Between 705 & 1200 SQ/FT Roboto's Garage

[MadeByMiller]

That looks really sharp! I've never seen that premium coat before, good choice and it really does look "premium" compared to the normal matte finish.

 

[zmotorsports]

The bed turned out awesome. I've never heard of a clearcoat (premium) option. That is the one thing I dislike about my Rhino lining is the fact that it fades back. I have pressure washed it and scrubbed it which revitalizes it but it's short lived.

 

[slik560]

Dumb question, but does the clear coat make the surface slicker to stand on?

 

[nicholam77]

Too bad about the rust on your new ride but it looks great now. I've never had a truck so the bed liner spray treatment is new to me, but has a cool look to it. Hopefully you should be sealed and good to go now!

 

[Mr. Roboto]

That looks really sharp! I've never seen that premium coat before, good choice and it really does look "premium" compared to the normal matte finish.

Thanks! It was an extra $120 but I think it was worth it.

The bed turned out awesome. I've never heard of a clearcoat (premium) option. That is the one thing I dislike about my Rhino lining is the fact that it fades back. I have pressure washed it and scrubbed it which revitalizes it but it's short lived.

I hear ya. My very first truck was a 2003 sierra. I worked that thing hard when I was early on with my house/garage projects after buying this place. I had no bed cover on that truck, and the sun really killed it. It looked pretty bad by the time I sold it. I was tempted to just rattle can it black again, but I never did.

Dumb question, but does the clear coat make the surface slicker to stand on?

Relative to an un-coated bed liner, I’d say it’s a little more slick. But it’s definitely not slippery by any means. I was walking in there last night reinstalling by bed cover and cargo management rails it it felt fine. I’ll be curious to see how it feels when wet.

Too bad about the rust on your new ride but it looks great now. I've never had a truck so the bed liner spray treatment is new to me, but has a cool look to it. Hopefully you should be sealed and good to go now!

Thank you! I sure hope so haha. I don’t want to use the bed now because it looks so good…. But I’ll get over that quickly.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Haven’t had much to update. Been busy with work/family lately. Just got back from a work trip to Pennsylvania. Chose a pretty sweet rental car!



The gladiator looked/drove pretty awesome, but it’s realistically too small to be a useful truck (for me) and also too cramped inside for a family vehicle. It did make me think about possibly getting a newer manual wrangler as a daily, which would check a few boxes for me…. But I’m sure I’ll end up rolling with my Rav4 for a while.

I was in Williamsport PA, home of the little league World Series:


And the mighty Susquehanna river



I dropped in on the guy who’s doing the body work on my XJ. He’s had it for round 2 since the end of January, so I wanted to light a fire under his *** with spring approaching. He’s got the quarter panels out, and in the process of welding in the patch panels. The roof is also sanded down and the factory roof rack mounts are shaved.






I was happy to see SOME progress but it’s still taking way longer than I had hoped for. He’s hoping to get it into paint early next month, so hopefully the end is near.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

That white XJ I was working on a few weeks ago is back in the shop for round 2 of a bunch of work we had lined up.

First up was the rear main seal and oil filter adapter gaskets. Both were leaking HEAVY. The good news is that the engine does not need to come out to do it. It’s still a pain in the ***, though. Tarck bar, LCAs, shocks and sway bar end links all get disconnected to drop the axle as low as possible to remove the oil pan, and even then, it just barely slides out. All while being coated in a mess of endlessly dripping oil.

Pan off, and I traced the new gasket to make a template to keep all of the bolts and studs accounted for so they go back in the right spots.




Bottom end of the 4.0L



Rear cap removed:






New oil pan gasket and lower girdle/bearing cap reinstalled:



New front sway bar end links, coils, sprig isolators, and 3/4” spacers:



Rear bump stops:



Sitting nice and level now:



He has new wheels and tires coming, which should complete the look He was going for. I need to do the rear main seal on my XJ too, but have been putting it off because of how much of a pain it is to do. $14 gasket, but a lot of hours!

Thanks for following along

 

[zmotorsports]

@Mr. Roboto looks good. Nice job on the oil pan and rear main. Both the rear crank journal and bearing look excellent. That can be a PITA job but you knocked it out like a pro.

 

[nicholam77]

Pan off, and I traced the new gasket to make a template to keep all of the bolts and studs accounted for so they go back in the right spots.

Nice trick!

I've always thought the Gladiator is a strange vehicle for the reasons you listed (although I've never been in one).

