ZMotorsports Shop Projects 2.0

[zmotorsports]

Yup, the J.e.e.p. part has me smiling when I pull out my wallet.
Doing everything I can to hold back on those BFG 35in tires I want, reminding myself I need gears at a minimum before I start making it look cool.

Gears of course mean I need a locking differential...

Rear yes, I can vouch for a selectable locker in the Dana 44 rear. However, I am reluctant to recommend a selectable locker for the Dana 30 front axle. They are less than happy when they get even the slightest bit bound up and bad things happen to the small pinion in the Dana 30's when locked solid.

I can however suggest using the Eaton TrueTrac in both front and rear as that is a very tried and true combination that I have used many times with either the older rear Dana 44A (aluminum housing) as well as many Dana 30 front axles and current Dana 44's. If not needing to be fully locked that is a proven combination that if driven properly, using the brake to create drag and therefore engage both axle shafts, the vehicle will perform very positively and reliably and "nearly" simulate a locked axle.

 

[Just Fishing]

Rear yes, I can vouch for a selectable locker in the Dana 44 rear. However, I am reluctant to recommend a selectable locker for the Dana 30 front axle. They are less than happy when they get even the slightest big bound up and bad things happen to the small pinion in the Dana 30's when locked solid.

I can however suggest using the Eaton TrueTrac in both front and rear as that is a very tried and true combination that I have used many times with either the older rear Dana 44A (aluminum housing) as well as many Dana 30 front axles and current Dana 44's. If not needing to be fully locked that is a proven combination that if driven properly, using the brake to create drag and therefore engage both axle shafts, the vehicle will perform very positively and reliably and "nearly" simulate a locked axle.

I take it you wouldn't recommend mixing and matching.
Like a E or Air locker in the rear, and the truetrac in the front?

 

[zmotorsports]

I take it you wouldn't recommend mixing and matching.
Like a E or Air locker in the rear, and the truetrac in the front?

You can absolutely mix and match. The Dana 44's can handle a selectable locker but I wouldn't recommend one for the Dana 30 front axle. That is where I would use the Eaton TrueTrac limited slip differential. My son's WJ is running a mix now but the opposite direction. He's running a TrueTrac in the rear Dana 44 and a selectable E-locker in the front Dana 44.

 

[zmotorsports]

It's been a bit of a strange week for me with some things going on at work involving personnel issues, but it's had me doing a lot of thinking and reflecting this past week. I heard two songs on the radio yesterday one after the other that are "triggers" for me emotionally yet so appropriate for both me thinking about my father as well as the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. Both of which I am extremely grateful for the sacrifices made which have allowed me to raise a family and live the American Dream.

After work yesterday I ran and refilled one of my Powertanks with CO2 after nearly emptying a tank on our trip to the Swell last month. I then took my new gas cans and went and filled them up with ethanol free gasoline for our OPE and finally stopped by my brother's place and grabbed a cast iron radiator end cap for another tractor he is restoring from our parent's farm. He had asked me if I thought I could repair this cast part and I want to give it a go. The tractor he is now restoring is a 1938 Farmall F-12. Parts are a little less prevalent for the F12 tractor vs. the late 40's Model H that he restored a couple of years ago. He's doing a really good job on this one as well but he said he doubts he will drive this one in any parades like he does the "H" because it is so much slower only having 3-speeds. It was kind of enjoyable to talk with my brother and reminisce about the tractors and the farm, even though he was definitely more vested in farming than I ever was. I actually think he misses it whereas I couldn't get off the farm fast enough and don't miss it one bit.

As for shop work, by the time I got home it was a bit later than usual and my wife was on her way home so other than putting a few things away in the shop I didn't really get anything done. By the time I arrived home it was a full-blown thunder and lightning show so I sat on the deck, tried to unwind from the day's events and just watched the storm until the wife got home. With our 34th anniversary getting very close and the recent birth of our grandson all weighing on my mind, I sat there looking out over our yard and shop while watching the storm roll in and it got me thinking back to where our adventure began together in the mid-80's and although we had completely different childhoods, we were very much in-tune with each other and thought so much alike. Besides the actual physical attraction teenagers have, we were both anxious to get out of high school, shake our pasts off, look to the future and start building a life together. I don't know if we were running from a life we didn't want or a past we were trying to escape or if it was just something as simple as being in love and having a vision of what we wanted out of life, but we knew the life we wanted was SO different than what our childhoods were, so it was an exciting, yet a worrisome and scary time for us. I am sure many others can relate when just getting started in life. Now I look back and can recognize certain events that took place and how we "chose" to react or respond to them and I am very much aware of just how grateful I am for where my wife and I are in this journey because with only a couple of different turns or choices our life would look very much different than it does now.

I reflected back a little last night after visiting with my brother as we haven't had much time together over the years. We have both been busy with our lives and I was looking forward and not really wanting to look back to the farm days. I have six other siblings and we seldom get together but maybe once or twice a year and then I call it the 3-F's, Forced Family Fun. I am the youngest and really other than our parents I have nothing in common with any of them other than my one brother who I can somewhat relate to. I remember growing up and being nearly 20-years younger than my brother how I really looked up to and admired him. When I was about 10 years old I would walk down to his home, which was just down the street from my parent's home and I would assist him in his garage after the work on the farm was done, well at least for that day. My brother was always working on something on the side for extra money in his home garage and I started out by handing him tools and later he would have me strip fenders down of all clips and trim and swap them over to other ones as my skills progressed.

Now 40+ years later it feels as though I have surpassed him to some extent and it is nice to have him ask me for help once in a while with a part or advise on something he is working on in his home workshop. I feel like I'm giving back in a way as I think between my brother and my dad they encouraged me to work with my hands and to appreciate the ability to do so, my mother not so much as I think she wanted my life to go a different direction. Once I got out of high school and into the work force I was blessed with two mentors who helped push me to take my skillset to the next level and refine what I had learned on the farm and develop my own characteristics to the trade. On the farm it was all about just getting the machinery running and back out in the field. However, once I got into the professional field of Industrial Maintenance I realized that there was more to fixing things than just bandaiding things back together, although speed and efficiency were just as important there as well. I feel blessed to have had the life experiences that I have had like being raised on the farm which taught me work ethic and priorities and then being able to really refine and fully develop my skills in the Industrial Maintenance field that have carried me through life and have allowed me to provide a decent life for me and my family.

I was reading an article on gratitude a few days ago and it's made me think back and recognize those things that I may have felt were burdens or trials early on yet now appear to be waypoints along life's journey that really helped to define me. It all started on that farm and working with my hands alongside my dad and brother. My other brother was not one for work and usually worked harder at avoiding work, still does. It's funny to look at people's lives and see such totally different results and you can look back and see where certain paths or decisions they chose led them to where they are at now. My two brothers only separated by a couple of years, grew up on the same farm, same parents, same house rules and yet their current situations could not be further apart based on life choices and turns along the path. On one hand I feel sympathy yet on the other I feel validation as we are all a product of our choices and my life could look totally different had I made some not so wise choices along this journey or choices which would have been more "fun" at the time without thinking them through.

I am so grateful now even more for my parents and the rules they enforced in their home early on. Granted, their children didn't all follow them to the same degree, but we all knew the house rules. Some chose to adhere to them without question like one of my brothers, then there was me who seemed to "test" them at times but eventually came back into compliance and then my other brother who didn't seem to think the rules applied to him in the least. One conversation or better described as a "talk" that stuck with me from many years ago was something my father told me, and he wasn't a man of many words as he was more of a man of action and less talking. I had gotten into a bit of trouble my Junior year of High School and one day while working in the field my dad stopped and I could tell something was on his mind by the way he looked at me with disappointment. He told me that life is a series of choices, when we have a choice to make that we should way all options looking at how those choices could "potentially" affect our future. That we should take these choices for the gifts that they really are and if we make a good choice, then we have the opportunity to make another choice and so on and so on. However, if we make a bad choice or decision that we do not get to choose the outcome, we are stuck with the consequences.

I found myself repeating that talk with my son on a few occasions as he was growing up. Not that he was ever a bad kid, just to help keep him on the straight and narrow path when we'd see one of his friends veer off course and we'd use that as a teaching moment. I see the man he has become and now the father he has become and I swell with pride and hope my father is smiling down as well as that is where it all started. I pray my son will be able to have a healthy relationship with his son as he will soon discover how much our day to day decisions not only affect our personal outcomes but also those that we love the most. I also hope my son can look back on his childhood with fond memories and know that his mother and I did our best to give him a better childhood than we had yet when we taught the lessons we did so out of love and not disapproval.

I hope as we go into this Memorial Day weekend that we can reflect back on not only those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, but also those who went unnoticed day to day by those small sacrifices which have allowed each of us to be better people and hopefully live a better life. I have been fortunate to have had a couple people in my life that I consider "heroes" and neither of them did anything heroic in the general terms, they were not an overpaid and media hyped up athlete, they didn't rescue a child from a burning building or any other description by which the term "hero" is usually connected, but instead were normal everyday people who went about their lives making sure that their work and efforts made a difference in other's lives.

 

[Finallygotit]

Very well said Mike. It sounds like there was some "trigger" that got you to reflect. I hope all is well.

 

[Just Fishing]

You can absolutely mix and match. The Dana 44's can handle a selectable locker but I wouldn't recommend one for the Dana 30 front axle. That is where I would use the Eaton TrueTrac limited slip differential. My son's WJ is running a mix now but the opposite direction. He's running a TrueTrac in the rear Dana 44 and a selectable E-locker in the front Dana 44.

Cool, what I was thinking is going with a selectable locker for the rear and go either with none or the truetrac for the front.
that would leave me open to upgrade the front axle later on, assuming I ever find a need that is.
Plus I get an extra button!

Over the last weekend when at the top of that mountain, I found myself wanting to drive along the top.
I quickly thought better of it since I'm running w/o a spare, I also realized I need some sliders, larger tires, and some more clearance...

Speaking of Just Empty Every Pocket, I scored a bestop Trektop soft-top last night...
Luckly that just hit me with $300 less in my bank account.
Since it technically "Saved" me money from buying it new at $999 I'm calling that an extra $699 in my bank account.
(I reject your reality and insert my own)

Now I'm thinking about a set of bestop soft doors...
That would make life easy for road trips, some sort of AC on the way there, then strip the doors and top off once we get there.

 

[zmotorsports]

Very well said Mike. It sounds like there was some "trigger" that got you to reflect. I hope all is well.

Thanks Dan. Nothing wrong here as we're all doing very well. Thank you for inquiring. We're certainly enjoying this whole grandparent gig.

