What have you done this week to prep?

[Steelworker]

Acquired more reloading supplies and equipment.

 

[TiminMishawaka]

I learned from a buddy of mine how to roast coffee beans using one of those plug in rotisserie grills. Will come in handy if coffee gets too 'spensive.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niyKSMcQPGg&feature=feedu"]YouTube - Rotiserrie convection oven coffee roaster with stainless steel drum.[/ame]

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Finally broke down and bought a diesel pick up. (Actually been looking for a good used one that was affordable for a long time)
Now I have to start putting together supplies and equipment to make biodiesel fuel.

How do you like that Isuzu? I've heard good things about them. I wonder what made GM go that route? Ford and Dodge went with American manufacturers, Dodge did well by it, but Ford had mixed results.....

 

[miguel]

I formalized an inventory system for the food stash and added inventory. I started at the "we can hold out over a weekend" level and am now at the "we can make it a week" level. Baby steps, baby steps...

 

[Stschil]

How do you like that Isuzu? I've heard good things about them. I wonder what made GM go that route? Ford and Dodge went with American manufacturers, Dodge did well by it, but Ford had mixed results.....

I couldn't tell you just yet. I bought the truck and headed out on a business trip the same day, so it's been parked since last saturday.
But, we have two 3500 HD dually's at work with the Duramax powerplants, both have well over 150,000 miles on them and we've have not had problem one with either of them.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

I couldn't tell you just yet. I bought the truck and headed out on a business trip the same day, so it's been parked since last saturday.
But, we have two 3500 HD dually's at work with the Duramax powerplants, both have well over 150,000 miles on them and we've have not had problem one with either of them.

Sounds like they are just getting broken in

 

[ATOMonkey]

Isuzu was the only bidder that had a common rail fuel injection system at the time. It was a game changer in the late '90s when it first came out for NVH and emissions.

Navistar would have gone with the common rail (like they eventually did) but their contract with Siemens had them over a barrel.

They probably would have been money ahead to pay Siemens to break the injector contract and go with the Bosch unit after it was all said and done.

I was on the engineering development teams for the 4.5L and 6.0L.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Isuzu was the only bidder that had a common rail fuel injection system at the time. It was a game changer in the late '90s when it first came out for NVH and emissions.

Navistar would have gone with the common rail (like they eventually did) but their contract with Siemens had them over a barrel.

They probably would have been money ahead to pay Siemens to break the injector contract and go with the Bosch unit after it was all said and done.

I was on the engineering development teams for the 4.5L and 6.0L.

I have no experience with the FORD built powerstrokes but have heard they are doing pretty well with it, both of mine were IH/NaviStar and had problems. Did FORD ever figure out how to build a tranny that holds up to the engine?

ETA: I put mine through literal hell and made them WORK for their keep if that makes any difference...

 

[ATOMonkey]

I don't know, none of my family is involved with Ford anymore. At one time we had 4 engineers working for them in one capacity or another and now it's zero. Ford pulled everything in house and offered early retirement to all of their older engineers.

So, I design airplane engines, my Uncle works for Chrysler, my Dad still works for Navistar, and my brother is commanding a USMC battery.

 

[dudley0]

I am getting to use some of my preps. Been two and a half weeks since I was at the W2 (job). I got suspended for a safety infraction and they are still not calling me back.

Not hurting over the short time off, but a real eye opener for the wife, as far as preps go. Haven't been to the store for groceries since before the incident and still have plenty of food for the family.

Worse thing is that I have had to curb buying extra food and ammo. I don't want my job back, but I don't like not having the spare funds to play with.

This happened before the 1500, but I still went there and picked up some extra ammo, a gas mask and a few other items. Have to get it all worked out one way or the other before the next show.

 

[irishfan]

I got with a buddy to get into a defensive knife class. I carry a knife everywhere I go but the only training I have is what I have read and practiced on my own. A firearm is a great defensive weapon but there are a lot of times where I may not be able to carry a pistol but will have my knife. Also, if I were to be unarmed then I would rather have some knowledge on defending from a knife rather than just learning on the fly

 

[Cherryspringer]

My son and I were talking tonight earlier and we decided were going to buy 100 jars of peNut butter to keep around just in case.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

I am getting to use some of my preps. Been two and a half weeks since I was at the W2 (job). I got suspended for a safety infraction and they are still not calling me back.

Not hurting over the short time off, but a real eye opener for the wife, as far as preps go. Haven't been to the store for groceries since before the incident and still have plenty of food for the family.

Worse thing is that I have had to curb buying extra food and ammo. I don't want my job back, but I don't like not having the spare funds to play with.

This happened before the 1500, but I still went there and picked up some extra ammo, a gas mask and a few other items. Have to get it all worked out one way or the other before the next show.

We've been in this boat for a little over a year now. Loss of a job certainly qualifies as SHTF. I found another job about 3 months out, but it just doesn't provide enough income. It's tough going from 6 figures to 20,000......Thank god we are preppers or we'd be stuck on food stamps waiting for the gov to take care of us. I haven't been able to buy any guns in 17 months, it nearly makes me cry to think about.

