Looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with this year!! :cool:
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Looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with this year!! :cool:
Too many bowl games on - I gave 'er the day off. ;)
Looks like my front end noise is coming from the steering rack. So i'm going to try tightening the rack adjustment which has helped other members, and if that doesnt work then possibly a driver side inner tie rod.
Hopefully you don't have the same problem I had. I thought the noise was coming from the drivers side inner tie rod but once I replaced it, it still made the noise. Turned out to be the rack itself where the inner tie rod screws in.
Yesterday I spent about 45 min messing with the secure console I installed the day before. I'll start a thread today showing what I did so other members with the secure console can do the same if they want
Adam did you ever try adjusting the rack yoke to take up slack to see if that helped the noise? Im going to give that a try Saturday when I put my new bushings on
Havent done anything yet, listed is started though.. Got my new TPMS modules those will be going in soon, transmission lines replaced, sliders-SA UCA's from JBA and front and rear spacers going in-March and of course headers-SOON!!!!
Will do. It's an external torx, size E20 (so order a socket if you don't already have one). Its on the driver side of the rack pointing up/forward; you can see it if you look above the sway bar.... though I think 3.7L and 4.7L vehicles you need to remove the oil filter drain guard because that sits over it. I think that, primarily for us lifted guys, we wear our pinion gear down more due to the upward force from the angles associated with our lift kits. It seems like 1/8-1/4 turn of the pinion adjustment alleviates a lot of front end noises people complain about. I'll throw up a how-to thread after I do it and let you know if it solved my problem.
EDIT: Figured the rack yoke adjustment deserves its own thread in the proper forum so its searchable and easier to find:
http://www.theultimatejeep.com/showt...0807#post40807
I'm replacing my sway bar bushings. I put Moog in this past summer but my passenger side wore out already. I did find out that my trans lines were leaking again, but not enough to drip onto the garage.... but that bushing was soaked in trans fluid which probably helped break down the polymer.
Gotcha, I had the hardest time changing out those stupid bushings.
Thanks for the other thread man, looking forward to seeing how it goes for you - I may try to do the same.
Recall is doubtful. They're a PITA to replace (and on the 5.7L nearly impossible without removing the radiator and possibly the driver side manifold)
Well took my skid plates off yesterday and that didn't help my popping noise. Going to change my front diff fluid today to see how it looks and try to rule out diff chatter. After that, im wondering if one of my CVs are on their way out.
Put together my Rage Roof Rack. Now I need to find larger U bolts to fit my sport utility bars.
Might trade the XK in for a wrangler!
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Changed my front diff fluid. The old fluid didn't look bad, but wasn't pretty either! Didn't change the popping sound so looks like that's not it either. I'm pretty much down to the CV's but really don't want to replace those "just because" since aftermarket ones scare me based on how many some members have broken, and I just can't afford $2k for RCV's (especially on a hunch that's the problem)
Say it aint so :(
It might be if they give my the right quote im looking for.
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My ultimate jeep was pulled over today for a tinted license plate. PA State Troopers are very picky :)
Tint removed and good to go....
I forget that my XK sticks out like a sore thumb with what Matt and I have done to it.....
Did the trooper at least like your XK?? :p
And where are the pics of the roof rack?
So you coming over today? We gotta get that rack on :p
Wasnt today but Saturday I installed the new TPMS modules, finally! No more service tps in EVIC!!! Also noticed the transmission cooling line leaking more now, need to address that sooner than later...
The cold weather finally made my battery start show its age and I could barley get it turned over. It was about time, I had the Advance Auto battery for 4 years with no issues...
So I bought a new one from Autozone A Duralast. God dang, I had forgotten how much the batteries were for our rigs!!! that one hurt almost $200
just looked at pictures of it and noticed i have a little over a month till im renunited with it again haha
put an ignition switch in... so far so good on my dash going crazy problem! Oh and drove it to this mileage.....
https://theultimatejeep.com/notfound.png
Went to Lowes today and bought a 12mm bolt to reattach my front driver-side sway bar. The last couple of wheeling trips I thought it was handling pretty funny, looked underneath and saw the upper bolt had sheared off! Handles great again...yay!
I know I have been off the grid lately but haven't really been doing much outside of work. The warmer weather (here) is starting to make me itch for Moab again and I'm looking to replace my Bilstein struts (they are completely shot, resulting in lots of tire rubbing) with some coilovers (thinking King or ADS) before I head up north.
