The Black Hole

[410Fortune]

Its crooked!!

but I friggin love it
Things that are true are funnier
So that right there is FUNNY!!!

 

[gmanpaint]

Lol!

I have been leaving them square on purpose. I tried a round one and it looked like a cat's butt. Lol!! If the corners lift that's ok, as they get replaced yearly.

It's not crooked. Just the camera angle. This style deff says the true meaning behind the name. Just a money sucking black hole!! Lol

 

[CDW6212R]

I love the idea, and that last one is perfect for the intent. I wonder if a graphics business could work with the existing hood colors, and that sticker, to make one that blends the center outward to the painted colors. That might not be too hard for them, given hires pics of the colors and actual hood size at the center(where the hole goes and the paint line dimensions). Making it 3D would be much harder I think, they merge multiple images to do that on some 3D stuff. I'd ask around, you might find someone who could make it look like the "hole" part is painted in the hood seamlessly.

 

[gmanpaint]

Not a bad idea Don. I will ask the person who makes my vinyl if they can do something like that.

So the backstory on this goofy hood....

When I bought the new hood, it was through a body shop. I asked if they could do the stripes, and they said no problem. The owner asked if I wanted him to airbrush something on there while he was at it, and said he wouldn't charge much for something small. I sent him a graphic of a black hole I liked, and said easy peasey, it would be simple, and he can copy it. I was like sweeeeet! Was totally excited to have a new hood, with new custom paint. Well, long story short, it didn't turn out anything like the graphic.

I have been covering it up with these vinyl graphics, until I have the hood repainted. Which will cost a wing, a thigh, & a leg.

So here is the graphic I sent him to copy, and thought this is how it would look like, minus the text. It's also the first one I used to cover the airbrush work. When I had the vinyl made, I asked they remove the text, but they forgot. This graphic was doomed from the get go! lol

And on the hood.

When (if) I ever get it repainted, the entire thing will have to be done, including the stripes. The stripes have a Matte clearcoat on them, and the air brush work is part of them too.


Always something!!


I need a few shirts that says that, as I say it so often.

Edit: A refresh of a few years ago when messing around with the old failing clear coat hood. Tried a few different types of plasti-dip sprays. This Matte black, w/gray stripes looked pretty good at first, but it didn't last long. Over a winter, bubbles popped up, and there was no way to fix them, without stripping it all, and starting over.

 

[gmanpaint]

Muddy Monday flashback!

 

[gmanpaint]

So after the new lift spring packs have been installed, I just now noticed that my rear 10" travel shocks have 6.5" of exposed shaft on them at ride height.

I do not want to buy longer shocks to accommodate the travel loss, and making longer lower tabs on the U-bolt skids might not be the proper answer. I really dislike the shock angle after mounting to the axle tubes as well.

Fox makes 3 different length eyelets for the 2.0 5/8" shafts. Some people run these 2" longer eyelets on front coil overs, when they do the mod on RBV's to clear the CV boots, so I know they work. The longest being a hair over 2" longer than the shortest, which I have now. So these will give me back the 2" I lost with the new leafs. Expensive little boogers at $65/ea, but $450 less than a new pair of 12" travel shocks. So this is the solution.

Now I just have to find them in stock from a supplier, and figure out how to clamp the shafts tight to remove / install them, without damaging them. Red locktite is used on these, so a fair amount of force will be needed, even after heat is applied. I do not own the special Fox shaft jaw clamp, used for rebuilding shocks, nor do I plan on buying one for this either. lol


Edit:
Looks like I have to buy a set of alum shaft clamps for this job after all. Instead of spending $70+ on the Fox set that works for multiple shaft diameter's, I found a simple 5/8" clamp for $35 on Summit.

To press the bearings in/out, I will make a set of aluminum vice jaws out of 3" x 1/4" aluminum angle, and do the old socket press method.

 

[410Fortune]

how much up travel do you have? I mean with a 10" shock and 6.5" exposed you still have 3.5" of bump travel.......

Looking forward to seeing those eyelets changed out!! We recently ripped a fox shock into two pieces.... something about a 6" lift and a shock designed for 2-3" of lift whoops! Fox's were only 1 year old and I declined the extended warranty from 4wheelparts.....my bad!! big money mistake.
The wifes FJ is now waiting on some Kings.....hopefully the last shock we ever have to buy. I was hoping to be able to fix the fox shock, but it snapped the upper mount like a toothpick

 

[gmanpaint]

how much up travel do you have? I mean with a 10" shock and 6.5" exposed you still have 3.5" of bump travel.......

Looking forward to seeing those eyelets changed out!! We recently ripped a fox shock into two pieces.... something about a 6" lift and a shock designed for 2-3" of lift whoops! Fox's were only 1 year old and I declined the extended warranty from 4wheelparts.....my bad!! big money mistake.
The wifes FJ is now waiting on some Kings.....hopefully the last shock we ever have to buy. I was hoping to be able to fix the fox shock, but it snapped the upper mount like a toothpick

A lot more than 3.5" worth. While both up/down are important, the loss of droop is more on my mind than up travel is.

Being IFS, I need every fraction of an inch of rear travel. I never increased the size of the rear bumps, as I wanted all I can get out of it. The tires rubbed the inner wells before I ran out of shock on stuffing the tire. Now I'm not entirely sure what's what, as I haven't had a chance to take the rig out since the new springs, and the state lock down. Not a single place open to wheel since then. I can tell just by looking that it needs corrected.