 

[jeremy]

How do you like that Isuzu? I've heard good things about them. I wonder what made GM go that route? Ford and Dodge went with American manufacturers, Dodge did well by it, but Ford had mixed results.....

I have Neighbors running the Isuzu/Duramax with mixed reviews. A couple of them are in the shops every couple of months getting something repaired on them (stock trucks no mods). A couple of them rolling flawlessly...

I have no experience with the FORD built powerstrokes but have heard they are doing pretty well with it, both of mine were IH/NaviStar and had problems. Did FORD ever figure out how to build a tranny that holds up to the engine?

ETA: I put mine through literal hell and made them WORK for their keep if that makes any difference...

Most of the People I know who are having Trans issues, regardless of the Truck,are also running the ponies cranked up pretty good with no upgrades beyond the Engine.

If you need that kinda Power, Get a Semi...

 

[ThrottleJockey]

I have Neighbors running the Isuzu/Duramax with mixed reviews. A couple of them are in the shops every couple of months getting something repaired on them (stock trucks no mods). A couple of them rolling flawlessly...

Most of the People I know who are having Trans issues, regardless of the Truck,are also running the ponies cranked up pretty good with no upgrades beyond the Engine.

If you need that kinda Power, Get a Semi...

I never made any mods at all to either of mine, but I used them to operate my landscaping business. They were always pulling a dump trailer full of dirt or block, or a beaver tail with a bobcat or two, or a track hoe......I certainly worked them to their limits, had to rebuild one or both trannys every winter usually after the first plowable snowfall and before the second....Plowing in MN is pretty tough on them too

 

[jeremy]

I never made any mods at all to either of mine, but I used them to operate my landscaping business. They were always pulling a dump trailer full of dirt or block, or a beaver tail with a bobcat or two, or a track hoe......I certainly worked them to their limits, had to rebuild one or both trannys every winter usually after the first plowable snowfall and before the second....Plowing in MN is pretty tough on them too

Plow trucks?!

Well there you go. LOL. Falls under the same catergory as the Semi Statement. Pick-ups do not make good Plow Trucks especially up in Mn where it really snows...

I just traded off my '06 F250, 6.0L never had a bit of problems out of it. Maybe I had a middle of the week built truck...

Still running a '97 F350 out at the Farm. Other than steering wander it is in pretty decent shape also with no problems...

I have never had any luck out of the Dodges I have had. Great Engines, just everything else on them would go wrong...

GM's I remember the 6.2L followed by the 6.5L and still wake up crying in my sleep over those POS. My big question to GM is when you are the Parent Company to Detroit Diesel can you not build a semi-decent engine of your own?!

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Plow trucks?!

Well there you go. LOL. Falls under the same catergory as the Semi Statement. Pick-ups do not make good Plow Trucks especially up in Mn where it really snows...

I just traded off my '06 F250, 6.0L never had a bit of problems out of it. Maybe I had a middle of the week built truck...

Still running a '97 F350 out at the Farm. Other than steering wander it is in pretty decent shape also with no problems...

I have never had any luck out of the Dodges I have had. Great Engines, just everything else on them would go wrong...

GM's I remember the 6.2L followed by the 6.5L and still wake up crying in my sleep over those POS. My big question to GM is when you are the Parent Company to Detroit Diesel can you not build a semi-decent engine of your own?!

Detroit isn't geared towards light duty (besides, detroits suck) and GM is the reason we here in the USA are reluctant to buy diesels. Remember the GM diesels from the late '70s/early'80s? They screwed up the diesel market in the US so bad with that garbage. You can't just take a sbc and bolt on a new head and call it a diesel.

 

[jeremy]

Detroit isn't geared towards light duty (besides, detroits suck) and GM is the reason we here in the USA are reluctant to buy diesels. Remember the GM diesels from the late '70s/early'80s? They screwed up the diesel market in the US so bad with that garbage. You can't just take a sbc and bolt on a new head and call it a diesel.

Sure you can take an SBC and change the Head and call it a Diesel. GM did it...
GM is about 80% of the Diesel Problem here in the US. I can go to Europe which has stricter Emissions Laws than Ours and buy a Diesel in a freaking Ford Ranger that gets 30MPG and get a tax break from the Government. For buying a greener vehicle...
Not here though...

 

[bft131]

Detroit isn't geared towards light duty (besides, detroits suck) and GM is the reason we here in the USA are reluctant to buy diesels. Remember the GM diesels from the late '70s/early'80s? They screwed up the diesel market in the US so bad with that garbage. You can't just take a sbc and bolt on a new head and call it a diesel.

Amen...I had a '95 Chevy Diesel..had THREE injector pumps replaced, injectors and a bunch of sensor...GM had a %75 failure rating out of the box on their pumps....Boy, its good to be back in a SuperDuty gasser.....

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Sure you can take an SBC and change the Head and call it a Diesel. GM did it...
GM is about 80% of the Diesel Problem here in the US. I can go to Europe which has stricter Emissions Laws than Ours and buy a Diesel in a freaking Ford Ranger that gets 30MPG and get a tax break from the Government. For buying a greener vehicle...
Not here though...

You can get a 70mpg ford focus in europe too. I'd like to get a hold of a VW TDI, but they aren't exactly a dime a dozen.....