 

[Mr. Roboto]

@Mr. Roboto looks good. Nice job on the oil pan and rear main. Both the rear crank journal and bearing look excellent. That can be a PITA job but you knocked it out like a pro.

Thank you! I don’t know how some people do this job on their backs in their driveway with the Jeep up on jack stands. Props to those guys haha. It was good practice for when I need to do the RMS on mine eventually. Been putting it off for the last 2 years.

Some more updates from the body shop on mine! It’s finally getting really close. I think I’ll have it back next week. Things escalated quickly as you can see… they’re basically painting the entire thing from the firewall back. He kind of took it upon himself to go to this level, so I’m a little nervous to see what this did to the budget. He claims this was the easer route. We’ll see, I guess :/

 

[zmotorsports]

Thank you! I don’t know how some people do this job on their backs in their driveway with the Jeep up on jack stands. Props to those guys haha. It was good practice for when I need to do the RMS on mine eventually. Been putting it off for the last 2 years.

Yeah, having a lift really spoils a person, or makes them much more productive, depends on how you look at it I guess. I worked off of jackstands for 25+ years and although I had planned my floor well in advance to support a 2-post lift, it wasn't until only a few years before moving that I actually installed a lift. I was amazed at how nice it made doing most all work and also how much money it actually ended up saving my clients due to completing many jobs much quicker than before.

As for the paint/body work on the XJ, it is turning out great. I like the fact that he pulled doors, gaskets and windows as that will make a much, much nicer finished product in the end.

Looking forward to seeing it done.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

This has been a good week for me. Started with a promotion at work, which I never thought would happen. But I’ve been busting my **** for the last 2 years on a new project , so it was nice to finally get some form of recognition.

Brought the XJ home today…. Which now officially identifies as a wrangler haha. Got a ton of cleaning and reassembly to do, so I’m anxious to get it back together.



Also, I’m getting new windows for the house. Long overdue… the old ones are original to 1992, and are wood double pane in which the seals have all failed. Having them replaced with Harvey vinyl NEW CONSTRUCTION windows. I’m not a fan of replacement windows. I decided to hire this project out. They delivered the new windows today. They’ll be here the next 2 days doing the install. Very exited to get this checked off the list, but not for paying the bill!!



Spring has also officially arrived. Did my spring clean up last weekend, and the lawn is starting to green up nicely.




And to top it all off, this Friday is my birthday.

 

[slik560]

Happy Birthday......early.

 

[racer-john]

This has been a good week for me. Started with a promotion at work, which I never thought would happen. But I’ve been busting my **** for the last 2 years on a new project , so it was nice to finally get some form of recognition.

Brought the XJ home today…. Which now officially identifies as a wrangler haha. Got a ton of cleaning and reassembly to do, so I’m anxious to get it back together.



Also, I’m getting new windows for the house. Long overdue… the old ones are original to 1992, and are wood double pane in which the seals have all failed. Having them replaced with Harvey vinyl NEW CONSTRUCTION windows. I’m not a fan of replacement windows. I decided to hire this project out. They delivered the new windows today. They’ll be here the next 2 days doing the install. Very exited to get this checked off the list, but not for paying the bill!!



Spring has also officially arrived. Did my spring clean up last weekend, and the lawn is starting to green up nicely.




And to top it all off, this Friday is my birthday.

Happy Birthday.

 

[Trapps]

Have a great birthday!

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Happy Belated Birthday. Lots of April birthdays haha. Mine is tomorrow. Nice bed liner too.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Happy Birthday......early.

Happy Birthday.

Have a great birthday!

Happy Belated Birthday. Lots of April birthdays haha. Mine is tomorrow. Nice bed liner too.

Thank you very much everyone! And happy birthday @BlakeTheCarGuy !!

I spent Thursday and Friday home watching the crew install the windows. Everything went smooth!



We opted to replace what was a pair of double hung windows in the dining room with one big sliding window. It was a good decision. While the rough opening size didn’t change, there is more glass here since there is less window “frame” overall. We also decided to have them trim everything with primed pine instead of wood. My entire house is wood trim, but we made the decision to convert to white trim. While I do love wood, it’s just basic 90s stained pine, and I want to brightening up the house. I have to complete all of the finish work and paint for the window trim, plus either paint or replace all the rest of my house trim. It will be a lot of work but I will chip away at it little by little.







Good riddance to these old wood windows in which every seal has failed. The house is already so much quieter, and I hope to recoup this cost over the years in heating/AC bills.




