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Author Topic: What have you done for your Rig lately.  (Read 488996 times)

x4dblduty

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Re: What have you done for your Rig lately.
« Reply #1725 on: March 09, 2019, 06:24:00 AM »
Nice work, Joe!  What made you decide to replace the steering rack? Mine's at 130K and not feeling any sloppiness on steering yet.  And I do need to replace my plugs soon.

Here's a question to all. Have any of you tried a more free flowing exhaust, while keeping it CA legal, i.e. catback, muffler, for any improvement in gas mileage?  I still DD mine and visit Costco gas too often!  Heck, will Shell V-Power help in this area?

Here's my next project, once the Hefty arrives.....  =)

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JFanaselle

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Re: What have you done for your Rig lately.
« Reply #1726 on: March 11, 2019, 10:30:08 AM »
Nice work, Joe!  What made you decide to replace the steering rack? Mine's at 130K and not feeling any sloppiness on steering yet.  And I do need to replace my plugs soon.

My rack was actually failing. It started making an intermittent "clunk" noise when it would cycle left and right. Almost like there was a bad tooth or something inside it. The sound got progressively worse over the past year or so, and started to sound absolutely horrible (almost like a bad CV joint or something). Then it started leaking a little bit of fluid a couple of months ago, which got REALLY bad over the past 2 months. I had to add almost an entire bottle of power steering fluid to the system over the past month.

Anyway, the new rack is now installed, along with new LCAs and new wheel bearings. The legendary Toro offered me his assistance, and I wasn't going to turn that offer down, so we did it at his place on Saturday morning. Took us about 5 hours total to do the whole thing from start to finish. Wasn't a very difficult job, just a LOT of individual steps. Basically removing almost the entire front suspension except for the UCAs, unbolting the R180 front diff, etc. The hardest part of the whole job was sliding the old rack out and sliding the new one in, and attaching the hard lines back to the rack. You're just dealing with very little space and you have to turn the whole assembly in multiple different directions at several points where it would hang up. It ended up coming out the passenger side the easiest. This would be a much easier project on a 2WD Xterra, for sure.

A word of advice for anyone who does this job or even someone who does a Titan swap or replaces most of their front suspension: Do not drive the rig with the steering wheel very far off center. I was taking it to an alignment shop immediately after the install so I didn't worry about trying to adjust the tie rods and straighten the wheel out. The wheel was almost 45 degrees off center after the job but the truck was driving relatively straight, so I figured I could get it over there with no issues. Well, with the wheel already turned almost a quarter of a turn in one direction, it put too much pressure on the clock spring (or spiral cable, some folks call it) inside the steering column, and as I made the turn out of the neighborhood, the cable broke. Immediately got an airbag (SRS) light, as well as a "SLIP" and "VDC OFF" light. Also lost the horn, and the cruise control buttons don't work. Now I'm shopping for a new clock spring, and I'm not looking forward to having to change that out.

I know it's not like me to skip the photos, but we got so wrapped up in this project that I barely remembered to snap any. Here's all I got:

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« Last Edit: March 11, 2019, 10:34:11 AM by JFanaselle »

G.B.H.

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Re: What have you done for your Rig lately.
« Reply #1727 on: March 12, 2019, 04:05:06 PM »
After a few trials and trails I think I got my storage system the way I want it. Not bad for a little over $200 and some fun woodworking. Drawer is for stuff that is permanently in the X. Behind the water will be a box for stuff that goes into the house for cleaning and replenishing after each outing. Water slides out for a quick glass or wash or can be removed and the slide out is a food prep area. Also access to the under well, where the seldom used stuff is, under the slide out. Can't wait to give the updated version a try. Plus, I can remove the whole thing in under 15 minutes. Pretty happy with the outcome.
G.B.H.

0317

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Re: What have you done for your Rig lately.
« Reply #1728 on: March 20, 2019, 08:55:02 AM »
looks good
It's better to sweat in peace than bleed in war. Death touches all men.

Jayrat

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Re: What have you done for your Rig lately.
« Reply #1729 on: March 26, 2019, 09:01:13 AM »
Removed Soda Lake and painted my OME leaf springs and added a HD leaf to the pack
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You can pick your nose & you can pick your friends,   But you can't wipe your friends under the couch

CAWoody

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Re: What have you done for your Rig lately.
« Reply #1730 on: March 26, 2019, 09:10:44 AM »
No Orange?  You're not embracing your south of the border location.

Does the PBR add an extra layer of protection, or is it more of a lube for the operator? :D
Be careful when you follow the masses..... sometimes the "M" is silent.

G.B.H.

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Re: What have you done for your Rig lately.
« Reply #1731 on: March 26, 2019, 12:02:50 PM »
I believe that is PBR Blaster.

Went from nasty to nice. Good job!
G.B.H.

