Josh Hixon
78WideTrak
Oh, so were you running the stock length shocks before?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4
1973 Wagoneer - Full Size Camping Goodness
- Thread starter Dr. Marneaus
- Start date
Oh, so were you running the stock length shocks before?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
No, i was running 4" lift shocks before. When I moved the shock mounts up a few inches they only had like 1.5" of uptravel, haha.
Now these have something like 4" up and 4" down or something, I dont remmeber. I just know that was the part number I wrote down based on the measurements I did a few months ago haha. The unladen height of the truck was sitting right in the middle of the travel range on these shocks, so i went with em.
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
Drake Offroad diff cover. This thing is BEEFY. Got a good deal on it from a buddy, and bolted it up. Definitely aint worried about backing into a rock anymore.
1/2" flange and 1/4" wall thicnkess, nodular iron. B-E-E-F-Y
1/2" flange and 1/4" wall thicnkess, nodular iron. B-E-E-F-Y
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
Well, the truck had been down and out for 5 months. For a month or two prior to that, I had no 4wd capability and a few other things were just mickey moused together so I wasn't using it. I believe the last real trip I made was out to Valley of Fire, on New Years. Could be wrong though.
So, I got my brakes sorted out on Tuesday, and brought the jeep home. Then I ordered and installed front and rear shocks, did a new diff cover and fill, replaced everything on the rear brakes (drums, shoes, hardware and adjuster parts), installed my old e-brake cables, and did an alignment all before 10am on Saturday.
The goal was to be on the highway by noon, and I did it.
We loaded up some gear, gassed up, grabbed some grub and beer at wal mart, then pointed the rig north. Away we go!
Headed north on the 95:
About 100 miles into the trip, I filled up with gas in Ash Springs. I'm really diggin' my new white wheels and dog dishes.
After eating lunch I noticed a puddle under the truck. Gas. Dang it! I had this tank repaired just recently, apparently the repair on the vent line at the top front didn't work so well. Only way to get it to stop leaking was to get the fuel level below the leak. Drive on!!!!
I stopped in Caliente, NV, and picked up some gas tank putty. The leak had stopped by now as this was 60 miles past Ash Springs. I ended up repairing the leak at the camp site, no biggie. I'll have to drop the tank again to adjust my float because my new gas sending unit makes the gauge read 1/4 tank low anyway.
After about 165 miles, we arrived at Cathedral Gorge State Park:
Pick a camping spot....
This will do!
Me and my baby. We've had a rough last few months....(this picture makes me look fat which is weird)
Decided to go for a walk with the girl...
Inside some of the caves:
A lil panorama
Tight squeeze!
This rest area and the bathrooms behind it were built by the CCC in 1934ish. Pretty neat.
Again...diggin' it.
Forgot our can opener....this'll work!
Made some delicious Chili for dinner. though this doesnt LOOK super delicious, it's got bacon and beer in it, so it has to be good.
Night time fun:
My camping drink of choice....
So, I got my brakes sorted out on Tuesday, and brought the jeep home. Then I ordered and installed front and rear shocks, did a new diff cover and fill, replaced everything on the rear brakes (drums, shoes, hardware and adjuster parts), installed my old e-brake cables, and did an alignment all before 10am on Saturday.
The goal was to be on the highway by noon, and I did it.
We loaded up some gear, gassed up, grabbed some grub and beer at wal mart, then pointed the rig north. Away we go!
Headed north on the 95:
About 100 miles into the trip, I filled up with gas in Ash Springs. I'm really diggin' my new white wheels and dog dishes.
After eating lunch I noticed a puddle under the truck. Gas. Dang it! I had this tank repaired just recently, apparently the repair on the vent line at the top front didn't work so well. Only way to get it to stop leaking was to get the fuel level below the leak. Drive on!!!!
I stopped in Caliente, NV, and picked up some gas tank putty. The leak had stopped by now as this was 60 miles past Ash Springs. I ended up repairing the leak at the camp site, no biggie. I'll have to drop the tank again to adjust my float because my new gas sending unit makes the gauge read 1/4 tank low anyway.
After about 165 miles, we arrived at Cathedral Gorge State Park:
Pick a camping spot....
This will do!
Me and my baby. We've had a rough last few months....(this picture makes me look fat which is weird)
Decided to go for a walk with the girl...
Inside some of the caves:
A lil panorama
Tight squeeze!
