ZMotorsports Shop Projects 2.0

[Finallygotit]

Regardless, everyone has missed the elephant in the room:


Mike has been caught in the act of..... hauling things in his TRUCK BED!! *gasp*

That was my exact same damned thought!! Are my eyes deceiving me?? Nah, that must be someone else's truck.

 

[Scuderia-F1]

Yeah, it is just a standard clock mechanism. I am more than ok with it not actually working as that is just one more thing in the shop that I would have to keep batteries in and I have enough clocks around that it doesn't need to work.

So glad to see that your wife found the clock. That one is one of my favourites. We sure do miss them Jebco clocks, don't we....

 

[zmotorsports]

Regardless, everyone has missed the elephant in the room:


Mike has been caught in the act of..... hauling things in his TRUCK BED!! *gasp*

That was my exact same damned thought!! Are my eyes deceiving me?? Nah, that must be someone else's truck.

Oh you guys are hilarious. Yes, I actually hauled something in the bed of my truck. I'm surprised nobody mentioned that it was dirty.

 

[zmotorsports]

So glad to see that your wife found the clock. That one is one of my favourites. We sure do miss them Jebco clocks, don't we....

Thanks Anders. Yes, I had almost written it off when I couldn't find it several years ago. It was a nice surprise when she came out holding it saying "look what I found".

 

[PugetDude]

Oh you guys are hilarious. Yes, I actually hauled something in the bed of my truck. I'm surprised nobody mentioned that it was dirty.

We aren't the type to make judgements based on a snapshot...

 

[Seagoon]

We aren't the type to make judgements based on a snapshot...

Oh yes we are

 

[Finallygotit]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned that it was dirty.

OK, now that you opened that door, why is the bed of that truck so filthy?

 

[customh]

OK, now that you opened that door, why is the bed of that truck so filthy?

He couldn't buy a big enough container of 303 Aerospace to coat the bedliner.

 

[Bob Heine]

Mike, these guys your friends? I'd hate to meet your enemies.

 

[jbmatth]

I'm not worried about the cleanliness of another mans truck, however, I do feel like we need to know what all that steel will be used for, are you starting the trailer build?

JB

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike, these guys your friends? I'd hate to meet your enemies.

No **** Bob. I was thinking the same thing. I thought at one time I may be liked on here but now I'm having second thoughts.

 

[zmotorsports]

I'm not worried about the cleanliness of another mans truck, however, I do feel like we need to know what all that steel will be used for, are you starting the trailer build?

JB

Not for the trailer JB. That just got pushed back a bit further. I have the trailer funds going elsewhere here in the near future for another piece of shop equipment.

However, the steel is for a new lathe base/stand if I can ever find time to build it. I also will be adding a DRO to the lathe while I'm at it that I've had sitting on the shelf for several months now.

 

[zmotorsports]

My son stopped by to give his WJ a once over now that it has a couple hundred miles on it.



Then I tossed my Jeep on the lift to start the annual inspection and service before the couple of bit off-road trips that we make each year.



I didn't have time to wash it prior as it still has last week's dirt and dush all over it.

This year the transmission, TC and both axles will be getting serviced.

Thanks for looking.

 

[Nolift911]

My son stopped by to give his WJ a once over now that it has a couple hundred miles on it.



Then I tossed my Jeep on the lift to start the annual inspection and service before the couple of bit off-road trips that we make each year.



I didn't have time to wash it prior as it still has last week's dirt and dush all over it.

This year the transmission, TC and both axles will be getting serviced.

Thanks for looking.

Love me some WJ - had an Overland HO that I traded for a SRT when they first hit the streets. I miss all my Jeeps, started with an XJ out of college. I had an e39 M5 at the time with the SRT and wound up unloading the M5 since the SRT always got the nod in terms of favorite to drive - such a great truck.

 

[zmotorsports]

Love me some WJ - had an Overland HO that I traded for a SRT when they first hit the streets. I miss all my Jeeps, started with an XJ out of college. I had an e39 M5 at the time with the SRT and wound up unloading the M5 since the SRT always got the nod in terms of favorite to drive - such a great truck.

Thanks.

