ZMotorsports Shop Projects 2.0

[XJSuperman]

I'll swear by those Coopers, they're great tires. When I replace the ones on my new old truck I will be putting those AT3s on as long as GoodYear doesn't ruin them before I get there. On a smaller application (Chevy S10), my buddy and his father got over 100,000miles on a set (which may have been at2's at the time he purchased). Other buddies with them on their trucks love em. I put a set on my ex's Dakota and it did really well in all forms of weather with them.

Of course we want to hear your detailed review as well Mike. I think your son will be happy with those.

 

[zmotorsports]

I'll swear by those Coopers, they're great tires. When I replace the ones on my new old truck I will be putting those AT3s on as long as GoodYear doesn't ruin them before I get there. On a smaller application (Chevy S10), my buddy and his father got over 100,000miles on a set (which may have been at2's at the time he purchased). Other buddies with them on their trucks love em. I put a set on my ex's Dakota and it did really well in all forms of weather with them.

Of course we want to hear your detailed review as well Mike. I think your son will be happy with those.

Thanks for the comments. I spoke to my son last night after he now has several days and about a hundred miles on the new tires. He likes the looks of these on his truck and said they are nice and quiet at all speeds including freeway. They are taking it on a road trip leaving today so I will be interested in hearing how they rode when they get back. I doubt they will experience any foul weather as it is supposed to be nice for the next several days.

 

[zmotorsports]

My wife and I just returned from our annual fall Moab trip where we wheeled with the same group of friends that we did in Spearfish, SD last month. It was great to see them again, especially so soon after the last trip but unfortunately we won't see most of them again until next season.

Our parking spot for the week after arriving and getting set up. Weather was great with the exception of the last day which rained pretty hard after a night of high winds.


As we were airing down we joked about having the first day's trail mostly to ourselves. We decided to run a trail that is about 30 miles east of town and as we were driving out to the trailhead we saw absolutely no one on the highway nor the trail head as all was quiet. Well that changed within the first mile of Dome Plateau when we came upon 16 of the new Bronco's. They were led by some Ford exec's and all were driven by fairly new to the off-road scene drivers. No worries as we were all newbies at one point in time, however, trying to get around 16 vehicles was a bit more of a task than we bargained for. Over every obstacle, small or large, the leader would get out and spot the new drivers over them which took a LOT of time getting 16 vehicles over them. We finally got around them after a couple of miles when they pulled to the edge in various spots and let our smaller group past.




Here we are at our overlook lunch spot on Dome Plateau. We were just finishing up lunch when the group of Bronco's pulled in behind us. We figured they were going to be along so we parked pointing back out of the lunch spot near the top but leaving a lot of room for the group to still be able to park. Here is my Jeep trying to make those Bronco's look good, trying being the key word. One thing I noticed as they were pulling in that gave the indication that they were new to off-roading was the fact that they all pulled up very close and tight to one another. Barely enough room to walk between the vehicles and then it was obvious to some the error in their choice as they attempted to get into the rear cargo areas to retrieve drinks and/or jackets. Their tailgates would not clear the vehicle behind them. Watching them try to hold the rear tailgates while the other person tried to squeeze into the cargo area to retrieve their belongings was notable as most instantly saw the flaw in their parking choices. Like I said though, we were all new at one point and I'm certain they didn't make that mistake at the next stop. The Ford personnel quickly pulled out tables with drinks, sandwiches, chips and cookies for the drivers to partake of while enjoying the breathtaking view of the overlook.


We hung around for a bit as we were approached by several drivers from the group and discussed the area, the terrain, the weather and more importantly, what it was that drew us to off-roading in the first place. Several were interested in just how long we have been off-roading and what areas across the country we have visited to enjoy the off-road possibilities, especially when they learned that we were all RV'ers that traveled around together yet were from all different locations across the country. It was kind of cool talking to many of the drivers who were also from all across the country yet getting off the pavement to enjoy the outdoors is what brought us all together at this point in time and location.

