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I kept ripping off the rear trackbar mount off the diff so I bought this almighty bracket of death - it will surely outlast civilisation ! - Many experienced welders had a go at bracing it up to no avail!
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So I finally got around to buying a decent Sand Flag!
I didnt want to spend the cash! - who does?
Take a look at my first brilliant idea! - I got some electrical conduit........
it stood up nice and straight in my driveway - I thought it was stiff enough! to do the job...... and then when I got out of my heap to take a pic I realised how pathetic my sand flag was!!!! - pic of silver Nissan
I was on stockton beach late one arvo trying rescue a disco with my new and improved fishing rod sand flag (the photo doesnt show the orange triangle i had on top) and nearly got taken out by a Quad bike just b4 sunset - it was very close - the quad bike whilst in the air and about to land after jumping off the top of a steep dune hit my drivers side mirror with its back wheel! - ouch! - gratuitous photo of wife and kids b4 they all had growth spurts - all my 4 kids look down on the Mrs now LoL pic of white Nissan.
So I bought the ridgy didge lightning stick from TJM Parramatta hooked it up to my parking lights and now when im on the dunes at night you can see me coming for miles
I highly recommend a lit sand flag - not an extravagance or luxury but a must have safety item
cheers Hunty
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I had a great time wheelin out a Wheeny Creek!
Just put up these pix to show some Flex - I just Love the JK!
The Mrs & I went with a mate & his Mrs - 2 Jeeps, Mine a JK on bald MTZ's 33's and his a TJ on new 33' muddy Maxxis with 2' more lift than my JK.
Things were pretty even all day until we hit up some steep steps and to the surprise of us all the JK made the climb and the TJ no matter how hard he tried was unable to get up (OK I admit it - I enjoyed it! the JK was a better heap!- LMAO)
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most recently with a wired HDH system now - I also used the arb double rocker double light up dual momentary switch (winch in , winch out) for a while
Note the new A pillar - it contains my oil gauge and aeroforce
I like the wired HDH system really makes it easy to keep things neat and tidy and all together
see pix below -its still a work in progress - nearly finished - will post up soon
thanx again mate for the heads up re the cool switches
cheers Hunty
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Yes!
Finally!
My view (skyline) out of the front windscreen of my heap has changed for the better - its now a lot less cluttered!!!.
It was a custom order - I bought back in January - was beginning to wonder if it was going to ever arrive - I ordered Red display and black bezel / surround - to match my red / Blk Jeep!
Hello new Aeroforce Gauge!
I changed for several reasons
1. way more functions on the Aeroforce!
2. there was no really good place for the scan gauge - i tried it on the steering column and on the dash in several places.
3. the Aeroforce gauge fits nicely into my A pillar gauge pod - sweet!
I will write it up in more detail after I have had chance to evaluate it
cheers Hunty
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Wired HDH Switch install
I bought the Wired HDH's to solve my switch needs - it will operate 8 devices;
The stupid daystar rockers were for me, a complete fail ! - every time I changed gear (1st,3rd or 5th) the switches would be activated by the gearstick:mad:
as any JKer knows there really isnt a lot a switch available real estate so the WiredHDH will be very popular amoungst Jeepers
I wanted to control;
Front Locker
Rear Locker
ARB Compressor
Winch Master isolate
Winch bar spotties
Roof bar spotties
Rock lights
Rear spottie / work light
The System comes with a thin membrane type switch panel, a small ribbon cable and a black box for all the connections. also comes with cable + connectors and circuit breaker.
There are solid state connections for the 8 outputs, these are rated @ 2.5amps each and are continuously monitored by the cpu and if overloaded will cut out, they will cut straight back in when the current returns to <2.5a or the problem / short circuit is fixed!
There are connections for 12v+ 12v- permanent feed from battery - circuit breaker included
and a connection for 12v in feed from acc position on ignition key.
All 8 outputs can be programmed to be ACCessory dependent or ACCessory independent.
All 8 switches can be programmed to be on/off or momentary.
The Wired HDH system continually monitors batt voltage and will shut off Accessories (all 8 outputs) when the voltage drops to <11.5v
Armed with a bottle of Sm@rt@ss pills I began to plan the install!
I decided that I did not require the ACC interlock option because I wanted to be able to use any of the 8 outputs independent of the Jeeps ignition.
Thats when the smart @ss pills kicked in -LoL
In my previous installation I wired my winch master power relay through a simple key switch - I did this because I did not want anybody using my winch without my permission'
(I was mainly thinking of my L & P plate kids, stupid mates and all the urban myths that tell of landcruisers having there winches hotwired and connected over the roof to the towbar and left by hoodlums to eventually fold in half).
Then I realised that if a mechanic, parking Valet, dum@ss mates or kids were driving my Jeep that I did not want them using any of my 8 accessories either - especially the lockers!!!
so I wired the ACCessory 12v input to permanent 12v+ supply via my key switch and programmed all 8 accessories to be Accessory 12v input dependant! - Yes! SM@RT @ss pills at work!
So when I turn off the Key switch all 8 outputs are disabled! -
I still retain the ability to re program the HDH (very simple button push sequence) so any or all 8 outputs effectively bypass the key switch lockout!
One of my next projects is to install a dual battery system but until I get it installed I can count on my new Wired HDH switch controller to kill my winch master relay at 11.5v thus saving my entire electrical system and Battery!
"Brilliant" thats all I have to say to the WiredHDH company!
cheers Hunty
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ps
I still have a little finishing off to do under the bonnet the stupid Jaycar 60a circuit breakers cannot survive Satans sauna and I need to install a bit more convoluted cable protection!