One other item of note is that I'm going to contact SuperLift about getting a new front crossmember. Mine's bent backward pretty bad from some (minor) impacts with boulders--minor enough that I think it should be beefed up for off-road use. We're going to reinforce the new one before we install it this time.
Mine hit 75,000 miles last Thursday. :eek:
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...49bc7c5f-1.jpg
As for today, I swapped out my low-beams for some Sylvania Silverstar Ultras! :cool: Since i'm in the city, I figured the low beams were justifiable. I might swap out the fog lamps if I like these.
Oops.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...b0e3260a-1.jpg
Placed 3rd in the first round of the Suspension Stuff Comp on the weekend, 1st and 2nd were trailed unregistered Rigs, so im pretty chuffed. Except for adding some more 'character' to the drivers side....Again!
^Time for an exo cage Dave
Frustrated with work took a few hours off to give my women some TLC.. washed and waxed her fine a$$..
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...egu2anuj-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...a5y7ujyz-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...va7aju8a-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...4e5y7a5e-1.jpg
Edit: Just realized its Valentines Day to!!!
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Going to give my XK some TLC today. Got another noise in my front end so im going to try tracking that down. I don't like how my passenger side LCA looks so I have be changing that out in the near future too :mad:.
Probably give her a good wash today as well... it's been a while!
Just ordered some HOAT coolant, NV245 t-case fluid and some diff fluid/trac-loc additive. With the hell we put our diffs/t-cases through, gotta change that fluid often to keep those clutch packs happy :p
I've been pretty much hibernating all winter. Now, the weather is getting better, and I'm starting to come back out of my den... like Punxsutawney Phil. :)
I'm in the middle of a camera and GPS upgrade. I got tired of my flaky cheap Chinese eBay GPS/rear-view camera locking up. The screen was never easy to see anyway. And, the camera is wireless, and sometimes the video is jagged or snowy, just what I need when backing up a half mile on an old railroad bed in the dark.
A while back, I got a CCD camera for my Chrysler 300. It's a nice camera, and when backing up in the pitch dark, I have "daylight" in the monitor. The backup lights alone make it look like I'm backing up in a football stadium. The same eBay order for the camera etc. was the logo projectors. They sent the wrong ones the first time, so they resent the entire order. So... I ended up with a 2nd CCD camera. Woohoo! The XK has not only LED backup lights, but a pair of 50 watt halogens on the roof rack, so it's be full daylight in the dark!
I'm putting the camera into a small enclosure since it's designed to replace a Chrysler 300's license light, so it mounts up under the trunk lid. (sorta) It's put in with silicone in the box's lid, and will be mounted on my roof rack with the lid and/or installed camera upside down to keep water out. (The box will be lid down, but the camera correct) It probably doesn't matter as the camera is weather sealed anyway, but why push my luck? A test run of the camera works good at 6 feet high. (on a portable monitor) The car's camera is only about 2 feet off the ground.
The new WIRED camera (no more flaky wireless crap) will be connected to a 7" mirror/monitor. (Replaces the Jeep's rear-view mirror) That has two inputs, so I'm going to put a second camera somewhere up front to get a close-up of rocks etc. when off-roading. I'm even considering the forward facing camera to be underneath somewhere to see the chassis. I also ran a power wire from the backup lights because the monitor switches to backup mode to prioritize the rear view cam. That way, when I switch to reverse, it goes from cam 1 to cam 2. (The rear facing cam) That input wire also turns on the monitor in case it's turned off. (The monitor is a mirror unless it's on and lit up)
The Chinese no-name GPS will be replaced by an easy-to-see-in-daylight Garmin, which I already have.
ALSO...
I just ordered a 40 inch LED light bar. After a Jeep rally last year and seeing one putting out a massive beam much like the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" I just HAD to have one. It should be here on the 20th via FedEx. That will replace the two halogens on the roof rack. The light bar is a 30 degree spot, with five figures of lumen output. :cool: My front bumper HID's are 3,500 lumens each for about 7,000 total, and the new bar will be double THAT. :)
Got the camera project done, and I LOVE IT!!