Evidently the Bronco training course is a service offered by Ford for those who have already purchased or ordered a new Bronco. They were responsible to cover transportation getting to and from Moab but once there and signed up they were taken out for a 10-hour crash course in off-roading and more specifically, how to operate all of the electronics on the new Bronco as well as basic driving techniques when driving off road.


After we left the group we were headed over to Boca Arch when we ran across an older (late-80's) Bronco that pulled in beside us. The gentleman got out and walked over to us when I noticed he also had the Ford logo on his shirt and was dressed similar to the other guys leading the 16 newbies. I jokingly said he must have made a wrong turn from the group. He asked if we had encountered the group of 16 new Broncos and how they were doing. He was following along behind them to ensure they "left no trace". Most of you know my personal feeling on the "blue oval" brand but I have to admit, I was extremely impressed after talking to this gentleman about how they wanted to ensure they were being respectful of the environment and other drivers. We talked to the guy for about 20-minutes and he told us that teaching them the intricacies of their new Bronco was only part of the equation. He said that while they were on the trails they were also teaching proper trail etiquette, tire placement and other driving techniques and more importantly how to treat the trails with respect so that we all can enjoy them together and for a long time. This is something that I think needs to be taught much more with those new to the off-road community, especially with the side by side owners that we have encountered over the past couple of years. I think more dealerships, rental agencies and clubs/groups should do a better job of educating new off-road drivers because trail etiquette and respect for the outdoors has dramatically slipped over the last while. The fact the Ford was taking this responsibility seriously is in fact, impressive.


On another day we dropped down into Bull Canyon from Gemini Bridges main trail. Gemini Bridges is an easy trail and we really hadn't planned on running it during our trip, however, with the environmentalists gaining ground on closing down the Labyrinth Rims area of Moab which includes Gemini Bridges and Poison Spider off-road trails, we thought we had better go see them one more time.

Here we are looking down into the bottom of the ravine from Bull Canyon.


Here is the out and back section of Bull Canyon looking up at the Gemini Bridges trail.


Those people standing out on the top of the Gemini Bridges overlook were much too close to the edge for my liking.


Overall we had 5 straight days of off-roading and did some great trails but the wife and I were having so much fun we forgot to take very many pictures. I did however, talk the wife into driving the Jeep on several of the trails while I was spotting others and even spotted her down a couple of obstacles which she never would have even thought of in the past.

 

[zmotorsports]

On the 6th day of our trip it rained pretty hard so the rest of the group took an "off-day". Most of them are full-timers and had been in Moab for the entire month of October but seeing as how this was mine and my wife's vacation we opted to take full advantage and not sit around in the coach. It had been several years since we had been through Arches National Park as most of the time when we go to Moab it is to get off the pavement, not drive through the park. Well I didn't want to get the Jeep muddy so we stuck to the pavement and drove through Arches. Although we had been through Arches many times when our son was younger I don't think we have ever been through it when it was raining and the scenery had changed dramatically with the pouring rain.


The water coming down off of the rocks to form small waterfalls were too numerous to count. They were very beautiful to witness and then we noticed how each of the washed that had always been dry during previous visits to the park, were less than dry during a heavy rain.


The fall colors really popped in the rain and overcast lighting.


Several of the washes were flowing very heavily and changing the landscape while we sat there and witnessed mother nature in action.





It was a great trip and one I think my wife and I really needed after the past very busy and non-stop several years that we have had.

Thanks for looking.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

Thanks for sharing the pics Mike. As I've stated before, Moab is one of my wife and I's favorite places.

Very cool that Ford has taken the initiative to teach and then to make sure they aren't leaving behind any trash.

I don't know if it's the disconnect between urban and rural upbringings, but some people have little respect for nature and treat it like a trashcan. Common courtesy, manners, and common sense seem to be going by the wayside also!

 

[zmotorsports]

Thanks for sharing the pics Mike. As I've stated before, Moab is one of my wife and I's favorite places.

Very cool that Ford has taken the initiative to teach and then to make sure they aren't leaving behind any trash.

I don't know if it's the disconnect between urban and rural upbringings, but some people have little respect for nature and treat it like a trashcan. Common courtesy, manners, and common sense seem to be going by the wayside also!

