Dump Truck Repair: Clutch, Transmission, and Near Disaster. (part 1/2)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ส.ค. 2024
- The old truck needs a new clutch, and it's not going easy for me! No thanks to Harbor Freight's transmission jack. Or should I say Hazard Fraught? Vevor's air jack worked well at least! I'm honestly impressed with it, especially since it only costs $135 with free shipping right now. #vevor #airjack.
UPDATE: At this point, I THINK I have all the parts on the way. I actually found the throwout bearing, with the collar and everything. The clutch arrived, but it was the wrong size. I'm pretty sure I located the right one and it should be headed my way on Monday. The rear main seal I got was not in spec, so I have another one on order. Other than that, I should have everything.
US Vevor Pneumatic Air Jack: bit.ly/3LCienB
UK Vevor Pneumatic Air Jack: bit.ly/3dvATF4
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UPDATE: At this point, I _THINK_ I have all the parts on the way. I actually found the throwout bearing, with the collar included! The clutch arrived, but it was the wrong size. I'm almost positive I was able to locate the right one today and it should be headed my way on Monday. The rear main seal I got was not in spec, so I have another one on order. And I already have the other needed parts. A big THANK YOU to all the folks trying to help both directly and with suggestions in comments. You guys rock! I feel like it's not fair to the non-youtuber DIYers who don't have an audience of thousands of people to help them out when they get in a pinch! Like getting help from you guys is me cheating! ;-) Have an awesome weekend everybody!
U 2 have a great weekend. U could not return the transmission jack?
"looks like one of those old time fuses" maybe it's just an old fashion love song. Lol...
For future issues like this contact your fellow TH-cam creators Watch Wes Work or Diesel Creek. I'm a betting man and I bet either one of these guys could help you and would help in a heartbeat.
Curiosity has got the best of me so I gotta ask, how are there some comments that are 2 days old when it says the video was posted 10 hours ago?
Between taking the pin out of the front corner of the cherry picker and the minutes of this video with the transmission resting on that jack, I'm not sure which was scarcer to look at 😊
Well done man, a lot of work . Be carefully with that jack still wouldn’t trust it.
It's like watching a horror movie complete with shouting at the screen and everything!
That jack is utterly terrifying. Respect for having the courage to fix it, not just throw it out.
I would've tossed it out of spite, probably in HF's parking lot.
@@amschind lol, that is still being nice, better would have been throwning it to their window, when they where closed. Indeed a piece of junk.
Thing is he still needs a Transmission jack, so why not adjust a poorly design. He also saved a lot of $$$.
@@patrickvanden8322 The issue is time. If you value your time as $0.00/hr, then you can justify fixing anything. Once you start to apply a cost factor to your time investment, lot of cheap garbage becomes financially unappealing. A more complete way of phrasing that is "Optimizing for lowest total cost of ownership vs optimizing for lowest first cost." Optimizing for lowest first cost is VERY rarely economical.
@@amschind You are right in that, but as a fellow tinkerer cost decisions are not the first thing that comes to mind. Often it is more like can I make it work? If you own a shop and need 3 transmission jacks that are being used regularly , this is surely not the way to go. But if it is a one off item. There is no way that you would spent like $1000 on a transmission jack that would spent most of his time being useless sitting in the shop.
So I"'m at home recovering from a heart attack I had at work on Monday. Watching you bring down that transmission with that flimsy jack almost gave me another one. Thanks for dropping a video so I have something to keep myself occupied while I recover.
ETA: Harbor Freight said you could lift 800lbs. It didn't say it would be done safely. lol
Get well!
Hope you get better soon.
Get well soon!
Get well soon!
I hope I didn't give you another one! Get well!
I believe the bearing carrier comes with the clutch release yoke assembly it is not a separate part. The are specific lengths and should have a forging # on them. The manual states to use a 7743X Clutch Release Bearing and (2) 2306-12 Springs.
"My sphincters tired" you come up with the most random sayings. Comment of the week 💯. Cheers from Australia 🇦🇺
Thank you for sharing. I would be checking out every heavy truck recycler within a 200 mile radius. If you have the transmission make, model, and serial number, those transmissions were used in more than just your GM make and model. When I was in the towing industry our medium and heavy duty transmissions and parts were available from multiple suppliers across the whole country. A good used part is better than a non existent new part 100% of the time. It's not like you are expecting to make a living 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, 50 weeks of the year with this truck, In reality, it may see 100 hours in a year. The exception is always Clutch, Pressure plate as yours is heat damaged, seals, and throw out bearing, always new, then just maintain them.
