Yesterday evening I went to change the plugs on my wife's Prius as it hit 120k and at the recommended change interval. I was amazed at how good the stock Denso Iridium Long Life plugs that were in it looked. I measured the gap (gently) with a feeler gauge and they were all only about 2 thousands opened. They were so perfect looking I put the old ones back in and decided to let them ride for another 20k or more. My phone camera can't really focus in good enough to show how perfect the old ones still are.
What are you working on today?
- Thread starter Amkeer
- Start date
On my way home from picking up my brand new dump trailer and stopped at Buc-ees for lunch.
Nice trailer! How do ya keep the cows from falling out?
It’s gonna take some really good side boards
i was going to invest in one of those little scooters with a belt drive. But everyone i know that has one, all they do is chase down belts, or the belt slips, or the parts are expensive, etc etc. And they look like they really can't carry much weight/cargo, so the investment seems pointless to me. And a belt to turn the wheels? seriously?? It carries cargo! it has it hitch! it's not a snowmobile!!!!
Nope. I specifically seeked out several used 2001 chevy trackers with the 2.0 I4. I found 3 of them, and i have probably $2800 into all 3 and parts needed to make them run. What's a cheap Side by side kids skooter? $12,000? A real torque converter, a real transfer case with a real low range and all chain/gear driven. Real windows that are powered, A/C, hot heat, decent alternator to juice up 4 car batteries for my inverter/power tools, room to carry 2 K tanks with 540 valves.....everything i want to go out in -20*F, and ontop of that a fuel saving sipper for all that idling for lights/heat/alternator for working the short winter days here in the far north.
The only problem i have running chains on all 4 tires. Specifically on the front tires. I welded little pieces of pipe with pokies on the center links staggered. Now it's breaking CV shafts in low range when i get grumpy with the throttle and the steering turned sharp. I've broken them so many times i'm tired of tearing apart the front suspension to replace them, so, now i just cut the brand new shaft, set the halfs back up and in the hub and differential, shim the wonder wheel difference, and burn a few root passes of 7011. The welds never break, it's always the joints.
Oh well. I like the small wheelbase for driving around in the woods. Once the mirrors are ripped off it gets around in tight places.
Had to do something today so changing the oil, wiper blades and the cam follower for the HPFP. Was going to change the valvecover gasket but couldn’t find it at home so whatever.
Was also going to fix an exhaust leak they didn’t like at the yearly MOT but we apparently don’t have any argon for the MIG so will do that next weekend.
Was also going to fix an exhaust leak they didn’t like at the yearly MOT but we apparently don’t have any argon for the MIG so will do that next weekend.
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
Nice Honda Deflector on the front!
Sounds like a fun SAS project. Honestly, even a Jeep D30 would probably be WAY stronger and guys give those away
I wanted jeep axles with closed knuckles and a turn key buy, but harder to find around here. And these were far cheaper and more plentiful.
The CV shafts are $40. Only broke 2 this winter. Not too bad. I have a huge Ibeam V blade thats 12ft wide. It pulls like air brakes in deep snow. I have maybe 20 miles of trails I keep open. Snowplows suck. All they do is snag roots and rocks. Dragging something on a chain is far far more forgiving.
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2021
- Messages
- 2,210
Things took an interesting turn this week.
I took a part time job as a manual lathe operator at a local off-road shop. I have INCREDIBLY limited machinist experience, but they are willing to train me on what I don't know. Back in 2012 I worked for about six months in a similar position before the shop closed down, then went back to turning wrenches.
I work Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9-5:30.
Monday I drilled out 4xx stainless steel bar stock to eventually be turned into rear steer logs. Then the rest of that day and Wednesday I cut 4xx stainless to length and diameter for the steer logs plungers. I still have to drill and tap the plungers with a 1/4-28 thread on one end and chamfer them. Yesterday I cut 7075 aluminum bar stock. Each piece was already cut to spec'd length and drilled and tapped on each end. I had to power tap each end to chase the threads, then cut the outside to a smooth finish and chamfer each end. No other tolerance specs on these as the cutting is largely cosmetic. I hand them off to the CNC guys who do the finishing work.
