Arctic Offroad Forums

trailkilla Wrote:Hey Tom really like the Rock pushers. Kev can I get some pictures of the drags if you make it with repairs to skitzo? I am missing this weekends but what is the schedule for this season cause I may make it next month.

Skitzo will be fixed... I don't have a mud drag schedule though!

This Sat we are playing in the mud pits being dug for us by my friend in NP

New steering installed, awaiting time to install rock ram.

well black beauty is coming along slowly but surely. the parts a slowly being gathered. money has had to be focused ealse where do to some family health reasons. but you know some times the wait is worth it. ended up buying MMMH's lift for 800. which was already a deal being the new one is over 1300. he ended but thoughing in the drop swaybar mount, extended brake lines and new u-bolts. now all that is really requierd is the rims to mount the tires on. i have 2 opions on wheels. 1. going with the original planed mht classic 2's in a 16x12 or with this other company called mrt who specialize in off road wheels and racing wheels. sent them an email today for a set of 16x14's we will see on the pricing. i still need a computer for the tune port swap but thats one of those things thats not a big deal right now and can be bought any time. caging the whole blazer is going to be but off till i figure out what is going on with the family and such. there is a 50% chance that in a year and a half i will be leaving alaska for good. i will just wait and see. and do the cage down in the lower 48. the rock ram is some thing im looking into. i do need one but am looking in to cost of building my own.

Spring over done!! It truned out a little high than i wanted but i will work with it. I am thinking 4" spring under in back and keeping the front SOA. I have to see if i have wheel hop so far the rancho springs seem to resist it. I will post pics later. Now i need bigger tires something in the 31" to 32" range cheap anyone got some.

GB making some disconcerting noises in the clutch area - :myself: - gnarly spinning chattering noise when clutch disengaged. Advance Adapters did shy me away from the Borg & Beck type (3-finger) clutch, but that's what CarQuest had so I ran with it. I have to pull the trans out again and see whats going on in there, hopefully the noise is only the TO bearing.:pray: I had to wrestle the trans back in last time and I'm hoping I didn't damage the pilot bushing in turn taking out the OD input shaft bearing...If all I need to do is throw in a Centerforce or some other diaphragm type clutch I'll be a happy boy.

LJ got routine servicing - 51K miles - found out I either overflexed the front swaybar links again or the 2nd set of used links I modifed were already shot:errf:. The ball-socket on the stock links just doesn't have enough travel. 3rd time will be the charm on that one with rubber bushings on both ends. Both flanges on the exhaust Y-pipe were loosehrug:. Gene's had that off to replace the rear main a little while back...not worth my time even calling them...tightened it back up. The frame-end bushing on the upper right rear control arm was melted out from being so close to the muffler because of the Tummy Tucker raising the exhaust. I'm now glad I ordered them with OE rubber on the frame end 'cause I just took one from one of the stock arms to replace it. I need to get some of that shape-able heat shield stuff to protect that bushing.... or just get the Stinger kit and eliminate the uppers all together:twisted:... I also lost a hockey puck rear bumpstop so I guess the replacement will get screwed down to the axle and not only RTV'ed.


Long stories - short:
- Afraid to wheel the GB until I figure out the clutch noise.
- LJ good to go for Banner this Friday after I create a heat shield and bolt in some hockey pucks.

Skitzo's t-case still wants to pop ouot of low range, but if you hold the shifter lever down it does ok - will make a bracket where I can pin it in.

The new battery works great.

The starter switch is going out though - will need to replace before Friday's run

well its been a while since i updated my stock 85 yota ...lol

last few runs i have run into a few issues that needed delt with .

one was my power steering , or lack of with a locked front end and 39.5 tsl's .. the ford f-150 .bronco pump was weaker than the yota pump and puked all over my engine and has created 2 fires on the trail ...

so i had swapped it for a E-350 saginaw pump wich almost doubled the pressure and made for 1 finger steering and added a big cooler inline ..

i also relocated my fuel pump closer to the tank made for a big difference coming off the bottom end and high rpm power .

and added a lock right back up front while i installed v-6 rear end front and rear with 4.88 and welded rear .

and for the icing i added the 30 spine longfields up front .

not to mention i built but not added the 4.7 to 1 tcase .. waiting for a good down time between runs to install .

now ill be about 90 to 1 !

so i have been busy ...

