Lift off for KC on Sunday - YES!

Carol Reed

In Memoriam
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Coolidge, AZ
Almost ready. Loaded the phone with all the contacts. Will program the GPS as I go. For FWW visits we have Vaughn in Albuquerque, Wayne in Emporia, Darren in KC, Jay in Billings, Melissa, and David (who is meeting us at Jay's).

Then there are 3 other visits with personal, non FWW friends.

And of course, to collect Big John from his previous owner.

Should be a good trip. Leaving after 3 services tomorrow on Easter Sunday morning. Will go as far as Strawberry tomorrow night. Have to load up Monday morning with goodies to take and share. I will call as I go so as to give you a heads-up re: ETA.

Looking forward to clear sailing, good weather, and fun times sharing with Family members.

Yes, there will be pix.

plugger motel.jpg
 
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Thoughts on loading the tractor? Driving or backing it on? Ramps? Make sure they are secure to the truck. Taking the tailgate off to load tractor? Tailgate cables are not near what the old arms were in terms of load holding capabilities (I trust the cables less to not at all). If the tractor is backed on because the rearend is heavier than the front end, be sure your hood, seat and rain cap stay attached/don't fall open/off. Find out things like last lubrications/blades sharpened, greased (I know, lubrication), tuneup, etc.. See if he has the owner's manuals or shop books for the tractor. Enjoy your trip, be safe, look forward to seeing the pictures of the load and you safe at home with it unloaded.
 
Doesn't hurt to use some jack stands to keep the back end of the trailer dropping when loading. I do that with bob.
 
Tractor loading plan. No trailer. Goes in the bed of the truck and yes, it is supposed to fit.

Loading the tractor forward as the truck is pretty heavy in the front, so I think the load will be balanced.

Hadn't though about the weakness of the tailgate, so may have to drop that off the cables. But the plan is ramps with jack stands midway. Also the ground end of the ramps will be on car ramps to decrease the angle. Gives me ~9 feet of ramp instead of less than 6 feet. Tractor weights 1000 pounds. Ramps are rated at 1000 pounds. That's the reason for the jack stands. Jack stands are rated at 3 ton and car ramps at 2 ton.

We'll take lots of pictures of the Rube Goldberg affair.

And thanks, Darren. I'll bring the stuff with me. Maybe we can get a kill switch installed, too. We'll have to get that there.

Oh, and I am getting a CD with all the manuals on it.
 
We once hauled a 72 Datsun 1200 coups 135 miles in the back of a 1968 heavy half 1500 series Chevy Pickup. We had blocks in front & behind the fenders in the bed to roll the front wheel over on & planks running out of the bed at an angle onto the tail gate to help support the weight. I had to crawl out the drivers door window.

When we stopped for gas a guy hollered over if you had told me about it I would have called you a liar.....
 
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