emptypockets

That pic was floating around the Internet. I can't explain it and I'm pretty sure drugs were involved in its making.

Are you planning on going otk or utk with your steering? James stuff is nice, plus you get quality joints off the bat.

Brandonrcm

UTK. As much as I'd like over the knuckle, I dont want to deal with bumpsteer or doing an over the axle trackbar. Ordered a new front locker too. Sold the old leafs today to kyle, Guys coming thursday to buy my other ironrock track bar, shackles, and front skid. Sold the rear skid the other day. And Will's buying the coils. So hopefully shocks soon too!



Measured for shocks today. Steering binds up slightly after my current shock length ends. Either way with current shocks the coils unseat. So I'm going to stick to the same length when I buy Bilsteins. I need to bumpstop the rear now.

VTJeep

Goddamn.

Brandonrcm

Yeah, she flexes pretty good.

Few good updates. Got the cover off the axle, The countersank allen bolts all had to be drilled and easy-outed out. That sucked. Spider gears in axle were destroyed.



Threw a new locker in there to replace it. Lokka this time. Ordered 18th, shipped 19th, arrived 21st. NICE! No noises or anything with this one. cant tell its there.

Also put a set of axle shafts in with good u joints, replaced a wheel bearing again, and installed some ARESFAB 1 ton steering I picked up from him on friday... JD Green of course... I put my riddler cover back on so I didnt have to use countersunk bolts again.



Dad picked up a car trailer the other day in a trade... Its gunna get sold though and buy a different one. We don't like how low it sits tires to fenders with a vehicle on it...


Drove onto my buddies fender the other night because he told me too.. Stack fenders not tires?


We picked this Beauty up last night. 95 2wd 5sp 7.3 powerstroke. Got it cheap! Truck runs and drives great, only rust on it is front 2 fenders.




Loaded up for a test. (we wouldnt normally have the jeep that far forward, but we were seeing how much rear of truck would go down. Definitely need more of a drop reciever if we keep this trailer.

Basslicks

Awwww man.... you're not gonna make it a trlr queen are you???

Brandonrcm

No. Trailers forsale as of today... Rear wheels bottom out against the fenders. Going to buy another one after it sells. I plated and insured the powerstroke in my name even though its my dads. Supposed to be buying it off him in a month or 2. He said he wants to make sure I want it still before I buy it off him by driving it for awhile. Even though at the price we paid for it theres no way I could lose money if I were to resell.

Jeeps driving better then ever. Got the alignment dead on. Need a new cat bad, baffle inside is broke loose, and now the heat shield is raddling, and the crossmember hanger for exhaust is broken so it sounds like absolute crap going down the road. I've had a semi bad vibration over 40 the past week or so but never looked into it. Rear driveshaft ujoint went bad. Lost all the needle bearings in all 4 caps. It started clunking really bad today when I was 30 miles away from home, Pulled it off, and put the front driveshaft in the rear for now. Should get it fixed tomorrow after work.

I really need to get new exhaust ran soon, its super annoying and I hate the cherrybomb on it. Also need to figure out this really annoying squeek in the jeep. Its driving better then ever otherwise. And No its not my DD anymore, but I'm still going to be driving the crap out of it, but I have to enjoy some powerstroke goodness too.

Brandonrcm

Trailers gone, Did some junkyarding this weekending since it was all half off. Picked up an entire front clip same color as my jeep for around $100

Brandonrcm

Got myself a little birthday gift (todays my birthday)


Added a sticker for a club member that passed last week. RIP Aaron Thompson.


Measured for shocks at aresfab the other day.




Jeep and greet


Said good bye to Anthony last night at James Shop. I'll see him again, hopefully go out to Arizona in the next year to wheel with him. Glad hes doing what hes doing and giving it the shot out there hes wanted. But man were gonna miss him up here. Remember buddy if it doesn't work out here, we'll always take you back

Going wheeling at the badlands this weekend, should have some fun pics hopefully.

emptypockets

I hope you guys get a chance to come out and visit me. I already have a few trails I want to show you. I'll be back for Winterfest, so you better run whatever trail I get stuck leading/gunning. No one will ever top the Illinois crew.

VTJeep

Well happy birthday buddy! Rigs lookin pretty sweet. Ok, lolz, I gotta ask what's up with the last pic in your post- the one with the jeeps lined up- those have got to be the baldest I've ever seen on the far left XJ. Does it get wheeled like that at all?!?

emptypockets

Brandonrcm

Where do I even begin for all thats happened since the last update...

Went to badlands for Sep 19th. Towed it down on a uhaul.


Rained really hard the night we arrived. Trails were flooded bad.

Hydrolocked the motor around 11am Sat.




Pulled off TB, put rags in intake got a crap load of water out, pulled plugs shot all the water out, reassembled wheeled it rest of the day.

Buddies JK.




Got home, pulled my front clip off to put new one on...


Bought and installed front Bilsteins..


Put on new fenders, hood, grill, lights, cowl panel.. And bought and installed Aresfab front fender armor


Installed iron rock offroad add a leaf for their specific pack which I have (rear was sagging 2 inches)


Installed CREEPY offroad bumpstop spring plates


Bought some universal bump stops, still not tall enough at full compression though


Rear sits like a fuggin monster truck now. This is why my spare tire, 2 sets of axle shafts, and 2 driveshafts in the back -.- and a 48 degree shackle angle.


Hoping the rear settles a bit, otherwise I might throw a puck in the front to lift it a little. Oh yeah and I need leaf spring shims again because now its vibing.

VTJeep

Ha! I'd like to see that.. XD

VTJeep

Damn dude! Good work! Those panels look great. I'm sure after some good flexing the rear sus will settle a bit..

Brandonrcm

With all my crap in the rear its sitting pretty nice over all now. Today I had the Cat deleted, o2 sensor reinstalled in exhaust, stock style muffler put on, new hangers, and tail pipe ran out the rear. The whole crappy i6 sound and loud exhaust isnt for me anymore. Maybe if I had a build 350 that would be another story. I've been having shifting problems but I think its been related to a clogged cat and TV cable on trans needing to be adjusted. Now that the old cat is gone it idles smoother, and I adjusted the TV cable today. I haven't driven it besides home from the exhaust shop (6 blocks) and it felt good for that. Right now I have the front seats out I hosed the mud out of the inside, and I'm going to work on new mounts for the seats because they are never sturdy.

I have a clunk in the front suspension I can't figure out. I'm thinking its either the flex joints at the cross member, or has to do with the castor adjuster. Its only over bumps, but it drives me nuts.




My pinion angle in the rear is a little off as you can see, it causes some vibes, I'm not sure what degree shims to put in for that. I have 6 degrees on the shelf, but they are crappy aluminum and I think that would be too much shimming.

Only thing exhaust wise I'm not too happy with this height of the tail pipe. Its a little bit lower then the shackle. But its fine I guess I'll find out when I smash it up wheeling.


And I'm a little worried about the exhaust running by the tank with no heat shield. I haven't had the shield since I got the jeep but the exhaust has always been dumped. Maybe a tank relocation to cargo area is coming sooner then i anticipated.