Hey Steve. Ran across some picture from GMP when you, Michael, and myself went and explored that little area off of 2.
4xsteve's move to the PNW (1 Viewer)
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TeddyBoy
Knighted by the King of MUD himself
Steve is gonna give me ***t in a few days anyways so figured I'd get it out of the way now before he gets back. In the end I RELUCTANTLY had to pass on this chance at the Rubicon trail... Still bummed about life gettin' in the way of my fun. About 18 hrs after getting back to ATL I get a text msg from Steve, seems Marlin is tagging along for the trip now DA****!! 
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- #123
Not sure how happy the bride is, after the fact, with her decision to run Fordyce. I had major carnage mid day Saturday that basically caused about twelve continuous hours of down time for her, and the majority of that her husband either wasn't around or was helping me with the repairs. Not to mention that the first obstacle we hit after getting off the pavement almost sent her and Josh backflipping down a looooooong hillside. She seemed to enjoy (and tolerate) the extreme terrain for the most part, but that one got turned her knuckles white I think.
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- #124
Broke another Longfield this past weekend along with a tie rod end. I doubt I'll be able to get the Longfield warrantied now, so a set of RCV's are in my near future probably. May be seeing if I can swap the TRE's for heims too.
May be spending the day at a machine shop tomorrow building some custom front boomerang shackles, a custom front anti-wrap bar and maybe inboarding my rear shocks. Also going to see if he can take my 30-spline Longfield axle shaft and respline the damaged outer to the OEM 27-spline size. That way I don't have to rely on using my stock shafts as primary spares because they are too small for the axle seal to contact, which allows the gear oil and hub grease to mix.
May be spending the day at a machine shop tomorrow building some custom front boomerang shackles, a custom front anti-wrap bar and maybe inboarding my rear shocks. Also going to see if he can take my 30-spline Longfield axle shaft and respline the damaged outer to the OEM 27-spline size. That way I don't have to rely on using my stock shafts as primary spares because they are too small for the axle seal to contact, which allows the gear oil and hub grease to mix.
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TeddyBoy
Knighted by the King of MUD himself
Details? I saw a pic somewhere.
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- #126
No pics of my own, but yes, there were some of the broken Long posted on FB by my passengers.
The machine shop trip turned out to be a bust. Guy is really smart, but I don't think he realized what I was there for. I ended up spending four hours and $120 on nothing more than a set of boomerang shackles that I could've built myself just as easily. And to add insult to injury, I screwed up by not measuring my shackles ahead of time. I assumed they were 6" EtoE; Turned out they were more like 5" EtoE. That being said, the custom shackles I ended up with are nearly the exact same thing as a set I found on EBay for $20. Although the EBay ones are laser cut and mine are rough.
The machine shop trip turned out to be a bust. Guy is really smart, but I don't think he realized what I was there for. I ended up spending four hours and $120 on nothing more than a set of boomerang shackles that I could've built myself just as easily. And to add insult to injury, I screwed up by not measuring my shackles ahead of time. I assumed they were 6" EtoE; Turned out they were more like 5" EtoE. That being said, the custom shackles I ended up with are nearly the exact same thing as a set I found on EBay for $20. Although the EBay ones are laser cut and mine are rough.
TeddyBoy
Knighted by the King of MUD himself
I've migrated to all heims on the front end and they seem to be holding up much better than the 80 Tie Rod Ends. Ruff Stuff is the way to go if that's what you choose to do for a consumable product.
If you want a rebuildable one then here are a couple options:
http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Forged-Ballistic-Rod-End_p_1786.html.
http://www.barnes4wd.com/Enduro-Joints_p_283.html
The only problem I've ever heard about heims is they tend to make noise, a quick squirt of WD40 or similar seems to quiet them temprorailly. I personally have not experienced that but just passing along.
Edit: One last thing I've had to do. As you know I'm running the RuffStuff heims using a 5/8" G8 bolt, I have had an issue with the nut/bolt loosening over what seems to be a very short amount of time. Obviously have the lock washer, then double nutted and then thread-lock, all to no avail. So last night I drilled and cotter pinned the nuts, time will tell.
If you want a rebuildable one then here are a couple options:
http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Forged-Ballistic-Rod-End_p_1786.html.
http://www.barnes4wd.com/Enduro-Joints_p_283.html
The only problem I've ever heard about heims is they tend to make noise, a quick squirt of WD40 or similar seems to quiet them temprorailly. I personally have not experienced that but just passing along.