I'm the oldest and least experienced employee at the shop. It feels like the first day of school all over again. I was going to retire this year but instead I decided to pursue part time employment away from turning wrenches. Fingers crossed it works out long term.
If any of you are experienced machinist you can probably tell how INEXPERIENCED I am based on my description of the work I did this week
I took a part time job as a manual lathe operator at a local off-road shop. I have INCREDIBLY limited machinist experience, but they are willing to train me on what I don't know. Back in 2012 I worked for about six months in a similar position before the shop closed down, then went back to turning wrenches.
I work Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9-5:30.
Monday I drilled out 4xx stainless steel bar stock to eventually be turned into rear steer logs. Then the rest of that day and Wednesday I cut 4xx stainless to length and diameter for the steer logs plungers. I still have to drill and tap the plungers with a 1/4-28 thread on one end and chamfer them. Yesterday I cut 7075 aluminum bar stock. Each piece was already cut to spec'd length and drilled and tapped on each end. I had to power tap each end to chase the threads, then cut the outside to a smooth finish and chamfer each end. No other tolerance specs on these as the cutting is largely cosmetic. I hand them off to the CNC guys who do the finishing work.
I'm the oldest and least experienced employee at the shop. It feels like the first day of school all over again. I was going to retire this year but instead I decided to pursue part time employment away from turning wrenches. Fingers crossed it works out long term.
If any of you are experienced machinist you can probably tell how INEXPERIENCED I am based on my description of the work I did this week
2014 Forester 2.5, 138K.
Replaced the crossover (water) pipe o-rings, PCV connector, coolant and vent hoses attached to the PCV connector, PCV Valve and Hose, Intake Manifold Gaskets and Both Thermostats (CVT and Engine).
Also performed a Throttle Body Cleaning, Engine Oil and Filter Change, Tire Rotation and replaced engine and cabin air filters.
Water Pipe o-rings were rock hard and had to be dug out in pieces by braille. Surprisingly, the rubber intake manifold gaskets were also rock hard. PCV valve was stuck and had oil inside.
Replaced the crossover (water) pipe o-rings, PCV connector, coolant and vent hoses attached to the PCV connector, PCV Valve and Hose, Intake Manifold Gaskets and Both Thermostats (CVT and Engine).
Also performed a Throttle Body Cleaning, Engine Oil and Filter Change, Tire Rotation and replaced engine and cabin air filters.
Water Pipe o-rings were rock hard and had to be dug out in pieces by braille. Surprisingly, the rubber intake manifold gaskets were also rock hard. PCV valve was stuck and had oil inside.
That's great. The only potential downside I see is having to re-tool all over again. They maybe said they'd provide everything but I'd want a lot of my own stuff like mics, calipers, tap guides, co-ax indicator, test indicator, mag bases and more.Things took an interesting turn this week.
I took a part time job as a manual lathe operator at a local off-road shop. I have INCREDIBLY limited machinist experience, but they are willing to train me on what I don't know. Back in 2012 I worked for about six months in a similar position before the shop closed down, then went back to turning wrenches.
I work Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9-5:30.
Monday I drilled out 4xx stainless steel bar stock to eventually be turned into rear steer logs. Then the rest of that day and Wednesday I cut 4xx stainless to length and diameter for the steer logs plungers. I still have to drill and tap the plungers with a 1/4-28 thread on one end and chamfer them. Yesterday I cut 7075 aluminum bar stock. Each piece was already cut to spec'd length and drilled and tapped on each end. I had to power tap each end to chase the threads, then cut the outside to a smooth finish and chamfer each end. No other tolerance specs on these as the cutting is largely cosmetic. I hand them off to the CNC guys who do the finishing work.
I'm the oldest and least experienced employee at the shop. It feels like the first day of school all over again. I was going to retire this year but instead I decided to pursue part time employment away from turning wrenches. Fingers crossed it works out long term.
