ZMotorsports Shop Projects 2.0

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Ram Mounts are great, we've run the San Felipe whoops at 85mph and the Ram Mounts didn't even wiggle with an I-Pad.

 

[zmotorsports]

Ram Mounts are great, we've run the San Felipe whoops at 85mph and the Ram Mounts didn't even wiggle with an I-Pad.

Thanks for the info. That has pretty much been the consensus that I've gotten over the past couple of years which is why I went that route. Mounting it to that Vector Off-Road bar which is also rock solid should provide a good base and one that won't damage the dash long term.

 

[4 FN 27]

That was just for you Pat, I thought if anyone would appreciate that white **** falling from the sky it would be you.

Thanks for stopping by.

Thanks Mike...you know it is all about the content to keep people coming back...LOL...

Mikes got a blizzard

My door was frozen shut this morning

And Pats the one with issues

I'll gladly take my 115 degrees days any day over this cold ****.

Issues??? You must have spoke with my Wife...

I'll just leave this here (hope you don't mind me sucking up bandwidth)...Heaven in Grant, MN...

 

[polexican23]

geez mike. how did you cut the frame rail so cleanly? i cant even cut cardboard that nice.

 

[zmotorsports]

geez mike. how did you cut the frame rail so cleanly? i cant even cut cardboard that nice.

Thanks. I actually drilled a 1/4" hole from one side all the way through to the other using a long reach drill bit then used a cutoff disk between the corners. Worked out pretty well, then cut the four pieces of steel and tacked them together once in position. Removed from the frame, welded the inside of each corner then slid the box back into the frame and welded both inside and outside of the perimeters for a structurally sound enclosure.

 

[ttpete]

Thanks guys. I can't believe I waited or postponed getting a navigations setup for so long. Our RV and Jeeping friends have given me **** for so long because all we've used is BLM maps or guide books but to be honest, I just haven't found a mounting system that I was really fond of and didn't want to spend the money until I was 100% certain it would meet my expectations.

I also really didn't have the time to learn how to use one so now I have forced myself to figure it out and go hi-tech on trail navigation. Better late than never I guess.

Another reason is because many of the rallies that we have attended over the past couple of years they have really been begging and pleading with people to lead trails as trail leaders/volunteers have been very sparse and have declined. I kind of enjoy leading trails and feel that I am a pretty good trail leader and spotter. I feel I do a good job of communicating and spotting people to get people through rough obstacles but the wife and I have usually felt better about being a tail gunner as opposed to leading trails. When we attended the FMCA 4-Wheelers rally in South Dakota this past September, they had only a couple of people volunteer to lead trails but several people offered up their tracks for anyone who wanted them. Had my wife and I had a navigations system at the time, I would have volunteered to lead if someone would email me their tracks and I could download them but I wasn't set up for it at the time.

I am slowly changing my wife's philosophy on leading trails because I have convinced her how much less dusty it is out in front vs. bringing up the rear so I think that helped.

What navigation program do you use? I used the DeLorme Street Atlas USA and Topo USA for years, but since they sold out to Garmin in 2015, it's never been updated. The Topo program was based on the USGS maps and was very good. I have a Ram mount setup same as law enforcement uses that mounts using the front seat bolts.

 

[zmotorsports]

What navigation program do you use? I used the DeLorme Street Atlas USA and Topo USA for years, but since they sold out to Garmin in 2015, it's never been updated. The Topo program was based on the USGS maps and was very good. I have a Ram mount setup same as law enforcement uses that mounts using the front seat bolts.

I've been using GAIA on my iOS phone and my wife's mini but not mounted, just hand held or lying on the dash and very limited at that. I just downloaded the Backcountry Navigator Pro app over the weekend and was playing with it as most of our local Jeep club as well as our FMCA group is using that one. For the topographic maps I'm using Caltopo.

I've seen a few guys use the seat bolt style mount that bolts to the passenger's front left seat attachment point in the JK's but none of them carry passengers and both my driver's and passenger's seats are always occupied when we're on the trails so that option was out.

