Between 705 & 1200 SQ/FT Roboto's Garage

[Mr. Roboto]

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

Thank you! Think we’ve decided to go with a couch/chair set and fireplace table to finish it off.

I built the deck 6+ years ago, it’s aged pretty well, other than some miters opening up due to expansion/contraction. The decking is PVC capped composite. Fiberon brand, and I think the color was cabin. The railings are also Fiberon brand composite.

I also dropped the XJ off at the off-road shop for the re-gear yesterday. Bittersweet, since it’s the only mechanical thing I will have not done on it myself. However, I’m glad it will be done quick and (hopefully) done right.

 

[rharman]

< snip >

I also dropped the XJ off at the off-road shop for the re-gear yesterday. Bittersweet, since it’s the only mechanical thing I will have not done on it myself. However, I’m glad it will be done quick and (hopefully) done right.

< /snip >

I've said it many times... Sometimes the right tool for the job is a credit card.

 

[nicholam77]

Beautiful guitar you picked up! That would be the exact one I'd get if I ever felt motivated. I never was super into electric guitar (no real reason), but I played classical for about 10 yrs and then it petered out when I went to college. Still have my classical, and at some point after college I picked up a Fender Squire strat (sunburst, walnut neck, HSS) and a amp to diddle around on. It leaves a lot to be desired. Sometimes I think about an American-made sunburst HSS with the maple neck like you just picked up... but I just don't pick it up often enough to justify. Kids, work, other hobbies... maybe one day. Anyways... congrats!

Pergola looks great, too.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Beautiful guitar you picked up! That would be the exact one I'd get if I ever felt motivated. I never was super into electric guitar (no real reason), but I played classical for about 10 yrs and then it petered out when I went to college. Still have my classical, and at some point after college I picked up a Fender Squire strat (sunburst, walnut neck, HSS) and a amp to diddle around on. It leaves a lot to be desired. Sometimes I think about an American-made sunburst HSS with the maple neck like you just picked up... but I just don't pick it up often enough to justify. Kids, work, other hobbies... maybe one day. Anyways... congrats!

Pergola looks great, too.

Thanks Nick, appreciate it! You never know, maybe you’ll get the itch again. I hear ya. I have a lot of hobbies too, with limited time to dedicate to them. Probably why my thread here is so all over the place hahah. I tend to wander from hobby to hobby in waves , but when I return to one, I REALLY get into it. Since I picked up the Strat, I’ve really been playing a lot. Ive found it’s a nice way to fill the window in between when my Family falls asleep, and when I’m ready for bed. And a good way to unwind at the end of the day. Despite waking up at 5am for work every day, I’m a bit of a nice owl.

With that being said, I’m almost embarrassed to share that I already picked up another guitar. I really wanted to love a Les Paul. They suit my taste in music so well (rock) but they’re damn expensive, very heavy, and not ergonomic at all to play. To be expected from a design that has not changed since the 50s. However, i wanted a dual humbucker guitar, with more of a modern and ergonomic style. Enter, the Paul Reed Smith SE Custom 24:





The back is almost as good as the front



I actually found someone an hour away, selling this used, on Facebook marketplace. He bought it last year, had a professional setup done on it, and then barely touched it. He seemed to be more of a guitar collector, than a player. It still has the plastic film on the covers on the back. Made him an offer, and went to grab it Friday. Love it. I’m actually going to sell one of my older guitars that I don’t play very often (ever, really). A made in Japan Jackson from the late 90s, that still has some good value to the Jackson fans out there. It just doesn’t suit my playing style. So I’m hoping not to be into the PRS for much money after it’s all said and done.

Here is the Jackson, if anyone is curious (or interested in buying it!)



In other news, got the Jeep back from the shop after the re-gear. I’m 100 miles into the 500 miles required to break in the new gears. I haven’t been able to really put my foot down yet because of this, but drivability seems much better. Seems to have all the torque back that it has after I stuck the larger tires on it/lifted it.

Took it to cars & coffee this morning for Father’s Day. We were there early, and rain threatened all morning, so it was a bit of a weak turnout.

Parked all alone in no man’s land, just how I like it:



Hardly took any photos. Getting my girls not to touch every car the see is very time consuming!



My ugly self, and the girls who made me a dad



That’s it for now, not much else to report!

 

[zmotorsports]

Glad your pleased with the regear and it looks like you and your girls enjoyed the cars & coffee time together.

