DirtyComanche

Won't say everying, other than it was -45 and there was a strong wind. And my friend picked that night to get his 4runner stuck... Lets just say a 3/4 ton diesel is NOT the ideal recovery rig for most conditions.

Okay, just a few things... The term '4-link' is a little vauge when applied here. I am assuming that RK will still have a panhard bar up front with the '4-link' kit. This makes it a 5-link. Which is the same concept as the stock XJ front. However, with a 5-link (or probably more properly called a 'parallel 4-link with panhard') the links MUST be parallel or only slightly angled in relation to each other. Without bothering to look at the pictures, I have no idea what they have actually done. If the links aren't parallel, it binds. Plain and simple. If you have rubber bushings it isn't as bad. But it still binds. However, with a 3-link (with panhard) you need to have some amount of triangulation/angle on the links. Typically the lowers are angled out, the uppers in (viewing towards the axle). The more, the better. A 3-link with panhard will outperform the parallel 4-link in MANY ways. Both on and off the road. However, if the angles were not right, I could see it as a 'band-aid' solution to change it to a parallel 4-link. Anywho, whatever. I won't be buying one. I'd rather build what is optimal to the constraints of my praticular application.

Dropping the tcase is rarely (I prefer 'never') needed in a MJ. It is long enough that both driveshaft angles will be acceptable unless you build something stupid tall. The front shaft angle should be fine without the drop.

Good luck. It always sucks to have to leave a truck anywhere in the bush. You just never know.

I have no idea. They should have been the same. The only thing that would jump out at me was if the front yokes on the tcases were different. But AFAIK, they're all the same. It should be more like 3" exposed, off the top of my head... I'd have to measure a shaft to really tell you (it depends on the shaft too - some have more splining and will show a little more, some less, but not by too much).

I prefer studded tires for known bad conditions (basically, the entire time you can legally run them in most of BC). But I don't use them on my truck. I'm cheap. For when the going gets bad, I prefer chains. With skidder chains being my first choice. The only time you need anything beyond studded tires is when the going has actually got bad. My idea of bad means there is no possible chance of movement without the chains. However, I don't carry chains either. I just use some good ol' MT/Rs and 4wd when things get ugly. Been stuck with the dodge only once. And I won't even tell that story - but lets just say it wouldn't have mattered unless I had chains for all 4 tires (which there would be no way to get on at that point) and it was a damn good thing I carry a snatch strap with me. Where exactly are you heading? If you don't mind me asking. Oh, I once chained up an '85 monte carlo, and did some winter wheeling in it. We really amazed some people. Two big rooster tails out the back as a small block screams for all its worth while plowing snow with the front end...

Bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad... You will bottom the shaft out, it will break your transfer case into a couple peices.

You will find ones that no 'love tap' is going to free. I heated the arm on a f'ing toyota until it glowed, put the puller on it, impacted the puller while having buddy (his truck) whack the $#!& out of the arm with a sledge. We cut that one off in the end.

Cut the damn thing off. Honestly. Unless I need to reuse the arm, I just cut it.

Your V8 may well be lighter than a 4.oh. If not, it is comparable. And it looks like you might have a 3" spacer, actually. But I suck at judging stuff like that without being there. Dunno, could be V8 ZJ coils with a 2.5 or 3" spacer. The number of turns in the coil is consistant with them, by my memory. As to if adding a bumper and winch will knock you back down... Well, yeah, maybe. It might sag an inch. It shouldn't sag more than that. Unless you're one of those 'I need to use 1/2" plate for my entire bumper' people.

We had a tech rep from Atlanta, GA, up here yesterday... He was taking pictures of the snow. We thought it was funny, so we gave him some pictures from heli-skiing so he could better appreciate snow. Nice guy, told me a lot of good stuff about starter-generators.

Hit the tank with a stick. The pump is probably just playing stuck. Unless it failed massively - which shouldn't happen.

Well, to elaborate on what I said, if the service is satisfactory I still always tip the $5 min (unless like I said, it happens to work out to about $4 if I'm rounding to $20). Obviously, if I order $100 worth of food (been there more than once) I tip on percentage basis (15-20%, rounded to convenient denominations). If the service is bad, I tip nothing. I feel if I give 'em a loonie, they just think I'm cheap. If I give them nothing (pay cash and require EXACT change) they will get my point. At the same time, I am at least understanding of their situation. If I order during a snow storm, I'm not going to be expecting it to be fast. That and I know most of them aren't exactly being payed great, and fuel costs were huge during the summer. In restraunts I will walk out on a bill if it takes too long. Or I will make it painfully clear, again by demanding exact change...

Yeah, but unless the water level is actually higher than the head, it won't mater. Typically if it's that high and you stall, you ain't gonna be starting it again anyways. Yes, you can water-proof the 'all hell' out of everything, but time is still against you when you're in the water... See how long a starter works under water, especially dirty water.

Ie, a flapper. You can actually buy them... But they're chrome. But no, I wouldn't do that. I cut the truck in half instead.

I don't normally get delivery. Actually, I rarely eat 'fast' food but for when I'm on the road. But I always do $5 min. Unless it's something like $16 and I just give 'em a twenty. If it's $14, I give 'em a twenty. But it sounds like you're getting shafted. Maybe it's because there's a bit of a labour shortage here, but my bro was a driver for panago and they reimbursed him for the commercial usage insurance (which is only like $30 a year), payed him a set amount per kilometer (covered fuel in his VW, plus some), plus payed him a little more than minimum wage.

Water won't do anything... It'll just evaporate, not that you'll get much in there. Image Not Found I had a stack. I can admit it. I thought mine was okay because: 1) I only had one 2) It wasn't huge 3) It was right behind the cab 4) It wasn't chrome, nor did I even polish the stainless

Uh, I think I might know what he's talking about. I saw it on a mud truck once. Basically, where the tail-pipe exited normally (somewhere behind the rear wheel) they welded an upturn and about 6' of pipe on it so the exhaust was pointing straight up way out back. Pretty much the closest thing you can get to putting a pride sticker on your truck, without putting a pride sticker on your truck. Or maybe he's talking about a stack like I had. Dunno.

That sounds stupid. Honestly. But I guess you have a spare upper link then. :nuts:

So, what were the finals on? Gasoline fighting, blue steel, turning left?

As motion said... Go with a regular one... The benefits are none on a MJ. FWIW, PORC has their HD SYE on for $159.99 US (IIRC). Gotta mention the word 'pirate4x4' though.

I can't see going any thicker than 3/8" for much. Which all of those are rated to cut. Most of them will sever in the 1/2" area. I use 1/8" and 3/16" more than most thicknesses. 1/4" for link brackets... I figure that's a decent match for my MM 180s capabilities for welding. But, I could be wrong.

I've heard lots of people liking the 375 extreme... I was just going to go with the regular one because I don't think I need portability like that. But maybe I do? I dunno.

Nifty idea. Could save some hassle when it comes time to trouble-shoot.

I'm thinking about buying a plasma. I think it would make me happy. So, I looked at the chinese ones that certain vendors on pirate are selling here, and I'm definatly not sold. Maybe they're fine. But, it's a huge hassel to me if they aren't once you throw in cross-border shipping and everything else. That and the vendors were somethat less than professional. I can also get what looks to be an identical unit locally from the chinese tool dealer, but it's enough money that buying a reputabile machine seems to make more sense. So, I think I'd rather get one of these: -Miller Spectrum 375 -ESAB HandyPlasma 380 -Hypertherm Powermax 30 Has anyone here used any of them, or own one? Or have any comments to make? They're all fairly comparable in capability. The hypertherm doesn't have a built in regulator - not a big deal. However, I think it might have the nicest torch as far as being able to see what you're doing. I own a MM 180, and lean towards the miller on that alone. But the ESAB machine might be a better deal. Granted, I haven't managed to get a local quote on any of them yet...