11-25-2014, 10:48 PM
Took the biggest trip the RC's been on in the 8 years that I'VE owned it; I made a trip up to the back side of Plum Boro (above Boyce Park), including a stretch of the Parkway East. It has the mechanical speedo gear, so going to 4.56 gears with 35's, makes the speedo now actually read a bit slow. I hit "cruising speed" (I was keeping up with - or ahead - of most of the traffic - from Oakland to Monroeville & back, and it DIDN'T blow up!!!
Taking New Texas Rd. off the Golden Mile Highway, I had no IDEA how bad that road was... until I took it in the Ramcharger. I've gone up there to visit a nursing home once a month for the past 4 years now, but the RC made it a LOT more exciting today. I know the kickdown cable is still a question in the A518 transmission - it'll probably need to be replaced this spring. Running between what SHOWED as "30-40mph" on that hilly stretch, the transmission was hunting for a gear. That won't be an issue OFF-road, but GETTING to the off-road might still be an 'adventure' at this point. Future engine mods will hopefully add some low-end torque to the equation as well. I know if I ever get around to military axles (Dana 60/14 bolt combo), I'm going with 4.88 gears!!!
Engine ran cool, battery stays charged, and the gas needle never even moved! That's because the gauge is frozen at "half-full," even when completely full. It starts to read normally FROM half-full down to empty, but as it was full when I started this morning, it's still OVER a half-tank currently.
It was a big test nonetheless, as this was the longest trip its made since before it was parked in 2005. So all systems appear to be "GO" at this point, for WHEELIN'!
Taking New Texas Rd. off the Golden Mile Highway, I had no IDEA how bad that road was... until I took it in the Ramcharger. I've gone up there to visit a nursing home once a month for the past 4 years now, but the RC made it a LOT more exciting today. I know the kickdown cable is still a question in the A518 transmission - it'll probably need to be replaced this spring. Running between what SHOWED as "30-40mph" on that hilly stretch, the transmission was hunting for a gear. That won't be an issue OFF-road, but GETTING to the off-road might still be an 'adventure' at this point. Future engine mods will hopefully add some low-end torque to the equation as well. I know if I ever get around to military axles (Dana 60/14 bolt combo), I'm going with 4.88 gears!!!
Engine ran cool, battery stays charged, and the gas needle never even moved! That's because the gauge is frozen at "half-full," even when completely full. It starts to read normally FROM half-full down to empty, but as it was full when I started this morning, it's still OVER a half-tank currently.
It was a big test nonetheless, as this was the longest trip its made since before it was parked in 2005. So all systems appear to be "GO" at this point, for WHEELIN'!