Can I jump into your very nice Captain’s log and let people know that Trona is part of our beautiful California Mojave in San Bernardino County south of Death Valley? So much to see that so few people know about. Love the dog.
Van Tramp adventures 2020
- Thread starter Van-Tramp
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Van-Tramp
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I do not think we ate out in Florence to be honest. We do eat out from time to time, but Kerri does the picking of where we go. That means no chain restaurants at the very least.
Since we are still dropping in at Kerri's parents for a week, we will take I80 over the sierras and take HWY 395 down the east side of the mountains. That is one of most favorite stretches to be on as van dwellers. Great sights, places, and boondocking too.
Since we are still dropping in at Kerri's parents for a week, we will take I80 over the sierras and take HWY 395 down the east side of the mountains. That is one of most favorite stretches to be on as van dwellers. Great sights, places, and boondocking too.
All the restaurants down by the river in Florence are individual mom and pops. Drive over the bridge going north, and hang a hard right. Oh well, next time maybe. Hwy 395 is one of my favorite roads, 
. I imagine the passes will be plowed clear in between storms, unless you have chains. One time when I was living in the SF bay area many decades ago, we when out to Mammoth to ski, and had the chains on all the way back to Echo Summit in So. Lake Tahoe, maybe 150 miles.
. I imagine the passes will be plowed clear in between storms, unless you have chains. One time when I was living in the SF bay area many decades ago, we when out to Mammoth to ski, and had the chains on all the way back to Echo Summit in So. Lake Tahoe, maybe 150 miles.
Van-Tramp
Well-known member
Moochdocking with a cloud of doom
https://www.van-tramp.com/wp/moochdocking-with-a-cloud-of-doom/
[size=small]We had a few scheduled stops once we got into California; friends and family that are not seen as often as one might like. The first was an overnight moochdock in the driveway of Kerri’s Aunt Claudia, barely a half mile off our route. Claudia came to our rescue with another 120v outlet as our battery had not recovered enough power to rely on it yet. The three of us caught up, enjoyed a meal out, and returned to the house to soon call it a night. We still had a long day of driving the following day to get to our next scheduled stop; one of Kerri’s friends in San Rafael, CA.[/size]
[size=small]
Not far down the highway, we would be passing the Avenue of the Giants which runs right beside our route. Although the scenery while driving down highway 101 is pretty nice, the Avenue of the Giants pushes it over the top. Kerri and I both though this was part of the Redwoods National Park, but we were wrong. It is well outside the park boundaries, but very National-Park-like. The 15 mile long road slithers through some densely packed redwoods – straight out of fantasy-fiction. We, of course, spotted a nice dirt road off the ‘avenue’ and followed it a short distance for a leg-stretch break before getting back on the road.[/size]
[size=small]
Things would start to get gloomy after that, and I’m not just talking about the weather. By the time we were within a few miles of our next destination I knew we would be going no further. My luck with Big Blue’s record of no major breakdown since I’ve owned him (nearly 10 years) was coming to an end. He was giving me all the signs of a lengthy stay in San Rafael. He went into the shop the next morning after our visit, and another overnight moochdock, with friends.[/size]
[size=small]
[/size]
https://www.van-tramp.com/wp/moochdocking-with-a-cloud-of-doom/
[size=small]We had a few scheduled stops once we got into California; friends and family that are not seen as often as one might like. The first was an overnight moochdock in the driveway of Kerri’s Aunt Claudia, barely a half mile off our route. Claudia came to our rescue with another 120v outlet as our battery had not recovered enough power to rely on it yet. The three of us caught up, enjoyed a meal out, and returned to the house to soon call it a night. We still had a long day of driving the following day to get to our next scheduled stop; one of Kerri’s friends in San Rafael, CA.[/size]
[size=small]
Not far down the highway, we would be passing the Avenue of the Giants which runs right beside our route. Although the scenery while driving down highway 101 is pretty nice, the Avenue of the Giants pushes it over the top. Kerri and I both though this was part of the Redwoods National Park, but we were wrong. It is well outside the park boundaries, but very National-Park-like. The 15 mile long road slithers through some densely packed redwoods – straight out of fantasy-fiction. We, of course, spotted a nice dirt road off the ‘avenue’ and followed it a short distance for a leg-stretch break before getting back on the road.[/size]
[size=small]
Things would start to get gloomy after that, and I’m not just talking about the weather. By the time we were within a few miles of our next destination I knew we would be going no further. My luck with Big Blue’s record of no major breakdown since I’ve owned him (nearly 10 years) was coming to an end. He was giving me all the signs of a lengthy stay in San Rafael. He went into the shop the next morning after our visit, and another overnight moochdock, with friends.[/size]
[size=small]
[/size]
Van-Tramp
Well-known member
bullfrog said:
Yep. I agree.
