Java Builds a Ski-Bum Mobile

Petrolburner wrote: Sounds like you might have a tire that lost a lot of pressure or is flat if there is suddenly that noticeable change in handling. No bonfire pics? WTF? We burned a Volkswagen block in Baja and it was BRIGHT!

Its possible. I will check TP’s before we head to bend on Friday.

Yeah, too much drinking means no fire pics… Sorry. I wish the magnesium cases were easier to find these days 

A friend took this.

https://www.facebook.com/Danfender90/videos/10206846610677957/

ultraclyde wrote: do snow adventure vehicles have to be white? Is it a requirement? As a Georgia native, is there a regulation of which I am unaware? Looks like fun.a

Yes requirement. Apparently all the county vehicles are that way, it’s a retired county vehicle. I added some stickers and vinyl!

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote: I don't want an RV- stop making me want an RV!

DO it! It would tow the rally car wonderfully, and have a nice place to sleep on race nights!!

In reply to Mad_Ratel:

No orange…. I have thought about getting the whole thing rhino lined.

There may be some adjustment in the box, but there should be some play. Over-tightening the box can wear the gears quickly. As you mentioned, it's not a precision vehicle and Ford vans were never known for being the best of the lot by any stretch.

Ian F wrote: There may be some adjustment in the box, but there should be some play. Over-tightening the box can wear the gears quickly. As you mentioned, it's not a precision vehicle and Ford vans were never known for being the best of the lot by any stretch.

Good to know. Its been awhile since I did boxes. Its not OE ford front end either I dont think... Who knows.

This rules because pow. Awesome way to make the sport we love almost affordable again!

You're coming to Bend? Stop by, I'm in Redmond.

In reply to 2K4Kcsq:

Yeah! Not so affordable still, but camping in the lot is SO much fun. Stoked on the pow. PNW is getting slammed right now, heading down to bachelor, they have gotten 136" in December so far, 41" in the last 3 days!

In reply to Petrolburner:

Sweet! We drive right through, heading up to bachelor. PM me, might be able to stop by for a few.

Holy cow! We have been getting dumped on also. Crested butte has had a foot a day the last three days

5 nights in the RV, three days of skiing. Awesome snow, really cold and clear mornings.

good times!

munchkin killing it!

now if you look closely you can see an odd wire here....

Always something goes wrong.... Started the generator up for lunch in Warm Springs. It ran for about a minute and then just died. After trying to start it for awhile, no dice. So we stop in Redmond and get to work. Bough a spark tester, has spark, ok, got some starter fluid, sputters on that, good. Must be fuel. Not this stupid thing has a fuel pump just to feed a carb. Really?! It pulls from the main tank so I guess it needs it.

So my test light is dead, go buy a new one. No power to the fuel pump it seems, or maybe its dead. So its getting late, I grab a gas can, a bunch of fuel line, and a roll of wire. Ill figure this out after we get there. I figure worst case is I can gravity feed from the gas can to the carb.

Well It seems to be wiring because hot wiring the the fuel pump to the battery works! ok problem workable. We can change batteries and have heat!

Oh and the all important espresso machine works :)

Another good day!

Had some neighbors, but no one came out to join the fire....

Made it back home. Beast needs a bath. And the generator has to get dropped out of the bottom since all the wiring is inaccessible... ARRG.

Last night we were they someone blew up the kodiak...

Their other one was either made by, or painted like a Ferrari.

In other news, I think I got the roof leak fixed. And i fixed the hydraulic levelers, which I forgot, makes it very easy to jack the front end of the truck up! push one button and done! SO on the vague steering/wandering front, i have both side to side and top to bottom play in the front wheels both sides, ~3/8" play or so. Wheel bearings? TRE's? both??

Look at the ball joints when feeling the play in the wheels, could be those, could be bearings, could be both. I definitely wouldn't drive it anymore like that.

I'll take a look in the daylight. It was dark and cold, so I didn't spend a ton of time on it.

Need to drive it Saturday... Arrg.

hydro jacks FTW!

OK went out and checked again. Pretty sure its wheel bearings. movement is from the brake disk outward only. noting in the steering links, nothing in the ball joints.

You can clearly see the brake disk and outward moving..... How long can i drive on it??? Will a wheel really just fall off??

the other weird thing that happened this trip, the front diff started puking fluid out the breather after a couple hours in 4x4 and doing 55 ish....

The bearings, could be 10 miles before they puke completely (and potentially damage a lot of other parts in the hub, or even take out the spindle by damage or heat), could be 1000, definitely bad for the tires, definitely bad for the handling. 3/8 play is way too much to drive on it IMO, consider the service limit is measured in thousandths of play at the hub. Pretty sure yours will be hand packed (relatively cheap DIY job), though you may need some special sockets to get the hub apart, I've never done hand packed bearing on a 4x4. I'm guessing you have a D60. I think this writeup is applicable to you, double check that axle first though (identify by pumpkin cover shape) http://www.badgertrek.com/sportsmobile/RepackingWheelBearings.shtml

Diff puking could just be overfilled, check the level, running out the hole cold on level ground is actually overfilled on a lot of axles (normally it's something like 1/2" below the hole), that won't hurt anything though and gives some buffer for leaks. I doubt it's related to the wheel bearings.

