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gnukid
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4411
Registered: 7-2-2006
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re: surviving baja
Speeding out of el sargento in a plymouth voyager LE toward the T interesection of the los plannes hiway toward lapazlapa on tuesday night, xm
satelite radio played live london concerts, the cell phone was begining to receive one bar, the ac unit blasted a freezing full breeze, I could feel
the city lay ahead leaving the barren dessert. I could see the power lines heading straight into the horizon along the newly paved road, hitting
70mph, suddenly, the end of the road arrived into a T intersection while the power lines continued into the dessert. I hit the brakes, a combination
of abs brakes fluttering and dirt in the road caused the advanced brakes to lock in a light pumping motion with no slowdown. I pumped the brakes and
prepared to ride it out jumping the intersection into the dessrt, as I hit mid intersection I released the brake for liftoff, I didn't want to slide
down into the cow manure filled gutter, aiming between the two biggest cactus, like a goal kick, the car lifted and flew about 15 meters and landed
hard with a huge bang but evenly, dust rose, chickens squawked and dogs barked followed by a, "como estas?", from far away in the dessert. "Bien!" I
yelled back. Someone had done this before I thought, a jump ramp from years of use... that's why two cactus had grown like goal posts. It was bad, but
not as bad as I expected, immediately I made a panicked attempt to get out of the dessert and move it closer to the main road, I arrived, there I
could see, steam and cactus everywhere. I touched the cactus to pull it away from the front bumper and began to bleed heavily. The cactus will burn or
fall off in time, before I lost all the coolant fluid, I tried for the top of the hill to roll toward the genius mechanics in la paz. I needed to get
out of here, slowly I headed up the hill-the car moved! An hour later I arrived at lapaz. I parked at the mechanic and went to lapazlapa, the next day
I found my car had two broken axels, supports, motor mounts and radiator, bent frame, everything was broken... They said it would be fixed in the
afternoon so I went for the car and drove back to San Francisco with some shaking tires, when I arrived at my US mechanic, he said the car was
completely totalled and undriveable? I balked and kept it for another trip to La Paz, which i did. Today, 5 years later, I see the car passing me in
la paz daily, it shocks me, it looks perfect and I want it back...? it has a new paint job and looks great same stereo, better than before.
[Edited on 2-18-2007 by gnukid]
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
Member Is Offline
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Power Wagon name
| Quote: | Originally posted by baitcast
Sharks just what is a PW?
BAITCAST |
That would be "Pee Wee"  cause in those days it was quite an animal. I
gotta look for old fotos.
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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baitcast
Super Nomad
Posts: 1785
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: kingman AZ.
Member Is Offline
Mood: good
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Damn I knew that!
BAITCAST
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jeans
Super Nomad
Posts: 1059
Registered: 9-16-2002
Member Is Offline
Mood: Encantada
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Sorry Boys....
| Quote: | Originally posted by tripledigitken
My god, is that a drawing of the only broken down Toyota in Baja?
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Neal Johns
Yep, the only one I have seen in 30 years. Trust me!
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This sad truck is mine. We were south of Palomar Canyon & Laguna Salada on the east side of the Sierra Juarez. The idler arm (sp?) had snapped.
We camped there and went in to Calexico before dawn the next morning to buy parts. My "heroes" were a retired mechanic and a San Diego surgeon who,
for the rest of the trip was referred to as Dr. Goodwrench. As he was putting the toolbox away, he casually mentioned his surgical rate. I asked if
he took Blue Cross...Triple AAA? He said he'd take a Tecate....Deal! Drinks later on in San Felipe were on me.
[Edited on 2-18-2007 by jeans]
Mom always told me to be different - Now she says...Not THAT different
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
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Jeans----
Wow, an Idler arm--------on a Toyota, yet!!!!
Do you remember hitting anything in particular hard enough to break an Idler Arm?? That is a serious thing to break. Any expansion on that problem
that led to that "break" would be appreciated.
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jeans
Super Nomad
Posts: 1059
Registered: 9-16-2002
Member Is Offline
Mood: Encantada
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Barry A.
Wow, an Idler arm--------on a Toyota, yet!!!!
Do you remember hitting anything in particular hard enough to break an Idler Arm?? That is a serious thing to break. Any expansion on that problem
that led to that "break" would be appreciated. |
I did not hit anything more than a slight dip on very soft, sandy terrain. BUT, I had just come down from Palomar Canyon:
[Edited on 2-19-2007 by jeans]
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baitcast
Super Nomad
Posts: 1785
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: kingman AZ.
