Between 705 & 1200 SQ/FT Roboto's Garage

[68400BIRD]

Crab Grass grows really good in MN.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Lawn is looking great. Do you know what type of grass you have there? Looking for something good for my lawn here in MN.

I’m sorry, good question, I’m actually not sure!

Been a few weeks again for me.. Have a few updates. And I apologize, I need to spend some time getting caught up on a lot of threads I like to follow!

Had a JK Wrangler in for a leaking axle seal. Kind of a pain to replace. The axle shaft was really stuck in there. And you need to cut off the old bearing/race to get to the seal, and then press new ones on, but I finally had a good use for my press, which if you remember/as you can see… lives in my basement haha.

This is a Jeep I’ve worked on many times. The previous owner sold it and passed along my info to the new buyer, so now I have a new customer as well.











The green 2 door is still at the body shop, but he finally sent me some nice progress pics. It should hopefully be ready in a week or so. I hope it looks as good in person. It’s going to be hard to sell, as I’ll never probably find another 2 door 5 speed that will look this good…. But I can’t justify keeping 2 XJs sadly.













Have a few more quick updates.. but I’m out of pics in this post. Will update again soon.

 

[zmotorsports]

Nice job on the JK rear axle, those are just like the old Ford 9" axle shafts and while not as easy to replace as some of the C-clip style, they're actually not too bad to do. Looks like that one has a bit of corrosion going on in the E-brake assembly as well.

The XJ is looking good.

 

[Bob Heine]

But I can’t justify keeping 2 XJs sadly.

Register and insure one on even years and the other one on odd years. Or make one the Summer XJ and the other the Winter XJ.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Nice job on the JK rear axle, those are just like the old Ford 9" axle shafts and while not as easy to replace as some of the C-clip style, they're actually not too bad to do. Looks like that one has a bit of corrosion going on in the E-brake assembly as well.

The XJ is looking good.

Give me a good old c-clip axle any day!!!

Register and insure one on even years and the other one on odd years. Or make one the Summer XJ and the other the Winter XJ.

Funny thing is my wife probably wouldn’t even notice either haha. When I showed her the pics of the paint progress, she said “oh how come you changed it from blue?” It’s been green since th day I brought it home.

I finally got some new tires for the Tundra. If you recall, I got a new (used) set of rims for it 8+ months ago. These were the old wheels that came on the truck (which I actually just sold to the friend who Bought my old 2008 tundra.)



And these are the new wheels and tires. Went with the new Falken Wildpeak AT4. Love the look of these wheels much better.



My daughter was all amped up to help me in the garage last weekend, so off to work we went. New tires and grips for my full suspension bike





And I decided to install a hitch on my RAV4, so that I can use my bike rack on that car. It was kind of a pain to install since most of the structure is hidden up inside the bumper, but it was the lowest profile option.



Had to get creative for the install because she wasn’t really able to help with this step.






Oh and I bought another bike… oops. Used marketplace deal I could not pass up!




Hope everyone has a good 4th!!

 

[zmotorsports]

Give me a good old c-clip axle any day!!!

Actually C-Clip styles have their shortcomings as well. Personally, I've seen more issues with the C-clip style axles than the Ford 9" style with the pressed-on bearings and retainer. Although it could be I've seen more issues because I have seen more axles with this style so it may not be a fair comparison. Back when I was racing, I saw more than a few C-Clip style axle shafts lose the end when the reduced area from the C-Clip breaks off and the axle comes out of engagement with the carrier.

The other nice thing about the Ford 9" style (pressed bearing and retainer) is that you don't have to open the differential housing to pull an axle shaft. Just tip up the side you're pulling to keep the fluid in the housing, unbolt and pull the shaft. The downside comes when having to replace the bearing as the retainer is sacrificial on that style.

 

[nicholam77]

My daughter was all amped up to help me in the garage last weekend, so off to work we went. New tires and grips for my full suspension bike

Nice

Does she like Pink Floyd? Randomly, my daughter (similar age) says her favorite song is “another brick in the wall”. I say randomly because I don’t know where she heard it, maybe on the radio in the car? But she likes the part where they say “Teacher! Leave those kids alone!”

Great work as always! Happy 4th!

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Nice

Does she like Pink Floyd? Randomly, my daughter (similar age) says her favorite song is “another brick in the wall”. I say randomly because I don’t know where she heard it, maybe on the radio in the car? But she likes the part where they say “Teacher! Leave those kids alone!”