If any of you are experienced machinist you can probably tell how INEXPERIENCED I am based on my description of the work I did this week
Otherwise it's a bit like stepping into auto repair and they say they provide ALL tools. But what if you want semi deep sockets, or flex head ratcheting wrenches and they only have fixed head, etc.
If you wind up with your own box, don't believe you have to have a brown Kennedy (despite your username) to be a "real" machinist. I always rocked black ball bearing GripLatch stuff and it was great. A lot of machinist boxes are friction slide which boggles the mind because tooling and 1-2-3, 2-4-6 blocks etc get heavy QUICK. As a machinist you're opening drawers just as often as an auto tech for various fixtures, jigs, measuring instruments etc so ball bearing slides really are faster and less fatiguing after a full day.
Full hub pilot conversion on my Mack DM690S dump truck is finally completed. Hubs came from Automann, new bearings, seals, S cams, cam bushings, slack adjusters, shoes, drums and 8 new wheels. This brake system is now in better shape than it’s been in years.
I had 3 hubs with cracked ears and couldn’t keep the wheels from slipping anymore. Mack wanted $6900 for 3 hubs and 4 drums. I’m into this entire job for less than $6000 now. It wasn’t done solely to run aluminum wheels. Just trying to economically keep old iron working.
I had 3 hubs with cracked ears and couldn’t keep the wheels from slipping anymore. Mack wanted $6900 for 3 hubs and 4 drums. I’m into this entire job for less than $6000 now. It wasn’t done solely to run aluminum wheels. Just trying to economically keep old iron working.
How does anyone have acreage and not have a tractor-loader. Borrowing my bro in law and sisters for a while. This one is a Kioti but I’ve used my dads Kubota a few times. Amazing how much you can get done. Eliminated 2 brush piles, sections of fences and quite a bit of brushhogging.. and pulling vines out of the trees.
Decided to make another tool I don't have: the OTC 6710 or EN-51092 GM GDI fuel pump alignment tool. Link to one of many commercially available versions:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNN78VJM
Amazon example:
Again, not about saving money 'cause these are ~$16 all day long. Just a fun way to do something for myself on a Sunday.
I had a hunk of 2" stainless and I personally think the weight of stainless would be nice in practice. You want this to settle on the cam and fall as the lobe drops. No, I don't see how a smooth stainless surface could scratch a hardened cam cranked SLOWLY by hand, but what do I know???
I dug around the web and found a few examples of dims.
This one came from another forum and guys were 3D printing them (I believe the file is out there free for you printer guys). All the dims varied a bit but I trusted this the most and pretty much followed it, converting everything to freedom inches:
In school they made us knurl EVERYTHING so I decided to give the old scissor knurler a chance to come out and play. It's difficult to get a deep, crisp knurl in stainless 'cause it's so springy, and a 15" Leblond with a scissor knurler will never reach the level of a rigid CNC machine:
At 1lb 4oz she's got some good weight!
Fin:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNN78VJM
Amazon example:
Again, not about saving money 'cause these are ~$16 all day long. Just a fun way to do something for myself on a Sunday.
I had a hunk of 2" stainless and I personally think the weight of stainless would be nice in practice. You want this to settle on the cam and fall as the lobe drops. No, I don't see how a smooth stainless surface could scratch a hardened cam cranked SLOWLY by hand, but what do I know???
I dug around the web and found a few examples of dims.
This one came from another forum and guys were 3D printing them (I believe the file is out there free for you printer guys). All the dims varied a bit but I trusted this the most and pretty much followed it, converting everything to freedom inches:
In school they made us knurl EVERYTHING so I decided to give the old scissor knurler a chance to come out and play. It's difficult to get a deep, crisp knurl in stainless 'cause it's so springy, and a 15" Leblond with a scissor knurler will never reach the level of a rigid CNC machine:
At 1lb 4oz she's got some good weight!
Fin:
