H8MUD

Yes, the DFW area. It won't be until next Summer, but it's pretty much a for sure thing.
Crazy. We’re moving from TX to Spokane WA on July 26. 2,000 miles. For a small army of 7 it seems like a logistical nightmare. Selling tons of stuff and throwing lots away.

On a good note, you’ll be able to find a rust free TJR for sub $15K easy

On a sour note, the heat does suck

I guess everywhere you live has pros and vons
 
Crazy. We’re moving from TX to Spokane WA on July 26. 2,000 miles. For a small army of 7 it seems like a logistical nightmare. Selling tons of stuff and throwing lots away.

On a good note, you’ll be able to find a rust free TJR for sub $15K easy

On a sour note, the heat does suck

I guess everywhere you live has pros and vons

You know, that's what everyone keeps telling us... the heat sucks. But I keep telling them that having lived in Oregon most of my life, the constant (and I mean constant) rain and cold sucks too. So I guess it's just trading one for the other. Where we live in Oregon it's 8-9 months of nothing but rain non-stop. In Texas it's heat for what, 6 months?

The plus side to the DFW area is there's a lot more to do for the kids at least.

The other issue is that I absolutely can't deal with the people who run this state and the general politics of Oregon.
 
You know, that's what everyone keeps telling us... the heat sucks. But I keep telling them that having lived in Oregon most of my life, the constant (and I mean constant) rain and cold sucks too. So I guess it's just trading one for the other. Where we live in Oregon it's 8-9 months of nothing but rain non-stop. In Texas it's heat for what, 6 months?

The plus side to the DFW area is there's a lot more to do for the kids at least.

The other issue is that I absolutely can't deal with the people who run this state and the general politics of Oregon.
Heat won’t go on for 6 months, maybe 4. So that’s a plus. Spring and Fall seem short, but really, the temperature is unpredictable. Some Christmas’ I’m wearing shorts and a T-shirt! Kind of a bummer if you like snow that time of year. But everyone in the Southern Hemisphere has Christmas in summer!

The politics will be more amenable to you here. Enjoy that. There are lots of good people here, though the political climate is changing, toward CA, but hopefully it will be slow.
 
Heat won’t go on for 6 months, maybe 4. So that’s a plus. Spring and Fall seem short, but really, the temperature is unpredictable. Some Christmas’ I’m wearing shorts and a T-shirt! Kind of a bummer if you like snow that time of year. But everyone in the Southern Hemisphere has Christmas in summer!

The politics will be more amenable to you here. Enjoy that. There are lots of good people here, though the political climate is changing, toward CA, but hopefully it will be slow.

Everywhere is changing towards California I've found, because they're invading every livable city and state out there.

It's unfortunate, but true.

Really though, the main reason for wanting to move is that my wife suffers from seasonal depression. The fall and winters here in the Willamette Valley are just killer for her. She goes stir crazy being stuck in the house with the kids and having nothing to do since she can't really take them out anywhere as it's pouring down rain constantly.

Oregon isn't bad, but I've come (we both have) to really dislike the Willamette Valley region of Oregon, as it gets heavy, heavy rain most of the year. The other regions of Oregon aren't nearly as bad, of course they're all so insanely expensive now (thanks Californians) that we can't afford any of them.
 
Everywhere is changing towards California I've found, because they're invading every livable city and state out there.

It's unfortunate, but true.

Really though, the main reason for wanting to move is that my wife suffers from seasonal depression. The fall and winters here in the Willamette Valley are just killer for her. She goes stir crazy being stuck in the house with the kids and having nothing to do since she can't really take them out anywhere as it's pouring down rain constantly.

Oregon isn't bad, but I've come (we both have) to really dislike the Willamette Valley region of Oregon, as it gets heavy, heavy rain most of the year. The other regions of Oregon aren't nearly as bad, of course they're all so insanely expensive now (thanks Californians) that we can't afford any of them.
I hear you. I hope Spokane winters are not so bad that the indoors drives my wife stir crazy. I know they don’t get much rain. Lots of sun days so I am hopeful.

CA, yeah, it’s an invasion and driving up prices here too. I just happen to live in the most expensive county in TX, so where do you think wealthy CA are moving to? All over, but here for sure. My house appreciated 81% in 8 years.
 
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I hear you. I hope Spokane winters are not so bad that the indoors drives my wife stir crazy. I know they don’t get much rain. Lots of sun days so I am hopeful.

CA, yeah, it’s an invasion and driving up prices here too. I just happen to live in the most expensive county in TX, so where do you think wealthy CA are moving to? All over, but here for sure. My house appreciated 81% in 8 years.

I'm not sure about Spokane weather, but since it's not in the Seattle area, I can't imagine the rain will be as bad, though you will get snowy winters I think.

That's what's driving my wife up the wall though, is being stuck in side all the time. I tell her that in Texas she'll still be stuck inside all the time because it's so damn hot out. She said yes, but if we have a pool at least we can sit out by the pool and not be stuck inside. I understand her logic, the rain wears me thin as well.

81% in 8 years? WOW

We bought our house here in Salem, Oregon in 2016 for 235k. It's now been valued at over 350k just 3 years later, and they don't sit on the market long.

It's shocking to me that people are willing to pay this much for what I would consider very average homes.
 
I'm not sure about Spokane weather, but since it's not in the Seattle area, I can't imagine the rain will be as bad, though you will get snowy winters I think.

That's what's driving my wife up the wall though, is being stuck in side all the time. I tell her that in Texas she'll still be stuck inside all the time because it's so damn hot out. She said yes, but if we have a pool at least we can sit out by the pool and not be stuck inside. I understand her logic, the rain wears me thin as well.

81% in 8 years? WOW

We bought our house here in Salem, Oregon in 2016 for 235k. It's now been valued at over 350k just 3 years later, and they don't sit on the market long.

It's shocking to me that people are willing to pay this much for what I would consider very average homes.
That’s an insane price increase. I saw the houses in Spokane moving in 20 days. Unreal. Some we lost by a matter of minutes. The one we finally got into I will almost own, which is great!
 
That’s an insane price increase. I saw the houses in Spokane moving in 20 days. Unreal. Some we lost by a matter of minutes. The one we finally got into I will almost own, which is great!

Owning is a great thing indeed. It's amazing how crazy the market is here in the PNW. The Californians are buying houses up left and right. Oregon DMV said that 80% of the out-of-state drivers licenses that are turned in for Oregon ones are from California. So that just proves it right there.

I'm sure Washington is very similar in numbers.
 
I bought my house in Norcal in 2011 at the end of the crash. No other way I could afford it here. I told my grandma that I was selling my house for triple ( the fires around here ) and moving in with her,,, again!
I moved to Oregon in 97 from Texas and it was a total shock. Weather Culture and all.

Also humidity
 
Stupid Californians! It's ok, it's only a matter of time before the state's currency changes to Pesos. Personally, when I retire (because I can't afford to live in this godforsaken state), I will probably end up in Nevada or Arizona.
 
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I want to see more pics of the man cave / garage-ma-hol. If my wife an I ever decide to leave our current house (doubtful) I want to do the same thing...Build the barn-a-minium, then build the house.
Sheetrock going up today. Exterior rock goes on next week. The backer board and screening has to dry


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Back on topic however :cool: The club went to Potts Mountain last week...Best camping of the year!!

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And I drove over a volkswagon


and a few rocks

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What trackbar is that?
https://metalcloak.com/tj-lj-xj-durotrak-track-bar-front-solid-chromoly.html

I would advise not getting the zone. While it works with everyone's budget, the springs do not hold up well and compress in a short time. I would go with Currie/savvy, OME, or any of the more reputable companies. You'll be happier in the long run.
Also, don't skimp on shocks. Once I got some Fox 2.0's on, I could finally enjoy the trails like my JK brothers (in comfort)
 
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So time for an update. I decided to do a rear coil spring relocation. A couple of buddies of mine did the work. They did a fabulous Job...Now my springs stay in a straight moment as opposed to a constant arc

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However, while inspecting the underside, something horrible was discovered

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That's a screwdriver easily driven up thru the bottom of the frame

Here is the frame behind the slider

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Sliders were bolted on, then taken over to a buddy to weld. These were what were left of the bolts

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This is the lower control arm mount on the rear...tearing away from the frame

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Decisions were made..

One option was to purchase a CHERRY 2006 LJ for $10k and swap all the goodies over. I considered it...for a day or 2, but I love THIS TJ
THIS is my TJ...the one I love.

So..we began cutting

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And we discovered the secret stash of Nutter Butter waffer bars hidden inside every TJ frame



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More cutting


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Nutter Butter residue

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Turns out the entire bottom and 1/3 of the way up the sides of the frame from just behind the fromt lower control arm mounts, all the way PAST the rear control arm mounts was trash. All because of no drain from the factory. In face the transfer case skid bolts came out almost by hand as the threads on the inside of the frame were gone

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Below you actually see the waterline where there was zero drainage. This is where water sat until it evaporated.

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The next post will be the fix
 
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So why cut the frame and not a frame swap?

Frame swap would involve hundreds of hours of labor. Which...I can handle. What I CAN'T handle is buying another TJ frame only to find the same issue. And a new frame is over $4k
So what are my options?

Well, Rust buster make all kinds of solutions for TJ's

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These bad boys come with integrated upper and lower mounts that far exceed the factory

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And they come with the drain holes drilled in the proper place

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BTW....this is where you go and take a flathead to the bottom of your frame!!!

If you got no penetration, then jack it up, remove the lower control arms at the frame and drill a finger size hole directly above the socket of the lower control arm


Time to get these monsters mocked up


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Starting the agonizingly long task of welding



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Improved areola's...err I mean skid mounts
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All painted


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Now..time to add the barns gas tank skid

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All mocked up for clearances

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Dang...she tight

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This was AFTER swapping to a poison spyder cover, because the solid was hitting at full press. Decided to tighten down the control arms and give myself more room

While under there we discovered the stock exhaust was seconds from becoming powder as well. More decisions were made...but the flowmaster wouldn't fit beside the fat ass atlas, and we're not tubing benders....so a glasspack was sourced (sounds like ass.....well...not really, just sounds like a 60's british roadster ...which is pretty badass, but not on the trail droning for hours)

But..it clears everything

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All painted and on the ground


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