Cptpackrat's 01 build "EMMA"

Murdoch

Bought an X
Location
Toronto
Nice work on the the skid plate but as a noob I just got to ask. Is there a reason for having holes drilled through the plate? Thank in advance...GM
 

Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Installed a Thrush Turbo muffler on the rig today. Not too loud, but deep and throaty. Hoping as it breaks in it gets a little louder or even more throaty. Not bad for $25 buy.

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Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Ive been putting in long hours at the shop the past week, but its paying off. Ive got my sliders about completed, my trans skid about done and everything is waiting to have some finish work or final mounting work done. Hoping to have EVERYTHING done this week, and be ready for Gone Moab 2015 by friday

Driver side slider is complete and awaits paint.
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I started on the passenger side slider last night but ran out of time.
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Got my Transmission oil pan skid halfway complete and just needs an our or so of work to have it finished. Simple design, just a 21x24" pieces of dimple died 1/8" sheet steel, some 3/8' shafting welded on the sides and in the middle to help it hold its shape.
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01XterraPhilly

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
Conshohocken, PA
are you gonna add kicker rails? i have the same set up for the rock sliders and wish i had a kicker tube/step...at some point ill get them put on but its easier when its not painted and all that
 

01XterraPhilly

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
Conshohocken, PA
I feel ya there...i did mine in a weekend at a family members house and it was an ordeal. they came out great and exactly how i wanted them...or at least half of what I wanted. At some point in the near future I need to add a step rail for the wife and mother in law and also get new mounting plates for when it comes time to do the 2" BL
 

Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Yeah, Im just lucky enough to have a shop at my disposal. I wouldnt have gotten NEARLY as far as I have with one.

On another note... I got slider #2 done, ended up capping the ends with 1/8 D-plate. Started to paint everything and hopefully have them finished and on the truck tommorow night after work. They arent gonna stay white, Im going to match them to the skidplate paint scheme. Main goal tommorow is to get the trans skid mounted in place
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Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Got the paint on my sliders done today, ran out of time to get them mounted as they were still tacky. Should have them on tommorow afternoon.
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Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Got the sliders on today! I like them alot, everyone that has seen them says they look good. Took this pic on the retaining wall rocks in front of my house tonight when I got home from work

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Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Been burning the candle at both ends trying to get my truck ready. Got the trans skid mocked into place yesterday and on my lunch I welded the mounting bracket and got it painted and remounted. Its solid in place and should hold real well. Im headed to GoneMoab in the morning and luckliy was wable to get my truck ready beforehand.

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Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Made it to Moab, Utah today. Followed Joey in his Blueberry over from denver and hit some snow,rain, and finally the sunshine. Great drive, X averaged 16.5mpg through the pass up all those steep grades.

The sketchy Slush hill. 2nd gear and 2wd through the whole thing.
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Rolling on to Grand Junnction, CO
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A quick little stop before pushing on to Moab
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Made it to the Condos
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Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Day 2 -Dome Plateau. Fun trail with some technical stuff that stock rigs could easily do. I do have a 2 hour video of MOST of the trail for those that are interested in watching it.

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Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
I did Porcupine Rim today, it was very fun. some technical stuff but not hard. I did manage to bend my front tow hook about 3/4 the way through and it was pointing straight at the ground.

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Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Got home from goneMOAB yesterday afternoon. I unloaded my truck, layed a few new stickers, and started making a TO-DO list before next year.

-Rear Air-locker
-Finish suspension lift
-Manual locking hubs
-Lokka up front
-33" or 34" tires
-Front and Rear bumpers
-Various small HP gains (not so much underpowered, just want a little more)

Picture of me getting a bit tipsy on Fins-N-Things
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Added these little guys on either side
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Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Its been about a month since I last posted. Money has been a bit tight, just trying to get caught back up. The buying will start again shortly as I start collecting to get my suspension lift finished. Today I did do my summer seafoam cleanse and put half a can in the tank and half through the vacuum lines.
 

Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
In lieu of the natural gas hoggedness we call the xterra, I recently purchased myself a new to me vehicle. It comes in the form of a 1995 Geo Metro LSi hatchback. Picked her up for $420. The seller thought it needed a starter, and engine needed alot of work. 1 PCV valve and a battery later she starts on her own and idles (albeit a little too rough) on her own. I will have to rebuild the engine eventually, but until that time comes Its gonna get me to and from work at 35+mpg.

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A little help from Emma
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Look at all this HORSEPOWER!!!
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01XterraPhilly

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
Conshohocken, PA
hey you recently did the stainless steel brake lines...did you get the extended lines and if so, did you have an issue with the lines rubbing on the tires on a full turn?
 

Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
hey you recently did the stainless steel brake lines...did you get the extended lines and if so, did you have an issue with the lines rubbing on the tires on a full turn?

Yeah I went with the extended lines, the fronts do rub some at full lock, but it isnt too bad. I havent seen any negatives yet as I try to not lock much.
 

