Topics

Are we scheduling some time to wallow in the mud tomorrow before the show?  It's easier to give my Jeep a mud bath than it is to clean it up properly.

http://www.glfwda.org/showthread.php?p= ... #post40394

NEA4WC member


Tammy, our event coordinator and also an NEA member, getting sideways and adding some new custom modifications to her tail light




Crack Kills!



Pat Brower (GLFWDA, Two Trackers 4WD)
Pat's Cherokee, along with Tammy's Cherokee and a ZJ from Wisconsin, had a lot of trouble with these rocks - but the guys from NEA picked good trails, nothing impossible for the stockers on our run


My dad (foreground of the first photo) got some more pictures on a disposable, have to wait until he gets them developed to add them here.

No, not a new day job - something else to keep me in front of a computer instead of wheeling in my free time!  Packing the Jeep to leave for Manchester NH to attend the annual business meeting for UFWDA.  The Treasurer is stepping down mid-term, and I will be appointed to fill the remainder of her term later this week.  Heading out to meet the rest of the Executive Committee and some of the other movers and shakers from UFWDA that will be there.  I won't make it back in time for our meeting this Sunday, I'll get the box of goodies over to Neil's in case there is a mad rush for shirts and stickers at the meeting.

Deb wants to swap the tops on the JK this week before Silver Lake - except she doesn't think she's got the muscles to hold up her end of the hard top.  Anybody gonna be on my side of town this week and have 10 extra minutes?  

810-241-2482

Most of you never saw it, but Deb's first LJ came from the owner of http://www.tops4less.com - he also owns some related websites, some Jeep and some general stuff.  Anyway, when we picked it up it had a bunch of goodies on it - hard tire cover, seat covers, slush trays, polished stainless steps, and this really cool storage box for the rear end.  It mounted on special tabs attached to the hitch, and had a swing-away so you could open the tailgate.  Unfortunately, everything but the box was lost when she got rear ended.  The box was useful, and we had used it a number of times, so last summer I looked at getting replacement parts from DPS, now owned by Reese.  Too much money, so this year I decided I would hack off the tab mounts, and replace them with a 2" post to go into the receiver.  So I measured and made cardboard templates to see if I could come up with something that would fit both Jeeps.  Bought some new metal working tools, and started playing.  My welding skills with my torches were taking too long to master (my last welding experience was 1989 working for Oakland County - fixing brush hogs) so I cheated and bought a Miller MIG/flux core.  Played around some, and started welding.  


http://s208213989.onlinehome.us/WLBgall ... temId=1881
http://s208213989.onlinehome.us/WLBgall ... temId=1885
http://s208213989.onlinehome.us/WLBgall ... temId=1888

It's a little bit crooked (not enough hands to hold it in place when I tacked it together) but not bad for a first effort.  I discovered one problem through -

http://s208213989.onlinehome.us/WLBgall ... temId=1891

I did all of my measuring with a 31" spare.  D'OH!

(hey, someone needs to show me how to post a picture instead of a link!)

I am going up to do some schmoozing and soothing of some ruffled feathers.  I have an open seat if anyone wants to tag along, but no guarantee that I will actually end up doing anything other than schmoozing.  I intend to hit both events for a least a couple of hours.

Date has been set - Anyone plan on attending?  Also that same weekend is an event at OSTC hosted by GL4x4 and GLFWDA.


Are we interested in hosting breakfast on Saturday morningat the Pig Gig?  Proceeds to get split between club and GLFWDA.

http://www.glfwda.org/showthread.php?t=6138

OK time to sound like a nag, but a couple things came up yesterday:

Tow points - make sure you have them, and spend the extra $$ to go get some Grade 8 (or 10.8 metric) hardware to attach them, or burn them in with a good welder.  

Hitch balls are NOT designed for the shock loading of recovery - either pull the ball and put a 3.75 ton d-ring through the hole in the draw bar, or better yet pull the draw bar and use the hitch pin on a 2" receiver to hold the loop of the tow strap.  The fewer pieces of metal involved the better off we are.

/end nag/

The date and location have been set - June 14 in Kalamazoo.  The Sundowners (a Kzoo-based club that belongs to UFWDA but not GLFWDA) have offered the property that they lease for this event.  I think it is an old gravel pit.  Anyway, still no details on cost or registration so I will update as more information becomes available.  Also, still waiting to find out if they will be offering only 4WD Awareness Training (safe recovery techniques, safe vehicle handling, trail repairs, etc) or if they will also have 4WD Master Trainer class that day as well (designed for folks comfortable with the awareness aspect and looking to be certified as 4WD Awareness Instructors).