Great work as always! Happy 4th!

She doesn’t, she just liked the shirt one day when we were out shopping haha. That’s funny about your daughter, I can see how she’d like that one!

I’ve had another busy last couple of weeks. Went on a work trip to Cincinnati. Caught a Reds game one night I was there.





Then I came back and caught a Red Sox game with my daughter. Caught her a ball!



We took a family vacation the week after to one of those Yogi Bear Jellystone campgrounds. Rented a cabin there and did some “glamping”. It was on a lake, they have a really nice large pool, bunch of activities for the kids - it was a good time!





Brought a bike too. Went for a few early morning rides before the family even woke up.





And last but not least, the XJ is officially back from paint!



I thought the wheels on it really let the finished product down, so I grabbed some 16” TJ Moab wheels on marketplace for it, which are quite desirable. I’ll let the buyer choose what set they want with it, if they prefer more of a stock look. I need to re-do the headliner I already re-did (long story…) fix the front door speaker wiring, few small odds and ends and then I’ll list it for sale.




Oh, and I managed to sneak in a hike too, to mentally reset before having to come back to work.

 

[ogdawg]

Nice work on the XJ. I’d love to have another 2 door 5 speed some day. Definitely no reason you can’t have more than one, coming from someone that had 2 XJs, an MJ and a WJ all at once.

 

[zmotorsports]

Looks like a fun family trip based on the kid's smiles.

The XJ turned out great also. Nice job.

 

[nicholam77]

She doesn’t, she just liked the shirt one day when we were out shopping haha.

I get it. It is rainbow and 'pretty'!

Looks like you're making good use of summer!

I went to a baseball game last night with my dad (Twins) and my daughter asked to come with. I couldn't take her because we were gifted some good seats. She has 0 interest in sports (I'm not really a sports enthusiast myself but I do love a baseball game at the ballpark), but it got me thinking I should take her. I know yours is similar in age... how does she tolerate it? There were some younger kids last night which I was surprised because it went until like 11pm but they did pretty well. I might try a minor league weekend game and test the waters.

 

[Jayman17]

Looks like you are in a beautiful part of the country. Those hiking pics are great!

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Nice work on the XJ. I’d love to have another 2 door 5 speed some day. Definitely no reason you can’t have more than one, coming from someone that had 2 XJs, an MJ and a WJ all at once.

Haha you’re not wrong…. But I have a vehicle related vision I haven’t really talked about that I’m working towards, and selling this is part of the means to get there

Looks like a fun family trip based on the kid's smiles.

The XJ turned out great also. Nice job.

Thank you! And a good time was had by all.

I get it. It is rainbow and 'pretty'!

Looks like you're making good use of summer!

I went to a baseball game last night with my dad (Twins) and my daughter asked to come with. I couldn't take her because we were gifted some good seats. She has 0 interest in sports (I'm not really a sports enthusiast myself but I do love a baseball game at the ballpark), but it got me thinking I should take her. I know yours is similar in age... how does she tolerate it? There were some younger kids last night which I was surprised because it went until like 11pm but they did pretty well. I might try a minor league weekend game and test the waters.

So I have a connection that hooks me up with these 4 seats that are a few rows from the field for free every year. I used to feel guilty “wasting” them on her when she was too little to appreciate them, so I’ve taken a bunch of family and friends over the years. But now, I don’t feel totally bad taking her as she’s a bit older to appreciate the seats, and if we don’t last super long, the tickets were still free… but she’s really getting much better. We made it until the 7th inning this time. The trick is to not get there very early before the game starts, pay the outrageous fee to park close to the park to avoid a long walk to/from the park, and keep the food and snacks flowing haha. She’s not into the actual game as much as she is into the atmosphere. But I’m all about making memories with her. She’s honestly my best friend now and love every second. We’re actually taking a mini vacation together just the 2 of us in a few weeks!

Looks like you are in a beautiful part of the country. Those hiking pics are great!

Thank you! I do quite love living in New Hampshire. I spend most of my time in the white mountains, but made the 3.5 hour trip each way for this hike in Maine. It offers a challenging steep hike up that involves some mild bouldering, and a squeeze through an obstacle called “fat man’s misery”

2 peaks at the top, a hike along an exposed ridge line, and a rare fresh water lake near the second summit can’t be beat.