 

[shortykorte]

Nice port job on frame. Was it sprayed with bed liner? Looking forward to seeing how everything ties together.
On the nav system, welcome to 2005. Lol. I used a Ram mount with a Garmin 2.5” b/w handheld unit when I made my 2005 motorcycle trip to Canada and back. 3600 miles and worked like a charm. Does the Samsung tablet have built in GPS? I can see where having a nav system out in the vast open country world be comforting.


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[zmotorsports]

Nice port job on frame. Was it sprayed with bed liner? Looking forward to seeing how everything ties together.
On the nav system, welcome to 2005. Lol. I used a Ram mount with a Garmin 2.5” b/w handheld unit when I made my 2005 motorcycle trip to Canada and back. 3600 miles and worked like a charm. Does the Samsung tablet have built in GPS? I can see where having a nav system out in the vast open country world be comforting.


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Thanks Shorty.

My son sprayed some textured bed liner on the frame rails after the welding was completed. It actually works very good for corrosion protection and isn’t as gooey or rubbery as undercoating.

As for the Samsung tablet, yes it has built in GPS.

Thanks for checking in.


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[zmotorsports]

Not much tonight but finished welding the tank skid and it’s ready to mate back with the actual fuel tank then installation back into the Jeep.





I also modified the tank fill tube as now raiding the tank and the hose going through the frame created quite a sharp bend so I opted to cut a couple of inches off of the fill tube which will allow a much more gradual radius from the tank to the fill tube.

Started by taking a couple of measurements.


Made the cut.


I used my bead forming tool and the piece I cut off as a test piece.


I put a bead on the freshly cut fill tube end.


I then TIG welded the strap back in between the vent tube and fill tube that I had cut off prior to shortening the fill tube.


Lastly before closing up the shop I installed my wife’s new 67 Design phone mount on her side of the Jeep. This affixes to the Vector Off-Road dash bar.


Now she won’t have to hunt for her phone while we’re in the Jeep. That is providing she remembers to put her phone in it.

 

[Bob Heine]

Now she won’t have to hunt for her phone while we’re in the Jeep. That is providing she remembers to put her phone in it.

Mike, you and your wife aren't at my stage of decrepitude so this probably doesn't apply. When I put something helpful like that in the car the phone better ring. If it doesn't, I get out of the car, go in the house and for several days mutter and curse about the SOB who stole my phone. Asking Liane if she has seen my phone gets me that Nursing Home look.

 

[aka Larry]

Now she won’t have to hunt for her phone while we’re in the Jeep. That is providing she remembers to put her phone in it.

So is your wife like mine in that she can never find her phone? Every time she tells me she's lost it I show her these magical things men's clothes have called "pockets". Seriously, do they even make women's clothes with pockets? Every now and then she'll come home with some new pants or shorts for me to wear w/o pockets and I hand them back to her.

Looks like a nice holder though Mike!

 

[LXCam]

Fantastic as always mike.

gets me that Nursing Home look.

Oh gezzis Bob, now that's a classic. Hope ya don't mind but I'll be sticking that one in the top pocket as a party favor.

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike, you and your wife aren't at my stage of decrepitude so this probably doesn't apply. When I put something helpful like that in the car the phone better ring. If it doesn't, I get out of the car, go in the house and for several days mutter and curse about the SOB who stole my phone. Asking Liane if she has seen my phone gets me that Nursing Home look.

So is your wife like mine in that she can never find her phone? Every time she tells me she's lost it I show her these magical things men's clothes have called "pockets". Seriously, do they even make women's clothes with pockets? Every now and then she'll come home with some new pants or shorts for me to wear w/o pockets and I hand them back to her.

Looks like a nice holder though Mike!

Thanks guys. My wife seems to struggle with her phone location at times but not often because she seems to be on it quite a lot. The only time it is troublesome seems to be when in the Jeep because she will have it in her lap and then it ends up on the floor. Then when it rings or she receives a text she is going crazy trying to dig around on the floor to find it which drives me up a freaking wall. I don't know why but having her writhe around in the passengers seat while I'm driving just pushes me to my boiling point. When I ordered it, she said she doesn't need a phone holder but I told her for my sanity she is getting a phone holder and she will use it.