I think I can say we are a Jeep family and have owned a range of them ourselves. From an XJ to a couple of ZJ's, then my son had an LJ after high school and we bought our JK about 13 years ago. About five years ago my son sold his LJ and purchased his bone stock WJ in which we went right to work building into what it is today. I hope to someday be able to build a Jeep with my grandson as well as some hot rods.

 

[PugetDude]

No **** Bob. I was thinking the same thing. I thought at one time I may be liked on here but now I'm having second thoughts.

Mike, you could sweep out the back of your truck, bag it up in little glassine envelopes and sell it here on GJ as "Mike's Magic Project Dust" for big money.
It could be snorted for DIY superpowers, sprinkled on a project before starting, or just nailed over a doorway for overall shop enhancement. Can I place a pre-order?

 

[LXCam]

or just nailed over a doorway for overall shop enhancement.

Ya!, just like mistletoe…




Just without the kissing

 

[Finallygotit]

No **** Bob. I was thinking the same thing. I thought at one time I may be liked on here but now I'm having second thoughts.

Mike, you'd think we didn't care about you if we didn't give you a little **** every now and again, in pure fun I might add. Hell, I have given myself a ration of **** lately for some of the dumb **** I have done lately.

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike, you could sweep out the back of your truck, bag it up in little glassine envelopes and sell it here on GJ as "Mike's Magic Project Dust" for big money.
It could be snorted for DIY superpowers, sprinkled on a project before starting, or just nailed over a doorway for overall shop enhancement. Can I place a pre-order?

Ya!, just like mistletoe…




Just without the kissing

^^Oh hell yeah. Now you're thinking outside the box. That may even help with the next shop equipment purchase.

Mike, you'd think we didn't care about you if we didn't give you a little **** every now and again, in pure fun I might add. Hell, I have given myself a ration of **** lately for some of the dumb **** I have done lately.

Oh I get it Dan. I can dish it out just as much as the next guy, and have. I guess I at least know you guys are paying attention to what I'm sharing and posting. Otherwise, if no one gave me **** I would think no one was following along.

 

[PugetDude]

Oh I get it Dan. I can dish it out just as much as the next guy, and have. I guess I at least know you guys are paying attention to what I'm sharing and posting. Otherwise, if no one gave me **** I would think no one was following along.

21,100+ reaction score would suggest otherwise...

 

[Finallygotit]

I just looked up my reaction score.............................I am not worthy........................sigh.........................

 

[PugetDude]

I just looked up my reaction score.............................I am not worthy........................sigh.........................

Just be satisfied with being able to bask in the aura of those with such high scores.

 

[aka Larry]

I guess I at least know you guys are paying attention to what I'm sharing and posting.

That's right Mike. Remember there is no such thing as bad press!

 

[zmotorsports]

21,100+ reaction score would suggest otherwise...

I didn't even know that was a thing. I didn't know what you were referring to and had to look it up after you mentioned it.

 

[SilverJimmy]

We’re not Worthy, We’re not Worthy!

 

[PugetDude]

I didn't even know that was a thing. I didn't know what you were referring to and had to look it up after you mentioned it.

#5 on the list. you really are a modest overachiever, Mike.

 

[zmotorsports]

#5 on the list. you really are a modest overachiever, Mike.

Where exactly would said list be located? I wasn't aware of a list.

 

[PugetDude]

Where exactly would said list be located? I wasn't aware of a list.

It's listed under " Members" -you are in an elite crowd up there in the reaction score stratosphere... Albeit with a higher signal to noise ratio than most...

 

[zmotorsports]

Thanks Scott. I guess it's never to late to learn something. I had no idea that section existed. I should probably spend a little time exploring the forum a bit more than I do.

 

[zmotorsports]

I was able to get the front and rear axles serviced on the Jeep last night as well as the transfer case. Then just before closing up the shop for the night I dropped the pan and filter from the transmission so it could drip off overnight.

Wide ****** pan at the ready after crossmember was removed. I've done it before with the crossmember in place and the back bolts were problematic to get a straight shot with a socket. I also ended up spilling fluid on the crossmember, so now I simply put a pole jack under the transfer case and raise it a bit then about a half dozen bolts and the crossmember comes right out making the job much easier and creates no mess.


Most of the pan bolts removed and ready to drop the pan.


Pan dropped.


The fluid still actually looked pretty good after ~25k miles.