 

[hdv32]

The Cherokee just keeps getting better. OEM plus really suits your build, not over the top. Just better in every way.

 

[nicholam77]

Wow, the PRS is a beauty, too! Happy belated Father's Day, cars + coffee is a great way to spend it!

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Wow, the PRS is a beauty, too! Happy belated Father's Day, cars + coffee is a great way to spend it!

Thank you very much! And a (very) belated happy Father’s Day to you as well!!

Had someone approach me about another job…. This time a timing belt on a 2011 Subaru legacy 2.5L. He also wanted the water pump, thermostat, idlers, serpentine belt, and spark plugs done. I always get nervous doing the timing belt on an interference engine, but I felt confident in it so I took the job.

12+ year old Subaru in New England, I should have known there would be some rust. But every bolt holding the timing cover has rusted off heads. Used my rocket socket extractors on them, which worked awesome.

Next up with the crank hub. I ordered a stubby 22mm impact socket which juuuuust fit behind the condenser.



Phew, bolt broke free no problem. Thought this would be the hardest part of the job, but that damn pulley was so seized on there, and I didn’t have a puller that fit. After an hour, I got it off after a lot of blood sweat and tears.

New timing belt on, idlers, tensioner, water pump and thermostat replaced.




Rotated the engine one complete revolution by hand, and quadruple checked the timing marks. All good:








Time to toque the crank bolt back on. I also bought this crank holder tool to have in my arsenal for this job. It was needed in this step. Crank bolt torqued to 35 ft-lbs, plus another 60 degrees. I don't have a fancy digital torque wrench to measure degrees of rotation, so I used the good old protractor to mark a reference line haha. Did the trick!



Quick spark plug changed, threw the new serpentine belt on, radiator back in, and filled the system. Admittedly, I’ve never been more nervous to start a car in my life. But it fired right up, no bad noises thank goodness!

So more embarrassment on my end. But I purchased another guitar. An acoustic, to replace my very old one. I’d been grabbing the acoustic a lot more lately since I started playing more, because my daughters like to sing and dance while I play. Saw a really good deal pop up so I jumped on it. Another PRS. They're not known for their acoustic guitars, but I think they are great for the money.

PRS SE A40E. Ovangkol wood back and sides, with a solid spruce top. I think it's a beauty.






A nice little trio I have now, if I do say so myself! Now I have 2 old guitars I’m trying to sell haha. But this should be it for me, got all my bases covered now.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Did a real tough “mod” yesterday. These tailgate emblem inserts have been sitting on my workbench for months. My daughter keeps asking when she can help me put them on, so we tackled the job finally!

Before



Prep





Done!

 

[slik560]

Looks like the Tooth Fairy is a regular visitor. Good job.

 

[zmotorsports]

Love it. Start them young to take pride in their ride.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Looks like the Tooth Fairy is a regular visitor. Good job.

That’s why I have to do all these side jobs!

Love it. Start them young to take pride in their ride.

She really enjoys helping. My ride on mower wouldn’t start last weekend too. Turned out to be the starter solenoid. She helped me both diagnose the issue, and replace the part! Asked many great questions through the whole process.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Took a family vacation to VT last week. We were in the Stowe/Burlington area. Had a great time!

Drove up the Stowe mtn auto road. Despite this sunny photo at the bottom, the top was completely fogged in.




Did some hikes with the family. Here’s my daughters nervous/anxious/happy face as we neared the trail edge for a waterfall photo.





And the little one



And woke up at 5:30 am to bang this hike out alone. I have an unexplained love of fire towers, so I have to check them out whenever I’m near





Also a foggy day. But it made for some cool dewy photos of these spider webs.




This was our first long trip with the new truck. The crew cab made all the difference in the world, and the bed was necessary for the abundance of stuff we always seem to “need” to travel with. After 600 miles, I came home to mow the overgrown lawn, and was the truck inside and out.




Order restored. Back to the real world!

 

[zmotorsports]

Awesome pictures of the family and scenery. Looks like a fun family vacation.

 

[loganb]

The crew cab made all the difference in the world, and the bed was necessary for the abundance of stuff we always seem to “need” to travel with

Dude....tell me about it! Kids here are 4 going on 14 and 2 yrs....so similar ages it looks like and the amount of stuff that comes along in mind blowing. No longer pumping/nursing immediately dropped an entire suitcase which is great....but it's still to the point I nearly bought a hitch carrier for the 5 passenger SUV cause the back just wasn't big enough for a week long trip to see family!