This problem has been in the works for years though, and I've neglected it. Not surprising it is coming to bite me now
highdesertranger
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you're killing me smalls. LOL. what's the problem with the van. highdesertranger
I'm hooked on hearing about your travels... Is it a charging issue, problem with the cooling system?? Tranny?? What is the problem????
highdesertranger
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I vote transmission. highdesertranger
Van-Tramp
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Oh, sorry guys.... I thought it was the tranny as well, but it turned about to be the rear differential. I completely neglected it over the ten years I've owned the van and it finally caught up to me. Then, of course, we could not find one vital part which forced us into a Posi-traction rear end conversion, which costed a ton more money... bah!
B and C
Well-known member
Ouch! Good luck.
Van-Tramp
Well-known member
Thanks, we are all repaired and back on the road as of last night. Not a cheap repair, and a few nights in a hotel just to kick us in the wallet even further, but that ordeal is done.
If you do not have a good $5k in a savings account for this sort of thing, please get started on setting it aside asap. It will happen eventually, some more often than others.
If you do not have a good $5k in a savings account for this sort of thing, please get started on setting it aside asap. It will happen eventually, some more often than others.
Good to hear, VT. This website may help you with the road conditions if still going down 395.
http://oss.weathershare.org/
http://oss.weathershare.org/
Van-Tramp
Well-known member
Big Blue gets a new rear end
https://www.van-tramp.com/wp/big-blue-gets-a-new-rear-end/
A noise emanating from under Big Blue has been growing worse since leaving Washington. Once we arrived in the greater San Francisco Bay Area (San Rafael to be exact) it moved past the “hmmm” stage and well into the “oh ****” stage of noises. I was sure it was the transmission on the brink of total failure, which is an extremely pricey item to work on. Now, I am pretty proficient with any repairs on this van, but if there is one component that I want nothing to do with (on any vehicle) it is the transmission. Other than a standard transmission oil and filter change, I gladly hand anything more off to the professionals. One thing the severity of the sound made clear; this was not going to be resolved with a simple filter change. This is BB’s first major mechanical issue in the nearly 10 years I have owned him. Heck, I’ve put over 100,000 miles on him in my time with nothing more than normal consumables needing attention, so it was going to cough up a lung or two at some point, it was just a matter of time. And that time is now.
After a night of moochdocking in a friends driveway again, I ever so cautiously limped Big Blue to the shop down the road. Over the course of the next few hours the problem became more evident. It was the rear axle making the majority of the noise, so the cover was removed off the ‘pumpkin’ and out poured a silver-ish liquid straight out of an alien movie. I know that oil should not be anything but a thick-black and I questioned it to the mechanic. He agreed… the silver could only be the complete destruction of the all the bushings inside the rear differential. It would require a complete rebuild. It’s a big job, and one I could do if I had a location to do the work and the time, which I would have had in 200 more miles at Kerri’s parents place. But not here. Not in the driveway of someone I do not know that well and had already inconvenienced long enough. It was too big a job for that.
Kerri and I chose to let the pros tackle it right there, with a hopeful 24-hour turn around time, which turned into a 48-hour job – nope, make that 72 hours. Kerri’s friends put us up for another night, but once the job turned into a multi-day ordeal we moved into a local hotel where we were not in the way. This is our first time we have had to rely on a hotel during all our travels and we were not happy about it. It drizzled the entire time we were there and we had forgotten any rain clothing back in the van. There was no place to eat nearby, so we relied on Uber-Eats for dinners and ate what little snacks we brought from the van. To make matters worse, the coffee situation was one of those silly Keurig machines – bah!
It wasn’t until the third day, after the work was completed, that hindsight would make things clear. I’ve grown accustom to a swishing sound always coming from under Big Blue – all 10 years I’ve owned him he has swished while driving. It’s been normal, so I’ve never thought much of it. Well, that was the rear diff bushings being slowly worn away. How it lasted 10 years before a complete failure I do not know, but the ol’ boy kept going as long as he could before picking a pretty damn good spot to drop to a knee. He has always taken care of me that way, breaking down (usually much smaller breakdowns) in damn good spots. All considering, he did well by me again. It is so quiet driving down the highway now. Weirdly quiet.
