Baystate Jeepers

Since everyone should be practicing social distancing, it should be giving people plenty of time to tinker, putter, tweak, modify or if ambitious, overhaul. What is everyone doing with their time?

I’ve removed my seats, carpet and center console in an effort to clean up some wiring I had hastily installed years ago and had never corrected. While the console and carpets are out, I’ll be installing a Novak Cable shifter kit for the transfer case. I’ve had it for years, just been missing the motivation. Next up will be a starter, transmission fluid, transfercase fluid, engine oil and filter, remove and inspect driveshaft u-joints. If I still have time, I’ll be removing my springs and checking/adjusting my bumpstops.

I’ve worked a little more if anything, but that may slow down soon. I have an ‘86 Toyota pickup in my garage I started swapping a VW diesel into 10+ years ago, I really need to get it done so I can get my Jeep in there. I never have the time to commit to it.

I put charger on the battery. Dropped my skid plate to put a doubler in and play with suspension geometry and oh crap now I need to do surgery.

Working inside mostly, been rearranging the workshop in the basement and also getting to spend more time in it working on models.

Well, I've got a MetalCloak 3.5" Game Changer over here and new brakes for all 4 corners... so that'll be starting once the rain slows up this week. Anybody got any solid advice? (on the lift, the brakes are simple.)

I cant ever remember being so bored. Couple weeks ago Ken Bell helped me change out my front axle shafts to new joints (Grease-able) . It was fun watching a child of new era Jeeps look at the disk brake and ask how it comes apart. Me being on the other side yell back Im not ovah there ! Its pretty simple but not a lot of people have seen how the caliper is held on before. Next was the locking hub , Hey how does , Im not on that side ! He and I are close in age , just our hands on is different . It was a blast workin with him . Thanks for the Help Ken ! Like you Dan , getting the motivation is somehow getting harder. Knowing Id have to remove the drivers seat to repair my on-board compressor was the next task. About an hour and a half to get the seat and the 5 point unbolted cause its all attached to roll bar stuff. Oh , and dont go far with the seat cause someone mounted one of two AMPs under each seat. Either way I found the reset-able circuit was done . Not wanting to go in stores , looking online for a replacement. Next will be changing out my 90lb injectors for 55lb ones. From a 454 Chevy big block (90) to a Chevy 350 (55). Always had an issue with the fuel injection system . If you tune it clean , it has a wicked flat spot. If you tune that out , the guy behind you wipes his eyes all day , but it runs wicked good ! The injection system "Holley Projection" was designed for a V-8 . I have the power and torque but not the cylinders. Holley laughs all the time when Im on the phone with them about tuning. So our next idea is smaller injectors but moving the whole delivery scale up the graph to make it run clean with no flat spot. We shall see. This guy "Dwane" wants so much to see Mona in person he figuring stuff and callin me. Thats support. Basically he wants me to run the smaller injectors at 85% allowing more tuning from the stand alone computer hoping to smooth things out. Vs.the two 90 are running between 18 and 40% with no flat spot. It didnt make sense to me either till he explained it. So thats keeping me sane this week . As soon as I get back from plowing today . Ill see if I can get started . Stay Healthy my friends. FjR68

With all this down time everyone has, I’ll be expecting a lot of Tracks articles.

Hank wrote: ↑Mon Mar 23, 2020 7:41 am Well, I've got a MetalCloak 3.5" Game Changer over here and new brakes for all 4 corners... so that'll be starting once the rain slows up this week. Anybody got any solid advice? (on the lift, the brakes are simple.)

Your goal is 26 hours. I swapped in a metalcloak game changer lift, including all control arms and trackbars, springs and shocks by myself in 26 hours, outside on gravel, mid-july in temps in the upper 90's.

Oh, you wanted advice not a challenge? Get some good jackstands, jack, penetrating oil, sawzall blades, spring compressor, anti-seize and just follow the instructions provided. Put the jeep on the jackstands, then shove your shoulder into the jeep to confirm stability. Throw a wheel under the vehicle near where you will be working so if for some reason the jeep slips off the stands, you'll have at least that much clearance to prevent crushing. Safety first AND second. Patience third.

I'll be doing research on Keith Hunter Jesperson.

Like everyone else I've been cleaning things up, replaced my worn out rear bump stops, installed new rear bumper, soft doors are on, finally going to get around to replacing the brake lines with braided ones and in general just making sure she's ready to go when the time comes. Stay healthy and hope to see everyone sooner rather than later.

New lift, shocks, control arms ( and adjusted the pinion angle) , brake lines, moved the evap canister, Tuffy security trunk, seat covers, re-spooled the winch, new OBA system. new CB & FRS radios installed, new drive shafts, high steer kit, custom steering stabilizer set up, rewired ( extended)rear wheel speed sensors, touched up some paint, took out all the 2019 from the tires ( ha-ha), new OHRV registration oh ....and I vacuumed it.

I spent some of my retirement and tax return money before the market went all funky. Rather spend it than lose it.....it'll bounce back anyways.

Here is the (long) list I've been working on:

* Looking for a new job (first and foremost)

* Cleaning Up the basement

* Cleaning up my Home Office

* Working on old computer-related projects

* Installed the new Tire carrier/third brake lite and wired in the CB antenna and license relocation cables (just have to cut into the passenger tail light wiring, just waiting for another nice day without a cold/flu that I have).

* Lastly writing more for a Game Module for my friends game system (like Dungeons & Dragons, called Astonishing Swordmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea)


In general, doing what I can to keep busy...

If anyone is bored you can social distance in my garage! I have not had the time to get home and use it. Plenty of projects but plenty of work to be done. Hopefully the weather is nice this weekend and I can get out there to get that hunk of a 1 ton out of the bay...or work on a table project that was supposed to be delivered about a month ago.

I can start to pull my transfer case skid so I can gently adjust it with a front loader and take the bend out so I can attach my engine skid. Once I pull the slide, I know the nutserts will spin in the frame so I can replace those. Debating on spending some of my tax money on a nice UCF skid and lose the shovel.

Update: The novak kit I've had sitting for 5 years turns out to be the wrong one. Its for the NP231 not the NP241OR, the right one is on order now. Engine oil swapped, allen sockets ordered to deal with transmission fluid, tcase fluid pending. Front driveshaft seems good to go, rear shaft has a u-joint with play, and the spline section doesn't seem to want to move. I'll get some grease in there and cycle it to ensure function.

Randy: Did you make any progress? Which VWdiesel are you swapping in? What is the next hurdle?
Mark: How many welds did you have to fix? Whats the process?
DaveS: I think we need pics of this workshop, definitely some of the models.
Hank: Hows the lift install going, done yet?
Frank: Holley sounds cute, can I get her number?
Cassandra: Digging up more then you expected, or exactly what you were hoping for?
Gary: slow down there buddy, same some work for later, this thing aint goin away soon...
Bob: Hows the job search? Tough market out there right now I'd imagine.
Jim: You move that 1-ton yet? Get that table built?
Dan: I've got UCF 1" deep tummy tuck, 1" Lowering pucks, and the UCF engine skid. I went with 1/4" and when I pulled them off, only a slight tweak to the main skid, i'm impressed.