'92 RC restoration/trail rig build (New pics & VIDEOS 7/12/14)

[The War Wagon]

  Any reason to play with some tools.

That, too. 

[crazzywolfie]

i pipe wrench works good if you don't have a o2 sensor socket. Richard taught me that and it worked on my ramcharger. i almost thought i was going to snap my old one but it eventually broke loose. you could have got that o2 sensor cheaper from rockauto. they are only $28 plus shipping which is most likely under $10

[The War Wagon]

i pipe wrench works good if you don't have a o2 sensor socket. Richard taught me that and it worked on my ramcharger. i almost thought i was going to snap my old one but it eventually broke loose. you could have got that o2 sensor cheaper from rockauto. they are only $28 plus shipping which is most likely under $10

I hear great things ABOUT Rock Auto, but their part ordering system is UN-fathomable.  I'm working on a Ph.D. at Duquesne University - seriously - and I've had graduate assignments that weren't as complicated as their part lookup system. 

[crazzywolfie]

lol. it is not that bad. if you know the part number you can just look that up. otherwise you would find stuff in different catigories under 1993 ramcharger. for oxygen sensor you would look under emissions

[The War Wagon]

Dropped off the Hughes plenum fix and new O2 sensor at Dave's today.  He's starting to bend some tube for my sliders already!  The transmission is now done - just gotta get the steering done, headers installed, and the plenum fix.  Of course, I'll probably find something ELSE for him to do by then! 

[The War Wagon]

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH BAY-beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...

THE War Wagon should be comin' home FRIDAY!!! 

Like a bear, it's hibernated under Dave's shop all winter... but MOST everything is done to it for now (and Dave needs the space!!!).

A couple items of interest:

- The B&M Transpak is NOT installed yet.  Even though Dave adjusted the bands, flushed out the transmission, & installed the new armored pan & filter, the tranny still doesn't seem to be responding 'quite right' yet.  COULD be, because it sat for 6 years.  COULD be, a torque converter going bad.  Dave say the Transpak will "kill it" at this point, so he wants me to tool around in it a bit - see if that loosens it up, and we can revisit the Transpak in the fall.

- My SPANKIN' NEW fuel lines (custom ordered from MI!!!) had a couple minor leaks.  I asked Dave if that was the lines, or my fuel pump, which I can't REMEMBER off the top of my head, whether I replaced or not (I'm PRETTY sure I did, but I don't have my records/receipts in front of me here at the office!).  He caught it, so whatever it was, I know it's fixed.

- He hasn't done the plenum fix, but as that's an issue with COLD engines, and the sun has actually made an appearance this month, hopefully it will hold together through spring, summer, and fall, and we can revisit THAT this fall, along with;

- Rock rails/sliders.  Dave is still bending tube, but again, he needs the space, so we shall eschew those for the time being.  Moreover, I have a NEW idea on what those should look like anyways, so we'll tackle THAT subject later this year as well.  As I told him, I'll TRY and resist the urge, to wedge it between a couple of boulders... 

Nonetheless, it's re-geared and the Borgeson steering is in place, so no more death wobble from hell, and it SHOULD be able to get out of its own way.  There are a couple of other items I want to check on as well, and will report back accordingly.  Lots of pictures will follow as well - maybe even a stack of the mad money I'm taking over there for this tomorrow as well.

I'm about to poop myself delirious!   

[SixGun]

Sooper Kool 

[The War Wagon]

I find I'm so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head.
I think it's the excitement only a Ramcharger man can feel;
a Ramcharger man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain.
I hope I can make it to the shop today.
I hope to see my truck, and drive it away.
I hope the Borgeson steers as straight as it has been in my dreams.

I hope.

[The War Wagon]

Welllll, if Obama has taught us ANYTHING, it's that, "HOPE"... is NOT a plan... 

Guess what happens when you RE-gear, and your driveline angle is bad?  Torque and driveshaft yokes are NOT your friends. 


  I LITERALLY got it home, when it dropped the driveshaft in the parking lot. 

It drove GREAT getting home - had a blast tooling around in it - looks GREAT with the spare tire finally mounted.

  I'm just too disappointed to say any more.

I called Dave & told him what happened - we knew it was binding, but didn't realize it was THAT bad.  I'm sending it back to him on Monday - we're gonna drop the rear springs, rotate and shim the axle, and get that straightened out.  Stay tuned for more details...

[SixGun]

Yikes....how much lift are you running?

[The War Wagon]

Yikes....how much lift are you running?

It's 4 1/2", but when Jimmy set up the shocks in the rear, he set 'em REALLY stiff - the axle NEEDED to be rotated, and now with all the torque of those 4.56's... well... it ATE the yoke going into the transfer case... 

[dio1983]

Looks awesome! That had to be one of the worst feelings to get out a find the shaft on the ground. Hope it's a doesn't talk long to get her back this time.

[The War Wagon]

Actually, Dave is on the way over right now to take a look at it.  It goes back over to his shop on Monday, but he wants to eyeball it this afternoon, so he can think on the plan of attack for next week. 

[The War Wagon]

Dave came by and crawled under for a look.  He didn't actually install the driveshafts, FYI - the previous mechanic did; they were already refurbished and re-jointed when he got it - he didn't look them over on the transfer case end while re-gearing the axles.
Looking everything over, he thinks the vibration of the 110 miles of his test driving, combined with the 6 miles of combat pothole driving I did, worked a bolt lose, and the driveshaft broke free.  He things the yoke looks fine on the t-case - he took the slip yoke off the driveshaft with him.  He's going to fix it this weekend, come back over to the parking lot, and re-assemble it there - saving me a tow off my AAA.  I was thinking I might need to spend another few hundred to drop the rear axle and redo the shock towers (he IS going to order some shims so we CAN do that eventually) next week, but MAYBE... we can avoid that for a bit yet.  We'll find out Monday.

[The War Wagon]

Ok... I'm getting over the heartbreak of my driveshaft sitting on the deck.  It may not be as bad as I thought, so here's a few pics of some other stuff that actually got done WELL to the truck.

New deep-dish, armored transmission pan!





Boregson!  And it CAN be steered one-handed on a highway now!






Better pics of the Nitro armored rear diff cover (got a Solid up front)






Dave couldn't get to the seat this time around, SOOOOOOOO... I tried the toughest compound of JB Weld they make.      Meh... nothing ventured, nothing gained!





And since it was 73, sunny & breezy today... I replaced the grill. 





And I'm REALLY pleased with the tire carrier, and pleasantly surprised that the spare DOESN'T block as much of my view out the rear as I though it would.  Not that I won't crush anything smaller than a SEMI in my blind spot, but HEY!  It's better than I thought it would be!