Always nice to get some help when working on your Jeep

[UKTJ]

So, who in your household is there to help when you are working on your Jeep?

My helper is keen, but rubbish at passing the right size of spanner to me 

 

 

And before you say, it was nothing to do with trying to find a cool shady spot on a hot, sunny day!

[Raakhee]

Whenever I look like I am about to mess with my Jeep, my husband tells me not to call him outside 

[Rhoda]

My husband just groans and runs away. 

[UKTJ]

10 hours ago, Rhoda said:

My husband just groans and runs away. 

Looks like you are building a nice space to work on it!

 

[Rhoda]

56 minutes ago, UKTJ said:

Looks like you are building a nice space to work on it!

 

I’ve built myself a workshop and triple car port with clear roof panels that are great for keeping me dry while still allowing me to see to do jobs on the JEEP -   And my husband did help lift the beams!

[UKTJ]

2 hours ago, Rhoda said:

I’ve built myself a workshop and triple car port with clear roof panels that are great for keeping me dry while still allowing me to see to do jobs on the JEEP -   And my husband did help lift the beams!

Nice, didn't realise they were clear panels, thought it still needed a roof

Looks a great space, once you get the two-post lift in there nothing will be too tricky to take on

[Overlander21]

On 15/06/2023 at 15:13, UKTJ said:

My helper is keen, but rubbish at passing the right size of spanner to me 

 

 

Same

 

One of the things that drew me to the 4 door Wrangler was that a Dire Wolf just about fits in the back of it.

 

 

The first week of JL ownership saw me stripping the front end down to paint all the silver bits black.

 

It hadn't long rained, so I put a big sheet of cardboard down on the path for me to sit on so I could keep dry.

 

My Dire Wolf had other ideas...

 

 

And as any animal lover knows, there are laws against moving animals.

 

Which meant I had to sit on the damp paving slabs while wolf sat on the dry cardboard

 

 

But we wouldn't have it any other way.

 

We love them with all our hearts

 

 

 

[V]

Ah, what a lovely Malamute. I miss the early morning woos to wake me up. My two passed away at 13 years a few years ago.

 

[Caroline12]

I miss having  a dog, but my Dad or @spookie the aardvark will bring me a cuppa tea every now and again.

working together to remove the front propshaft at the Campsite, Walters a arena. 

@spookie the aardvark rear drum brake replacement, me just being silly or I’ve got brake cleaner on my tongue plus tea break

[JimC]

This does not look safe 

[Caroline12]

At least all 4 wheels were on the ground and it could not fall on me if I was skinner and smaller I could have gotten underneath easier and had space for my arms to undo the bolts

it would have been easier if @spookie the aardvark Jeep had a 4” lift instead of a 2” lift

Edited June 24, 2023 by Caroline12
Missed out a word

[Overlander21]

15 hours ago, JimC said:

This does not look safe

I was thinking the same thing!!

 

Those two cups of tea on the socket set box could so easily get knocked over

 

 

[digger]

Hi Caroline , I hesitate to reply, I don't want to seem dictatorial or nannying. I do have a concern though. I understand what/why  you were doing but....   In my over 60 yrs of  spannering I have had close experience of 3 accidents in these circumstances. Two had very serious consequences. Everyone thinks its about a collapse that crushes one. In two of the ones I mention this was not the case. In these two a limited travel of the support occurred resulting in a blow to the mechanic which caused significant injury. Its an individual decision but I believe that its best to have something  (axle stand/spare wheel s etc) that will prevent movement in the event of failure. Jacks fail / the ground gives way /whatever!

Have you considered my solution ! I have a number of  wooden 'ramps of varying height /size, which one simply rolls the car onto raising the height according to the timber thickness. I can double them up if I need higher (they are in different lengths 4" thick, although I had only 2 the same for years. They are cheap, sometimes free(building sites, demolition etc) and only need a saw to make.

Just a thought , hope it helps .  Pic shows today, jeep on level one, rear only and level two on floor which goes on top making 8" lift which I can do on all 4 wheels if wanted! All wheels locked/chocked whatever.

Its just what I do!

Edited June 25, 2023 by digger

[Caroline12]

Thanks Phil, yes I completely understand your point and I do agree completely, it’s not a problem.

The issue was we were at summer camp, not at home and did not have the availability of blocks of wood to do it or Chris’s axel stands. 
plus we need to remove the front prop shaft so Chris could drive home safety.
We did not want the shaft to come free from the front axel while still attached to the transfer box while driving on the motorway, the thought of that is not good. 

point taken, we choose a safe location, hard level ground, wheels on the ground, but just tipped over a bit for better access. 
 

those cups of tea and coffee on the socket set were fine, fully drunk with no spillage  

Edited June 25, 2023 by Caroline12
Spelling

[Caroline12]

I do like those blocks of wood you have

[UKTJ]

16 minutes ago, Caroline12 said:

Thanks Phil, yes I completely understand your point and I do agree completely, it’s not a problem.

The issue was we were at summer camp, not at home and did not have the availability of blocks of wood to do it or Chris’s axel stands. 
plus we need to remove the front prop shaft so Chris could drive home safety.
We did not want the shaft to come free from the front axel while still attached to the transfer box while driving on the motorway, the thought of that is not good. 

point taken, we choose a safe location, hard level ground, wheels on the ground, but just tipped over a bit for better access. 
 

those cups of tea and coffee on the socket set were fine, fully drunk with no spillage  

It does highlight a question for me regarding what gets packed for an off roading trip.

