My Laundry List

[OldGreen]

So, it occurs to me that I haven't been wheelin' for real since last FYBR. . .and that I probably should get into the hills. It is also painfully obvious that there is a few things to do to get the old 7 ready for battle. Some I've been putting off for years, others are new(ish) gremlins that have popped up. Here's the list. . .follow along as I knock some of this stuff out:

1. Install stainless air supply line for ARB. Have the line. . .I just need to route it. The blue ARB line works well and acts like a fuse from the solinoid to the dif, but the icemaker plastic crap from the air tank to the solinoid hates the elements. I found some 1500 burst stainless line that should do the trick.

2. Skidplate mods: I'm sick of dealing with the factory bolt holes on my flat skidplate. I'm going to wrap around and bolt them through the side of the frame. If any of you have seen how a Rubicon Express long arm kit bolts on the skidder. . .you'll get the idea.

3. Rocker protection: 3x3 angle. I might use a little 1" square tube to make some little tree pivots/steps for mama. Depends on one of the other things on the list.

4. New alternator.

5. New Battery: I'm giving up on my lifetime batteries. . .yeah, they are free, but they SUCK for wheelin' and die way to soon. I'll probably throw in an Optima or an Odyssey or something. . .

6. Taller/Narrower tires: Thinkin' 39.5x13.50 Iroks. . .just for kicks, but this is probably a few months out. I'll need to trim another Inch or so for the rear flares and move the bumps down a couple inches front and rear. . .but whatev. . .the friggin' D60 rear and the stock gas tank are too low. I need the clearance on snow runs. (My justification. . .HAHA). If anybody wants to buy 5x slightly used Pitbull Rockers, let me know. . .great tires for. . I dunno. . .a Flatty or a CJ5 on D44s.

7. Trailer Repair: Needs new deck and fender mods to keep the fenders from tearing the tires. I also need 1x mobile home tire. . .ANYONE?

8. New motor: Yeah, it still runs, but I dunno for how long. . .I'll just keep pouring oil in the top faster than it runs out the bottom.

[mattawajeep]

Been thinking about a new battery for myself as well - don't think the one I have (might be the original) has much juice left. Think I'm probably going to go with an odyssey or the sears rebrand (Diehard Platinum) of the same. Optima seems to be getting a lot of bad reports lately.

[White trash]

New optimas are trash from my experience. Exide orbitals suck worse than optimas which to me is amazing. The sears platinum is a great battery from reports. My next battery will come from 'noggin. He can get a long list of brands for very good prices.

[OldGreen]

I may be convinced! We run ProPower AGM batteries in the race truck, but they are BIG money for one big enough for winching...or two small ones.

Odyssey or one of its many private labels will likely get the nod.

[White trash]

Oh yea on your tire deal, if you want skinny don't put those iroks on 15's. Get them in the 17" flavor and you'll get what you want. The 15" version is a big balloon.

[OldGreen]

Deal breaker. . .I am keeping my wheels. I can't afford to replace them.

[White trash]

The radials are more squared up if you wanna go that way. I know of a set of old style mtr's brand new unmounted for a 15".

Keeping a 15 is tough these days unless you go interco...

[OldGreen]

Or Pitbull. . .but the 39.5s are 16" wide.

Other options are 38 SXs or 37x14.00 Iroks.

[White trash]

The 37" irok is barely 35" tall at street pressure and its not much narrower than the rest. How about a mad dog? They are slimmer in the tall sizes. I don't know if you'd like the sx's or not. I grooved mine and that made a world of difference in varcass flexability but they have a harder compound than iroks. I think of all thats out there that I can think of the one tire that fits your criteria and has a good compound is the 40" ltb. Flexable, soft compound, narrower than what you have and taller too.

[OldGreen]

hmmm. . .hadn't thought of those. . .after seeing the big LTBs in the snow, I was impressed.

[tobyw]

I haven't seen/heard any reviews on them, but there are several places online selling 40x13.5x17 Pro-Comp Xtreme's for $300/tire... Lots of tire for the money...

[OldGreen]

Yeah, lets quit talking about tires now. . .mmmmkay?

[tobyw]

You started it...

[takes ball, goes home]

[Lurch]

Still want that fuel pump?

[OldGreen]

Yeah, I think so. . .

[mattawajeep]

If you don't need side posts on your battery now is the time to grab one of these:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02850090000P

Best price I've ever seen on one. Been watching for awhile and they've always been over $200.

[Roman]

The reviews don't read too well on this one . . .

[mattawajeep]

The reviews don't read too well on this one . . .

Yup, the side posts can break - however, if you don't use the side posts (or just get the same model (P4 34/78 ) without them) it's one of the best batteries out there. I hate side posts with a passion, nothing but trouble in a truck or tractor no matter the battery.