What did you work on tonight?

marcfj60 · Jun 9, 2024

Mauser said:
Had a helluva time removing the stock center skid plate when I did the exhaust on the GX because it was so bent up. I have no idea how she did it, but I had to cut it to get it off.

I bought the cheapest set of skid plates I could find on the internet with free shipping. They aren't real thick, but she really doesn't do much wheeling. About an hour to install this morning. Got it done before it started to get hot. View attachment 3648675Now it needs bumpers.

I see they are ARB. I'm looking to replace the front plate on my 2011 since the PO banged them up pretty good. Where did you get this plate? Anybody else put a new skid plate on their 5th gen that doesn't require removal to change the oil? The factory plate covers the oil filter housing and require full removal to change oil. I don't want to have to remove it every time I change oil if I'm in a hurry.

Mauser · Jun 9, 2024

marcfj60 said:
I see they are ARB. I'm looking to replace the front plate on my 2011 since the PO banged them up pretty good. Where did you get this plate? Anybody else put a new skid plate on their 5th gen that doesn't require removal to change the oil? The factory plate covers the oil filter housing and require full removal to change oil. I don't want to have to remove it every time I change oil if I'm in a hurry.

They came as a set. 3 skid plates and a transfer case guard. Got them for right at $550 shipped from Jegs.

slimbuddha · Jun 10, 2024

I got my dual battery/fridge installed and running. Next up, is a drawer on the other side of the bed and additional storage. This is in alpha, when I return, I'll make the necessary changes, then redo or touch up to make it look good too. Next priority is getting the lighting installed, not sure if I will have the drawer built before I leave for this trip, but that's not a big deal, as I can just use totes and latch them down.

alia176 · Jun 10, 2024

Ron,

Can this work for you?

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slimbuddha · Jun 11, 2024

alia176 said:
Ron,

Can this work for you?

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No, that's too wide. I'll be fine with organizing in totes for this trip.

alia176 · Jun 11, 2024

slimbuddha said:
No, that's too wide. I'll be fine with organizing in totes for this trip.

Yeah, I was afraid of that.

slimbuddha · Jun 11, 2024

alia176 said:
Yeah, I was afraid of that.

I wanted the fridge low, to be able to open it when it is still in the bed, and putting it on top of any drawers would have made it that the drawers had to be very shallow. Because of this, I decided that it would be one drawer, and the rest would be filled with top opening compartments.

alia176 · Jun 11, 2024

slimbuddha said:
I wanted the fridge low, to be able to open it when it is still in the bed, and putting it on top of any drawers would have made it that the drawers had to be very shallow. Because of this, I decided that it would be one drawer, and the rest would be filled with top opening compartments.

smart thinking

NMBound · Jun 20, 2024

On Monday, some woman slammed to a stop in the middle of a merge with a dedicated lane because she "thought someone was coming". I had just checked my blind spot; nobody was coming and the road was open. It missed the bumper and hit the radiator and support tie bars. The bumper cover is a bit ****ed and the headlight mount broke off. I probably won't bother replacing either right now. Luckily it didn't puncture the rad or trigger the airbag.

I pulled the upper bar out as much as I could with a 2lb slide pull, but after finding more damage, decided to buy new parts. It looks like I'm in for a new radiator, and 3-4 metal pieces + whatever else I find this weekend. I know it's a relatively easy fix, but...man...people ****ing suck. She gets a new bumper courtesy of my insurance policy and it pays to be a scared, senseless driver.

Dumpolina · Jun 21, 2024

NMBound said:
On Monday, some woman slammed to a stop in the middle of a merge with a dedicated lane because she "thought someone was coming". I had just checked my blind spot; nobody was coming and the road was open. It missed the bumper and hit the radiator and support tie bars. The bumper cover is a bit ****ed and the headlight mount broke off. I probably won't bother replacing either right now. Luckily it didn't puncture the rad or trigger the airbag.

I pulled the upper bar out as much as I could with a 2lb slide pull, but after finding more damage, decided to buy new parts. It looks like I'm in for a new radiator, and 3-4 metal pieces + whatever else I find this weekend. I know it's a relatively easy fix, but...man...people ****ing suck. She gets a new bumper courtesy of my insurance policy and it pays to be a scared, senseless driver.

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Oh man that’s WEAK! Sorry you gotta solve other people’s stupidity

alia176 · Jun 26, 2024

The old Benz is the victim of a rodent gnawing away at the high pressure fuel hose that sits under the car but above a skid plate of sorts. I took the hose off to get it replaced and recrimped at Action on my way into work. I'll be reinstalling the new hose when I get home tonight. The original 30+ yo old is cracking so it was time but still.....