Throw out bearing part #s listed for your truck through Napa. Looks like a few options you’ll have to pick through.
BRG N1059-bearing
BRG N1509-bearing
BRG N1610-bearing
BRG N2456VP-clutch release bearing assembly
You should also be able to call a GM dealership, give them the year, and last 8 of your vin and the parts list should pop up. usually how it works anyways.
The way we would do transmissions like that in the shop I worked at, we would remove the shifter and cover plate in the cab, and we had a metal frame four leg support that straddled the opening, and it had a cable winch on it. We'd attach it to the trans using the cover bolts, then lower the trans using the winch. It'd work on trans like this clear up to 18 speed Eaton Fuller semi transmissions. Clutches on semi's, you slide the trans back just enough to get the input shaft free, the whole underside of the bell housing is open to facilitate removal, plus, we never removed the driveshaft completely, we would secure it out of the way by the frame with a strap. That jack you have was basically designed to handle automotive transmissions weighing less than 200 pounds. That trans you had with it's cast iron case, weighs considerably more.
Glad you survived that jack. I don’t know about in the US but in Australia it was a free for all until Australian Standards stepped in and regulated jack and vehicle stands. At first a lot were removed from the market and there were constant recalls but now it’s not so common and most seem to be recalled for labelling issues so if you buy a jack from a retailer then you generally know it will do what it says on the label. That of course doesn’t cover junk purchased on line directly from overseas. I believe the standards are pretty stringent and I’m sure that jack wouldn’t pass.
You’re the second channel I’ve seen to be gifted an air jack from Vehcor, No Nonsense Know How got one as well and he found that if you disconnect the air hose and open the inlet tap it goes down pretty quickly. Any chance of getting a second hand thrust bearing carrier?
Looking forward to part 2. Love your channel. Cheers Stuart 🇦🇺
Back when I was growing up, jacks and all tools were made in the US. Today most of them are imported from China and cheaply made.
Absolutely love your willingness to take on nearly every problem that comes up. And in the process figure it out.
That's a Big Job "JOHN " , I almost bet that someone had that tranny out before. Loose bolts or some missing bolts might tell the story. True story John, when I was to graduate high school in 1969 the very day I was to get my diploma, my Best buddy and I, changed a clutch and pressure plate in my 3 speed 1959 FORD. Got almost everything out, 4 bolts herald the tranny in, got those loose and pulled the tranny out and I put it on my chest. Rolled it over onto the ground, put the new clutch and pressure plate in. Then I got the tranny on my chest, I pushed it up and had my buddy put the 4 bolts back in as I kept it in place. Got everything back together, got cleaned up and went to my graduation and my buddy and I drove around that night happy as Hell !
I've wrestled a car tranny in by hand before, but that wasn't an option on this beast!
@@FarmCraft101 Your right John, very Big Tranny, I hope you find the parts you need.
John what do you think about my idea looking in Junk yards and auto recyclers ?
I couldn't stand the suspense of waiting for the near disaster and had to fast forward to make sure you were OK. Man, that was scary.
Man I love the fact that you didn't just chuck that jack but fixed it!!! A true maker if I've ever seen one. I have a ton of bad tools that are now ok doing fixes that the manufacture should have done lololol
Not just a maker.......a FARMER! Required to be the most resourceful people on earth.
@@kensherwin4544 amen to that
16:40 Yes! A good view on you hands handling your exceptionally long nutdriver.
The cow's probably thought your drone was a UFO
Amazing bit of engineering that HF jack. First time I've ever seen lifting gear made of laminated cardboard and twigs with a 'no cross-bracing' self-imposed challenge.
That trans jack was some of the funniest utube content I’ve ever seen. Almost soiled myself.
Wow, i came for the trans drop and stayed for the jack repair, nice work
One option to deal with the transmission/ clutch issues is to replace it with a second hand Eaton-Fuller type twin countershaft 8/10 speed. They are cheap and common, parts are cheap and plentiful and they are very strong, plus they give you more ration options. The clutches are also cheap and easy and very serviceable.
Hope you find the part soon!! we need part 2.
Okay, you need the truck, but our priorities come first, right?... 😉
In many ways this is even more terrifying than shaking around at the top of your boom lift. be safe, John!
I certainly wouldn't trust a Hazard Fraught jack made from tin cans to keep a heavy transmission from crushing me, I hope you return that thing.
Really appreciate your ingenuity and ‘never say die’ attitude. Hope those parts turn up soon and that you also reach a solution on the missing item. 👏👏👏👍👍👍
Just wanted to say how frustrated I am about Yt's gun smithing rules I really hate how they forced your videos down on that specific content, keep posting content, we know how you value our gun rights!
I had a jack incident like this myself a few months ago. A small metal part actually yielded far below the maximum weight its supposed to be able to hold, It also couldn't have been metal fatigue because I barely used the thing. Just like with yours, there was quite a lot of play between components. I guess they assume the structure becomes rigid under compression, but its a rather dangerous assumption.
Always a great Friday when a new Farmcraft101 vid drops!
Hi there, just to say, that little red thing that you pull to dump the air out of your jack, its actualy a safety valve. If you overpressure your jack, that valve opens right away so it doesnt blow
Cheers
As a automotive technician, watching you pull this trans while the jack twisting is giving me so much anxiety!
34:40. That’s what we call in the industry a “slow blow” fuse! 😉😂
Haven't watched the video yet, but the title reminds me of an accident my dad had whilst working under a Case Traction King tractor in the 1980s, a big tractor in UK terms. Using one or two of those widow-maker jacks to lift up the rear end (the wheels were still on, thankfully). The jacks lived up to their name, something in the PTO area clonked dad on the head, opening up a nice wound. He wanders around a bit, confused, until I tell him we're taking him to hospital - typical farmer he wanted to get back to fixing the tractor. He never remembered the days around the incident and almost didn't believe it had happened. I have always had a healthy respect for health and safety, in part because of that day. It may be tedious, but there are more 80 year old farmers and miners and oil rig workers today than there were even 50 years ago, in part because we (my old country and the EU) legislate around stupidity/it'll-buff-out.
When you lengthened the chain, you changed the center of gravity/pivot point for the jack. That chain is will wrap around the maximum size it was designed for. That thing isn't for trucks. That said, you pulled it off and didn't get squished or break anything so nice freaking job.
Weld and turn that carrier, the bearings just slip on .. the main thing it the inside OD , not super critical just has to slide easy, u can easily fix it. Great vid bud!!
You continued being a shining example of a self-sufficient man. Really looking forward to seeing this old work horse back on the road again! Keep up the excellent work.
Ah, was gonna say Eastern Surplus & Equip. Glad you got stuff coming. Waiting for the next video!
Harbor Freight must have some fantastic lawyers to defend themselves from the crappy tools/equipment they sell. When you started jacking up that transmission jack, my initial thought was the plate thickness on the sections rising up looked awful thin. Glad you didn't get hurt.
Thanks for sharing this video with us, Jon. Quite a ride.
• I LOVE those seal picture inserts you do, especially that "bandaged seal" graphic. 😃
• Wow. That 500 lb (226 kg) transmission was totally overloading your 800 lb (362 kg) capacity transmission jack. Maybe some Marketing person at Harbor Freight added an extra zero to its capacity to make it sound more impressive. 🥴 THAT was some dangerous $#1T. Well done recognizing the developing issue, adapting, and overcoming it!
• Another wow! Your throw-out bearing's got no balls!
• Technicality Warning! Come-along isn't for overhead lifting. . .but you're not lifting it over your head. 🤣 I absolutely love your sense of humor.
• OMG! You're going to fix that POS transmission jack. Looking forward to that.
• If I were to make a guess, the Chinese company that designed, prototyped, and manufactured that transmission jack did their testing with a press, pushing straight down and declared "Yes, it can hold 800 lbs (362 kg)". Those idiots doing the testing probably didn't take real-world, off-center loads into account.
• Nice re-engineering job on that transmission jack! You rock! 👍
Ugh! I'm half way through the video. I had to pause and take a breath. I was screaming at you the whole time you were trying to work with that idiotic jack.(Get out from under there! Just get out!) I don't watch scary movies because I don't like this feeling. Thanks John! 😂 That was suspenseful! Ok, back to the video...
I'm back. Great video! It turned out to be suspenseful AND a cliffhanger. I'm really invested now so, I'll wait patiently. ☺️
I won't defend the overall poor quality of the Horror Fright jack, but I will say the truck transmission is exceedingly top heavy compared to most common transmissions (4L80, SM465, etc), and that definitely exacerbated the problem. I also was thinking you were going to weld those 3/4" or 1" spacers to the lift arm, and also plate the bottom support arms.
Agreed. I feel like a transmission like this was outside the scope of the design for that jack.
