Between 3 PM and nightfall I got the center drive shaft bearing removed and installed.

The larger gear puller arrived late last Monday afternoon -- too late then to do anything.  Here, the old bearing is off (at left) and the new one has been driven onto the splined shaft:
\

Here the complete assembly is bolted back to the frame:


Tomorrow I grease the fittings under here, and then get back to interior remodeling. The compression fittings for the evaporative cooler water supply line arrived, as did the tub and shower door that Daisycat ordered. I don't have the shower wall panels yet though, unless I can convince Daisycat to buy a pair and bring them out here this weekend.  Otherwise the shower remodel will happen another weekend.

I've still got plenty to do this extended weekend.

We're shooting for a week of high country vacation in the second half of July.  At this pace I ought to be ready for it.  Also for my peace of mind, I intend to try to squeeze in a weekend trip before then just to ensure that all systems are "go".

More later.

Saturday I set myself to finishing the installation of the evaporative cooler on Ginger.  Before I did so though, I checked the operation of the motor.  Daisycat recalled that this one had an issue with bearing noise.

Sure enough it did.

I thought at first to swap this one for the one that is currently installed on Doozey.  I took the cover off that one, looked it over, and decided that I wasn't getting a unit in much better condition.  Instead I pulled the heater blower motor off the old camper van, after checking that it was approximately the same size dimensionally.  Once off the camper van I also verified that the shaft is the same size, so that this motor could replace the motor in the evaporative cooler.  Yet another example of the cost-savings and convenience of having an old vehicle on hand for parts.  (*Ahem*, Daisycat.)

Having the unit apart far enough to replace the motor, I also sought to take it apart further to give it a thorough cleaning.  The drain fitting on the water pan had a deteriorated plastic part that needed replacing.  Instead of coming apart cleanly, it gave a sickening crunch sound as I turned it, indicating that the pan itself had now busted out around the fitting.

Argh!

In order to repair this, I needed to get at the inside of the water pan assembly.  The top and bottom pieces of the water pan were fastened together with rivets (which I drilled out) and some sort of sealant that had hardened up (which I chipped out carefully).


In place of the drain fitting, I glued a 1/2" brass MPT coupling in place with Plumbing Goop.  (This stuff is amazingly versatile!  I use this, and the other, essentially identical "Goop" products for numerous purposes.)


Underside of the fan housing.  The sealant bead is the brown stuff under the lip.  That all got scraped off.


After cleaning, I used tub and tile caulk to seal up the two halves of the water pan and reinstalled it in the bottom of the fan housing.


The new (salvaged) motor with fan and water cone installed in the fan housing.

Overhauling the evaporative cooler was not on my list of tasks I expected to do.  It took all of Saturday to complete.

Sunday morning was really beautiful in the garden.  I tarried longer than I intended, and puttered on some garden tasks for a couple hours.  Waist-high vetch and chest-high rye in this area.


Even unplanted grasses are growing lushly.  Since this is not yet a vegetable garden, but a soil building endeavor, just about anything that contributes biomass is welcome, with the exception of a couple of noxious weeds.



Bob in the garden.


I got back to the evap cooler installation that I thought I would be doing Saturday.  Here foam tape is affixed in layers to fit the contour of the roof to the flat bottom of the evap cooler, then covered with reinforcing fabric and coated with elastomeric roofing compound.


I also installed some reinforcing fabric and elastomeric compound around the bathroom skylight/vent.  There were cracks that opened up whenever pressure was applied to the adjacent roof.  Fixed now.


The evaporative cooler bolted down in place.


Cover installed.

This was it for Sunday.

Monday, the wiring was run through the roof and hooked up to the switch in the louver unit.  This louver unit came from Doozey.  The one from the camper van was too badly deteriorated.  (Doozey will get a new one if I ever get to rehabbing her for sale.)


Since I was working with the electric at this location, I installed the ceiling box and surface mount conduit to provide an outlet and connection for a reading light.


Outlet and lights wired up.


Next up is the water supply to the evaporative cooler.  I had purchased plumbing parts a couple weeks ago for this task.  I had to sort through what I have and reassemble my thoughts on what went with what.




The first effort to pipe in the water failed.  I used barbed fittings for PEX that require a clamp ring to seal.  I thought to use worm gear clamps in place of the clamp rings, (which require an expensive tool to install).  No dice.  The worm gear clamps don't do the job.


At the shutoff valve, the compression fittings work just fine.  I will be getting either compression fittings for the rest of the system or sharkbites if I can't get compression fittings in the correct size.


That was it for this (extended) weekend. Monday afternoon my new gear puller showed up, so next weekend I will be back on the center driveshaft bearing replacement project.

Like this?

 

Here's one that's been rattling around my head since 1978. Been coming out again this weekend:


My best friend at the time, Billy Favreau, used to die laughing at the lyrics to this song when it played on the radio.  Especially this:
I go to parties sometimes until 4:00
It's hard to leave when you can't find the door.

He was easily and self-amused like me.

Yeah, another case of only coming to appreciate the art of my generation long after the fact...

Labels: earworm

I unbolted the center bearing of the driveshaft, and got the splines separated. I pulled off the bracket and the rubber cushion from the bearing. Then I discovered that my largest gear puller does not reach to the bearing (yes, I have more than one gear puller--I am that much of a tool geek).


So, I went to Amazon, as I nearly always do when I don't want to fart around with shopping locally, and bought a larger gear puller.

Eventually, maybe by the time I die, I will have one of each tool ever made...

It's not like I don't have enough other projects to work on this weekend. It does bother me, however, to have yet another project hanging there, partially completed.

This is also why I'm asking Daisycat to chip in with some of the cosmetic upgrades. I have more than enough handling the mechanical and electrical upgrades and repairs, and if Ginger is to be ready to go any time soon, I need a little assistance with some of the parts.

Tomorrow I get back to the evaporative cooler and second water tank installations.

My First Burn, by Kenny Reff

The link is a PDF. Click to open in your browser or right click and save to open in Acrobat Reader on your computer. Fascinating account.

-----------------------
Update: this is by far, the best video about Burning Man that I have seen yet.

Well worth the watch to get the essence of what this is really about.

...at BMan

"The Neverwas Haul", Steampunk Art Car