I've just been doing a bit more reflecting than usual and feeling very grateful for my life.

 

[Finallygotit]

Thanks Dan. Nothing wrong here as we're all doing very well. Thank you for inquiring. We're certainly enjoying this whole grandparent gig.

I've just been doing a bit more reflecting than usual and feeling very grateful for my life.

Good to hear, Mike! You and your wife have built a great position within your family. You should be proud.

My lovely wife and I have been having much the same conversation lately. We are very fortunate to be at a very good place in our lives.

 

[zmotorsports]

Good to hear, Mike! You and your wife have built a great position within your family. You should be proud.

My lovely wife and I have been having much the same conversation lately. We are very fortunate to be at a very good place in our lives.

Thanks Dan. I think there's a fine line between pride and arrogance and I struggle internally every day to not cross that line. I think by keeping gratitude in the forefront of our minds and in our hearts is one way to fight that demon. Yes, I am proud of what my wife and I have accomplished but I don't want to be boastful about it either. Rather I would like to show others that with hard work, determination and having a plan they too can live the American Dream. However, I feel in society these days it is easier for people to fall into the victim mentality and not realize they have the power to change the course or direction of their life, they want to blame all of their bad fortune on others rather than look at their choices and where they can alter that path. I worry when I see the younger mechanics in our shop think they have to have what my wife and I have instantly and I see the financial choices they make and know the outcome will not be good. When asked for advice I try to encourage people to avoid that debt monkey at all costs and to look at life as a marathon and not a sprint. They want things right now and cannot seem to comprehend the concept of time. They struggle to look any further down the road than what's right in front of them. When I speak of 20 or 30 years they look at me like I'm speaking a foreign language. When I ask them where they want to be in 5 years, 15 years and when they retire I get glazed looks.

I remember my old boss and mentor having these same discussions with me and I could actually visualize what I wanted my life to be like and now that I'm here and at a much earlier time frame than expected I just want to help others to be able to achieve their dreams, whatever they are, but those dreams come from having a plan and then working the plan, however, that is something I see people struggle with these days. People tend to "wing it" and then cannot figure out why **** goes awry.

It frustrates me when these young men come to me for advice and during the conversation they tell me I don't understand what it's like to have a young family, having to buy tools for work, having to maintain a home and keep their vehicles in proper running condition and feel like they need to make more money. I have been EXACTLY where they are but they don't want to hear that nor do they want to change their mindset and get out of that freakin' victim mentality. I don't know why but that victim mindset grates on me like nails on a chalkboard.

I don't like to think about my farm days much but as I mentioned earlier I have more love and respect for my parents now than I ever had when they were alive. I think back to my dad working day in and day out on the farm which was even a more thankless career than what I do. He would rise before the sun, be out in the yard milking 60+ head of cows in sub-freezing temperatures knowing he would be back out there in the evening doing the same thing. In between milking the cows came all of the other tasks that needed to be done on the farm like planting, harvesting, watering, weeding, etc. and then back out in the evening milking again. After dinner he would be out in the workshop fixing what broke that day or what would be needed in the next day or two and then drag his *** back in the house well after dark and well after all of us kids went to bed. It didn't matter whether he felt good or didn't feel well that day, it was work that HAD to be done and there were no "sick days" as there was no one else to do the work. That's my hero. If I could have just one more conversation with my dad I would praise his efforts and tell him I know understand why he did what he did and how truly grateful I am for his sacrifices. Unfortunately, I will never get that opportunity and live with that regret each and every day.

I would not be the man I am today or where I am today had I not followed that man's lead and learned from his actions. I guess with the Memorial Day weekend upon us thinking about all those brave men and women who faced their fears head on not knowing their fate, whether they would see their loved ones again and knowing they may have to give the ultimate sacrifice and then with Father's Day looming in the near distance and the recent birth of my grandson and his blessing last weekend, I have been doing much soul searching this past week. Although I'm getting to be an old dog who I know won't change this late in the game, I still want to be a better person tomorrow than I am today, if not for anything other than the legacy I leave behind when I'm gone, for my wife, son, DIL and grandson to be proud of me. The money aspect or assets left behind are nothing compared to what people remember.

Sorry to sound so sappy the last couple of days but I hope everyone can enjoy the holiday weekend and cherish those around you as well as remember those who are no longer with us.

 

[TimeWarpF100]

After my son and his friend left, I proceeded with the Jeep track bar repair and although it turned out to be a late night, I was able to finish it up so Chris can have it back for the weekend.

I installed the front and rear weld washer in the axle bracket with a bolt holding them in tightly in position and tack welding about a quarter of the way around 180-degrees across before removing the fastener and completing the welds. Not sure why I didn't show the finished weld before painting. I wish I could say all my welds looked this good but as I was finishing up the front weld washer I ran out of Argon gas in my TIG welder and had to switch over to my smaller MIG welder for the rear washer. That probably worked out for the best anyways as there was no way I could get both hands up behind the axle around the coil spring and control arm on the passenger side. Many times when repairing these there are other things I'm doing to the axle such as a regear or something so it justifies removing the axle and performing this repair on the fabrication table where they are easier to access for welding but this job didn't warrant removing the axle so I hit the rear weld washer on the axle end with the squirt gun. I'll have to run and grab a refill of Argon this afternoon so I'm not left without over the weekend.