Looks like a great time on vacation though and the truck looks great!

 

[Bob Heine]

I took one carry-on and a laptop bag with me to fly to India for a two week business trip. Liane brings more than that on a day trip to see the kids 35 miles away.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Awesome pictures of the family and scenery. Looks like a fun family vacation.

Thanks, it was a good time!

Dude....tell me about it! Kids here are 4 going on 14 and 2 yrs....so similar ages it looks like and the amount of stuff that comes along in mind blowing. No longer pumping/nursing immediately dropped an entire suitcase which is great....but it's still to the point I nearly bought a hitch carrier for the 5 passenger SUV cause the back just wasn't big enough for a week long trip to see family!

Looks like a great time on vacation though and the truck looks great!

Haha it's crazy right?! 6 and almost 2 here. I think the fact that we have an entire truck bed works against us, because my wife thinks that there is just no limit to what we can pack as a result.

I took one carry-on and a laptop bag with me to fly to India for a two week business trip. Liane brings more than that on a day trip to see the kids 35 miles away.

hahaha that sounds about right Bob!

 

[isonic]

Looks like a great time. House is looking really good as well! I hear ya on the packing. 5 and 2 yo here and it is the same thing...

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Looks like a great time. House is looking really good as well! I hear ya on the packing. 5 and 2 yo here and it is the same thing...

Sounds like you know the drill! And thank you!

When I did that timing belt job, my M12 ratchet died on me. I use that tool constantly, so I ran out and picked up the new M12 extended reach, slim head to replace it. Worth every penny.



Put it to the test doing a compressor swap for someone.



My wife and the kids had a baby shower to attend this weekend also, so I had a rare day to myself. Decided to hit the trails again for some more hiking.

First I hiked Cannon Mtn., which is one of NHs 4K footers. Some pretty sweet ladders on the way up.




Kind of foggy at the top but a caught a quick window for a pic.



Kind of a let down when you get up there after hiking 2+ hours. This is also a ski mtn so there is a gondola you can take to the top too. So it can be full of tourists



After hiking down, I also took the short hike up to artists bluff nearby.



Did a combined 7ish miles. I have a 9+ mile hike planned for early September for what is one of NHs best hikes, so I’m working my way up to that.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

So I finally reached the break in mileage on my new gears. The shop included the post break in fluid change as part of the package, so I went and got that done earlier this week. Now that I don’t have to baby the gears, I could finally get on the throttle, and go for longer highway drives.

Man, what a difference. The torque is back. It’s not constantly downshifting on the highway at the slightest incline, and I’ve got the power to pass people again. Took a ~100 mile cruise yesterday afternoon and was very happy! It hangs out at around 2600rms at 80mph. Just right I think.




Brought my mountain bike along as well and did some riding



Going to start ordering some parts for the next round of modifications to chip away at over the winter. I also stopped at Home Depot on my way home, and came out to find someone snapping some photos of the Jeep in the parking lot. Always a good feeling!

 

[nicholam77]

Looks like a great family trip!! I wish we had more topography like that in MN.

Going to start ordering some parts for the next round of modifications to chip away at over the winter.

What else do you have planned?

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Looks like a great family trip!! I wish we had more topography like that in MN.



What else do you have planned?

Thanks, it was fun! I’ve been trying to maximize time spent outdoors lately. Aside from paying jobs on other people’s cars… I haven’t done much around the house/garage for our own stuff…. But that’s what the winter is for.

Nothing too crazy planned for the Jeep. The biggest thing I want to do is replace the steering box with one from https://redheadsteeringgears.com/ I’ve replaced every front end component, but there is still a bunch of slop in the box itself which really lets the driving experience down. I’m also going to order 2 new front leather seat bottoms to replace the worn out ones I have now. I’m also going to see if I can get a local upholstery shop to build me some new lower seat foams while I’m at it. The leather and foam is not awful at the moment, but I’ve come this far so I’m really just looking to get the last 10% dialed in and strive for perfection. If there is one thing I’ve learned from building this old Jeep, is it’s that I’m too OCD to have a project car that I don’t take to perfection.

I also need to add sound deadening to the rear hatch, wire up the fog lights in the front bumper, replace my speedo gear since that’s now inaccurate again after the re-gear, replace the phone mount I installed with a magnetic one like I’ve installed in my other cars, replace the rear main seal that I’ve been putting off, check my flex plate bolt torque (starting to get a rattle from the bell housing area, common issue) and buff out the old existing body panels to bring them back to life so they better match the ones that have been repainted.

