Tbars Project "X" begins

[Tbars4]

the leak just disapeared and i am going to keep an eye on it...today i changed the draglink out and it made a huge difference...next i'll change the tie rods...i am starting to look for a good set of used 35x12.50x15's for throw ons and i will probably need to find another set of 15x8's with a minimum backset....if you know of any let me know...

 

[Tbars4]

i am waiting for my front aussie locker to show up by ups today...i feel like al bundy at the door waiting for the pizza peg said she ordered....

 

[Tbars4]

woohoo the aussie locker for the front axle has arrived... i just scheduled with my mechanic and we are going to put it and my 4.56's in sometime next week in my shop...

 

[cybergasm]

looking for an extra set or looking to replace the wheels you have now?

 

[Tbars4]

both, until i get my wheels off i think these are like 4.25 b.s. ....they almost hit the shocks when they are aired up off road and they have abused the shocks and boots when they were aired down...

 

[Tbars4]

i haven't had much time to work on my Project X for a few days ...even though today was 4th of july i was scheduled to work but got a call at 8:30 a.m. saying the materials weren't their so take today off...after making a few phone calls i was able to get my welding buddy to come over and we welded some lug nuts on the wheel locks and finally got those off and we got to discuss planning on making some skidders...since pepboys was open i checked out speakers for the truck and picked up a passenger side tie rod end and installed it and put a quick string alignment on...one more tie rod end and the rack is finished but what a difference in the steering and i've pretty much lost all clunk...i am hoping next week i can get my gears in and find some replacement tires...anybody???

 

[Tbars4]

woohoo, "IT'S ALIVE, IT'S ALIVE"....she is 4wd again....sorry i haven't posted in awhile but work has been hectic and the Project X has been being worked on by another...she now has 189,216 miles on her and she is going for a test, breakin run on the local fire road this weekend...my mechanic now hates me, well let's just say, he hates ifs, lmao...to be brief, it was his job from hell...i helped and overseen the locker install and i personally installed the aussie locker so i could be sure it was in spec, and it came in at .167 for gap...after that, all the mechanic had to do was finish the front 4.56 ring and pinion...first, the master kit didn't come with a pinion spacer so he first tried to grind off the old bearing...it didn't work, lol, so we had to find a different one...jumping to the end of the job, he broke 3-4 brake lines...passenger side first, remounted it in the wrong location....then he got the truck finished and was pulling it out of the shop and turned the wheel full and snappped the drivers side...he was spitting nails when i walked over....he then asked me what this other brakeline went to, and i quickly noticed he broke the brakeline that was installed for the front axle vent that runs up to the top of the fender....snapped it off at the pumpkin...long story short, it's done on this mod...how was your week????

 

[cybergasm]

is that all that happened? that would have been a walk in the park for me most of the time i have more than that go wrong with my projects/friends projects did ya get the t-case figured out too?? seen that other thread last night when i got "home":

oh yea tell your Mechanic it's called 4wheelin' not 4 whining:

 

[Tbars4]

i ran it on some dirt this morning....t/c worked perfect...the locker worked perfect, but since i have never driven with a locker up front it's going to take some getting used to...when it locks up it don't want to turn except gas and go,lol....it will be great on rocks, but i am really interested how it will do at pismo...once the hubs are locked, even in 4x2, that locker is active....

 

[Tbars4]

as for the aussie locker in the rear, i am going to do some more research as i may want to go to a selectable locker in the future...i do like to drive to and from the trails...i went on a small trail run out here called the main divide rd. after i got back my truck was covered with several different colors of the dust that is up there and some gravel..i took my X to a couple different jobs today and one of the jobs a guy i knew was running my buddies hi power pressure washer so i told him to take his break...i parked next to his pressure washer and sprayed the whole undercarriage and got all the crud i couldn't at the truckstop carwashes off...looks like i'm going to be buying some flat black to make her easier to clean... here is a link to that trail run....
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190985

 

[FROADER]

A locker in the rear is no problem for a daily driver.

 

[jwrezz]

Not a non-selectable one, you'd be much better off w/ a selectable in the rear rather than an Aussie

 

[FROADER]

Yes, a non-selectable locker is fine for a DD. Did it for 4 years in my last explorer and the current one works just fine on the street. Learn to drive with it and you won't even notice it's there.

 

[Tbars4]

ok, lmao...but if i for some reason i go crazy and put a locker in my ranger, i will already know what i want from my X...what is your rear locker froader???

 

[FROADER]

Detroit.

 

[Tbars4]

doah, thats right...lol...thanks...

 

[Tbars4]

well, i spent some money today on another much needed mod for the X...an air mattress and a 12v pump...the air mattress is for the back of the X for when i go camping...which is 15-20 plus times a year...i have never camped with an air mattress so i think i'm going to have to go camping tonight to try it out and make sure it works while they are still on sale...it's a twin size and it measures aired up, 71 1/2"x39 1/2"x8" with a veloured top and i got the pair for $10 dollars each, so for 20 bucks, what the heck, lol...

 

[cybergasm]

air mattress and air pump for 20.00?????? where where??:scratch:

 

[FROADER]

i think i'm going to have to go camping tonight to try it out

Ted, you alive and ok? I just heard someone drove off the cliff at Silverado Canyon!!

 

[Tbars4]

froader, i'm fine....i didn't here anything about that...:scratch: i know better than to venture off up there alone... link me to some info on that if you could...thanks

cybergasm, i got it at target and they are on sale till tomorrow i think, queensize is like 16 bucks plus 10 for the pump...the bad news is it had a blowout, lmao...i got to the campgrounds with enough daylight to get it unpacked and aired up...made the bed up,got everything set including my dog, turned my little tv on and sssssssssss....a little leak at the seam which opened up more...i was bummed because the twin size is perfect so you can still put your shoes beside it in line of course...i am taking it back and swapping it today and i'll also look into their warranty which i couldn't find one...it also does come with 2 clear patches but the seams should hold...btw, the pump was awesome and comes with 3 fittings, it's a keeper...