Thanks Marc. While Moab is "one" of our favorite places to visit, it has been slipping lately due to all of the influx of outside influences. Many of these influences are NOT what I associate with the old Moab that we remember from many, many years ago. Those who are new or fairly new to visiting Moab won't understand but it has changed dramatically over the even just the past 4+ years, let alone the past 24 years that we've been going.

Currently there seems to be a "line in the sand" type of battle going on amongst the visitors and even the businesses in Moab. We have been sensing this divide over the past several years but this year it was very evident as some businesses are advertising as "off road friendly" while others are taking the other path. Not sure how it will turn out but it isn't looking good and that isn't even taking into account the recent talks about more trail closures by environmental groups. It's sad that there are those who think they are more entitled to the outdoors than others and then there are those that can't seem to see that their destructive actions are just giving the environmentalists ammunition for the fight. There are enough to go around, we should all be respectful of our outdoor areas and we should ALL be able to enjoy the same areas without having to restrict some to satisfy others. Sorry, off my high-horse now.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

So did you put a deposit down?



Best time of year in Moab; no crowds, cool weather, rain or snow........Bronco's everywhere......

 

[Mr.zippy]

Well said Mike........we fight like hell to get access, and keep access, in my neck of the woods....then some dough head will tear it up..... and we all suffer.

 

[zmotorsports]

So did you put a deposit down?



Best time of year in Moab; no crowds, cool weather, rain or snow........Bronco's everywhere......

Not only NO but HELL NO Ryan!!! No Bronco for me.

As for the best time of year to go to Moab, this time of year it used to be dead. When we would go over Halloween or the week prior the RV parks were probably less than quarter capacity and we could go out on even the most well known trails and either not see another vehicle or maybe only a couple. Going to dinner you could walk in to any restaurant and be seated immediately. Now if you don't make your reservations a year in advance, forget about getting a spot to park your RV and going to dinner is a joke. Moab is about the only place we travel now where we plan to eat the majority of our meals in our coach because I can't seem to stand in line or wait for an hour to get seated.

I know many go when Easter Jeep Safari is going on or other large events but personally I don't understand the draw to these large crowded events. I would much prefer to go when less people are there and with a small group. There's nothing fun about standing around watching two dozen Jeeps go over an obstacle while awaiting your turn. But I understand I am mostly alone in my thinking.

 

[Bodj Built]

Not only NO but HELL NO Ryan!!! No Bronco for me.

As for the best time of year to go to Moab, this time of year it used to be dead. When we would go over Halloween or the week prior the RV parks were probably less than quarter capacity and we could go out on even the most well known trails and either not see another vehicle or maybe only a couple. Going to dinner you could walk in to any restaurant and be seated immediately. Now if you don't make your reservations a year in advance, forget about getting a spot to park your RV and going to dinner is a joke. Moab is about the only place we travel now where we plan to eat the majority of our meals in our coach because I can't seem to stand in line or wait for an hour to get seated.

I know many go when Easter Jeep Safari is going on or other large events but personally I don't understand the draw to these large crowded events. I would much prefer to go when less people are there and with a small group. There's nothing fun about standing around watching two dozen Jeeps go over an obstacle while awaiting your turn. But I understand I am mostly alone in my thinking.

While I fully agree with everything you said, people are drawn to the crowds because it's their chance to be with like minded people. The people that go to the big groups typically don't have a small, close group to go out with.

 

[StormcrowAz]

Mike – My trip to Moab a couple weeks ago was the first time for me and I can understand and relate to some of the frustrations when it comes to all those people. The off-road scenery was incredible, but the town itself was a zoo. Way too many people. Our group (four vehicles) got up early, ate breakfast, and then hit the trails early. That left us to get back into town for an early dinner and miss some of the traffic. Still…sooo many people. I’d like to go back there, but if I have any say, I would avoid those more popular trails and get out where there are less folk cruisin’ around.


