S10 was improved by accident today

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ClutchFork
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S10 was improved by accident today

Post by ClutchFork »

So this morning I was in the S10 and rear ended another s10. It was a square-on hit as I slid into him on my fairly worn (but still legal--barely) front tires. It hit firmly and it seems some dust or rust flew, but we pulled over and neither truck had any visible damage. My S10 already had the front right smashed from a few years ago and since then there would be a metal scraping noise over larger bumps. It had been getting worse lately so that every time it went over any bump or made a left turn the scraping noise was there and some popping noises. The shop looked at it and said some mount was rusted through, but it was not a safety issue because the frame is sound. Anyway, after I rear ended the guy, the S10 no longer makes the scraping or popping noise. I think the hit must have crimped the area that was making the noise. A novel way to fix a truck.
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theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
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potownrob
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Re: S10 was improved by accident today

Post by potownrob »

thought you were gonna say you rearended a newer S10, and your S10 magically turned into a newer S10, then post pics of it. leaving disappoint. :( :? :evil:
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
Rope-Pusher
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Re: S10 was improved by accident today

Post by Rope-Pusher »

...but this repair process only works with two S-10's, right?
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ClutchFork
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Re: S10 was improved by accident today

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Rope-Pusher wrote: Thu Jun 27, 2019 8:08 am ...but this repair process only works with two S-10's, right?
I think the having two S10s helped much as the bumper heights were the same and all S10 owners are automatic friends with other S10 owners which explains why the guy was so concerned as to ask if my S10 was okay.

Now the real proof is to see how long it lasts. Invariably, driving and bumps and wiggles along the road could loosen things up. Maybe some spot welds are in order--or duct tape at least.
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theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
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ClutchFork
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Re: S10 was improved by accident today

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Well I don't think an accident is going to fix this. I had the tailgate down today and when i went to put it up the hinge mount on the right side was gone from rust. I managed to close it and it is held by the two latches at the top, but working it is going to be the problem.

Any ideas?
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theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
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Re: S10 was improved by accident today

Post by Rope-Pusher »

ClutchFork wrote: Fri Oct 09, 2020 7:56 pm Well I don't think an accident is going to fix this. I had the tailgate down today and when i went to put it up the hinge mount on the right side was gone from rust. I managed to close it and it is held by the two latches at the top, but working it is going to be the problem.

Any ideas?
Leave it latched and learn to lift stuff over the top to load or unload.

Take the tailgate off and attach a volleyball net across the opening

Time for the Flat-Bed conversion you were thinking about?
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ClutchFork
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Re: S10 was improved by accident today

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Rope-Pusher wrote: Sat Oct 10, 2020 9:11 am
ClutchFork wrote: Fri Oct 09, 2020 7:56 pm Well I don't think an accident is going to fix this. I had the tailgate down today and when i went to put it up the hinge mount on the right side was gone from rust. I managed to close it and it is held by the two latches at the top, but working it is going to be the problem.

Any ideas?
Leave it latched and learn to lift stuff over the top to load or unload.

Take the tailgate off and attach a volleyball net across the opening

Time for the Flat-Bed conversion you were thinking about?
Flatbed would be fun, but maybe simpler to get a used bed from the boneyard. Or make a hillbilly hinge out of duct tape. :lol:
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theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
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Re: S10 was improved by accident today

Post by Rope-Pusher »

You know, adding tetraethyl lead to gasoline to raise the octane level was also a case of "Improvement by Accident".

They were thinking that tinting the fuel would affect how it absorbed radiant heat and there did seem to be a benefit of increased octane with the tinted fuel,.....but it wasn't due to the color of the fuel, it was due to the compound used to create the color.
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ClutchFork
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Re: S10 was improved by accident today

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What should I do? I have opportunity to buy a used 2008 Fusion 5-speed in good condition with 173,000 miles to replace the still-going-strong S10 which has 155,000 miles. Cons and Pros:

S10 has huge rust problem, structural components could be at risk, where as the Fusion is pretty clean.

S10 has brace I put under radiator so it would not drop out on road from rusted mounts: Fusion is soundly mounted radiator.

Fusion has icky power windows: S10 has proper crank windows.

Fusion has icky power locks: S10 has proper manual locks.

Fusion has icky pushbutton remote and only one key hole for passenger compartment: S10 has normal key and two door locks.

Fusion has icky front drive: St0 has proper rear drive. I would certainly miss the throttle blip to bring the rear end around corners in the snow.

