Great.Finished engine bay shot. Moonshine is back in business!!
TWT -- The Wrenching Thread (35 Viewers)
- Thread starter jfz80
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Looks like my Autocraft Gold has a 3 year free replacement. I've spent a lot on the 80 lately so for the price, looks like I may be going with another Autocraft gold.
Yea, after looking at prices, I can't help but think of what I can do with the difference.
Costco carries Interstate Batteries which have had good customer reviews in the past. Until AGM prices drop more I'm sticking with Pb acid.
(Comes in EXTREME if you want to give JohnVee the)
Yea, after looking at prices, I can't help but think of what I can do with the difference.
I personally think that as battery technology continues to advance rapidly, in a few years we will have Lithium Ion options which will be the cat's meow.
If you want to up your game and save some weight...Battleborn Batteries lithium (LiPo4). 100 Amp hour, group 31 battery, 30 lbs.........it exponentially lightens the wallet too. $800.00 to 900.00 a pop... all the boondocker broverlanding senior citizens are putting them in their 5th wheel's to get fed by 3000 watts of solar panels up top.
with that in mind, i keep going to walmart for my batteries, whether deep cycle or starting. i figure the 3 or 5 year warranty on their starting batteries, and their 12 month warranty on their deep cycle batts are comparable to costco's interstate batteries, and there are a bazillion walmarts out there. I believe they are made by johnson controls.
On my gx470, it was starting to fail, the sticker was 9/14. I was able to get a 50% prorate on a genuine lexus battery, and got a current month date stamp battery for 70.00 from them. I had to install it myself in the parking lot. First time ive ever been at a dealer parts counter where the parts jockey was wearing a shirt and tie.
Currently, costco has their little lithium jump box on sale for 49.99. I'm probably going to get a couple as Christmas presents.
with that in mind, i keep going to walmart for my batteries, whether deep cycle or starting. i figure the 3 or 5 year warranty on their starting batteries, and their 12 month warranty on their deep cycle batts are comparable to costco's interstate batteries, and there are a bazillion walmarts out there. I believe they are made by johnson controls.
On my gx470, it was starting to fail, the sticker was 9/14. I was able to get a 50% prorate on a genuine lexus battery, and got a current month date stamp battery for 70.00 from them. I had to install it myself in the parking lot. First time ive ever been at a dealer parts counter where the parts jockey was wearing a shirt and tie.
Currently, costco has their little lithium jump box on sale for 49.99. I'm probably going to get a couple as Christmas presents.
It used to be that Die Hard Platinum P2s were rebadged odyssey batteries, but that is no longer the case.
@Cruiserdrew clued me in to the fact that Duracell batteries are rebadged Deka batteries, which are on the same playing field as Odyssey. You can find them at Batteries Plus Bulbs. No personal experience (I have two of the Die Hard batteries referenced above, AGM, going on 5 years with them, nothing but praise).
retailmenot has batteries and bulbs coupons. the batteries and builbs website also has coupons that may also work on their vehicle batteries. I almost went with a pair of those in my camper, but they didnt have any in stock in my area, and i needed them right then
$40 later, back in business. Went with a Autocraft Platium AGM. Advance was going to swap it for free, but I asked about paying the difference in upgrading.
I called my brother, who worked at Interstate Batteries, he said Johnson Controls makes them so it should be good.
I know it's good though because It also passed the @JohnVee marketing. No crazy font with “extreme” anywhere or pictures of wild animals ripping through it.
I called my brother, who worked at Interstate Batteries, he said Johnson Controls makes them so it should be good.
I know it's good though because It also passed the @JohnVee marketing. No crazy font with “extreme” anywhere or pictures of wild animals ripping through it.
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ROBsSON
Yeah thats my dad
Hey does anyone have any ideas how to strengthen something attached to the body? I'm gonna put on a tire carries that attached to the rear passenger side. I did this on my last 60 and just used some 2 1/2" washers going to 2" down to 1 1/2". Outside of that all I can think of is a maybe making some kind of backing plate but not sure how big or think it would need to be to be effective.
I'll see if I can't find a picture of what I'm planning for your viewing pleasure
So you can see I used washers and that was it. I was able to hold my weight on it and swing out without any issue but I wanna make sure I do it better this time If I can.
