My TLC experience (1 Viewer)

[sogncab]

Didn't get anything done in the cruiser today. I am building a little camper to go on my gooseneck for SAS. The software decided to erase a metric crap ton of operations. (Like 400+ operations....) Which took me about 6 hours to put back in place. I was hoping to get the parts cut for that today on this cnc.
At the very least today I was hoping to get my steering wheel centered again. Installing the extra leaf in the front cocked the wheel 5-10º to the left. Won't take long to adjust, just need to do it.

Did take the dog to my brother's and got her some much needed exercise after watching me swear at cad software all day. Down side of a high energy hunting dog, they go nuts if you don't work em'

I love this time of year. After a long winter, the warm sun, and the explosion of life really gets me out of the funk.

Saw a log that fell over the winter, seemed like a good poser opportunity.

 

[fjdiesel]

Looking forward to seeing how the camper comes out!! And SAS is just around the corner!

 

[sogncab]

Looking forward to seeing how the camper comes out!! And SAS is just around the corner!

I need to hustle now. I want it basically 100% by the end of June.

I still haven't figured out what to skin the outside with. I had a plan. Then I changed my mind. Now I might be back to my original plan. LOL

Either will work, I just need to decide how much money I want to spend on it.

I need to order a EZup to go on the trailer too

 

[sogncab]

Still haven't adjust my steering wheel...

Did check clearances with the extensions on the front bump stop removed.

Everything looks good? The third member is a long ways from the oil pan. As is the drive shaft.

I am going to put a spacer back in. What was in there measured 2-3/8" thick.
I'm thinking I'll put in something 3/4" thick in it's place.
That'll allow for some squish in the bump stop if something goes real wrong.

Am I missing something here? Anybody see a problem that I don't?

 

[sogncab]

I'm a two year old....

 

[sogncab]

Six months after running the lines, I finally have my remote axle breather hoses hooked up.

I couldn't find a fitting that would thread into the axle housing, then I got lazy...

I really need to get myself a small metal lathe, and a mill with a turret. This would've been fun to start from scratch on. But, I had to have somebody else make it work.

I ended up popping the cap off, and having a machinist trim down the factory breathers. Then drill a hole in a 1/8" NPT steel cap and weld that onto the Toyota breather that goes into the axle.

Dude charged me $60. I told him that was BS, I'm NOT paying you sixty dollars for this. And I gave him $100.
It was a stupid pain in the ass project, I'm glad he did it for me.

Turned out alright I think. One more thing checked off the list before Solid Axle Summit!

This is when somebody says, "just order this...."

 

[Polecat]

This is when somebody says, "just order this...."

I was going to, then I looked at the pictures and realized your setup looks way cooler than mine. Well done, as always.

 

[sogncab]

I was going to, then I looked at the pictures and realized your setup looks way cooler than mine. Well done, as always.

It's all a byproduct of having a job that requires me to be there mentally in only small spurts. The rest of the time I'm in LaLa land thinking of stupid sh*t....

 

[sogncab]

115/227

BTW, remind me to bring you a hat to SAS

 

[sogncab]

Finally wired up my auxiliary reverse lights.

I bought a Deutch connector set a while back. They are a slick way to build a harness.
I made the harness in three pieces. I made a Y to tie the two lights together forward of the rear cross member. Then ran two wires forward to the transmission switch where I added a third wire to tap into the reverse light switch. The switch in the transmission connects to the harness with bullet connectors, so I just added a little section with bullet connectors and a lead to connect to my harness going to the engine bay.

The plan is to add a fused distribution block with relays under the hood for lighting, and whatever else I add in the future.

The rear lights are on a three position switch. Constant ON. OFF. and ON in reverse.

I'm content with the performance of the other Rigid lights. I'm waiting for the sun to go down to see what these can do.

And I just liked the way she looked when I parked in the driveway this evening.

 

[OlYellr]

Nice! Thought about bailing off the interstate at your location today with the off chance you’d be out and about and then decided to just finish the drive (going to Twins game Sunday). May go your way back and see old stomping grounds (Farmington) post game.

Can’t wait to hear about SAS! ( Need to head to KC frequently and get my engine in order for next year attendance)

 

[sogncab]

I'm just south of Farmington. Live in Northfield, and my shop is east 10 minutes. Reach out if you want to get together.

 

[sogncab]

I've had a few cocktails, might idle down the minimum maintenance road with everything on to see what it looks like.

Pretty flipping bright though.

 

[sogncab]

Not too shabby.

 

[sogncab]

More SAS7 prep.

Replaced my hood hinge pins with the ones from @SMG
My hood rattled, and it drove me nuts.

They fit nice and tight, so I'm happy.

Chris bent up a new rear brakeline from the T to the driver's side. If I did it, it would look terrible.

Since we had to bleed the rear anyways, I decided the braided line going from the frame to the axle might as well get installed.

And since we were bleeding the rear, might as well replace the front three lines as well.

Went through and checked a bunch of fasteners. Greased the suspension, greased U-joints and slip shafts as well.

Also recentered the steering wheel since putting the helper springs in front cocked the wheel a bit, and it annoyed me to no end.

 

[OlYellr]

Great stuff - how much more you got on the punch-list before SAS?

Thanks for the feedback on the hood pins - I was wondering and frankly putting it off installing my SMG pins as some say you need an air hammer/chisel to remove (I'm more Neanderthal - and would hammer the piss out of it vs any elegance - yet, fewer rattles is a desired goal).

Love the braided lines too.

casting away all debate of causation vs correlation - thank for putting those sweet lights on! - (Seriously - has me adding to my long list) - I thank you because I have not seen a moth or June bug since Monday.

 

[sogncab]

I did use an air hammer to get the old pins out. Just seemed easier. Five miles in, it's not rattling any more. That's a win.

Just headed to my brother's to run the dog. Found out the Ram Mount I use to hold my phone is multi purpose.

 

[OlYellr]

Uhhh - you need that to go see your brother on a Sunday afternoon/evening?

What do you bring for Thanksgiving? Sure you drive a Japanese tank now, switch to a German Panzer or something?

Thx for the intel with the air hammer!

 

[sogncab]

Ha! Chris hadn't shot a suppressed .22 pistol before, so I brought it in with me to the shop so he could.

It is also never a bad idea to have a firearm in the woods though. Dog gets into it with another animal, I don't want a ripped up dog.

My SAS list is pretty short now for the 40. Clean up the vehicle, check diffs and T case levels, install bump stop extensions, bolt on the cooler rack, load on the trailer.

 

[cruisermatt]

definitely looking forwards to meeting and checking this 40 out.