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

[injaneer]

Good idea. I just made some tie downs for mine using 3/8 eye bolts, square unistrut washer, rubber washer (was round, I cut it square) and some cone bolts. Figure the rubber washer will help keep from marring the paint. I might bedline the rails in the future if the paint gets too beat up. Pretty happy with these tho.

Yeah this is what I have for my tie downs.

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[Proximo]

Did you have to drill the screw hole?

No. Torx screw out, philips screw in the same hole

 

[Mojave Mōbe]

Do the oracles work? Do you have a tazer or something for them?
I want these but sounds like they need to work out some kinks still.

So far so good. I had factory LEDs before though.

 

[NGNERD]

It hit about 66 degrees today. WOW, time to be outside, do work in the garage since I can't get my truck into my FULL shop.
So there's the MOPAR lift kit lower control arms sitting there in the way.........
65 minutes. 70 Minutes if you include putting the tools away which any good shop does include otherwise it's lost time there's no charge for.
So 70 minutes start to finish, including putting the needed tools in a tote and hauling them to the garage, torquing the bolts when done, and carrying the tools ( and wood blocks) back to the shop.
I figured 2 hours as I assumed the bolts would be a real pain in the butt. Sort of were because you can't get straight onto the front ones with the steering knuckles and such in the way but an impact swivel on the Milwaukee bolt-buster impact took care of that.
Going back was easier because I could literally stand in front of the truck, grasp the bumper for a stabilizing hold and use my other hand to set the torque.
The rears - long extension did the trick, no problem torquing those at all Piece of cake.
Small jack under the pinion allowed for easy insertion of the bolts through the new arms.
Would have taken less time in my shop with better lights and cleaner floor and all of my tools right there.

Hi @ShadowsPapa
Can I ask the Milwaukee model number and impact swivel?
Shopping for one and value your opinion if you have time / suggestion.
Thanks

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Believe it or not the impact swivel I have is from the 1970s. It's a Craftsman 44125. It has a ball swivel that is spring loaded, not like the normal "flex sockets" that are like u-joints. There's a heavy hardened pin that goes through the outside and the ball inside. It doesn't droop because the spring keeps it from flopping around. Normal swivels I have to eventually wrap with tape or they droop like a cooked noodle. This one will stand up on end with a heavy impact socket on it.
I've used that impact since the 70s, through working at two shops over the years, on the farm, and it's held up great. Didn't need it for final torque as a torque wrench head will fit up between the lower control arm axle brackets and the knuckles - the impact wrench would not.

The impact is the Milwaukee 2767-20 (the 2767-20 has the ring to hold sockets, the 2766-20 has the pin to retain sockets)

I took everything loose with the impact and it took literally only a couple of minutes or so to have the nuts off and the bolts loose. I used the middle or 3rd button setting on the impact.
I did the same going back together and didn't let it really hammer on the bolts and when I did the final torque they were all within a quarter turn of that 190 pound/ft number.

To get the final torque on the bolts, I used a couple of long extensions between socket on bolt head and torque wrench to get me just past the running boards so I could have the wrench out from under the truck.
For the fronts it was similar, my Icon torque wrench was long enough when on the bolts to just stick out beyond the bottom of the bumper.
I thought torquing them would be a nightmare, it really wasn't that bad.

 

[NGNERD]

Believe it or not the impact swivel I have is from the 1970s. It's a Craftsman 44125. It has a ball swivel that is spring loaded, not like the normal "flex sockets" that are like u-joints. There's a heavy hardened pin that goes through the outside and the ball inside. It doesn't droop because the spring keeps it from flopping around. Normal swivels I have to eventually wrap with tape or they droop like a cooked noodle. This one will stand up on end with a heavy impact socket on it.
I've used that impact since the 70s, through working at two shops over the years, on the farm, and it's held up great. Didn't need it for final torque as a torque wrench head will fit up between the lower control arm axle brackets and the knuckles - the impact wrench would not.

The impact is the Milwaukee 2767-20 (the 2767-20 has the ring to hold sockets, the 2766-20 has the pin to retain sockets)

I took everything loose with the impact and it took literally only a couple of minutes or so to have the nuts off and the bolts loose. I used the middle or 3rd button setting on the impact.
I did the same going back together and didn't let it really hammer on the bolts and when I did the final torque they were all within a quarter turn of that 190 pound/ft number.

To get the final torque on the bolts, I used a couple of long extensions between socket on bolt head and torque wrench to get me just past the running boards so I could have the wrench out from under the truck.
For the fronts it was similar, my Icon torque wrench was long enough when on the bolts to just stick out beyond the bottom of the bumper.
I thought torquing them would be a nightmare, it really wasn't that bad.

Great story, strategy, and tools, thanks for sharing. It was just me, a breaker bar, a ratchet strap, and lack of experience getting those LCAs busted loose, swore I would invest in a good impact after that
Thanks again for the advice, sounds like I can get close to your impact, but that swivel might but an old hard to find treasure.
Many thanks

 

[injaneer]

Had my extra Rubicon take off wheel and spare mounted, and a 5 tire rotation.

 

[kad's_Glad]

Installed Diamondback SE cover, Diamondback x Yakima Overhaul HD rack system, Yakima SweetRoll kayak carrier and extra diamondback cleats. Now I'm broke. (Northstar Rob Roy canoe/kayak.)

Ode to the day my garage could look like that!

 

[rj74]

ADDED TERAFLEX 1.5 LEVELING KIT.

 

[869 KPH]

ADDED TERAFLEX 1.5 LEVELING KIT.

Ha just ordered this. Any secrets to spill? Did you compress the springs or disconnect everything and drop them like the instructions say?

 

[doc-ketamine]

Installed the MXT500 GMRS from Midland, plus3db antenna, Install info is in a separate post but here are some teaser pics!

 

[BaliMawr]

Sometimes our forum saves hundreds of dollars. Fixed the driver's side visor and reinforced the passenger side.

I've had my eye on those for preventative. The single hole model is ample?

 

[Proximo]

I've had my eye on those for preventative. The single hole model is ample?

Seems to be stout. The hook pretty much locks (tight fit) onto the shank, and holds it in place by the lip of the shank

 

[Proximo]

I've had my eye on those for preventative. The single hole model is ample?

One of the visor threads stated that they needed to trim the actual visor for the double hole model, to clear and be fully functional

 

[Chuck-a-Palooza]

Yito Motor Tonneau cover came in today. Got it put on with lots of fiddle factor. Still some tweaking - didnt put the weather seal on yet - waiting to see how everything lined up. So far happy with purchase. Pics after I finalize everything tomorrow.
Note I had to take off my DIY trail rails - may look for different brackets to hold rails on.

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