The Bronco story is interesting, as I was part of a similar event quite a while ago. Back when they were still producing the Hummer brand (I think it was around 2006) the Cadillac/Hummer dealership in Scottsdale hosted a similar “Get to know our vehicle off-road” event for all Hummer owners. There had to have been several hundred Hummers show up. 99% were H2’s or H3’s and only a small handful of H1’s or older Hummers. Like you said…everyone has to start somewhere, but it’s still amusing listening to them explain where the button is to engage four wheel drive. It was a fairly small trail run with a couple of very minor obstacles, but still took forever due to the sheer volume of vehicles, even split up into multiple groups. On the first small hill climb, the spotter at the bottom of the obstacle was giving everyone directions, tire placement, etc. When it came up to be my turn, he looks at me, looks at the Hummer, looked back at me and said: “Yeah…I’d tell you what to do but that would probably just piss you off. Go have fun!”



After the event was over, those few of us with the “real” Hummers met up and found a few more advanced areas to play in. Made some new friends and had great day, overall.




Hope you don’t mind the thread hijack!

 

[zmotorsports]

While I fully agree with everything you said, people are drawn to the crowds because it's their chance to be with like minded people. The people that go to the big groups typically don't have a small, close group to go out with.

I can see your point on if they don't have anyone to wheel with and want to meet people. Our local Jeep club hits every single EJS in Moab as well as Trail Hero and Winter 4x4 Jamboree in Hurricane, UT and can't figure out why I opt out of those events and go elsewhere or go when there isn't anything specific going on. They plan their entire year's vacation in order to attend these events whereas my wife and I plan our vacation "around" these events to miss them.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

I hate to say it, but that spot (Butcher Jones) is as busy as any trail in Moab. It's the closest OHV area to the east side of Phoenix, so everyone and their brother is out there on any given weekend. I'm pretty sure I broke my first drive shaft there when I was 16. I can't imagine how bad it is with the proliferation of UTV's these days. People used to think they were ********* four wheelers until they got back in and found burned up stolen mini-vans!

We went out and did the Sycamore Creek loop (across the highway) about 3 years ago and it was a warzone! There were dozens of guys shooting guns out in the desert with no backdrop, typical morons riding quads with no helmets, etc. I won't go back unless it's during the week.

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike – My trip to Moab a couple weeks ago was the first time for me and I can understand and relate to some of the frustrations when it comes to all those people. The off-road scenery was incredible, but the town itself was a zoo. Way too many people. Our group (four vehicles) got up early, ate breakfast, and then hit the trails early. That left us to get back into town for an early dinner and miss some of the traffic. Still…sooo many people. I’d like to go back there, but if I have any say, I would avoid those more popular trails and get out where there are less folk cruisin’ around.





Hope you don’t mind the thread hijack!

No worries and you didn't hijack my thread at all as we're all discussing the same topic.

You mentioned avoiding the more popular trails which is what we did this trip. I have actually gotten sick of doing trails like Fins & Things, Hell's Revenge and to some extent even Poison Spider although I really still like that one. It seems like whenever my wife and I hosted a rally or gathering in Moab over the past 10 years or so there were people who had not been to Moab before and wanted to do those iconic trails. My wife and I wanted people to enjoy their first trip to Moab so I would volunteer to lead a group over these popular Moab trails but I got so sick of doing Hell's Revenge I could puke.

The last two years we have definitely gotten off the "beaten path" as far as Moab trails go and I have enjoyed mapping out the lesser traveled areas on our tablet so I am slowly building myself quite a nice collection of tracks in our digital library. We started doing this in South Dakota and SW Colorado as well so we are getting just as versed in these areas as we are around Moab.

Another reason I take great pride in the fact that our Jeep is not a trailer queen is due to the fact that many of the trails we are choosing to run over the past couple of years are well out of town and in more remote areas where the trails are less congested. In South Dakota last month several of the runs we did were 60+ miles out of town and we saw no one on the trails. I also prefer to find trails that are not out and back so they don't exit the trail anywhere near where you enter the trail. This seems to have greatly decreased the chances of coming across side by sides on the trail as they generally don't have the range and must be trailered to the trail head.