I took advantage of the 2 days at home to start the XJ reassembly. Glad I got that back just in time. The whole interior was in pieces, covered in dust, sitting in a pile in the hatch. If you recall I just reassembled it all before sending it back to the body shop in January, because he said he shouldn’t need to pull any interior. Well, he was wrong. Oh well haha. That went back in fairly quick since I’ve done it 100 times before.

I managed to get the freshly painted doors back on myself. Here was my method. It worked!



It was a challenge getting everything shimmed and adjusted properly, but I’m satisfied with (almost) all of the panel gaps. The Jeep is very dusty, but it’s whole again.






Next up is transferring over the wiring harnesses and electronics, as well as all the window trim, from the old doors to the new. And then finally installing the limited door panels, which will complete my “sport” to “limited” conversion.

Thanks as always for following along!

 

[WoodsTruck]

Pan off, and I traced the new gasket to make a template to keep all of the bolts and studs accounted for so they go back in the right spots.

When I do something similar to that, I use a small philips screwdriver and punch holes, insert the bolts into the holes in the cardboard, then it allows the piece to be moved without threat of fasteners getting reallocated.
Oh, and my birthday was the 24th.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

When I do something similar to that, I use a small philips screwdriver and punch holes, insert the bolts into the holes in the cardboard, then it allows the piece to be moved without threat of fasteners getting reallocated.
Oh, and my birthday was the 24th.

Great idea! And happy birthday to you!

I need to get some better photos someday….. but it’s done! All the interior is finally in place:






Got the roof rack back on as well. I ordered a roll of PPF and protected all the fresh paint where it attaches:



Aaaaand there you have it:





I’m pretty satisfied with this result. I need to polish the front fenders and nose to hopefully bring them back to life a bit so they match up a little better with this fresh paint. And remove the pinstripe on the front passenger fender. Anyone used one of those 3M wheels before for this?

Next up is my re-gear to 4.11s. For better or for worse, I decided to hire a shop to do this. One of the well regarded off road shops near me was having a special for 20% off re-gear installations. After buying all the parts and tools I would need, it really wasn’t a bad deal, and I’m super worried about messing it up for some reason. Plus I just want it done so I can enjoy the jeep as the weather is improving. They’ve ordered the parts and will reach out to set up an appointment once they’re in. It pained me to not do it myself, but I think it was for the best.

 

[rharman]

< snip >
Next up is my re-gear to 4.11s. For better or for worse, I decided to hire a shop to do this.
< /snip >

My brain goes immediately to:

With a 4-barrel carb and a dual exhaust,
With 4.11 gears
You can really get lost.
It's got safety tubes, but I ain't scared.
The brakes are good, tires fair.

 

[zmotorsports]

The XJ sure turned out awesome.

I think you'll be pleased with that ratio. Looking forward to seeing more of the XJ, possibly off-road pics.

 

[Finallygotit]

Nice job!

Now that they have been in for a little bit, how are you liking the new windows?

 

[Mr. Roboto]

The XJ sure turned out awesome.

I think you'll be pleased with that ratio. Looking forward to seeing more of the XJ, possibly off-road pics.

Thanks! You advice heavily influenced the decision. There is not a ton of legal off roading around me, but I too hope to get it off the pavement as well. Trailering out to Utah is still high on my bucket list!

Nice job!

Now that they have been in for a little bit, how are you liking the new windows?

The windows are fantastic! Night and day improvement. They are infinitely quieter than the old ones. While it hasn’t gotten too hot yet here, the afternoon setting sun would always heat the front of the house up like a greenhouse and we’d have to shut the shades. Now, that doesn’t happen at all.

Found an old sad pic from the day after I brought the XJ home. It’s come a long way!

 

[isonic]

Enjoyed your thread over the last week! Amazing transformation to the house and garage! Keep up the good work

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Enjoyed your thread over the last week! Amazing transformation to the house and garage! Keep up the good work

Thank you very much, I appreciate that!

Took the XJ for an inspection Friday, and out for the day while running errands. Since it’s a 99, in NH it’s a safety only inspection. The guy who does my inspections just slapped the sticker on for me without even pulling it inside. He said I only drove it 4k miles since last year, anyways gotta change that this year.

I did slap the front plate on with some zip ties just in case. I’m going to fabricate a front hitch mounted plate holder eventually. Good excuse to practice some welding.



