Hunt's Debadged RME TJ

Greg · Apr 29, 2011

Hunt said:
So I made two mostly broken hubs out of one very broken hub and Warn warrantied both of them. I figured it was worth a shot. I got two shinny new hubs in the mail today. Not a bad birthday present.

Happy B-Day Clayton!

Hunt · May 21, 2011

I got a wild hair and finally got around to redoing the front bump stops and rebuilding the rear shock. I grenaded one of the rears last october and just got around to fixing it. The front bumps have always been to long and the Jeep rode like crap.

Its all back together ready to rock and roll.

At least its ready to go when I get back form 12 weeks in South Korea.

Hunt · Jan 9, 2012

8 months since a post on this thread and I can't believe i had to look for it on page two. This is the first time in 3 years I found this thread on page two. I am a little ashamed of myself for not keeping it up but frankly there has been nothing to report. The poor thing has seen daylight twice in the last 18 months and only seen dirt one of those time. Sometimes life just gets in the way.

Well I been putting together a to-do list to get it ready for spring.

Got most parts on hand and a few in the mail

Install Improved Racing Baffle in oil pan
Install Wide Open Designes bypass fitting
Install Accusump 1.5 quart accumulator
Replace exhaust system (with the shorter bumps in the front the front yoke ripped a hole in the pipe. The whole system will get rebuilt and take the suggestions of my dyno tuner. Move O2 sensor locations, better Y-transition etc. Stay tuned, nothing really crazy)
Change engine oil
Change t-case oil
Change trans filter
Replace trans dipstick with locking unit

I have to drop the skid plate for the exhaust work so I am going to do the major fluid changes while I am under it. As well as bolt checks, grease and general maintenance items.

Greg · Jan 9, 2012

I've been thinking about this thing recently... good to hear your changing more things for the better! I hated that exhaust pipe wrapping around the oil pan, it looked fairly counter productive. I'll be watching for the updates.

Hunt · Jan 19, 2012

So I started on the jeep again tonight. Dropped the skip with no real drama. Drained the T-case (looks fantastic, not even any material on the magnetic plug), trans, and engine oil. Dropped the pan on the trans and changed the filter on it. There was some junk down in it but nothing overly alarming.

Dropped the exhaust and engine oil pan. Changed out the factory baffle with the Improved Racing baffle. There is a huge difference visually in them. Looks like it is should work well. I went ahead and spent the money on a new rubber gasket for the pan. I know they are reusable but I didn't want to get it apart and have the gasket tear on me then have to wait for a new one. I just didn't want to have to leave the bottom end open for any longer than I had to. One interesting thing was that the old gasket was riveted on with 2 small aluminum rivets. I had never seen that before.

I'm not sure the oil pan-accumulator fitting form Wide Open Designs is going to work. It's a nice piece but the way my driver's side upper link is it looks like it is going to be VERY tight. I will cycle the suspension to get the definitive answer.

I'll pick up fluids and an oil filter tomorrow and finish off those few tasks. Next is conquering the exhaust.

Hunt · Jan 20, 2012

Update day 2:
Spun on the new filter. Dumped in the engine oil and trans fluid.

Started looking at the LS oil pan adapter for the accumulator. My buddy Dave Smiley was checking out some threads on Pirate to get some ideas and options flowing. There is another company that sells a similar adpater but the fitting comes out straight up instead of horizontal like mine. The other option was using a dry sump slim line 90 fitting form XRP. The XRP fitting is $20 a new adapter is over $60 but I could recoup some of the cost if I sold the Wild Open Designs fitting. The actual accumulator will fit nicely behind the driver's seat in that little low spot in the floor. It will not fit under the hood and I really didn't want and fluids running through the cab but I am just out of space. That space back there is kind of useless dead space anyways.

I noticed my passenger front wheel had some play in it when I put the truck up on stands. The wheel bearing was a little loose so I took the opportunity to pack and re-greased it. I had to barrow a damn spindle nut socket because mine seems to have walked off. For the life of me I can't think where it went. I don't remember if I lent it to someone or what. Very irritating. Once again a simple job turns into a major project.

LT. · Jan 20, 2012

It is good to see you working on the jeep again. It had been far too long.

Lifelong Jeeper · Jan 21, 2012

Hunt said:
Update day 2:
...Very irritating. Once again a simple job turns into a major project.

haha. I feel your pain. This always seems to happen to me as well and is the probably the thing that I loose my patience the easiest with; so often in fact that when my wife sees me getting frustrated, all I have to say is "SIMPLE things!" And she just knows. My most recent one?...A simple faucet replacement in my kid's bathroom resulted in a utter and total bathroom remodel...suffice it to say that pedistal sinks aren't attached to the wall very securely!

Nice to see the old rig getting some TLC.

