collection of jeep stuff(build/blog)

If you do the 8.25, throw the crush sleeve that comes with an install kit in the trash, and go buy one at the dealer.



The aftermarket 8.25 crush sleeves keep crushing slowly over time, and eventually lead to howling gears, and then your rear end locks up on the highway.



#askmehowiknow


X2 ask me how i know.... Also.
 
I've read somewhere that you can even eliminate the crush sleeve. Some sort of spacer.. Well ****.. hope not to spend the doja on rear gears too..

But I think I am going to pull the front axle and send it off to rear end specialties ... For $200 if its on the bench is a steal..
 
Ya Cal I remember you mentioning that. I'll definitely get the dealer crush sleeve

For now I hope I can just slap in new bearings and seals in the rear. Have the gears reset if it's possible.. I don't know..
 
Ok decided to just go 4.88 ..

Anyways.. Rubicon.

Started out getting to Loon at about 4:30.. Much later than scheduled but we stopped and got some gas early on.. breakfast beer and ice. Then headed out to pick up some leaf springs from Matt also threw in some upper CA and a rear driveshaft for some spares.

My brother Andrew is responsible for like 99% of these pics. Was awesome to have somebody taking pics.

Loon


Not raining... So I was happy


Dropping in..





Mikey gettin that flex game on.


Major highlight for me.. which in the end I am okay with everything that broke. Making it up soup bowl was awesome! Mike and my brother drive right on by.. doubting I was going to make it up. Took me a good 5 minutes or so to find the line. It was slick so I was giving my wittle heep hell. I really wish somebody was filming or took more pics. But it was truly incredible I made it.. With Mariah and the dog with me. And in front of my best friend and family :)



Into the night....


Saturday morning... Mike stayed up nearly all night friday. Knocking snow off the tent to avoid having it collapse on all of us. In the AM we woke around 6 to find truly how much it had snowed...







We packed up camp and made an attempt to get out of dodge.. But failed very quickly. The slabs were slick and after getting stuck a few times and risking a lot. I heard a lovely sound from the dana twig. Got winched back up the hill after nearly flopping on my side. After that we called it quits for the day. Took all our shit out and slept in the jeeps.. All day.. Hardly ate as it was so miserable out we had hardly a chance to cook something.. So we snacked on cheese its and protein bars. Not many pics from that day.



Sunday was a beautiful morning.. Just amazing seeing all the snow falling off the trees. Was calming. We had some hiccups at first but as the day went on it only got better. My R&P was holding me up at first.. But after shaving off some teeth it seemed to skip them and continue to the next. And had no trouble wheeling out.

 
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Continued from previous page.

And the damage...








My temporary safety fix until I got to a hotel.. Fixed it the next morning. The pitman arm insert had actually broke through wobbled out the hole and shoved the nut up and broke the cotter pin. It left me a huge dead spot.. A whole half turn before the wheels would move. Luckily had my old XJ arm with an insert and another TRE.


Got it all buttoned up just in time to catch a gorgeous sunset.
 
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I knew there would be stories to tell when you returned.
 
If you have AAA, you should send them that snow pana pic. They have a contest to win vacations and shit for the best California pics and such.
Maybe you should keep some paracord around too..
 
Mountain House used to make a 'flameless oven' kit. You can't use it in the car (it offgas's pure hydrogen) but you can start it, open the door, set it on the ground, and then pick it up in 5 minutes to eat a hot delicious meal in times like that.

I keep one of those, a case of water and 4 days worth of food/water in a backpack stuffed in all of my vehicles.

Its discontinued, but you can still find them new on ebay. Would have made your long day there a lot more comfortable.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mountain-Ov...607?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a4f9f075f

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=mountain+house+meals
 
for 10$ I ordered one of those to keep in my emergency stuff. good call.
 
Don't forget to get a couple of the mountain house meals to go with the heater. I like any of the chicken+rice dishes, the pasta's, the chili mac.
 
Don't forget to get a couple of the mountain house meals to go with the heater. I like any of the chicken+rice dishes, the pasta's, the chili mac.

yeah good call. Ill throw some in there. Ill throw a tarp, emergency blanket, compass, knife, etc in there. My campaign gear is always in my rig and that but I still like the idea of a emergency backpack that I can bring between cars easily as a back up thing or for regular non camping wheeling trips.
 
the mountain house stuff is pretty tasty. i keep about 50 of them and 5 cases of water in the garage here all the time, and rotate that stuff into the camping gear as i consume it. there have been times i've come home too tired to cook dinner, and just eaten those...
 
the mountain house stuff is pretty tasty. i keep about 50 of them and 5 cases of water in the garage here all the time, and rotate that stuff into the camping gear as i consume it. there have been times i've come home too tired to cook dinner, and just eaten those...

LOL thats awesome. Plus good to have for a bug out scenario.
 
Ya the chicken and rice one is tasty. I usually keep a blanket, tarps, 1-2 jugs of water, couple things of instant soup, and some long lasting candies. The stove is a great idea, may pick one up.
 
One of the advantages to the mountain house stuff and the flameless stoves, is you can still have hot meals with no fire permit, while being both safe and legal.

I used to carry that stuff and the Wolfgang Puck self heating coffee (now unavailable) and never have to use fire for anything.
 
I always keep some MREs in the Jeep and in my man bag. The heater packets are water activated and the meals aren't bad at all. Always good to have in an emergency.
 
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