What Did You Do With Your 120 Today? (7 Viewers)

[elprup87]

Well, I didn’t start this work today but I finished it today. I ended work early and started to replace the rear brakes. While I was there with the wheels off and everything, I slid the rear shocks and 895 springs on in. The old Strutmaster kit looks like it had seen better days, no idea how long it has been installed.

I was optimistic and also started to replace the front suspension items. In retrospect, I should have not started that at 2100 hours, but I did. The top hats on the original assemblies would not budge! I was able to get the passenger side mounted and setup around 230, I gave up on the driver’s side at 430. Long story short, all replaced now and sitting with a nice angle. Those Strutmaster coils made the GX point down a little, which was really noticeable at night with little or no load.

I did have to get crafty to install the rear shock bushings. I ended up using a bike bottom bracket press tool, worked great! I also used the shock retainer items to hold up the calipers and sway bars.

BB Press tool for bushing install

• elprup87
• Aug 25, 2018

Multi-use items

• elprup87
• Aug 25, 2018

OME 2895 Left, Unknow right

• elprup87
• Aug 25, 2018

Out with the old...

• elprup87
• Aug 25, 2018

After

• elprup87
• Aug 25, 2018

 

[ChaseTruck]

 

[Formations]

Installed my Gibson cat-back exhaust this afternoon, finally. The install is very straightforward, the reovsl of stock was a little tricky. If i had a smaller impact handy, i could have avoided the sawzall but the instructions with the Gibson do say to cut it off behind the muffler. So far it's got some rumble and a little drone but I'm reserving judgement until it's got some miles on it. It does feel a little more responsive, but who knows!

 

[GXO]

Going to slap my white vinyl on the roof so I can go nuts with adhesive tape and silicone for a solar setup without damaging paint. If it dries I will put my 100W up there, but I am making room for 2 so I can put another up and have it go to the trailer someday.

 

[DRANGED]

Well, I didn’t start this work today but I finished it today. I ended work early and started to replace the rear brakes. While I was there with the wheels off and everything, I slid the rear shocks and 895 springs on in. The old Strutmaster kit looks like it had seen better days, no idea how long it has been installed.

I was optimistic and also started to replace the front suspension items. In retrospect, I should have not started that at 2100 hours, but I did. The top hats on the original assemblies would not budge! I was able to get the passenger side mounted and setup around 230, I gave up on the driver’s side at 430. Long story short, all replaced now and sitting with a nice angle. Those Strutmaster coils made the GX point down a little, which was really noticeable at night with little or no load.

I did have to get crafty to install the rear shock bushings. I ended up using a bike bottom bracket press tool, worked great! I also used the shock retainer items to hold up the calipers and sway bars.

BB Press tool for bushing install

• elprup87
• Aug 25, 2018

Multi-use items

• elprup87
• Aug 25, 2018

OME 2895 Left, Unknow right

• elprup87
• Aug 25, 2018

Out with the old...

• elprup87
• Aug 25, 2018

After

• elprup87
• Aug 25, 2018

nice!What you gunna do with the take-offs?

What all came off? factory fronts or an aftermarket?
and what again di you put on..front and back?

 

[elprup87]

nice!What you gunna do with the take-offs?

What all came off? factory fronts or an aftermarket?
and what again di you put on..front and back?

I have no idea what was installed in the rear section. The hardware is badly damaged, not just from removal. The front appears to be straight up original and already trashed. It looks like the rear coils had hockey pucks holding it in place, pucks that were retired after a hard NHL season.

We installed a OME 885/895 combo. Nothing really fancy. We regularly have weight in the back (people or items) and the 3rd row is installed. The rear suspension is using factory components to hold the coils in place. Most items came from RRO. They do a nice job with service and price.

 

[DRANGED]

Glad I could be inspiration! Yeah I'm a bunch of projects behind on my build thread and photo album... Will update those soon.

PMed with more inquiries/brain-pickin'..

 

[HomersCanyonero]

I tried to install the 3rd part of my RockSteady full skid plate (the transfer case skid plate) and I smashed my index finger and the bracket didn't fit (overlaps the middle bracket from the MT OPOR rock slider). So bummed...need to get professional help cutting brackets to fit correctly. Double bummer!

 

[DRANGED]

Looked at a mild strut top leveler. I cross threaded the strut bolt and wrestled with the FSB, so I backed out with my tail between my legs before I got too deeply into trouble. I Also discovered my passenger inner cv boot was torn, not just leaky....but I did my 5K interval (20k total now on the BFGs) post-vacation, tire rotation while I was in there. so some win was had!

Friend's 04 taco on 1.25"-1.5" puck leveler (ergo 2.5-3" front lift)

sweet methods BTW

his spacer to my paultry 0.75" (ergo 1.5" front ground clearance lift) no-commitment test lift

cross threaded strut bolt dictated the requisite parts store run...

spotted this gem 4 houses down the road when headed to the parts store.

And I know, I KNOW about the pucks..
I have a plan for the bump stop and a mild gain in room under the front skid while maintaining the adjustable shocks and airbags, I'm happy with all that now. You can do a LOT with this rig stock, a scosh of a push up front w/o other compromise would be okay.

'Tis still principally and primarily a car-camping road tripper and family hauler. Albeit car camping includes Elephant hill and the Maze, probably lockhart basin and the White Rim; Ouray up Engineer to Alpine loop areas over the labor day weekend too.