At JeepTrek recently I noticed at least one trolley jack, something I don't own but if I did not something I woild have thought to pack.  The big advantage of JeepTrek is that our camp was on private land and we were the only people there.  Taking Jeeps in the Jungle 2, as this is coming up so soon, the situation will be very different.  Most people will be camping at a public campsite and then taking a short drive to the venue.  What is one to do, the only options I can see are either, leave an ever growing list of expensive tools and maybe spare parts at a public campsite with the risk of theft, or, spend the day driving around the a lot of extra weight in the back of the Jeep.

Am I missing a third option?  How do people deal with this?

Edited June 25, 2023 by UKTJ

[digger]

I understand your point. Everyone to their own I think.

I am reluctant to take too much weight too. I take commonly used tools /sockets etc but not the kit. Jackwise I used  to rely on the car's scissor jack but its not tall enough now without a brick or something . I liked Wild Jeeper's bottle jack in operation in Belgium so I've one of those which i keep in the YJ with a hardwood block to load spread. I do also have a collapsible axle stand which I take to more remote places like TT.

Edited June 25, 2023 by digger

[V]

4 hours ago, UKTJ said:

spend the day driving around the a lot of extra weight in the back of the Jeep.

That's usually what I do - cart around a lot of extra weight on me and on my Jeep.

 

My ground anchor: staple, pins and sledge hammer weigh a lot. But I've used it enough times in situations where there were no trees for winching that it's one of those things that I know I will need the one time I leave it behind. I've got a dozen shackles, three snatch blocks and chains which are in the same category.

 

I don't bring a trolley jack any more. I use the original equipment screw jack with various blocks of wood below and above as needed. I have an air-bag jack (uses engine exhaust). Doesn't take up much space deflated and is lightweight. It is fantastic when buried in ruts but useless on my Jeep on the street. I have used it lots of times to gently push a vehicle away from a tree by placing it deflated between a wheel and the tree trunk.

[digger]

Hi UkTJ, a trolley jack is an essential bit of kit in my view, but too heavy for the trail. If you are thinking of getting one for home use I would get the biggest you can, like you see in tyre companies ,garages etc.  I have used smaller ones but I think its worth paying a bit more for a professional job. One of mine I bought new years ago and the other I had in a job lot in a bankrupt garage sale. I guess in today's terms it was about £50.

 

I forgot earlier, I usually have my 'botchit' get you home box too. General purpose tools  like molegrips ,  stilsons, lump hammer , crowbar etc plus the obligatory wire,duct tape,insulating tape, cable ties, fibreglass  etc

[UKTJ]

2 hours ago, digger said:

Hi UkTJ, a trolley jack is an essential bit of kit in my view, but too heavy for the trail. If you are thinking of getting one for home use I would get the biggest you can, like you see in tyre companies ,garages etc.  I have used smaller ones but I think its worth paying a bit more for a professional job. One of mine I bought new years ago and the other I had in a job lot in a bankrupt garage sale. I guess in today's terms it was about £50.

 

I forgot earlier, I usually have my 'botchit' get you home box too. General purpose tools  like molegrips ,  stilsons, lump hammer , crowbar etc plus the obligatory wire,duct tape,insulating tape, cable ties, fibreglass  etc

Problem is @digger the only place I have to work is my gravel drive.  Not really very good for rolling a trolley jack around.

[UKTJ]

Thinking about this, as JOC events are usually (always?) exclusive use of sites I wonder if there is merit to having a gazebo set up as a drop / storage point for anything people want to bring by way of tools, spares, etc. but they would prefer not to have bouncing around in the Jeep as they go around the site.  That would keep everything in the same place for tidyness and protect from any rain.  It could all be done on the basis of 'at your own risk', but I certainly would have no concern about that at an exclusive JOC event having found them to only ever be attended by the very nicest of people.  Anyway, just a thought.

[V]

For off-road expeditions, your vehicle is usually fully loaded all the time you are moving. On the Rubicon trail only your fuel and water load will reduce, everything else you have to carry all the time and bring back with you.

[jerryg]

17 hours ago, UKTJ said:

Problem is @digger the only place I have to work is my gravel drive.  Not really very good for rolling a trolley jack around.

I only have a gravel/ stone driveway to work on. I use trolley jacks, just have to maybe lift them into place. You are generally only placing jack under sill or individual wheels.  As digger says, best you can buy. I have a selection, high lift ones are first choice. When I work under my motor, I always use axle stands, sometimes two sets, and if wheels coming off place them under vehicle, so if anything fails it only drops onto wheel, giving you space to get out. If wheels not coming off, drive onto sturdy ramps and chock wheels. You can still jack one wheel up if needs be with blocks & bottle or trolley jack. 

[Rhoda]

As a new 4x4 driver can you tell me how much difference a decent tool box, jack, recovery kit, camping stuff, even passengers…. makes in a JKU when off road? Is it about ground clearance or about handling?

[V]

It's more Centre of Gravity. Weight can be an advantage or disadvantage depending on the ground conditions.

 

Generally, if the heaviest items stowed are packed as low as possible and somewhere between the front and rear axles then they will not affect road handling or get tippy off-road. If you can keep all your gear stowed below the bottom of the window line that's about as good as you can get for weight distribution and vision. As soon as you start stowing heavy items higher than that, the vehicle's CofG shifts higher.

 

For some, it's a non-issue, they manage to drive just fine like that. For me, my body is sensitive to rollover angles and I consider my Jeep's suspension to be incompatible with a roof rack or roof tent.