More than I thought after typing it out, and I’m sure I’m forgetting stuff too haha.

In keeping with the time spent outdoors, and my love of fire towers…. There is actually one pretty close to home that I had not made it to yet. I went with my daughter to check it out last weekend.

When we arrived we were surprised to find it unlocked, with a fire lookout inside tracking an active fire! He let us come in and showed us all the equipment which was really cool.

Here is the Osborne fire finder



Fire about 10 miles away being tracked



And the obligatory shot of my Jeep in front of something cool

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Well, that’s a wrap on the summer! We finished up with a week down the cape, a friend’s wedding, and then we spent Labor Day weekend at my in laws lake house.

Few garage related things going on. I did another short hike with my daughter. We came back to the Jeep, and it didn’t start. I had noticed that the starter had been sounding a bit weak to me lately, but this time it cranked once and froze. I hit it with a rock I picked up in the parking area while my daughter cranked it and it thankfully fired up. Came home, parked it, and ordered/installed a new stater. Back to good, cranks strong and fast now.



While it was up on the lift, I also swapped the speedo gear. I did this once already when I put the 31” tires on, but after the re-gear I had to do it again. Speedo is back to accurate.

I also installed a magnetic phone mount.




And this little piece that turns one of the bump outs in the trunk into a cargo pocket, making use of the otherwise wasted space.



Also, I built this bench years ago for the mud room/office. It was a cheap temporary bench I built out of 2x4s until I got around to building something more elaborate. Well, it’s still here almost 4 years later with no plans in sight to built its replacement yet haha.



I decided to built a small matching version to sit under my guitar amp to get it up off the floor. I still need to paint/stain it to match, but it does the job.

 

[Flanman55]

I have that same amp, for the price it sure is a good one...

 

[Mr. Roboto]

I have that same amp, for the price it sure is a good one...

Heck yeah! Where else can you get a tube amp, name brand speaker, and a spring reverb for ~$250? Can’t be beat!

 

[WagonHo!]

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.

Was the radiator a CSF Or just the cap? I’ve got a 2000 Tacoma that is overdue on cooling system maintenance and am considering a CSF all aluminum including the tanks. Very spendy but this will be only done once for the life of the truck and mine. Trying to get as much info and parts before it’s torn down. Thanks

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Was the radiator a CSF Or just the cap? I’ve got a 2000 Tacoma that is overdue on cooling system maintenance and am considering a CSF all aluminum including the tanks. Very spendy but this will be only done once for the life of the truck and mine. Trying to get as much info and parts before it’s torn down. Thanks

For me, just the cap. For whatever reason, an OEM style radiator works best in the XJ. While the CSF is an exceptionally well built radiator and worth the money from a build quality perspective, it does not cool as well inside an XJ as the OEM. I’m not really sure why, but just about everyone has the same report. This probably does not really help you, though, haha.

We took the Jeep up a local auto road with the girls, and then went for a short hike. No issues going up.



but coming down, It sounded like I ran over something plastic. It was my headlight bezel, it popped out and I promptly ran over it. Shortly after I stopped for this photo.



I had made a temp repair on the broken screw holes like 2 years ago, and forgot all about revisiting it to make a better repair. So, I ordered new headlight bezels and center grill. All of mine had some form of damage. Body matched gloss paint, or satin black, were both options from the factory. I figured I could not perfectly match the gloss, so I hit the new ones with satin black.



I’ve also been meaning to build a front license plate mount for the 2” receiver on the front bumper. Never got around to it, and I’ve been pushing my luck all summer with no front plate. So I just ponied up the $60 for one ugh.





Finally, I’ve been chasing down a really annoying noise in the front end. I hear a low rumble driving around town, and on the highway it vibrates from 70-80mph. Nothing LOOKED or FELT wrong. I pulled my front DS to rule that out, and went for a drive, and sure enough, smooth and silent. So, I assumed my front shaft had issues, despite already replacing the u joints. I ordered a new custom DS from Adam’s (same as the one I have in the rear). I installed it, and bam, issue back. So I’m not sure if it’s the new front gears having an issue only when the load of turning the front DS is present, or if perhaps my front pinion angle needs further adjustment. This should be able to be corrected with an alignment if it’s the issue, as i have adjustable upper and lower control arms. I also noticed the front passenger axle seal they replaced is already leaking. I called the shop that did the re-gear, and they’re going to have a look at both issues. Dropping it off the week after next ugh.