As for me, no one calls me anyways so I don't need one and when I do get a call it is work and I don't want to answer it.

 

[customh]

As for me, no one calls me anyways so I don't need one and when I do get a call it is work and I don't want to answer it.

I must be in Mike's phone as "no one". Just kidding- I think we've talked twice maybe.

 

[zmotorsports]

Fantastic as always mike.



Oh gezzis Bob, now that's a classic. Hope ya don't mind but I'll be sticking that one in the top pocket as a party favor.

Thanks Cam. Again, coming from you that is of the highest compliment.

 

[zmotorsports]

I must be in Mike's phone as "no one". Just kidding- I think we've talked twice maybe.

Ha ha Travis. You can call anytime and you are definitely not in the phone as "no one", just making a generalization.

 

[customh]

Thanks sir. Lots of interesting stuff going on at work these days. Trying to bring us out of the 80s and 90s into the present. Getting better at getting around the "we've done it like this for 20 years" mentality. As you know plenty of interesting stuff at home too with the new little one.

 

[zmotorsports]

Thanks sir. Lots of interesting stuff going on at work these days. Trying to bring us out of the 80s and 90s into the present. Getting better at getting around the "we've done it like this for 20 years" mentality. As you know plenty of interesting stuff at home too with the new little one.

I completely understand.

Although there is something to be said about doing something for 20 years, it's not always a bad thing. We got new upper management here about 4 years ago and it has been 4 years of HELL. They came in and were going to change the world with their "new" ideas. Our associates have been upset and our associate satisfaction surveys have gone down hill ever since due to all of this "change". Yesterday we had a 2.5 hour meeting to discuss changes for the upcoming year and wouldn't ya know it, several things we are changing and going back to the way we used to do them because we are not delivering the same results we did 5 plus years ago. Huh, who wouldda thunk it?

Not all change is a good thing, just remember that. Sometimes we continually do things over and over for 20 years because they flat work. Don't get me wrong, there are still things that need to change but for the most part if it isn't broke I have a hard time fixing it because in my experience it usually ends up braking it. Maybe I'm just getting old and bitter in my days but retirement can't come soon enough as the last 4 years has had me hating to come to work. I've never been to a point where I have despised my work or the people I work for. For the previous 25 or so years I enjoyed my job, although it was a challenge at times, but more importantly I respected the people I worked with and for because they always had the company and the associate's best interest at heart. It is not that way any longer.

Good luck with the little one Travis, enjoy them because the time flies by. Next thing you know, they are getting married and moving out.

 

[JasonJ]

I use RAM mounts for everything... love em. RAM mount # RAM-B-367U is a perfect replacement for the windshield screws. Great for satellite trackers and/or camera mounts. I have a mount on both sides of the windshield for options.

 

[zmotorsports]

I use RAM mounts for everything... love em. RAM mount # RAM-B-367U is a perfect replacement for the windshield screws. Great for satellite trackers and/or camera mounts. I have a mount on both sides of the windshield for options.

Nice.

I hope it holds my camera better than the suction cup type because I was getting quite a bit of shaking from that mount and the video quality was not very good.

 

[ttpete]

Nice.

I hope it holds my camera better than the suction cup type because I was getting quite a bit of shaking from that mount and the video quality was not very good.

If you go to drone sites, you can find small camera vibration isolators that take RAM mount hardware. This is typical:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...-uQIwS17bwbrLRoCpQYQAvD_BwE&lsft=BI:514&smp=Y

Or, just buy the polymer spools and make your own custom one.

 

[zmotorsports]

If you go to drone sites, you can find small camera vibration isolators that take RAM mount hardware. This is typical:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...-uQIwS17bwbrLRoCpQYQAvD_BwE&lsft=BI:514&smp=Y



Or, just buy the polymer spools and make your own custom one.

Thanks. I’ll give this a try and see where it lands me before buying anything else.


