ARCHIVE Wits' End Turbo Test Mule #3- no cartwheeling allowed (5 Viewers)

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Checked the turbo truck for wheel bearing play before I moved it. Super sloppy. Opened the flange and the underside has grooves from the nut backing out. The nut got so hot it welded it to the spindle 😞

I really didn’t want to be doing an axle rebuild right now

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forgot to fold the tab over?

Checked the turbo truck for wheel bearing play before I moved it. Super sloppy. Opened the flange and the underside has grooves from the nut backing out. The nut got so hot it welded it to the spindle 😞

I really didn’t want to be doing an axle rebuild right now

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@NLXTACY
As much I as dislike most Trailgear products I've owned. This is one of the few I do recommend.

On my 93 SAS rockcrawler I was rebuilding knuckles every year. 2-3x Rubicon trips and a sprinkling of random trails. I only put 2,000 miles or less a year on it. It was a pain in the ass how often the bearings got loose. I ended up buying one of these and that solved all my problems last year. I did Rubicon 2x, Fordyce once and random trails with 2500 miles more on the rig.

I plan on replacing my 80s with these chromoly locks when I rebuild them too. Why didn't Toyota do this is beyond me. This style lock is pretty much spot on to the Rear lock rings on the 80. They could have done this too.

Anyway.... good upgrade
 
FWIW, Toyota did use locking nuts similar to that that on their FF axles. Not sure why they didn't get applied to the fronts as well, but agreed, good upgrade :cheers:
 
FWIW, Toyota did use locking nuts similar to that that on their FF axles. Not sure why they didn't get applied to the fronts as well, but agreed, good upgrade :cheers:
Exactly Toy did this to the rear 80 with full floats. They could have easily did the same up front too.
 
I did new spindles and wheel bearings on the 80 last summer and my T100 just a few weeks ago. I put a new nut set from Kurt on the 80, but spaced it on the pickup. I wish I had known about these, looks like a great alternative, I have fought loose bearings on all my rigs. I've started really tightening them down, seems to be helping. FSM procedure just does not work, leaves them to loosen up over time.
 
I did new spindles and wheel bearings on the 80 last summer and my T100 just a few weeks ago. I put a new nut set from Kurt on the 80, but spaced it on the pickup. I wish I had known about these, looks like a great alternative, I have fought loose bearings on all my rigs. I've started really tightening them down, seems to be helping. FSM procedure just does not work, leaves them to loosen up over time.
I do 12 to 15lbs with 35s. And 16 or 17lbs with 37s. Helps a lot but still gets loose with hard wheeling.

With the chromoly lock I did 14-15lbs for 37s
 
I do 12 to 15lbs with 35s. And 16 or 17lbs with 37s. Helps a lot but still gets loose with hard wheeling.

With the chromoly lock I did 14-15lbs for 37s
I had good success with 35 ft lbs for 35s, no loosening off
 
Needed a break from reality...

Figured it was time to start posting some Wits’ End product development stuff.

Long before @deltavehiclesystems did their firewall mounted #SwitchPros bracket (solid design btw), the intention on the turbo truck was to design a simple bracket that actually sits in front of the battery but out of the way. Mission accomplished. There is a hole on the headlight bucket that gets a rivnut then the mount has two mounting points. The SwitchPros brain sits upright, out of the engine bay heat, close to the battery and in an area to get air for cooling. I’ll be going into production on these shortly. It’s no frills. Just a mount.

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For those with dual batteries, a mirrored version may also be nice. I am thinking it could be used for mounting fuse holders, relays etc...
 
Spent some time playing with the methanol injection. There a few ways to activate, such as MAF signal to controller, but for a kit I prefer simpler. It can be upgraded at another time. The boost switch is adjustable and needs to be fine tuned to where it needs to switch. Went with 2psi and all kits will be pre-set before they ship out.

Something interesting about mixing methanol and distilled water...it creates heat because methanol is exothermic. Lots of ion exchanging going on.
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The turbo test mule #3 got its first permanent gauge. Had a tough time trying to decide which gauge manufacturer to go with. Out of frustration I went with Soeedhut mainly because I could design the gauge how I wanted. Little spendy but I can get what I want.

This is where pre-planning really pays off. The gauge uses a 1/8NPT electrical pressure switch to drive it. This of course threads into the available free port on the #VacuumTree that is part of the turbo kit. Simple set up.
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The Turbo Test Mule no.3 and a customer’s 80 both needed new steering wheels redone. Went with #CraftCustoms out of Rockwall, TX. On both I decided to borrow from the 100series Land Cruiser steering wheel leather design by adding in the perforated leather in the center and also added the thumb bumps at 10 and 2. Looking forward to installing and feeling them in the truck 🤩

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