I noticed a few drops of coolant. It appears to be leaking from where the plastic ends meet the metal core on the radiator. In typical fashion for myself, I’m going overkill and rebuilding the entire cooling system while I’m at it. Ordered a radiator, new CSF cap, upper and lower rad hoses, heater core hoses, thermostat, thermostat housing, water pump, water neck, and felpro gaskets for everything. It was about $240 for everything, so I figured why not if I’m going through the effort to drain the system and replace the radiator.

Also, my transfer case is leaking. Best I can tell, it’s from the selector shaft. Makes sense, since I had to pry awfully hard to get the stock linkage separated when I installed the aftermarket setup. And I shifted it into 2wd, 4hi, N, and 4lo many many times in the process of adjusting it. It probably hasn’t been shifted much in the last several years… so I’m hoping a few dollars in an o ring and retainer fix this problem. If it doesn’t, I fear it’s going to be a much more labor intensive repair.

 

[nicholam77]

XJ is looking clean. It's going to be all new parts by the time you're done with it

Windows aren't the most fun purchase but can make a big difference I'm sure. We haven't replaced ours yet but I'm sure they could use it. I think the white trim will look nice.

 

[zmotorsports]

The XJ sure is clean. I don't blame you for going through the complete cooling system, especially with warmer months right around the corner. That should ensure a trouble-free and cool running Jeep for the summertime. Plus, a little peace of mind is always hard to put a price on.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

I knocked out the cooling system this weekend. Didn’t grab too many photos, but man, the coolant that was in there was gross. The old pump and housing was also all just RTVd in there without any gaskets. I pulled the overflow tank and cleaned that inside and out. Flushed the block, lots of rusty mess. The cooling can be the weak link on these 4.0s so it’s important to keep up on its maintenance. Glad I did this before we take it into the dunes in the heat of summer.

New stuff in;



My engine bay is covered in dust from when it was at the body shop. I was waiting to do the cooling system before cleaning it, so that’s next on the list.

Torqued to soec!!



One good thing about having a baseplate lift is I can use it to elevate the front a bit while burping the system. I have one of those Lisle spill free funnels you can attach to the radiator to keep it fed during the process. I’ve tried using it on 4-5 different cars, but I can never get it to seal without leaking….. so I do it the old school way and just end up making a mess.


All bled, temp is holding perfect. Another check off the list.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

After a good weekend with the family, I couldn’t drag myself into work Monday so I took the day off. I tormented myself by doing some more work on the Jeep. I’ve had this persistent leak from the transfer case. When it sits, I can see it dripping off the shifter linkage, and when driving, it’s gets blown back all over the bottom of the case. I was pretty sure it was the selector shaft seal.

Here is the leak.



Shift linkage off, and the retainer and o ring removed. This was harder than I thought it would be. Limited room to work and they were really in there very tight. I couldn’t get my head up in there so I kept using my phone to take photos heh. Got them both out with an assortment of picks:




Pressed the new o-ring into place with a small wooden tongue depressor and some assembly lube:



And I tapped the plastic retainer into place with an 18mm socket and some more assembly lube:



I went for a nice drive to shake down the new transfer case seal, and the cooling system. Engine temps held at just under 210 as expected, and the transfer case remained bone dry. Success!

Love this old brick:

 

[zanyad]

Shift linkage off, and the retainer and o ring removed. This was harder than I thought it would be. Limited room to work and they were really in there very tight. I couldn’t get my head up in there so I kept using my phone to take photos heh.

Do you have a borescope? Could you have set it up with a good view and used the display to see what you're doing? IIRC this one has gotten good reviews here on GJ.

 

[zmotorsports]

The XJ is looking fantastic.

Glad to see you got your transfer case leak fixed and cooling system renewed.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Do you have a borescope? Could you have set it up with a good view and used the display to see what you're doing? IIRC this one has gotten good reviews here on GJ.

I don't, but it's been on my list of tool purchases for a while. Thanks for sharing that link, I will check it out!

The XJ is looking fantastic.

Glad to see you got your transfer case leak fixed and cooling system renewed.

Thanks, Mike. I am finally really happy with how it's all coming together. It's been a fun project! Thanks for all the support along the way.

 

[zmotorsports]

I don't, but it's been on my list of tool purchases for a while. Thanks for sharing that link, I will check it out!



Thanks, Mike. I am finally really happy with how it's all coming together. It's been a fun project! Thanks for all the support along the way.

Happy to help. Your execution has been impressive and well thought out, which is why it has turned out so nice.

As for tools, if you're looking to buy some more, have you considered some form of cooling system vacuum kit? I know there are several now available but when dealing with cooling systems I have found my AirLift vacuum kit invaluable. Just a thought, you know seeing as how you have a "tool list" and everything.

