Nate, I can’t wait for you to get that truck back up. Let’s get out ASAP.

I haven’t posted here in a few weeks. I was about to take my Jeep out on my birthday, two weeks ago, until I discovered some carnage. I got it all fixed up now and I’m geared up for Labor Day weekend in Moab! :rock: Planning on having the Jeep all packed up on Wednesday night, drive it to work on Thursday and leave for Moab right after work. It’s gonna be a good weekend. :D

You're unstoppable :p

Moab today! :rock:

:mad: :(

The forecast calls for rain in the mountains on Monday when I’m trying to return to Denver. I opted for the most complete top I have. It’s not watertight by any means but I’m interested in how dry i can stay. My luck? It won’t rain at all on the way home. :lol:

I had to take the pry bar to the tub rails to get Cobound’s old tonneau cover on. Thanks again, Cobound! :thumbsup:

https://i.imgur.com/jowWM5y.jpg

:lol:

:thumbsup:

It was a blast this weekend. Had some freak accidents but no trail carnage. My buddy Steve finished a one ton swap in his 5.3L powered 4Runner and the front 60 he bought already set up with gears. He was driving down the road in Sand Flats at about 30 mph when his front tires violently locked up and brought the rig to a screeching halt. After taking it apart on the trailer and discovering the pinion gear was totally seized, he took it to a shop for them to spend the day on it while he went and relaxed and rode along on Poison Spider. When we got off the trail, I went back to Dixie with him and they informed us that everything was still salvageable but whoever installed the gears didn’t put a crush sleeve or spacers in, resulting in the bearing chewing itself up. Paul had a front caliper egress his SAS’d tacoma. No idea how that happened. No breakage here; I’m starting to get real comfortable with driving my TJ on the highway in the mountains and of course it did not rain at all when I had my top on. :rolleyes:

I didn’t actually take many pictures but we had a lot of people riding along taking pictures so I will post them as they come in.

https://i.imgur.com/U1ZPAda.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/dqH9eTM.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/5gvZF25.jpg

:rock:

Awesome!

After EJS and especially Suicide Hill, I could tell Steve was rethinking those Yota axles :lol:

Yeah he was a huge fan of Toyota axles and I kept hounding him (and the rest of my Toyota friends) about the fact that half tons have no business under a rig with 37”+ tires. I have talked a couple of them out of their mini truck axles (including Ryan, with the periwinkle 4Runner pictured above) but Steve was the first to get it done and he did the swap in an impressive 3 weeks. It’s a sick rig now!

Hell’s revenge at sunset:

https://i.imgur.com/GgnOjav.jpg

Fuk I wish I lived closer :banghead:

If/when I build the rig I have planned it will technically have a 1/2 ton front axle :dunno:

Don’t do it! :lol:

The last trip out last year was in October. The rear driveshaft was making all sorts of noise on the way home. I pulled it out and sure enough - there is a grease zerk in the CV that I have neglected for 15 years and of course, the CV is shot. I had a few plans over the winter for this thing. I have not touched it and I will probably press my luck this season with all that needs to be done and just get a new drive shaft in and run it.

Moab in 4 weeks, and yes, I am driving it there. :lol:

What all else ya need to do other than the shaft?

Current status:

http://i64.tinypic.com/wmm3qr.jpg

http://i66.tinypic.com/wlam4n.jpg

Burning the midnight oil...

:eek:

Burning the midnight oil ran a few hours short...shortly after I ran out of .035" wire. :mad:

Ran out this morning and got some more. Welding to the housing suuuuucks.

Pre-heat with oxy-propane setup (10ish minutes), burn it in (1 minute), use oxy-propane setup to make sure both materials cool at equal rates (20-30 minutes). I usually try to keep all areas within 20°F of each other (laser thermometer).

Only two more welds and it should be all I have to do thankfully.

The clutch, as far as I know, is original at 150,000 miles and on top of that, the transmission is fawked and will barely stay in first gear.

The rear t-case output leaks like crazy, especially when going up hills. The case shifter linkage won’t stay in place and I have to crawl under it to get it out of 4wd after every trail.

Still haven’t gotten around to getting hydro assist in, despite really only needing to drill and tap my steering box for it and some fab to get the cylinder in.

Still no cage/harnesses/spare carrier

Still rocking the super limited rear suspension setup but will address this when the cage goes in.

General ****box 4wd cleanup items for wiring, etc.

Still no windshield washer fluid bottle.

Sounds like I just need a driveshaft and I’ll be ready for wheelin season. :D