I’m currently unemployed, and maybe I will write more about that transition at a later date.

In the meantime, I think it is good to write about the vehicle maintenance I’ve been able to do these last few days.

In the last couple months the 24 year old minivan became unbelievably clicky in the front end, one of the front brakes started grinding when under just a touch of pressure, and the power steering pump seemed to be going in and out. Plenty right there to keep me busy for a while, but it still seemed best to start with the 24 year old Ford Explorer.

You see, we plan to be putting a lot of miles on the Explorer in the next 6 months, and one of the front wheel bearings has been singing the song of its demise since the new year. So Sunday afternoon, armed with a new Duralast wheel bearing hub, I set right to work the passenger side. I figured better to go ahead and get both wheel bearings replaced, since it was about 60k miles ago that I replaced the driver side, and 50k miles ago that the passenger side was replaced by a shop in Brooklyn.

It was remarkably easier this time around because I had all the tools and experience from last time. It wasn’t long at all when I had the surface prepped and I was putting the new unit in place. It’s truly remarkable that a vehicle project took a good deal less time than I had anticipated. Well now I was on a roll and quite excited, so I hopped over to the driver side and started the same process. As I was backing out the uppermost of the bolts, I inadvertently snagged the axle boot clamp with the back of the ratchet head, and I didn’t notice until I saw the boot stretching.

Whoops.

I was a bit too excited and I moving too quickly.

At that point I started watching videos on how to replace a boot clamp and realized I would need to drive 45 minutes to the closest store stocking that type of clamp, or order some online and start another project.

It was still sunny and a couple hours yet remained in Sunday afternoon, so I started work on the minivan. Jacked it up and noticed that both sway bar links were hanging in the breeze, and the passenger brakes were worn unevenly and down to the metal. Pulled the damaged pieces off, checked that they were still under warranty and made plans for Autozone in the morning.

Well two of my three vehicles were now on jackstands, and the kids had to go to school in the morning.

No biggie. The 24 year old Silverado is back to working order now that it has new leaf springs and a rebuilt rear differential. Still a pesky EVAP sensor code, and the electric grounds out now and then, but I cleaned a couple grounds and it seemed to do ok.

Monday morning went swimmingly, and Autozone followed through on their warranties, so I had snug swaybar links and fresh brake bads on the minivan by afternoon. Then I took the truck to Coldwater for some lumber, and it blacked out significantly when I went to leave. After some prayers and tapping on ground terminals, it got enough juice to just get turned over and running again, and I was able to make it home last night.

First thing this morning, I took the battery to Autozone, and they confirmed it is still strong. So I spent a handful of hours chasing grounds and cleaning their terminals, and was quite excited to finally get the truck running smooth and strong, and I took this video of it starting.

Eventually I was able to elevate the bed.

I think I found the culprit!

You see – the truck had a castrophic failure several months ago. Part of the problem was a complete rust through of the starboard leaf spring shackle. This drove the back of the leaf spring up into the bed and changed the load dynamics entirely. This in part tugged on the brake lines, and the brake lines in turn put pressure on the EVAP sensor.

About that time I discovered this pinch – the weather started to turn rainy, and an Amazon driver delivered the boot clamps.

So tomorrow morning – I can go back to the beginning – and work once again on the Explorer.