Yesterday, erik (wannagojeep) and I set out to utilize the auto hobby shop on post to install another inch of lift on my rig. We had to take off the old shocks, coils and trac bar in the front and replace the shackles in the rear. The trac bar wouldnt budge for about 4 hours, We soaked it in liquid wrench breaker bars I mean we tried everything. Then we tried the most simple thing we could think of, turning the wrench to the left instead of the right. I have never been so mad as I was when we realized we were going the wrong direction. But oh well, after that everything went decently smooth. The coil compressor they had there were junk though and bobby had to come drop his off so we could finish (thank god too) Speaking of coil compressors. The ones they had there were useless and a good demonstration of this is the fact that they exploded off and tried to break my arm. I woke up this morning with a giant lump in my forearm and in pain cause those compressors shot off and the coil slammed into my arm. I also lost control of my bowels it scared me so much, not to mention hurt like... But oh well its on there and Im still alive.

I still have a set of tow shackles and brackets to install in the front as well as a tcase drop kit in the middle. I tried to install it last night and was stumped by a bolt that had to way to remove. Then I read on and found that this was a stud. I tried to turn it with vise grips to no avail. Anyone know how to get this thing out of there?

 

Installed some hood pins, Damn hood release thing came unriveted.

Figured id fix it with some hood pins

 

Finished up the lifting process by putting in the tcase drop... only one problem Rusty sent me a part that isnt big enough. I managed to force one of the drops into place with strength but the other side there is absolutely no way. So now one side only has one bolt in. Rusty should be expecting a really grumpy call from me tommorow. Heres what it looks like now. Last pic is of the tcase drop. I officially do not endorse rustys tcase drop, Wish I had gone with one of those two peice ones, would have made my day alot easier, but Ill let yall know about their customer service when I tell them there peice was a pos

 

Cleared my check engine code and put on my steal back bumper!! Stock bumper is for sale now! Also went to the truck fest at puyallup fair today and bought me a new 8k winch with synthetic rope and aluminum fairlead!! so my 10k warn is for sale too!!

 

Good luck with thier customer service, it's prolly the worst CS i have encountered from a 4x4 shop. the doubled charged me and told me they cant do nothing till the bank clears it out haha. i will never use them again. GL

 

I know its one of those places that has diehard fans and diehard haters. How they deal with this issue determines how I move forward with this company. Im totally hooked on this jeep stuff so they would be loosing a lot of future business. Im okay with them sending me something that doesnt fit, its the way they deal with it that matters to me. I havent met this guy names rusty, but I spent all morning cussing about how much I hate him!

 

yesterday i slammed in an RE HD Trac Bar and bracket. thanks Branden for the parts. got the frame brace that bolts to it on order. gonna start hacking up my hood this week for the hood vents....

 

Into the shop new exhaust! Wish I had the time to do it myself!

 

Finally got ahold of the people from Rustys. After he tried to convince me that the tcase kit was supposed and I just had to wiggle it, I told him that I spent almost 5 hours trying to get that thing in there (three hours of which was spent removing the studs). Then he told me that I should drills the holes wider or cut it in half. To that I said I dont have the tools to do that and then said I ordered the part that is supposed so he finally cracked and told me that he would send me a new one with bigger holes (free of charge). So Jacob 1, rustys 0. Then I told him I needed brake line extensions. We spent the next 10 minutes arguing about there shipping costs. They told me it cost 16 dollars to send them. I convinced them otherwise. Jacob 2, rustys 0!

I didnt do anything to my XJ today, but I would like to say I made big strides against the evil that is rustys shipping costs and did something FOR my XJ today

 

Changed the oil today (clack as night cause I put seafoam in it 137 miles ago). Then I hooked up the grease gun to everything that I could find that would take grease. Tommorow I might change the oil in the differentials, well see how the weather acts

 

Cleaned my NSS, i have reverse lights now and it starts in park again.

also took the large yellow sticker off of my rear window the PO had put on

tomorrow is door lock cylinders.

 

the jeeps going to puyalup tonight. going to see some other jeep club members.

 

patched huge hole in pas side floor board running up into the trans tunnel, sanded, cleaned, and layed down some dupli-color bedliner on the floor pans, and installed new pass side tre and steering stabilizer
time for a nap

 

Finally got around to installing my front locker and also installed my new rear bumper and tire carrier. I cant wait to go out and test out the new locker.

 

looked online for a snorkel.found one for 329.99.went to home depot and bought 13.00 in parts and built one.also painted rear fenders black