Finally…. I’ve been considering buying a car trailer. For a while now. Right now when I buy a car to flip, I either need to drive it home with my plates on it (not super legal), hope they will let me drive it home on their plates (not always a guarantee) or use my AAA to get a tow home, which may not always work. It’s kind of a gray area for them. A trailer eliminates this, and the need for me to have 2 drivers to buy a car and bring it home. It also enables me to buy non running cars, parts cars, shells etc…

Looking at either a 18 or 20 ft, 7k-10k trailer. I’d love an aluminum, but not really in my budget. Here’s a 20ft 10k in stock at a local trailer store. Thoughts? It should hopefully pay itself off eventually, plus it would just be plain cool to have. Am I crazy?



And one more quick mod… I got this new solid aluminum shift knob for the tundra.

 

[Finallygotit]

That looks like a nice tilt bed trailer! If it is, that makes loading/unloading so much easier. I will say this, make sure the wood deck is sealed REAL well. I understand your weather is a lot different that ours here but the deck on my trailer went to hell in a hand-basket. Was not cheap to redo that deck. What didn't help is that the boards in my deck had lots of knots in it.

YMMV

 

[Mr. Roboto]

That looks like a nice tilt bed trailer! If it is, that makes loading/unloading so much easier. I will say this, make sure the wood deck is sealed REAL well. I understand your weather is a lot different that ours here but the deck on my trailer went to hell in a hand-basket. Was not cheap to redo that deck. What didn't help is that the boards in my deck had lots of knots in it.

YMMV

It’s actually a non tiling trailer. It has an angled beaver tail on the back, with pull out ramps.

I’ll definitely keep that in mind with regards to the trailer deck, good advice! Was your deck PT?

 

[Finallygotit]

It’s actually a non tiling trailer. It has an angled beaver tail on the back, with pull out ramps.

I’ll definitely keep that in mind with regards to the trailer deck, good advice! Was your deck PT?

Oh well, I guessed wrong; story of my life.... Still looks like a very nice trailer.

I think the deck I had had pressure treated lumber but I'm not 100% sure.

 

[Jeff Ivers]

If you are planning on driving regular sized, front engine cars onto that trailer, I would not go with that trailer. I think you would end up with too much tongue weight. Are you planning to use a load-distributing hitch?

 

[zmotorsports]

Mr. Roboto, several comments.

First, I fully agree with your reasoning to stick with the OEM radiator in the XJ. I know many don't like the plastic tank radiators but I for one actually like them, especially in a four wheel drive vehicle that sees off-road use. The aluminum radiators have their place but for a daily driver/weekend wheeler they don't flex at all as they are so rigid and they have a tendency to crack and leak. It's not just one particular brand either, I've had CSF as well as Ron Davis do this and they are about as good as it gets. I like the fact that the plastic tanks are secured to the core by crimping and rubber gaskets which allow some flex without breaking. I've routinely gotten 100k plus out of OEM style radiators in Jeeps and others but have had several issues with aluminum radiators. I do like aluminum for a race specific or heavily altered vehicle as long as extra care is taken to mount them using rubber isolators and mounts but even then I haven't gotten the life out of them.

As for your vibration, this is quite common on solid axle front ends due to their fixed caster to pinion separation angle. As a vehicle gets lifted with larger tires it changes the caster requirements but then it becomes a balancing act between having proper caster and a pinion angle that does not induce vibrations into the equation.

I can't tell from you picture if you are running a double cardan joint at the transfer case but knowing it's an Adams shaft, I will assume it is. For a double cardan joint you want the front pinion to driveshaft angle to basically be zero to about 3 degrees is all. The angle can be and usually will be a bit steeper at the double cardan end which will work fine as long as it doesn't get to binding through the suspension travel.
On occasion to get the proper handling without vibrations it is necessary to cut the weld at the knuckle and reclock them to increase the caster to pinion separation angle in order to achieve both proper caster angle and a pinion angle that is suitable. I may get beaten up here but with a modified Jeep suspension I have not had good results anywhere near using the factory caster specs. Factory caster specs are around 4.5* of positive caster and I have much better results in the 6.5-8 degree range when running 33-37 inch tires. Once you get to around 40" tires I have even pushed that closer to 9+ degrees of caster with excellent results.

