What did your Chevy truck do today?

[balthazar]

Thought I'd try a 'journal' for a month on this subject.

Too many folk believe trucks 'never' carry anything in the bed or be very 'trucky'.

To those unfamiliar, I have a 2004 Silverado 2500 HD CrewCab, DuraMax/Allison/3.73s. Mileage is currently about 106K.

• • •

Today I towed, then pushed a '70s Dodge camper van around on a piece of private property- repositioning it at the owner's request.

Section of chain & a cable/clevis shackles to pull, the ol' 'tire hung by chain over Dodge's bumper' and the ol' 'shopping cart push' to guide it backwards. It was momentarily tempting to get it up to maybe 50 MPH....

DuraMax didn't even feel it.

[daves87rs]

Makes me want a truck...

[ocnblu]

Balthazar, you sir are a gentleman, a scholar, and the devil himself for posting this thread. Please proceed with this torture.

[Camino LS6]

Good topic!

Even the old ROPOS gets in on this act. I have an area where I dump debris out of sight on the property (all ROPOS hauled), and from time to time the pile gets out of bounds. So, I just spin the rusty old beast around and use the snowplow to push back the mound of debris (in 4WD, of course). Every week, it hauls around the mowing equipment and serves as a giant wheelbarrow for prunings and other debris. I use it almost every day.

[G. David Felt]

Thought I'd try a 'journal' for a month on this subject.

Too many folk believe trucks 'never' carry anything in the bed or be very 'trucky'.

To those unfamiliar, I have a 2004 Silverado 2500 HD CrewCab, DuraMax/Allison/3.73s. Mileage is currently about 106K.

• • •

Today I towed, then pushed a '70s Dodge camper van around on a piece of private property- repositioning it at the owner's request.

Section of chain & a cable/clevis shackles to pull, the ol' 'tire hung by chain over Dodge's bumper' and the ol' 'shopping cart push' to guide it backwards. It was momentarily tempting to get it up to maybe 50 MPH....

DuraMax didn't even feel it.

DuraMax are the Bomb! Those rock sir and you should post some photo's of your beast.

I still dream of having the funds to convert my 94 suburban into a duramax beast.

[balthazar]

Took an early morning run to the scrap yard today. Believe it or not, this is 660 lbs of steel & cast iron. I think that 10" gas main was around 250 lbs by itself.

Currently, the yard I go to is paying $12/100 for cast iron/heavy steel, so this paid $79.20. Eh; it cleans up my back yard & gets me fuel money. Not that I live in a junkyard; I just 'find stuff / stuff follows me home'.

Best haul was a few months ago- I had all sorts of mixed alloys: brass, copper, aluminum - that run netted me $299.

• • •

Here's a pic when I got my '04 in '06. Only difference today is I upgraded to 265s vs the factory 245s seen here, and I seem to prefer my trucks without center caps, because they have been off for about 3-4 years now, and my Ford ran capless for maybe half it's life with me (15 yrs). I dunno.

[Camino LS6]

I miss my Duramax...

[z28luvr01]

Mine is currenty holding a set of OEM 15" rims and old tires. A set of Firestone Winterforce tires are headed to my local Mavis Discount Tire to be transferred to the 15-inchers. Since I sent the Cobalt packing, I figured I'd get a good set of snow shoes for the truck, if notthing else than to prevent any snow from actually falling.

[balthazar]

Not much to report the last 2 days. Snagged (3) 10-ft downspout sections Monday, and 4 bags of concrete mix & a wheelbarrow today.

I use my tailgate as a workbench in the field. I assembled a 15-ft long downspout with 90s at each end on the gate- siliconed and screwed.

I mixed numerous buckets of concrete (custom blend) on the tailgate, too. Both those jobs now done AND have been paid on.

I said it before : a really well-thought-out tailgate design, with some provisions for working off it (I have a few experience-suggested ideas...) could make for a strong advantage in the segment.

[Camino LS6]

A few of the Eastern Red Cedar trees on the property lost their tops in the freak snowstorm last October, and they've been hanging by threads until about two weeks ago when they finally slipped down to a level where I could get at them. I used a heavy duty tie down to attach them to the Tahoe's hitch and pulled them the rest of the way down. Then, it was the ROPOS turn to haul them to the "dump" after I cut them up a bit.

Yep, my Chevy trucks work for a living.

Edited August 30, 2012 by Camino LS6

[Z-06]

Is the trailblazer a truck in this discussion?

I miss my F150.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Is the trailblazer a truck in this discussion?

I miss my F150.

I'd say so... I consider my Envoy to be a truck (it is BOF afterall).

Unfortunately, mine mainly hauls family stuff (beach items, stroller, groceries, etc) most of the time. It does haul three 28" orange traffic cones and my lime green fire police raincoat on a daily basis! Oh, and a$$... it hauls a$$ when I drive it to work

[balthazar]

That last line made me chuckle, Roger.

Another light day for my truck, tho it did move a 12-ft trailer loaded with some junk, but it was just inside a storage lot.