Here are a few more shots from this adventure

 

[Purist]

She doesn’t, she just liked the shirt one day when we were out shopping haha. That’s funny about your daughter, I can see how she’d like that one!

I’ve had another busy last couple of weeks. Went on a work trip to Cincinnati. Caught a Reds game one night I was there.





Then I came back and caught a Red Sox game with my daughter. Caught her a ball!



We took a family vacation the week after to one of those Yogi Bear Jellystone campgrounds. Rented a cabin there and did some “glamping”. It was on a lake, they have a really nice large pool, bunch of activities for the kids - it was a good time!





Brought a bike too. Went for a few early morning rides before the family even woke up.





And last but not least, the XJ is officially back from paint!



I thought the wheels on it really let the finished product down, so I grabbed some 16” TJ Moab wheels on marketplace for it, which are quite desirable. I’ll let the buyer choose what set they want with it, if they prefer more of a stock look. I need to re-do the headliner I already re-did (long story…) fix the front door speaker wiring, few small odds and ends and then I’ll list it for sale.




Oh, and I managed to sneak in a hike too, to mentally reset before having to come back to work.

Looks like you and the family are having quite the summer...happy to see it, bud!! My dad would usually get tix to the Sox through his company several times a year, but he just retired so not sure we'll be reaping that benefit any longer. I actually haven't been to a game this year, sadly. My dad and I did just spend a night in Portland last weekend and we caught a Sea Dogs game. That team is absolutely stacked: Mayer/Anthony/Teel/Campbell/etc.

My sister and BIL (and nieces) just went to the same campground as you not that long ago, maybe last month, and had nothing but great things to say about it. It's definitely on our list now.

XJ looks absolutely fantastic.

Hope all is well, Nick!

 

[Purist]

Time for a quick Monday update.

I Purchased a wall mounted shop vac for the garage for the sole purpose of vacuuming out my cars - after some research I ended up with the Hoover GUV. I decided to mount it on the wall in between the 2 garage doors (glad I added that plug there!) above my generator inlet box. Once I mounted it, though, I wasn't too happy with there being a little bit of wiggle to it since I wasn't able to lag into a stud due to the location, and I felt like I was always going to have to be delicate as to not damage the drywall there. I decided to rip a piece of plywood for this wall and mount the vac and the generator box to this. Much sturdier. The vac also came with a bent wire hanger for the hose storage, which I also thought was kind of cheesy. I went to home depot to just get a steel hose hanger, but I came across this instead: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RULG8I/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Which was perfect, because it had a built in storage compartment which I could use to hold all the vac accessories and attachments. I'm happy with how this all came out, although I'll have to pull it all down again to paint the wall. Once I do, though, I don't think it will be too noticeable that this is plywood instead of drywall.

And...some more obligatory drywall pics....I have 2 coats on all of the corners (except where the rear wall meets the ceiling) and have 3 coats on the left, right, and 90% of the rear wall. Need to get a 3rd coat done on the ceiling now and I think I will (finally) be in pretty good shape. I can't wait until I can actually start painting in there.

GUV FTW!!!

 

[Mr. Roboto]

GUV FTW!!!

Hahahah I love that you dug the old post up. Man, it feels like yesterday when I started my garage transformation, but that post is 9 years old! Crazy…. Did you secure a vacuum yet?

Trying to finish up this green xj so I can get it sold. You may recall, I recovered the headliner, but the backer board itself was in very poor shape. Someone removed half of its layers the last time it was recovered, so I just went over it with some cheap fabric from Walmart, and it didn’t hold. The entire thing separated again. So I drove up to a guy about 45 min away who parts out XJs and grabbed a headliner. It looked like most of them do by now.



Stripped



Mid surgery, under the eyes of the donor recipient haha



Re-covered w actual headliner fabric this time



Back in it goes



My truck also died on me.. Crank, no start. Thankfully it happened here in the driveway, I just drove it 8 hour round trip to Maine a few weekends ago. XJ to the rescue.



I don’t have a scanner that I can command the pump on/off with, so I had to do it the old fashioned way. My older daughter turned the key on and off over and over for me while I diagnosed things. But the youngest didn’t want to be left out. Don’t tell OSHA.