All in all we are fortunate. Fortunate not to be stuck on the side of the road miles away from a shop. Fortunate to be able to afford the repairs, although it still hurts. And fortunate to not be going through this all alone. Things really aren’t that bad; we were dry, well fed, and had friends nearby. Sure, it is costing a big hunk of cash, and we lost a few days from our schedule, but that’s it really – just time and money. We have already come out the other end unscathed and made it out of San Rafael.
https://www.van-tramp.com/wp/big-blue-gets-a-new-rear-end/
A noise emanating from under Big Blue has been growing worse since leaving Washington. Once we arrived in the greater San Francisco Bay Area (San Rafael to be exact) it moved past the “hmmm” stage and well into the “oh ****” stage of noises. I was sure it was the transmission on the brink of total failure, which is an extremely pricey item to work on. Now, I am pretty proficient with any repairs on this van, but if there is one component that I want nothing to do with (on any vehicle) it is the transmission. Other than a standard transmission oil and filter change, I gladly hand anything more off to the professionals. One thing the severity of the sound made clear; this was not going to be resolved with a simple filter change. This is BB’s first major mechanical issue in the nearly 10 years I have owned him. Heck, I’ve put over 100,000 miles on him in my time with nothing more than normal consumables needing attention, so it was going to cough up a lung or two at some point, it was just a matter of time. And that time is now.
After a night of moochdocking in a friends driveway again, I ever so cautiously limped Big Blue to the shop down the road. Over the course of the next few hours the problem became more evident. It was the rear axle making the majority of the noise, so the cover was removed off the ‘pumpkin’ and out poured a silver-ish liquid straight out of an alien movie. I know that oil should not be anything but a thick-black and I questioned it to the mechanic. He agreed… the silver could only be the complete destruction of the all the bushings inside the rear differential. It would require a complete rebuild. It’s a big job, and one I could do if I had a location to do the work and the time, which I would have had in 200 more miles at Kerri’s parents place. But not here. Not in the driveway of someone I do not know that well and had already inconvenienced long enough. It was too big a job for that.
Kerri and I chose to let the pros tackle it right there, with a hopeful 24-hour turn around time, which turned into a 48-hour job – nope, make that 72 hours. Kerri’s friends put us up for another night, but once the job turned into a multi-day ordeal we moved into a local hotel where we were not in the way. This is our first time we have had to rely on a hotel during all our travels and we were not happy about it. It drizzled the entire time we were there and we had forgotten any rain clothing back in the van. There was no place to eat nearby, so we relied on Uber-Eats for dinners and ate what little snacks we brought from the van. To make matters worse, the coffee situation was one of those silly Keurig machines – bah!
It wasn’t until the third day, after the work was completed, that hindsight would make things clear. I’ve grown accustom to a swishing sound always coming from under Big Blue – all 10 years I’ve owned him he has swished while driving. It’s been normal, so I’ve never thought much of it. Well, that was the rear diff bushings being slowly worn away. How it lasted 10 years before a complete failure I do not know, but the ol’ boy kept going as long as he could before picking a pretty damn good spot to drop to a knee. He has always taken care of me that way, breaking down (usually much smaller breakdowns) in damn good spots. All considering, he did well by me again. It is so quiet driving down the highway now. Weirdly quiet.
All in all we are fortunate. Fortunate not to be stuck on the side of the road miles away from a shop. Fortunate to be able to afford the repairs, although it still hurts. And fortunate to not be going through this all alone. Things really aren’t that bad; we were dry, well fed, and had friends nearby. Sure, it is costing a big hunk of cash, and we lost a few days from our schedule, but that’s it really – just time and money. We have already come out the other end unscathed and made it out of San Rafael.
I thought the picture was timely as another thread was asking about Volkswagen products and the majority of the lifts have VW's on them! Years ago I was pricing rear ends from a junkyard over the phone while staying at my mom's house. She happened to walk through hearing part of the conversation and immediately slapped me up the side of the head and hung up the phone! Did you try to find a used one?
Van-Tramp
Well-known member
Lol
Na, we had it rebuilt and converted to Posi as well
Na, we had it rebuilt and converted to Posi as well
highdesertranger
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what posi did you go with? so I take it your carrier was chewed up? highdesertranger
Van-Tramp
Well-known member
Yep, carrier shot. And they could not find a new one (although I see them on RockAuto.com). I couldn't tell you which Posi brand they installed. Didn't think to ask. Just happy it is all fixed up and we are back on the road.
Did you stay up with manufacture recommended oil change intervals? I'm thinking I need to change mine.
