I ran the thing for all it was worth in the Mexican 1000. I drove it on the trailer, and that was it. I have started a couple of times over the last four years. When I moved to CA from Chicago four years ago, I drove the Blazer around the outside perimeter of the orchard. The guy that shares one property line with us, had quad, on our property, blocking my next lap. On the first lap, I idled around until I got to the back property line, then hammered only in 2nd gear for a bit, then coasted to the corner. Nothing too insane. I have big mufflers. It was in the fall, so there were no leafs on the trees( possible dust mites) and the ground was damp, so no dust. I came around and pulled up to him, and shut down, and then had to listen while he yacked away, about how I couldn't do "this", mentioning the dust mites- which I had to tell him that it wasn't my first rodeo.
It took us while to get neighborly after that, but we did.
After that run, I though all was good with the truck, and I thought about entering a VORRA short course in Prairie City( Sacramento) which is about 2 hours NW of me. When I started to check things closer, I grabbed the front drive shaft, down at the front pinion, only to have it wobble a quarter to three eights of an inch. At that point I realized that it needed a new front r & p,, and then I checked the front ball joints, they were shot as well, so that was it.
I have fresh knuckles with new bj's in them, so I have to get the front end off and to someone for a new diff and gear. Next week.
The rusty shock resi cans is nothing new, the shafts are more dusty than rusty, but plan is to take them into Bilstein next week. Same with the springs. Same with the drive shafts, except I need another front one. Nothing that money can't fix. Time is the killer... Oh yeah, I have tires and gas to buy >>>