Had spark and air, but I couldn’t hear the fuel pump. I thought the worst: that I’d have to drop the tank which was full of 40 gallons to swap the pump. But I narrowed it down to the fuel pump control module. Didn’t even know it had one to be honest going into this. Had power from battery to fuse to relay, to the fuel pump control module. Also the engine ECU was sending a 12v command signal to the control module, which should have triggered 12v to be sent to the pump, but there was 0v coming out of it. I applied 12v directly to the pump and I heard it come on. So I was pretty confident that was the issue. More costly than what a fuel pump would have run my, but WAY less labor intensive. I’ll take it.


Old module out.



It wasn’t until I unbolted it from the frame rail that I noticed there was some damage to the connector. It still plugged in fine but there’s some history here from before I owned it clearly.



Went with a Dorman replacement at about 1/2 the cost of the Toyota one. I’ve always had mixed luck with Dorman in general, but I plugged it in and the truck fired right up. I don’t have a ton of experience with electric diagnosis, so it felt good to get this one right!

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Well, after dragging it home on my trailer almost 5 months ago, I finally got some time to start working on the Camaro. Got someone to help me push it into the garage onto the lift.



As a refresher, this car blew the line in between the master/slave cylinder when the previous owner had it. He replaced it with a Dorman hose, but it would not stay plugged in to the transmission... it kept popping off. After some research, you cannot buy just the hose from GM. it comes as an assembly with the master. I've had mixed luck with the fit of Dorman parts in the past, so I took a chance and ordered the whole assembly (master, hose, and res) pre-bled. Good thing, when I removed the old assembly, the rod was completely bent.



Put the new one one in, bled the slave, and she's moving under hew own power again! I think I need to bleed it some more though, it grinds going into first or reverse from a stop sometimes unless I pump it a few times, but I'll tackle that another day.

Pretty happy to finally drive this car a bit. Frustrated I didn't find the time to do this a while ago, as summer is wrapping up now, but that's life.

 

[zmotorsports]

Glad to see you get the 4th Gen on the road and it looks sharp. Should be a fun toy.

 

[Purist]

Hahahah I love that you dug the old post up. Man, it feels like yesterday when I started my garage transformation, but that post is 9 years old! Crazy…. Did you secure a vacuum yet?

So cliche, but time really does start to fly, especially once kids come into the equation. I feel like we only recently moved into our house but we've already been here 8+ years.

Yessir! I ended up grabbing that VacuMaid Garage Vac that you and I had chatted about. Coincidentally, I also came down with Covid the day I picked it up (I could feel myself getting sick during the ~1 hr drive), so other than taking it out of my car when I got home, I haven't had a chance to really mess with it yet or find a good spot to mount it because we also left for Aruba last Tuesday (just got back LATE Sunday night. Thankfully I had a full week before leaving for Aruba to isolate and allow my body to fight Covid, but as always, it KICKED my ***.

Got plans tonight, but should hopefully have some time tomorrow while working from home to hopefully get it mounted. I've got some ideas for a slatwall in the garage, so I'll hopefully have an update in my thread soon.

Great work getting the headliner done and the Camaro running! Awesome to see you getting your girls involved! Take care, brother!

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Yessir! I ended up grabbing that VacuMaid Garage Vac that you and I had chatted about. Coincidentally, I also came down with Covid the day I picked it up (I could feel myself getting sick during the ~1 hr drive), so other than taking it out of my car when I got home, I haven't had a chance to really mess with it yet or find a good spot to mount it because we also left for Aruba last Tuesday (just got back LATE Sunday night. Thankfully I had a full week before leaving for Aruba to isolate and allow my body to fight Covid, but as always, it KICKED my ***.

Aw man, sorry to hear that you got sick, but glad to hear you made it though! Aruba sounds like the perfect way to get over that mess though haha.

Looking forward to see the vac go up!

Still battling the Camaro. From the research I’ve done, the T56 is notoriously difficult to bleed. I picked up a Mityvac and vacuum bled it from the master cylinder reservoir. Got a good bit of air out, and it’s now better, but I still need to pump the clutch a few times to get it into first or reverse from a stop sometimes. I need to put it up on the lift and see if the tires still spin with the clutch in next to see if I’m getting full disengagement or not. I’m also only driving it on my road, still haven’t registered it.



She’s looking pretty good though, for not being washed in months after sitting outside haha.



Racked my wife’s car this weekend too. She’s been complaining about a noise at the front passenger wheel. Turns out the front lower ball joint is bad. I just replaced her lower control arms with Moog units, that had new ball joints pre installed. Already bad… go figure. Replaced just the ball joint this time. Hopefully she gets more than a few thousand miles out of this one.



