Hey guys, i figured it was time for a little update, ive got the whole front end done, pretty much everything got replaced! I did the Eclip eliminator, Ujoint upgrade and full snap ring conversions, got a spare set of front axles too for the trail. I also replaced the front wheel bearing, seals, brake pads and rotors, threw on the better jeep manual Warn hubs. I put in a Aussie locker in the front since i had it all out, it was a much needed upgrade since ive learned what a waste an open diff is. While i had everything out i opened up the window in the passenger side beam a bit, i did get one little groove in the bottom edge that i might fill with some weld before Baja but i dont think it should be too detrimental for now. I also ground the shoulder on the slip joint a little as shown in the tech forum for the full C-clip conversion.
on top of the front end i added a kill switch with a key style mechanism, i just put a 50 amp battery cut-off switch in line with the fuel pump power coming out of the inertia switch, so far i think its going to work well, but i will have a nut and bolt to make a bypass incase the switch messes up. Stolen trucks are just too prominant around my neck of the woods and offroad trucks seem to be the latest target esspecially when they have bumpers and a winch. My thought process for doing the fuel pump vs ignition cut off was that they will keep trying to crank it but after it wont start they will have made enough noise and drawn atttention to them selves that they will take off, where as with the ignition, nothing would happen and they would feel its safe enough to either trouble shoot or go through all my stuff.
Ive been trying to build up my recovery gear so i bought some X-bull recovery boards (Maxtrax knock offs) this video sold me on them for my kind of offroading, i dont for see myself using them to bridge gaps,
MAXTRAX Vs XBULL I also got a steal on a almost new Viair 300 pump with an ARB tire deflator for 90$ for both and then met up with Freedom Ropes (a local california company making Kintetic ropes, so i wanted to support them and they are american made) so i got a 1"x30' kinetic rope with 2 soft shackles rated at like 40K lbs breaking strength, the rope is a beast so it should hold up for a long time with my little ranger.
I got in my back seat storage and platform in, now i just need to pull the plywood off to cover it so the dogs have a nice spot the hang out and not be in my way, so my plan is to make a dog bed the size on the platform and use 4 pieces of super strong velcro to hold the bed to the plywood, ill glue and stapel the soft side of the velcro to the wood and then sew on the rough side to the dog bed, this way its easily removable to shake out or wash or just remove if i want the ply wood alone.
Then last but not least i added some never used little front LED lights my buddy gave me since he went FULL baja designs , i already had 2 holes in the bumper where i mounted them up, but they are just mounted, i havent got to my wiring phase yet. then i did a few little detail things like added a gold 4x4 decal to each side of he bed, i filled in the stamped lettering on my hubs with gold to match and hopefully be a little more visible in low light. Its been a busy last few weeks but im loving how the truck is turning out so far.
That sounds cool USCG. Hek, I've always liked them, I don't know why they get such a rap, they've never failed to work for me, but then I don't go extreme 4 wheelin like a lot of them do either
Josh i havent for got about you! you still will get my hubs, they are pretty greasy on the inside and i suspect thats why they didn't work, i bet a good cleaning should help a lot.
What a small world that you have a tie with the coast guard, we are a small branch, but it never fails to hear from someone say they have some connection with us, so its pretty cool. Good Job! Ive heard that test is tough! not sure if its changed much over the past years, i was on a 400ft ship for about 3 years and those 3 years taught me one big thing, those guys in the planes are headed back to their hilton while im suck out here in the rough ocean... so i went aviation after that lol. But those years on the ship were some of the most memorabel times ive had, there is just something about being 1000 miles from another lving soul, besides your fellow crew, that makes you feel so insignifcant, ive sailed all over the bearing sea for weeks on end, driven that ship in 60 foot waves, saild to american samoa and been standing lookout in some of the darkest skies in the world. its been amazing but in the end i am glad im not doing 20 years of that.
I hope you all like my little mods so far and am really eager to finish some of the last little things and then put this thing through the paces!