What did you do to your JK today?

[pc1p]

Yeah I was originally going to go with a Yukon kit that included new covers as well but I've read their QC has gone downhill a lot over the years. Weird, since I am under the impression Motive, Yukon, and Revolution all come out of the same factory in South Korea.

A lot of gear companies used to get their forgings from “Circle K”, but even then they were responsible for matching, finish work, etc. Nowadays, it seems to be a crapshoot (thanks Covid!)…

The last two sets from Yukon I got were either from India or Pakistan, and looked nothing like they used to. Historically the Yukons had nicely polished teeth, polished bearing journals, etc. The last three sets I’ve use (2 full sets and 1 rear-only) have been awful. I think I have a post on the TJ forum about the D30/8.8 I built for my old landscaper - they were complete garbage and thankfully he only drove it around in the desert, otherwise we would have swapped them out for a different set.

I go Revo now when I can, but would have no issues getting a set of Motives (and I had to for the 14B).

 

[RevelationSoldier]

Installed a hood decal and a temporary/permanent front license plate.

 

[Speartip]

If you're burning up resistors, it's likely that your fan motor is going, causing excessive amperage through the resistor pack...

Great photos btw!

Thanks .
Replaced blower motor a couple years ago when I did resistor .
Was fine till recently . So figured would switch out resistor first .
If blower motor runs fine and not turn off in about 30 mins than resistor . If problem persists will do blower motor again .

 

[Speartip]

New BF Goodrich KO3 installed yesterday . LT 285 70R 17.
C Load .

 

[Flipx99]

The results of my bad decision making have arrived. It will probably be another month or two before I install.

View attachment 130519

Brave soul. After watching countless videos, I think I’m confident enough I just don’t want to buy the tools. I don’t have a shop press or clamshell puller which are the tools most use to make this doable.

From my calculations, it’s about a wash after buying the tools for the first time.

 

[pc1p]

Brave soul. After watching countless videos, I think I’m confident enough I just don’t want to buy the tools. I don’t have a shop press or clamshell puller which are the tools most use to make this doable.

From my calculations, it’s about a wash after buying the tools for the first time.

I don't think it's so much the $$ saved vs $$ spent, since I think (based on comments in this thread and a few related ones), shops are charging $1100-2500 to regear nowadays. You'll spend ~$600 for a decent 12T press, bearing puller, dial indicator, and some other small stuff you may or may not have, but will still likely come out ahead if you do it yourself by a decently large margin.

The issue really then becomes "do I want to store a 12T press, puller, dial indicator, etc. in my garage for the next X number of years before the next time I regear". For most people, that, combined with the fear of messing up the install, is what leads them to spend the $$ to have a shop install it.

Like I said somewhere else on this forum, once you learn you regear, you'll never be without friends. It's like buying a welder - you'll suddenly get to help all your neighbors with random projects

 

[Flipx99]

The issue really then becomes "do I want to store a 12T press, puller, dial indicator, etc. in my garage for the next X number of years before the next time I regear". For most people, that, combined with the fear of messing up the install, is what leads them to spend the $$ to have a shop install it.

Man you nailed it perfectly for me. I'm operating out of a 2 car garage. If I had a 40x40 shop, this would be an easier call.

So the call I'm working through now is buying those rubicon axles from Baseline ($4K) or paying for a regear on my 30/44 ($3.5K). I really wanted to go the Dynatrac Trail Leader route and do all the things but that's no kidding $13K. I'd like to think...what can I do for $7K because that's about what I feel comfortable spending for my use case. I keep going in circles because all the upgrades need to support a cohesive plan rather than just a collection of ideas and the upgrades not work together.

Labor cost to regear seems to be 5 hours/axle....so about $700/per and then parts are usually MSRP.

 

[Flipx99]

 

[pc1p]

Man you nailed it perfectly for me. I'm operating out of a 2 car garage. If I had a 40x40 shop, this would be an easier call.

I have a decently modest garage but would go absolutely insane for a proper shop... I keep trying to buy the 0.73 acre lot next to us but the owner simply won't sell it. It would absolutely turn into a 0.53 acre mini-farm, with a 0.20 acre shop smack in the middle

I keep going in circles because all the upgrades need to support a cohesive plan rather than just a collection of ideas and the upgrades not work together...

So the call I'm working through now is buying those rubicon axles from Baseline ($4K) or paying for a regear on my 30/44 ($3.5K)... I'd like to think...what can I do for $7K because that's about what I feel comfortable spending for my use case.

This reminds me of one of my favorite lines from a movie:

The problem with Jeeps, well any 4x4 really, is that it's really easy to get "scope creep", where you make some modifications that you end up liking, and then end up wanting to push further, which requires more modifications, which themselves need other supporting modifications to work properly, which then brings in a whole list of other considerations, and so on.

You need to be honest with yourself and your future needs. Are you looking for better gearings, some additional grip, and for something reliable to tackle most causal trails with on a good set of 33"s? Something "overbuilt" on 35"s? Something you can really stretch out on 37"s? Once you figure that out, you have to "commit" for at least some reasonable amount of time before considering something more. This way you can develop a plan and then stick to it, otherwise you'll be on tons and 42" stickies before you know it haha!

I really wanted to go the Dynatrac Trail Leader route and do all the things but that's no kidding $13K.

