neohic Posted April 29, 2015 Author Share Posted April 29, 2015 ... unfortunately, it's still a turd. :shake: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xjrev10 Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 It will wheel nice! I know it's good at that. Lots of practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted May 2, 2015 Author Share Posted May 2, 2015 Swapped the radiator this morning and started on the rear flares. Not all that happy with how they're turning out though. Probably salvageable... it'll just take some time. :grrrr: Make up a steering box brace Swap in another drag link Change oil in the diffs Still, still need to change the front. Change motor mounts Start and finish the rear fender flares Started Fix drain plug in the oil pan Get windshield replaced Update OHV registration Maybe weld up the exhaust to do away with a few dozen exhaust clamps... that all leak Wire in the wireless winch control module Make a mount for the tube doors to keep them secured somewhere inside Change out the radiator Done Brakes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 when in doubt, take a break and change the gear oil :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 Spent a little bit of time on the rear again and got them looking more how wanted... Got one some fully welded while the other took more time to get to fit nicely. Originally I wasn't planning on sheeting over the whole quarter panel, but I really didn't like how it turned out the first time. Still not totally thrilled with them... I'm typically not a "that'll do" kind of fabricator, but I spent way too much time on the passenger side flare. They look fine, but it really bugs me that they don't match from side to side. Couple measurements got a little out of hand... not that you can see both sides at the same time anyhow, I guess. Make up a steering box brace Swap in another drag link Change oil in the diffs Still, still, still need to change the front. Change motor mounts Start and finish the rear fender flares Still started Fix drain plug in the oil pan Get windshield replaced Update OHV registration Maybe weld up the exhaust to do away with a few dozen exhaust clamps... that all leak Wire in the wireless winch control module Make a mount for the tube doors to keep them secured somewhere inside Change out the radiator Brakes On a side note, I went outside this morning and saw that the Ape is returning back to nature in more ways than just the rust now. :laughin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I didn't know cuckoo birds nested that far north. They are a major PITA down here building their nests on top of car tars. :yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 It was a Robin... and it was pissed. Now I get dive-bombed just about every time I go outside! :peek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 Ugh... again?! :roll: Another pissed off bird later, the Ape got some more attention. Today I took care of some more wiring. The wireless module finally got taken care of but I had to figure out what wire did what first. I looked around online and found what I thought was the correct pin out, but the only color that matched up to what I've got was black. Here's what mine ended up being for reference: green = power in, white = power out, red = 12v supply, black = ground. I put the 12v supply on a switch so there wouldn't be any potential unfortunate accidents in the future. Mounted the module in the header panel so there would be good line of sight for the green antenna. "Plan B" switch right above the electric fan switch with a fancy light because I found it in my toolbox. Didn't want to leave the original connector in the cover. Bugs me when there's wiring or really anything that's left in a vehicle that doesn't work. OD green duct tape for the win! ... then the cover finally found its way back on. Then I added a cute little storage box in the rear. Nice to keep things from rattling around back there. One deep drawer in the bottom and a couple swallow ones that'll be nice for keeping tools in. Scratched a major item off my list today too. Everything needs another good coat of paint once the sun comes back. Make up a steering box brace Swap in another drag link Change oil in the diffs Still need to change the front. Change motor mounts Start and finish the rear fender flares Fix drain plug in the oil pan Get windshield replaced Update OHV registration Maybe weld up the exhaust to do away with a few dozen exhaust clamps... that all leak Wire in the wireless winch control module Make a mount for the tube doors to keep them secured somewhere inside Change out the radiator Brakes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted May 15, 2015 Author Share Posted May 15, 2015 So... I was out and about today and I hit a pot hole. Damn near shook the steering wheel right out of my hands!!! :eek: Pulled it over to stop the hellacious bucking only for it to return again once I got over 40 mph. Fortunately, somewhere along the lines leather seats were swapped in... easy cleanup from the no doubt new skid marks on the driver's seat. It did this in the past when it was on the 33s that I got it with but those weren't balanced. Had a little shimmy form time to time since those went but never the dreaded death wobble! Took the back roads home to diagnose. Prior to this, I had the windshield replaced which was another ordeal. It's raining today... rain is bad for the tape that's trying to keep one's brand new windshield from popping out when they close their door. For whatever reason, the passenger side of the windshield kept popping up when the guy would try and seat it down. The tape kept piling up and it was looking like it was going to hold. The passenger side wiper arm wasn't put back on in hopes of trying to keep the tape where it belonged... it didn't help. Once things got a little wet not even a block down the road, everything came falling apart. I turned it around and the guy was trying to figure out what to do. Granted, I could only get one on and still drive so the other one went on once I got home, but ratchet straps for the win! It's still chilly this weekend so I'll just leave them there for now. The wife and are taking off for a wedding this weekend, so by the time we get back on Sunday it should be more than fine. Anyhow... the track bar... I was the only one home this afternoon so I got a little creative with the camera. Moved it from joint to joint on the steering looking for movement... nothing. Moved it to the track bar... bingo. About a quarter inch of play at the bracket. The bushing is fine, so it got slightly reamed out to fit a 1/2" bolt. Even with an over sized bolt, the axle bracket was in bad enough shape that simply drilling it too out just wasn't doing to do it. Obviously, the sway bar mount wasn't needed... nor does most of even exist anymore! :laughin: If plating over the driver's side frame rail wasn't good enough, this sealed the deal that this Jeep will never see a sway bar ever again. Meh... So, here's where I'm at now. Everything is all cleaned up and everything ugly is now gone. Should be able to get it wrapped up this weekend yet. Isn't all that big of a deal, really... just unexpected. Make up a steering box brace Swap in another drag link Change oil in the diffs Change motor mounts Start and finish the rear fender flares Fix drain plug in the oil pan Get windshield replaced Update OHV registration Maybe weld up the exhaust to do away with a few dozen exhaust clamps... that all leak Wire in the wireless winch control module Make a mount for the tube doors to keep them secured somewhere inside Change out the radiator Brakes Rebuild track bar axle bracket... newly added. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted May 18, 2015 Author Share Posted May 18, 2015 Track bar axle bracket rebuild done today. Got everything back together, painted, and took it down the road. Thing steers like its on rails now. Feels pretty good to have the big items taken care of. Really hoping I don't run into anymore surprises though. Won't have much chance to work on it next weekend and then the weekend after is the main event that I've been waiting for. Took a look inside at where I might be able to make up a mount for the tube doors and I really don't see that happening. Unless I give up the back seat or loose a bunch of space in the rear, I think they'll have to go elsewhere. Maybe make partial use of the roof basket? It'd be easy enough to make up something to put them up there, and I guess it'd make sense to make some use of it. I really only put it up there to put the high lift up there and I guess there's plenty more space to be used... because it's huge. With that, a new list of things that might get done in time... might not... Maybe weld up the exhaust to do away with a few dozen exhaust clamps... that all leak Make a mount for the tube doors Make up high lift mounts Clean up wiring to CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 hooray for progress! :banana: also safety. hooray for safety! I concur with the rooftop door storage idea. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted May 19, 2015 Author Share Posted May 19, 2015 True dat. Can't believe I drove this thing the way it was for as long as I did. Even took it out on the interstate! :eek: Wind was howling all day today though. Without sway bars it was just about on its side! :laughin: Steering was tight as a drum! :banana: As for the list... Maybe weld up the exhaust to do away with a few dozen exhaust clamps... that all leak Make a mount for the tube doors Make up high lift mounts Clean up wiring to CB Find a rear view mirror... newly added Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted May 26, 2015 Author Share Posted May 26, 2015 Spent the weekend doing some forceful relaxation and got absolutely nothing done. So, by the time we got home I was more than ready to make up for it. The mower deck got some new bearings and blades, and the Ape got new motor mounts, a place to store the high lift, the CB got looked at, and it finally got a rear view mirror. I've always had good luck with this 5' fiberglass whip, so I threw that on there for good measure. I've never tested the CB in this before, but I'm down to a few days before we take off and I hate surprises... even simple electrical stuff. Maybe weld up the exhaust to do away with a few dozen exhaust clamps... No chance this will happen before the weekend Make a mount for the tube doors... Might still happen Make up high lift mounts Clean up wiring to CB Find a rear view mirror Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 So... I go to the local Fleet Farm after work today only to go back out to parking lot and find a couple gallons of coolant sitting under this thing. Found that the dumb springy hose clamp slipped off the lower radiator fitting. Ugh... I hate those things. :fs2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 d'oh! :doh: glad ya found that now rather than on the trail. :yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted May 28, 2015 Author Share Posted May 28, 2015 Gilbert bound tomorrow. Took the day off work to get all the little odds and ends taken care of. Pretty much made up silly little mounts and found places to put things that they wouldn't be rattling around the whole way up and back. Started with the tube doors... ... then the CO2 tank (which took a mild amount of hackery to the wheel well to get the bottle to sit how I wanted)... ... then I lined the drawers of the tool box to also keep things quiet... ... then played tool box Tetris... ... and then a bunch more stuff that just needed to find a home... Finally did something about the passenger side mirror too. Lick-n-stick for the win! To finish up the day, I got super ambitious and decided to figure out why the rear left window didn't work. First time since I've had it that all four windows have been down. Got a whole pile of camping stuff to go through yet but I think the ol' Ape is just about as ready as it'll be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 ... then played tool box Tetris... . I love that game! :D and I love the door mounts. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Are you pulling the 'nest with it? Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted May 31, 2015 Author Share Posted May 31, 2015 Nope... no 'Nest this time. We decided to pack as light as possible but it really didn't work out at all. The camper sleeps warm which really would've worked out in our favor. It was cold... like, 35* overnight kind of cold. Tenting it was not so fun at all. All part of the journey though! Speaking of which... This weekend was all sorts of amazing and long, LONG overdue for me. It's been about eight years since I've been up to Gilbert and even then it wasn't with my own vehicle. This time, I had plans of going up with a couple friends for the last month or so. One of which bailed a couple weeks ago and the other bailed last minute. After the first guy bailed, I asked another friend if he'd be interested and then that turned into both him and his dad taking their Jeeps up. Very capable rigs! I think we were all about on par with each other which made trails all that much better that nobody was left behind. Got up there Friday afternoon with plenty of time to spare to set up camp and get out into the park for a few hours. It was cold and windy though. Very chilly sleeping weather in the tent. Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day once the wind died down and the sun came out. Had an amazing time and can't wait for next time! This coming weekend is National Trails Day so the wife and I are hoping to get down to Appleton for the day. August 15th is the Iron Rock Offroad event up in Gilbert that we're thinking about going up for also. Dresser would be nice to sneak in sometime this summer too yet. Busy, busy! Unfortunately before anything else, things need to get upgraded. Late in the afternoon on Saturday, you could tell that we were all getting a little tired... and my decision making process was lacking some good judgement. Starting Friday though, the steering stabilizer was clearly a little long. After only a couple three or four point turns, it had to go... It went back on before the drive home, but will be addressed further. As for other damage, I was the only one in the group that had anything significant! Fell off a rock pretty good and landed on what I thought was the front diff. I was wrong... ... and now I might as well pull both lower control arms and beef up both mounts. Then there was the left leaf spring that I have no idea when it happened... Not terrible, but actually both of them have that curve in the wrong direction. Honestly, this might have already been there. Then there was this gem... That one hurt a little bit! All day I was listening to the rock sliders do their job. This was a bit louder than the sliders, but it obviously tickled right up the middle! The exhaust got much louder, the trans got pushed up, and everything just rattles a little louder. I was thinking about making up some kind of transfer case skid before we took off but it just didn't make my list in time. Really glad I didn't land even a few inches back! Definitely would've made the drive home difficult. As for body damage... ... tagged a tree just above the new fender skin. Not a big deal, but it's there. That, and both license plates got very much "personalized" over each day. Didn't need to use the winch or high lift, and the tow strap only came out once. Everybody kept up with each other just fine. Friday was only a few hours, and Saturday was all day. On both days we just about had the whole park to ourselves. Very quiet other than a group of buggies we found trying to make their way up a trail called Dumb and Dumber. Got a video of one guy that I really wish we would've been there a half hour earlier... pretty much went up, over, couple back flips down, and then a flat tire. The guy seemed more annoyed with the flat than anything else! He plugged it and gave it another shot. Otherwise, the Ape performed flawlessly and I couldn't be happier with it! For as much a I've done with it, the bones are exactly the same setup that I got it with. Just like Austin told me when he dropped it in my lap, "this thing is just a camera... point and shoot". Couldn't agree more. I'm hoping to get a bunch more pictures that were taken by others, as I only got a few of my own. Friday was doors on and Saturday was doors off. The other two rigs for the weekend was a TJ and another XJ. The TJ could've slipped so far under the radar when it comes to what one might expect out of it! 4.0, AX-15, 3.73s, and 32s. Nice little setup and it performed awesome. The XJ was a little rougher around the edges but was pretty much the definition of "LOOK AT ME!!!" with the paint, but the drivetrain was 4.0, AW4, 3.55s, and 32s. It was trailered up, so he was a bit more gallivantish than the rest of us. Nice group of guys. Hands down, I'd wheel with them again in the future. Turned into a fun game of "station wagons against the Barbie Jeep"! Oh... don't mind the plastic ramp if you spot it in a picture or two... nobody was supposed to know about that... Beautiful country up there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 hooray for wheeling! . :MJ 1: . all in all I'd say it went pretty good for a shake-down run :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted June 1, 2015 Author Share Posted June 1, 2015 Yeah... it shakes a little more now. :laughin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComancheKid45 Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 i need a trip to Rausch Creek again for a day after reading this.....Good Stuff :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 More pictures from the weekend... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted June 5, 2015 Author Share Posted June 5, 2015 Well... I was hoping to get out for National Trails Day tomorrow with this thing, but I just plain ran out of time today. Got most of my new list taken care of but the driver's side control arm mount and steering stabilizer still remain. The new crossmember took a little more time than it should've... I kept adding things and complicating things. Second, there was the exhaust that also took more time than it should've. Then I finally got started on the control arm mounts by making up a couple mini skids out of some 1/4"x3" tubing. Pictures!... Only a few subtle changes between old and new. Yeah... I lost a little bit of ground clearance, but what I wanted to do was open a few potential future doors for control arm mounting points should I ever decide to go with long arms. ... and then some boring stuff... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiggilez Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Nice cross-member, does it bolt up to the factory holes/studs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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