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Back In the Saddle Again

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folkenheath said:
Congrats on the new job it sounds like!
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Yes, been a longtime coming. I have been trying to get back in the hangar ever since I left Boeing in 2020. Had to deal with a 5 year non-compete contract with them. Finally those got outlawed in 2024. But finding a place to work was difficult. I didn't want commercial airline. Didn’t want medivac. This outfit kinda found me.
 
And working at an offroad shop was a cool experience. I learned a ton about differentials, suspension geometry and tires.

I did the math and on any given day I would dead lift the weight equivalent of 2 metric tons. Taking 40”+ tires w/bead locks off these vehicles constantly to perform the modifications then putting them back on while the vehicle was on lifts. Moving tires, transmissions and transferases constantly. Dropping out diffs etc., I would most the time just bench press the jeep transmissions out to save time. Didn't realize many of them were 200+ lbs dry until I looked it up. Just glad I got out before I got majorly injured. Lol

Definitely a younger mans sport in a shop that lacks a lot of equipment for what it does. But it was fun and I made great friends there. Definitely a worthwhile experience.
 
K5Devil said:
And working at an offroad shop was a cool experience. I learned a ton about differentials, suspension geometry and tires.

I did the math and on any given day I would dead lift the weight equivalent of 2 metric tons. Taking 40”+ tires w/bead locks off these vehicles constantly to perform the modifications then putting them back on while the vehicle was on lifts. Moving tires, transmissions and transferases constantly. Dropping out diffs etc., I would most the time just bench press the jeep transmissions out to save time. Didn't realize many of them were 200+ lbs dry until I looked it up. Just glad I got out before I got majorly injured. Lol

Definitely a younger mans sport in a shop that lacks a lot of equipment for what it does. But it was fun and I made great friends there. Definitely a worthwhile experience.
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I spent a couple of years work’n at a true Speed Shop in the mid-nineties and it was GREAT !
It was like taking a super long vacation between career jobs.

Ya’ learn things you didn’t even realize were things that needed to be learned and being able to be a part of uncountable engine builds of every kind and level was just priceless!

I enjoyed being a crane operator and heavy equipment/crane T-3 instructor at GE but turning wrenches and work’n at the Speed Shop for a living is what I really loved doing.

All gearheads should get a chance to work at a true Speed Shop at some point in their lives - it’s a training experience that has to be experienced to fully grasp and appreciate.
 
Been dealing with this horrendous leak from the trans for a while now. Thought I had fixed it about 4 times. But its time to go in. IMG_9220.jpeg

Decided to take a look inside. And change the fluid. Uh oh…..IMG_9211.jpeg

Inspected end play and its perfect. .004 I set to .002 at rebuild to it landed perfectly in the middle of tolerance. No issues with the rotating assembly. Everything looks new.
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Looking at the top cover. The pad for reverse is broken. Likley from the last time I installed the top cover in that rush before the long drive here. Then I look closely at the 3-4 fork.

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Definitely getting work down. This is definitely from me holding the shifter while its in gear. God dang it. What else am I going to hold while im driving my truck.
 
Prices on everything is out of control. They want $30-50 for a 4x4 indicator switch? Holy hell. Figured Id replace it while I was in there. The funny part is I bet I have one in a box somewhere!

I did finally adapt that dodge shifter to the square body transfer-case linkage. So I can hold that while driving instead of the trans shifter. Lol will post pics once its installed.

I still don't like the location of the transfer case shifter and its proximity to the trans shifter.

One of the last things I did at work was fabricate a dog house extension for a twin stick upgrade on a 1969 FJ40. Maybe I should build something like that for this situation. The problem is there is nowhere to bolt linkage too off this trans and tail housing.

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Replaced the transfer 4x4 switch, finished bolting the top on trans and running the vent hose for it.

Realized I need to wire in the male end pigtail for reverse lights. Could have sworn I saved one. So spent about 7 hours yesterday organizing every yellow tote into their own categories,

Soft Goods: Gaskets, interior soft, belts and rubber

Carburetor: Carburetor, parts, linkage, full rebuilding, jet kits etc

Engine Parts: distributors, spark plugs, exhaust parts etc

Brake and Axle: all spare leaf bushings, u bolts, u joints etc

I have a bin that is all old music components. 1/4” cable, microphones etc.,

Auto electrical: p clamps, wire, light bulbs etc

Hardware bin: self explanatory nuts and bolts

Trailer parts bin: trailer ball ends, hitch parts etc

Paint and cosmolene tote.

Home improvement tote.

Really nice to have everything so organized, when it really hasnt been that way ever. Also wrote check list on lids for what is inside so Im not guessing and digging.

Next thing I need for the shop is a nice welding fixture table. I really got used to the one we had at work. It was the Strong Hand Tools cart and it was very nice. But at $3200 I think I’ll just build my own.
 
Truckman4life said:
Until it starts rusting in the winter!

Calendar pic right there!!!
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Thats what this is for and I have 4 cases of it lol. The guys at the shop here couldn't believe how rust free my 2001 tacoma was, only coated it once with this about 13 years ago. Every bolt came off and thats something to be said for spending nearly its entire life on the salty washington coast. IMG_9450.jpeg
 
Its actually pretty funny. I ordered a case of 6 in AZ just before I left. They shipped me 4 cases. They just kept showing up. Ordered a single case off amazon got 3 cases for free. I always tell people about this stuff too especially around here and its just in one ear and out the other. So strange. This stuff is amazing.
 
Drive her to work this morning. This is the runway right outside work. I usually get to watch 2-3 take offs/lands every morning and afternoon.

Fixed the main leak on the trans with the breather hooked up. However I did spot another leak coming from the shifter o-ring on transfer case. I knew that one was a think because I put the o-ring and plastic insert in —in the wrong orientation. That’ll be fun to get out laying on my back, got those on order. Plan to drive her every friday while I work on the new chassis.

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Correct me if I am wrong but the O ring goes in first then the plastic insert? I believe when I jammed this to get out of AZ I did it the opposite.
 
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