Yeah its a pre 99 (iirc that's the year change) D60, I'll check the writeup thanks. I don't know if I'll be able to find bearings new years day.... They made it 8.5 hours home and the hub studs were just warm to the touch half way through.

As to the diff, I haven't noticed it puking before, but that was also the longest and fastest I've done in 4x4 I think.

Edit : it's only has 32k on it (assuming the 4x4 conversion people used a relatively new axle) should the bearings be toast already?

Most better stocked parts stores should have everything you need (bearings, seals, sockets, tub of grease, roll of shop towels, can of brake clean), maybe not the best bearings at the best prices (SKF, Timken, National), but I'd be shocked if you can't find D60 wheel bearings (I think ordering for a 90s F350 will work) at oreillyvancedzone, who should be open on the 1st.

On the diff, well there ya go.

edit to your edit: It's a heavy vehicle, and a lot of people don't know how to pack and set them anymore. A lot of times you'll see not enough grease used, just packed in the bearings and no more. The 4x4 hub also doesn't have as much dead space in it for extra grease to extend the life of the grease, you want about half the volume of the hub full of grease. I'd pull a wheel and caliper real quick to confirm but from what you've provided it sounds like BAD bearings.

yeah its just if anyone is open tomorrow. 90's F350 brake parts fit perfect, so im guessing those will be the bearing parts too. Read the writeup, doesn't look bad, ive done birfields before, those are no fun.

The only difference is mine is a dualy, has an adapter ish looking thing bolted on the space the wheel out. not sure it really makes much of a difference as to wheel bearings. Is the 50 ft lbs all it needs to seat the bearings? IIRC my boat trailer was a bitch to get the bearings seated and freely moving at the same time. (this looks very similar!)

I don't think the dually adapter make a difference.

The ~50 ft lbs and back off on the adjuster nut should do it, it's not a hard press fit, just enough to keep the race from spinning. More might also brinell (dent) the bearing races, so don't over do it. If you pound/press the outer races in there correctly (you can often use the old outer races as drivers, might need to grind just a touch off the OD, clean the hell out of them after grinding) the 50 ft lbs step is just insurance.

That's another step people get wrong come to think of it, when you put in the outer races, you only put pressure on the outer races, don't put the inner in it and hit that, you'll brinell it and be doing it again 5000 miles.

Thanks for all the help! Think I could get away with repacking the existing ones? Orielly has house brand or nationals in stock

With that much play, no way. If they're just a little loose, like barely perceptible, you can get away with that. I'd go with the national bearings and races if you can swing it. I think Autozone sells Timken if you want to shop around. Don't forget new seals (I think only 1 per side on a 4x4).

Also, this goes without stating, but cleanliness is key here, almost engine building clean, like I said, a whole roll of shop towels.

Got one side torn down today. Shouldn't there be a lock tab washer in there somewhere on the 4way home pin axle nuts? Might be the issue.... Bearings look good.

EDIT:

here is what i have: hub, big ass snap ring, engagement thing, snap ring, splined washer, two more washers, axle nut, washer with holes, axle nut.

Found this

33.For 4-point spanner nuts only: Align the pin on the inner nut with a hole in the lock washer. The tab on the inside of the lock washer must align with the slot in the spindle at the same time. Be careful not to tighten or loosen the inner nut too much to achieve alignment. The hub should spin freely with no pre-load on the bearings, but not have more than .001” of end play. Only after the washer is fully seated against the inner nut, may you screw on the outer nut (has no pin). Tighten the outer nut to 70-75 ft-lbs.

So one of those nuts will have a nub on it, which SHOULD have been installed as the inner nut with the nub out, that nub goes into one of the holes on the funky washer between the nuts and the funky washer locks to the axle stub via the keyway, holding the nut. Then the outer nut goes on to hold the washer in place.

I'd replace a bearing that was run that loose, not worth the trouble.

Thanks Kenny! Some reading on Pirate4x4's D60 bible lead me to the pin lock axle nuts, just had to clean the grease off and I found the pin.

So since everyone likes pics.... try to remove wheel. PB the E36 M3 out of everything and proceed to beat on the tire with a 3lb sledge for half our before wheel comes off.

remove a bunch of bolts that dont need to be removed in he process...

heavy berklyer removed.

All cleaned up in the garage.

blurry pic, but new races, bearings and a tub of grease. Its back on. To the other side!

Other side is apart, cleaned, bearngs packed and greased. But this. Berkley!

Part is on order.

Back on it's wheels! Beer, lunch and football time. Test drive tomorrow, and possibly dropping the generator. That wasn't fun last time.

Checking in because I love skiing .I have skis in the closet withering, so much lust,so little wander.

In reply to TRoglodyte:

Get out!! We are 7 days in and 92736 vertical for the year!

Good luck on the rest drive. Watching you do this has convinced me I made the right choice with a 2wd f250 instead of holding out for 4x4. But no snow hereabouts, so...