Joe the Rodeo

[WDoG]

Hey guys, thought I'd start my build thread today.

Here he is as the wife dubbed him "Joe" the first day I bought him.
Tires bald as hell. 155K on the clock and just ASKING to be taken off-road.
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/3963/30548085338524222425302.jpg

He needed a few new things though. So called up Calmini and had these sent over.
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/5503/img1437ly.jpg

This was a fun couple of days putting these on. The old shackles were TOUGH. I mean REALLY tough. I was sore for a couple of days after all the beating and wrenching on these damn things. BUT I finally got them in. I thought it would be a lot easier than it was. Stupid rust.
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/7017/img1459jp.jpg

You can see just how toasted the bushing were. Replaced those as well, Thanks Indy4x.
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/3379/img1456s.jpg

After a couple of other mods It was definitely time for some new shoes.
Treadwright Guard Dog 265/70R16 fit the bill. Size and price ;-)
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/1756/img1728j.jpg
http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/415/img1725kp.jpg
http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/6168/img1737b.jpg
http://img861.imageshack.us/img861/5006/img1736d.jpg

Need tires mounted? Go to walmart. I know I know, walmart? Yes. Mounted and Lifetime balance for all 4 tires only $46!! Great price and free tire rotation too. They asked if I wanted new valve stems and I said I didn't need them. Come to find out they replaced them anyways. FOR FREE. The techs were really nice too which is a plus in my book.

Next the stereo needed a little fix. As it didn't have its own aux input I fabbed one up and wired it in.
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/2463/img1386cp.jpg
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/4573/img1387c.jpg
^^^ that is not an Aux port on the back. Extra port for something else. Remote I think.

[WDoG]

Next thing was power for my gadgets. Cig lighter USB adapters are great but bulky so I wired in a few USB ports.
http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/5696/img1394t.jpg
http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/7210/img1403s.jpg
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/6281/img1404ud.jpg
http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/2970/img1408fs.jpg

Its 5v and will charge iPhone faster than those 3v car adapaters :thumb::thumb:
Also, that cig adapter doesn't plug into the cig port. I have it wired into a 12v line in the console all tucked away.

Passenger door sagged bad. Due some carnage on the vehicle from the previous owner. (Rock sliders would have prevented this, Brody I'll be hitting you up when the funds permit)
http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/8663/img1417cc.jpg
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/1995/img1415gk.jpg
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/3329/img1416f.jpg
^^^ see how bent the pin is. A couple of junk yard replacements fixed this right up!


Well, I'm looking forward to fixing Joe up more. If the wife doesn't kill me for spending too much money on it.

Happy Fixin'
-WDoG

[Funrover]

Coming along great so far!

[Michael4rnr]

Looks like a really good built. Chase Squishee might talk to you about taking doors off cause hes been wanting to do that.

[dannanw]

Looks good, like the usb idea. The rodeo we just sold about 4 months ago had 300,000 and it's still going (sold it to wife's cuz.)...

[AccordRanger]

Digging it. Any better pics with the new meats on?

[WDoG]

Any particular angles you would like? I haven't had a chance to ger them dirty...yet ;-)

[Popsgarage]

Shackle can be quite the good time for sure. I love the USB idea.

[Brody]

Thanks for the pictures and the build thread start! I love seeing stuff come together!

I looked at the shackle pictures and flinched. I replaced the rear spring bushings on my Chevy springs yesterday..same stuff: rust, more rust, rubber mysteriously bonded to metal. Drilled the rubber out, cooked the rest and had a fun and stinky times...

[WDoG]

same stuff: rust, more rust, rubber mysteriously boned to metal. Drilled the rubber out, cooked the rest and had a fun and stinky times...

I had no idea rubber could fuse to metal like it did. The really fun one was the passenger side shackle. The top is close to the gas filler tube, you can imagine how much fun a blow torch is next to that. Nothing like inhaling burned bushing...tasty!

[Squshiee1]

HOW!!!!!!! did you take that door off?
wee need to meet up this weekend if your free.

[WDoG]

Squish, thought you would like this thread :D:D

I took the door off to replace the bent door hinges from when previous owner slid into rock. (CARNAGE! not the trail, just general CARNAGE)

Let me tell you man, this was a MAJOR PITA! It would have been a lot more simple if I could have taken that fender off. For whatever reason there is a support bolt that is non-removable. Why they designed it that way is beyond me...:confused::confused: So I had to work around the fender which was not easy at all. And then lining up the door after all hooked back up sucked too. This, what I thought to be a quick 30 min job, turned into a 2 hour ordeal.