This past week we explored the area around Cameo Cliffs and Jax Tracks south of Moab as well as Hell Roaring Rim to the north west of town. We explored some alternate routes around various portions of Hell Roaring Rim and found some awesome waterfalls to climb that we must have missed a couple of years ago when we ran that trail for the first time. As we were heading back from Hell Roaring Rim we also took several off-shoots from Debinky Well Road and saw where they took us. I am finding that exploring is just as much fun, if not more so, than playing on certain obstacles. The older I get I have found I don't need to prove anything to anyone so I don't necessarily need to do the trails with all of the obstacles. I like a nice mixture of plain dirt roads with a few obstacles mixed in to keep it interesting but more importantly, I like to find ones that offer a very scenic drive that the wife and I can enjoy together. We pride ourselves lately on searching for and marking great lunch spots on our digital tracks so when we go with others we can show them these areas and share our experiences with them. There's something about leading a group up to a large overlook, having everyone unload their lawn chairs and coolers and just sit and relax while eating lunch visiting that is very rewarding.

When we travel in areas that we are unfamiliar with I love following people who know the area and share these trails with us so I have started recording the tracks with more detail so I can duplicate them later.

 

[rattle_snake]

Sounds like another cool trip Mike. Moab is still on my list, some day...
I'm definitely an introvert, and avoid any crowded places (guess I'm impatient as well), so go to popular areas off season or mid week if I can.

I could see you behind the wheel of a highly modified bronco.

 

[zmotorsports]

I could see you behind the wheel of a highly modified bronco.

You're hilarious Justin. Ain't never gonna happen, EVER!!!!

 

[Finallygotit]

So what are you trying to say Mike?

 

[zmotorsports]

When we arrived home from Moab on Wednesday afternoon I gave the coach a bath before backing it back into the shop's RV bay but finally got around to washing and detailing the Jeep yesterday afternoon/evening.


The trails weren't nearly as dusty in Moab this past week which means the Jeep wasn't nearly as dusty as past trips which was kind of nice but I did blow out the engine bay and give it a wipe down before blowing out the interior and wiping and vacuuming it. Lastly after running a chamois over the paint to dry the exterior I removed the Sunrider top and reinstalled the fiberglass freedom tops for the cooler months approaching here in northern Utah.











I think the Jeep still looks great considering it now has 133k miles on the clock. Both interior and exterior are in fantastic condition. I didn't even get any pinstriping on the Jeep between South Dakota and Moab this year. Last year I got a few large scratches between those two trips and had to buff the paint out earlier this spring. I did have to grab my small hand shears that I keep readily available under my seat and trim a few small branches in South Dakota last month on two of the trails and only once did I have to get them out this past week in Moab to prevent any contact of foliage with my paint.

If anyone didn't know any different they would assume this thing never leaves the pavement.

I received a call from my tire shop while on vacation that my new tires have arrived so next time you see the Jeep it will have new shoes.

Thanks for looking.

 

[zmotorsports]

My wife called me as she was leaving work to inform me that she had another rock chip in her windshield from the morning's commute.

After finishing up the Jeep and parking it back in the house garage I snapped a couple of pictures of the shop just after the sun went down while waiting for her to get home so I could fill the rock chip.



From the rear corner of the house you can see my trees have nearly shed all of their leaves and my dry spot that I have been fighting all year long in my lawn actually is looking the best it has looked this year. Too bad the lawn is now ready to go dormant for the winter. I need to trim, edge and mow my lawns tonight so they look good for the weekend and not sure just how many more mows they'll get this year.


Windshield repair kit at the ready and windshield cleaned. Bridge installed and ready to insert the resin. This rock chip was relatively close to the last one that I repaired a week after the windshield replacement.


Resin inserted and filling the chip.


UV light applied after removing the bridge.


Thanks for looking.

 

[Boosted1]

Is there a rock magnet somewhere on that car? lol

 

[LXCam]

Nice write ups Mike, I truly enjoy living vicariously thru your off-road trips.