I am having the exact same struggle internally with a trailer. I think I have finally resorted to the fact that I will be building one as I cannot find one that I am over the top enthused with, but the requirements will be similar to yours.

I think I'll be building a 20' tilt with dual 6k pound axles both with brakes. I want to keep it low slung for looks and to keep the deck angle relatively low when loading/unloading. Looking forward to seeing what you end up with.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Oh well, I guessed wrong; story of my life.... Still looks like a very nice trailer.

I think the deck I had had pressure treated lumber but I'm not 100% sure.

Haha all good!!

If you are planning on driving regular sized, front engine cars onto that trailer, I would not go with that trailer. I think you would end up with too much tongue weight. Are you planning to use a load-distributing hitch?

I get where you’re coming from. I was not planning to use a load distributing hitch. Pardon my ignorance, but isn’t this a super common style trailer, and most cats are front engine? What is that type of trailer best suited for?

Mr. Roboto, several comments.

First, I fully agree with your reasoning to stick with the OEM radiator in the XJ. I know many don't like the plastic tank radiators but I for one actually like them, especially in a four wheel drive vehicle that sees off-road use. The aluminum radiators have their place but for a daily driver/weekend wheeler they don't flex at all as they are so rigid and they have a tendency to crack and leak. It's not just one particular brand either, I've had CSF as well as Ron Davis do this and they are about as good as it gets. I like the fact that the plastic tanks are secured to the core by crimping and rubber gaskets which allow some flex without breaking. I've routinely gotten 100k plus out of OEM style radiators in Jeeps and others but have had several issues with aluminum radiators. I do like aluminum for a race specific or heavily altered vehicle as long as extra care is taken to mount them using rubber isolators and mounts but even then I haven't gotten the life out of them.

As for your vibration, this is quite common on solid axle front ends due to their fixed caster to pinion separation angle. As a vehicle gets lifted with larger tires it changes the caster requirements but then it becomes a balancing act between having proper caster and a pinion angle that does not induce vibrations into the equation.

I can't tell from you picture if you are running a double cardan joint at the transfer case but knowing it's an Adams shaft, I will assume it is. For a double cardan joint you want the front pinion to driveshaft angle to basically be zero to about 3 degrees is all. The angle can be and usually will be a bit steeper at the double cardan end which will work fine as long as it doesn't get to binding through the suspension travel.
On occasion to get the proper handling without vibrations it is necessary to cut the weld at the knuckle and reclock them to increase the caster to pinion separation angle in order to achieve both proper caster angle and a pinion angle that is suitable. I may get beaten up here but with a modified Jeep suspension I have not had good results anywhere near using the factory caster specs. Factory caster specs are around 4.5* of positive caster and I have much better results in the 6.5-8 degree range when running 33-37 inch tires. Once you get to around 40" tires I have even pushed that closer to 9+ degrees of caster with excellent results.

I am having the exact same struggle internally with a trailer. I think I have finally resorted to the fact that I will be building one as I cannot find one that I am over the top enthused with, but the requirements will be similar to yours.

I think I'll be building a 20' tilt with dual 6k pound axles both with brakes. I want to keep it low slung for looks and to keep the deck angle relatively low when loading/unloading. Looking forward to seeing what you end up with.

Mike, thank you for the awesome reply. I was hoping you’d chime in!

I hadn’t really thought about the rigidity being a factor for the radiator. The ole unibody XJs sure do have body flex, so that makes sense on why the aluminum radiators are not always the best choice.

RE: the front axle. This makes perfect sense. I did not measure my current caster, but my pinion angle is roughly 5-6* now. This needs to come down. I think I’ll have them come down to 2-3* and see where the castor ends up/how it handles. I hate any NVH in my vehicles, so id almost rather trade off on handling for the proper pinion angle given the choice. Within reason of course. And yes, the front DS is a double cardan shaft.

That trailer build sounds awesome! I will certainly be following along if you do start that one, as I’m sure you’ll be able to build quite a unit. Not really something in comfortable doing yet, so I’m stuck buying something for now. I’ve been bouncing around between a few different size and weight options, but I think I’ve settled on a 20’ 10K if I do indeed move forward with one! I keep thinking of more potential uses to justify its purchase haha.