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[zmotorsports]

Yesterday was a long 12-hour day in the shop.

I started shoveling snow at 7:30 in the morning and finally made it into the shop by 9:00am. My son and I finished putting his fuel tank into his Jeep which had a few more interference issues and items to address than I had originally thought when the day began.

We mounted the fuel tank into the modified skid and also replaced the fuel pump. His was still the original with about 180k on it so we figured we may as well replace it while we were right there.


After installing the fuel tank assembly and routing hoses neither one of us were happy with the tight manner in which the fuel fill hose was placed. It seemed even more tight than our original mock up. We opted to bend a pieced steel tubing and roll a bead for retention and this would allow a smoother transition into the tank.




Then all we had to do is cut the original fill hose and use the bend to connect the two.




Tank tuck completed (finally) and ready to cut the cover piece and begin work on his rear bumper.


After we pulled my son’s WJ off the lift I thought I had better perform some preventive maintenance on the Ammco 2-post lift. I retorqued the mounting bolts and lubed all of the cables and sheaves as I was getting a little squeaking and freaking out of them lately. Now everything is smooth and quiet again.

Next item for the day was I had to address a front axle seal leak. I only have about 1800 miles on it since I regeared yo my 4.56’s but the stinkin’ passenger side inner axle seal started to leak. I noticed last week a little oil on my lower knuckle so I thought I would address that as soon as the lift was free.


Carrier removed so the seals could be replaced.


RCV axle shafts and boots being cleaned before reassembly.


After completing the front seal replacement I thought I would address one more item on the Jeep before calling it quits. I didn’t care for the way I had my battery cables run from the battery down to the starter motor and block. They were a bit closer to the passenger exhaust manifold than I like so I dropped the starter motor and re-routed them to go under the manifold along the block and held off the back of the power steering pump mount with an Adel clamp. This makes me feel much better about the routing and less likely to be affected by the heat coming off that exhaust manifold.

Lastly I closed up the shop at 9:00pm and called it a night.

Wouldn’t ya know it it snowed again over night and I had to shovel another inch of that white **** off of my driveway again this morning. I think the damn groundhog lied this year and should be replaced.

 

[zmotorsports]

So I received a pretty awesome telephone call a couple of evenings ago from Robbie @ Motech.

He said he had a gentleman come into his shop earlier in the day who had inquired about an engine swap that he had just seen on YouTube. He mentioned the several part video series where a guy was putting a 6.2 LS engine into a black 4-door Wrangler and it intrigued him and wondered if Robbie was associated or knew of the guy doing the swap then mentioned me by name and my channel. Robbie said at first my name didn't sound familiar and didn't know what the guy was talking about but had seen LS swap videos in the past and wasn't impressed by many of them but figured he would take a look when he got home.

Anyway, Robbie called me to tell me he thought I did a fantastic job on the swap itself and the work was top notch. He also said I did a great job on the videos, had a lot of great information and explained it well along with a lot of great footage of the swap requirements and procedures. Robbie had asked me if I would mind if he linked my YouTube videos to his channel and website as another source for LS swap information.

To say I was flattered is an understatement. Robbie is so freaking knowledgeable about LS swaps and to think he wanted to use my videos and thought they had good content was beyond belief. I told him I would be honored that he wanted to use my videos and information.

I just thought I would share that it was kind of a cool phone conversation and I was flattered that he called to ask to share my information.

 

[LXCam]

Now you know why you've got such fan boys here bud, you are definitely an extraordinary talented individual my friend.

 

[aka Larry]

Now you know why you've got such fan boys here bud, you are definitely an extraordinary talented individual my friend.

Agreed!

 

[GRN96WS6]

Now will finally take the damn compliment and not have some retort about how you're not that good! [emoji123]

 

[zmotorsports]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the comments.

I don't know why it is so hard to accept compliments sometimes but I know it is something I need to work on and I appreciate all of the support I get here which is why I wanted to share the story from the other night's phone call.