The front camera works GREAT for break-over hills. I played around this weekend at Hover, which is what I'd call "Colorado Jr." because it's STEEP with loose clechy soil. In the past, wheeling there is a PITA because climbing a hill that's 30 degrees means all you see is sky past the hood, and you either need blind faith to hope there's ground on the other side, or get out and scout it first.
Now, I have forward vision with a somewhat down angled camera, so I can see what's there.
The camera:
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...6_143250-1.jpg
Heading up a much steeper than it looks hill:
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...7_150353-1.jpg
Normally, all I can see is sky thru the windshield. Or, lean out the side window, but you still can't see what's over the top.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...7_150349-1.jpg
The 7 inch monitor mounts on top of the mirror, and becomes a new, dark tinted mirror. I've noticed that even if it's on, I can refocus my eyes and either see that forward camera view, or what's behind. Going into reverse switches to the rear camera, which has a feel somewhat of looking down from a 2 story building. (Fish eye lens, mounted on the roof rack)
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...6_143349-1.jpg
The rear cam.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...6_143312-1.jpg
Oops. I gotta get that copyright text changed... its 2013 now. :)
I like that dual camera setup.... what brand is that monitor and does it just "clip" on the factory visor.
I bought the monitor from here: http://stores.ebay.com/SainSpeed?_trksid=p2047675.l2563 (The eBay seller's store) He's selling the monitors alone as well as packages with cameras. I bought the camera along with the logo projectors because the camera was specific to the Chrysler 300, and that was a different seller.
The monitor has rubber grippers and a sliding bracket thing much like the convex mirrors that fit over the rearview mirror. It's pretty secure too, and takes only seconds to install.
Installed the light bar last night. It's OHMYGOD bright!! Photos later...
Okay, here's a crappy cell phone one. I can tell you this: it's high noon in front when the thing's on!!
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...9_181946-1.jpg
that's looking great, need to come out & play again
Yes, pjmjr508, it's time to go play. The weather is getting more into JEEPING!!
Some photos.
The whole look. But... I'm now considering a 30" bar to replace the bumper's HID's. They almost look like Mickey Mouse ears now. :p The 30" would be perfect, as it would be about the width of the grill, and my HID bracket setup would retrofit easy.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...IMG_4226-1.jpg
Little closer.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...IMG_4223-1.jpg
3/4 view.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...IMG_4227-1.jpg
And... how it's mounted.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...IMG_4224-1.jpg
Once again, I did consider a double row, 240 watt bar. If it was a new installation, you betcha. We're talking a good 19 amps running, so #8 AWG would be needed. I had #10 already up there for the halogen driving lights. (Which are truly worthless compared to the LED bar) The single row, 120 watt bar runs about 8.8 amps at 13.5 volts. I didn't want over current and/or voltage sag problems, and I'm too lazy to rewire the roof rack. :p
I went on a fuel run last night, and used the card lock by the airport. I had it on when I turned a corner, and it lit up an ENTIRE four story industrial building. We're talking a 40 foot tall, maybe 80 foot wide building, and it's COMPLETELY lit up, side to side, top to bottom, and from about maybe 800 feet away. I stopped, turned the bar off, then used high beams only. The building became a big object in the dark, with the upper part fading into black. With the bar, it's BRIGHTLY LIT and ALL OF IT.
What's funny, is the thing almost makes the rest of the lights on the Jeep invalid. They don't even seem to add much to the mix anymore. That's why I'm thinking about getting a 30" bar to replace the bumper HID's.
A) LED's are on RIGHT NOW, there's no brightening up over half a minute like HID's. My HID's are tied into the high beams, so there's a delay as they get started.
B) The LED's beam pattern leaves nothing in the dark.
C) I think it's cool looking, and 21st century. My round HID's suddenly look so 1970's. The only thing missing is the yellow KC smiley face covers. :cool:
Wow man that's looking great!!! You think you even need another light bar on the bumper with that one up top? I'd say put a 20" on each side of the roof rack and take the round lights off the front and rack.
That's next. :) Maybe 10" long alley light bars.
Probably not on the bumper. But... those HID's are wired with an "arming" switch, and they follow the high beams. The uppers are on another switch in a different place, so I can't just flick the high/low lever and go dim. While playing around in town, I have to drive with a finger resting on that roof rack light switch so I don't make someone wreck their car.
Besides, I can visualize a matching bar on the bumper instead of those round HID's. The bar will sit low too, and more grill will be exposed.
On edit:
A 30" bar is on the way!!