The Jeep Guru – Page 76 – Jeep Performance Improvement Ideas

March 29, 2011

Off Road Communication

Communicating Off Road

When driving a Jeep off road, it is helpful to be able to easily communicate with the other Jeeps in your group. There are several options that can be considered.

Traditionally the Citizens Band or CB radio was the communication device of choice for off roading. CB radios are easy to obtain and easy to operate. CB radios no longer require a license to operate. However their range is limited due to the four watt output limit. There is also now a lot of RF noise in the CB bands so that the effectiveness is even more limited. However, the CB radio remains a viable alternative for off road use.

In modern times, people like to rely on their Cell phones for communication. However, in remote areas where off road areas are normally located, cell phone towers may be out of range. Also, if there are more than two Jeeps in a group the cell phone only allows two to communicate at a time.

Another excellent choice for off roading is Amateur Radio or HAM radio. Often in the areas where off roading is popular, there are radio repeaters that extend the radio range significantly. Both hand held and mobile radios can be used. Amateur radio however requires a license to operate. Getting a license requires passing a test on the rules and safe operation of the radios. Ham radios have been gaining more and more popularity in remote areas due to the ability to summon emergency assistance quickly if needed.

Another common choice is the Family Radio Service or FRS radio. These are small hand held radios with limited power. However, they tend to have excellent range in the frequency band they operate in. FRS does not require a license and there are no restrictions on the types of conversations that can be made on them. This makes them excellent for off road use.

Also, there is a new option for off road use, the GMRS radio. GMRS has a slightly better range and allows larger antennas. GMRS repeaters are also popping up around the country extending the range even more. However, GMRS requires a license to operate.

My favorite radio for off roading has become the FRS. I use a Motorola weather resistant hand held radio. My radio is actually a FRS/GMRS hybrid but I use only the FRS channels since I don’t have a GMRS license. The hand held portability make sit easy to always have with me in or out of the Jeep. It is handy for use while driving or spotting.
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March 23, 2011

Trying to move an old bus with air brakes

My friend Ed has an old School bus that he uses mostly as a mobile storage shed. However it has not been very mobile for the last couple of years due to a problem with its Holley carburetor.

Last fall we pulled the carburetor and over the winter he rebuilt it. I put it back in place yester day. We expected the bus to start right up and he was going to use it to move and store some furniture. Well as many adventures in repairing old autos go, things did not go quite according to plan.

The carburetor was easy to install and hook back up. The fuel line was no where to be found so we made a run to the hardware store for some copper line and a fitting. Ed showed me how to use his flaring tool to make the proper flare to fit the inlet of the Holley.

We rigged a temporary fuel supply with a rubber hose and a gas can. He hit the starter switch and nothing happened. The battery voltage just went down. I moved my Jeep in position and hooked up the jumper cables. Still, the starter would not turn the engine.

So we added the battery form his tractor to the mix. There was very little voltage sag when all three batteries were in parallel but still no rotation of the starter.

We tried turning the engine over with a socket on the crank but the nut just turned without turning the engine. We then decided to try to rock the bus with it in gear.

The trouble was, the bus has air brakes. You can’t move it without having air pressure. The compressor is driven by the engine, so with out the engine running there is no air to release the brakes.

We finally figured out how to rig and air line and a small compressor to air up the air tanks. This procedure however involved lying under the bus while holding the air chuck on the filler valve.

We finally got the brakes to release, but the bus was pretty stuck in the dirt. It took quite a bit of tugging with my Jeep and pushing with his tractor to get it to move. However, we did finally get it to move. I pulled it up the hill with the Jeep.

The idea was to let it roll down the hill and pop the clutch to get the engine to turn over. Well all the time spent towing and working the brakes had used up all the air. So we had to run cords and hose up the hill and refill the air tanks for the run down.

We finally go the bus to roll free, but we were still not able to get the engine to rotate. We knew by then that we would need to pull the spark plugs and lubricate the cylinders to get it to go. We were once again out of air and energy. We used the tractor to get the bus out of the driveway and called it quits for the day.
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March 23, 2011March 23, 2011

Real Estate Mortgage – Seven Important Questions

When shopping for a real estate mortgage, many questions arise. Often the advice from friends and family is confusing and misleading. There are many rumors and old wives tales concerning real estate financing, so I asked a mortgage broker to get the real answers.

1. Are there any programs that can help a single parent get a loan?

Yes, there are. One program in our state is the THDA or Tennessee Housing Development Agency. Other states will have similar programs. The THDA provides grant money to assist with making a down payment on a home loan. Another program which helps single parents is the USDA. The USDA provides 100% financing in some situations. Your mortgage broker can give you more information on these programs in your situation.

2. If a single parent has had an FHA loan before, can they qualify for another FHA loan?
Yes, but restriction may apply. You will need to discuss the qualification requirements with your mortgage broker. A good broker will help you through the qualification process.

3. What is an FHA loan?

An FHA loan is a standardized mortgage loan that is easy to obtain. The advantages of the FHA loan are no prepayment and it is backed by the US government making it easier to qualify at a lower interest rate.

4. What items do lenders look at when someone is applying for a loan?

Al lenders will look at the same qualifying factors: Credit history, Income and Assets. When applying for a loan, you will need to give the lender access to your credit reports and provide proof of income and your assets.

5. How long after a bankruptcy does someone have to wait to get a home loan?

Typically the wait is two years. However there are many variables and the rules have been changing lately. Contact your mortgage broker for the latest information.

6. How can someone rebuild credit to be able to qualify for a home loan?

One suggestion is to add a secured credit card and leave it at a zero balance. Check your credit report and dispute any negative items. But, the most important step is to just be patient and let the negative items fade away with time.