LJ - rear window shatttered into a million little pieces after dropping the top while trying to put it back on. I've done it myself probably a dozen times before, but this time I just caught the spare tire with the edge and that sucker went down. Luckily the top itself fared pretty well, only cracking the corners a bit.

Ouch.
First time with the 33s/taller lift?

sevenslats Wrote:Ouch.
First time with the 33s/taller lift?

No, just rushing to get it on for the trail ride 'cause I was running late already. Some lessons are pricey, right? It could have been worse, though. The glass (privacy tint / heated) I'm getting for $375 and will install myself. For the cracks on the corners, the patch putty was $12.50 at Fbks Paint and Glass and Hi Tech mixed me up some touchup paint for $10. I was told if you leave SMC cracked and out in the weather the fibers will actually wick in water and the whole rear corner area would soften up and ruin the hard top all together.

mine has come a long way ..i need to bomb proof my tranny mount but other than that she is doing great right now .

My 7-year old son helped me build some frame reinforcement pieces and a corssmember for my ZJ.

Welded to the suspension brackets. Can't convince myself to weld it to the frame yet.


Crossmember.


Had to notch it for the O2 sensor and the driveshaft. I added 2 gussets, just in case. it is 1/4", though.


Him, using up my wire.




How the Jeep looks now.

From the looks of it you had a seven year old top notch wrench build it. Looks really good. LOVE that you have your little ones jump in and help. Thats awesome.

Those pics of Andy welding are awesome! Very cool indeed.

lift, tires, rims are in the garage. axles still out to kevins today. zukman is picking those up tonight and the build starts early tomarrow morning. i hope to get lots of picks.

Transmission back together, next is the transfer case then back in the Jeep. Hopefully I make it to the build tomorrow.

My rig is sitting in the driveway for the next 4 months...

Got some new to me shocks for the zuk and put new air in leaky tire!

need to change out my summer air for winter air !

Installed longer crappy shocks zuk. Their nicely broken in already! Gained 2+ inches down travel and softend up the ride alot. My old short shocks can go on the club trailer. It could use some zuk parts to make it better

got a new ride (ok, new to me - but it's only 12 years old - which for me is fairly new!)

got the front axle replaced - pics later of that one.

have a running rig with SWEET plow - but mismatched gears.

Many thanks to Shane and Mark that gave me quite a hand today.

Here's how she sits...all sad lonely and neglected. Like a used sock nobody wants.



I need to start taking better care of my vehicles.

Got my new plow truck rear gears swapped. Runs great but gets about 12 mpg. (454 with 4.10's)

Swapped Skitzo's carb and put new gaskets under the spacer plate - which had a vaccuum leak causing it to run not so good.

The new carb, once I fixed a fuel leak, worked incredibly well and I think attributed to the mud bogg runs under 10 seconds!

My old plow blazer may be for sale soon...

Suburban is up for sale...

If the plow blazer sells, then I'll have funds to get my big blazer rebuilt and back on the trail/road.

Interior cleaned as best I could with a hose and paper towels, carpeting re-installed, backseat installed, about to go fill it up and get it ready for commute to campus 3 days a week. Still needs ball joints and a U-bearing but I'm sure it'll hold up until I can get it done.

Picked up a set of tube fenders on e-Bay for my YJ on the Cheep, Someone gave me a dana 44 rear end out of a 97 Rodeo so i can get rid of the crappy turd-e five, I did not know it but they came with american dana 44s with 4.30 gears and disc breaks. only bad thing is they have the same bolt pattern as a Toyota/ chevy/ waggoneer so I have a couple options, run wheel adapters, get new shafts drilled out to match d30 or find a waggy front and swap it in.

I am still stuck in Ft Lewis, my Medboard packet went to the PEB last week so with any luck i should hear something late this upcoming week about when I can go home.