I'll see if I can't find a picture of what I'm planning for your viewing pleasure
So you can see I used washers and that was it. I was able to hold my weight on it and swing out without any issue but I wanna make sure I do it better this time If I can.
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Don't do it, man. Either get a tire carrier bumper or relocate the tire to inside the cab (I fabbed an in-cab carrier for less than $30 with 1" square tube from Home Depot). I did see this little ditty a while back and it seems like a decent option if you have a receiver for a hitch.
Hitchgate™ Solo - WilcoOffroad.com
Here's my home-brew solution:
Hitchgate™ Solo - WilcoOffroad.com
Here's my home-brew solution:
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ROBsSON
Yeah thats my dad
I think it's personal preference. I wouldn't do it either, but there's no reason it can't be made strong enough.
Grab a piece of sheetmetal and form it to fit the contour of that panel on the outside. Trim it down to cover the area where your bolts will go through. Get some 3M seam sealer and glue it in place from the inside, holding it in place with a small soccerball or handball. Deflate the ball, put it in the cavity, then inflate it a bit, making sure the panel stays in place.
Once the seam sealer has cured, drill your holes and use your washers as normal. This way you'll have a 2 ply outer skin instead of single ply and it should be much stronger.
Grab a piece of sheetmetal and form it to fit the contour of that panel on the outside. Trim it down to cover the area where your bolts will go through. Get some 3M seam sealer and glue it in place from the inside, holding it in place with a small soccerball or handball. Deflate the ball, put it in the cavity, then inflate it a bit, making sure the panel stays in place.
Once the seam sealer has cured, drill your holes and use your washers as normal. This way you'll have a 2 ply outer skin instead of single ply and it should be much stronger.
ROBsSON
Yeah thats my dad
So I want to do it but the more I think about it I see the cons. Last time I didn't care the body was crap in the back and I just wanted the space.
Maybe this would be a good project for my welding class next semester....
My wife just made a good point how mad would I be if it tore... lol
Maybe this would be a good project for my welding class next semester....
My wife just made a good point how mad would I be if it tore... lol
Exactly.
Don't do it, man. Either get a tire carrier bumper or relocate the tire to inside the cab (I fabbed an in-cab carrier for less than $30 with 1" square tube from Home Depot). I did see this little ditty a while back and it seems like a decent option if you have a receiver for a hitch.
Hitchgate™ Solo - WilcoOffroad.com
Here's my home-brew solution:
View attachment 1575184
Agree. I would not want a cantilevered oscillating mass hanging off the back via sheet metal. Every bump and dirt road will be contributing to metal fatigue. Not that the OEM bumper gives you much to work with either.
ROBsSON
Yeah thats my dad
Can't help but try junkyard builds that swing out cost me 15$ lol
@Rice i had that feeling in the back of my mind but the cheap side of me made me ignore it...
If I can count on mud for anything Its sound advice, good people and help spending money on new cruiser stuff!
So I'm thinking about trying to make a bumper from some 2x4 steel and then build off it for a carrier eventually.
Something along these lines seems simple enough.
@Rice i had that feeling in the back of my mind but the cheap side of me made me ignore it...
If I can count on mud for anything Its sound advice, good people and help spending money on new cruiser stuff!
So I'm thinking about trying to make a bumper from some 2x4 steel and then build off it for a carrier eventually.
Something along these lines seems simple enough.
A few years ago I had a CJ8 with a spare tire carrier mounted to the tub like you pictured. When I bought it there was a hole the size of your fist where the metal at the top mounting point had fatigued and cracked. The PO had the whole shebang immobilized with bailing wire. I just don't like the idea. I'm sure it could be done better as Johnny said, but it would take a lot of work and it's just not worth it to me.
ROBsSON
Yeah thats my dad
Forgive my crude drawing I'm neither a fabricator nor designer lol but I'm thinking of starting with the base of the bumper like in my other picture and then move up to this.
You could probably re-use much of your $15 carrier if you rig it to attach to a sturdy bumper. I would do that rather than try to re-invent the wheel. You'd just have to change the hinge point to mount to a spindle and re-do the pull pin set-up to a bumper-mounted latch. The carrier itself is probably light and strong enough for normal duties. It's just how it mounts to the body that worries me.
ROBsSON
Yeah thats my dad
I had thought about that and might end up going that route if not just for the sake of trying and if I screw up welds or something it's not raw materials I have to go buy again.