Hunt · Jan 27, 2012

Update day 3:
Pumped the fluid into the transfer case and cleaned the air filter. Just need to grease the chassis and the general maintenance stuff is done.

Finished up the exhaust. Boy was that a lot bigger of a job than anticipated. I guess these things always are. There is just NO room for tube with the upper link, drive shaft, pinion and oil pan all smashed into the same spot. You can see in the pictures it take a slightly different route. I also did it out of all mandrel bent elbows. I used my band saw and just mig-ed it up. I don't know how many time I had to put the pipes up and take them down. I also got the O2 sensors moved around. Getting those in the right place and at the right angle to avoid everything under the Jeep was a trick. This is going to be the big improvement.

In the thrid picture you can see on the old pipe the O2 sensor is on the lift side up near the flange. The other thing you see on the right side is where the pinon tore open the pipe.

With the old exhaust the passengers side sensor was right at the Y-connection and was getting "Flushed" from the diver's side. The turbulence really F-ed with that bank. The sensors where also right at the collectors. So I moved the sensors away form the collectors and moved the Y-pipe about 18" further back in the system. I painted the new pipes with black header paint and wrapped them because they run so close to the pan and starter. It got to dark to get a picture of it installed under the Jeep. I’ll have to grab a few before I throw the skid back up in place.

Also got the accumulator and piping for that system completed. The accumulator is 1.5 quarts extra and with the lines I have about 2 quarts more in the system now.

Hunt · Feb 13, 2012

Yea so I went to put the skid plate up and it hits the new exhaust. Back to the drawing board and round 2 begins. FAWK this thing pisses me off. I am really just mad at myself.

Hunt · Mar 2, 2012

The WOD oil accumulator fitting is just not going to work with the drive shaft and link configuration. It i up for sale and I am going with the Hazzardous Fabworkx unit. It is designed so that the fitting goes straight up instead of 90 out form the block like the WOD one. Just trying to get as much clearance as possible and eliminate any issues that might come up. It clears as it stands right now but not comfortably. I think with a big hit, some flex in the joint, chassis or motor mounts it would get whacked and I would end up with all my oil on the ground.

Hunt · Mar 4, 2012

I sold the Wide Open Designs fitting this weekend and bought the Hazzardous Fabworkx unit. I hope this gives me enough. Pictures to follow.

Hunt · Mar 8, 2012

Greg · Mar 8, 2012

Not getting anything at that link...

I Lean · Mar 8, 2012

Hunt said:
https://picasaweb.google.com/ClaytonArthurHunt/March82012#5717699114292165826

Sorry, that page was not found.

Hunt · Mar 8, 2012

Yeah, Im trying to figure out how to embed the pictures and have them show up in the forum. I finally bought a good camera that takes BIG pictures and I don't want to shink them down.

Edit:
See the above post for the picture I was trying to post. It works now thanks to Herzog. Hopefully you can look forward to better quality photos from now on. There might be a cell pic that gets sneaked in occasionally.

The Hazzardous Fabworkx accumulator fitting came in today and I wanted to post a picture of it. Its a very nicely made piece.

Hunt · Apr 11, 2012

I actually have plans to go play this weekend. Saturday is the first race of the Rausch Creek go-fast series. We are going down to help pit and wheel afterwards. Weather is looking good. Wish me luck. The poor old girl has been cooped up for a while. I can't wait to stretch her legs!

chadschoon · Apr 11, 2012

Do you have a link for the accumulator fitting? I have the WOD fitting and have the same issue you did. Only about 1/4" clearance

Hunt · Apr 12, 2012

Call Luke at Hazardous Fabworx

Here is the link to the Pirate fourum:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=985479&highlight=accumulator

His number is in his signature. I think I have had at least 5 people PM me on here and on Pirate about these. He does not have a yellow star over there so he does not advertise them.

Hunt · Apr 16, 2012

We got the Jeep out this weekend. Went down to the Rausch Creek RCrocs series opener. Watched the race Saturday morning and wheeled Saturday afternoon and Sunday. Had great time. The Jeep did very well for not having been out in so long. The fuel pump relay quit but I think it was just a dirty connection some place because as soon as I wiggled the rely in the housing it came back to life. Also ripped a gash in the passenger front side wall of a Krawler. I did have a spare in the trailer. It's amazing how much difference there is in tread size on the new one vs. the ones that are on it.

Here are a few video highlights. I know Greg has been asking for them. My lovely girl friend took most of the video and I did a horribly quick job at editing it down.

[youtube]_-l_VY5JOpo[/youtube]

Lower Talisman with GoPro footage

[youtube]LV9BqqbP3AM[/youtube]

I just like the banter in this one.

[youtube]7j3Pme-T8g8[/youtube]

Hunt's Debadged RME TJ

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