Ya looks wild! I’m super interested in any custom fab suspension for these 100s.
Hope he makes a build thread at some point.
Knox's Build Thread
- Thread starter FortKnox98
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Hope he makes a build thread at some point.
Good eye, I didn't even notice those front springs poking out.
FortKnox98
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Might be a good idea to keep my own build thread updated from time to time...as @cruiserpatch mentioned before, I got my rear brakes freshened up with some new OEM pads and rotors, and got my winch mounted via the Big Slack hidden mount. Got a legit GMRS setup installed too. Also removed the factory roof rack and replaced it with @nakman Gamiviti towers and 40mm extruded crossbars, which provided a home for my Ironman 270 awning. Turned out super nice, rock solid!
Headed up to my first GSMTR. Windrock in June is a very nice time to have shade on demand. Really enjoyed the wheeling and the hang with many friends. Great to see everybody more than once this year for a change (hopefully)!
Now, time for some important maintenance/refresh items...stay tuned for new steering rack/bushings/tie rods, transfer case rebuild, wheel bearings, and axle reboots!
Headed up to my first GSMTR. Windrock in June is a very nice time to have shade on demand. Really enjoyed the wheeling and the hang with many friends. Great to see everybody more than once this year for a change (hopefully)!
Now, time for some important maintenance/refresh items...stay tuned for new steering rack/bushings/tie rods, transfer case rebuild, wheel bearings, and axle reboots!
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Awesome thread. Loving the idea of documenting the transformation journey for others to see. I'll be getting mine going soon. Thanks!
Are you going to be in CO, Knox?
FortKnox98
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Yep I'll be there! See you there?
Yessir
FortKnox98
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Spent most of the month of June hanging out with @cruiserpatch, working on both his business and our trucks! Some of the work is documented above (hidden winch, GMRS, roof bars/awning, rear brakes). I also put in a tough few days of work to get the truck prepped for some serious summer road trip mileage. With Patch's help, I tackled:
- transfer case rebuild (front and rear output seals were leaking, replaced seals and bearings)
- new OEM steering rack and tie rods, Superpro polyurethane rack bushings
- new motor mounts
- fluid change in both diffs (and t-case of course)
- rebooted OEM CV axles
- engine oil change
Thanks for all your help, Patch, I couldn't have done it without you!
Mmmmmmm. Delicious.
- transfer case rebuild (front and rear output seals were leaking, replaced seals and bearings)
- new OEM steering rack and tie rods, Superpro polyurethane rack bushings
- new motor mounts
- fluid change in both diffs (and t-case of course)
- rebooted OEM CV axles
- engine oil change
Thanks for all your help, Patch, I couldn't have done it without you!
Mmmmmmm. Delicious.
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FortKnox98
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Let's see...where were we? After buttoning up all the maintenance at Cruiser Patch HQ (and getting things done for some customers too!) I began a summer itinerary that some would perhaps describe as that of a madman. I started off with an appetizer trip of ATL -> DC -> NYC -> DC in 96 hours. Before I headed off for the main course, I took care of the classic 100 series third brake light leak. This is something that seems to happen on just about every 100, and this is now my third time resealing it on one truck or another. I have no photos because I did this fairly late on the eve of my departure, but I DO have advice:
- Razor blade, plastic putty knife, magic eraser (!), and rubbing alcohol work the best to get the old gasket off
- Silicone does not work well to reseal (eventually cracks, yes, even the outdoor/weatherproof stuff)
- Butyl rope is the best material I've found to keep the water out
Edit: I took exactly one photo, showing my butyl rope re-seal.
If you have a mystery leak in the cargo area of your 100 (wet carpet near the tailgate, wet gate, etc.) this is probably the source. It is also often the reason for the rust issues around the license plate lights on many 100s. This has been a Public Service Announcement.
Time for the main course! My lovely girlfriend and I had a great trip planned for this summer: a big loop encompassing National Parks Badlands, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Arches, Canyonlands, and Rocky Mountain, capped off by attending the inaugural Cruisers on the Rockies for my San Juans wheeling fix. Cue highlights!
