Re: Rancho Boots...a little late.

[tsm1@domain.elided (Tom Mandera)]

>     I'm sure that most of you know this, but for those that don't,
>The only REAL reason to mount the boots on the bottom is to lessen the
weight of

Unsprung weight was not what *I* was thinking.. I was thinking of things to
get caught on rocks.  I've also heard various reports on Yes or No the shock
boots.. One camp says they trap mud and water and good, the other says they
keep dust out.. depends on your conditions.

So I guess I mount my shocks body down.  My new Heckethorn 8000s are
supposed to have a steel "tang" to hold the boot in place, vs. whatever the
Skyjacker Nitros use..

>about 35-40K miles.  That's not that long if you think about it.  I think the 
>shocks on my '75 T'all have the IH logo!  How's that for old?  They'd have
114k 
>if original and they SUCK!  I'm planning to do the lift, and the shocks, so
I'm 
>lagging.

*smile*  I'm not sure if the shocks on my '77 are OEM IH.. but I'd bet my
63k '72 has the stock shocks still..

>Vent the pumpkins with fuel hose, so you don't drown them in 12"or more of 
>water!  Cheapest insurance out there.  What, like $1.00 each for the
fittings (2
>needed) and maybe $2.00 for the hose?

I'm trying to determine where to run my rear vent hose to.. Jim Weed said to
remove the rear tail light lens and coil the hose up in there.. I'll see if
I can get to that when I install the springs...

And, I think it's more like $.50 for the hose clamps, and I think I paid..
$1 per foot?  for my 3/8" fuel line.. then again, that was from the local
shop.. JCW has it a bit cheaper if I recall.

I already have 15' sitting in the garage waiting.. (no, that would be 7.5'
available for each end, NOT 15' for ONE axle! *smile*)

>Now the question,  What's this talk about only being able to ford (again water 
>not oval) 14" or starter height?  A stream will not short out a starter unless 
>it's remarkably polluted with ionic compunds, or salty.  Mine never
sputtered.  
>Any ideas?  Is it just a rumour?

I may have started the "starter deep" thought.. I didn't mean to say that
you can't ford water deeper than the starter, just that it is the lowest
electrical item to worry about.  Yes, you'd need some pretty salty or
polluted water to cause a battery short, but...

I made the comment in reference to my stereo locations.. and that mounting a
$200+ 200w amplifier under my seat is not my preferred place.. in the cab,
everything is at dash level or higher.. and if I get water to the underside
of my dash, I'm in a bit too deep anyhow...    I want to mount my amplifier
under the dash/behind the dash, just above the heater duct (with some heat
shielding of course) behind the ashtray area.. looks to be JUST enough
room.. hard to steal it, hard to find it, and again.. it's gotta be pretty
deep to get it soaked!

OTOH, I will have my CD changer under the driver's seat, and hopefully an 8"
sub under the passenger seat.. I'll do *some* water proofing, but.. if it
gets back up to the seat again, I'll need to be sure I don't fry the changer
or water damage the sub.

Then again, with my Scout sitting 6"+ over stock height (tires n' lift), my
chances of seat deep water is a lot less.. :-)

But my Scout *has* been in water up to the seat before.. 

-Tom Mandera