Weekend is over...what did you get done?

[xjtrailrider]

I started welding the roof sliders then just ended up scraping the whole idea. The angle iron warped badly due to the heat from the welds to the slices i took out of it. Then I got to thinking about how much this rack/slider thing was going to weigh and I just said F#%$ it! That thing was going to top out at 100+ pounds and my rig is pig as it is. I'm kicking around some much "lighter" solutions!

 

[shortxjdoug]

I started welding the roof sliders then just ended up scraping the whole idea. The angle iron warped badly due to the heat from the welds to the slices i took out of it. Then I got to thinking about how much this rack/slider thing was going to weigh and I just said F#%$ it! That thing was going to top out at 100+ pounds and my rig is pig as it is. I'm kicking around some much "lighter" solutions!

might as well build a hybrid cage if your gonna add all that weight...

 

[Cnickgo]

Not much accomplished here this weekend.... except I bent one of the 3/8 plate wheel centers! FML!

How did you manage that?

 

[xjtrailrider]

might as well build a hybrid cage if your gonna add all that weight...

I might in the future but I have only been against a tree twice in the last 3 years with this rig so I'm wondering if I even need any protection up there. I'm still "mulling it over" so to speak. I have a great idea that will work and be light(less than 30# total) but its gonna look weird. It will however be innovative!

 

[ChuckstrPT]

I might in the future but I have only been against a tree twice in the last 3 years with this rig so I'm wondering if I even need any protection up there. I'm still "mulling it over" so to speak. I have a great idea that will work and be light(less than 30# total) but its gonna look weird. It will however be innovative!

oh, details please... I was wondering how all that welding was going to go...:scared:

 

[kastein]

I went wheeling!

Since I have a locker now, and a 260 size ujoint + shaft on the drivers side, I had to go easy on it... and with the locker I don't have to thrash it so hard anyways.

Some of you will recognize this hill, it's the same one from the video of my old white 96 XJ blasting up a hill with the pedal on the floor. This time, locked, I barely spun the tires... same exact tires, too, with more miles on them now.

 

[Ghost]

How did you manage that?

Trying to get it back out after a test fit with the shop press. The centers need to be a little bit smaller. I'll try and get up with the company this week and see what he says. The coating on the H1 is a biatch to get off too.

 

[Lowrange2]

Welp, this was a fantastic weekend. I don't know what it is about waterpumps but I am now a professional water pump mechanic on all model XJs.

Friday, my wifes 98 XJ decided to run hot. The radiator had a pin hole in it and the water pump was 'weeping'. Got it home and parked it.

Saturday, I figured I'd relax and enjoy some wheeling in the trail rig. Drove it to Gulches. Got there around 1:30. I made one loop around the park looking for a fellow member and couldn't find them. By this time my kids had to make a potty trip. After that I headed to the first trail that I always run. 7/8ths of the way up the trail the water pump locked down tight. Threw the belt off of it and I lost power steering. Large tires are hard as hell to turn without power steering so I had to drive out as quick as I could with no belt and no coolant. Managed to get it off the trail in less than 30 seconds and shut it off and had my dad pull me to the trailer. Towed it home with his truck and went back to get him and his Samurai... Fun day.

Sunday, today, I installed a new Radiator, water pump, thermostat, tstat housing, upper and lower hoses and a trans cooler line on April's XJ.

Now I'm being lazy and ain't moving till tomorrow.

 

[XJfreakHO]

Wheeled Gulches all weekend, No breakage, front spartan in a d44 started to act up, but figure hes broken 4 shafts on the spartan so its to be expected.

Bout 7 pm last night the sky fell out, rained all night without letting up, woke up at 8 and the park was a muddy sloppy mess and the majority of everyone was gone, took down tents, cleaned up trash, slacked off under the ez up, loaded everything, headed home, hit snow as we crossed into NC, got home 10 minutes ago and road has a nice cover and ice is not far off.

Boss man said work is on no matter what, but if I absolutely cant make it, just need to call. Having a 40 mile haul to work blows.

Got a video of my buddy from gulches on shipwreck, I actually jumped out because we were on 3 wheels, sitting on the tcase skid, and I didn't feel like risking an injury. He then wiggled (looks like a wierd spasm and amuses me, and the video also doesn't do the trail any justice, but here goes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zzKmw0IzE8&feature=player_embedded

 

[UNCC_99XJ]

Yeah the snow tonight caught many off guard. Nobody thought it would actually stick seeing as how it was a typical NC winter and almost 70 degrees yesterday. Made for an interesting and long trip back from Winston tonight, especially being in the DD with some not so great tires instead of being in the Jeep.

 

[kastein]

you guys got snow?

it was 40-50 and sunny here the whole weekend.

I feel like this is somewhat backwards.

 

[UNCC_99XJ]

you guys got snow?

it was 40-50 and sunny here the whole weekend.

I feel like this is somewhat backwards.

Yup! Literally almost 70* and not a cloud in the sky yesterday. Woke up this morning and it was in the low 40's with rain, and the temp was dropping quickly.

Tonight looked like this on the way back from dinner with the family:

Turned the normally 1.5 hour drive back into a 2+ hour drive. The way this winter's been so warm, I didn't think we'd see any snow at all...

 

[xjtrailrider]

[FONT=&quot]The MJ was totaled tonight

My son slid off a icy road and over a 10' bank into a creek, he went over the bank slow and it rolled slowly. It will most likely be totaled after the recover company gets through with it tomorrow. I would recover it myself and i called Hadfield in to help me but I think its over our heads due to the snow/ice, lack of trees to strap too and the steepness of the bank. It will have to be flipped upright then drug up a steep creek bank all while working in 2' of freezing water and snow and ice. I'll post pics when I get it home. Most likely I will sell it as a parts vehicle, I don't have time to part it and I do not need any spare parts right now.

He is okay, he was treated for hypothermia since he was in the water for a few minutes in below freezing weather. He was released from the ER after a few hours.

The road he was on was treacherous at best, it took me 45 min to make it 1.7 miles in my Commander. I had to cut through trees and nearly slid off a time or two myself. I feel bad for him, he loved this MJ and hell I liked it too but life goes on and he is healthy.

I'm buying my oldest sons 00 XJ from him since he is moving to a big city and does not need a car. I guess I will let my 18 year old drive it until he goes into the NAVY in October. I'm at my wits end with my kids and their driving, between the two of them they have totaled 3 Jeeps, a Exploder and my wifes minivan, (my wife still swears I paid the kid to kill that POS). All in single car accidents, no property damage or injury to anyone else. Lucky in some ways, unlucky in others.

[/FONT]

 

[Ghost]

[FONT=&quot]The MJ was totaled tonight

My son slid off a icy road and over a 10' bank into a creek, he went over the bank slow and it rolled slowly. It will most likely be totaled after the recover company gets through with it tomorrow. I would recover it myself and i called Hadfield in to help me but I think its over our heads due to the snow/ice, lack of trees to strap too and the steepness of the bank. It will have to be flipped upright then drug up a steep creek bank all while working in 2' of freezing water and snow and ice. I'll post pics when I get it home. Most likely I will sell it as a parts vehicle, I don't have time to part it and I do not need any spare parts right now.

He is okay, he was treated for hypothermia since he was in the water for a few minutes in below freezing weather. He was released from the ER after a few hours.


[/FONT]

Damn! Glad your son is ok.

 

[ChuckstrPT]

[FONT=&quot]The MJ was totaled tonight

My son slid off a icy road and over a 10' bank into a creek, he went over the bank slow and it rolled slowly. It will most likely be totaled after the recover company gets through with it tomorrow. I would recover it myself and i called Hadfield in to help me but I think its over our heads due to the snow/ice, lack of trees to strap too and the steepness of the bank. It will have to be flipped upright then drug up a steep creek bank all while working in 2' of freezing water and snow and ice. I'll post pics when I get it home. Most likely I will sell it as a parts vehicle, I don't have time to part it and I do not need any spare parts right now.

He is okay, he was treated for hypothermia since he was in the water for a few minutes in below freezing weather. He was released from the ER after a few hours.


[/FONT]

That sucks. Glad to hear your son is ok!

 

[UNCC_99XJ]

Jeeps can be replaced, son's can't. Glad to hear he's OK.

 

[J Pugh]

Sorry about the Jeep, but I'm really glad your boy is alright. That's scary.

 

[xjtrailrider]

Thanks everyone for the concern for my son. Now that he is okay i think I will kill him:smsoap:

oh, details please... I was wondering how all that welding was going to go...:scared:

Well I welded the rails while they were bolted in place. After welding the "slices" i cut I unbolted the rails to grind down the weld beads. As I unbolted them I realized how much the heat warped them when they popped off and nearly took my head off!

I have other plans but I have to deal with the wrecked/flipped MJ tomorrow

 

[1999red2DR4L]

Man, now I feelbad that I looked forward to writing in this thread now! I am sorry to hear about the Jepp, and I am very glad your son is doing well.

to bring a happier note, I was able to get my RE 4.5 lift installed, have the D30/D44 apart i am going to take them to work tonmorrow and strip the paint/rust/grime that is on them repaint them with some of that 3m rubberized undercoating, then install superior crome moly super kits with ARBs.

do you guys have any suggestions on how to get the upper control arm bushings out of the axle? mind you this jeep spent a good part of its life with the original owner in Mass, so RUSTY is an understatement. I was thinking spray some sea foam deep creep and us a clamp and socket or pipe.

I am also needing to take the D30 axle seals out I was thinking 1/2 all thread and some nuts and washers?

 

[kastein]

Xjtrailrider, sorry to hear, that really sucks. But at least your son is well. It could be worse.

For uca bushings, put a quarter inch bit in your drill and drill through the rubber. The bit should walk around in the rubber following the outer sleeve, chewing most of it out, then you can rip the rest out and use a sawzall or hack saw to cut through the outer metal sleev in one spot (top is a good one) then use a screwdriver or chisel and hammer to collapse the sleeve. It should pull out easily after that.