New guy in Idaho

[Inky]

Hello from Idaho! I own a 98 2wd Astro, mostly used for camping and towing a motorcycle trailer in the summer, and commuting in the winter. Bought it in 03 with 82,000 miles and just passed 150,000 a few weeks ago. It has been a great vehicle, and is in good shape. I have made only a few repairs in the last eight years, fuel pump (2x), front wheel bearings, brakes, shocks, battery, basic maintenance stuff. I've been working on cars since I was a teenager 20+ years ago, not professionally or anything, out of necessity mostly but sometimes just for fun. My van has always been a classy looking ride, a street machine that is kept tidy and nice. Well, its getting older and there are a few things I need to take care of and would like to upgrade on it, and being a DIY kind of guy on a budget I'll be doing those things myself. Nice to find a group of people who love thier vans as much as I do! With a little help I hope to keep my van on the road for a long time. Thanks, Mike

[97CargoCrawler]

Welcome aboard Mike!

Like you, I checked in here a little over 2 years ago for some repair knowledge.

I wasn't too thrilled with my van back then, I just bought it to get to work. With the knowledge I gained right here on this site from the hundreds of kind experienced people, I fixed up my van and now I LOVE it! Turns heads wherever I go, and I feel like I'm king of the road.

You'll get all you're looking for and so much more!

[Smiliesafari]

Welcome, Mike. Glad you found us. Got questions? Ask away. Someone here has the answer.

[mdmead]

Welcome to ASV!

[loopie]

Cheers

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Welcome Mike.

[Inky]

Thanks for the welcome guys! I haven't checked back in since monday, I broke my leg. I've been on Norco since monday night and have been kinda loopy. I was out riding my motorcycle, a KLR 650, in the dirt. I went to flip a left handed cookie to turn around and just as I lifted up my pivot leg (left leg) and slid onto the seat to ride out the slide the rear found "unexpected traction". With all momentum sliding to the right, the rear stopped sliding and the front started coming up. The whole mess just sort of lifted up and landed on the right side, on my leg. The bike landed on the back of my leg, toes pointing down. I heard a distinct pop as it landed. That was the end of the larger lower leg bone right where it meets the ankle. If you think a KLR is a heavy bike try picking it up with one broken leg! After straightening out the front wheel I rode about 40 minutes home, without using the rear brake or putting the right foot down. I had surgery yesterday to put some screws in there to hold it together. As for the bike, broken fender, bent fairing bracket, bent handlebar, torn seat. Any money I had planned to put into the van has kinda dissappeared in the last few days. Life has a way of turning plans upside down. I'm down but definitely not out! I'll still be here, planning what I want to do with the van when the finances get caught up.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Ouch! Good luck on a speedy recovery and getting back to modding your van.

[MountainManJoe]

I think you mean your Tibia. Ouch, that's harsh.