I prepped my '64 Catalina to move for the first time in many long, neglected years. Two tires hold air, two do not, but luckily I have a P-60 with good shoes. I was concerned the wheels might be locked up (frozen brakes), but the fronts turned fine... meaning I likely won't have to pull it with the 2500HD.

[Camino LS6]

My last post was about yesterday's work. Today was light duty, the ROPOS had to haul a few more bits of deadfall and truck the mowing/weedwacking stuff around the property. The Tahoe just had to take out the trash and recycling.

[Z-06]

With all the rain we are receiving in FL, I am literally doing mud-bogging in that vehicle.

[balthazar]

Today the 2500HD pulled my P-64 Catalina back out of its spot next to my shop. It's been there, I believe, since 1993, and the elements have not been kind to the old girl. I swapped out the one rear tire that no longer held air, but the 2nd one out front would NOT let go of the hub. Without being an easy push, it was Duramax Time. I aired it up, popped her in neutral (she didn't want to even do THAT), and with a length of chain over my 6-ton hitch, she rolled backward about 1.5 car lengths for now.

I'm getting prepped for a 15-ft container box to sit right there, so she needs to do a radiused 180 & sit on the other side of the P-60. Both will be stripped this year, the container allowing a more condensed & protected storage facility for the usable/sellable parts, rather than sitting in two 3800-lb piles. Joining those 2 under the axe is the remains of a P-65, which needs to go, too. The container might already be full.

[ocnblu]

[balthazar]

Truck didn't roll anywhere yesterday, but today I did pull an 20-ft trailer on about a 10-mile round trip, transporting about 20 furniture dollies and 4 large commercial stainless steel sinks/table to my house (temporary storage). Didn't get a pic, unfortunately. On the trip home, I also had a half bedload of flotsam & jetsum; 55-gal plastic drum (cut the top off & its a kick-ass garbage can), a free 50-ft garden hose, some unidentified '60s GM rocker trim (used), a vintage Colman cooler, a glass 5-gal water bottle, 4 fire extinguishers (still showing a charge), and a few milk crates of odd-n-ends.

[balthazar]

This morning I picked up 1.4 ton of 3/4-in blend in the 2500HD. The loader dumped it neatly in, but I got to shovel all 1.4 tons out.

However, not once did I find the job 'tedious & boring' - I enjoy solving problems, improving my property, and I don't shy away from physical work.

Final prep for my container box, maybe coming tomorrow- can't wait.

[PurdueGuy]

Today my Chevy truck ('98 Suburban) sat in the driveway while our Saturns did commuter duty.

Yesterday, my Chevy truck hauled 6 adults and gear comfortably and with space to spare while towing a trailer with a pontoon raft through the mountains to a stretch of the Snake River for some white water rafting.

Here's a pic of the 6 of us on the river (me up front with my hand in the air): http://www.snakeriverphotos.net/p471678683/h414f394c#h414f394c

[G. David Felt]

My suburban is stored for the season, summer is over for now in Seattle since work will have me tied up for the last couple weeks so I will not need it to haul the waverunners or pull anything else. At least it got cleaned up and then stored dry for the season.

[balthazar]

I did not anticipate having anything to report today, but that's the beauty of a truck :: Opportunity knocks, and a truck is your doorman.

'Yes, sir', 'Certainly, sir', 'How may I help you today, sir?'. It's a beautiful, professional working relationship.

[Robert Hall]

My suburban is stored for the season, summer is over for now in Seattle since work will have me tied up for the last couple weeks so I will not need it to haul the waverunners or pull anything else. At least it got cleaned up and then stored dry for the season.

Do you get it back out for winter use?

[Camino LS6]

This morning I picked up 1.4 ton of 3/4-in blend in the 2500HD. The loader dumped it neatly in, but I got to shovel all 1.4 tons out.

However, not once did I find the job 'tedious & boring' - I enjoy solving problems, improving my property, and I don't shy away from physical work.

Final prep for my container box, maybe coming tomorrow- can't wait.

Boy! Is that ever a familiar sight!

I've hauled more tonnage of crushed stone in Chevy pickups over the years (and shoveled it out) than I could ever hope to count. So many walkways, so many patios...

The old ROPOS has been mostly parked due to the constant downpours over the last few days, but the Tahoe has been running to Lebanon, performing DD duties, and hauling a tractor tire and rim in for a replacement tire.

[balthazar]

You use blend or stone dust (or layers of both) under pavers?

[Camino LS6]

You use blend or stone dust (or layers of both) under pavers?

Generally, I use a compacted base of what is called 2A modified around here (I suspect that it is what you are calling 3/4 blend). Then, depending on what I am paving with (flagstone, brick, concrete pavers, natural stone...) I will use either screenings or sand.

[Camino LS6]

"screenings" = "quarry dust" = "stone dust"

[balthazar]

Gotcha. I want to lay a patio in my backyard, with a path around the garage to the driveway.... but I haven't gotten around to it and I already have all the pavers.

