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Re: Part I, the import.

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 5:04 am
by aclark79
I'd love to hear thoughts on long term rust prevention. Has anyone here used rustoleum products or something like Fluid Film?

Re: Part I, the import.

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 8:08 am
by 63rover
Fluid Film does a great good from what I have seen. (I know the Canadian importer.) I have 3 gallons in my shop for various projects right now. It also works as an amazing lubricant. I used it in the gears of an old Lucas wiper motor as a test. Like all products it does have its own odour. The lanolin base is not unpleasant but it evident.

Cheers, Clive

Re: Part I, the import.

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 3:53 pm
by roobar_and_custard
Move to Australia... :lol: (but not too close to the coast).

Re: Part I, the import.

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 9:40 pm
by VinceAtReal4x4s
Check the suppliers post
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=6779

Re: Part I, the import.

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 1:07 am
by aclark79
Panama Canal baby!

Re: Part I, the import.

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 6:09 pm
by aclark79
So, been reading through the manuals. Lets talk oil. The instructions for lubricating chart lists engine oil, gearbox oil and final drive oil. Is the final dive the same as axle carrier? I can't find anywhere where it says what kind of oil to use in the wheel carriers.

Re: Part I, the import.

Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 12:52 am
by VinceAtReal4x4s
Regular non-syn. 90w gear oil goes in the portal hubs. (or 85/140w)

Use a GL4 synthetic gear oil for the transmission and diffs (Redline MT90 probably being the best). The transfer case may benefit from Redline's Heavy Shockproof oil, or just put the MT90 in there too.

Basically, MT90 for anything but the hubs. The reason, pointed out by Jim, is that if/when you have hub leaks a synthetic oil will get onto your brake shoes and ruin them where as a regular oil can be cleaned off.

My personal portal hub oil choice: http://www.amazon.com/Lucas-Oil-10042-8 ... %2F140+oil

For pretty much all older Euro transmissions (yours is a ZF, by the way)
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Line-50304-Tr ... words=mt90

And what I use in transfer cases: http://www.amazon.com/Red-Line-58204-Sh ... of+redline

Re: Part I, the import.

Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 6:34 am
by aclark79
Awesome! Thank you, and I appreciate you making it easy. I've got coolant, grease and lead substitute waiting at my parents place (the first place I'll take it from the dock). I'll just order some of the recommended oils as well.

Re: Part I, the import.

Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2015 5:17 pm
by aclark79
Not very impressed with Horizon Auto Shipping, the importer I'm using. Getting information out of them about the move is like pulling teeth. I had to email twice to confirm the arrival day of the ship. Confirmed that it arrives today. Funny, all the ship tracker sites show it still in the Port of Oxnard in California. I'm pretty sure it won't make Tacoma Washington by 11 pm tonight. It took me all of 1 minute to go to the Port of Tacoma website and verify that the ship is scheduled to arrive on the 11th. I find Horizon's service to be lackluster at best.

In other news, opened the box with all the supplies I ordered.

Image

Image

Different oils (gear, hub, transmission). Coolant, orange triangles, fire exstinguisher LED road flares, and LED orange warning light for driving slow on the freeway, grease gun and grease, hearing protection for the freeway drive and some LED replacement headlights.

Pretty much set, need to buy some AMF at the autoparts store and some engine oil.

Re: Part I, the import.

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 3:08 pm
by aclark79
So.... frustrating day.

For whatever reason the ship continues to sit in Oxnard Ca. It now is estimated to arrive on the 13th. That's a Thursday. Now Horizon tells me to expect 2 days processing and customs as well as agricultural spraying (this is the first time they have told me this. The representative told me that was common sense and I reminded her that I specifically told her multiple times that this was my first import and that I don't know these things, that is the kind of thing she is supposed to tell me!)

The port doesn't process anything over the weekend so, realistic time frame for delivery is Tuesday.

Well, headed home on the train and I'll come back when it's ready.

Re: Part I, the import.

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 3:17 pm
by VinceAtReal4x4s
And it's not over, yet. After USDA and customs you have the DMV to deal with. That last one was one of the main reasons I stopped doing this as a side business; the (state) government made it too hard to operate a business. They don't like anything unique and sure as hell don't like things from Europe... cheap, dangerous pot-metal tools and poisonous toothpaste from China, fine, but screw an old truck from Europe!

No matter what happens, feel lucky and think of the guy I helped out once who was trapped in a 7 MONTH long import with $1000's in extra fines.

Funny enough I was 5 minutes away from your truck over the weekend. That port is down the road from one of my favorite fish-fry joints.

Re: Part I, the import.

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 3:55 pm
by aclark79
Hah! At this point it would be faster if you had received it there and it shipped up I5 on a flatbed.

Oh well, I can be angry, but it won't change anything or make it go faster so... no point in staying mad.

I did have a long conversation with the shippers agent, I did some venting about their performance so far.

Re: Part I, the import.

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 4:27 pm
by roobar_and_custard
Ahhh... customs... Sounds very similar to my experiences in Australia... :roll:

On the plus side - the NEXT one will be much easier :lol:

Re: Part I, the import.

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 5:01 pm
by TechMOGogy
Overseas shipping you have to look at like a home reno... When they say x weeks or months, double it and you may end up happy. They both always pooch the timelines!
I used to get so mad and so stressed, now sometimes I am slightly surprised if they make my "double the timeline"

Re: Part I, the import.

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 7:12 pm
by dokatd
Horizon auto shipping is effective but not the best if you are impatient and unfamiliar with importing. Also picking your point of entry is critical. I have had two C303's roll through Horizon in the last 6 months with nothing more than minor shipping delays. The second one had the ignition left on and the batteries died but that was the shipping companies fault.