Edit: One last thing I've had to do. As you know I'm running the RuffStuff heims using a 5/8" G8 bolt, I have had an issue with the nut/bolt loosening over what seems to be a very short amount of time. Obviously have the lock washer, then double nutted and then thread-lock, all to no avail. So last night I drilled and cotter pinned the nuts, time will tell.
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Just curious if a Nylok nut used as the second nut would help prevent them backing off?
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- #129
TRAIL-GEAR SAID YES!!! 
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- #130
I am officially the first person to ever buy RCV's from Marlin Crawler. 
Short side OLF and long side TGLF will come out and be my spares now.
Short side OLF and long side TGLF will come out and be my spares now.
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- #131
For those not on FB, here's the beginnings of my next trailer build.
TeddyBoy
Knighted by the King of MUD himself
that's some serious scrapping, whatcha building now?
Tank Hauler... Like M1A1 from the looks of that steel
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- #134
Trying to build something similar to this:
Won't be as heavy duty - nor as heavy - as the one I had before I moved, but will serve similar functions. It will tow 3-4 rigs on the highway, however not over anything uneven due to the low center. The super low design is for use whenever I move again so that I can take my current living quarters (30' 5th wheel RV) and DD (the white Xcab) with me instead of having to sell them or pay to have them hauled individually.
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- #135
Well I guess I have too much flex in the front....
In three consecutive trips I have broken the front square drive shaft each time, plus once during a "shakedown" right at the shop.
First: The 1.5" inner got bent and jammed inside the 2" outer piece. Cut it apart and replaced the 1.5".
Second: Took it behind the shop just after reinstalling the repaired shaft and tested it out on a big boulder. Twisted the 1.5" about 45 degrees before it sheared off. Swapped to the spare DS (my original, clanky one)
Third: Going up and over a medium obstacle, the pinion u-joint angle got too severe and started to bind. The welds actually broke loose and the tubing simply fell off of the yoke. Cleaned it up and welded it back. (original welds were pretty bad and utilized flux wire)
Fourth: Less than 12 hours after welding the spare and reinstalling it, it bound up in a similar way but this time the yoke broke off.
Conclusion - Limiting straps must have stretched out a good bit and need to be cinched up by 1-2 inches now.
Parts collection for 3-link up front is already underway which will remedy the reasons for these breaks occurring.
In three consecutive trips I have broken the front square drive shaft each time, plus once during a "shakedown" right at the shop.
First: The 1.5" inner got bent and jammed inside the 2" outer piece. Cut it apart and replaced the 1.5".
Second: Took it behind the shop just after reinstalling the repaired shaft and tested it out on a big boulder. Twisted the 1.5" about 45 degrees before it sheared off. Swapped to the spare DS (my original, clanky one)
Third: Going up and over a medium obstacle, the pinion u-joint angle got too severe and started to bind. The welds actually broke loose and the tubing simply fell off of the yoke. Cleaned it up and welded it back. (original welds were pretty bad and utilized flux wire)
Fourth: Less than 12 hours after welding the spare and reinstalling it, it bound up in a similar way but this time the yoke broke off.
Conclusion - Limiting straps must have stretched out a good bit and need to be cinched up by 1-2 inches now.
Parts collection for 3-link up front is already underway which will remedy the reasons for these breaks occurring.
TeddyBoy
Knighted by the King of MUD himself
good gawd man, how the hell do you break 3 square driveshafts like that without breaking a t-case or something else. You must be using some cheap Chinese steel in those things.
Seriously, link it already!! Anxious to see that happen, Sidney just did his.
Steve did you get anywhere with the trailer? Want to come down to Fordyce next year or are you moving back east soon?
- Thread starter
- #138
Haven't gotten anywhere with the big trailer yet. Just moved it back into position to start cutting on a few weeks ago but little projects keep coming up.
I plan to hit Fordyce in September this year after the MC Roundup on Rubicon. Next year I'm tentatively planning on making the drive to Katemcy in March with possibly hitting Johnson Valley or Moab on the way back, then SCC in October. I should be transferring out of here around April of 2018. No idea where I'll be heading though.
- Thread starter
- #139
Time to travel back east!!!!
On my way to Fort Worth Texas around April 2018.
On my way to Fort Worth Texas around April 2018.
Heard good things about Texas. Didn't know Ft Worth was known for its ocean views...