7. What is the recommend down payment for a home mortgage?

Three and a half percent is generally the minimum. That would be $3500 on a $100,000 loan.

Knowing the answers to these common questions can help you be more prepared when you contact a loan officer about a home loan or other real estate mortgage. There are many online resources that can help you determine you collect the information needed to prepare to apply for a loan.

To learn more about a mortgage or refinancing, contact Hometown Lenders of Clevalend

March 21, 2011March 21, 2011

Jeep Cherokees Off Road at Golden Mountain

Jeep Cherokee Off Road at Golden Mountain

This weekend, Jenny and I met up with some of her Facebook friends at Golden Mountain Off Road Park in Sparta Tn. We took along our two Jeep Cherokees both with three inch lifts and 33 inch tires.

I normally trailer my Jeep, but in an effort to save fuel, I decided to drive the 100 miles to the park. Jenny’s is her daily driver so she drives it every where she goes anyway. The lack of carpet, sound deadening and a muffler made it impossible to hear my cell phone.

I was pretty tired by the time we made it to the park. However, I got my energy back as we pulled off our doors and aired down the tires and disconnected Jenny’s sway bar. Mine is long gone and makes for a wiggly ride on the road.

We son met up with Andy, Jimmy and Ben. They all had much larger tires and lifts than us so they let up lead the way.

We headed up trial one on the left side of the park. Often this trail which is marked as easy is very slick, but it was dry enough for us to handle this day. We made the turn onto trail 10 and enjoyed the step descent and then the climb back up to the top of Bounty Hill. The descent was much easier this trip because the little tree that was in the way of the proper line down the rocks is now gone.

We met the other guys back at the top of the hill and sat for a while and talked while the kids played.

Next we decided to run the inner loop on trail 12. We started off making the climb on trial 11. This is fun rocky climb. It seemed a bit tougher this trip than before however as the heavy rains had washed out some of the smaller rocks. We all made it up with only a few back ups.

We hit 12 and made our way around. The others stopped to play on the rock climbs of trail 38. We were not able to finish the loop however due to a tree across the trail. We turned around and met back up with the others. We then parked for lunch and watched a group of buggies climb the hill. We got to watch a flop right off. They flipped him back on his wheels quickly and he continued the climb.

Next we made our way over to trail 14 and made the loop. We got a bit confused on the multiple trails there and ended up coming back out the way we went in instead of making the circle indicated on the map. This was probably the most technical trail we ran al day. It took about 30 minutes to get both our rigs through about 100 yards of rocks. Jenny’s tie rod got a bit tweaked in the process, and she put some scrapes on her new skid plate. I got to test my new diff cover as well.

After that we ran trail two and Jenny had a run up part of trail 16. We parked for a while at the pavilion and enjoyed the scenic views before heading back down.

We went in by the picnic shelter and down trail 11. It is always fun to go in that was as it does not look like a trail until you actually drop off the ridge behind the shelter. We took trail two back to the parking area and put our doors back on. We said good bye to our new friends and headed south.

We found an air compressor just a few miles down the road and aired up our tires. I was pretty tired by the time I got home. But it was a good tired. Off roading is a great stress reliever.

March 15, 2011March 16, 2011

Dana 35 Pinion Bearing Replacement

Janice’s Jeep was making a roaring noise from the rear end. After just a short test drive, the pinion on her Dana 35 was much warmer than the rest of the axle. Listening with a stethoscope confirmed that the pinion bearing was noisy.

I tried just changing the outer bearing and seal but since the race was worn was well, I had to disassemble the differential and change both the pinion bearings.

I ordered a Pinion bearing kit from Crown Automotive. This kit came with bearings, a new crush sleeve, shims and a reusable gasket.

I removed the wheels, and brake drums. Then I removed the cover and drained the fluid. Next I removed the carrier. I was careful to keep the bearing races and shims in the proper order. I noticed that the bearing caps were marked with and X to keep them on the correct sides. One X was vertical and one was on its side.

I dropped the drive shaft and removed the pinion nut. I used a dead blow hammer to knock the pinion out of the front bearing. I then used a pry bar to remove the pinion seal.

I used a chisel to tap out the two bearing races. I used a soft punch to drive the in the new bearing races. I used a bearing separator and hydraulic press to remove the inner bearing from the pinion. I ended up breaking the bearing race while pulling it off, so I was glad I was not trying to reuse it. I reused the shim under the bearing. I used my heat gun to warm the bearing and then slipped it onto the pinion shaft.

I installed the new crush sleeve on the pinion as well. Next, I cooled the pinion in the freezer for a while before slipping it in to the housing and placing a warmed outer bearing on the shaft.

I installed the seal and yoke and then tightened the pinion nut until the preload on the bearing was about 15 inch pounds. To check the preload, I had to use several adapters to get from the ¼ inch drive of my torque wrench to the ½ inch drive of the socket.

With the preload set, I reinstalled the carrier. I used a dead blow hammer to tap the bearings into place. I reinstalled the caps making sure they were turned the right way round and they were on the correct sides.

I slipper the axle shafts back in place and re secured the C clips. I then reinstalled the center pin set screw.

I put the cover back in place using the reusable gasket from the kit. I put some silicone on the cover to glue the gasket to it and cleaned the housing well. I put the bolts back in and tightened them evenly. I filled the housing with gear oil and the Limited Slip friction modifier compound.

I reinstalled the brake drums and wheels before taking it for a test drive. It was much quieter and the pinion did not heat up as before.

The pinion bearings are also available from Advance Auto: