Precise1

Just a word of advice from a tool and die maker (fancy machinist), dont use "easy-out's"... They suck... I have snapped more than have ever worked. Use the carbon steel square ones... They are much less prone to break, and if they slip, you can either tap them back in or still have a hole to work with... Just my 2c... B

LOL JRS14, I was just going off of the information I have that they are ballanced at the factory, and they advise you to clock them before disassembly in the manuals... That along with makes it a safe enough statement. Thanks for the info; if I ever own an auto tranny, I'll remember it. B

I'd say yes, you could do it, if you have some experience... Either going through the fender wall, or maybe you could get in there with an air drill, etc ? I'll have to look at the clearance and I don't know what tools you have access to... If you do it, tricks I advise is to try to grind the broken stud flat or concave, use a center drill to start the process and be patient (the start is critical), then use a left handed drill to core the drill the stud; sometimes they will back the remainder out eventually. Go slow and straight.... I can make carbide spade drills if you need one and feel confident... B

LOL, I guess thats an option, but sounds like you'd be standing in the water hole waist deep, probing around, trying to get a good reading... Sound off when you hit mark twain... What I was describing just helps you feel if something is 1 or 3 feet deep, has huge ruts, etc... The nice thing about a cheap rod is that you always have it, it is compact and light, and costs about $10.... B

Just to argue, I have GJC springs in the rear with a stock front end.... The T-bars are cranked so I'm within 1" (no closer than 1/2") to the UCA bump stops; the truck sits level. I have not put enough miles on to talk about front end longjevity, but from what I have read, it wont make much of a difference... This is a cheap lift, and if you are slightly nose heavy, thats stance is favored by many... B

Ditto to both of the above; ultra copper is great when used with gaskets, it may be problematical to get apart, and use safety glasses ALWAYS ! I didn't have a manifold leak until I broke open the Y to remove the tranny for the clutch. It started leaking 2 months later... Different stress loads I think. Perhaps a shop will argue to change the y pipes, but the difference in labor and the new exhaust parts may well equal additional issues in the future; they will have to gaurentee it. Depends on the price... Update us... B

I have to question that it does not matter to some degree... Ballance is just that, it may affect seal life or drivetrain vibration. Purely on thoery, I dont own, nor have messed with auto's. I'd try to drain it completely and static ballance it. This is suspending it so it can rotate freely, and aligning it so there is no 'one side down'. Maybe pointless in this application, but it is part of what I do for a living... B

Um, that looks more like blatant contact and abuse than galling.. I could have sworn that galling was something like "close metal fit rubbing, heating, surface deforming, and binding", not beating the he!! out of the housing !!! Salute to rebuilding it, and your mechanical skills... Where did you learn this ? Innate skill, mentor or just too much free time ? Regardless, well done. B

Welcome back Mark ! The T-shirt idea seemed an insurmountable project; ie, it floundered and failed big time... Why ?? I don't know... I never thought it would be difficult... But then I'm not in the T-shirt industry and don't know the fine details. I think it came down to people having, sending, fronting $ B

Hey Trailchaser, here's a trick I figured out a while back... Go buy a CHEAP 6-8' telescoping fishing rod and throw it in the back. Use it to probe mud holes... No, it doesn't always work; you cant reach or check it out well, but all it has to do is save ya once or twice... I would have tried that on your hole as I've seen many trucks stuck in 30' puddles (darn near me once). I just hate getting stuck and have been known to scope out ahead on foot, rod in hand... B

15 city, 18 on the highway if I keep my foot out of it... Thats a 95xe with JGC lift, 31" tires and cat back magnaflow exhaust with 112K miles. I yearn for the 20 mpg days of my old truck, but I know thats more mental then not... B

I can recommend redline injector cleaner also... B

Nice picts Mr P ! Beautiful views, very nice rig, and nice to see Mr and Mrs P. Thanks... B

Ok, I have some used rims that need TLC. Rather than trying to buff everything out, I'm thinking of scotchbriting or sand blasting them and painting them black; it would go just as well with a maroon truck with black trim. A guy at work that I know and trust said that painting aluminum doesn't work very well due to the instant oxidation issue. I don't know, I've never painted rims, but I only want to do this once... I know to strip and degrease. What did you do, use and how did it turn out ?? Bernard