Very little buildup on the magnet.


Filter removed so it can drip off overnight.


And that is where I called it a night and closed up the shop.



I am embarrassed how the underside of the Jeep looks. I didn't get a chance to wash it after last week's off-road adventure with the wife.

Thanks for looking.

 

[Bodj Built]

That is not a problem. Discussion is good, it just surprises me at times what questions come up from either something I've shown in a picture. Things that I wouldn't have thought would drum up so much discussion, but then I'm glad to have these discussions and glad to see people are paying attention to the pictures. Most more so than I am.




Thanks Keith.

I can tell you that over the years the Jeep has evolved immensely and the way it moves over obstacles and through the trails is completely different than it did 8+ years ago with the bolt on suspension system, oh and the V6. I firmly believe that the bolt on suspension systems/kits commercially available are definitely a compromise and with some extra work and effort there can be much gained by going beyond a bolt on system. I have learned so much in the past 10 or so years of playing with different iterations of my suspension and then when I broke away from the bolt on kit and built my own links, used shocks by size rather than merely application charts and then building bumps and limiting straps for the exact fitment, that all made a huge difference. Adding the V8 five years ago was just the icing on the cake.

The way it lumbers along the trails and crawls over various sized rocks and obstacles now compared to 8+ years ago it like night and day. It's hard to believe that I have had the Jeep for 13 years already. The wife and I went for an off-road drive a few days ago and I still smile to myself when aired down and cruising around the dirt roads. It is such a joy to drive. Can't wait for the next couple of off-road gatherings we're getting ready for in the next couple of months.

This is really hard to explain to people and they won’t understand until they build/use something properly built. Many times people have brought their truck to me and ask to move the shock mount a couple inches this way or that way… should only take an hour or two… what they don’t realize is I have to pull everything apart and cycle to make sure they’re getting the most out of their shock, nothing is interfering, and it’s bumping on the bumpstop instead of the shock. Not to mention correct motion ratio for the shock so it doesn’t go into a regressive rate. Leaf springs make it even more annoying because the leaf packs have to be broken down and mocked up to cycle, then put back together and reinstalled. One reason I love links haha

 

[zmotorsports]

This is really hard to explain to people and they won’t understand until they build/use something properly built. Many times people have brought their truck to me and ask to move the shock mount a couple inches this way or that way… should only take an hour or two… what they don’t realize is I have to pull everything apart and cycle to make sure they’re getting the most out of their shock, nothing is interfering, and it’s bumping on the bumpstop instead of the shock. Not to mention correct motion ratio for the shock so it doesn’t go into a regressive rate. Leaf springs make it even more annoying because the leaf packs have to be broken down and mocked up to cycle, then put back together and reinstalled. One reason I love links haha

Agreed.

I have learned so much in the past 13 years I've owned and modified this particular Jeep in an effort to make improvements over what is available off-the-shelf. Even though I have owned Jeeps for nearly 30 years, this one has been the most extensively modified. I thought I had things pretty well figured prior because I had been building sand cars and other off-road toys for decades before, but that was not the case as I dug in deeper than ever before.

After purchasing what I thought at the time was the best (and one of the most expensive) suspension systems on the market, I discovered that it was not only the one I bought, but most all of them were a compromise and huge gains could he had by drilling down into each component.

To your point, most people don't realize that one thing effects multiple others. The general public thinks bolting on a mass produced suspension "kit" is all that is needed and you have everything you could ever want. When trying to explain the downfalls to various "kits" or designs people get upset. Not sure if it is because they don't understand the design or inherent flaws OR, they just realized they spent a huge amount of money on something that is far from ideal. That was where I was at, realizing I spent money on something that did not do what I wanted or even expected it to do. The only solution I found was reading and learning about various geometry aspects such as anti-squat, roll center, etc. and then went about building what I thought would do exactly what I wanted.

Was it the cheapest option? Hell no. Does the Jeep do what I wanted originally? Hell yes, even better than I thought I wanted.

 

[SilverJimmy]

I bet you’re finally relieved to find those two bolts….

Sorry Mike, couldn’t help myself!