Amphitheater Lake at nearly 10,000 feet in the Tetons.
Pretty awesome campsite overlooking Moab.
NotRusty lookin' pretty on Shafer Trail in Canyonlands.
Looking down from the summit of Mt. Ida (12,880') in Rocky Mountain NP. Trail Ridge Rd runs along the first ridgeline visible across the valley.
- Razor blade, plastic putty knife, magic eraser (!), and rubbing alcohol work the best to get the old gasket off
- Silicone does not work well to reseal (eventually cracks, yes, even the outdoor/weatherproof stuff)
- Butyl rope is the best material I've found to keep the water out
Edit: I took exactly one photo, showing my butyl rope re-seal.
If you have a mystery leak in the cargo area of your 100 (wet carpet near the tailgate, wet gate, etc.) this is probably the source. It is also often the reason for the rust issues around the license plate lights on many 100s. This has been a Public Service Announcement.
Time for the main course! My lovely girlfriend and I had a great trip planned for this summer: a big loop encompassing National Parks Badlands, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Arches, Canyonlands, and Rocky Mountain, capped off by attending the inaugural Cruisers on the Rockies for my San Juans wheeling fix. Cue highlights!
Amphitheater Lake at nearly 10,000 feet in the Tetons.
Pretty awesome campsite overlooking Moab.
NotRusty lookin' pretty on Shafer Trail in Canyonlands.
Looking down from the summit of Mt. Ida (12,880') in Rocky Mountain NP. Trail Ridge Rd runs along the first ridgeline visible across the valley.
FortKnox98
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On the way from Rocky Mountain NP to Crockies, we met up with some friends both old and new with the goal of conquering Holy Cross trail. Familiar faces @cruiserpatch and @BurnsCrew showed, as well as my old friend Henry and his partner in his awesome HJ61, and new friend Kelli in her 100. It was an interesting feeling rolling into camp seeing a bunch of trailered rigs on tons and 40s, exoskeletons...we were in for a good challenge!
100 series crew on trail!
Working my way up one of the major obstacles.
Patch in the thick of the infamous French Creek.
A lot of cable was pulled...except by @BurnsCrew, somehow.
The remnants of the gold rush town of Holy Cross City, named for the Mount of the Holy Cross which towers above it.
Drivers and rigs at the top!
Casualties.
Recap: It is possible to get through this trail in an IFS 100! It is also a MAJOR accomplishment. Holy Cross gave us all we could handle, with no shortage of winching and some bumps and scrapes throughout. All told, we spent about nine hours on nine miles of trail. Zach somehow did zero damage and pulled zero cable...I'm impressed. I escaped with a little ding, a bent (factory) trailing arm, and a knackered driveshaft. Kelli, unfortunately, had it the worst as she cracked her oil pan on a hard hit. Another PSA: if you wheel your rig hard, replace your motor mounts. Worn mounts allow the upper oil pan to get a little too comfortable with one of the steering rack bolts in the event of a hard hit. Patch and Henry were able to get it patched up (ha) with JB Weld and duct tape, and Kelli was kind enough to ferry my driveshaft back to Denver for a retube.
100 series crew on trail!
Working my way up one of the major obstacles.
Patch in the thick of the infamous French Creek.
A lot of cable was pulled...except by @BurnsCrew, somehow.
The remnants of the gold rush town of Holy Cross City, named for the Mount of the Holy Cross which towers above it.
Drivers and rigs at the top!
Casualties.
Recap: It is possible to get through this trail in an IFS 100! It is also a MAJOR accomplishment. Holy Cross gave us all we could handle, with no shortage of winching and some bumps and scrapes throughout. All told, we spent about nine hours on nine miles of trail. Zach somehow did zero damage and pulled zero cable...I'm impressed. I escaped with a little ding, a bent (factory) trailing arm, and a knackered driveshaft. Kelli, unfortunately, had it the worst as she cracked her oil pan on a hard hit. Another PSA: if you wheel your rig hard, replace your motor mounts. Worn mounts allow the upper oil pan to get a little too comfortable with one of the steering rack bolts in the event of a hard hit. Patch and Henry were able to get it patched up (ha) with JB Weld and duct tape, and Kelli was kind enough to ferry my driveshaft back to Denver for a retube.
