Retirement not working

[JimmyDw8xb]

OK, I do appreciate the comments and suggestions as to my course of action. I had to take today off from blasting the frame. That has proven to be quite a tiring task. Hood pin has been replaced, how about a hint on adjusting it correctly? The new drag link arrived Friday. I plan on finding a windscreen from a boneyard.
My days of needing to always win the race to the top of the hill are long over. I`m thinking that seeing how good of a MPG I can achieve might be quite an interesting goal. My grandaughter comments that I drive like an old man. I tell her that slow and steady wins the race.
I`m washing the motor today so it will be clean on top when he pulls the cover. I take back my positive comments about farmers taking care of things. I don`t think he ever washed it.
Checking the idler pully is on next weeks list. I have plenty of time to get the list done and enough money in the budget for anything other than a major repair and if needed, have the resources at my disposal to deal with it. But so far, I haven`t purchased a clunker and that keeps my mood in a positive frame.
I`m hoping this drag link and tie rod end are not going to be a worst case scenario. I`ve watched several videos on the job being done and it appears that beating on it a lot will do the removal. Sure seems there ought to be a better way. I don`t mind admitting to a lack of experience with repair, but I have worked on mechanical things most of my life, just not a semi. On a car, I would use a pickle fork.
The one thing I have on my side is time. I haven`t found a bay to rent, so everything is being done outside in my driveway. I`ve checked with my neighbors and they have no problem with the truck being here. But the weather is not cooperating all that well in Nebraska. We have had several days in the sixties and that has helped.
So keep the ideas coming.....I`ve watched a ton of Rawze`s videos, ever since I started dickering on this particular truck. I`ve learned a lot so far. A question comes to mind though......Where do I hook the by pass filter Feed and return to? I`ve seen a couple of videos, but they were not unit specific for a Cummins. OK, time to go out and putter with it.