Update your rig status here!

[Fix_It]

well today i had some progress even if a little . the drivers side is now fully welded and seamed sealed in just need to prep for some type of bed spray material .

also i hate caulk !!!!!!!!!! i have it stuck to everything i touched today the more i used the more i made a mess ! ive got it stuck in my eye brows !!! yes my eye brows that just aint right folks !

[AKMark]

I got my rear JKS trackbar in last night. I left the TB aux bracket in and thanks to it, I'm still experiencing a slight left tendency of the rear axle. If I remove the bracket, that should help, unfortunetly, the moron before me welded it into place, so I have some cutting to do.

Covered the grill with cardboard and painted it. Broke off both my el cheapo driving lights while attempting to remove the grill.

My work is never done, and it's bad when you are working at 0100 hrs of the morning at -25 degrees. Even with the front or rear of the Jeep in the garage (I cannot get it all the way in) it's cold. Oh well.

[Fix_It]

well i have my 85 up for sale trying to lower my over head with new baby on the way and i have some good hits we shall see what happens .


but i always have something else for back up so here is a few clues .

i fell in love with skitzo after helping wrench on it loved how low and wide it was but the only down fall was the chevy heart ..so here is what i have planned .

i have a 82 toy pick up

a 5.0 out of capri w/ propane injection

it will have c6 and toy cases with 4.0 gears from marlin

linked suspension rear for now
and complete tube all around

[93hummer]

Tried to go to Jake's run today but the Hummer decided otherwise, it wanted to run at 280 instead of the normal 190, replaced the thermostat and switched back to rotella diesel engine oil instead of arctic weight oil, this got the temps down to 240.. still too hot....

Update:

I do believe it's a water pump issue, I just drove it for over an hour and it is entirely related to speed, the faster I go, the hotter it runs. Driving 50 on the highway gets the temp up to 225, increase to 60 and it goes up to 240, driving back onto the Army base where speed limits are 25-35, it goes back down to 210.

I raised the hood yet again (for the 8th time or so today) and checked the water pump, it seems to have a slight amount of play in the pulley, if I grab the fan and wiggle it, the water pump pulley moves ever so slightly. I don't think there should be any play at all. So even though I changed the water pump 3 years ago... looks like it's time to do it again.

[Fix_It]

try to bleed the system with heater on full when you change out the thermostat ..i have had alot of years turning wrenches on them . sometimes they can be a real bugger with air pockets and she tends to do the same symptoms .

[ChevyKev]

Suburban's winterization needed a little attention - it should be good to go as soon as I get new battery pads.

I currently have the 83 Cherokee in the garage as I have it sold. I need to replace the valve cover, the battery, and the front sway bar and driveshaft. May install the nerf bars as well. Anyone have spare stock sway bar connecting rods?

Need to troubleshoot the 6.2 diesel 3+3 and get it started and gone.

Well, the Suburban's winterization is fixed, for now. I still need to install a trans warming pad. I got a cold front put on, and the block heater plugged back in. When I do the trans pad, I will also install another plug box and the buddy heater. I also need to install the running boards I've had since June.

The 83 Cherokee is an 86, but who's keeping track? No habla Jeep. I have actually done an extensive amount of work on this, and it is ready to be IM'd. It also most likely needs ball joints. I did drive it at 60mph and the wobble that used to be scary was barely evident. The sway bar and new steering stabilizer took care of the worst of the vibes.

the 6.2 diesel 3+3 is runninga nd mostly back together. just a few more tidbits to get accomplished and it is out the door! Need to install the flex plate cover, drive it a few miles, and re-check all the fluids. Replaced all the glow plugs, some winterization components, trans filter, gasket and fluid change, fixed the t-case shifter and reassembled it, and fired it up! Plus a few other little things.

Basically, Friday PM and Saturday I got two of my projects running and close to going out the door with cash in the pockets.

[93hummer]

Well, it seems the overheating issue is finally resolved, it now takes forever to warm up lika any diesel. The problem was the thermostat, I should have know when Napa had trouble looking it up for a 93 Hummer. The thermostat was for a 6.2 diesel chevy application and was physically too long for the Hummer thermostat housing.... so it couldn't open up much at all. Since it was the second thermostat to go in, I assumed that the problem was the radiator, so I had it backflushed too. Now with the correct thermostat and a completely flushed and backflushed and reflushed system, it runs 190 again.... I thought it had sprung a leak, that's why I didn't make it to the meeting today. But after running it for more than an hour, including up and down the road and back to the driveway, no leaks are evident. I guess the puddle in the driveway was just sludge from me spilling some antifreeze while troubelshooting this thing mixed in with some snow.