I'm free Saturday before 5:30 :)

[Squshiee1]

i figures it would be a major pita. I can remove the doors without messing up the alignment. Its just getting the damn things off. what did you do about the wiring.

[WDoG]

Just disconnected it. There is a white connector that connects all the wiring to the door right at where the door meets the side. Just disconnect and you're good to go.

[Squshiee1]

do you have to remove the rubber gromit to get to it? is it in the panel?

[WDoG]

Yeah, the gromit pulls right off. The connector is right behind it. Also, remember to connect that back before you bolt up the door. I forgot and couldn't get it back together w/o having to take the door off again...:frown::frown:

[Squshiee1]

alright, thanks! i just needed someone that has done it before to help me out.

[WDoG]

Why you trying to take your doors off? Just wonderin?

[Squshiee1]

its going to be a foreign jeep..... :D

[dannanw]

its going to be a foreign jeep..... :D
simply awsome! winter is gonna suck, I like seeing both of yall on here we just got rid or ours bought for $500 sold for $500 and drove for almost 2 years...BTW slave cylinders suck...

[BLOODBANE]

Nice build. I agree with the idea on the USB ports, now get those tires dirty.....

[Brody]

I had no idea rubber could fuse to metal like it did.

Poly fuses to metal pretty well, too, though not as bad. I have done a lot of bushing replacements in both round control arm/A arm bushings plus leaf spring bushings. I don't know which is worse, but as soon as they refuse to come out with minor persuasion, out come the evil tools: torch, thin saw blade, battered screwdrivers, thin chisel, bearing puller with assorted big washers, wire brushes, etc, etc.

I have a couple of small wire wheels that I use for cleaning the insides of the metal sleeves of rust, then use copious amount of grease on everything that goes back inside, using it on all the surfaces, inside and out. Just did the lower control arm bushing replacement on Jeff's (Beefy) Jeep and have all but the two front ones on my heap to do. Chase dropped by for me to take a look at replacing his rear leaf bushings and this will probably be the easiest job so far. They are so warn that the bushings are almost all the way gone. The worst recently has been the bushings on Chris'(Scrat) 74 CJ5. Everything, top and bottom had to be burned and cut out. The worse one before that was Rob(ex DrOldUnit) FJ40. Neither of those had had any work done on them for years and the ones on Robs were OEM. Sean and I had to cut all the bolts off and in one case had to split the leaf spring eye. Rob now has all new leafs on his....

Lovely job...

[Java]

its going to be a foreign jeep..... :D

:lmao::lmao::lmao:

[WDoG]

I had no idea rubber could fuse to metal like it did.

Poly fuses to metal pretty well, too, though not as bad. I have done a lot of bushing replacements in both round control arm/A arm bushings plus leaf spring bushings. I don't know which is worse, but as soon as they refuse to come out with minor persuasion, out come the evil tools: torch, thin saw blade, battered screwdrivers, thin chisel, bearing puller with assorted big washers, wire brushes, etc, etc.

I have a couple of small wire wheels that I use for cleaning the insides of the metal sleeves of rust, then use copious amount of grease on everything that goes back inside, using it on all the surfaces, inside and out. Just did the lower control arm bushing replacement on Jeff's (Beefy) Jeep and have all but the two front ones on my heap to do. Chase dropped by for me to take a look at replacing his rear leaf bushings and this will probably be the easiest job so far. They are so warn that the bushings are almost all the way gone. The worst recently has been the bushings on Chris'(Scrat) 74 CJ5. Everything, top and bottom had to be burned and cut out. The worse one before that was Rob(ex DrOldUnit) FJ40. Neither of those had had any work done on them for years and the ones on Robs were OEM. Sean and I had to cut all the bolts off and in one case had to split the leaf spring eye. Rob now has all new leafs on his....

Lovely job...

If there is one think I hate more than stuck bushings...its RUSTED hardware. I've broken countless drill bits and extraction bits trying to remove busted hardware on trucks/cars. Nightmare.

Just replaced my fuel level sending unit on the rodeo. That was a fun job. 5 philips head bolts all rusted solid. Nothing like drilling into a gastank to really get your adrenaline pumping. Finally got them out there and the unit replaced. What a hassle.

[WDoG]

More Pics of "The meats" as requested.

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/2289/img1760l.jpg
http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/3065/img1762vr.jpg
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/2580/img1763y.jpg