Hunty's Jeep JK Extreme

[Hunty]

Had a blast on the weekend wheelin with Greg @ Forster - plenty of awesome trails in the forests - definitely need to organise a SJC weekend camping trip to the mid north coast
I will post up some vids soon of the awesome wheelin
check out the pic below and wish you were there LoL

[Hunty]

I trawled the net to find a good place to mount my ARB Compressor and I have seen some really creative uses of space including under the bonnet, in behind the rear tail light, under the floor near the fuel pump and under the drivers or passenger seat, I am quite surprised just how HOT the pump gets - I would say the heat was extreme - I certainly cannot touch the pump after only filling 1x 33' mtz from 12 - 32psi - given this crazy amount of heat the ARB pump generates I rulled out under the bonnet and in behind the rear tail light and perhaps even under the seats! - plus the real-estate inside my 2dr is very expensive and i do not wish to use the under seat area for a compressor plus I would worry about the heat that would build up and maybe cause a fire!


So after much searching I decided to use the space inside my spare tyre!
here's the write up I did.
1. - install 40amp auto circuit breaker close to the battery
2. - remove spare wheel
3. - run cables in behind rear door trim
4. - install 40amp relay in behind 3rd brake light
5. - install on off switch
6. - Mount compressor
7. - Connect all wires and reinstall spare wheel
Enjoy using your compressor with lots of natural airflow!
Cheers Hunty

[Hunty]

Another Mod that really made a huge difference - I picked the rancho's up cheap from the AJOR classifieds and could not be happier! - if i want to run like a pensioner and float on a cloud I select setting 1 .
If I want to go hard on the tar or I load it up with fat @sses, rooftop tent and trailer I turn em up to 4 or 5 for a really nice tight ride.


I added the shock relocation brackets to ensure the shocks didnt hit the chasis!


So this is what I learnt whilst installing the Ranchos


1. They don't fit out of the box & clash with the rear sway bar.
2. They are awesome - have improved my ride outta sight!
3. its a relatively easy adjustment / fix to make them fit.


The front Ranchos installed easily and fitted very well but the rear Ranchos ext reservoir outlet / connection was positioned exactly on top of the sway bar and if installed as is & without modification would definitely get broken off first time out wheelin.


I am sure there are many solutions however the one I chose not only makes space for the ranchos but also gives a little help to the rear sway bar.


I added a small block to lower the the sway bar mount on both sides and now there is ample clearance


I hope this info is useful to those of you with JK's and Adjustable Rancho's with Ext reservoirs


cheers Hunty

[Hunty]

I noticed that my heap was running on bowing rear springs (Misaligned) caused by lifting the suspension with extended length springs by the moron who regularly drives it! (me)lol


I am loaded to the MAX 40ltr extra fuel + 40ltr extra water roof top tent, cooking gear & fridge, tools hi lift jack, all my work equipment, my lightweight draws NOT !, spares clothes etc!!


I suspected that the springs on full flex where bottoming out possibly worse - pinching and maybe damaging them - ( I need to add appropriate bump stops)


I just recently picked up a huge Swag from TassieJK (Thanx again Mal) which included really nice rubicon express springs and Spring perch realignment brackets and adjustable rear track bar - all of which I installed today!


I am the worlds biggest Idiot!!! - what was I thinking tackling this job in the carpark @ Rundle st Mall (whilst the Mrs shopped).


1. whist Jeep is fully loaded and b4 jacking - attach spring compressors (it just makes it easier to compress them) and compress the cr@p out of them!


2. Remove lower shock mount bolt.


3. Jack up jeep remove tyre.


4. Optional - remove trackbar - i did just to make access easier


5. Remove already compressed spring.


5. If you are smart ( I wasn't lol ) use angle grinder to remove factory perch - if you are a complete moron (yes thats me lol) piddle away at them with a useless hacksaw! for 6 hours - then be so totally buggeredx that driving back to camp is near impossible LoL


6. bolt on new adjustable perches!


7. re install springs - (in may case compress new springs first).


8. put tyre back on


9. drop jack slowly and check the springs have centred perfectly.


10. re attach lower shocky mount bolt and re attach track bar


Enjoy the feeling of your new jeep - and your handiwork or what ever LoL
cheers Hunty

[Hunty]

I have been driving on near racing slicks for some time now and finally (thanx to selling my caravan on the weekend) was able to get some new treads.


Dilema; I really wanted to go up to 35's, after all I am geared for it 4.56's but to go back up to 35's would require the modification of my front bar / airtank and would negate my engineers certificate, which I am very very happy to have! infact as I drive past mobile speed cameras and random breast testing units I sit smug in my drivers chair! - smug feels good! - yes I know they can still get me if they want to (a mate of mine is a highway patrol cop and he jokingly told me that he could defect a brand new STD commodore if he wanted to) but I still like to feel smug! LoL.


As some of you know I have been asking for advice re which tyre has the best tread pattern and tyre wear prognosis and in the end I took Geoff aka Miraz' advice and went with the KM2's


My heap is approx 2meters wide and is normally a pita to get on a hoist or lifter, Its too wide and the wheelbase is often too short, and their lifters normally wont at full stretch get the wheels in the air, I told the guys at the tyre centre that it was high and wide and probably wouldnt fit their lifter but they didnt get it! so 4 guyz and 15 min later it fall off their lifter and they still hadn't gotten in the air (LOL). One of the wise tyre monkeys decided to lift it with a trolley jack in the centre of the diffs, which normally I would object to because as my fellow JKers will know - our diffs are made of cheese, anyway I was now running late so I just held my tongue and cheered as they finally got it in the air!


I asked the guyz for my old tyres as 2 of them are still legal and 2 will do incase of "Cape trip emergency" - the guyz laughed at me; "you will never get 4 tyres in that little Jeep" - I said "really" as I drove off with them LoL


photo's can be very deceiving - the first picture shows my new km2 35' next to my old MTZ 33' - looks big doesnt it?













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Take a look at the same pic in context (above) - and you will see that I ended up with 33's again and not 35's LoL
cheers Hunty

[Hunty]

Of all the Dumb@ss things I have done to 4x4's over the years this mod is my most embarrassing and most shockingly dangerous ergo the WARNING;


Do NOT install disconnects as per the following pictures as you run the serious risk of entering yourself for your very own Darwin Award!


When new the lower section of the fixed part of the (Dumb@ss) disconnect will remain vertical when disconnected, however as the wheelin miles start to add up it will get progressively looser until it will fall forward under braking and totally block your steering!!! - God help you if you are on the black stuff @ 80kph heading to the servo to air up when it it falls forward!


Solution - JKS disconnects, I got mine from "Wooders" for less than I could get them off EBay USA


Install tip - when tightening the centre lock nut wedge something (I used my little shifter) between the bottom disco and the Jeep to ensure it stays nicely in line with the top.
Cheers Hunty