Seeing as how the suspension is stock on this Jeep there is no need to mess with the track bar width so I matched the OEM track bar with the new one by inserting bolts through the bushings and matching eye to eye.


Repaired areas at both frame and axle end were painted with some epoxy paint and then the track bar was installed. When doing suspension work make sure that you do not fully tighten suspension components until the vehicle is loaded at ride height otherwise damage to the bushings can occur.


Axle end installed and fastener tightened to just before snug.


One final look over before lowering the Jeep and fully tightening the track bar joints.


Ride height and track bar fully torqued.


After the road test and ready for Chris to go play.



Thanks for following along on this repair.

I skip a few days of reading your thread and it takes me a month to catch up! As I said before you get more done in a month by accident than I do on purpose!

 

[zmotorsports]

I skip a few days of reading your thread and it takes me a month to catch up! As I said before you get more done in a month by accident than I do on purpose!

I don't know about that Randy, I've been slowing a bit over the past few years and don't seem to feel like I get as much accomplished in the same time as I used to.

I appreciate you taking the time to follow along and comment though.

 

[TimeWarpF100]

I don't know about that Randy, I've been slowing a bit over the past few years and don't seem to feel like I get as much accomplished in the same time as I used to.

I appreciate you taking the time to follow along and comment though.

I thought I really slowed when I hit 40, then 50 again at 55 but then 60 hit then 65 now at 66 with 66 n 6 mo only 7 weeks away the slow feels like a standstill.
I need to look a full YEAR to see any progress at all. A week or month seems like nothing happened.
Getting the bottom side of my N Crew blasted and painted was a HUGE step. But, now things seem to have come to a standstill since. Lazyitis has kicked in high gear.

 

[zmotorsports]

Last night I arrived home from work and while waiting for the next job to roll through the door I thought I'd wrap up the A/V project in the coach where I added the new DirecTV receiver and had to modify the hold down bracket earlier in the week. When that was completed I moved around to the back of the coach to replace the belts as they have some age on them and figured it's better to be proactive.

Old serpentine belt and A/C V-belt removed.


Belts were actually still in really good condition.




New belts ready for installation.


The A/C V-belt was the first belt off and last belt back on. Tightening up the manual tensioner to spec. and this job is completed.


It was perfect timing as I was cleaning up my tools from the belt replacement on the coach the next car showed up. Does this one look familiar? Yep, it's the 2010 Buick LaCrosse that I just did the timing chains on a few weeks ago. It's in now for a cracked radiator. Now I have to dump the cooling system a second time.


While it was cooling down I removed the upper engine perimeter trim panel and thought I'd give the underside of the engine a peek and make sure it was still dry and free of oil leaks. Sure enough, no leaks. If you look in this picture just above the belt you can see where the front timing cover mates with the front of the engine block. This was a small leak prior to the repair but dry now.


Here just above the lower belt you can see the clean aluminum timing cover where it mates with the engine block it is also free of leaks. The largest of the oil leaks prior to the timing repair was above the power steering pump and it had completely covered the P/S pump and lines as well as the lower covers and shroudings beneath the engine. When the job first came in I was not sure if the P/S high pressure line was also leaking as it was covered but I could definitely see above the pump and see the leak from the timing cover. I explained that the high pressure lines can leak and are a common source so I could replace it at the same time I was in there or wait. The owner asked me what my opinion was and I said it would be much easier to do at the same time as the timing chains while the front of the engine was fully exposed but my gut feeling was the leak was originating from the timing cover and the high pressure power steering line was not a source of an oil leak. The power steering reservoir was full and had it been leaking I would have thought the reservoir would have been low. Seeing as how the high pressure line is dry and no fresh oil made me feel good that I didn't just throw a new high pressure line on the car unjustified.



Thanks for looking. Radiator replacement will commence tomorrow morning.

 

[zmotorsports]

I thought I really slowed when I hit 40, then 50 again at 55 but then 60 hit then 65 now at 66 with 66 n 6 mo only 7 weeks away the slow feels like a standstill.
I need to look a full YEAR to see any progress at all. A week or month seems like nothing happened.
Getting the bottom side of my N Crew blasted and painted was a HUGE step. But, now things seem to have come to a standstill since. Lazyitis has kicked in high gear.

I just turned 54 about six months ago and really didn't feel the slow down until about 2-3 years ago. When we purchased our new home 6+ years ago I was going full steam ahead and getting a lot done around the yard in preparation for the shop's completion but with my son's help we were getting a lot done on a daily basis and I really didn't feel like I was slowing.

However, a few years ago I started to take notice that jobs were starting to take me a bit longer than I felt they should. Then last year when my leg got infected and I was basically incapacitated for a few weeks and the slow recovery taking me months it really took me a bit longer than I expected to bounce back and it was about a year until I felt "normal" again. However, I now think my new normal is just a bit slower than it used to be.

 

[Finallygotit]

Thanks Dan. I think there's a fine line between pride and arrogance and I struggle internally every day to not cross that line. I think by keeping gratitude in the forefront of our minds and in our hearts is one way to fight that demon. Yes, I am proud of what my wife and I have accomplished but I don't want to be boastful about it either. Rather I would like to show others that with hard work, determination and having a plan they too can live the American Dream. However, I feel in society these days it is easier for people to fall into the victim mentality and not realize they have the power to change the course or direction of their life, they want to blame all of their bad fortune on others rather than look at their choices and where they can alter that path. I worry when I see the younger mechanics in our shop think they have to have what my wife and I have instantly and I see the financial choices they make and know the outcome will not be good. When asked for advice I try to encourage people to avoid that debt monkey at all costs and to look at life as a marathon and not a sprint. They want things right now and cannot seem to comprehend the concept of time. They struggle to look any further down the road than what's right in front of them. When I speak of 20 or 30 years they look at me like I'm speaking a foreign language. When I ask them where they want to be in 5 years, 15 years and when they retire I get glazed looks.

I remember my old boss and mentor having these same discussions with me and I could actually visualize what I wanted my life to be like and now that I'm here and at a much earlier time frame than expected I just want to help others to be able to achieve their dreams, whatever they are, but those dreams come from having a plan and then working the plan, however, that is something I see people struggle with these days. People tend to "wing it" and then cannot figure out why **** goes awry.

It frustrates me when these young men come to me for advice and during the conversation they tell me I don't understand what it's like to have a young family, having to buy tools for work, having to maintain a home and keep their vehicles in proper running condition and feel like they need to make more money. I have been EXACTLY where they are but they don't want to hear that nor do they want to change their mindset and get out of that freakin' victim mentality. I don't know why but that victim mindset grates on me like nails on a chalkboard.

I don't like to think about my farm days much but as I mentioned earlier I have more love and respect for my parents now than I ever had when they were alive. I think back to my dad working day in and day out on the farm which was even a more thankless career than what I do. He would rise before the sun, be out in the yard milking 60+ head of cows in sub-freezing temperatures knowing he would be back out there in the evening doing the same thing. In between milking the cows came all of the other tasks that needed to be done on the farm like planting, harvesting, watering, weeding, etc. and then back out in the evening milking again. After dinner he would be out in the workshop fixing what broke that day or what would be needed in the next day or two and then drag his *** back in the house well after dark and well after all of us kids went to bed. It didn't matter whether he felt good or didn't feel well that day, it was work that HAD to be done and there were no "sick days" as there was no one else to do the work. That's my hero. If I could have just one more conversation with my dad I would praise his efforts and tell him I know understand why he did what he did and how truly grateful I am for his sacrifices. Unfortunately, I will never get that opportunity and live with that regret each and every day.

I would not be the man I am today or where I am today had I not followed that man's lead and learned from his actions. I guess with the Memorial Day weekend upon us thinking about all those brave men and women who faced their fears head on not knowing their fate, whether they would see their loved ones again and knowing they may have to give the ultimate sacrifice and then with Father's Day looming in the near distance and the recent birth of my grandson and his blessing last weekend, I have been doing much soul searching this past week. Although I'm getting to be an old dog who I know won't change this late in the game, I still want to be a better person tomorrow than I am today, if not for anything other than the legacy I leave behind when I'm gone, for my wife, son, DIL and grandson to be proud of me. The money aspect or assets left behind are nothing compared to what people remember.

Sorry to sound so sappy the last couple of days but I hope everyone can enjoy the holiday weekend and cherish those around you as well as remember those who are no longer with us.

Mike, sorry to derail your thread a bit. I totally agree with you on all of your points. I know that when I say pride I mean it in a way I think would be humble pride. I am not, like you said, being arrogant as I NEVER EVER want to come off that way.

Your dad kinda reminds me of my dad in a way. While we didn't live on a farm, my dad worked in downtown Chicago and we lived way out in the suburbs. He would work 10-12 hours a day then car pool back and forth the 1 hour plus each way 6 days a week. I really didn't see much of him while I was growing up. But I was fortunate that later on in life we got closer; especially near the end and we had some good heart to heart conversations.

Anyway, I hope you and your family enjoy the weekend. This weekend I will be remembering my dad for being my dad and for being one of those that wrote a check to Uncle Sam (retired Air Force).


Take care!

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike, sorry to derail your thread a bit. I totally agree with you on all of your points. I know that when I say pride I mean it in a way I think would be humble pride. I am not, like you said, being arrogant as I NEVER EVER want to come off that way.

Your dad kinda reminds me of my dad in a way. While we didn't live on a farm, my dad worked in downtown Chicago and we lived way out in the suburbs. He would work 10-12 hours a day then car pool back and forth the 1 hour plus each way 6 days a week. I really didn't see much of him while I was growing up. But I was fortunate that later on in life we got closer; especially near the end and we had some good heart to heart conversations.

Anyway, I hope you and your family enjoy the weekend. This weekend I will be remembering my dad for being my dad and for being one of those that wrote a check to Uncle Sam (retired Air Force).


Take care!

Thank you Dan and you didn't derail it one bit. I enjoy the conversations.

 

[Mr.zippy]

Nice write up Mike! I believe your Father absolutely knows how you feel, and he is within you daily. His generation was also my folks era…..they were the salt of the earth. His legend lives on with you, and yours will live on with your Son, and Grandson. I appreciate your thoughts, as they give me a reset at times as well…….Thank you!

 

[zmotorsports]

Nice write up Mike! I believe your Father absolutely knows how you feel, and he is within you daily. His generation was also my folks era…..they were the salt of the earth. His legend lives on with you, and yours will live on with your Son, and Grandson. I appreciate your thoughts, as they give me a reset at times as well…….Thank you!

Thank you. I appreciate the kind words and thanks for continuing to follow along, even when I ramble.