These leafs are big to give the lift they do, while being sprung under. The lower shock mount drops with lift. To give you an height reference, (with 35's), the measure from flat ground to the Bottom of a door handle is 54.5"

The FJ is strut style mounts aren't they? What shock part actually broke? The studs on the mount, or the stud casing?

Kings? Biz must be good right now!! lol

 

[BKennedy]

Little late, but this is what I used to rebuild my FOA's 3 or 4 times, but larger diameter. Clamped onto shock shaft, clamped into vice. Worked great.

5/8 Two-piece Steel Shaft Collar - Model Number: 32L010

 

[410Fortune]

Brett is a king dealer now so big help there

I figure since we blew up 3 pairs of $500 shocks it was time to upgrade to something that wont blow up
It was my fault running a 3" lift shock on 4-5" of lift....the rough countries that came with her 6" lift started leaking from the seals the first year....so we got Fox replacements but they were toooooo short (apparently) and of course my cheap ass denied the extended warranty. Fox gives NO warranty with their shocks.......wtf??? Cant blame them with people like me trying to pull them apart in the first 3 miles

So before the kings get mounted I am actually going to RTI the truck and measure, however these Kings are designed for FJ cruiser with 6" lift
She has fox coilovers up front, they are only 2 years old......I'm hoping they last at least 50K miles before I have to get kings for the front

no fixing that

 

[gmanpaint]

That collar is steel. It didn't mar the shaft at all? For $6, that's a steal of a deal for this job if it works! lol Thanks!

Oof!! That shock is not happy at all Jamie! Wowzers! I still have a low mile set of stock FJ springs & trailing arms hanging around the shop. No idea what to do with them. lol

 

[Mbrooks420]

Brett is a king dealer now so big help there

I figure since we blew up 3 pairs of $500 shocks it was time to upgrade to something that wont blow up
It was my fault running a 3" lift shock on 4-5" of lift....the rough countries that came with her 6" lift started leaking from the seals the first year....so we got Fox replacements but they were toooooo short (apparently) and of course my cheap ass denied the extended warranty. Fox gives NO warranty with their shocks.......wtf??? Cant blame them with people like me trying to pull them apart in the first 3 miles

So before the kings get mounted I am actually going to RTI the truck and measure, however these Kings are designed for FJ cruiser with 6" lift
She has fox coilovers up front, they are only 2 years old......I'm hoping they last at least 50K miles before I have to get kings for the front

View attachment 315547

no fixing that

Pfft. I don’t see a problem. Run it.

 

[BKennedy]

That collar is steel. It didn't mar the shaft at all? For $6, that's a steal of a deal for this job if it works! lol Thanks!

As long as you tighten it down so it can't slip they work great. The shafts are hardened, the collar isn't so the collar will deform before the shaft. I didn't mar my cheap POS FOA's, so your shocks should survive. I ground flats on the sides of the one I used so it would hold better in the vice. After you tighten them in the vice, you can tighten the collar a little more. I also put the collar on the shaft right against the end cap so if it did mar the surface, it shouldn't matter because that part of the shaft shouldn't be contacting a seal if your shocks are the correct length.

 

[gmanpaint]

Makes sense to clamp it right at the eyelet. That's exactly where I had planned putting the one I posted a picture of.

Fox has rubber shaft stops to help from over extending damages. If the shaft does get a little marred up, that bump ring will cover it up. Its worth a try. Thanks again!

 

[gmanpaint]

Shock rebuild got put on hold for a spell. Will get to that in a few weeks.

The rig needs the rear auto locker removed in order to tow with. I finally decided it's time to start on the rear ARB locker install. I am going to take the axle out and bring it to a local shop, and have them install it for me, due to the fact I can't do, or know how, to set backlash properly. I don't trust myself to learn how, on this rig either. Too much at stake for a rig being used to go across country and back on it's own power.

So for now, I started on the pump install.

I changed my mind on the location. I made a box that bolted to the top of the spare tire mount, and held the pump. I decided I wanted it under the hood, and just run the air line back there. After moving a bunch of wiring, and a circuit breaker where the stock HCU had resided, there was now room for this little locker pump.

To mount it, I made a simple wide angle bracket out of 1/8"x3" mild steel stock. Drilled the holes using the ARB mounting plate as a template, and used stainless 1/4" hardware to bolt it to the painted bracket. The pump has rubber dampener sleeves in the bolt holes for vibrations, and they work well when tightened down.

After drilling a some pilot holes into the rigs inner fender, the whole kit & kabootle was bolted in place with 5/16" treated self tappers.

I turned the pump sideways on the adjustable pump bracket, so the manifold solenoid, air line, and pressure switch faced towards the engine, and not up to the hood.

Now to wire this thing in with the crazy ARB harness. Not entirely sure where I am putting the 2 switches yet. Thinking maybe the dr door panel, or seeing if the overhead console will allow them or not. Have to take that off and inspect it real good. This console is the one pc, w/o the drop down pocket thing a ma bobber. Will be some time before I update on this mod, as I have a couple other projects going on at the same time. More updates on those later.

 

[Paul]

Wait, wait, wait - - you fit both the "kit" and "kabootle" ? ? ? J/K of course, great job. Love the ARBs. . .

Paul

 

[gmanpaint]

That feeling when your new swapped, refreshed 302 conversion, decides to bring on the smoke show, after 1000 miles of use.

 

[KurtECV]

That feeling when your new swapped, refreshed 302 conversion, decides to bring on the smoke show, after 1000 miles of use.

That is a dirty black hole

 

[gmanpaint]

I can wash dirty, but can't do anything about the bad taste it leaves.

 

[gmanpaint]

Latest Mod.

Your not officially an overland equipped rig without one.