Ownership Verified: Blind_Io's Garage

It makes me regret selling my Disco. But then I remember a few months after selling it to him he noticed oil in the coolant.
 
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Thank you.
I never knew the difference until now. :D
 
Another project done:

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2M ham radio installed. Power was routed from the battery across the engine bay in new conduit, through to the cabin, and then up to the top of the center stack. A new tray was ordered to be the donor (thanks to a sympathetic XTerra forum member), and cuts were made to accommodate the mounting bracket and wiring. The original part was kept undamaged, so with the quick disconnects on the antenna and power, the car can be restored to a stock appearance with just a few minutes of work and no tools.

I bought the radio used, so the handset didn't have a hanger. These ICOMs only use a simple hook, which would allow the handset to bounce off over rough terrain. Instead, I installed some industrial velcro on the dash and a patch on the back of the handset. This stuff is supposed to be able to hold up a fire extinguisher, so I'm sure a lightweight handset like this will be no challenge. Now I can grab the handset when I need to transmit and just slap it back up there so I can go back to driving and not fiddle around with small hooks.

This is just a starter radio, eventually I will install an all-band radio with HF/UHF/VHF bands. The HF frequency will allow me to reach out much farther. Still, this is a 75 watt transceiver and using the local repeater network, I have listened to conversations from Las Vegas to Idaho and made one contact in central Utah.

I used to have a CB in this spot, but I have refined the mounting significantly since then. This new setup is far more sturdy.
 
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I can't help but think of this:
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:lol:
 
I'm not nearly Burt-Reynolds-in-a-black-TransAm levels of cool, but I appreciate the compliment.
 
I'm not nearly Burt-Reynolds-in-a-black-TransAm levels of cool, but I appreciate the compliment.


You already have the facial hair, so you don't need much more than a cowboy hat. :p
 
Well, the X needed some TLC. The ball joints on both LCAs had gone and the mounting bolts had corroded on (yay corrosive dirt and salt covered roads). I took the opportunity to get aftermarket LCAs installed with zerk points on the ball joints. We also found the right rear parking brake shoes were coated in grease thanks to a failed axle seal - that resulted in having to break the bearing (not a serviceable or rebuildable part) to get the half-shaft out and replace the seal. So new bearing, seal, and brake shoes.

Oh, and one of the shocks had blown, so a new one is on the way. Thanks to Greg at PRG Products who got me exactly what I needed for a great price.

Not exactly what I was expecting to do, but there is one actual improvement on the horizon. The current rear bumper is being given a transfer to my brother's 2008 XTerra (just purchased) and a new rear bumper will be installed on mine. This one will feature a longer swing arm that can carry both a spare tire and two fuel cans. I will sacrifice the mounting for the high-lift jack, but it will be relocated either to the roof or possibly mounted to the impending front bumper during off road driving.

Speaking of front bumpers, my brother's friend is a fantastic welder who has offered to teach me how to weld and will help up design and build two front bumpers for about $400 per, way less than the $1,250 to order one from Shrockworks and I get to make it exactly the way I want. I'm really looking forward to this.
 
I await pictures!
:thumbsup:
 
Well, the X needed some TLC. The ball joints on both LCAs had gone and the mounting bolts had corroded on (yay corrosive dirt and salt covered roads). I took the opportunity to get aftermarket LCAs installed with zerk points on the ball joints. We also found the right rear parking brake shoes were coated in grease thanks to a failed axle seal - that resulted in having to break the bearing (not a serviceable or rebuildable part) to get the half-shaft out and replace the seal. So new bearing, seal, and brake shoes.

Good to hear you got some greasable BJs, which ones did you go with? Having to hack off the bearing for a seal job sounds like a pain, is that only on the M226?
 
New bumper! Now with fuel can carrier.

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Sorry for this type of image hosting, Transloader seems to be bjorked.
 
That's a tasty bit of steel, makes my 'heavy duty' bumper seem like it's made of paper. Fuel can carrier is very tidy.

I also hadn't seen the radio mount before, that's pretty much the same place I have mine mounted in the Disco. :)
 
Nice.

Out of curiosity, does opening the spare tire carrier change the SWR enough to be a worry? Not sure if it would at 2M frequencies, but it might be enough at CB or 10M to cause problems. /radio geek
 
Not bad, what'd that run you?

The fabricator gave me a deal since we are friends, about $1,000. I sold my old bumper to my brother to pay for part of it.

Nice.

Out of curiosity, does opening the spare tire carrier change the SWR enough to be a worry? Not sure if it would at 2M frequencies, but it might be enough at CB or 10M to cause problems. /radio geek

The 2M is mounted on the front fender. It probably would mess up the CB, but it never gets used with the back open anyway.
 
Strength-testing part of The Deer Juicer 5000 with the shop crane

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Corner tack-welded together for test-fitting:

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Once this is done, I will re-name Alexis "Weapon-X"

In about a week the square tube bender will arrive and we can start on the brush bar. Once more solid day of fabrication and I will prime and paint it for extended testing before powdercoat. Just in case I need to move mounting tabs or anything like that I won't wreck an expensive powdercoat.
 
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Craig, I am going to talk to my friend on Saturday. I have an idea for a Frontier/XTerra front bumper that we might be able to produce and sell. The XTerra bumper will come first because we have a vehicle to prototype on. The Fronty has slightly different headlights and body work up front so we would need to change a few things to make the XTerra bumper fit.

If it works out, the bumper will be a combination of bent square tubing and plasma-cut dimple-die pressed panels welded between the tube. It should be lighter than this bumper but just as strong.
 
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