 

[bugnut]

It didn't matter whether he felt good or didn't feel well that day, it was work that HAD to be done and there were no "sick days" as there was no one else to do the work. That's my hero. If I could have just one more conversation with my dad I would praise his efforts and tell him I know understand why he did what he did and how truly grateful I am for his sacrifices. Unfortunately, I will never get that opportunity and live with that regret each and every day.

Mike, your parents and mine were a generation that saw or learned the hard way from daily struggles, from the depression and dust bowl years to the shared memories of the old folks, talking about the Civil War or WWI, and times of desperation. They went to war when called being either or both, WWII or Korea, and then they came home shoved the memories and sights into the deepest darkest corners of their memories and went about working and raising their families.

In my youth, to support a large family, my father worked two full time 40 hour a week jobs, working day shift at one and second shift at the other. Still not satisfied he had created enough income to care for the family, he opted to work Saturdays delivering cleaning products. He did this for the better part of 5 years. And the only complaint I ever heard was later in life he mentioned he always wanted to get another hour of sleep.

Our parents chose to do the one thing they could to change their lives and the lives of their families. They got up every day and worked. Some farming, some breaking big rocks into small ones, but they all worked. They looked at government stipends as something for those truly in need.

All of these folks were clearly imbued with the need to make a better world, life, family and like most people throughout the world, they want their children to have it a little easier so they got up every day and ground it out.

I believe that we honor our parents, by inculcating our children, that working, is the right and proper thing to do. To get up everyday put on your work boots and make it through the workday. To share our good fortune with our neighbors and others who are hurting and need help. And lastly by making the path for those we love, following us just a little easier to tread.

 

[Scuderia-F1]

Haven’t been on here much for a few days.
But what quality content to catch up on (as always).

Just like you I tend to ponder and think a lot, more so with every year that passes.
I‘d too like to have that last talk with my old man, but I’m sure that we in some ways have these conversations if our fathers are in another place.


This thread brings joy and gratitude in so many ways Mike.

 

[LeonardY]

Here are a few. I posted these on my shop build thread but I'll post them here as well seeing as how I had the radio playing in the shop while I was mowing lawns Friday night.

All hail the lawn!

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike, your parents and mine were a generation that saw or learned the hard way from daily struggles, from the depression and dust bowl years to the shared memories of the old folks, talking about the Civil War or WWI, and times of desperation. They went to war when called being either or both, WWII or Korea, and then they came home shoved the memories and sights into the deepest darkest corners of their memories and went about working and raising their families.

In my youth, to support a large family, my father worked two full time 40 hour a week jobs, working day shift at one and second shift at the other. Still not satisfied he had created enough income to care for the family, he opted to work Saturdays delivering cleaning products. He did this for the better part of 5 years. And the only complaint I ever heard was later in life he mentioned he always wanted to get another hour of sleep.

Our parents chose to do the one thing they could to change their lives and the lives of their families. They got up every day and worked. Some farming, some breaking big rocks into small ones, but they all worked. They looked at government stipends as something for those truly in need.

All of these folks were clearly imbued with the need to make a better world, life, family and like most people throughout the world, they want their children to have it a little easier so they got up every day and ground it out.

I believe that we honor our parents, by inculcating our children, that working, is the right and proper thing to do. To get up everyday put on your work boots and make it through the workday. To share our good fortune with our neighbors and others who are hurting and need help. And lastly by making the path for those we love, following us just a little easier to tread.

Well said Joel. I completely agree and I'm thankful for your thoughts and comments.

I read something the other day that went something like "hard times make hard men, soft times create soft men". Well, we've had some good years recently and by looking around at society I think that saying pretty much nails it. Some can't even do the minimum of getting up and going to work to make society a better place, they just take, take and take some more, never giving back to society by providing a service and working.

I agree that we honor our loved ones who gave so much of themselves through either service or work to make the world a better place by raising our children and grandchildren to carry those values that we hold dear on.

Thank you for continuing to follow along and for commenting. It is much appreciated.

 

[zmotorsports]

Haven’t been on here much for a few days.
But what quality content to catch up on (as always).

Just like you I tend to ponder and think a lot, more so with every year that passes.
I‘d too like to have that last talk with my old man, but I’m sure that we in some ways have these conversations if our fathers are in another place.


This thread brings joy and gratitude in so many ways Mike.

Thanks for checking back in Anders. Your support and comments are always welcome and appreciated my friend.

 

[zmotorsports]

I hope everyone had a good weekend.

The wife and I were fortunate to have been able to spend some relaxing quality time together in between some projects around the house. We also were able to spend some time with our kids and grandson on Sunday and the little stink is growing more each time I see him as well as his personality is really starting to show.


Saturday morning the wife and I sat on the deck drinking our morning coffee and admiring the yard. The large spot of lawn that I replaced a couple of weeks ago is starting to fill in nicely.


I then went out into the shop to replace the radiator in the Buick LaCrosse that I had in the shop. The owners dropped it off a few nights earlier as they were heading out of town and I didn't want to procrastinate and wait to get it done. The entire front of the car had to be removed for the radiator replacement.




Once access to the cooler and A/C condenser was gained, I removed the fan assembly and leaned it back against the motor and slipped the radiator out the front of the core support.


Comparing the old to the new and installing some new J-clips for the fan assembly and transferring a couple of clips over.


I cleaned the front frame rails and prepped the car to receive the new radiator.


The rolling cart/shelf is sure coming in handy for such large projects lately.