[Camino LS6]

Make sure to use separation fabric between the stone and the earth.

EDIT: Oh, and spend almost all of your time getting the base perfect - that's the key to a good patio.

Edited September 6, 2012 by Camino LS6

[balthazar]

Yea- not sure what's going to 'light the fire' under me to get that started, not feeling the motivation... but perhaps in the spring. I've had the pavers about 5 years now. 16' square patio, plus 35' of walkway - getting tired just thinking about it.

[Camino LS6]

Yea- not sure what's going to 'light the fire' under me to get that started, not feeling the motivation... but perhaps in the spring. I've had the pavers about 5 years now. 16' square patio, plus 35' of walkway - getting tired just thinking about it.

Hardscaping is seriously physical - I think I'm officially retired from it now.

[balthazar]

I'm not, but my back is in semi-retirement...

[Camino LS6]

For me it is my right hand and elbow...

Plus, after a few decades of it, it's time to stop.

It was always a challenge when the materials and equipment all outweighed me - you should have seen my scrawny self setting huge flagstone!

Pavers are much easier.

[balthazar]

I blew my first gasket (hernia) on a flagstone patio, back when I was maybe 125 lbs.

Pavers are easier, but take longer.

[Camino LS6]

I blew my first gasket (hernia) on a flagstone patio, back when I was maybe 125 lbs.

Pavers are easier, but take longer.

I wouldn't be surprised to find that I have a hernia now - I've never weighed more than 160 lbs.

Pavers are actually faster, done properly.

Do you know what kind of pavers you have?

[balthazar]

Uhhh... squares & rectangles? Tumbled concrete, I believe.

I've done flagstone, brick, & pavers, but this one is going to be a bit of a running pattern w/ a border - so that'll add a bit of time.

Cool story is that they came off the rear patio of a guy who was supposedly on the flight crew of the Enola Gay. I took them off the house, but I believe the guy had recently passed away- I never got his name.

[Camino LS6]

Wow! That's some distinction!

If they are high-density concrete (EP Henry is the brand I used), then you can run a plate compactor over them after the are loosely set. You just have to spread sand over the surface and lay down a sheet of the separation fabric on top first. It saves a ton of time, but yeah, you will have some cuts to make for your pattern - and that can take forever. I used to make the cuts dry with a diamond blade in an 8 1/4 worm-drive saw, but when I started doing lots of this work I always rented a wet saw.

[G. David Felt]

My suburban is stored for the season, summer is over for now in Seattle since work will have me tied up for the last couple weeks so I will not need it to haul the waverunners or pull anything else. At least it got cleaned up and then stored dry for the season.

Do you get it back out for winter use?

Nope, wround here my suburban has become a summer driver only as my Trailblazer SS awd and Escalade AWD get me around in the fall and winter rains and up the pass for skiing. It is nice having a deep bench of American Steel to choose from.

Gotcha. I want to lay a patio in my backyard, with a path around the garage to the driveway.... but I haven't gotten around to it and I already have all the pavers.

I found that the blend or crushed gravel as we call it in seattle is best for the base and then sand on top before working the pavers and you end up with an amazing space that drains really well.

[Intrepidation]

My neighbor;s got scrapped, but the 350 was rebuilt as a stroker and put into a race car which came in third place on its first night out despite getting bumpers locked with another driver.

[SAmadei]

I blew my first gasket (hernia) on a flagstone patio, back when I was maybe 125 lbs.

I wouldn't be surprised to find that I have a hernia now - I've never weighed more than 160 lbs.

Last time I saw 160 I was in Junior High.

[ocnblu]

[A Horse With No Name]

A bit funny with my Chevy work truck...was buying fuel at the end of a long day, and as the pump clicked off, I turned around and looked behind me...my wife was fueling the MINI at the other side of the same pump. I've always kind of considered her my soul mate...but perhaps our cars are also.

Chevy truck clicked off at $77.66, MINI Clicked off at $44.33....

And as for hard scaping...that's tough work....

[balthazar]

Lessee... doing painting last week; didn't involve the truck bed except for a few ladders Monday.

Friday started a drywall tear-out job, Monday the bed was filled with insulation, 2 saws and some miscellaneous.

Today I slipped back in and hauled off 4 contractor bags of garbage & some ripped-out framing. Waiting on other contractors, then I'll have to haul about 10 sheets of drywall to said job.

[A Horse With No Name]

Running to a service call an hour away in the morning, just finished running mine through a ten hour day of service and repair work...

[balthazar]

Since my last post the only notable payload was 11 sheets of drywall for the above job.

Oh, I also carried a container box roll-up door & tension spring assembly (plus a dozen milk crates/spackle buckets).... which turned out doesn't fit my container.

Oh, and the other day I had 2 kitchen cabinets and one of these vintage metal upright cabinets in back, plus a small pile of paver blocks.

I really could not LIVE without a truck. I find this funny, because at heart I am a car person and never imagined I would have a truck. Until I got one.