Sunday, August 30, 2020

30 August 2020 -- Today's progress

Breaking out the tie rod ends with a pickle fork...guess I'm committed now because it won't come out right now either :D

Huh, more stuff to order. There is SUPPOSED to be a bump stop in that cylinder. Nothing on the passenger side (which had the broken spring), only some crumbling remains inside the tube on the drivers. :/

Note to self: Narrow end of the springs go up.

So the Fox stabilizer doesn't mount where the factory one does, but instead has an extended bolt that replaces the track bar bolt. I was trying to avoid disconnecting the track bar, but oh well. So with the extra room I went ahead and go the passenger spring out. To line the track bar up to put the new bolt in I'll need to use a ratchet strap to pull things into alignment. So I might as well leave it down until I get the new bump stops and springs installed :/

Saturday, August 29, 2020

22 May 2020 -- Front U-Joints and other stuff

So per Sorel's, need new U-Joints. Google that, watch the videos. I can handle this.

Plus being 10 years old there is some other stuff like plugs I'd like to do.




That was an odd one...fire the previous night. It was not smoking when I left to get an ice coffee :)

Oh, this is going to be fun...





Ok, got the axle nut off (and new ones ordered), let's get the bearing bolts out.

Well...OK, the threads are in the bearing that is coming out and I have new bearings anyway since at 60,000 I might as well replace them while I have all the labor in getting to the u-joints.

Meanwhile (I dunno, maybe I'm soaking the other side?)...let's start working on the sparking plugs. Looks like the easiest way on the passenger side is remove the battery box / air filter.


Hood flipping all the way back and resting on a towel sure is handy!



This work was over a couple weeks...birds had fun with the paper towels.












So I got the driver side axle out. Tried to push it out myself...wasn't happening. Brought it to the machine shop and he went straight to a torch on it.




Cold Air Gimmick...um, intake...pulled this off and replaced it with a factory box that is far, far, vastly less vulnerable to taking in water when fording puddles. I'll put this on Craigslist, because for someone who doesn't go off road it looks cool.




God...I ended up having to hammer off all four wheels (and rotors, etc.).




So at the end of the day (or last couple weekends...) I wasn't able to slide the driver's side axle back in. I was unable to *budge* any of the bolts for the passenger side bearing, and previously scheduled it to go to Sorel's...so I'll let them figure out the axle. Put the old bearing back on the driver's side and had it flatbedded to Sorel's.


29 August 2020 -- Shocks & More (Start)

Spent an hour before before the rain moved in just doing light cleaning / organizing before pulling the Jeep in. Then I felt a drip on my arm, "Huh, I'm not under a leak in the roof, and it's not raining..." Feel my cap, it's saturated with sweat. WTF o_O. It's not hot; look at the weather service site: 72 degrees, dew point is 70, RH 93%. Ok, that explains it :). Even with the fan on my most of the time!


So plan is:
1) Shock Absorbers
2) Steering Stabilizer
3) Tie Rod (needed new ends anyway to be aligned)
4) Since good shocks that will work with the lift I'd like to do next year are good for 1.5-4" lift and I couldn't find any for 0-2.5" lift, I could either buy some Monroe shocks and replace them next year...or buy the Fox shocks and throw in a cheap spacer lift kit. So we'll put in a spacer kit :)
5) Not sure if I'll do it now or in a few weeks, but the front diff needs new seals
6) While I have the diff open for the seals, I have a heavy duty diff cover to install
7) It is also due for an oil change and tire rotation.
8) Oh, and extended stainless steel brake lines. Rough Country ones, only because all the other brands were sold out...but even RC stainless should be far better than any rubber.

I'm loving Baby Yoda peeking out.







Top of the shock snapped...so sad :D That saved me a fair bit more ratcheting with a Gearwrench in a very tight space.

Stud cleaning kit, which seemed to do a real good job (already did the tie rod on the other side). Now if I just hadn't done the drag link instead of tie rod by mistake :D


Wet shop towel to protect the drag link end and speed sensor cable. Took a MAPP torch to the tie rod end, hit it with penetrating fluid, and the Milwaukee impact wrench popped it right off (and I don't have the powerful Milwaukee!). So far haven't needed to break out my air impact hammer.

Huh, I have a broken spring!