Don't know why, but my right rear lower shock bushing is loose and sloppy, totally shot.  Anyone have a spare in their bucket of parts?

Aussie for my D30 gets delivered 2-28, Deb is leaving 2-29 for Atlanta, so I'll be working in the garage all day Sunday 3-2-08.  Come help me finish all the leftover beer from my birthday party and spin a wrench or two.

If you are accident prone, please bring your own hard hat   ::ouch::

I need a roof rack for my LJ and I am too picky to go with anything I can find in a catalogue.  I have a light-weight boat 122" long, 55" wide, 165# empty.  I want a rack to support it, but I want the rack to disaappear when I don't need it.  Here are my thoughts, please feel free to stick your $0.02 in.

1.  Full length rack from bumper to bumper, I can use the extra space for other gear, outboard motor, battery box, etc.  (probably need the rack to support min. 300#)
2.  Rear to tie to 1/4" bracket behind tail light housings w/quick clips or similar.  Simple inverted U shape, like a light bar.  Same basic design as on many commercial racks.
3.  Front to tie to either 2" front receiver or bumper-mounted towbar brackets, both of which I already have on the front of the Jeep.  T-shape (if 2" mount) or double T-shaped if tied to bumper brackets.
4. 2-4 stretchers running from front hoop to rear hoop (depending on size of tubes), quick disconnect pins to make mounting and storage easier.  

I would need some gussets at the hoop corners and where the stretchers tie into the hoops to give it better resistance to racking front/rear or side/side.  I am a wood guy - this would be fairly simple to design and build using 1x1 (or 1.25x1.25) oak and 1/4 plywood, but it would be heavy and would need a lot of weather-proofing.  Plus it would look a little silly on a Jeep.  

Any reason I can't do this out of either square or round tubing?

My wife almost side-swiped a dark-colored TJ tonight about 5:30 at Belsay and Maple as she pointed and said "look honey a WLB sticker"!  Maybe she was trying to help you turn into the drive with a little nudge?   :mrgreen:

Doug?

I have a whole box full of them - some new, some used, some red, some blue, some black, some 1.25" (stock shackle end), some 1.5" (stock frame end, BDS mil wrap shackle end, etc).

Free to a good home.

Tenatively scheduled for Sharkey's, Neil will confirm w/owner.  Business meeting to follow.

Send PM to Harley w/age, gender and name of your kid(s) that will be attending for gift swap.

OK, I seem to have 2 reliable vehicles in the driveway (for now), so time for my Suburban to go away.  If you haven't seen it, I can send you pictures, or paint you a mental picture.  Rusty, 170k miles, runs like a champ, rides comfortably, most of the Silverado package no longer functions - pl, cruise, air.  Class 4 hitch w/brake controller, did I mention rusty?  350 tbi/400TH auto, 3/4 ton (R2500) 2wd, tires in good shape, brakes recently rebuilt.  Great tow rig, or for transporting your six children, 3 goats, 2 tubas and 4 bags of rock salt for the water softener.  All at the same time.

Does anyone have a Cub Scout/Boy Scout in the family?

My Cub Scout will be selling popcorn starting this week - if you don't have a favorite scout to buy from, please let me know.  

They have added a new product this year for those that don't eat popcorn - a $25 donation that ships $25 worth of popcorn to US soldiers serving overseas, administered by BSA and the USO - 100% tax deductible and 100% of your deduction goes to the soldiers.

OK I have heard the term before but not really sure what it means?  Does it mean a series of vibrations so bad that it feels like your fillings will come out of your teeth?  The front end shaking so bad that you can't grab the turn signal lever?  The front wheels rapidly hammering back and forth 15-20 degrees of center faster than you could possible make them do it by turning the steering wheel?  'Cause that's what the LJ is doing.  I just want to know if I am calling it the right thing, or if this is something much more sinister....

1993 YJ  142k miles daily driver

Drivetrain:  4.0/ax15/D30/D35/3.07  (all stock)

Suspension:  2" BDS w/BDS shocks & steering stabilizer, 5/8" MORE boomerang shackles w/greasable bolts, RE sway bar double-disconnects

Body: TJ flares, Tuff Country sliders w/step, Iron Horse rear bumper w/D Rings & 2" hitch

Interior: Pioneer CD player, Bestop locking console wired for CB & extra power jack, external CB speaker, CB, sound bar

Tops:  black HT, spice Supertop, Bikini

Other goodies:  Chicago Electric 9500# winch, Mickey Thompson Baja MTX Radial 33x12.50x15 on 15x8 black Unique steel rims.
recent updates:  f&r brakes w/drums, rotors, calipers, wheel cylinders, etc, front hubs, rear u-joints and yokes, Steering gear and tie rod/drag link ends