The bottom "support" arms are actually only to guide the tilt of the table, they don't hold any load. I rather would've broadened the track of that thing...
First time I ever took out a transmission I was under the truck and I was wiggling the tail shaft. Next thing I knew the F’n transmission was on my body and all I felt was pain. Now I run straps under the transmission even if it’s already supported by a transmission Jack! Never had another transmission fall again. Some lessons are literally learned the hard way through pain!
Im about to have a heartattack watching that jack twist and flex and that trans rolling...😱
Ooo, FARMCRAFT! I love Farmcraft, no really i do, it's my favourite channel. I was just watching the How to cut a tree and then bam, you're here!
You’re like the dad I never had with the tips and tricks. I’m sure there are experienced mechanics here but I’m not one of them so thanks for the wisdom.
Ideas - flip the chain bolt over so the wing nut is pointing down. Easier access to the wings with your fingers.
Add another plate to the jack holding the lower pair of arms together - put it underneath so it makes a U and the "n" of the upper arm interfaces cleanly.
Change a caster to the locking sort so it can't roll away? Or change two casters to non-pivoting so they can only roll forward and backward. Inhibits manoverability for added control.
Future project, a couple of **really** big ramps made from railroad sleepers, good enough to hold anything in your fleet.
You are amazingly skilled, and one of the most capable fellas on TH-cam! Along with that, you’re very funny and entertaining! I’m so glad you didn’t get hurt removing that transmission! Hope you’re able to get the parts needed to fix it, but if not, I’m sure you‘ll make them, because you can! Good Luck!
Watch Wes Work seems to be god level of finding parts for vehicles like that.
Wow, that jack looked like a seal balancing a beach ball on its nose before you fixed it. Nicely done!
The next time I’m 16 years old and looking for a part time job, I want to work on your farm. Just too many good times and good memories taking care of business back in the day.
“My sphincter’s tired” had me rolling 😂😂
Thing I've learned with regards to capacities, especially when we are talking about Harbor Freight stuff - There is the 800 lb capacity that means "This jack can comfortably support 800 lbs, and we tested it and it crumpled like cardboard at 1600 lbs" and the capacity that means "We put this in a press and it crumpled at 801 lbs so that means the capacity is 800 lbs" 😛
I agree with you totally on the HF tools. Snap-On $38.93 for one 5/16 short combination wrench. Harbor Freight 14 piece combination wrench set $36.99. Both have lifetime guarantee. I've been buying and using HF tools since they were a mail order only in the early '80s. I have managed over-the-road truck fleets and maintained my own farm equipment for many years and I've never had a HF tool to fail. Yet. Now, I have one of their transmission jacks that I bought about 15 years ago and it is 10 times better that that thing you got. They really cheaped out on yours but it looks like you have it fixed. Good job!
I am watching this video at 3 in the morning and I am transfixed - in part because I own that exact jack. I am resisting the temptation to wander down to my shop and wiggle the various pieces of my jack. I used it successfully to remove and reinstall the automatic transmission in my Dodge Ram 2500, but that transmission is nowhere near as top-heavy as that GMC unit. Like many others here, I own huge numbers of Harbor Freight tools, going back to to the late 1970s when the chain was founded - and air tools could be had for $8. Quality and variety have improved dramatically, but your jack proves that sloppy and dangerous exceptions still exist. And one thing is certain: You spent far more time correcting that jack’s shortcomings than Harbor Freight’s supplier spent assembling it.
25:25 sounds like a future project. Replacing some of those jack components with beefier steel etc. 30:05 looks like he's read my mind.
Ream the collar out starting from the undamaged backside and then slide a fabricated bushing all the way from the back to the front side and then let it hang out the front side to replace the damaged part that the bearing was once mounted to.That way the new bearing you buy will have a fresh cylinder to slide onto. I sure hope this at least gives you some new ideas at least. Thanks for the video.
Well at least you now have a good transmission jack. Hopefully you can find your parts.
I love it when your stuff breaks, because I like seeing you fix it!
I see tons of old iron trans jack for scrap prices. Built like tanks and worthy of being saved by you for another life time of use.
You will find this probably interesting I hope not mean if you take the whole floor pan cover out of the cab you take a cherry picker or a boom of sort and you lift the transmission up on a chain that is the way we always do them and if you take the PTO off of the transmission to fix the leaks make sure to set the backlash or it will blow up the whole side of your transmission the gear that runs constantly on the counter shift has to have backlash. It cannot be tight against that gear and if you take the shifting plate off the PTO when you mount it you can see what you’re doing a little loose is better than a little tight. The gaskets between PTO housing and transmission is how you adjust your backlash. Really enjoy your show you do excellent job the government fear people like you because you can do anything.
