Been a busy week working with my brother's help.
Steering rack popped the casting ring that held in the tensioner bolt while installing new inner tie rod end. Must have been pre-weakened by trail abuse. Have to measure the old rack to see how much it's bent, but my digital calipers need a new battery. Anyway:
1) Steering rack. Reman from Rockauto had the lowest price at $310 including the core charge because my core is toast.
2) Took three tries and three $20 seals to successfully put in the fluid lines. My brother messed up the first two times, and I did it the third time by getting a better angle on the final insertion tapping by pulling the driver's side CV shaft.
3) New inner and outer tie rod ends from spares stock
4) New Timken hubs from spares stock
5) Changed coolant and PS fluid.
6) Installed silicone Jettstream radiator hoses I've been carrying as spares for about 4 years. Thank goodness I didn't try to install these on the trail, because the thermostat tube had a lip at the end that the stiffer reinforced silicone hoses would NOT fit over. We had to remove the thermostat and cut off the lip.
7) Stainless worm drive hose clamps on radiator hoses and brake boost vacuum hose.
8) Experimenting again with rebuilt disconnectable anti-sway bar links on the front. Rear has the links and bar gone for years.
9) Designed a better way to insert the locking pin for the front winch Multimount so I can get at it more easily with Mike's skid plate in place. Not drilled yet, but the pin will go in vertically instead of horizontally.
10) Installed Gatorback belt (new) I had been carrying for 6 years as a spare. Finally decided it was crazy to be carrying spares of higher quality than the parts on the truck.
11) New Procomp Xtreme MT2 LT285-75/16 tires that were a combined family Xmas gift. List $295 each - got from local Discount Tire for $225, plus the usual install/balance/tax BS fees that brought them right back up to $300 ea out the door.
12) Alignment at the local tire store that isn't scared to work on the Roadiemobile. 4 out of 6 nearby shops refuse to touch it, and one of the remaining two is incompetent because they told me I didn't have a camber or caster adjustment.
13) Removed custom rear bumper so Bud can finish grinding it, and then we'll discuss powder coat or Rhinoliner.
14) Lots of more fix-ups planned to reduce weight and install water storage tank.
