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I took the bed off to install the LROR shock mounts so I could use the Bilsteins that have been sitting in the boxes for a year and a half.
I did the welding with my $343.95 mig welder from JEGS.com, it makes welding easier for a no talent individual like me.
I didn't say I was good at welding, I just said the welder made it easier but, that is a solid penetrating weld, same on other side.
While I was there I put a new 24" steel braided line in for those rear brakes.
Shocks in place.
The rear wheels sure do look good now with new satin VHT chassis and roll bar paint covering them. These are some cheap steel wheels but, I like them even more when they are freshly rattle can painted.
She's back on the ground now waiting for my buddy to help me bleed the brakes because I eliminated the load sensor completely from the system and had an open needing to be plugged so I used a piece of un-needed brake line from the load sensor by cutting it with dykes then mig welding the end of it shut for good.
Bleeding the brakes can be a one man job. Just start at the farthest one from the MC and open it. I got a cheapy "brake bleeder" kit from autozone. It's essentially just clear vinyl air line like you would use in a fish tank. Forced it over the bleeder valve before I opened it up then sat and watched as it drained into a empty oil container. Took about 1.5 hrs but was zero work for me to work my way around the truck. Passenger rear, drivers rear, passant front, drivers front. Then went back and double checked then for another 1 minute each when open and my brakes were great. But the tire on and went for a test drive. As a bonus when doing it like this you essentially flush all the old fluid out and get a fluid change. Just make sure the Master Cylinder never goes empty.
Looking good! What Jegs welder? the Eastwood? If so I'm stoked to see it working for someone. Mine got such bad penetration I wasn't even mad when it got stolen :p
Just a thought though... that upturned hose nub might trap air and make bleeding a major pita. At the very least I'd turn that down or flat maybe.
There are actual brake block-offs available. Quick Google showed 4 crawler had some that converted metric to ansi with a cap. I'm sure there are others.
The welded line looks like a great trail-fix though. I might make one to keep in my box of trail spares
I'm not sure of the manufacturer of the welder but, it does work pretty good and would do better with an experienced guy on the trigger.
My welded brake line plug is what will stay in that splitter until the vehicle goes through a shredder at a scrap yard when I'm done, I like it.
10-09-2017, 04:36 PM
