The "Az Crew" Thread

[PA_JERO]

If you drive the truck over here, I'll do the drums, jbfp. Im sure you dont want to as i am a long way. I did mine in the Gen 1 when I first bought it. Went pretty easy for me. Plus I do a lot of trailer brakes so I get plenty of practice.

Alpha, I may be able to help out sunday, I'll let you know or text me to remind me in case I don't check back to this.

 

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

Heave that drum brake axle into the dumpster and swap in one with discs.

I would love to.

John B.

 

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

I'll do the drums, jbfp. Alpha, I may be able to help out sunday.

Hmmm, maybe we could meet somewhere in the middle, like Incorporated's house, on Sunday...

John B.

 

[PA_JERO]

Might be able to swing that. Not sure yet if I will make it over but I'll know for sure by saturday.

 

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

To keep this Montero-related, I was at the IncX compound today and we sort of test drove Jose's 90 SWB. It needed a battery and to have the five quarts of oil mixed with three quarts of gas drained out of it and at least some real oil put back in. This stopped the heavy smoke coming out of the exhaust. We each drove it independently, then compared our impressions. I guess we both noticed that the front end seemed a little loose and Josh noticed the lugs nuts were about to fall off, so we tightened them and filled the tires (new 31's that came with the truck, with the shortest valve stems the shop must've had that day) with air. Aside from the hillbilly exhaust that rests on the rear brake line, threatening to saw through it, and the severely cracked windshield, the thing could actually be driven on the highway. And driven on the highway is exactly what it needs, in order to get it up to temp and break loose everything bad inside the engine and exhaust and blow it onto the windshields of Prius drivers left in its wake. It seems like a pretty good truck.

I took Jorge's 86 out to the compound, its first long-ish trip in almost a year. No issues. The thing runs like a champ with plenty of 2.6 magic "power" and cold a/c. Currently, it's running on three 30x9.5-15 Michelin all-terrains and one oddball 31x10.5-15 that's about the same height, and the age and less-than-perfect balance of the tires shows a bit, particularly at speeds nearing 70, which it seems happy to do for extended periods of time. It's actually fun to drive a stick shift 2.6 once in a while. It shows off how far the Montero line came in just a few short years, graduating from leafs to coils and then to progressive rate coils in the Gen 2's. It's still fun, though, primitive as it is (doesn't even have a radio, presently, and this one is so basic it doesn't have the center gauge cluster or carpet over the wheel wells).

IncX, thanks for dealing with the used oil, the miscellaneous parts and for not making me crawl around underneath the thing. Appreciate it.

John B.

 

[DR1665]

It's actually fun to drive a stick shift 2.6 once in a while. It shows off how far the Montero line came in just a few short years, graduating from leafs to coils and then to progressive rate coils in the Gen 2's. It's still fun, though, primitive as it is.

Not a day goes by I don't think about it. Rocinante was so much more fun to drive than Fezzik. They really were sporty little trucks. If I ever find myself thinking about [ actually being in a position to begin shopping for ] an old MG or Alfa, I'd really have to consider a gen 1 shortie. Little headwork, little cam, right-sized DCOEs, custom 4-2-1 header, complete chassis refurb to allow me to wring it out? Yeah. I'd drive the shti outta such a truck.

 

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

Let's go camping.

John B.

 

[DR1665]

Let's go camping.

John B.

When and where?

 

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/recreation/camping/dev_camps/4mile.html

This is pretty close to the Sibley Mansion trail and is before Mammoth. The fee is indeed $5 per campsite, but be aware that only two vehicles per campsite are allowed. Shovel, have you been there before? EDIT: It appears that the "correct" way to get there is to go through Globe, then south on Highway 70 to the Klondyke road and head west for 37 miles. Not sure one could get there from the west side, i.e., Mammoth area. This would be classified as the middle of f&*#ing nowhere, so it sounds perfect.

Yesterday we finished up putting new leaf spring bushings in the Power Ram, but didn't touch the drum brakes. For anybody who cares, if you retrofit longer Toyota shackles to a Montero rear leaf spring suspension for a lift, be aware that the top hole "should" be drilled to accept a larger bolt, since the frame fitting on the Mitsu product is larger than the bolt Toyota uses, causing the shackle to be loose inside the bushing connection. This (Ahem, Toasty) was not done on this vehicle and it still isn't, since I didn't feel like buying a $20 drill bit and running down someone with a drill press, then buying the appropriate size bolts, nuts and washers to make it fit correctly. I'm sure it would tighten up the suspension, though. The bushings we replaced were in need of said replacement, so hopefully that'll help.

John B.

 

[IncorpoRatedX]

http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/recreation/camping/dev_camps/4mile.html

This is pretty close to the Sibley Mansion trail and is before Mammoth. The fee is indeed $5 per campsite, but be aware that only two vehicles per campsite are allowed. Shovel, have you been there before? EDIT: It appears that the "correct" way to get there is to go through Globe, then south on Highway 70 to the Klondyke road and head west for 37 miles. Not sure one could get there from the west side, i.e., Mammoth area. This would be classified as the middle of f&*#ing nowhere, so it sounds perfect.

Yesterday we finished up putting new leaf spring bushings in the Power Ram, but didn't touch the drum brakes. For anybody who cares, if you retrofit longer Toyota shackles to a Montero rear leaf spring suspension for a lift, be aware that the top hole "should" be drilled to accept a larger bolt, since the frame fitting on the Mitsu product is larger than the bolt Toyota uses, causing the shackle to be loose inside the bushing connection. This (Ahem, Toasty) was not done on this vehicle and it still isn't, since I didn't feel like buying a $20 drill bit and running down someone with a drill press, then buying the appropriate size bolts, nuts and washers to make it fit correctly. I'm sure it would tighten up the suspension, though. The bushings we replaced were in need of said replacement, so hopefully that'll help.

John B.

take them off and specify the hole size, im sure toast will butter your bread for ya.

 

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

It then might be worth taking Monday the 11th off, leaving the campground and trying that trail to end up at Copper Creek for Sunday night then venturing back on Monday. Whereabouts does Rug Road intersect or come close to Sibley Mansion/Copper Creek, or is the intersection of those trails far to the west of there and closer to Mammoth?

'Cause I like Copper Creek. There's a skunk that lives down in the canyon and he's pretty cool, just don't leave a loaf of bread out overnight.

John B.

 

[Toasty]

take them off and specify the hole size, im sure toast will butter your bread for ya.

Yeah i can do that for you, i traded the stock ones to Kevin for them. I know they are wrong but i drove the truck there to do the swap, didn't have the stuff for the job there. i said to myself "one day i'm going to fix that".

 

[Toasty]

Stoked for camping Shovel!

 

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

Stoked for camping Shovel!

Sure you can get permission? Hahahahaha.....

John B.

 

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

I have officially taken Monday the 11th off.

Gotta get an order in for a replacement 35" KM2 so I can ride up on the big tires again. Then I'll send in the delaminated 35, get some sort of a credit and have a discount on the 33 I need to replace, too. Happy to report my 95 has been performing pretty well since I got it back from IncorpoRatedX, except for the excessive vibration from the spare (old Goodyear MTR from Monte3's set of 33's he disliked so much he took off and replaced with the Toyo's before I bought the truck). I may try to find an old 35 at a llantera for a 35" spare since I've never had a correct sized spare for those tires and it becomes apparent it might be a good idea.

I think I'll reset my Staun deflators to a touch higher pressure than the 15 they're set for now. The idea being that with the tires getting older, I might not want as much sidewall flex as it might not be so good for them. Could be, who knows.

John B.