 

[razzman1]

Added a C4 Fabrications LoPro bumper, and a Wilco Hitchgate.

Thankfully, as a southern vehicle its whole life, there was no rusted hardware, and all nuts and bolts came right off.

Here is the finished product, with a Warn M8000 winch.

Getting the winch un-spooled and re-spooled under tension.

This gives me the option of a second spare (not likely necessary), and easier access to the spare should I need it while on the trail in an awkward position. I also wanted a place to mount some of my tools, such as a shovel and ax (working on that now). It's very well made, and doesn't move at all. I wish it sat an inch or so closer to the bumper, but I'm not doing any hard core rock crawling with it, so I'm not worried about my loss of departure angle. Plus I can remove the whole thing when I don't need it, or move it to another vehicle.

I fabbed up a license plate bracket, and am working on the tool carrier, as well as a Jerry can holder.

 

[elprup87]

Installed a PowerTray last night but got side tracked when I dropped a spacer and saw grease that exited the CV axles on both sides (inner boot area). One side doesn't even look like it has a bad on it, so I zip-tied it up. The other band is not holding well. Not sure how bad but looks like a trip to get some bands is in order today.

I didn't finish the setup of the PowerTray in part to this revelation, but also due to my HID install. The separate relay harness was not long enough to run across the engine bay. I setup the HIDs to work off the factory wiring and all seems well. Basically the same setup that we did on 3 other vehicles and never had an issue.

Received confirmation that the ARB bumper arrives today!

 

[DRANGED]

Installed a PowerTray last night but got side tracked when I dropped a spacer and saw grease that exited the CV axles on both sides (inner boot area). One side doesn't even look like it has a bad on it, so I zip-tied it up. The other band is not holding well. Not sure how bad but looks like a trip to get some bands is in order today.

I didn't finish the setup of the PowerTray in part to this revelation, but also due to my HID install. The separate relay harness was not long enough to run across the engine bay. I setup the HIDs to work off the factory wiring and all seems well. Basically the same setup that we did on 3 other vehicles and never had an issue.

Received confirmation that the ARB bumper arrives today!

holy fu! Not messin' around in dressing this baby up!! props!!

 

[joabmc]

Received confirmation that the ARB bumper arrives today!

Where did you order your ARB from?

 

[elprup87]

Not messin' around in dressing this baby up!! props!!

Well, the vehicle was purchased from auction and basically had only oil changes performed during warranty period. Little much else was performed from what we can tell. There was an accident on record, but also indications of a few other fender benders (like backing up into something) that were repaired with a low quality of work.
Overspray and bad tapping are evident on the rear and front. Passenger headlight looks like it had a bad buff & polish job. Sort of like I put a coat of clear on it and went for a long drive to help it dry. Three layers of floor mats in the front. Battery tie-down was missing and the fender ground cable was cut. Et al the things that rub me the wrong way. OCD and all

TLDR - things need replacing so I might as well get something practical and useful.

Where did you order your ARB from?

Rocky Road Outfitters. I ordered the bumper maybe a week ago and I am stoked!

 

[MrMoMo]

Swapped out the DS front caliper with a seized piston, also made a new short hard line to the caliper. Took a funky pic for Instagram.

Got out the jack stands and sawzall and cut the spare off - much easier than I was expecting it to be. Jack stands under, lower hoist, sawzall cable through center hole, raise hoist! After a quick wash, the spare rim is mint, which is good as one of the others has a few blisters. I suspect they got swapped in the not too distant past. Taking rims and new rubber to get mounted tomorrow.

 

[470SNC]

Why did you cut the cable? you can just raise the hoist up tight without the spare, no?

 

[Arailt]

After a quick wash, the spare rim is mint, which is good as one of the others has a few blisters. I suspect they got swapped in the not too distant past. Taking rims and new rubber to get mounted tomorrow.

Hah! This is what a clean spare looks like.

Why did you cut the cable? you can just raise the hoist up tight without the spare, no?

Yep, raise it to and it’ll sit snuggly. You can see it in the pic below.

I’m finally getting to the rear end rust on my GX. Absolute nightmare. About half of the smaller bolts holding the rear bumper on were seized and snapped right of, despite days of soaking in penetrating fluid. This is why you don’t buy a car from upstate NY!

 

[joabmc]

@Arailt gotta love the NE! Can't keep anything nice. I'd wire wheel whatever you can, then hit it with some rust reformer and start a treatment of Fluid Film a few times a years. I've had a decent amount of success keeping the rust at bay.

 

[Arailt]

@Arailt gotta love the NE! Can't keep anything nice. I'd wire wheel whatever you can, then hit it with some rust reformer and start a treatment of Fluid Film a few times a years. I've had a decent amount of success keeping the rust at bay.

Haha yep! That’s pretty much my plan. I have a gallon of Corroseal that I’m going to paint on until the cows come home. The frame itself isn’t too bad, but almost all of the suspension components and other metal pieces attached to it are awful.

 

[MrMoMo]

Why did you cut the cable? you can just raise the hoist up tight without the spare, no?

Because it wouldn’t lower because it is so rusted up.

When I said “raised the hoist” I was referring to the vehicle hoist that the truck is sitting on.