Hi Guyz
Just thought I would post up a little How to;
Install Rear JKS Acos adjustable height spring spacers and front rubber spring spacers and new heavy duty springs
I drive a 2dr JK and pack a lot stuff into it, the 4inch lift springs that I installed over 2yrs ago have sagged to possibly less lift than a std 2" lift - Im sure it had nothing to do with my Mack truck bull bar & winch or the 200kg of equipment, drawers, bars,rooftop tent I often drive around with LoL
I have been playing around with my springs now for nearly 6 months,
I have tried various Heavy duty & std duty springs and have decided that the Rubicon Express 4" springs suit me and my driving style pretty well!
I bought some spring compressors to make the job easier and have used them several times now on my Jeep and also several times on friends rigs whilst out on the trails wheelin to repair / replace adventurous springs LoL I don't enjoy using them - I find them spring compressors a PITA - however they do make the job possible just parked in a driveway (not on a hoist)
I do all my work myself and usually I do it in my driveway (as I dont have a garage or hoist) - so this write up assumes you don't have access to a hoist either.
Because I find the spring compressors to be a PITA I decided this time to try and change the springs without using them! (Famous last words) so I swallowed another fistful of sm@rt@ss pills and began by placing my JEEP IN LOW 4 IST GEAR and chocking the wheels,
I always take off my doors when jacking with my high lift jack just in case the jack slips, as I don't want to scratch or ding my doors.
I decided to change the passenger side first as from experience I knew that its the easiest side.
Firstly I disconnected the front and rear sway bar then I unbolted the rear lower shock bolts and free'd up some more slack in all the brake lines- this gave me the ability to jack up my Jeep so far that the springs could just fall out - and thankfully fall out they did, thus saving me the PITA spring compressors! YAY!
I drilled several holes into the rear top spring mounts to bolt the Acos spacers into, bolted them up and installed my new springs.
Then I went to the front and carefully slid the rubber spring spacers up the bump stop shaft and installed my new springs.
Jacked my Jeep back down and adjusted my rear track bar to centre the body over the wheels.
I am very happy with the result, my Jeep looks a little tougher now LoL - I will post up early next week to report how it drives both on road and Off road wheelin.
Things to keep in mind;
Jacking safety - don't get under your Jeep unless you have solid jack stands.
When Jacking it up to crazy height, as I did to ensure the springs just fell out, continuously check to ensure you don't stretch or damage your ABS wiring!
When drilling holes for the Acos spring spacers be careful!!!! - there are wires running over the top of the rear spring mounts which you could easily drill into!
When setting the ACOS spring spacers remember the drivers side is where you sit and also is the same side the fuel tank is on - so I gave a little more lift on the DS.
The whole task took me 2.5 hours - you could do it heaps faster if A. you have a friend help you and B. you don't stuff around scratching you noodle LoL
Enjoy
Cheers Hunty
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I guess those that said you can't do the steps with a 2dr shorty Jeep in the rain are 100% wrong! Even the Mrs was smiling!
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I have been driving on near racing slicks for some time now and finally (thanx to selling my caravan on the weekend) was able to get some new treads.
Dilema; I really wanted to go up to 35's, after all I am geared for it 4.56's but to go back up to 35's would require the modification of my front bar / airtank and would negate my engineers certificate, which I am very very happy to have! infact as I drive past mobile speed cameras and random breast testing units I sit smug in my drivers chair! - smug feels good! - yes I know they can still get me if they want to (a mate of mine is a highway patrol cop and he jokingly told me that he could defect a brand new STD commodore if he wanted to) but I still like to feel smug! LoL.
As some of you know I have been asking for advice re which tyre has the best tread pattern and tyre wear prognosis and in the end I took Geoff aka Miraz' advice and went with the KM2's
My heap is approx 2meters wide and is normally a pita to get on a hoist or lifter, Its too wide and the wheelbase is often too short, and their lifters normally wont at full stretch get the wheels in the air, I told the guys at the tyre centre that it was high and wide and probably wouldnt fit their lifter but they didnt get it! so 4 guyz and 15 min later it fall off their lifter and they still hadn't gotten in the air (LOL). One of the wise tyre monkeys decided to lift it with a trolley jack in the centre of the diffs, which normally I would object to because as my fellow JKers will know - our diffs are made of cheese, anyway I was now running late so I just held my tongue and cheered as they finally got it in the air!
I asked the guyz for my old tyres as 2 of them are still legal and 2 will do incase of "Cape trip emergency" - the guyz laughed at me; "you will never get 4 tyres in that little Jeep" - I said "really" as I drove off with them LoL
photo's can be very deceiving - the first picture shows my new km2 35' next to my old MTZ 33' - looks big doesnt it?
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Take a look at the same pic in context (above) - and you will see that I ended up with 33's again and not 35's LoL
cheers Hunty
!00,000km on the clock now - still absolutely love it!
replaced;
rear disc pads - fronts still better than 50%.
clutch - old one was still good - pressure plate was perhaps getting weak?
balljoints - drivers side top was stuffed - replaced all 4 to be sure!
under warranty;
clock spring.
oil pump - 2 new engines thanx to NO Oil pressure.
power steering pump.
Had a few leaks with the soft top,
Got a degree in JK DW and related suspension mods.
I have wheeled it almost every weekend on some pretty tough tracks!
It is my daily drive and I use it to get to and film in remote ares of OZ.
I tow boats, bikes, cars & caravans with it - great tow vehicle.
I get crap economy now thanx to my dumbass decision to gear it wrong - it came with 3.21's and I changed it to - 4.56's on 33's - I geared it for 35's but seen as i cant get it engineered on 35's - 33's will do fine, I get good crawling speed so 15l/100km I will put up with.
The Jeep is great to drive and very capable off road.
If the engine should falter even a tiny little incy wincy bit - Ill shoot it and replace it with a V8
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