EJsarus

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Re: What have you done for your Rig lately.
« Reply #1732 on: March 26, 2019, 05:31:54 PM »
installed 31" M/T, IPF driving lights and 3" lift on the jeep. I can still hang out with the Xs right?

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Celt

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Re: What have you done for your Rig lately.
« Reply #1733 on: March 26, 2019, 06:12:01 PM »
 The Cherokee is coming along nicely.
Isaiah 6:8

Jayrat

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Re: What have you done for your Rig lately.
« Reply #1734 on: April 07, 2019, 07:37:17 AM »
Bought a new Accessory for the X
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You can pick your nose & you can pick your friends,   But you can't wipe your friends under the couch

Celt

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Re: What have you done for your Rig lately.
« Reply #1735 on: April 07, 2019, 07:50:50 AM »
Should we call you Surf-Rat now?
Isaiah 6:8

RBduffer

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Re: What have you done for your Rig lately.
« Reply #1736 on: April 07, 2019, 02:17:38 PM »
It needs more stickers.  Looks like a M/C lift that I bought while ago ;)

I had that same kayak, loved it.
Of all the things I've lost...
I miss my mind the most

KJ6YPO

knightrider

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Re: What have you done for your Rig lately.
« Reply #1737 on: April 07, 2019, 07:25:12 PM »
I want to buy a kayak
Jordan - K6XTE
2012 Knight Armor Xterra Pro-4X - Sold :(
2016 GunMetal Frontier Pro-4X with AT Summit

Jayrat

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Re: What have you done for your Rig lately.
« Reply #1738 on: April 07, 2019, 07:28:41 PM »
It needs more stickers.  Looks like a M/C lift that I bought while ago ;)

I had that same kayak, loved it.
LOL,  lol All the cool kids are doing it 

I want to buy a kayak
Do it , Do it
You can pick your nose & you can pick your friends,   But you can't wipe your friends under the couch

steve c

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Re: What have you done for your Rig lately.
« Reply #1739 on: July 08, 2019, 04:21:56 PM »
Jordan and I did some stuff over the past couple of weekends.  HUGE thanks to him!!!

C/P from my build thread on TNX.  I don't have one here.

Quote
After wanting to install a service battery for years, I finally managed to get all the pieces together.
Without going into a long story, my group 31 Odyssey died while under warranty and they honored the warranty and replaced it for free.
Only catch was that the shop I bought it from, per Odyssey's procedure, required the battery be tested prior to authorizing the warranty claim. 
With the X being my only car, I had to put a different battery in - I went with an X2Power Group 27F

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/WB8RK6.jpg
What have you done for your Rig lately.


https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/dqnBQL.jpg
What have you done for your Rig lately.


That happened in January. 
I also installed a Ctek Battery-Sense monitor. 

Then I started looking around on how to add a second battery.  I ended up going the DC to DC charger route. 
There are limited options available in the US, as we haven't quite caught up to the Aussie's or Euro-van people yet.
I chose the Ctek D250SA as it was reasonably priced, could give the Odyssey the voltage it wants and it has a built in MPPT solar charge controller. 
My automotive consultant, knightrider, and I decided the best place for the battery was behind the front passengers seat.   The 40% split side of the rear seat is for the big fridge anyways, so that space was kind of a pit with the front seat slid back. 
I got a battery box from Amazon and we installed the battery into it and the DC to DC charger on the side. 

Not the best photos as I didn't take any during the install.  But, you get the idea.
Battery - Odyssey 31M PC2150ST

The battery box has a cover, but I didn't snap a pic of that.
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/921/bsXr1Y.jpg
What have you done for your Rig lately.


We cleaned up the wiring, don't worry. 
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/OGNkPR.jpg
What have you done for your Rig lately.


Next came solar.
I went with this panel from Renogy as it fit nicely on the front runner rack.
Renogy 100 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Panel (Compact Design)

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/924/gIwoZt.jpg
What have you done for your Rig lately.


https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/921/9dgOCH.jpg
What have you done for your Rig lately.


Next, time for something completely unnecessary and completely over the top, but totally awesome!!

We replaced the center console with a freaking 18L fridge!!! 
Indel B TB18

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/rLKq8z.jpg
What have you done for your Rig lately.


https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/921/5VHvSZ.jpg
What have you done for your Rig lately.


So, that's about it for my recent electrical upgrades. 
I do have plans to make a few additions. 
First, I'm going to put some lugs on the side of the battery box so that I can, if I had to, jump start the starting battery from the aux battery.  I didn't find the need or have the desire to run a separate wire up to the starting battery and install a switch and all that.  Jumper cables will work fine.
Second, we're going to install a branch on the solar input wire so that if I'm parked under trees for an extended period of time, I can run my solar suitcase panels with the 25ft extension I have for it. 
Last, I have a Ctek battery-sense monitor for the aux battery - it just hasn't arrived yet. 


Pretty excited how it all turned out!

Steve - KK6OFL

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