Also… I took the for sale photos of the Jeep. I think I’m calling it done. I’ll list it up for sale in the next few days more than likely.

 

[Finallygotit]

I bet that Jeep disappears shortly!

 

[Purist]

If I had the garage space for that XJ, I might be jumping all over it. Not sure the wife would approve of 3 vehicles for me atm, though.

I really need to get a 4 post, already.

 

[MadeByMiller]

The XJ looks amazing - well done! Is it possible to add the Cherokee decal/badge to the driver side too? The lack of symmetry is the only problem haha

 

[ogdawg]

XJ literally looks perfect. Makes me really miss my 2 door 5 speed.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

I bet that Jeep disappears shortly!

Spoiler alert: it did!

If I had the garage space for that XJ, I might be jumping all over it. Not sure the wife would approve of 3 vehicles for me atm, though.

I really need to get a 4 post, already.

I agree…. A 4 post lift is definitely in your future!!

The XJ looks amazing - well done! Is it possible to add the Cherokee decal/badge to the driver side too? The lack of symmetry is the only problem haha

Yes, you can still buy reproduction decals, but I gotta leave something for the next guy to do!

XJ literally looks perfect. Makes me really miss my 2 door 5 speed.

Thanks for the kind words everyone on the finished product of the Jeep. I listed it up for sale Tuesday night, and it sold tonight. I had a ton of interest in it, but the first guy who showed up bought it for very close to my asking price. This was definitely my most profitable flip so far, but I really put a lot of sweat equity into this one!

 

[Fast_Ed]

Congrats on the sale!! The Jeep looked really good after all you put into it.

Now onto the Camaro!

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Congrats on the sale!! The Jeep looked really good after all you put into it.

Now onto the Camaro!

I’m on it!!

I’m still battling this clutch. There is either still air in the line, or the clutch is not shimmed properly. Either way, I’m not getting the full throw. With the clutch fully pressed in, the rear wheels still turn when it’s on the lift. Its not as apparent on the street with the weight of the car, but the clutch starts to grab the MILLIMETER I start to pick it up off the floor. So because of this it’s extremely hard to get the car in gear. Sometimes impossible to get it into 1st or reverse from a stop. If anyone has any advice here I’m all ears. I’ve bled it at the slave and vacuume bled it at the master multiple times.

I did turn my attention to what I thought was a quick interior project. The seats weren’t in the best of shape. The fabric and foam definitely have seen better days, the drivers seat being the worst of the bunch.



I found a set of seats on marketplace close by out of a 97 “30th anniversary” Camaro so I hit the guy up. He said they are in good shape, but we’re “a bit crusty underneath”. I went over to check them out and upon first glance it just seemed the rails were kind of rusty, but I knew mine were in good shape, and the price was right, so I bought them.



Started to strip the old seats




Rear seats in



Once I got to the fronts and removed the rails to swap, I realized it was much much worse. The entire seat frame was trash. So rotten to the point where the spring platform the foam sits on wasn’t even attached to anything anymore. Ugh.

So I disassembled the “new” and “old” seats in their entirety and collectively built a pair of good seats



All done!



I want to love this car. I learned to deal with how to shift the transmission for now. Went for a nice cruise with the t tops off and it’s awesome… but I don’t think it’s up to my standards long term, and I don’t know that I want to invest a ton into making it what I want.

I don’t regret buying it. The price was definitely right and I will make money selling it when the time comes. I alluded to this in the past, but it’s a stepping stone the car I really want: A manual C6 corvette. I’ve been passively looking and getting a sense of what I want and where the market is over time (and saving money of course haha) So, this Camaro may go up for sale in the spring… time will tell!

 

[mike528]

Might have to bite the bullet this winter and drop the trans to inspect the clutch, I had to do this in the crv I got with clutch problems, fought the master/ slave/ lines for a while before I finally dropped the trans and found the fingers on the pressure plate broke off and one fell into the clutch locking it up.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Might have to bite the bullet this winter and drop the trans to inspect the clutch, I had to do this in the crv I got with clutch problems, fought the master/ slave/ lines for a while before I finally dropped the trans and found the fingers on the pressure plate broke off and one fell into the clutch locking it up.