We're here to help you spend your money.

 

[racer-john]

Do you have a borescope? Could you have set it up with a good view and used the display to see what you're doing? IIRC this one has gotten good reviews here on G

Can't open that item, as a direct or a tab.

 

[zanyad]

Can't open that item, as a direct or a tab.

Link works for me on mobile:

 

[racer-john]

Link works for me on mobile:

Thanks for the attachment.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Happy to help. Your execution has been impressive and well thought out, which is why it has turned out so nice.

As for tools, if you're looking to buy some more, have you considered some form of cooling system vacuum kit? I know there are several now available but when dealing with cooling systems I have found my AirLift vacuum kit invaluable. Just a thought, you know seeing as how you have a "tool list" and everything.

We're here to help you spend your money.

I have indeed. Some type of fluid extractor, and a cooling system kit that can also pressure test is definitely on the list! I will check out the one you recommended, thanks!

On a completely different tangent, I made an investment into one of my other hobbies: guitar. I’ve played casually for quite a while, but have never had a brand new guitar. I’ve been trying to play more lately, so I decided to pull the trigger, after playing a bunch of different options. My daughter accompanied me to the local guitar center and was very patient while I tried 8+ different models. The sales guy helping me out was a grandfather, and the 2 of them hit it off haha. He offered me the use of his 20% off friends and family coupon, which I think was thanks to her!

I thought for sure I was going to walk out of there with a Les Paul, but I picked up this Fender Strat with a HSS configuration. I think it’s beautiful







I also upgraded the old digital solid state amp I’ve had forever. The new one is on the left. It’s a vacuum tube based amp with a spring reverb and a 12” celestion speaker. At a mere $249 it’s the cheapest amp you can get with all of these options, and it sounds great.



Nothing like the glow or sound from a set of tubes

 

[Fast_Ed]

Been following along and don't think I've posted in here but this thread is one of my faves to check in on

Nice score on the new Fender. I bet the pairing sounds great. I'm similarly in the market for a new acoustic after taking about 5yrs off from playing regularly. I have my eye on a Martin in a similar sunburst finish (GPC-13E if you're curious). Now I'm starting to think the above would make a great pairing hanging on the wall next to each other

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Been following along and don't think I've posted in here but this thread is one of my faves to check in on

Nice score on the new Fender. I bet the pairing sounds great. I'm similarly in the market for a new acoustic after taking about 5yrs off from playing regularly. I have my eye on a Martin in a similar sunburst finish (GPC-13E if you're curious). Now I'm starting to think the above would make a great pairing hanging on the wall next to each other

Thank you for following along!

I looked up that model of guitar, and you’re right, that sunburst acoustic would make for a killer duo! I have an old Ibanez acoustic that I also got 20 years ago when I was learning. This will (eventually) also get replaced…. Likely with a Martin as well. I’ve always wanted one! I actually just brought the Strat back to the shop today. Since they ordered it for me and had it shipped direct to my house, it never went through their shop. So it really needs a setup. Intonation, bridge adjustment, the high E string is really close to the edge of the neck, and I think I’m going to have them upgrade the nut and lower the action a bit. Typical new guitar stuff. I was going to try my hand at most of it myself, but I’m afraid to start messing with a brand new guitar.

Found another small project to tackle…. Dug this photo up from 6 years or so ago but we used to have this canvas to gazebo on the deck. I have to take the canvas roof down every winter, and put it up every spring, which is a pain.
I’ve also had to replace it once already, and it needed replacing again this year. They don’t weather well here.



Decided to replace it with a semi-permanent metal roof option. They’re rated to take the snow load, so I can leave it up year round. Only downside is the cost is much higher compared to what I had before, and they’re pretty time consuming to assemble.

This is as far as I got 2 weekends ago until my helper quit on me haha.



Jumped back on it Friday and was able to finish up the roof:



And Sunday, I got all the privacy panels and screens up.




Also, I really didn’t want to screw into my deck, so I came up with a stainless steel cable system to secure it. I also cut some pvc to go in between the feet of the gazebo and decking in case it rubbed at all. I had a similar setup with the old gazebo, too.





Should hopefully do the trick! Trying to decide what route to go with a new patio set eventually. Either a new table/chair set, or more of a lounge set with couch, chairs and coffee table.

 

[bigsteve2011]

That looks great!!
Deck looks awesome.
Also what is the brand/color of your deck?
Guessing it is a composite?