Check out the awesomeness of the fuel pump setup. There are TWO Bosch fuel pumps, one top of the other. To the left is the mondo Bosch fuel filter, that's about 2.5 size of the 80 fuel filter and this engine is only a 3.0 I-6. To its left is a mondo check valve. Overkill much, Mercedes? The whole shebang is suspended by rubber hangers so you can't even hear/feel the pumps running.

lurch · Jun 28, 2024

alia176 said:
The old Benz is the victim of a rodent gnawing away at the high pressure fuel hose that sits under the car but above a skid plate of sorts. I took the hose off to get it replaced and recrimped at Action on my way into work. I'll be reinstalling the new hose when I get home tonight. The original 30+ yo old is cracking so it was time but still.....

Check out the awesomeness of the fuel pump setup. There are TWO Bosch fuel pumps, one top of the other. To the left is the mondo Bosch fuel filter, that's about 2.5 size of the 80 fuel filter and this engine is only a 3.0 I-6. To its left is a mondo check valve. Overkill much, Mercedes? The whole shebang is suspended by rubber hangers so you can't even hear/feel the pumps running.

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Looks like the job I had to do on the 4R a few years ago after a rat ate my high pressure line. That was 10 gal of fuel sprayed all over town before I noticed…

fjc-man · Jun 28, 2024

alia176 said:
The old Benz is the victim of a rodent gnawing away at the high pressure fuel hose that sits under the car but above a skid plate of sorts. I took the hose off to get it replaced and recrimped at Action on my way into work. I'll be reinstalling the new hose when I get home tonight. The original 30+ yo old is cracking so it was time but still.....

Check out the awesomeness of the fuel pump setup. There are TWO Bosch fuel pumps, one top of the other. To the left is the mondo Bosch fuel filter, that's about 2.5 size of the 80 fuel filter and this engine is only a 3.0 I-6. To its left is a mondo check valve. Overkill much, Mercedes? The whole shebang is suspended by rubber hangers so you can't even hear/feel the pumps running.

View attachment 3663748 View attachment 3663750

It could be a case of dry rot, look at the cracks in that old original hose.

alia176 · Jun 29, 2024

fjc-man said:
It could be a case of dry rot, look at the cracks in that old original hose.

yeah, it could very well be but I also see some gnaw marks. They ate through a different hose in the past that I had to patch up. What these fawkers do is stand on the skid plate then have a buffet. :bang:

I thought about leaving the skid plate off but changed my mind. Now I'm thinking of a bed of nails.....

Dumpolina · Jun 29, 2024

alia176 said:
yeah, it could very well be but I also see some gnaw marks. They ate through a different hose in the past that I had to patch up. What these fawkers do is stand on the skid plate then have a buffet. I thought about leaving the skid plate off but changed my mind. Now I'm thinking of a bed of nails.....

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Hopefully it got a nice petroleum mouthwash

alia176 · Jun 29, 2024

Dumpolina said:
Hopefully it got a nice petroleum mouthwash

oh, I bet it did!

NMBound · Jul 8, 2024

I just got back from pulling my neighbor and his friend out of the arroyo near our houses on the west side. He had a front winch so we used it to get over the hump and then I pulled to the top of the hill. It was pretty steep and the sand was very soft. I'm glad he called because I don't think anyone else was going to find them.

Dumpolina · Jul 8, 2024

NMBound said:
I just got back from pulling my neighbor and his friend out of the arroyo near our houses on the west side. He had a front winch so we used it to get over the hump and then I pulled to the top of the hill. It was pretty steep and the sand was very soft. I'm glad he called because I don't think anyone else was going to find them.

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That’s so fun!

NMBound · Jul 8, 2024

Dumpolina said:
That’s so fun!

Agreed. This kind of stuff makes life worth living. I'd do it for free, but they always make me take some form of payment, and I awkwardly accept the gratitude.

Last week during the flash flooding I stopped at a station to help this family get their flat removed; seized to the hub. They were so shocked that anyone would ever help. I'm thinking, really? What's the world coming to?

Mauser · Jul 9, 2024

NMBound said:
Agreed. This kind of stuff makes life worth living. I'd do it for free, but they always make me take some form of payment, and I awkwardly accept the gratitude.

Last week during the flash flooding I stopped at a station to help this family get their flat removed; seized to the hub. They were so shocked that anyone would ever help. I'm thinking, really? What's the world coming to?

I will almost always offer help if I don't have my daughter with me. The world has become a place where we can't be so trusting anymore. I am kind of a sexist. If it is an able bodied man with a flat tire I believe he should be able to handle it. I will always stop for a woman with kids.

I have a friend that pulled his dump truck off the road to help a couple of guys with their hood up. Almost as soon as he bent over to look at the engine he was hit and knocked down. If not for the little Seecamp pistol Fred was carrying who knows what would have happened.