Fusion has gobs more power, but S10 runs strong.

Fusion has no oil pressure gauge: S10 has real oil pressure gauge (not fake like on so many Fords)/

Fusion has idiot light for oil pressure, which is highly preferred to the typical Ford dummy gauge.

S10 has standard cab so limited storage space; Fusion has huge trunk to fill with all sorts of junk so it can't be used anyway.

S10 bed holds ponded water as drain holes plug; Fusion no bed for water debris snow etc.

Fusion lower so can't poke head under to see what broke, and more easily get hung up on snowpack: S10 clears most snow, and can poke head under to view the latest broken part.

Both have lightly smashed front ends.

S10 headlights are misaligned, cannot be set straight, dim have to run with brights; Fusion has halogen burns out the eyeballs of oncoming traffic.

S10 battery held down by bungee, wire and ropes. Fusion has actual battery hold down that functions.

S10 has spare in bed where it is easy to get to; Fusion has spare tire in bottom of trunk where you will have to unload 30 cubic feet of junk to get to it.

What would you do. I don't like power windows or front drive, but the car is fun to drive and I guess the bottom line is it does have a manual transmission, so the most important part is present.


S10 has proper 30 wt oil; Fusion takes watery 20 weight. :)
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theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
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potownrob
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Re: S10 was improved by accident today

Post by potownrob »

Get the Fusion
Keep the S10
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
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ClutchFork
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Re: S10 was improved by accident today

Post by ClutchFork »

potownrob wrote: Sat Jul 10, 2021 4:13 pm Get the Fusion
Keep the S10
But for the extra insurance cost that is not a bad idea. I can beat on the s10 and haul junk in it and save the Fusion for better tasks like curvy roads.
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theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
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potownrob
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Re: S10 was improved by accident today

Post by potownrob »

ClutchFork wrote: Sat Jul 10, 2021 11:03 pm
potownrob wrote: Sat Jul 10, 2021 4:13 pm Get the Fusion
Keep the S10
But for the extra insurance cost that is not a bad idea. I can beat on the s10 and haul junk in it and save the Fusion for better tasks like curvy roads.
Ess sow ex zack toe, senn yore :D
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
IMBoring25
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Re: S10 was improved by accident today

Post by IMBoring25 »

I wouldn't think liability-only insurance on either of those would be too ugly. They're basically already totaled out, neither of them is much of a battering ram in traffic, and the demographics don't seem like they'd drive the actuarial tables crazy.

Of course, only keeping full coverage on the vehicles that have an actual book value is how we've wound up with our two-driver household having three cars, a truck, an SUV, and a motorcycle, so you may not want to listen to me.
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ClutchFork
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Re: S10 was improved by accident today

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IMBoring25 wrote: Sun Jul 11, 2021 2:08 pm I wouldn't think liability-only insurance on either of those would be too ugly. They're basically already totaled out, neither of them is much of a battering ram in traffic, and the demographics don't seem like they'd drive the actuarial tables crazy.

Of course, only keeping full coverage on the vehicles that have an actual book value is how we've wound up with our two-driver household having three cars, a truck, an SUV, and a motorcycle, so you may not want to listen to me.
Somehow, liability is a huge cost and I know the insurance industry is not there to help us. If so, I should be able to own 10 cars and pay little more than for one car, if I am the only one to ever drive them on the basis that I cannot drive more than one car at a time. No, they don't see it that way.

Anyways, I decided to keep the Fusion and off the S10. I already tries a little hard driving with a 1-2 shift that spun the front tire (one legger I guess) but it was pavement. No matter, it moved out pretty fast.

The gearing in this thing if adjusted for tire size and final drive makes my overdrive like a 0.94 comparatively for the S10, so really my overdrive is effectively not much beyond a 1.00 4th gear. All good, it rips through the gears and 5 gears on a 2.3L is okay. And comparatively, first gear in the Focus would be like first in the S10 (0r my former Ranger) with the S10/ranger rear gear at a 4:10 ratio! Nice! that makes it easy to creep slow without bucking too.

For my idea of 3 speed, you need a big engine with lots of grunt.
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theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
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ClutchFork
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Re: S10 was improved by accident today

Post by ClutchFork »

Biggest problem is my personal vehicle has been a pickup for the last 44 years and now I go with a car? That is a tough one, but I guess having the S10 the last few years was a transition because it sat so low that I really don't feel any lower in the Fusion.
Stick shiftin since '77
theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
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