busy looking it over that I forget to take photos). I need to go back and load it on a trailer to get it home. And he needs to clean out his stuff stored in there. By the way that stuff is dry ! Yes the roof is in good condition. This will be a fun and different trailer project.

June 19 2024

Today I made the trip back out to the farm to bring the trailer home. I don’t have a flat deck trailer nor could I rent one. So I made the decision to get it road worthy. Two things needed to work out for that. The old rusted wheels had to come off, and the coupler had to work ! (in other words stay on the hitch). I brought lots of tools and a jack with some blocking. First thing… see if the wheel nuts will come off. I soaked everything with WD 40 and the first one came loose ! But the second one broke off. Yikes.. But as luck would have it all the rest came loose. Here’s a quick video I made when I got to the farm and started that process.

Jacking the trailer up was not fun. The duff on the ground was 4 inches deep. And the trailer wanted to head down the hill. So with the wheels in the car I headed to the nearest tire store and had them install new tires. It’s crazy that these wheels are 6 stud 16 inch load range E tires. What you would use for a car / equipment hauler.. not a little trailer. Anyways got the new wheels on and the coupler working. Off we go. Towed good ! full speed down the road no worries.

Made it home..

And here it is … Big wheels …Little trailer. I forgot to say ..I took the tools to re-grease the hubs.. but even after sitting so long they turned smooth. So I left them as they were. However now after the trip home they are a tad loose. No big deal.. It’s not going anywhere till it’s had it’s make over, and those hubs are only for those big wheels. After all that I’m seeing the things to change for sure.. Those wheels are not needed. 15 inch or even 14 ‘s would be a better fit. But to do that the axle would have to be changed, because the hubs are big old 6 stud ones.. We’ll check it out later.

This hast to go.. Those old couplers come loose when you hit bumps. and we hit bumps. It’s nice that it’s raised a bit so the trailer tows level behind the Buick, which has a higher than normal hitch. All I need to do is cut the old one off right behind those ears and …..

Here’s a proper 2″ coupler that will bolt on. I will also need to figure out a tongue jack. And while we are up at the front of the trailer… Check out the old 14/2 house hold cord and plug they used for the lights.

Farmer fix for sure ! Plus there is no ground wire, just the lights. They used the coupler as ground… Okay that works (maybe) when everything is new and not rusty. Not sure what would happen if you plugged that into a 110 socket, and I’m NOT doing that ! The way the trailer is right now there is no tongue weight at all….None. You can lift it with a finger. And that translated to a lot of rattling while towing. I will mount the spare (when I get one ) to the front of the body. And while we are talking wires…

The “extension cord” to the left side is broken. That’s why I have a set of tow lights. Oh and I weighed the empty trailer at the scales on the way home.. 1000 lbs ! EMPTY. That tells me that it should have a 3500 lb axle at minimum. Check out the springs…

Count em… 9 leafs ! I don’t know what to think about that.. good or bad ? The axle is however just a 48 ” spring centre drop axle. And there’s that “extension cord” so it must be from the factory. But all other things aside.. the biggest problem is the lack of Vin#. That’s a $250. dollar expense right away. So I’m in no hurry with this one.

Nov 1 2024

For now it’s tucked in a corner, and I’m storing a few things in it.

Those ramps are for weight up front.. Very annoying when the trailer tips backwards just cause you did not put enough weight up front. I would like to get working on this now that the garage is empty. But I’m still thinking about how to deal with the wheels ,axle and lack of vin#.

OK decision made !

I want a winter project. I will do the vin number thing in the spring. Keep those big wheels (because they were expensive) and find a spare. I would like to ad another foot to the front to make the inside eight feet long. This would also help with the lack of tongue weight. Can’t wait to start. Sooo let’s start a new page.

Page 2

Fix’n Stuff Gramps Page 3

This Post will be about the fix’n and Plans .

Gramps does not need much. I’m driving the truck just the way it is.. BUT there are some stuff to do. The first thing is to make an appointment with my shop to have a look for problems and to adjust the idle. Also I will get them to do a wheel alignment. There’s sure to be a list. One of the biggest things for me is the paint. It’s missing in a lot of places, and that could mean rust will happen. I really like the blue factory paint. It makes me happy like the blue colour of my ATV. So it’s a keeper for when that happens.

I’m not sure about the black lower part.. But it does look good.

June 4 2024

Today I picked up a nice canopy from a nice person for Gramps. I had to drive a few hours to get it.. That was the most I’ve driven the truck..

White is a good fit and so is this canopy. It will stay on for the summer. After that 4 hr drive I now know more about the truck, so I have a list of things needing attention. As well as the inspection, here’s my thoughts: Wheel alignment.. wanders on the road more than it should. Rough idling… The motor feels like it stumbles at idle. Cruise Control.. Yup it’s should be working. A/C .. yup that could be handy.. I believe a recharge will fix that. Fan speed... medium speed is not working. Will have to see what’s up there. Replace Multi Function Switch… Got a new one.. And it may fix the cruise.. Horn ! Needs fixing. Dash & Cluster…I have a new headlight switch to install and all the bezel needs a good cleaning. Also I will replace any bulbs that are out. That’s enough for now..

Update: Now that the truck has had it’s assessment we know the answers. A few surprises, but overall good news. Got a list from the mechanic and the costs. Adds up to just under $2000. So the plan is to have some stuff done now and some later. Here’s whats getting fixed first.

Rear Brakes. The shoes are bad and both brake cylinders leak as well as a leak in the line that crosses the rear axle.
Spark Plugs & Distributor Cap. I suspected this could be the cause of the rough idle. A good thing to do anyway.
Oil Pressure Sender. The gauge goes up and down. So let’s make sure this is not the issue.
Fuel Filter. It’s old so let’s just do this while on the hoist.
Wheel Alignment. There was some wandering and pulling on the steering …this should fix that.
Oil Change & Air Filter. Want this done anyway.

Here’s what is getting fixed along with those things.

Intake Manifold Gasket. Possible leak of the coolant here. The motor will be happy.
Power Steering Pump. Leaking and this may help the steering problems too.

So we will see how this works out… Now there is a few more things that need attention. The shocks are older. And of coarse there are a few electrical things to fix.. I will gladly do those. That’s my thing ! So by the end of summer I should have a reliable good running and driving truck. Ready for the cosmetic stuff.

July 24 2024.

We are home from our camping now and the truck spent 3 weeks at the shop having all the stuff on the list done. Including the intake and power steering. Runs great and now I have confidence in it for some long trips. I have ordered the parts for trailer towing electrical. including a new brake controller. I’ll fix all that in August. I took the left taillight out to see what colour wire did what. And the mud and dust was thick on the back of the light and the cavity.

Should have taken a before photo… But this is what it looks like now after a good cleaning. I also need access on the left side for power to the canopy light. While I have the taillights on my table …why not make them pretty again. They are faded and oxidized. So I tried a new product.

And it worked wonders on those taillights… check them out.. Again some “before” photos would have been nice.

I like clean and shiny things… So next is the trailer wiring and I’m thinking a new page for that.