01XterraPhilly

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
Conshohocken, PA
oh ok...when i had the mechanic put it on he ended up having to adjust the stop bolts which limits the turn radius...not too bad but definitely lost a few feet of turning
 

Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Not much Going on with Emma lately, mainly trying to get my Geo up and running as a DD. I do have a build thread for it in the "Other Rides" section if you want to check out some crazy budget building. More to come for the X here in the next few months as I regroup and build for GoneMOAB2016
 

Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Well, its been almost a month since I posted an update. Lets see where to start? I recently was given a small chunk of change about 4k, paid all but a small amount of my X off and the rest of my debt. Hopefully have her all paid off and be completely debt free in a few months. Plans to get some more armor on my rig, a winch, tires, and possibly lockers all before Gone.
 

Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Went out on the ranch tonight and did some quick flexing. Nothing too wild, but havent been to this quarry on the ranch so figured I would check it out. Ordered a Currie Tire Deflator (same as the ARB) today too, next I gotta order some straps and a new tow hook, I folded the factory one at GONE...


Pics will be uploaded if I can get my computer to work properly...
 

Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Front Lokka Ordered!! Im thoroughly excited right now. Next on the list is to get my exhaust situation fixed (DT Headers, Catless exhaust setup, Possibly ​Cams, and an intake mani spacer. Any advice on any of this would be awesome
 

Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Lokka TIME!!! 5days after I placed my order, I had the Lokka waiting at my door, pretty damn quick from Australia! Hopefully do the install this weekend, not gonna mess with the diff drop bushings just yet, I plan to regear to 5:13 in the future so I will tackle them when I get there.

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Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Alrighty, after a debacle last night with the X not wanting to start and myself rigging up a new negative battery terminal to get home from school. I was about to put my LOKKA install on hold.... But lets be honest that would just be silly and pointless. Might as well start on the install and tackle this monster.

Heres a picture of the battery terminal I rigged up with the stuff i carry in my truck at all times.
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Ok, so I got the diff out relatively uneventful and quite smooth. about 35-40 minutes of work.
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As of right now Im held up by the ring gear. Without a Vice or an Impact gun I have no real efficient way to get the ring gear off. Tomorrow morning I will run to the shop and get it off with my impact. Hopefully complete the rest of the install tommorow by noon. Worked into the dark using my roof lights and headlights as my lighting source.
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Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Woke up bright and early and went to the shop to pull the ring gear bolts out with the impact. Much faster and easier than trying to do them by hand. Once it was off I popped the center shaft pin out and everything came apart nice and smooth. Getting the Lokka in was a little bit of a challenge as I had to seat the stub axle nut AFTER I got all the parts and pieces together. But a few whacks with a deadblow and a 1/2 extension and it was fully seated.
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I popped the ring gear back on and torqued everything down to 98lbs and then to 112lbs being the spec. Used 2 4x4 blocks screwed to a 2x6 board as a makeshift vice. it held the diff tight enough for me to crank the bolts down.
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Popped the carrier back into the housing and closed it all up. Cleaned the gasket surfaces off really well and painted the diff cover blue while it was out. I then threw the gasket on with a little grey RTV and snugged everything up and let it sit for about an hour and a half. Then it became time to put the front end back in. Easier said than done. I lifted the diff into place by hand while my helper slipped the front bolts through. This allowed me to push the rear up and slip the bolts through the crossmember.
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Did the tests that were included in the LOKKA instructions and took her out for a drive. Everything seems to lock and unlock as it should, the turn to center is quick, but not unmanageable. All in all, Im quite happy with the lokka and my work. Not bad for never playing with a differential before.

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Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Did a little more work today, Completed the first oil change since Gone, Painted the lower Rad support and surrounding areas, Bedliner on the front bumper, had to drill out the frame horn bolt holes where I mount my skin to because one of the factory nuts broke loose. I ended up welding a new 3/8 nut on each horn. Mounted my skids back up and took her out for a good shakedown and a few pictures.

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Updated OP
 
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Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Well a short update. Finally got tired of getting stranded and replaced my battery cables. I used about 6' of 2guage wire 6 copper end loops, 2 new brass/nickel battery terminals, some wire heat wrap, and some shrink tubing and tape. So far so good, hopefully this doesnt corrode and leave me stranded.... plus now the wires are actually long enough to easily reach the battery.

Flipping my old wires the bird.... good riddance
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Heres the fancy new wire setup. Not really fancy, and certainly not pretty... but hey it works
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Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Another small announcement. In lieu of my good time at moab in may, I will be for sure at Gone2016. with a plethora of enhancements to Emma. I will be ordering a heap of new part within the next few weeks. STAY TUNED
 

Cptpackrat

Bumpers Installed
Location
Gillette WY
Well a few weeks turned into a few days... Parts ordered, gonna be a nice update for the install.

Also question time... I have some funky clunking noises coming from the front end when turned but not all the way to lock. this is in 2wd on a hard surface. My Lokka is disengaged and drives fine. What else could this be? Bad Hubs and CV still spinning?
 
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