Member Is Offline
Mood: good
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How do you break an idler arm on anything?...Odd spot for a break,but as long as you have a Doc along no problem
All this talk of broken things and break downs reminds me of the time coming home from Gonzaga in the hills,we were just poking along when my
daughter mentioned she was smelling something bad,then we all did what?
Dead ahead was this truck full of dead and dieing turtles,broken rear axel and three very thirsty and hungery guys,that had been under the
truck hiding from the sun,they were a mess,no traffic on that road in those days,you were pretty much on your own.
Now that was major but when anything breaks its major,out in the middle of nowhere,so after a couple of cans of spam,Jug of water and a
bunch of crackers,it was decided that two would stick with the truck and we would take the third into San felipe,I have often wondered what ever
happened to those boys,as it was july and hot as hell.
BAITCAST
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jeans
Super Nomad
Posts: 1059
Registered: 9-16-2002
Member Is Offline
Mood: Encantada
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| Quote: | Originally posted by baitcast
How do you break an idler arm on anything?...Odd spot for a break,but as long as you have a Doc along no problem |
I have no idea how/why it happened. I always thought that I had probably tweaked it boulder climbing. I was not comfortable climbing up that canyon
and had turned back with another truck, who sustained a little body damage that day. That was Day 2 on the 10 day trip to San Francisco De la Sierra.
I was in danger of blowing the trip for everyone. I'm just glad we were close enough to the border to get the part and to have someone with us to
fix it! All's well that end's well!
As for those guys with the dead turtles...I would be more conerned for the loss of the turtles! 
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
Member Is Offline
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Here she is:
PW
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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baitcast
Super Nomad
Posts: 1785
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: kingman AZ.
Member Is Offline
Mood: good
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Great looking rig! Sharks, and would you believe the same color..........I bought a cheap shell for mine an paid for it later,put a boat rack on it,carried a 14' tin boat.
After a few trips down,the thing just started to come apart ,lucky
to make it home in 1 piece,had to up grade after that.
I nearly bought a military version of the PW,which featured the old flat-head 6,I thought boy thats for me but my wife nixed that deal thank god!
Sharks are you sure you had no brake problems? can,t imagine one of these rigs with no brake problems
BAITCAST
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Crusoe
Senior Nomad
Posts: 731
Registered: 10-14-2006
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Hi Sharks.........Mighty fine looking shot of PW. Warms my heart and brings back mucho good memories of my very similar rig, from the 1970s. I enjoy
working on trucks in my spare time and am looking at a 1975 3/4 ton W200 4x4 Power Wagon that is in very good shape. Has an automatic which I think I
would like.If I build another truck, I would go to a fuel injected 318. Whats your opinion on those later power wagons and a fuel injected 318??Bieng
a little to old as well as old fashon, I just cant warm up to the noise and the smell of the new diesel rigs. Thanx.......and Baitcast..... I had
brake problems with my 66 W200 until a pro mechanic convinced me to remove the drums and blow out the brakes and clean them with acetone every 8000k.
My only cmplaint with that ruck was a problem with u-joints.I use to buy 6 at a time and checked them religously and as soon as they got loose they
were changed.I never felt they had all that great of stopping power!!!
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
Member Is Offline
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8 drums and 32 shoes
is probably how many I changed on her.You are so right, I just forgot about them conveniently. In fact the last long trip we made to Vancouver Is. was
scary. We were friggin' loaded down with everything and then some. On the road down the Port Alberni(sp?) I had to practically stand on them to get
them to hold. That was when I decided to stop using it for family trips. If and when I put her back together I would like to put disc brakes on her.
I always figured the large wheels and tires were the root of my brake problems. U-joints? Plenty!
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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baitcast
Super Nomad
Posts: 1785
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: kingman AZ.
Member Is Offline
Mood: good
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a real pain!
So now the
truth comes out you boys did have problems,I thought it seemed strange I would be the only one.
Its sometime hard to admit that something you like is a big pain in the ass.........I guess a love hate relationship would apply.
Alternators anyone? both times I lost these they froze up lucky didn,t happen down south,stopping power is something I didn,t have,you had to
do alot of planning ahead.
The wheel cylinders always leaked which in turn caused the pads to glaze over,I could go on and on but you get the idea,years later I sold it
to a guy for 1500$ and wished him luck
BAITCAST
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