What did you do TO your Gladiator today? [ADMIN WARNING: NO POLITICS, NO GUN TALK]

[DanW]

My Dad was an over the road trucker for 28+ yrs. And He had a mechanic at his shop they called Heavy . Dad said He had a Huge Snap-on tool box but it only possessed 3 tools . A Small a Medium and a Large Hammer

That would also make him a good anesthesiologist! LOL!

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[MPMB]

He's the one who introduced me to the BFH.

My ex-BIL had an "engineered" MFH. 2.5# head mounted on a 2' steel pipe with a ring at the bottom to prevent slippage. Velocity + Mass = Doin' Work.

BOT:

Today's the day we all dread. Getting the windshield replaced today.

Then I get to reapply the window sticker "Clever Girl" on it. After 4 years, it's held up exceptionally well, even with the few spots that get touched by the wiper. @pixeldecals work holds up.

Backstory on the windshield - in January '22 I was on my way to the hospital to meet my wife, who was taking care of her mom in her final days. Turned onto a freeway onramp and the Suburban in the other turn lane kicked up/flung a rock that landed smack in the middle of the windshield at the base. The next day, the crack was almost straight halfway up. We had some trips planned for the spring and summer, so I wasn't going to replace it before a road trip only to have *another* crack happen (that's our opinion, right?).

With cold weather and heaters on our trips, the crack eventually extended to the sides. It's time now. Road trips are pretty much done until next year. Moving 800mi is done. Construction where tons of dirt, gravel, etc., has been brought into my neighborhood is mostly done. This summer the city did a chipseal job on one of the main roads, much to the chagrin of town citizens. Just a few weeks ago we had the big side dump'rs running fill and gravel to make a cross-town road.

I'd like to make it a year without issue. Is that too much to ask?

A few home projects need to get done before I start on the rear seat delete(s). Starting with the 60% side.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Replaced the intake tube after finding that leak. Runs fine, but CEL reporting manifold absolute pressure sensor circuit high. So MAP sensor. I’m hoping it’s got bad persistent data in memory since the old tube had a leak. So disconnected the battery and will leave it that way for 30 mins.

Anyone know if this is the MAP sensor? The other possibility is that this was in the way when lifting engine to replace the motor mount. At one point briefly, there was a little pressure on it from the wire chase above it. So if the reset doesn’t work, I’m curious if it got damaged.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Replaced the intake tube after finding that leak. Runs fine, but CEL reporting manifold absolute pressure sensor circuit high. So MAP sensor. I’m hoping it’s got bad persistent data in memory since the old tube had a leak. So disconnected the battery and will leave it that way for 30 mins.

Anyone know if this is the MAP sensor? The other possibility is that this was in the way when lifting engine to replace the motor mount. At one point briefly, there was a little pressure on it from the wire chase above it. So if the reset doesn’t work, I’m curious if it got damaged.

I zoomed in on my own photo and got the part number. Yep. MAP sensor.

 

[Mightytalldude]

I zoomed in on my own photo and got the part number. Yep. MAP sensor.

What we got here is... the Ship of Thesius.

 

[WILDHOBO]

What we got here is... the Ship of Thesius.

I kind of just want the motor gone now. Might as well rip out the last original part.

 

[TheTrailGeek]

It's been a busy couple days. I added a cigarette lighter socket, and cleaned up the wiring some more and reinstalled all the electronics in my bed. Installed the Dana Spicer 1350 front drive shaft and the @Metalcloak rear sway bar brackets.

 

[BlueScapegoat]

Today:
-Stripped it down more to get at everything
-Steering pump removed, modified with Apex boost kit, reinstalled
-PS cooler installed and lines routed
-Factory box replaced with PSC unit, pitman arm swapped over
-Steersmart track bar brace clearanced and painted for coil spring interference
-Fox steering stabilizer and bracketry removed in preparation for ram installation

Tomorrow: (assuming I just call off work to knock this out)
-Drop the tie rod to remove factory stab plates
-Mount ram and run lines. I'm not really sure how to find center so I'll have to figure that out
-Trim the grille for the cooler and reinstall, bolt the bumper back into place
-Reinstall driver side coil and new bump stops on both sides, reinstall drag link, adjust wheel alignment slightly
-Reinstall intercool pipes and all electrical shit
-New front brake pads
-Bleed system, adjust ps pump blowoff pressure
-Flip front lower control arms for more clearance at full lock
-Install rear antirock
-Reinstall fenders/liners/snorkel and drive?

Took a couple days off from working on the Gladiator to work on some other projects.

Finished buttoning up the new winter daily. Going to try to keep the salt off the Gladiator, unless it's a winter road trip of course. I do love snow wheeling.

Got the ram in, all lines run, intercooler pipes back in and started the bleeding process. It's slow going. The line from the rear of the steering box to the driver's side port on the ram was one of the most difficult single things I've had to do on a vehicle. Funny how the indisputably high-end parts providers don't really provide much in the way of instructions (looking at you PSC and Savvy) but when they do provide instructions they just gloss over the most difficult parts. It's like they know it's going to suck and they don't really have a great way to do it either so they just show in detail how to position the lines off the ram then just rush right through "(oh and then hook them up on the other end real quick.)"

If I were to do it again, I'd just hook those lines up first before dropping the box into place. It needs to get lowered in from the top anyway, just snake the lines through. Would have saved me 4 hours today and a partially cross-threaded fitting. And I'd probably still have skin on my fingers.

Aaaaaaand I'm just realizing now as I'm typing this that the ram is installed the wrong way around. Well, I guess not technically wrong, but it'd make more sense for the cylinder body to be fixed in place and not dragging the lines around. I'll have to flip that around in the morning.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Took a couple days off from working on the Gladiator to work on some other projects.

