The club site has been slow for the last few weeks, what's happening out there?
Craig Merkey went in for neck surgery Thursday, I was down at his place earlier in the week. I don't have his cell number and his regular phone is no longer in service. I'll give his dad a call after I write the rest of this message.
Got the pig back up and running, not quite finished but almost. I installed an e-locker third member in the front axle, it came from the local junkyard. I have it mechanically installed and have all the parts to wire it up. Just today sat down and made my own wiring schematic and now just need the time to do the wiring, it won't be difficult. I resealed the knuckles while it was all apart and bit the bullet and installed a full set of Longfields- inner axles, birfs, and the splined part in the Aisin hubs. I don't figure to break anything in the front end this year.
I also installed a Toybox, bought it from a guy in Vermont, saw it on Mud. Drove up two weekends ago and brought it all home, cleaned everything up, and got it bolted in last weekend. Had to cut a bit out of the floor to clear the relocated transfer case but welding some patch panels in shouldn't be too bad. I have the shifters all installed, and the dual boot for the twin sticks arrived today. I had my rear driveshaft shortened, picked it up at the shop yesterday (front wasn't quite finished at the time) and bolted that in. The old girl started right up, no problems, and she runs (as usualy) strong. The lower gears available ought to help me crawling over rocks and stuff, eh? I went from something like 44-1 in lo-lo to 78-1 in lo-lo-lo. Looks cool with four shifters on the floor!
Now I need to figure what to do with the emergency brake. The cable on my truck is too short to reach the back of the transfer case now that it's been moved rearward about 6". I've been thinking about installing a floor-mounted handle from an FJ62 (I kept a full setup here from the truck my axles came from) and using the parking brake setup on my FJ62 rear axle. I bought new backing plates (ouch$$$) for the rear axle at the Toy dealer this week, and replacing them will be the opportune time to hook up the parking brake on the rear axle. I haven't fully decided which direction to go here yet.
Still need to make and install a crossmember under the Toybox. It may or may not be necessary but I'll feel better with some support back there- there's a lot of weight cantilevered off the back of the bellhousing right now. I also want to make and weld a set of step rails to the rocker panels to make it easier to get into the truck. Lots to do and wheeling season will be here soon.
Was such a nice day i dusted off the 70 and took her for a spin today to pick up lunch for me and Anna. That truck runs great, looks cool, and is just a unique vehicle (like the piggy, eh?).
Enough for now, let's hear what the rest of you birds have been doing all winter, wheeling season will be here before you know it. Matt Reed and I have been talking about a wheeling weekend and the one that works best for me is March 21. By then I'm hoping all the ice is gone from the woods around here- I was up on the mountain behind my place this afternoon and there's still lots of snow and ice around. Let me know how that date looks to you guys. Gary S
Craig Merkey went in for neck surgery Thursday, I was down at his place earlier in the week. I don't have his cell number and his regular phone is no longer in service. I'll give his dad a call after I write the rest of this message.
Got the pig back up and running, not quite finished but almost. I installed an e-locker third member in the front axle, it came from the local junkyard. I have it mechanically installed and have all the parts to wire it up. Just today sat down and made my own wiring schematic and now just need the time to do the wiring, it won't be difficult. I resealed the knuckles while it was all apart and bit the bullet and installed a full set of Longfields- inner axles, birfs, and the splined part in the Aisin hubs. I don't figure to break anything in the front end this year.
I also installed a Toybox, bought it from a guy in Vermont, saw it on Mud. Drove up two weekends ago and brought it all home, cleaned everything up, and got it bolted in last weekend. Had to cut a bit out of the floor to clear the relocated transfer case but welding some patch panels in shouldn't be too bad. I have the shifters all installed, and the dual boot for the twin sticks arrived today. I had my rear driveshaft shortened, picked it up at the shop yesterday (front wasn't quite finished at the time) and bolted that in. The old girl started right up, no problems, and she runs (as usualy) strong. The lower gears available ought to help me crawling over rocks and stuff, eh? I went from something like 44-1 in lo-lo to 78-1 in lo-lo-lo. Looks cool with four shifters on the floor!
Now I need to figure what to do with the emergency brake. The cable on my truck is too short to reach the back of the transfer case now that it's been moved rearward about 6". I've been thinking about installing a floor-mounted handle from an FJ62 (I kept a full setup here from the truck my axles came from) and using the parking brake setup on my FJ62 rear axle. I bought new backing plates (ouch$$$) for the rear axle at the Toy dealer this week, and replacing them will be the opportune time to hook up the parking brake on the rear axle. I haven't fully decided which direction to go here yet.
Still need to make and install a crossmember under the Toybox. It may or may not be necessary but I'll feel better with some support back there- there's a lot of weight cantilevered off the back of the bellhousing right now. I also want to make and weld a set of step rails to the rocker panels to make it easier to get into the truck. Lots to do and wheeling season will be here soon.
Was such a nice day i dusted off the 70 and took her for a spin today to pick up lunch for me and Anna. That truck runs great, looks cool, and is just a unique vehicle (like the piggy, eh?).
Enough for now, let's hear what the rest of you birds have been doing all winter, wheeling season will be here before you know it. Matt Reed and I have been talking about a wheeling weekend and the one that works best for me is March 21. By then I'm hoping all the ice is gone from the woods around here- I was up on the mountain behind my place this afternoon and there's still lots of snow and ice around. Let me know how that date looks to you guys. Gary S
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