I think I dodged a bullet! I did a lot of research and many people have similar issues with the LSx/T56 platform. The GM master cylinder is the weak link in the setup, and I can now see why. A company called Tick Performance makes an aftermarket master cylinder that is supposed to address a lot of these common drivability issues. It has an adjustable linkage, is made of all metal, and has a larger cylinder bore that moves more fluid in a shorter stroke. The GM one is a $225 piece of overpriced plastic junk… thankfully I bought it from Summit, and they have a 6 month no questions asked return policy, so back it goes.

This is kind of a pain of a job, so I didn’t take many photos. But here is the GM and Tick Performance for comparison wide by side. Tick unit is made from CNC aluminum with a cast cylinder.



Got it installed, bled, and followed the directions for adjusting the pedal linkage length. Went for a test drive, and for the first time ever, I was able to get the car into first and reverse repeatedly and effortlessly. Calling this one a win for now.



Ordered a replacement t top handle too. The previous owner had a pair of vice grips on there, which mangled the splines up. Took my time with a file and fixed the teeth the best I could. Greased the linkage, replaced the handle, and it works/looks better.



Other than that, I’ve been trying to get as many hikes in as I can before the season ends. Got PTO to burn so I’ve been using it.

Tackled Mt. Washington, which is the tallest peak in the northeast. Probably not very high compared to some other areas of the country, but don’t be fooled, it’s basically a pile of boulders and I (knowingly) took the hardest trail up haha.



Tuckermans Ravine in the back



Also did a multi peak hike through Jackson and Pierce. Mt Washington is the tall peak over my left shoulder way in the distance.



Caught the sunset over Crawford notch as the hike was coming to end and. Epic day, if I do say so myself.

 

[Finallygotit]

Glad you got the Camaro clutch sorted out. You're right, the GM unit does look like a piece of junk.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Haven’t updated in a minute, but been keeping busy over here!

Been enjoying what’s left of fall outdoors in New England.



Spent a week at White Sands Missile Range/Holloman AFB for work. Can’t really show much for obvious reasons, other than photos taken from approved areas and/or off base.








Also, I finally upgraded ur TV setup. Here’s my 12 year old plasma and tv stand that I’ve basically had since my bachelor days



Upgraded to a 77” OLED and a new console to better hide the electronics, and balance out the size of these big speakers. Going to try and force myself to sit still more so that I can enjoy it.



Been filling in down time with side jobs as usual.. replaced the fuel tank skid/mount on this wrangler. The old tank was on the verge of falling out of the jeep.



And we celebrated Halloween last night



We go to my parents neighborhood every year, people really go all out there



Hope everyone is well!

 

[nicholam77]

Wow that Halloween setup looks like a lot of fun!

Jealous of all the hiking and scenery.

What's the TV, LG? Looks great and same w/the new media console

I grabbed a Sony Bravia X900H 65" a few years ago that I'm super happy with. It's not OLED, but picture quality competes, with full array local dimming and excellent Dolby Vision HDR. My one regret is not going a little bigger... I was coming from a 46" so at the time it seemed like a big upgrade, but these days ~77" sounds about perfect for movies (and at the limitations of my space). Should last you for a long time!

 

[Bob Heine]

t these days ~77" sounds about perfect for movies

Nick, I bought a Samsung 75" 4K UHD LED LCD TV from Costco back at the end of August. Delivered to the front door it was $748.99.

That extra two inches in the diagonal measurement seems to triple the price of the TV. It appears Best Buy has an LG 75" Class UT70 Series LED 4K UHD Smart webOS TV for $549.99 (before tax). That price is for a 2024 model but a 2022 model is even cheaper.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-75-class-ut70-series-led-4k-uhd-smart-webos-tv-2024/6593575.p?skuId=6593575&extStoreId=554&utm_source=feed&ref=212&loc=TVsGeneral&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA_qG5BhDTARIsAA0UHSLMVwBvNEvpYKjWAOwV21itV8qhS9ewEXr4wvZdKaT_gACe6Q2VH1kaAqwpEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Wow that Halloween setup looks like a lot of fun!

Jealous of all the hiking and scenery.

What's the TV, LG? Looks great and same w/the new media console

I grabbed a Sony Bravia X900H 65" a few years ago that I'm super happy with. It's not OLED, but picture quality competes, with full array local dimming and excellent Dolby Vision HDR. My one regret is not going a little bigger... I was coming from a 46" so at the time it seemed like a big upgrade, but these days ~77" sounds about perfect for movies (and at the limitations of my space). Should last you for a long time!

Thank you! Yes, it's a 77" LG C4. I've been eyeing one forever. The comparable Sony OLED does a bit better with upscaling 1080p content than the LG, but I don't even have cable anymore so most of what I watch/stream is native 4K now anyways. The LG was on sale too, so the Sony was a good bit more expensive. This TV was still expensive though, don't get me wrong haha.

The plasma I replaced was a 60". 60" to 77" was an overwhelming jump at first, but after getting used to it for a day or 2, I think it's the perfect size for the room. I certainly could not justify the price tag of the 83", and it would have been too large for my space.

Nick, I bought a Samsung 75" 4K UHD LED LCD TV from Costco back at the end of August. Delivered to the front door it was $748.99.

That extra two inches in the diagonal measurement seems to triple the price of the TV. It appears Best Buy has an LG 75" Class UT70 Series LED 4K UHD Smart webOS TV for $549.99 (before tax). That price is for a 2024 model but a 2022 model is even cheaper.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-75-class-ut70-series-led-4k-uhd-smart-webos-tv-2024/6593575.p?skuId=6593575&extStoreId=554&utm_source=feed&ref=212&loc=TVsGeneral&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA_qG5BhDTARIsAA0UHSLMVwBvNEvpYKjWAOwV21itV8qhS9ewEXr4wvZdKaT_gACe6Q2VH1kaAqwpEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I think it's more a function of the TV type/technology vs the size jump. If I'm not mistaken, most (if not all) 77" tvs are OLED, whereas the 75" are LED. You really pay up for an OLED unfortunately.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Had that white XJ I work on a lot back in the shop last weekend. His front end has been howling ever since I started working on it, and he finally decided to have me address it. Front wheel bearings and axle shaft u joints are shot. He’s got about 130k on this thing, and they all appeared to be original.

Up she goes and disassembly begins.



For as rust free as this jeep is overall, especially for the northeast, the front end was extremely crusty. Front hub removal was not super easy.



When I tied to press the u joints out of the axle shafts, they just busted right through the bearing caps, because they were so sized in there. The other shafts inner c clips on the bearing caps were not budging either. We chatted and just made the call to replace the shafts with new crown shafts preassembled with spicer u joints vs wasting a bunch of time fighting these old ones.



I also discovered one of the axle seals was leaking, so I replaced those both when I was in there



Got to use my new fancy inner seal driver.



New shafts installed



I got my XJ out a bit too before the winter sets in.



Quick hike up to the fire tower while I was there too.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Had another 5.7 Ram towed in, with 3 separate issues. No crank no start, Evap check engine light, and a coolant leak. First issue was quickly determined to be the starter. Winters are not kind here.



Next up was the coolant leak. Pressure tested the system.



Seemed like the water pump was leaking. Confirmed via the scope.



Grabbed a new gates replacement. The shaft on the old pump literally had 1/2” of runout… crazy.

I always like seeing the backside of the pump design whenever I do one.




Reinstalled




Bleeding the system



This little scanner I picked up has been great. It’s nice to be able to monitor live data when doing stuff. It’s nice knowing when you’ll hit the temp the thermostat will open.



After years of makeshift setups to remove fan clutches, I grabbed an air hammer based removal kit. It worked so well.



I still have to diag the Evap light on this one as well.

I also have a Maxima here as well for some work. Needs new front and rear bumpers. I tried ordering from a company called “paintnship”. They sell paint matched body parts. They fold the damn bumpers pretty aggressively though to save on shipping costs. The paper they ship with said “leave them out in the sun for several hours and they will return to shape!” However that’s really not an option in the northeast this time of year. This is after sitting out in my basement for a week.




Took a bunch of finessing but I did get them straightened out. Here’s my setup haha.




Took a few days off this week, so I’m hoping to stay productive with some projects. I haven’t had time, energy, or motivation lately, so I’m hoping to change that. Also, after weeks of back pain and a random hip injury, I’m finally feeling better. Been feeling like 37 going on 57 lately!

 

[zmotorsports]

Excellent workmanship as usual.

Nice job on the white XJ. Good call on doing both seals, as it isn't worth all the work to just replace the one that is leaking. More than likely dragging an axle shaft out of an older non-leaking one and then reinstalling will more than likely start leaking in short order anyways.