[TJVigilante]

Leaking steering box
leaking radiator cap
whining front axle, no vent tube
leaking pinion seals, front and rear
wonderful

[sevenslats]

Ah. winter in AK.

What's the whine in the axle?

[TJVigilante]

probably water from the big puddle at Fairbanks creek when I went through it with no axle vent tube. No biggie...at least it's only when I apply power in 4wd, rather than full-time when we swapped them out.

Speaking of which, you had pictures of the two jeeps in the air in your garage on your camera, when are you going to upload them? I could use that as documentation of my upgrades over time.

[sevenslats]

They didn't turn out too well. Wasn't site-worthy. I'll upload them, though since you want to see them.
I RTV'd my vent tube on after the swap-over, it hasn't come out yet. Perhaps some RTV, and some wire to hold it in place?

[akdsmer]

For the record, every u-joint but one has been replaced on my 04 Dodge.
The right front axle joint had been clicking for the last few weeks, so I decided I had better replace it. I knew this was going to be a bear as the last side was as well. The whole removal discription is like 5 things-remove wheel, remove caliper, remove rotor, remove abs sensor, remove hub and remove axle. Like 15 bolts INCLUDING the wheel (8-lug) and 1 3/4" hub nut! The problem is that once you remove the 4 bolts holding the hub on, the hub won't come off (Mel likely knows exactly what I'm talking about). I actually damaged the last hub replacing the other joint last winter.

After removing all the bolts (like 10 minutes) I was left with getting the hub removed. I had heard that you could use much longer bolts and use the power steering to "push" the hubs off, but I could not find any really long 14x2.0 metric bolts. I did spend $17.55 on longer bolts and screwed them in to beat the hub off. I ended up using my Air hammer and sledge hammer to beat this off. In the process I pounded on it so long the heads on 3 of the bolts were mushroomed out to the point that a socket a couple sizes up wouldn't fit. After an hour of alternating sides and air/sledge hammers I finally got it to pop off. Think this joint needed to be replaced? :oops:



Now to drop off the shaft to get the old joint pressed out and the new joint pressed in since these monsters are too big for my joint press (and I'm too lazy to make up an adapter for my ball joint press ).

[AKMark]

There's no reason why an 04 should need those changed out.

That sucks, at least you are getting it done.

[akram]

I now how you feel Kelly. I needed to replace axle seals on mine. Luckily it was under warranty. I looked at it all and really didn't feel like fooling with it. And I agree with mark, those ujoints shouldn't have gone bad this quick. What you been doing in that big dodge?

[sevenslats]

... What you been doing in that big dodge?

:eek: Lorna drives it.

[akdsmer]

Back together again. Only took an hour to wander down to the garage, clean everything up and reinstall. Plus a test drive and retorque.

The 03+ Dodge u-joints just suck. At least now they are ALL replaced, so we'll see how long they last. Lorna drives it likes she stole it. Why do you think you hardly ever see her behind the wheel of the talon?

[akram]

Well this evening thanks to a good buddy I got some things done. Replace ujoint on front drive shaft, it was extremely bad. Greased every grease point on the XJ. Fixed the homemade posi-lok. Out a little bigger cable on it. Put the CB on constant power instead of accesory (still need a new antenna after Jakes Run). Adjusted the ACOS to make it sit level. Still need to adjust the driver's side a little more but it's close. And knocked a lot of dirt out since I didn't get a chance to spray it all off before it got too cold.

[Fix_It]

first off gotta say Amsoil rocks ! as you folks know my front diff on my taco runs a lock right with 4:56 well last month jiffy boobs forgot to put oil back in after they drained it and my lock right locked up after driving 309 miles back home in 4wd !

well i paniced and out some Amsoil 75-90 in it and its been sitting pretty much since till this monday and i had no other car to drive thanks to my 85 timing chain letting go ..

well it was nasty slick with the roads at 34 * with ice on it and had to use the broken 4wheel drive ..and i heard a loud pop and my steering wheel loosened up i could steer again ...

thats right... it freed up ..so as soon as i finished doing some running around i drained the diff oil looking for broken parts or metal shavings ..i found none i refilled with more of the liquid gold stuff and works like a champ ..

also found out that too much greese in a lock out hub is a bad thing and keeps it locked in the cold even though it unlocked ! lol

but hey i got my taco back !