This rest area and the bathrooms behind it were built by the CCC in 1934ish. Pretty neat.
Again...diggin' it.
Forgot our can opener....this'll work!
Made some delicious Chili for dinner. though this doesnt LOOK super delicious, it's got bacon and beer in it, so it has to be good.
Night time fun:
My camping drink of choice....
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
After an awesome nights sleep, we woke up to some light on and off rain and made breakfast. We packed up camp and went for another short hike up to an overlook of the gorge.
Well, it was then time to turn around and head home...sadly we need to be back to work on Monday.
annnnnd, we made it
So, all in all it was a very uneventful trip, which is GOOD. Jeep ran well. My gas gauge works now but it reads 1/4 tank low (full = 3/4 on the gauge and the gauge reads empty with like 5 gallons still in the tank). Need to bend the sending unit I guess.
My exhaust rattles against my frame sometimes and is annoying. I need to remove my cat (PO added it for emissions, then had a pipe installed in it...now its non-smog so it's going back to how it came from the factory!) and move the muffler forward about 12" then I can hang the tailpipe where it belongs.
Updates on my crazy crooked driveline angle....No driveline vibes unless I really get into the throttle while doing like 70-75ish. Must be the driveline torques under heavy load. I can cruise at 70 or 75 just fine.
So, gas tank leak but my gas gauge started working. Ill call it a draw haha.
In hindsight, it may not have been the brightest idea to use a 325 mile round trip as my shakedown run, but who cares, go big or go home! All is well, and I have my jeep back now. Next test will be offroad.
Thanks for reading folks!
Well, it was then time to turn around and head home...sadly we need to be back to work on Monday.
annnnnd, we made it
So, all in all it was a very uneventful trip, which is GOOD. Jeep ran well. My gas gauge works now but it reads 1/4 tank low (full = 3/4 on the gauge and the gauge reads empty with like 5 gallons still in the tank). Need to bend the sending unit I guess.
My exhaust rattles against my frame sometimes and is annoying. I need to remove my cat (PO added it for emissions, then had a pipe installed in it...now its non-smog so it's going back to how it came from the factory!) and move the muffler forward about 12" then I can hang the tailpipe where it belongs.
Updates on my crazy crooked driveline angle....No driveline vibes unless I really get into the throttle while doing like 70-75ish. Must be the driveline torques under heavy load. I can cruise at 70 or 75 just fine.
So, gas tank leak but my gas gauge started working. Ill call it a draw haha.
In hindsight, it may not have been the brightest idea to use a 325 mile round trip as my shakedown run, but who cares, go big or go home! All is well, and I have my jeep back now. Next test will be offroad.
Thanks for reading folks!
Josh Hixon
78WideTrak
When I had my wiring meltdown and rewired it with a universal kit from BJ's my gas gauge now only works when it is wet and cold outside... Weird
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
check your sending unit ground. some have a separate ground, others try to ground through the tank.
Josh Hixon
78WideTrak
Ground seems good. Grounded outside the tank on the frame. Probably just reground it near the same place, or splice and double ground... Glad your trip was uneventful. No camper this time?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4
haminawag
New member
Hey Doc, great pics, always neat to see NV again. Wagoneer looks great too, I'm diggin' on those white wheels with the dog dishes myself, great vintage look. On Wags I'm biased toward the turbine wheel look myself, but I love that vintage profile of the steelies. Question: what is the deal with your grill? What year is it from? And what about those turn signals up on the front fender corners? It's an unusual combination of parts, but what parts is it all from?
piratexpress1369a
Explorer
great build ..i almost want to trade my 96 grand cherokee in for an old waggy lol
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
What do you mean what is the deal with my grill? It's not very odd or unusual considering it was on every wag from 1970-1973 haha. So, the combination of parts would be from the factory.
haminawag
New member
Grill
It must just be a trick of light but every pic I see of your Wag it looks like your front turn signal lenses are painted body color, weird. Okay, I looked at some '73 front pics and the lenses are evident. Nevermind Doc., I'm apparently just having one of my episodes, ha ha.:ylsmoke:
It must just be a trick of light but every pic I see of your Wag it looks like your front turn signal lenses are painted body color, weird. Okay, I looked at some '73 front pics and the lenses are evident. Nevermind Doc., I'm apparently just having one of my episodes, ha ha.:ylsmoke: