Builds Moonshine - A Build Thread (6 Viewers)

[GLTHFJ60]

Hey, that Got Rocks sticker is covering up the glowing apple logo? Enjoy your new rubbers...but I gotta repeat that those big old school baja's are sweet lookin. Probably act like a sled in the snow though ! Your old BFGs were great when we got 2 feet of the white death last week . Love the front bumper. Merry Christmas bud
-Matt

Thanks Matt, Merry belated Christmas to you too! Glad those BFG's are treating you well, they were certainly great for me. My new MTR's will hopefully be great in the snow

Did a bunch of work today. Applied my fluid film, so we'll see how it protects over the winter. Not gonna lie, didn't think that fluid film would be the color of cold maple syrup
Here are a couple of reference photos for the rust condition as it was earlier today. I'll take some more after the winter to see how much this stuff really helps.

I was cleaning up after doing that today and my post man dropped off my steering box. Funny story about that, the steering box bled ATF all over the cardboard box it was shipped in and got everything near it covered in oil. It took a plane from Idaho out to Albany and apparently last week they had a bomb scare, so when they saw this package they flipped and held the plane on the runway for about an hour to make sure nothing bad was in it. The mailman said he was pissed because it was so heavy,

Anyway, got almost all the way through the install except the low pressure return line off of the pump froze up so I can't re-use it. Gotta find a new one of those tomorrow. There's a 60 in a local junkyard so I should be able to pick it up cheap, but we'll see. Didn't get a pic of the new box on there because it was dark when we were done hooking everything back up.
Old box:

Cleanest spot on the frame, bar none:

If you're running a 60 series pitman arm with an 80 series TRE, you need one of Luke's cone washers to fill the gap. If you need to swap arms for whatever reason that washer can be a PITA to get out. What I found was the easiest is to heat it up real good and put a 3/8" drive extension in the hole from the top down and hit it with a hammer. Pops right out.

Question about pitman arms. I had wanted to buy an 80 series pitman arm because it has less drop than the 60 arms, and this is what I pulled out of the box. Is this an 80 series' pitman arm? I believe in Kavik's SOA build thread, he said that an 80 arm is the least drop you can get without modifying anything major. Can I run this if I line it up correctly? I gotta go find that thread...

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Kavik's build thread. Seems that he had his eye on it but never put it on. I'll look into putting it on. Think it will work?
https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/167562-kaviks-soa-3.html#post3628908

 

[Cruiserdrew]

I discussed this here:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/251613-its-huge-new-soa-4.html


See post 99 or so.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

I discussed this here:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/251613-its-huge-new-soa-4.html


See post 99 or so.

You are awesome. I feel dumb for not remembering that post because I know I have read it at least once One question though, how did you center the arm on the box? Did you just eyeball it? I'm assuming that the hash marks won't line up between the 80 arm and the 60 box, but I will confirm that tomorrow.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

You are awesome. I'm going to go put that on tomorrow. One question though, how did you center the arm on the box? Did you just eyeball it? I'm assuming that the hash marks won't line up between the 80 arm and the 60 box, but I will confirm that tomorrow.

Very good question. there are subtle hash marks and I think I did line them up. It is possible I took it back apart 1 week later and changed by 1 spline. I don't really remember.

Anyway, lining it up is a minor issue.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Very good question. there are subtle hash marks and I think I did line them up. It is possible I took it back apart 1 week later and changed by 1 spline. I don't really remember.

Anyway, lining it up is a minor issue.

Cool. If I can get everything else done with the steering today, I'll swap pitman arms.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Put the new pump on today. Yesterday was 10* with 20mph wind gusts so I didn't get anything done. Driving the truck with PS and a tight steering box makes for a completely different ride!

Old and busted:

New hotness:

 

[IrollwithTojo]

Nice MIB quote

-Carl

 

[Kurtis]

I had 33" MTRs I liked them and they rode great, good traction but wore really fast Compared to The bfg Ats I had before them. I drive about 20k a year. I bought 35"km 2s this time and seem to wear quite a bit better. I like the looks of the mtrs the best of them all though. The KM2s seem to have the best traction here in AZ. If I didn't drive a lot I would go MTRs again for looks alone.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

I had 33" MTRs I liked them and they rode great, good traction but wore really fast Compared to The bfg Ats I had before them. I drive about 20k a year. I bought 35"km 2s this time and seem to wear quite a bit better. I like the looks of the mtrs the best of them all though. The KM2s seem to have the best traction here in AZ. If I didn't drive a lot I would go MTRs again for looks alone.

I put on about that many miles a year, so we'll see how they wear. I'll probably upgrade to 37" meats in the next year if I can afford it so I can choose again then if I don't like these.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Got some stuff coming up for the rig this week. Gonna take the exhaust off and put a cat on and pull the leaking power steering pump in order to get it inspected. Hopefully I'll be able to track down some fluid film to protect this beast at least a little bit for the winter. Going to pick up the tires probably on the 3rd, but hopefully before then.

This was a most productive vacation. Accomplished all of my goals, despite the weather, and Moonshine now drives better than she ever has during my ownership. Here's a pic of the new meats:

 

[Dirtgypsy]

Looks great! Old skool wagon wheels are the best.

2 things:

1st: you are going to lose the wheel weights the first outing in rocks. I would opt for the sticky on the inner portion of the wheel or dynamic

2nd: sliders

Clint

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Looks great! Old skool wagon wheels are the best.

2 things:

1st: you are going to lose the wheel weights the first outing in rocks. I would opt for the sticky on the inner portion of the wheel or dynamic

2nd: sliders

Clint

sliders. That's coming this summer, one of the first things.

As for the weights, I had them balanced traditionally so I could diagnose out my slight death wobble I had at 35 or so. I know they'll be taken off by boulders, but they will work for the next 4 months until wheeling season comes back around.

Thanks for reading!

 

[VTCruiser]

new shoes look sweet dude!

 

[Dirtgypsy]

Thanks for reading!

Reading? Reading is over rated. I am here for the Cruiser pics...



Clint

 

[boots4]

Meats look good on the rig. Do they handle like you wanted in the snow?

 

[CruisinFJ60]

More shock research: Man-a-Fre has a Hecklethorn shock in the correct dimension for the right price - $25 less per shock than the Bilsteins. Anyone have experience with the Hecklethorn shocks?

9136 HECKETHORN HI-PERFORMANCE NITRO 9000 SHOCKS FJ55/60 E-01/90 FT 4 INCHES 15.39-26.29 $49

Heckethorn Hi-Performance Off-Road Shocks

i was gonna ask how these worked but i see you didnt order them.
thats actually what i have on my 60 now, found one of the fronts was blown tho... damnit...

Just went to every parts store within 15 miles. No one has a side marker light such as those in this thread.

when i was workin on big rigs we often used lights that resemble those pretty heavily, may be able to find em at some shop that carrys inventory or something.

Oh yeah, installed one of my christmas presents, a pair of genuine sheepskin seat covers from Canada! This will be an awesome addition to my rig for the cold months.

dude those are awesome!!

Nice MIB quote

-Carl

good movie.


im definitely needing some bigger meats with my SOA

 

[TLC Norway]

LOVE THE SEATS!!!! Dammit... my carbon-look s*** no good...

 

[GLTHFJ60]

new shoes look sweet dude!

Reading? Reading is over rated. I am here for the Cruiser pics...

That's why I try to post lots of pics. My buddy Trevor always makes fun of me for taking pictures of everything

Is it just me or do the tires look small?

Meats look good on the rig. Do they handle like you wanted in the snow?

So far, they have exceeded my expectations. The northeast is getting hammered with snow right now so the highways yesterday were all coated with snow. She never felt loose when changing lanes nor when driving straight. I took it out for a little drifting last night and it had almost no understeer. It was also hard to slide on anything but ice, but nothing a little skinny pedal can't fix

I am ecstatic and will not be siping them simply because I don't feel there is a need to.

when i was workin on big rigs we often used lights that resemble those pretty heavily, may be able to find em at some shop that carrys inventory or something.

im definitely needing some bigger meats with my SOA

I'm telling you, the fur is awesome. It's supposed to keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer, so we'll see. The GF loves how it keeps her bum warm when the truck is cold.

You need to order a set of 40" meats for Fiona. She'd be as happy as a pig in slop with some of those

LOVE THE SEATS!!!! Dammit... my carbon-look s*** no good...

Thanks man! I'm loving your thread, moving houses and such with your PTO

 

[CruisinFJ60]

You need to order a set of 40: meats for Fiona. She'd be as happy as a pig in slop with some of those

She aint the only one!!

I really want 39.5" Iroks.