Fantastic trip! Thank you for sharing your photos. How did your GF like the whole adventure? I wish I got to spend more time with you at CRockies, would have loved to hear about your earlier legs.
Oh, and, I've never seen Crossfit Zach need to pull cable before. I think he has a magic button installed in his truck that the rest of us don't.
Oh, and, I've never seen Crossfit Zach need to pull cable before. I think he has a magic button installed in his truck that the rest of us don't.
cruiserpatch
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I think the magic button is going last in the convoy
FortKnox98
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That certainly doesn't hurt...dude deserves his flowers too though!I think the magic button is going last in the convoy
FortKnox98
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My earlier legs were the same as the ones I have now, just shorter.
But yes, I wish I'd seen more of you too! We'll have to catch up more at COTR. I'm pleased to report that my lady had a fantastic time, and even enjoyed wheeling and hanging out at Crockies, which she wasn't as sure about. We were both sorry to head homeward. I think we both have the mountain exploration bug for a lifetime!
FortKnox98
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Cruisers on the Rockies! What a great time to attend an event full of fellow cruiser nerds in one of my favorite places. I've only ever been to the San Juans on trips with a small crew, and it was super fun to share it with a bigger group and contribute to the experience by leading some trails. Thanks as always @ga12r1 for putting together a great event.
Cruisers and a few infiltrators at Yankee Boy Basin.
My small Saturday trail run at the top of Engineer Pass in the midst of the Alpine Loop.
We ran into heavy fog and some rain at the top of Black Bear Pass that had us thinking about turning back.
Luckily, it cleared up beautifully before things got too wet, and we had a perfect trip down.
Camp in Silverton.
Cruisers and a few infiltrators at Yankee Boy Basin.
My small Saturday trail run at the top of Engineer Pass in the midst of the Alpine Loop.
We ran into heavy fog and some rain at the top of Black Bear Pass that had us thinking about turning back.
Luckily, it cleared up beautifully before things got too wet, and we had a perfect trip down.
Camp in Silverton.
FortKnox98
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I keep thinking of little items I've done recently and forgotten to mention...maybe I need to pin a running build list at the top of the thread. Back in June I installed some Wheeler's bump stops in the rear. I've had the fronts on since COTR last October. Shout out @cruiserpatch and @BurnsCrew for the hand-me-downs. Between the shocks and bump stops the ride is feeling great now, almost no such thing as a harsh bump. The bumps also helped a lot with the tire rub I've had in the rear fenders since removing the sway bar. I'll likely space the bumps down a little more at some point to eliminate the rubbing entirely. In the background of the photo below you can see where the tire has taken the factory coating off the inner fender.
I enjoyed getting to meet and hang with @plaidwagon at Cruisers on the Rockies, and grabbed one of his glovebox map pockets. Super handy on a long road trip with a passenger!
@nakman was kind enough to bring a wind fairing to Crockies for me. This was the final piece of the puzzle to make my crossbar setup work how I wanted it to. When I originally set the bars up, I wanted to see how the wind noise was before I installed a fairing. The answer? TERRIBLE. Once I got the fairing worked out (lowered front crossbar, added some edge trim to keep things tight) things are quiet again, and I can go back to enjoying the tire noise instead. My drive heading back east was MUCH more pleasant!
I enjoyed getting to meet and hang with @plaidwagon at Cruisers on the Rockies, and grabbed one of his glovebox map pockets. Super handy on a long road trip with a passenger!
