Got the New Mud Racer Home Sunday

[4bynut]

Here's some pics showing how it's looking so far. You can see the finished motor mounts. I fully tig welded them and then they got painted with the axle pieces. You can also see the new brake caliper brackets we made, they still need painted tho. The firewall is half done. I need to fit the motor before i finish it. I wasn't going to do anything to the firewall but the hack job they did just bothered me to much. There is also a pics of the 73-87 4" lift leaf hanging there with the heavier shackles. I moved the front perch 1.25"s ahead and gusseted the mount. I'll try and keep up better on pics as i go. Our first race is april 18th. so i need to keep busey. I want to do a full tilt front end also, but that may get done later in the year.

Jason

[4bynut]

A few more pics.

[ERASER5]

What did you use to clean your axle housing? And what kind of paint did you use?

I just starting to cleaning one up. I may use oven cleaner, but it is a bit cold in the garage right now.

[4bynut]

Originally Posted by ERASER5

What did you use to clean your axle housing? And what kind of paint did you use?

I just starting to cleaning one up. I may use oven cleaner, but it is a bit cold in the garage right now.

I did most of it last mon. & tues. when it was in the upper 50's. With the heat on in the shop i had it 70-80. Felt like spring. LOL.

I use a cone type wire wheel on my 4.5" grinder. Then I sprayed it down with brake clean and used a hand held wire brush for the places i couldn't get with the grinder. I let that dry and then wipe it down with acetone or mineral spirits before i primered it. The primer is rust-oleum rusty metal primer and the paint is rust-oleum gloss black. I always liked rust-oleum products, but I had never used this primer. It's maked auto at the top of the can and fill in inperfection real good. The cast on the axle is real pooris and this smoothed it out real nice. It should be easier to wash the mud off hopefully. I put 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of paint.

Jason

[ERASER5]

Thanks.
I'll hit it with wire wheel after I remove the brake lines, E-brake cables and the diff tags (I want to put those back on). My center housing is in great shape and covered in dirt, but the tubes are rather rusty.

[4bynut]

Well haven't got to do much lately. I did get my ballistic high steer arms and painted them. I also got a pair of 44" bogger and mounted them on a friends aluminum beadlock rims. Pulled the 4" lift blocks out of the rear. When i pulled the rear axle to remove the lift blocks i found the axle was bowed and dented some. So i replaced it with a fresh axle housing, my 1" zero blocks, and new u-bolts. In order to clear the 44's with 1" of lift i had to open up the wheelwells. Hopefully some parts for the front suspension get here before the weekend so i can start putting that back together.

Here's a few pics of how it sits now.

Jason

[Burt4x4]

*****en Dude!

[4bynut]

Originally Posted by Burt4x4

*****en Dude!

Thanks. I'm planning on getting the front end under it this weekend if the parts get here.

Jason

[4bynut]

Last night i got the upper kingpin cones changed. I wanted to post this because people always say they are near impossible to remove. Mine had some pretty bad marks in them so they needed to be changed tho. Well if you look in the new issue of petersen's 4wheel & off-road on page 32 under the budget tricks it shows how. They releave the pressure on them by cutting a groove in the side. I was skepticle, but mine needed changed and it does work. I made the cuts and they came right out, no heat or long cheater bar. Just a FYI in case anyone else is unsure about changing them.

Jason

[vtblazer]

I saw that tip and was hoping it would work!

Good to find out for sure, thanks.

[4bynut]

Originally Posted by vtblazer

I saw that tip and was hoping it would work!

Good to find out for sure, thanks.

Ya, I was scared i'd cut them and still not be able to get them out. Your commited to getting them out if you cut them or reck the at all. It does work tho.

Jason