Bit more work on the Jeep

Finished up the passenger side cleaning.

And took it out (in a heavy rain :D) and to the car wash. Hoping later this week I can start working one area at a time clay barring and ceramic coating; this might end up being a summer long project.

Oh so nice -- I'll always be able to hear the ham radio clearly now; much louder than the built-in speaker and very good sound quality; reminds me of the Motorola speakers and other top-tier public safety speakers I was used to in the fire company.


5,889 miles since I got home from the big trip in 2021, which was 8,7534 miles long.

Actually took the pic 'cause I need to remember to update my maintenance log in the Jeep.



And I no longer have a sweatshirt and pair of sweatpants rolled up placed loosely on the center console to support my arm :)



And gonna add this to the next Amazon order. I was doing my 2-3x a year re-seating the gasket for the flip top. I think the heat in the sun works it out over time. Today I found a nice piece of 1/4"x1/4" wood that I filed the end smooth and used for extra reach -- but as I was doing it I was thinking something like the rolling wheel for repairing window screens would be good, but that tool would be too sharp. Googled a bit and found these tools used for the gasket used on commercial windows:

Jeep Inventory 2023

Worked 4+ hours just cleaning and organizing the Jeep (hasn't had a good cleaning since before Moab). Tomorrow will be another round...was feeling really sore and not moving well in the afternoon then I realized I just got up and started doing stuff this morning and never took a shower, which meant I never took my morning Advil :/

Part 1 of...I don't know how many :D

Screwdriver Bag:

-- Trim Removal Tool
-- Milwaukee small pry bar
-- Flathead Screwdrivers
-- Phillips Screwdrivers
-- Driver & Bit Set



Brush & Stuff Bag

-- Brushes
-- Hose Clamps
-- Baling Wire
-- Zip Ties



1/4" Ratchet Bag

-- 1/4" Ratchet
-- 1/4" Socket set (Metric & SAE)
-- 1/4" Extension
-- 1/4" U-joint



3/8" SAE Bag



3/8" Specialty Bag

-- Spark Plug
-- Torx
-- Hex
-- Flat & Phillips screw driver



3/8" Metric Bag

-- 3/8" Ratchet
-- 3/8" Extensions
-- 3/8" U-Joint
-- 3/8" Metric sockets



1/2" Bag

-- 1/2" Ratchet
-- 1/2" Extensions
-- 1/2" U-Joint
-- 1/2" 19MM sockets
-- 1/2" 36MM Axle Nut socket
-- 1/2" Metric & SAE Sockets

Not pictured here is a set of lug nut sockets, multiple sizes to deal with swollen sockets.



Tool Bag Bottom & Inside Pockets:



Recovery Bag Stuff:

-- Two soft shackles
-- 20' Static Strap
-- 30' Static Strap
-- Tree Saver
-- 7/8" Kinetic Recovery Rope
-- Velcro winch line protective sleeve

Since picture was taken, the hard shackle and pulley have been relocated out of the bag to save weight.





Eletrical Bag:





Grips Bag -- misc. stuff for electrical, rigging cameras, tape, etc.




Tire Patch Kit



Rope Fid tool -- now stored with the SAE wrenches.



Metric Wrenches



SAE Wrenches & Fid




U-Joint Tool



Some new stuff for the bottom of the bag --

-- Mechanics Hammer
-- C-Clamp (from the tools I got from Ed from his dad)
-- Punch & Chisel Kit




Yeah...
There's no way I'm lugging that in and out of the Jeep when it is fully loaded up :D
But having many of the tools in the zipper bags & rolls, I can put the on the seat as I dig for what I need.



Snap ring pliers



"Floor tools" to big to fit in a bag --

-- 25" 1/2" Breaker Bar
-- Extendable 1/2" Breaker Bar
(Noticed while working on the Jeep earlier in the month the 25" doesn't really clear inside the wheel wells easily; the extanble one was in my tool box, I think I got it from Ed.
-- Pry bar
-- Dead Blow hammer



Kind of blends in, but the Tire Kit is underneath the driver's seat.



Hard Points

-- Logging Chain in case I need to wrap around something sharp. I definitely wouldn't trust it for kinetic recovery.
-- Shackles -- these are high-grade ones.
-- Pulley rated for synthetic rope



Shackles will go under the tool kit, this will keep them from rattling against each other.



Rest goes under rear seat; will add the tow hitch here too.



All tucked away :)

Nice applied analysis based on Woodward's Eleven Nations theory

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/04/23/surprising-geography-of-gun-violence-00092413
Soon as I started reading that article, I wondered if the other was the same as:

https://www.businessinsider.com/the-11-nations-of-the-united-states-2015-7

Which while the Business Insider article (that they've kept updating at least 2015-2020) isn't by the author, the Politico article is by Colin Woodward and I do own his book :)

For those unfamiliar, while Woodward uses 11 nations, other authors have used slightly different groupings like 9 or 13.

There is a tide...

There is a tide in the affairs of men
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat;
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.

-- William Shakespeare

Tires & Bumpers...

Wednesday night took a look at the tire that has had a slow leak to see if I could patch it...

Nope that's leaking from the rim. Dropped it off at Sorel's for Norman to fix on Thursday.



Low-pro antenna -- I don't have a lot of experience with it yet, but from moving the Jeep around this thing may work better than I expected. I doubt it is as efficient on the transmit side.



Took Friday off. It's 11:30am, time for the garage bar to open.




Huh, I didn't know mufflers have drain holes :/



Worked for about 3 hours -- lots of little maintenance checks, then lots of wrenching with things like my 2' breaker bar to remove the bumper. Came in for a late lunch, decided while I had the ambition to go back I really should let my arm rest.



Saturday morning...

Ok, last thing before I drill the frame is to remove the old tow hook. Well it's laughing at my Milwaukee, better break out the air tools...



Well...even the air powered impact is barely doing anything. Look at Harbor Freight...Good news is it's 30% off this weekend...



It...managed to break the welds of the nuts on the mounting plate :D But not before it at least got me enough working room...



I'm done asking...




New hole drilled and got the holes and factory bolts prepped with anti-sieze, and a generous coat of Fluid Film inside frame rails I had drilled through.



Jeep barely started to turn it around...will have to let that run a bit to recharge battery.

Get on tractor, it barely starts :D Ok, guess I'll leave it running to.

Sudden heavy shower as I'm getting the tractor is position with the new bumper :/






So the tractor wasn't level enough for me to get the bumper in position...but I got one bolt on and tied the other.



Set up bumper jacks so I could level and position it correctly.



Almost done -- hit the wall at 7.

Need to do a final check for the alignment and then finish tightening all the bolts.