You will like that fan clutch hub remover. I bought the same one marketed by Matco about 20 years ago and it works awesome. So quick and hassle free not having to hold the hub while trying to break the clutch free.

Glad you were able to get out and enjoy some outdoors, the green XJ is looking superb.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Excellent workmanship as usual.

Nice job on the white XJ. Good call on doing both seals, as it isn't worth all the work to just replace the one that is leaking. More than likely dragging an axle shaft out of an older non-leaking one and then reinstalling will more than likely start leaking in short order anyways.

You will like that fan clutch hub remover. I bought the same one marketed by Matco about 20 years ago and it works awesome. So quick and hassle free not having to hold the hub while trying to break the clutch free.

Glad you were able to get out and enjoy some outdoors, the green XJ is looking superb.

Thank you! I need to get over to your thread and get caught up on all you’ve been up to. The Green XJ is (sadly) sold now too. It was hard to let that one go, but the intention was always to flip it for a profit.


I jumper over to working on that Maxima yesterday. Front bumper r/r




He asked me to add fog lights to the bumper after I sent him this photo, so I’ve got those on order.

Rear bumper was also trashed







He also asked me to see what I could do with this damage.



It’s not perfect, but I’d say it’s much improved



My Flex Da polisher barely made it through this job. The backing place disintegrated. I stopped to think about how long I’ve had this thing, and it’s over 15 years old. Luckily I can still get replacement parts for it.



Also made a little improvement in the garage sound department. I’ve had a pathetic old 8” sony subwoofer out here forever. It doesn’t have enough power to full the garage with bass. Snagged this Acoustech 12” sub for an absolute steal off marketplace. Added a quick little shelf to the corner of my upper cabinets and we’re rocking. Im keeping an eye out on marketplace for a speaker upgrade as well. Would love to find a vintage set of Klipsch cabinets to round out a nice 2.1 setup. I’ve had these Cambridge Soundworks Model Six speakers for an eternity. I remember buying them with my first paycheck, must to my parents dismay. They just don’t have the clarity I’m looking for. I know… it’s just a garage….

 

[Mr. Roboto]

The rest of the parts came in for the Maxima.

Fog lights installed





And the rear tail light is in.



That’s a wrap for this one.

I also found this little remote organizer on Amazon. Command strips secure it to the side of my toolbox for my TV, Stereo, and Roku remotes



Finished up my basement home gym as well. This has been an ever evolving work in progress since Covid. I ordered a selectorized lat pulldown down/low row combo during Black Friday. Got that set up and in its place.




I also finished up adding the curtain “walls”. There are storage shelves behind most of these, but the curtains keep them out of sight.






I’m pretty happy with how this all turned out. I’d like to do something on the ceiling, but I’m just not sure it’s worth the effort.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Happy almost new year, everyone!

Adding that subwoofer into my garage really motivated me to round out the audio upgrade out there. I’ve been looking for a vintage pair of Klipsch speakers for a while, and finally found a pair for a great deal. Cabinets are a little beat up, but thats ok for the garage.



I also need to re-cover the grilles. Here they are leaning up against the playhouse Santa brought the girls for Christmas haha. Easy fix, having the frames is half the battle.





I found a pair of shelves that would hold them perfectly.



They sound killer. I ended up having to rotate my last row of lights because they interfered, but they actually work better in this orientation. This kicked me off into patching up a bunch of random holes in the garage and finishing up painting stuff I’ve been putting off forever because I hate painting. I finally finished painting the windows out there



I carried this motivation into the house. I’m embarrassed to admit but the new windows I had installed about a year and a half ago still all have trim that’s just primed. I started by filling the nail holes and painting the large window in the dining room.



I also finally painted the attic hatch I built forever ago



I also replaced the rubber mat on this workbench. I beat it up and jut replace it every 2 years or so. It was due. My old garage speakers are on the bench to the left.



And finally, the shelves that I bought for those speakers arrived with a damaged corner. Still totally usable, but I hate paying full price for something that’s damaged. I did an amazon chat to ask I could receive a partial refund. They said that was not possible, but they could send me a second set and I could keep the old ones… go figure. So I installed them here



That’s about it for now! It feels good tackling these small things I’ve been putting off forever. Hoping to keep this motivation rolling to paint the rest of the windows inside the house. One down, 13 more to go.