 

[Spareparts]

If you are like me those compliments come with a request at the end of the conversation

 

[Finallygotit]

Now will you finally take the damn compliment and not have some retort about how you're not that good! [emoji123]

I should get with Don Long and have this ^^^^ made into a neon sign.


Congrats Mike.

 

[zmotorsports]

If you are like me those compliments come with a request at the end of the conversation

Maybe there is some logic there. In the past when accolades have come my way they have immediately been followed by that person wanting something. Kind of a *** for tat exchange, so maybe that’s why I’m so gun shy of them now. However I have become much better and not getting coerced into doing projects that I don’t want to do.

I know accepting compliments is something I have to work on however.

Thanks for following and commenting.

 

[zmotorsports]

I should get with Don Long and have this ^^^^ made into a neon sign.


Congrats Mike.

Ha, ha, ha Dan.

I get the message. [emoji12]


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[zmotorsports]

My son and I were staring at his WJ tonight trying to come up with a plan on mounting his rear bumper when it hit me..... we removed his Class III receiver hitch because he was going to incorporate a light duty receiver into his rear bumper as the most he will haul will be a small utility trailer. I suggested cutting his factory receiver hitch, tucking the actual receiver up higher and welding the face of the bumper to the receiver. In essence using the receiver AS the mounting point for the bumper which will be very solid and provide a great base for his bumper. Plus the mounting holes are already matching so it will save me some time.

Here is the hitch after cutting it apart and sinking the receiver tube into the framework for a test fit.


Next up will be mounting it and use some cardboard to design the actual bumper.

 

[zmotorsports]

I also had a little job for a fellow forum member that’s been sitting on my workbench for the last week or so and I wanted to knock it out tonight.

Some Honda hubs that I understand are no longer available in the correct size. I was commissioned to turn the hubs down approx. .041” to match one that was destroyed in a race. I received two used hubs and two new hubs to machine to the correct diameter.




Notes displaying the amount needing to be removed.


Chucked up in the lathe and confirming runout is minimal.


Taking the initial .020” cut.


Final cut. Dead nuts on.


The studs in the two new hubs are very close to the inner step so here’s a good use of an O2 sensor socket.


Two studs removed and two to go.


The last operation is putting a small radius at the root to eliminate the possibility of stress cracking.


All components machined, studs pressed back into the two new hubs and ready to box up and ship back to their owner.


That was a fun little project and hopefully once I get my son’s Jeep completed I can get more little projects like this in to keep me occupied.

Thanks for looking.

 

[aka Larry]

I also had a little job for a fellow forum member that’s been sitting on my workbench for the last week or so and I wanted to knock it out tonight.

Some Honda hubs that I understand are no longer available in the correct size. I was commissioned to turn the hubs down approx. .041” to match one that was destroyed in a race. I received two used hubs and two new hubs to machine to the correct diameter.

That was a fun little project and hopefully once I get my son’s Jeep completed I can get more little projects like this in to keep me occupied.

More great work Mike, not that any of us are surprised! I know you are super busy so thanks again for helping that fellow GJ member (me), I really appreciate it.

 

[zmotorsports]

More great work Mike, not that any of us are surprised! I know you are super busy so thanks again for helping that fellow GJ member (me), I really appreciate it.

Thank you and you're more than welcome.

I boxed them up last night and will try to get them shipped back out to you today.

Thanks again for allowing me to help you, this was a fun little project.

 

[Finallygotit]

Great work Mike.

This is exactly the kind of stuff I want to do when I retire. And I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[zmotorsports]

Great work Mike.

This is exactly the kind of stuff I want to do when I retire. And I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

That is awesome Dan. Glad to hear you are nearing the retirement phase, I'm still close to ten years out, unless I hit the lottery.

Like you, I want to have these little jobs come into the shop during retirement to keep me occupied, help supplement my income and just to keep me learning. I hope to be able to do more of the little jobs like this vs. the large major rebuilds so I can still play in between.

Let us know how that light at the end of the tunnel looks when you get there. Ours has been permanently turned off due to budgetary cutbacks.

 

[shortykorte]

Congrats on video shout out


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