[akdsmer]

Removed the broken axles in the Zuki last night. On the left axle the birfield was broken and on the other the shaft snapped.





The shaft snapped inside the diff, lucky when it came apart it didn't do any damage to the splines. The old one needed to be hammered out, but the new shaft slide right in. New fluid in the front, checked the other fluids and now it's ready to go.

[akjeep]

Kelly -
Back in 'the day', did you go through a lot of film?

[TJVigilante]

Well....still have a leak somewhere around the radiator, getting my exhaust plumbed up right tonight(extension between the cat-back and the muffler to pull the exhaust off the shock), putting in my speedo gear, cleaning out the t-case skid(maybe?) before taking it into the stealership on the 29th for a pretty good overhaul if all works out well.

[ChevyKev]

The Suburban's is back up and running. It has been down for a few weeks. The computer chip that controls the throttle input is bolted on the side of the injection pump so that the fuel running through the injection pump cools the chip. In theory it works fine. In reality, when idling the fuel flow is too slow to keep it cooled. So when we'd idle it to warm it up for the wife, and go to drive it, it wouldn't want to go. pedal to the floor but nothing!

Also, I knew I had a few bad injectors and suspected the glow plugs were old.

New performance injectors were ordered, as well as new glow plugs. These problems wer ediagnosed with the help of AKMark and fixed with the AK20's help.

New injectors are said to give 30hp and 70 ft/lbs of torque. I also made a bracket and re-located the throttle chip so it hopefully stays cooler and works. New glow plugs resulted in a much easier start (3 were burnt and broken! :eek: )

Drove it out of the garage and Kris is test driving it to NP as I type.

However, one up, one down - We took the kids to see Santa Clause this afternoon and Kris got pulled over for no tail-lights in the 75 pickup. So I will be tracing the short there adn hopefully have all lights functioning again soon.

The 83 Cherokee is an 86, and is ready to be IM'd. I also bought ball joints for it, installation should be sometime soon.

the 6.2 diesel 3+3 was sold and gone but keeps coming home. Actually the guy that bought it returned it when he heard our diesel was down so we could use it, however, the starter had sheered a bolt. And once that was easy-out-ed and replaced, we ofund a fuelk leak I need to investigate and fix so I can return it.

The 7.3 Ford Engine I have been working on for a friend is almost done and reinstall day should be next Tuesday.

Blazer stops ok with downshifting and front brakes! NOT that I was driving it on an expired tag! Sometimes you gotta do what ya gotta do. Unfortunately, it is low on the project to-do list. Then again, maybe by the time I get around to it I can install rear disk brakes!

[AKLJ8]

06 Yellow Rubicon... OME lift is on. Need to do the locker switch mod and install a GPS cradle for a Garmin unit I just got. Brighter driving lights might be in the future too.

79 Pacer... Running but needs a transmission leak fixed. I have a passenger door lock to inastall, inside door handles and rear lift struts for the hatch. This project is on hold until the summer. Some day it might get a 4x4 conversion...

66 Amphicar... On the to do list............ EVERYTHING! I have all the patch pannels and will be cuting and grinding to fit them up and prepair for the welding...

77 Ford Bronco.... Sitting in front of Test The Waters waiting for me to buy it... And build that baby!

[ajpthng]

WJ: Awaiting my return to get 2" lift installed and probably an oil change.

TJ: Awaiting my return to get fine tuning on the control arms, Track bars and track down small leak in T/C.

RX-1M: Oil Change, light weight exhaust, Check track tention and find some snow to ride in and a Mountain to climb!

MSRX: Park in corner because the wife will not be going for a ride this winter.

Kodiak: Change Oil.

Fridge: Check for beer, Drink many with friends!

[sevenslats]

ZJ: still running strong. Its overdue an oil change.

TJ: starter still broke. rear locker broke again...

[naturalbornmudder]

well, to update mine, the lil' T finally has a swing away tire carrier. The steering is still bad and I thik I am in need of some ball joints. It goes under the Holeproof knife here in the next month or so for a front bumper, and then back under my knife for some other goodies.