 

[Jeff Ivers]

I get where you’re coming from. I was not planning to use a load distributing hitch. Pardon my ignorance, but isn’t this a super common style trailer, and most cats are front engine? What is that type of trailer best suited for?

That trailer looks like it is designed to haul a small backhoe, where the bulk of the weight would be located right over the pair of axles and only the bucket would reside on the front part of the trailer. I don't consider myself an expert on trailers, but I used to have about a 20' trailer on which I hauled an MGBGT. On that trailer, the axles were near the center line of the trailer, and I did not pull all the way forward with the car in order to not overload the tongue. I then switched to an enclosed trailer and had to switch to a load equalizing hitch to safely haul the trailer, because the axles were placed to the rear of the center line and the car I was hauling, plus the gear which was stowed in the nose of the trailer placed too much weight on the tongue. If you are seriously considering the trailer, I would ask to be allowed to load a car on it while hitched to my tow vehicle on a flat surface. Measure the height from ground to fender well front and back before connecting the trailer and after. Too much squat at the rear means your steering will get light which is hazardous. It is a nice looking trailer, but may not be the best choice for hauling cars.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Perhaps the photo was a bit deceiving. The axles aren’t super far back. It’s marketed as a car hauler, but admittedly I’m no expert! Learning as I go on this one, so thanks for the advice.

 

[mmsheb]

A comment about the trailer. I had one similar to the one pictured and although it worked OK for me, the deck seems a little high off the ground to get a non-running car loaded with the steep ramps and beavertail. A good winch would be in order.
The spacing between the cross-bars on the ramps may be challenging depending on the tire size. The narrower 15" tires on my car necessitated me to fill in the space between the cross-bars with a 2x4 so they didn't drop down into the opening so much.
I know rollbacks are pricey, but maybe you will find a used one.
Good luck with your search.
Mike

 

[Finallygotit]

I second the winch suggestion.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

A comment about the trailer. I had one similar to the one pictured and although it worked OK for me, the deck seems a little high off the ground to get a non-running car loaded with the steep ramps and beavertail. A good winch would be in order.
The spacing between the cross-bars on the ramps may be challenging depending on the tire size. The narrower 15" tires on my car necessitated me to fill in the space between the cross-bars with a 2x4 so they didn't drop down into the opening so much.
I know rollbacks are pricey, but maybe you will find a used one.
Good luck with your search.
Mike

I second the winch suggestion.

Sorry, I should have mentioned, a winch was definitely in the plan for anything non running! Great point on the ramp width, I can see how that would be a bit of a drawback for sure. Thanks for the input!

 

[mmsheb]

Just to clarify, I was referring to the 4" or so space between the cross-bars (cleats) on the ramp. That's where I had the difficulty, so I filled that space with 2x4's cut to width and screwed into place.
Typically, the ramps are movable side-to-side so you can place them for the spacing you need.
I may have commented when it wasn't necessary, but I didn't think of this when I purchased my trailer, and it may be useful information for you.
Mike

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Thanks for clarifying, but I Totally understood what you meant! I actually finally went to look at these trailers in person. 20ft long 10k car hauler is where I think I need to be. They only had them in blue or orange at this time, which really isn’t my style, but I think if they had black or gray I would have pulled the trigger! They should have some more on their next shipment… so we’ll see!

Had that Subaru I did the timing belt on a few moths ago back in the shop. They asked me to do front wheel bearings, but upon taking the front wheel off, this is what I was greeted with



The bolt heads were just crumbling away as I tried to remove the hub. The ball joint boots were also split and there was some play in the lower TREs as well so I just made the recommendation to replace the knuckles while we were at it. For the amount of time I’d have to fight all the old stuff, it’s cheaper in the long run.

Built up the new assemblies from the comfort of my work bench



They elected for me not to install new dust shields due to parts cost, despite me advising against that. Oh well. In reality not the end of the world but it bugs me. New assembly installed.





Also managed to squeeze in a bucket list hike of mine: The Franconia ridge loop. 8.6 miles total, summiting 3 peaks. Despite it being a decent day at the bottom, the weather along the ridge was brutal. Windchill was 16F with strong winds.

Passed some sweet waterfalls on the way up






Upon entering the ridge, this is the view we would have had on a clear day



But this is what we were faced with




Made it along the 1.5 miles of the ridge to all 3 peaks, and then the views stated improving on the way down as we got below the clouds.





Still an amazing experience - one that I’ll be sure to do again on a clear day to be fully appreciated.