Finished buttoning up the new winter daily. Going to try to keep the salt of the Gladiator, unless it's a winter road trip of course. I do love snow wheeling.

Got the ram in, all lines run, intercooler pipes back in and started the bleeding process. It's slow going. The line from the rear of the steering box to the driver's side port on the ram was one of the most difficult single things I've had to do on a vehicle. Funny how the indisputably high-end parts providers don't really provide much in the way of instructions (looking at you PSC and Savvy) but when they do provide instructions they just gloss over the most difficult parts. It's like they know it's going to suck and they don't really have a great way to do it either so they just show in detail how to position the lines off the ram then just rush right through "(oh and then hook them up on the other end real quick.)"

If I were to do it again, I'd just hook those lines up first before dropping the box into place. It needs to get lowered in from the top anyway, just snake the lines through. Would have saved me 4 hours today and a partially cross-threaded fitting. And I'd probably still have skin on my fingers.

Aaaaaaand I'm just realizing now as I'm typing this that the ram is installed the wrong way around. Well, I guess not technically wrong, but it'd make more sense for the cylinder body to be fixed in place and not dragging the lines around. I'll have to flip that around in the morning.

Sounds like a really tough job. Good work.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Put it in my shop - barely - to start putting snow plow and winch wiring back on this one........

Nice to have cameras on each end!

 

[WILDHOBO]

Put it in my shop - barely - to start putting snow plow and winch wiring back on this one........

Nice to have cameras on each end!

I wouldn’t have gotten mine in even that far in the old garage. Glad you got it in. It’ll make it so much easier to do bits at a time. Sorry the tremors are jacking with you so much. I really am. When I start to fall apart more, I’m going to have a tough time with it emotionally. I like doing things myself.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I wouldn’t have gotten mine in even that far in the old garage. Glad you got it in. It’ll make it so much easier to do bits at a time. Sorry the tremors are jacking with you so much. I really am. When I start to fall apart more, I’m going to have a tough time with it emotionally. I like doing things myself.

I ended up moving some things around. So it's not as tight as I feared at first.
Luckily my plating bench is on casters - hasn't been moved in 10 years so it took a bit to get the casters to roll. In the end, made enough room up front so it will be fine.
I did have to roll things in the middle - like the lathe and oven, over close to the Javelin. This truck is big to compared to the cars I usually had in there.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I ended up moving some things around. So it's not as tight as I feared at first.
Luckily my plating bench is on casters - hasn't been moved in 10 years so it took a bit to get the casters to roll. In the end, made enough room up front so it will be fine.
I did have to roll things in the middle - like the lathe and oven, over close to the Javelin. This truck is big to compared to the cars I usually had in there.

Wow. To be able to plate your own parts. So cool.

 

[Freems]

DIY JT Bed Storage Project…
This project started with my neighbor cleaning his garage…throwing away a truck bed Weather Guard box…didn’t fit his current truck, tired of stepping on it and gave it to me.
Quick tape measure and made a plan, simple, remove a 7/8” slice off each end of the box to make a perfect fit in between the JT wheel wells. The box sits a perfect height in the bed for my needs.
A couple of rust spots and metal repairs then a coat of Rustolium base primer.
Didn’t want to drill holes in the bed for mounting the box, so drilled two holes for 3/4” dia. Bolts on both newly recovered ends that were cut. Cut one 3/4” nut in half with the band saw for lock nuts for the bolts that will apply pressure against the wheel wells to secure the storage box from any movement.
To allow for top lid opening space behind the box I built two brackets to hold it the distance and height off the bed floor to safely hold and store my Koplin 4 gal fuel storage tank. Nutzerted the box to hold the brackets, making sure that the bottom of my trail rail holds the top of the fuel tank tight in place.
The inside was sanded and primed with the original white paint. Also a 3/4” close cell dense foam pad was added for heavier loads. Shot the outside Black. Had keys made for it and got the final install finished today.

 

[Mightytalldude]

Took a couple days off from working on the Gladiator to work on some other projects.

Finished buttoning up the new winter daily. Going to try to keep the salt of the Gladiator, unless it's a winter road trip of course. I do love snow wheeling.

Got the ram in, all lines run, intercooler pipes back in and started the bleeding process. It's slow going. The line from the rear of the steering box to the driver's side port on the ram was one of the most difficult single things I've had to do on a vehicle. Funny how the indisputably high-end parts providers don't really provide much in the way of instructions (looking at you PSC and Savvy) but when they do provide instructions they just gloss over the most difficult parts. It's like they know it's going to suck and they don't really have a great way to do it either so they just show in detail how to position the lines off the ram then just rush right through "(oh and then hook them up on the other end real quick.)"

If I were to do it again, I'd just hook those lines up first before dropping the box into place. It needs to get lowered in from the top anyway, just snake the lines through. Would have saved me 4 hours today and a partially cross-threaded fitting. And I'd probably still have skin on my fingers.

Aaaaaaand I'm just realizing now as I'm typing this that the ram is installed the wrong way around. Well, I guess not technically wrong, but it'd make more sense for the cylinder body to be fixed in place and not dragging the lines around. I'll have to flip that around in the morning.

Nice ride. Manual transmission on the Forester? If so, I would recommend the Tranquil input shaft sleeve kit from PDM USA when it's time for a new clutch. https://pdmusa.com/ I know the owner, Father-in-Law. Brother-in-law used to own Sumo parts, and had a wild built-up Forester he used to showcase his products before his wife passed away. My wife has owned many Subarus over the years but now with a JLU. I do appreciate a good looking Subaru when I see one.

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