The new radiator angled into the opening in the core support then reassembly can commence.


More pics to follow...........

 

[zmotorsports]

Continuing on with the radiator replacement.

Once the radiator was installed and cooling system closed up I pulled a vacuum on the cooling system before further assembly.


It pulled down nicely and held perfectly. At this point I stopped and went and had some lunch while I let it sit under vacuum for about an half hour to ensure no leaks before continuing. After lunch I filled the cooling system and completed the assembly.


Resecured all of the components back into place and reassembled the front of the car.


The owner mentioned that he had a check engine light come on just before dropping the car off last week. I checked the code and it was a P0420 again. This code had been the same one from about a year ago when I diagnosed it and found a vacuum line off from the crankcase breather system as well as an air leak after the MAF sensor. I replaced spark plugs and all four O2 sensors last year and although I could tell the catalytic converters, bank 1 in particular, were overloaded with fuel I felt like they were burning off and had hoped permanent damage was not done to them.

I took it out for a nice long test drive after clearing the code and by looking at the raw data from the O2 sensors I see no reason for this code. The catalytic converters appear to be functioning fine and bank 1 is pretty much mirroring bank 2 although just a bit higher voltage. The code did not reappear during the test drive so we'll see how it goes in the near future as I hate to just throw parts at this thing and a catalytic converter is not a cheap part to throw at it on a whim.


After returning from the test drive and ensuring everything was fine with the car, I switched gears and pulled the Jeep into the shop for some preventive maintenance. For the past almost year I've felt like the alternator on the Jeep was living on borrowed time. It has not once given me any reason for concern other than it's age/mileage. I see these Chrysler alternators, in particular Jeeps, start to fail around 130k-140k and mine now just turned over 150k. I think a big contributor to their failures that I see are due to all of the accessories that people are piling on their Jeeps but still, I have been concerned about having mine fail in the back-country with nothing but 40+ miles to the pavement.

The old school alternator/starter rebuild shop in Ogden that I've dealt with for 40+ years now where I'd purchase my parts just closed as the last owner passed away a couple of months ago and I have been less than thrilled with some of the parts I've found online. I can't tell you the last alternator or starter motor I purchased for one of my vehicles as I've always rebuilt them using parts from my local shop. They used high quality parts and did not sell junk so when I would buy parts whether it be a rectifier bride, brush kit or simply bearings, I knew they were high quality and I could trust my rebuild.

Well about six months ago I broke down and purchased a new OEM alternator from my local Jeep/Chrylser dealer and it's been sitting on the shelf. With our off-road trips just beginning I figured that I would install it and carry the old one as the spare in the coach. Engine cover removed and alternator removed.


New and old checking model #'s and orientation to ensure a direct replacement.


New alternator installed and the engine bay going back together.



Thanks for looking.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

Mike, those starter/alternator shops are becoming a thing of the past. Same with a good radiator shop that knows what they are doing.

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike, those starter/alternator shops are becoming a thing of the past. Same with a good radiator shop that knows what they are doing.

Agreed Marc. I really felt spoiled being able to drive a few miles from home and pick up parts for nearly any alternator or starter that I needed. I also feel bad because I don't think the owner's kids wanted anything to do with their shop and they had a hell of a reputation around here for their rebuilds as they've been a business in the area since I was in high school, probably even a little before as that is just when I started using them. My dad even may have used them prior to that. The shop was owned by two brothers so I'm shocked that neither side carried on the business.

 

[Just Fishing]

I didn't ever notice we had one of those shops locally!
The one in south Salt Lake seems to be gone, so hopefully this one keep kicking.

 

[zmotorsports]

Last night I knocked another item off the "to do" list for the coach; the taillights.

I noticed last summer while pressure washing the engine bay that the taillight housings and wiring were looking a bit aged as well as the wire looms for the harness were crumbling and deteriorating from the engine bay heat. The lighting was slightly diminished due to the discoloring of the housings as well as the dulling of the lenses plus the bulbs didn't seem to be fitting as tightly in the sockets any longer as I was experiencing some intermittent illumination issues. I do a light check before each trip and a couple of times I had to reposition the bulbs in the sockets and then all was good for a trip or two, then rinse and repeat. This got old so very quickly so last fall I ordered new sockets with pigtails along with new housings with gaskets. I figured they had been sitting on the shelf long enough, so I tackled this job last night.

I started by removing one side at a time starting with the worse side, the passenger's side. I laid out the OEM loom on the bench and replaced the sockets one at a time by using bare connectors followed by heat shrink to keep the unions small and as concealed as possible. Lastly, I followed with new woven wire loom casing and before installing the new housings with rebuilt wiring harnesses, I polished the lenses.


Passenger's side wiring loom laid out on the bench with the new pigtails and sockets installed.


The woven loom casing was installed. I cut a small notch to allow the exiting of one branch that would allow a smaller section of woven casing to join.


Passenger's side harness completed with woven casing and doing a light check using my PowerProbe. Running lights all work perfectly.


As do the brake and turn signal elements.


Moving on to the driver's side to repeat. This was the OEM harness which the convoluted casing didn't look quite as bad as the passenger's side, but still in need or freshening up.


Lenses being polished using plastic polish. Polished lense on the left with the right lense still needing to be polished. My Milwaukee 3" cordless polisher actually worked very well for this small detail work.