Farmcraft channels my mechanics. (Almost.) "I make a new one."
When you waggled the jack's arms back and forth I literally yelled "Oh my God" at the screen. That's a first for me. Thanks.
It's very fitting that you would fix a throwout jack, while fixing a throwout bearing 😁
Those are some really shiny cows. Absolutely gorgeous.
Those Cattle at the beginning looked in beautiful condition, glossy coats, no sharp angles. Nice.
I was impressed, you didn’t swear when things got dicey pulling trans out. I don’t know where you got your experience but you sure know how to get around the obstacles with ease!!
That baby is tighter than Johnson's hat band now. I'll be waiting for the next video. I'm always excited to see what you're doing, especially to hear the commentary. Hopefully, you'll find the part you need.
Man… that was a close call! 😬 You seem to be haunted whith sloppy tools! Hope it’s not an age-thing? 😉
I always thought HF stood for Half Finished, but that thing was Hardly Finished. There are some fantastic heavy equipment techs out there who would think nothing of cutting out the mounting collar and welding in a new one to fit a throwout bearing of similar dimensions that IS available.
I'm glad to see you firmed up that jack; I swore at many in my 40 + years as a mechanic. I've chained them down and ocassionally wanted to weld them to the jack. A few things were worse; like the "pumpkin" for a 12" diff at over 100 lbs. picking it up placing it in the houseing with the shims; talk about needing 3 or 4 hands.
Very cool video my man!! Talking trash about a harbor freight trans jack instead of throw away nope… let’s redo the complete thing. Sooo cool!! Love this channel for your thoughtfulness and attention to detail. Loved your fulcrum lever demonstration too. You are one smart guy. Keep every single repair on video and keep them coming.
as soon as I saw the throw out bearing, I thought, "Welp, theres where the twisted metal came from" good luck finding the part
My big brother would love your videos. He worked on heavy trucks and forklifts for years. He did fixes like yours on worn out tools but never a POS to start with like this. He ain't with us anymore or you would have a new subscriber. You need to see about a better filter for when you're welding. Kinda hard on the eyes. Your videos and commentary are great. Thanks.
Glad to see your Horrible Fright didn't crush your Johnson! I have done some sketchy mechanicing and that scared the grease right out of me!
Your assessment of Harbor Freight is right on! I just didn’t realize how poorly some of their stuff was made. Like you I have used some stuff with no problem, but this jack was ridiculous! I was afraid it would fall on you, but you did have safety straps too!
I want to have your skills when I grow up. I was talking to the screen when that transmission started shifting…you probably didn’t hear me saying ratchet straps, ratchet straps…due to time being linear (mostly). A barrel chested family friend dropped a dozier transmission on his chest while working alone on his farm. According to my pop, he was able to press it off his chest (and off to the side) and survived
23:30 new jack and a change of pants... Love the videos
That jack could still tip over because it has such a narrow base, to make it really stable you need to put a wider base under it
Had a very similar experience on an old 80's Ford 3800 pumper truck.
Pulled the Trans to do the clutch & flywheel. gravel driveway Made it real fun. All about trying different things until something works.
I took an old floor jack and replaced the pad with a piece of channel iron. Jacked it up against the transmission and then welded 4 bars onto the channel iron tight up against the transmission. works great.
Harbor Freight is great if you are a DIY type of person with the required tools/equipment/experience to fix their garbage into a usable state. I like that you took the time to put in some plug welds.
The hazard fraught jack repair could be its own video! I love how much effort you put into fixing a piece of crap that tried to kill you
That jack was a death trap waiting to happen.
Glad you got it strengthened. Made for a good video.
Its sad, because i love my Daytona jack its been absolutely great. Wish theyd spend the money on a transjack but You're right about that jack. Sometimes it's better to spend the money on a good jack could literally save you life and alot of headache
30plus year diesel mechanic, this gave me the heebee geebee's lol, Iv'e been in this exact situation, I used a similar size jack for a 10 speed. The jack I have now is twice the size of your jack.
I give you praise for tackling this Job doing the clutch and transmission work on this big old beast most people would auction or get rid of this truck just because they dont want to do the work to fix it fixing is always better then replacing vehicles and trucks arent made to last like this old girl anymore especially now days in out throw it away society @FarmCraft101
Even after the reinforcements that jack still looks underrated for that large transmission. IMO.