 

[ntsqd]

Sometimes I'll buy a kit knowing that I'm likely to change a lot of it later, but for right now it gets me started down the path of better defining what it is that I want the thing to do. In those cases the kit was worth the money because it jump-started my own R&D and put it much closer to the goal.
Other times a kit is not going to be bought because it does nothing that I need it to do or doesn't do it how I want it done, even though it might look like it will to a casual observer.

 

[zmotorsports]

I bet you’re finally relieved to find those two bolts….

Sorry Mike, couldn’t help myself!

There again Sterling, something I post that I didn't even think twice about you guys pick up on. I thought nothing of those two bolts because I knew what they were, but I guess looking at a picture without context it could be questionable.

When I removed the pan bolts they were all dry and clean so I just dropped them in a parts pan. Those were the last two holding the pan on so when I removed them with my fingers I got fluid on them and just tossed them in the pan, then the pan into the solvent tank. I didn't think anything of it because it was just part of the process.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

I was able to get the front and rear axles serviced on the Jeep last night as well as the transfer case. Then just before closing up the shop for the night I dropped the pan and filter from the transmission so it could drip off overnight.

Wide ****** pan at the ready after crossmember was removed. I've done it before with the crossmember in place and the back bolts were problematic to get a straight shot with a socket. I also ended up spilling fluid on the crossmember, so now I simply put a pole jack under the transfer case and raise it a bit then about a half dozen bolts and the crossmember comes right out making the job much easier and creates no mess.


Most of the pan bolts removed and ready to drop the pan.


Pan dropped.


The fluid still actually looked pretty good after ~25k miles.


Very little buildup on the magnet.


Filter removed so it can drip off overnight.


And that is where I called it a night and closed up the shop.



I am embarrassed how the underside of the Jeep looks. I didn't get a chance to wash it after last week's off-road adventure with the wife.

Thanks for looking.

If it makes you feel better, most of my stuff is dirty on the bottom side too. It rarely stays clean for longer than a week or two when power washed.

 

[zmotorsports]

Last night I finished up putting the Jeep's transmission back together. Then greased suspension joints and driveshafts and gave everything a good looking over before filling with fluid and test driving.

The pan really had no sludge in it to speak of and only a very small amount on the magnet so cleanup was a breeze.


I then set it on the sealing flange flat on the workbench to look for any warpage. I didn't expect to see any but I still check.


The next part of my routine is to put a straight edge along the flanges and verify that no bolt holes are standing proud.


Going around the entire perimeter to ensure a good and flat sealing surface.


Then the magnet is reinstalled after cleaning and the gasket is put in place ensuring all the small mounting nubs are in their respective locations.


Prior to putting the pan and new gasket in place, the new filter was installed and a thorough cleaning of the mounting flange at the transmission was performed with some brake wash on a paper towel. Then the pan installed and torqued to the proper spec., in this case 80 in/lbs.



Afterwards the crossmember was reinstalled and transfer case bolted back to the crossmember. Prior to setting it back down on the ground a thorough visual inspection was performed and all suspension joints were greased as well as the driveshafts.

Thanks for looking.

 

[zmotorsports]

I have had a small modification that I have wanted to do to my TIG welder's foot pedal for quite some time now but haven't had time.

Last night before locking up the shop I took a few minutes to perform this modification.

I had a Moon Eyes accelerator pedal that I thought would be cool as my foot pedal on the TIG welder.


I put some masking tape on the pedal and positioned the foot where I thought it looked the best, as well as where it would still allow it to fit in the holder on the side of my TIG cart. There were aftermarket knockoffs available but most I found were a bit large for what I was trying to accomplish so I held out until I had an actual Moon Eyes one that was just the right size.


Once positioning was determined I set forth disassembling the pedal for mounting. This took a bit more time than I expected but I was in to it this far now and figured I may as well finish before closing up for the night. The return spring was removed, then before the small spring for the belt that ran on the potentiometer was removed, the belt was marked on the potentiometer to ensure it was put back at the right position.


Now the holes could be drilled from the previous step of marking.


Double checking the screw positions.


Tape removed and the foot installed on the pedal and the pedal reassembled.


Completed.


I think that will work great and add that "kool" touch to the fabrication area.


And it still fits in the holder perfectly.



Thanks for looking.

 

[MP&C]

Badass

 

[Mr.zippy]

I like Moon Eyes stuff. Quite a success story!