David Eilers

Day 2: Patterson Arrives in Pasco

<-- Day 1: July 21, Alaska Or Rust Has Begun | Day 3: July 23,  Alaska Updates  -->

UPDATE: To clarify this post, I'd been spending several weeks getting Patterson ready for the trip. Like everyone else, I had to deal with last minute issues, like my front hubs getting too warm. Here's my efforts to pull our 1956 DJ-3A from Seattle to Pasco, Washington, where we would officially start our leg of the trip with Brazilians Hugo and Fernando Vidal.

Original Post July 22, 2017: Well, folks, we are one step closer to Alaska; I successfully pulled Patterson over to Pasco yesterday. Normally, the drive takes just over three hours. However, I took the scenic, slow route, with some stops along the way to adjust my front wheel bearings. Apparently, I tightened them too tight (I thought I had left some play, but I guess not enough). I suspected this when I finished installing them on Friday, which is why I made a decision to bring along my hub puller.

About 10 minutes into my journey I pulled over and felt both front hubs. They didn't feel hot. Then, I got stuck in stop-and-go traffic for about an hour heading eastbound on I90 (for those that know the area ... from Tiger Mountain on Highway 18 all the way to the first big curve on I90 east of North Bend).

2017-07-21-northbend
Traffic was awful!

I climbed the pass on Interstate 90, then pulled off at Snoqualmie and felt the hubs. They were hot to the touch. So, I loosened the bolts, let them cool, and had some delicious BBQ at Webbs. We've eaten there twice and everything that we've tried -- pulled pork, brisket, sausage, potatoes, coleslaw and corner bread -- have been excellent and surprisingly affordable!

2017-07-21-snoqualmie-pass

There are worse places to hangout and eat.

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Everything was delicious!

The hubs were still feeling hot by the time I reached Indian John Hill east of Cle Elum. So, I readjusted them again. About that time, a father and his sons walked up and asked about the jeep, so I had them sign the right fender.

After Ellensburg, I took the Ellensburg-Selah Canyon Road (not sure what the name is offhand) and stopped to feel the hubs again. Loosening the bolt wasn't working, so I retrieved my tools and worked on the driver's hub.

2017-07-21-yakima-canyon
Nice evening and view for working on the hubs. This passenger side hub was particularly difficult.

It wasn't easy, but I finally got one stubborn hub to give. The second hub (passenger side) was more difficult and, after breaking an older torque wrench (it was already in bad shape) I decided to leave the nut a little loose AND try some rougher back roads. It took several hours at 30-40 mph, but finally the bearing was pushed out a little. After that, I was able to up my speed to 60 mph without any heat buildup.

I made it back to Pasco about midnight feeling victorious!

<-- Day 1: July 21, Alaska Or Rust Has Begun | Day 3: July 23,  Alaska Updates  -->

7 Comments

  1. Craig/Vermont
    That rubber brake hose problem is fairly common...hard to figure out (the first time ).
  2. Bob in nc
    Patterson's looking good. I guess no top?
  3. Nick Doss
    Your Jeep is looking good. Have a nice weekend.
  4. Barry West
    I take it the bearings was on the replacement axles' spindles if so it may not be the last time you will be tightening or loosening them. But that's not to problematic. Looking good tho and keep us all posted. Have fun! And the dinner table looks fine.
  5. Blaine
    The name of the road is actually 'Canyon Rd' aka hwy 821 that follows the Yakima River. It's half mile longer compared to driving 82 but without the long hills. If you are a brisk driver it seems almost as fast. Well... maybe ten minutes longer but with a lot better scenery. This: https://www.google.com/maps/@46.8606832,-120.479541,3a,75y,233.02h,71.67t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sxV5grv9s6QqaOxbW_LZRDg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 compared to this: https://www.google.com/maps/@46.8479824,-120.3868477,3a,75y,310.68h,70.71t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sgh5K778_u2fPdPUu1d6Hlw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 PS. How many of you knew you could do street view from Google Maps at almost any road? You can see the USA as if driving all from your computer.
  6. Allan Knepper
    You guys rock !! I was a naysayer on the flat-towing, but you guys proved many of us dead wrong. Again, Patterson has continued to introduce you to many of the old glitches that us old gray-haired guys have stumbled into in the past. Collapsed inner walls of rubber hoses.....brake lines.....fuel lines.....radiator hoses......hydraulic lines......even vacuum lines......can lead to all sorts of symptoms and problems. Wish I could have retrieved that problem from the memory back sooner and offered a solution. LOVE the beautiful scenery.....great looking food ........great looking Willys. Looks like the intensity is ramping up for the journey. Allan J. Knepper
  7. David Eilers
    Craig: Thankfully, the internet came to the rescue! Bob: No top. Just ran out of time. I can always jump inside the Grand Cherokee if things get too wet (too buggy, too slow, too of pretty much anything). Barry: Probably true about the bearings. I have everything I need to adjust them. Blaine: That's for looking that up. At 1am last night it seemed too much work to fix. Allan: Definitely looking forward to being on the road! - Dave

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