@nakman was kind enough to bring a wind fairing to Crockies for me. This was the final piece of the puzzle to make my crossbar setup work how I wanted it to. When I originally set the bars up, I wanted to see how the wind noise was before I installed a fairing. The answer? TERRIBLE. Once I got the fairing worked out (lowered front crossbar, added some edge trim to keep things tight) things are quiet again, and I can go back to enjoying the tire noise instead. My drive heading back east was MUCH more pleasant!
FortKnox98
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SITREP: I'm looking forward to heading back down to Windrock next week for Cruisers on the Rocks IV. I've been procrastinating massively on my prep to-do list, but I did make a tiny bit of progress yesterday by pulling this crusty junkpile out of storage:
So this weekend I'll be test fitting those. Here's hoping they're straight enough to bolt up! If no serious massaging required, then I'll just grab a little more hardware and call it good for now. If I cleaned them up and painted them I'd just scrape it right back off, right? Also on the list are front brakes and wheel bearings (all parts on site, just lazy) and tracking down a little buzzy rattle inside my driver's door that has been driving me crazy for about 15k miles. Wish me luck, and I'll see all you COTR'ers next week!
So this weekend I'll be test fitting those. Here's hoping they're straight enough to bolt up! If no serious massaging required, then I'll just grab a little more hardware and call it good for now. If I cleaned them up and painted them I'd just scrape it right back off, right? Also on the list are front brakes and wheel bearings (all parts on site, just lazy) and tracking down a little buzzy rattle inside my driver's door that has been driving me crazy for about 15k miles. Wish me luck, and I'll see all you COTR'ers next week!
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FortKnox98
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As is often the case, the sand runs to the bottom of the hourglass faster than I run to the end of my projects...so no skids for COTR. My test fit determined that the front skid is going to need a couple holes drilled to accomodate the bolts for my winch mount, and that the trans skid may need some massaging back to a state of general straightness to mount up. I will do these things, but today is not that day, so stock skid back on for now. However, I did get the important maintenance done on the front wheel bearings and brakes. There was FIPG in place of the OEM fiber gasket on the hub flanges, and pretty much zero preload left on the bearings; I could take the preload nut off with my fingers on both sides. The bearings and grease looked to be in good shape though. I was also looking to eliminate a shudder under braking that cropped up after GSMTR. See below for the cause of that.
Work in progress + bearing repack station...
Fresh brakes...
By the looks of the spindle, the passenger side bearings had spun due to lack of preload. Something to keep an eye on. When it comes to bearing preload, I do use the fish scale as per FSM, but also go by feel somewhat. In my experience, high mileage bearings, even when visually in great shape, need a lot more than factory-spec torque to reach the factory preload spec. I tend to aim for proper preload rather than adhering to torque specs, because that should keep the bearings running without undue wear, and because it'll just loosen up over time, especially on big, heavy tires like mine.
While on trail at GSMTR, a rock got stuck in my brake and made an awful noise for about half a mile. I think it must have turned and gotten REALLY wedged on its way out, and left a pretty good gouge in my rotor. I noticed this just after the event and could feel it on every revolution when braking.
I'm glad to have that taken care of and the truck running smoothly. Can't wait to see you all at Windrock tomorrow!
Work in progress + bearing repack station...
Fresh brakes...
By the looks of the spindle, the passenger side bearings had spun due to lack of preload. Something to keep an eye on. When it comes to bearing preload, I do use the fish scale as per FSM, but also go by feel somewhat. In my experience, high mileage bearings, even when visually in great shape, need a lot more than factory-spec torque to reach the factory preload spec. I tend to aim for proper preload rather than adhering to torque specs, because that should keep the bearings running without undue wear, and because it'll just loosen up over time, especially on big, heavy tires like mine.
While on trail at GSMTR, a rock got stuck in my brake and made an awful noise for about half a mile. I think it must have turned and gotten REALLY wedged on its way out, and left a pretty good gouge in my rotor. I noticed this just after the event and could feel it on every revolution when braking.
I'm glad to have that taken care of and the truck running smoothly. Can't wait to see you all at Windrock tomorrow!