I found a UD60 front for essentially what it would have cost to build a SD60 myself, and then I did all the work to my 14B - and even then, I'm $10,477 into axles at this point, not including driveshafts or brake parts. Every time someone says they want "cheap" axle upgrades (or a "budget V8 swap"), I like sharing tidbits from my tracking spreadsheets that I've kept for the past rigs over the past decade or so. To make myself feel better, I sometimes "build" a new 392 JLUR and then add in the cost of Dynatracs or UD60's, plus the necessary supporting mods and I realize I'm still ~30% the cost of buying a new one and I feel a little better

 

[Cimmerian]

Brave soul. After watching countless videos, I think I’m confident enough I just don’t want to buy the tools. I don’t have a shop press or clamshell puller which are the tools most use to make this doable.

From my calculations, it’s about a wash after buying the tools for the first time.

Oh I'm not doing it myself. I've said in another thread I don't have the time, tools, space, or expertise for this job. I however, do have a local mechanic that I actually trust so once I have cash to drop on the install I'm going to call him to set up a date.

 

[JeepJeezy]

I have a decently modest garage but would go absolutely insane for a proper shop... I keep trying to buy the 0.73 acre lot next to us but the owner simply won't sell it. It would absolutely turn into a 0.53 acre mini-farm, with a 0.20 acre shop smack in the middle

You should get yourself an LLC and tax ID awhile. Then if you're able to get that 0.73 acres with a 0.20 acres shop, purchase it under the business and it will be a tax wright off for business expenses.

 

[pc1p]

You should get yourself an LLC and tax ID awhile. Then if you're able to get that 0.73 acres with a 0.20 acres shop, purchase it under the business and it will be a tax wright off for business expenses.

I already have an LLC for my side business (I’m a fairly busy photographer), though it would be way cheaper in the long run to put that parcel on my personal property deed. My issue is still that the property owner won’t sell the plot… his hold up is that he doesn’t want to go through the “hassle of surveying”, but I pointed out that his deed is already made up of three parcels and it’s a simple process. Still no dice…

 

[JeepJeezy]

I already have an LLC for my side business (I’m a fairly busy photographer), though it would be way cheaper in the long run to put that parcel on my personal property deed. My issue is still that the property owner won’t sell the plot… his hold up is that he doesn’t want to go through the “hassle of surveying”, but I pointed out that his deed is already made up of three parcels and it’s a simple process. Still no dice…

Damn

 

[tJKrider]

You should get yourself an LLC and tax ID awhile. Then if you're able to get that 0.73 acres with a 0.20 acres shop, purchase it under the business and it will be a tax wright off for business expenses.

That used to be true but I thought that the business now has to show some revenue? I haven't looked into this for years, though, so maybe it has reverted back to simpler times??

 

[JeepJeezy]

That used to be true but I thought that the business now has to show some revenue? I haven't looked into this for years, though, so maybe it has reverted back to simpler times??

Not if you're just starting out. You can show a loss for 3 years. When I had my mobile detailing business, I showed a loss for 6 years, "sold" the company to another "business" that I created and then was able to show a loss for some more years. I had a tax friend who helped me with all the loopholes for 16 years. I miss writing off everything. I'm actually looking to start another business again.

 

[pc1p]

Damn

Agreed... it would be awesome!

My property is in blue, the one we want to buy and add to it is in orange. My driveway sucks (very steep!). Long term, I would convert the front half of the garage into a first level office (it's currently upstairs above garage), and keep the back half as a shed/mini-garage and mud room for the lawn equipment. I would then rework the driveway, add some parking near the house, with an easy walkway to the garage...

I already found and modified some plans that I liked:

Instead of the doors on the short side, there would be 1 tall and 2 standard height doors on the long side (big door would lead into the car lift), the 17x11 "storage" would be setup as a reloading/woodworking area, and the rest would essentially be "as-is", though the living room would serve double-duty as a portrait studio. Although most of my portrait sessions are outdoors, I do get a lot of indoor portrait requests (family, holiday, headshot) that I currently do in my long sunroom. It's not ideal and a pain in the a$$ at times, but I make it work.

A man can dream can't he??

 

[WSS]

I already have an LLC for my side business (I’m a fairly busy photographer), though it would be way cheaper in the long run to put that parcel on my personal property deed. My issue is still that the property owner won’t sell the plot… his hold up is that he doesn’t want to go through the “hassle of surveying”, but I pointed out that his deed is already made up of three parcels and it’s a simple process. Still no dice…

Buy it under your name and rent it to your company. That way it is not tied to anything on the company side. BIG or full right off there. Use that LLC to your advantage. Even better is to incorporate, this would provide the corporate shield or veil.

Love the plans! I will be stuck with a simple metal fab shop. We have been in the same location for 32yrs. I am hoping to wind down soon and just do select projects on my "new shop". I am burned out. Still want to work but employees, inflation, insurance, workers comp, etc are all headaches.

 

[pc1p]

Buy it under your name and rent it to your company. That way it is not tied to anything on the company side. BIG or full right off there. Use that LLC to your advantage. Even better is to incorporate, this would provide the corporate shield or veil.

Love the plans! I will be stuck with a simple metal fab shop. We have been in the same location for 32yrs. I am hoping to wind down soon and just do select projects on my "new shop". I am burned out. Still want to work but employees, inflation, insurance, workers comp, etc are all headaches.

We certainly could, though at the moment, the single member LLC offers the best "bang for the buck" thanks to PA being very LLC friendly. We are looking at getting into some real estate investments (residential and commercial), so that would be something of potential in the future. That said, I don't like mixing "business with pleasure" so to speak, and any situation that couldn't easily pass the "Red Face Test" when trying to explain business vs personal use I would stay away from. This is especially true since the property is currently undeveloped and the $$$ being spent to develop and build would come out of our personal funds, not my business funds.

That said, if anyone needs $60,000 of photography services done over the summer, let me know