Well, there are only 3 things that can generate that kind of heat; wheel bearings, hub damage and calipers. You did the bearings (therefore had the hubs apart) and will assume you assembled them correctly... That leaves the calipers... if they are rubbing, they can fry the grease at the bearing.... Try seeing if the calipers are hot also next time. I understand that the check brake light comes on when the fluid is low, ie pad wear=more fluid in the line, equals low fluid.... You either fubared the bearing install or the calipers are dragging. Look in the garage for the sticky about caliper pins... Odds are you have not really damaged things you, but if you let it go, you will be sorry. Good Luck, and update... Bernard

It's fishing, but not really jumping into the boat... THANK GOD !! http://cityguide.pensacolanewsjournal.com/...oors/story1.asp B

I don't know of them specifically, but looks like a color coded ricer mod... B

Thanks for the near same year info and schematic link 88, I didn't remember to look there... I also didn't know that there is usually more play with the tires cranked, I never noticed that on any vehicle before; is seems like more than would be normal though. Turning in the worm gear helped some, but didn't take care of it completely. Yes, I had it aligned a few weeks back but it was at a convenient chain store and I didn't get that warm, fuzzy feeling that they did a good job. I'll have to search around for a good independant shop, I always have better luck with them... Thanks for the input guys ! B

Sorry... yes I have 31"x10.5" BFG AT KO's on mine. Yes, looks like Slick has some progressive springs while the most commonly used ones are not. Still, the non progressive should give you an additional 2.5-3" B

Dont feel bad, I still get carded sometimes at 35... For cigarettes even !! B

I measure 27.5-28"... My bumper is slightly bent.... Thats a 95XE with the rear tire carrier. B

Ok, so I crashed the Pathy 3 months ago and after much ordeal, it been on the road for 3 weeks. The body shops did some frame pulling; too much with bent components by the first, replace components and fix by the second. What that means is that things are very close, but no longer "stock". Still needs some attention, but all little things EXCEPT for the steering... It has a little wander on the freeway, especially with a cross wind. Follows the road type feel but does not pull either way, and not randomly, but chatters and wiggles when either tire hits a pot hole or when cornering moderately hard. This tells me things are moving in unison... I got under today, and pushed pried, inspected, wiggled, etc. The CA and compression rod bushings look crappy but couldn't get them to budge under pry bar abuse (will change them out this summer though). The tie rod ends, idler arm and pitman arm are all reasonably solid with no lateral or vertical play noticable. What I did find was strange to me; with the tires straight there was very little play, period. With the tires cranked either direction (slightly worse in the passenger direction) there was slop in the steering box system, ie the tires would move some in unison without the steering shaft turning (with a barely audible "clonk" coming from the box). What I surmise is that the steering box/steering arm shaft is damaged/bent from when they had the truck chained down, and were torquing the front frame ears around. Maybe it is as simple as a smashed worm gear ? Not to sure about that, but I turned it in 1/3 turn (freewheeling... I'm used to some feeling of contact) and will see tomorrow, but it didn't seem to make much of a difference. I've never dissected/rebuilt a steering box and the manual is useless. My questions are has anyone ever experienced something like this ? Anyone ever replace their steering box/arm; it doesn't seeem that hard (I plan on doing both for good luck unless the arm passes inspection) but do's and dont's are appreciated. Anyone ever rebuild their steering box ? You get the picture... Help and input appreciated. Thanks ! Bernard

Installing the Jeep grand cherokee springs obtained from a junkyard, and cranking/indexing the t-bars is the best, cheapest mod there is, then I think locker (if you dont have LSD), then exhaust (hi flow cat and back, headers if you can afford them), then front end components... Thats arranged in order of effectiveness and least cost... B

Congrats Man !! Just don't get too carried away... You have years of dabauchery ahead of you, no need to cram it all in one night... B

Wow, quite the eventful weekend... Thanks for sharing ! Mercedes army truck out stomping around eh ? That thing looks pretty serious... B