Just a tip that could save your hand, never put your hand or your fingers or anybody parts in the drop line of the arm of the jack, if the hydraulics are to fail especially on a jack that's so flimsy like that, it would literally come down and guillotine your fingers off
Just Ordered my Rear Main Yesterday . Just under 350 Thousand miles . You got to do it .
I am a DIY guy however you are DIY X 1000. You are amazing!
I'm a bit surprised that you didn't also extend the footprint of theat jack by moving the wheels outwards on all four corners by a couple of inches and also weld a heavy piece of metal to the bottom of the jack as counter weight.
Maybe you can sleeve the outer portion of the release bearing collar to get a snug fit for inside of the bearing, like with a Speedy Sleeve designed for refreshing Sealing surfaces. Or buildup weld then turn to required size like you did the pins of the jack. Preheat the Cast Iron first in an oven, weld, reheat and allow whole part to cool down slowly in sand overnight.
You might be able to get the Release Bearing Collar (or a substitute that will work) from a Semi Dealership if one is nearby. Take the Collar with you for comparison. An International or Ford may use a compatible Part, as long as fits Transmission Shaft and Ears (Tabs) for engaging Clutch Lever Mechanism areof similar size and location.
Anxious to see Part 2.
You sir are the most talented man on this earth. Unbelievable job you did on that jack. Also very educational on the trans parts!
That jack is better since you fixed it but it is still not safe. Every piece of metal should doubled up. As much time as you have in it now, you might as well finish it.
If you can't find that collar, you can weld it up just like you did on those pins and turn it down to the size you need to fit the bearing. I'm pretty sure there should be a flange on the back of the throw-out bearing that the spring on the right hand side of the flange, should clip into. I haven't worked on any heavy trucks in a long time, but I seem to remember a set up like that.
I love your practical approach to solving problems and you impress me with your determination to get it done. Send a copy of this vid to Harbor Freight headquarters, I think they would be interested in seeing how their product almost killed you. They would either take it off the shelves or fix it. There's a lot of people out there trying to do their own work that aren't as smart as you and won't be as lucky.
First time seeing ujoint cups retrained like that. Just goes to prove I haven't seen it all in 57 years!
That Chinese jack sure is a bargain, all you need is a welder a lathe and an afternoon and they are ready to go.
Wow, that was dangerous !!!
Hey, I don't know any worse for the throw out bearing but the one thing I do know don't use Wing nuts on that chain holding the transmission down Wing nuts will tear out and just strip out under load not a good idea I would use a type of hook like you do on chains with a clasp on the hook so the chain doesn't slip out the hook doesn't slip out I would not use Wing nuts though they're lightweight if anything
I have a Transmission Jack I bought from Grainger's. It's a 2000 pound rating and worked good. I also used an engine lift positioned to provide safety from the top end with straps... Can't be to careful..
Glad you got it the transmission down without injuries to yourself! That HF transmission jack looked really scary. almost like they designed it for a much lower load then someone realised the ram could handle 800lbs. The frame duty looks to be much lighter than mine which is rated for 300kg (or 660lbs)! It's I'm also surprised to see no wide set stabilisation points to help keep the transmission upright.
I really like your style man. I'm so glad you averted that disaster. I totally admire your mechanical knowledge, it's immense. You are someone I would aspire to be. I love that you said you came from a city background (I think?). I'm hoping to buy a farm myself soon but I don't think I'll ever get to where you are. Keep on truckin' man. Also your voice reminds me a lot of Willian Holden the actor.
Excellent machine work on making the trans jack much more stable. There's a new video out about what's wrong with HF tools, and a second one from the same channel. The thing about having a jack like this is, that you "Have" a starting point to cut, weld, machine up, and otherwise "Make legit" an otherwise death trap of a jack. I did a similar thing with the tire changer thing from HF. Before I used it, I welded on some 1/4" plates and replaced the one pipe with a real sch 40 piece so it would not bend the first time. It works fine now. The takeaway here is knowing that the tool needs to be re-enforced and strengthened, Before using it. That jack had a serious death wobble to it.
Harbor Freight
sometimes = Holy F***
Kudos on the improvements to the jack! On the bearing...if you haven't already exhausted them, salvage yards have saved me a couple of times. With a 1988, chances are most of them that still exist will be in the boneyards somewhere.
I'm sorry but it was nice to see you struggle. You make it look easy
Christ, I was holding my breath every time you put your hands or foot in the pinch points of that jack! Glad you gave it a serious upgrade. waiting for part 2.