Didn’t take the picture after the carpet went in but the trooper is now ready for shenanigans that include the entire family! Not ideal as there aren’t headrests and shoulder belts, only lap belts, but this isn’t a daily family battle, this is for day trips exploring fire roads and the like. Some day I’ll get a 4runner limited with third row seats, or just cave in and get a suburban. But for now, in a pinch, stormy can haul us all.
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Little mini trial run of the new crawler gears today and man, what a difference. I found a dirt trail outside of town and drove along it until I found something to climb. It just inched right up it, no slipping the clutch, etc. I’ll reserve my full opinion until I do back way to crown king again, but I’m pretty optimistic right now.
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That’s awesome dude. And the back seat looks good too. Sharing the adventure with the family is the name of the game. Can’t do that without seats, and can’t have the truck struggling up this hills.
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Third row seat, with toolbox, hi-lift, and air compressor sitting neatly behind. I’m pretty happy with it. The AC certainly isn’t strong enough to keep up with all 6 of us in the Arizona summer, but once it cools down a little we will be out for day trips on the regular.
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Nice!
On the AC front, it looks like there might be room for one of them bucket air conditioners. A nicely insulated cooler with a small fan could deliver a fresh breeze–and drinking water at camp!
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I wouldn’t think so. Those will come in handy on dusty forest roads in the evening and night. AND they look real sharp against the silver.
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Quick little updates here
Mostly I’ve just been driving stormy, though this week I intend to take on a project or two like pulling my end links out so I can design quick disconnect versions, and fixing a squealing belt.
But…
I have a question for @PajEvo and anyone else who has done some time in Moab… Do I just have no business going without at least one locked Differential, or will I be fine as long as I am wise in when to select the bypass? My wife’s cousin is going this year and has invited me along. He is going with a small group, mostly 4door jeeps with Rubicon packages and big tires.
I feel like I could hang with them as long as I’m choosy about avoiding the right things, but what do you think?
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I went to Moab three times in Betsy 5, the LWB Pajero diesel. Open/Open. 5 days each time.
It became a game to follow the locked rigs (almost all of them) and pick a line to keep at least one axle fully on the ground. No LSD, no traction control.
You can do it with good throttle control, correct tire placement, and good spotting when necessary.
I did have sliders, a proper bumper, and good tires.
Very few bypasses were taken. I did most of the famous trails. And even a few I shouldn’t have. Kane Creek was particularly tough. But we survived.
You can do it. I have faith in your skills…
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So the mess on the wheel is either a leaking Caliper, or a wheel bearing. I do have some noise on that wheel while on the road that tracks with road speed, so I’m thinking it’s time for a pile of work on the trooper the week between Christmas and new years…
To do list:
Install diff drop brackets
Replace CV’s
Find noise and fix it, likely wheel bearing
Quick disconnect end links
Drivers side valve cover gasket
Fix check engine light (likely rear O2 sensor on passenger side)
Fix third row seat belts
Check alignment
Squealing belt
Door switch
Driver rear window regulator
Then, keep driving!
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Looks like some some fun projects.
Just keep chipping away at things. You got this.
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The starting a business thing is really cutting into my wrenching time 
Huge news on the business front though. Not quite ready to go public yet, but I’m launching it for real in January, like quit my day job real
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Wow buddy! Look at you go!
Funny how something that you drive regularly tends to get it’s needed work done faster?
You do have a/c though right? So the essentials are taken care of.
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Yep, AC was taken care of this summer with a visit to Brian’s friends at Auto Air and Electric. Probably the best experience I ever had with a mechanic!
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The only picture I took from a two day project
I pulled the brackets for the front diff and replaced them with lowering brackets to fix my cv angles. The new brackets lower the front diff by 1.5" to offset my 2-3" lift, and should help substantially with my problem tearing cv boots.
New surtrack front axles also went in.
Next up are fresh end links and sway bar bushings. I will probably make the end links into a quick disconnect version.
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Another little project today was replacing the rear driver side window regulator. I assume some plastic teeth inside broke, the motor still turned, but the cable didn’t move.
The door hardware came apart very easily.
Thankfully I had a spare door I pulled off a friend’s parts truck, and the regulator on that one tested good.
All back together, working fine.
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Well I didn’t even have it together 24 hours before I broke it again
I went out wheeling this morningwith my brother and brother in law on bikes and my friend in his tacoma. We had a few additional passengers along as well. We headed to China dam, north of Lake Pleasant.
Well, I got up this rad rock, got this awesome picture, and then getting down… My bushings in my new to me brackets ripped right out and sent my front diff out if position, wedging itself into my steering and sticking me at full lock.
Here’s the bracket with the bushing torn out
We tried all sorts of things, but the bolts that had held the diff in were now wedging it into the steering. After about 45 minutes of trying things we finally gave up and headed home for more tools (I had decided not to pack my normal excessive collection of tools, just in time for my first major trail break).
We got back and used a Sawzall to cut the bolts, replaced one with a new bolt and much larger washer, and the other was secured with bailing wire. That was enough to limp it home in two wheel drive.
After getting it unstuck we came across a tacoma high centered in a ditch they were trying to get across to access a trail. I used the winch to pull them out, and headed home.
In all fairness to the bushings, there are supposed to be big washers there as a safety precaution in case the bushings break, just to prevent what happened to me today. A previous owner had misplaced two, and while the bushings still would have torn, I knew I needed them and didn’t get replacements because I was in a rush this week. I paid for it today.
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Well, a breakage with a known fix is better than something unexpected? Were the bushings the only thing damaged (beyond the bolts)?
And really, the pic was almost worth it in my estimation.
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Yeah, just the bushings, but the more I think about it the more I dislike the factory design. I’m going to machine some fully captured urethane bushings for them.
But yeah, the pictures were pretty good
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Phil already said all that needs to be said about that one. Nice.
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