What have you done to your ride lately?

[DarkHelmet]

Thanks for making him learn that stuff. He'll be thanking you in the future for sure. Wish I had someone that showed me how to do that stuff at that age! He's young and there's plenty of time for his interests to change.

I refuse to let him grow up and be worthless. When he said he would pay someone to do things like that I asked how well his date would go if he and a hot chick he wanted to impress were sitting on the side of the highway waiting on AAA to come change his flat tire. He then said "It's always about girls with you, isn't it?!" I said, lesson #2... It's ALWAYS about girls one way or another.

 

[tx_shooter]

I refuse to let him grow up and be worthless. When he said he would pay someone to do things like that I asked how well his date would go if he and a hot chick he wanted to impress were sitting on the side of the highway waiting on AAA to come change his flat tire. He then said "It's always about girls with you, isn't it?!" I said, lesson #2... It's ALWAYS about girls one way or another.

Exactly! It always comes back to girls.

 

[TacoXpo]

I refuse to let him grow up and be worthless. When he said he would pay someone to do things like that I asked how well his date would go if he and a hot chick he wanted to impress were sitting on the side of the highway waiting on AAA to come change his flat tire. He then said "It's always about girls with you, isn't it?!" I said, lesson #2... It's ALWAYS about girls one way or another.

It's all good stuff. I remember once on a trip to Frieghtliner in BEAVERton, OR, this hottie flight attendant had a flat tire just before a tunnel. I pulled over did an F1 tire change and then took her for drinks. To thank me, she sent me tickets for a flight to come up with and invitation to go river boarding. I jumped on a plane that weekend and went river boarding on the Dechutes River - illegal at the time. When we rented the gear, the guy said, "If you get caught, you own it!" Any way it was a blast and if I was raised by another family I would have spent that weekend spankin' it!

Not me but you will get the idea of it

There was no gear back then so he rented us a climbing helmet, webbed gloves, fins and a wet suit with irrigation pipe sewn in the forearms and shins.

 

[DarkHelmet]

Nice!

 

[Anathollo]

I refuse to let him grow up and be worthless. When he said he would pay someone to do things like that I asked how well his date would go if he and a hot chick he wanted to impress were sitting on the side of the highway waiting on AAA to come change his flat tire. He then said "It's always about girls with you, isn't it?!" I said, lesson #2... It's ALWAYS about girls one way or another.

Yep!

My best friend has lived in different countries since college and now lives up north. His dad is a jack of all trades construction guy who can do/has done pretty much everything there is to do in the construction field. My buddy REFUSED to learn anything about construction and cars which he told me he regrets on a daily basis. Now he is having to teach himself how to do everything he should've learned from his dad. He now has a much closer relationship with his father because of it.
I on the other hand, gleaned every piece of info from his dad that I could

Same thing with my stepdad. My stepdad was a VERY independent person. He strongly believed that you need to figure it out yourself and was not prone to helping. I would follow him around while he worked on jobs around the house or pool when he first moved into my house. It would annoy him because he liked working alone but I finally told him that I was on a mission to get every piece of advice and experience out of his head and he didn't have a choice! He got used to having a helper and started teaching me how to do stuff. We also eventually got into a routine of talking and having a beer everyday for an hour or so in the garage when I got home from work or school. I learned A TON of stuff from him and miss those talks.

Long story short, keep at it!

 

[TacoXpo]

Took off my Shrockworks bumper - I have to say that as much as I think it looks cool. I would do something COMPLETELY different knowing what I know today. I look at some of the cracks all over my radiator support and crumple zones - I am certain that at least 50% of that was due to the extra weight.

Lots of clean up work, replacement of metal and welding is in store for me during the course of the next few weeks.

 

[tx_shooter]

So you would pay a little extra to go lighter?

 

[Anathollo]

So you would pay a little extra to go lighter?

Honestly, an aluminum front bumper would be fine rock crawling or daily use. Hell, even if you had to use the bumper to pivot around a tree or something, I'm sure the shitty OEM steel will crumple long before the aluminum! I'm in the same boat as Roger with all the work I've had to fix with mine.

 

[TacoXpo]

Yeah. I would also first focus on a good winch bucket. When everything is off, there are much better options, imo, so that you reduce or eliminate the rotation of the bucket/bumper under load. I know that it saved the front of the truck once but it suffered a slow death in other areas. I do like the option that A-A-Ron did with his bumper. I think it makes a lot of sense. Also, rock crawling doesn't have the same appeal it once had for me. Don't get me wrong, I want something I can get into the rocks but it is no longer the destination of choice. I like a blend of rocks and speed but prefer the speed.

 

[TacoXpo]

Contemplating Apron replacement

Jihad on my Truck

For those of you that live in rust prone areas, I would take off your fenders from time-to-time to clean out this build up.

And just because...

 

[Anathollo]

Man, your damage is way worse than mine was! Are you going to be doing what Anthony and I did to your frame?

 

[tx_shooter]

That makes it easier for me to justify the aluminum cost. The cost of the lighter weight is cheaper than a frame.

 

[TacoXpo]

Man, your damage is way worse than mine was! Are you going to be doing what Anthony and I did to your frame?

What did you do to your frame?

 

[Silverback]

Shit man... apron replacement and an engine cage while the stuff is blown apart.

 

[TacoXpo]

Shit man... apron replacement and an engine cage while the stuff is blown apart.

I wish.

PROJECT FRANKENSTEIN UPDATE

For some strange reason it won't let me upload the last pic!!!

 

[TacoXpo]

Phase one

I'm a grinder, not a welder.

 

[TacoXpo]

Thinking I need to slow my feed so that I don't deposit as much metal. Any opinions?

 

[Silverback]

Pics are not showing up for me. ?

Roger shoot me the pics and I'll try to upload them if you want.

I would fishplate the bottom side from what I can see of the first two pics. Just me. Put a small 2"x6"x.120 plate and rosette weld it from the top and then burn it in from the bottom. Minimal weight but I think it would help out... or at least push the next crack down the line

 

[Silverback]

And just because...

I bet I've seen that photo 10 times and I miss the dog EVERY time. LOL

 

[TacoXpo]

Pics are not showing up for me. ?

Roger shoot me the pics and I'll try to upload them if you want.

I would fishplate the bottom side from what I can see of the first two pics. Just me. Put a small 2"x6"x.120 plate and rosette weld it from the top and then burn it in from the bottom. Minimal weight but I think it would help out... or at least push the next crack down the line

Wait, you don't see the pictures on the 3 posts above?