I know this might pain you but I’m gonna ask anyhow. So since you got to watch the new broncos do there thing. How’d there thing do? I’m certain no one was even remotely offered up anything considered difficult. But I’m certain basic functionality of certain aspects of the control systems were tested out.

Whatta ya think? Is it a pretty capable ride right out of the box?

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Mike, you finally came around! That blue is a nice color!

 

[Mr.zippy]

Popping corn now………

 

[zmotorsports]

Is there a rock magnet somewhere on that car? lol

It sure seems like it. Our interstate just south of where we live has been under construction for the past 2+ years now and it is getting ridiculous how many rocks are being flipped up along that section of interstate. Between the construction and the semi-trucks driver's that are not sweeping the debris off of their dump trucks before taking to our roads, it is getting old.

 

[zmotorsports]

Nice write ups Mike, I truly enjoy living vicariously thru your off-road trips.

I know this might pain you but I’m gonna ask anyhow. So since you got to watch the new broncos do there thing. How’d there thing do? I’m certain no one was even remotely offered up anything considered difficult. But I’m certain basic functionality of certain aspects of the control systems were tested out.

Whatta ya think? Is it a pretty capable ride right out of the box?

To be honest Cam, I think they will be fine. I am sure the aftermarket will be fully on board with products being available for them and they will offer a choice for those who don't want a Jeep or just wanting to try something different. Personally, I'm a Jeep guy, we're a Jeep family and I don't ever see that changing, especially for a blue oval.

That being said, I like to look at long term reliability of things. Maybe that is my 33+ year career as being an industrial maintenance mechanic and have taken reliability engineering serious as I have incorporated it not only into my daily job but also into everything I do in my home shop and especially on my personal vehicles. I like to think of things as how they would fall on a reliability triangle if you will. Mechanical things are always going to be more reliable then followed by pneumatics/hydraulics for doing work. Electrical is less reliable and generally more prone to having issues and the very least reliable component being the human element. With the human element being so influential in basically everything below it, it really opens up the opportunities for failures.

If you are aware of the many electronics that are being put on modern vehicles and how integrated they are throughout vehicles these days it should come as no surprise that long term reliability and dependability are things to consider. Granted electronics have come a LONG way over the past couple of decades and have become much more reliable but still things fail and I feel when you take a vehicle and bounce it around that heavily off-road things may begin to fail prematurely. One of the reasons I'm not as fond of the Jeep JL's compared to the predecessor the JK is mainly due to the sheer amount of electronics incorporated into the new models. This is one of the reasons I chose to build my JK vs. trading it for a newer JL which I could have done for similar outlay of funds.

The new Bronco is no exception in my thinking. I have no proof and only time will reveal if my thinking is accurate or not but they are using technology to drive the features vs. good ole' reliable mechanical operations. Take just one example, on many Jeeps these days people are installing twin stick Atlas transfer cases which allow the front and rear axles to be controlled independently of each other. A driver can disengage the rear axle and leave the front axle engaged in either high range or low and perform a "front dig" to drag the front end into position for an obstacle. The new Bronco can accomplish this through electronics and get nearly the same affect. With the push of a button the rear will lock the inside brake (electronically) and allow slippage through the transfer case (electronically) and use the front axle to pull the front end around and through technology perform the same "front dig". That is just one example of what the new Bronco comes equipped with on certain models. While a great option to have I worry about the long term reliability of such things.

Also, when things fail I have also noticed another scenario based on personal experience. Electrical components failing are generally quicker to actually repair or replace but take longer to diagnose and confirm the problem. Mechanical things on the other hand generally take less time to diagnose but take exceptionally longer times to repair and/or replace. I have seen more electrical components fail or worse, fail intermittently, on the trail over the past couple of years and have been much more troublesome to locate the source of the failure. Shaking these vehicles up traveling down washboard roads and bouncing over rock covered trails has been taking its toll on many newer vehicles that we have come across on the trails. I have been seeing connectors become sources of circuits breaking down due to pins shaking around and creating clearances in the male and female connection inside of a connector housing on several occasions over the past couple of years leaving vehicles either stranded or intermittently giving fits.

That being said, watching the new Bronco perform on small to mid-size obstacles on the one particular trail that we followed along behind them on, I think they are quite capable in terms of navigating over small to mid-size rocks and navigating around others as they appear to be quite nimble. However, suspension travel is very limited and seeing tires lift going over even mild obstacles was a common occurrence to see. One of the reasons I have focused so much attention on my suspension is to keep the tires planted while going over things. Granted having a tire lift and keeping three remaining on the ground is totally doable, but I don't feel it is the best way to conquer obstacles especially when having to traverse terrain off camber. Also, keep in mind I am comparing a modified vehicle to a stock vehicle and with aftermarket components added to the Bronco to allow better articulation this may be a moot point. I know many don't like the independent front suspension setup on the new Bronco's, however at this time I am neutral. While I still prefer a good solid front axle for reliability and dependability, IFS suspensions have come a LONG way in the past couple of decades and I don't think are as failure prone as earlier versions. Unit bearings for example seldom fail yet were a topic of concern when IFS suspensions first started making their way into production off-road capable vehicles. Now we see many, if not most, of the off-road race teams using this setup and they are taking the abuse and even on solid axle setups are used almost exclusively these days.

For the average driver looking for a nice riding and capable off-road vehicle to take their family on mild adventures I think they are more than capable right out of the box. Time will tell how they will perform once the aftermarket catches up and offers owners the opportunity to increase the vehicles capabilities. Overall, I feel like competition is a good thing and offers people choices, which is exactly what the new Bronco has done so in that respect I think it is good.

Sorry for the long drawn out answer and I may be way off on my assessment. Only time will tell.

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike, you finally came around! That blue is a nice color!

Popping corn now………

You guys are hilarious. I already caught **** from a neighbor when that was sitting in my driveway Friday afternoon when the owner dropped it off and I was mowing lawns. I guess I should have pulled it directly into the shop so no one could see it.

I guess I'll just have to hurry and get the gear replaced so I can get it the hell out of my shop.

 

[zmotorsports]

I replaced my 37" Nitto Ridge Grapplers with new 37" Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T's over the weekend.

Jeep pulled in the shop Friday night and up on jack stands to remove the 5 Nitto's. I haven't had to work off of jack stands in quite a while but I had a client's truck going on the lift first thing Saturday morning. Yes, that is in fact a Ford in my shop, you're not seeing things. However, it is not mine and is in for a re-gear.


Tires loaded up on the trailer so I could drop them off first thing Saturday morning.



Old tires in the bed of the truck as I have them sold and the newly mounted Mickey Thompson's on the trailer ready to be installed.


I was a bit concerned about road noise when I first saw the lug size but then upon closer look seeing the asymmetrical tread pattern and the way the pattern is broken up in the middle led me to have faith they wouldn't be noisy.


Great looking sidewalls as well.


Installed and ready to be set back down on the ground.


That is a aggressive looking tire for an all-terrain. I can see these hybrids catching on quick similar to the popularity of the Ridge Grapplers.


Torqued to proper spec and ready for a road test.





Thanks for looking.

Mike

 

[LXCam]

Ya know Mike, I hope one of these days you’ll stop holding back on your opinion of things and get a bit more detailed


As always bud, a very thorough analysis and much appreciated. Personally if I were considering a legitimate off road vehicle it would sans all the electronic controls - well as much as possible anymore. I’m not much of a fan either.

 

[zmotorsports]

Sorry for the lengthy, opinionated reply Cam. My wife is constantly telling me to keep my opinions to myself but I have yet to be able to do so.

 

[zmotorsports]

I posted up my old tires on our local Jeep club's page and they were sold within about 10-minutes. Here they are awaiting to be picked up. The guy came and picked them up yesterday.


The Ford (said with tongue in cheek) after being dropped off by the owner and awaiting to be racked and work begun.


The owner had the new coil springs powder coated so I thought as I was lifting it I would confirm the upper A-arms didn't contact the new powder coating. Unfortunately at full droop they do make contact so I stuffed some towels in between the A-arm and the coil spring to protect the powder coating. I don't feel people appreciate a shop doing the little details like this because many times they don't think about them nor expect the shop to think about. I guarantee that if I were to chip the powder coating the owner would notice though.



