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

[TheTrailGeek]

Finally getting back to the Jeep after some time away. Got a ton done in the last two nights. I'm going to start building the box for the battery, inverter and Redarc Alpha 50 this weekend. Getting close!

Sponsored

 

[SanTan38]

Changed the engine oil and then got a lift installed. FINALLY……
Went with the MOPAR factory 2.0" lift with the Bilstein reservoir shocks. Then added Yeti XD pro adjustable front and rear track bars and a Fox 2.0 ATS steering stabilizer.
Not going to put 35 inch tires on. Sticking with 33’s.
The entire set up is a huge improvement from the stock suspension. Rides better and the steering is way tighter and more positive.

 

[Pliny]

Cut off the original end loop on the winch line to get rid of the metal thimble and then tied my first locked Brummel splice:

Certainly feels like some kind of right of passage, if not becoming a member of a club.

 

[Freems]

Added a simple straight-out awning. It's going to rain the next couple days and I'm packing up for another few nights up north, so a good time to figure it out. Probably no wheeling this time. Just camping, cooking, hiking, and chilling.

I keep staring at my checkout cart at PSC and just trying to work myself up to click the order button on $3k worth of steering beef.

At least overtime is in no short supply at the FAA. This Thur/Fri and last Thur/Fri have been the only full two days off I've had in months. And it's generally not really optional

Dude, 2 days off in 60!! You have to find a new gig. If you don’t, you’ll be dead with stress in short order with what you do.

 

[Freems]

I've already come close to that! I considered putting some old school door edge trim to at least tone down the sheet metal edge.



I'm pretty sure you actually lose space with these. As long as what you put in the net is soft (gloves, shop rag, etc) you can wedge them in and they can squish against the seat with no problem. With these, the size and shape is fixed.

How about taking a grinder with a flapper disk and permanently tone down the knee biters, then shoot some black paint on them?

 

[JTdiRtyD]

I'm pretty sure you actually lose space with these. As long as what you put in the net is soft (gloves, shop rag, etc) you can wedge them in and they can squish against the seat with no problem. With these, the size and shape is fixed.

The nets will only stretch as far as the seats. But then they stay stretched out and sag. I barely used mine and they started stretching out. I think all I had was one of those small round can air fresheners in the rears and they are still stretched out from it.

How about taking a grinder with a flapper disk and permanently tone down the knee biters, then shoot some black paint on them?

Wouldn't solve the issue of cracking your knee on them though. It's probably less of an issue for tall people since the seat is farther back, you have more room to get in.


Biggest reason I bought them is for additional drink holders, but they still suck even for that because you can't fit anything except a small water bottle in it because of the shape of the door. I ended up getting those drink holders that mount to the mirror bolts, which work well enough but then half your side mirror is blocked from view. Theres just no winning this fight lol

 

[BlueScapegoat]

Dude, 2 days off in 60!! You have to find a new gig. If you don’t, you’ll be dead with stress in short order with what you do.

I guess I phrased that weird, it's been my only two full weekends. I'm usually working 6 days a week but one day off a week isn't enough time to really go anywhere. I'm scheduled 6 days a week for the next few weeks too. Just taking advantage of the time when I can.

 

[JTdiRtyD]

AEV lift showed up yesterday. Podcast EP3 and 4 recording on saturday (takes most the day) so that leaves friday evening and all day sunday to hopefully get everything installed, alignment scheduled for Tuesday and fingers crossed weather is decent enough to ride the motorcycle to work on Monday.

Everything is pretty clean underneath so I don't anticipate any big issues, but we all know how that usually goes.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Cut off the original end loop on the winch line to get rid of the metal thimble and then tied my first locked Brummel splice:

Certainly feels like some kind of right of passage, if not becoming a member of a club.

That’s outstanding. I’ll need to look up how to do that splice so I can join as well. Are you doing this so you can easily use a crow knot for winch extensions?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The nets will only stretch as far as the seats. But then they stay stretched out and sag. I barely used mine and they started stretching out. I think all I had was one of those small round can air fresheners in the rears and they are still stretched out from it.



Wouldn't solve the issue of cracking your knee on them though. It's probably less of an issue for tall people since the seat is farther back, you have more room to get in.


Biggest reason I bought them is for additional drink holders, but they still suck even for that because you can't fit anything except a small water bottle in it because of the shape of the door. I ended up getting those drink holders that mount to the mirror bolts, which work well enough but then half your side mirror is blocked from view. Theres just no winning this fight lol

We own vehicles with a narrow cabin space - I figured we knew going in and had to accept that. Otherwise we'd own fat trucks.

 

[Pliny]

That’s outstanding. I’ll need to look up how to do that splice so I can join as well. Are you doing this so you can easily use a crow knot for winch extensions?

I'm changing to a different front bumper and the Yankum Groove fairlead. Don't know about a crow knot. I'll look that up.

Doing the splice wasn't that bad. I bought these specialty scissors:
https://www.ascendtools.com/shears-...a-spectra-dacron-carbon-fiber-fiberglass.html
after watching videos and seeing people hack their way through the line with a knife or regular scissors.

Having the right size fid would have made it even easier. The one I bought is engraved 3/8", but there was no way the 3/8" winch line would fit inside it. The winch line was actually larger in diameter than the outside of the fid. Numerous wraps of electrical tape got the job done.

I deconstructed the Warn OE splice on the loop with the thimble that I cut off. That gave me reassurance as to how much of the tail to bury and how to taper the end.

 

[imallcrawl]

What did I do...well I removed my spare because it'll be useless with my lift. Thinking I will probably use my son's used 37" Toyos that he will be switching with those 37" Yokohama Geolanders as a temporary spare until I can afford a full-size spare.

 

[Chasm]

How about taking a grinder with a flapper disk and permanently tone down the knee biters, then shoot some black paint on them?

That could improve it, but there's only so much you can do with 18 gauge steel. A nice rounded corner could reduce it to a dull knife instead of a sharp one.

 

[WILDHOBO]

What did I do...well I removed my spare because it'll be useless with my lift. Thinking I will probably use my son's used 37" Toyos that he will be switching with those 37" Yokohama Geolanders as a temporary spare until I can afford a full-size spare.

What tires are those?

 

[professorkx]

Not a big project, but installed skid plates. Simple job with a lift that has air jacks to hold up the skid plates while I install bolts. Not sure I needed the transfer case skid since it just bolts to the factory skid, but it was cheap.

tomorrow I’m going to measure the factory toe setting with the 37” tires. Been doing this for decades with a piece of tape in the center of each tire, a line on the tape and my wife helping measure the toe front to rear by rotating the tires with the axle jacked off the ground As I wear front end parts, I want to be able to set the toe at the factory setting instead of just using 1/8” standard measurement….well, as close as I can get with a tape measure…

Sponsored