Driver's side wiring harness, woven loom casing, new housings, sockets, gaskets along with freshly polished lenses ready to install.


Passenger's side completed. This looks much better.


Driver's side completed.


After a light check and being pleased with the results I can check that off the list and close up the engine bay.



Thank you for looking.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

Mike, those lenses look very similar to a squarebody.

Nice work on getting everything tidied back up, I don't like messing with loose sockets either, can be very frustrating.

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike, those lenses look very similar to a squarebody.

Nice work on getting everything tidied back up, I don't like messing with loose sockets either, can be very frustrating.

Thanks Marc. Yes, the taillights that Monaco used are from a 1973-1987 GM truck. The only difference is the lenses don't have the clear section for the reverse lights which made locating completely red lenses impossible to find. The housings, gaskets and socket assemblies were a dime a dozen however. Luckily my lenses were in good condition other than needing a little polish to freshen them up.

 

[bugnut]

Mike, wiring, lenses and lights looking good. Quick question, friction or electrical tape at the branches, TIA!

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike, wiring, lenses and lights looking good. Quick question, friction or electrical tape at the branches, TIA!

Thanks.

Those particular branches were just taped using 3M Super 33 electrical tape. I saw no real need for friction tape in those particular locations on this application.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Mike, I just watched the YouTube video you posted on the death wobble fix. That is an absolutely fantastic way to fix that problem, well done!!! Best way I’ve seen to handle that.

The xj did not have any death wobble, but when I was installing the lift kit a few years back, I noticed a small amount of play on the axle end of the track bar. I ordered a kit from Kevin’s Offroad that involved drilling the hole out to 9/16”, and using a larger diameter bolt and bushing sleeve. Despite taking extreme care when drilling the hole larger, I had the same exact amount of play as I did before with the existing bolt. It has never been an issue, as I have no death wobble, but if I ever do, I’m going to place an order for one of those setups from zmotorsports!! Hahaha!

Keep up the awesome work as always.

 

[jbmatth]

On the subject of death wobble I was bringing my new trailer home this weekend when an F250 traveling the opposite direction pulled off the side of the road right when we were meeting. I've never seen such a violent shake before, it looked like the front of the truck was going to come apart. He didn't wreck but I'm sure was a bit shaken. (pun intended)

JB

 

[XJSuperman]

Death wobble is a wild experience. I think it places right up there next to base jumping if you're looking for an adrenaline rush. At one point I probably had a full set of brown underwear in the drawer. My xj had it bad for years. But what do you expect when a broke kid is adding all the wrong parts in the wrong order? Never broke anything, but I went into a median more than once.

 

[Bob Heine]

Death wobble is a wild experience. I think it places right up there next to base jumping if you're looking for an adrenaline rush. At one point I probably had a full set of brown underwear in the drawer. My xj had it bad for years. But what do you expect when a broke kid is adding all the wrong parts in the wrong order? Never broke anything, but I went into a median more than once.

@XJSuperman, I've never experienced death wobble but a badly loaded trailer (16-foot boards in a 8-foot bed) tried its best to put me in the ditch.

 

[Just Fishing]

I made a girl laugh when my jeep was doing the death wobble.
My jeep came with 29in tires w/16in wheels, I'm pretty sure the wheels and tires were off of a jeep liberty.
man, just they didn't look right.


I'm thinking the swap was an attempt by the PO to reduce the effect of that death wobble since the sticker in the door says it had the same size I'm running now.

While troubleshooting it and confirming the new ball joints and wheel bearings didn't fix it for long.
it started doing the shake.

A girl driving next to me gave me the "omg" look.
I look over at her with both hands off of the wheel while it shakes and yell "It's just a Jeep thing" while signing at the steering wheel as it shook.

she laughed.


DW is an interesting experience.
I hope to never experience it again.

 

[XJSuperman]

I made a girl laugh when my jeep was doing the death wobble.
My jeep came with 29in tires w/16in wheels, I'm pretty sure the wheels and tires were off of a jeep liberty.
man, just they didn't look right.


I'm thinking the swap was an attempt by the PO to reduce the effect of that death wobble since the sticker in the door says it had the same size I'm running now.

While troubleshooting it and confirming the new ball joints and wheel bearings didn't fix it for long.
it started doing the shake.

A girl driving next to me gave me the "omg" look.
I look over at her with both hands off of the wheel while it shakes and yell "It's just a Jeep thing" while signing at the steering wheel as it shook.

she laughed.


DW is an interesting experience.
I hope to never experience it again.

This guy gets it.

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike, I just watched the YouTube video you posted on the death wobble fix. That is an absolutely fantastic way to fix that problem, well done!!! Best way I’ve seen to handle that.

The xj did not have any death wobble, but when I was installing the lift kit a few years back, I noticed a small amount of play on the axle end of the track bar. I ordered a kit from Kevin’s Offroad that involved drilling the hole out to 9/16”, and using a larger diameter bolt and bushing sleeve. Despite taking extreme care when drilling the hole larger, I had the same exact amount of play as I did before with the existing bolt. It has never been an issue, as I have no death wobble, but if I ever do, I’m going to place an order for one of those setups from zmotorsports!! Hahaha!

Keep up the awesome work as always.

Thank you. I would like to think that I am not the only one to come up with the solution and fix that I use but I have not seen anyone else go to that full measure yet. If not doing a full bracket replacement I feel it is the best solution and should outlive the rest of the vehicle.