Tonight I hope to get started on disassembling.

 

[XJSuperman]

Thats the first F150 I've ever seen anybody bother to regear. Seems like everyone just slaps on big tires and away they go. Not like the older Jeeps where you have to regear after putting on 33s.

 

[zmotorsports]

Thats the first F150 I've ever seen anybody bother to regear. Seems like everyone just slaps on big tires and away they go. Not like the older Jeeps where you have to regear after putting on 33s.

Agreed. I was pleasantly surprised when I got the call to regear this after the owner lifted it and installed the bigger tires. I guess he has been listening to me all these years when I preached about regearing to get the mechanical leverage back.

In my local Jeep club it seems like light bars come long before gears.

 

[Bodj Built]

You gonna tell the owner that he needs to limit droop a bit?

 

[zmotorsports]

You gonna tell the owner that he needs to limit droop a bit?

I text him a picture and suggested he keep it in mind. Don't know if it will ever get up against the coil again during normal driving conditions but worth mentioning to him. I doubt he can justify adding limiting straps but it was a suggestion. Personally, I don't see this thing leaving the pavement but I could be wrong.

 

[Bodj Built]

I text him a picture and suggested he keep it in mind. Don't know if it will ever get up against the coil again during normal driving conditions but worth mentioning to him. I doubt he can justify adding limiting straps but it was a suggestion. Personally, I don't see this thing leaving the pavement but I could be wrong.

For sure, but even a simple tire change will cause it to hit. Maybe not limit straps, but they should have a droop stop under the upper arm, no?

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

What motor? What ratio did you put in?

My buddy re-geared his 2015 5.0 when he went to 35" tires. I can't remember what he went to, but he started out with 3.31's. I ordered mine with 3.55's knowing I'd go with a bigger tire.

 

[rattle_snake]

Hope you like those new MT's.
I figured you had been on pirate enough to know Thornbirds are the tire.

What is your upcharge for working on Fords? Emotional compensation or whatever, haha

 

[LXCam]

What is your upcharge for working on Fords? Emotional compensation or whatever, haha

Sanitation surcharge

 

[zmotorsports]

What motor? What ratio did you put in?

My buddy re-geared his 2015 5.0 when he went to 35" tires. I can't remember what he went to, but he started out with 3.31's. I ordered mine with 3.55's knowing I'd go with a bigger tire.

Ryan, I'm not sure on the engine, I think it has the V6 ecoboost with the L3 axle code representing 3.31:1 gearing. Will be going to 4.11:1 gears.

Hope you like those new MT's.
I figured you had been on pirate enough to know Thornbirds are the tire.

What is your upcharge for working on Fords? Emotional compensation or whatever, haha

These are actually the A/T's Justin and no I'm not on pirate nor do I share the opinions of the Thornbirds. Those might be just a tad on the aggressive side for my daily driving.

As for the upcharge for working on Fords, I try to be fair with my clients. I'm sure they didn't realize they made a mistake until after the purchase and I am just trying to make them feel better by not overcharging. It's the least I can do.

 

[zmotorsports]

I had a client bring a turbo assembly off of his Dodge/Cummins to the shop yesterday. He had tried to replace the unit himself and ended up crossthreading the two 8mm bolts for the oil drainback tube as well as the 16mm banjo bolt for the coolant drain. I was able to clean up the threads for the banjo bolt and drilled and installed Helicoils in the two 8mm bolt holes for the oil drain back tube.



Squaring up to clean up the first several threads and ensure the banjo bolt can go in straight and have enough thread to hold.


That should work.


Next was to drill and tap the two oil drain tube bolt holes for tapping oversize and installing the Helicoils.


I thought I'd be nice and clean up the first few threads on each bolt as well that got jacked up in the crossthreading.


Making sure the tap is perpendicular.


Helicoils installed just below the surface before breaking off the bottom tab.


Completed.


Ready for the owner to pick it up and try the install again.

Thanks for looking.