Nashville TJ's Build - Continued

[AirborneTexasRanger]

That welder must have gotten his GED (good enough degree)Yep, you can still see the edge of the original plate. absolutely no penetration. I'd bet the other piece has no weld metal left on it.

That weld was wrong before an arc was even struck. That's a high stress joint so I would have beveled that edge to get complete joint penetration. Also could have welded both sides but I don't know the whole geometry of the joint. As for the other weld it was probably solid, but there was so much dynamic force when the weld popped it mangled everything. That existing bend line was probably on both sides so when it folded over that initiated the crack & the stress followed my red line until it hit the toe of the other weld (stress riser) causing the second crack. Also I see another crack by your hand, was that area bent by the manufacturer?

 

[AirborneTexasRanger]

No go back & back gouge a groove to get welds on both sides. Might as well check the other welds while you're at it.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

On Wednesday, I met Ryan and the team for a run on Pritchette. While trying a crazy line over a couple of huge rocks just before Chewy, I sliced the front passenger side tire:

This is why I still carry a spare. Every trail flat I have ever had has been a big cut like this.

With a bunch of help from Ryan, Ben and Mike, we got the spare on in short order.

Back at the place that night, I tried something new to me:

Since the cut was not on a "flat spot" of the tread, I had to ground off some of the lugs to get a flat spot for the patch:

I cut the patch to the correct size, cleaned up the tire, and was ready to glue it in place....

...when my wife yells at me that we were late to head out for dinner. So, no patch. I figured if the need arose, I could slap the patch on out on the trail. I wound up not needing the spare, so it remains like this hanging on the back of the Jeep. Just to see if it actually works, I'll stick the patch on sometime this week (then, off to Discount Tire for a Warranty Replacement )

 

[NashvilleTJ]

No go back & back gouge a groove to get welds on both sides. Might as well check the other welds while you're at it.

Thanks for the assessment. To get it back together, I beveled both sides of that plate and welded both sides. I ground a groove in all of those cracks, and again welded both sides. I also ran a bead on both sides of the other side of the piece - assuming those welds were just as good as the side that failed. Finally, I rewelded all of those areas you labeled as "Existing Bend Line."

I didn't take any pics of the completed piece, but I was happy with the results. It then held up to Pritchette, so there is that...

Now that I'm home, I'll pull the truss again to check everything, and perhaps reweld it under better (read: Air Conditioned) conditions.

Thanks again.

 

[sab]

(then, off to Discount Tire for a Warranty Replacement )

Did they mount your tires on your beadlock wheels?

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Did they mount your tires on your beadlock wheels?

No, but they do balance them for me.

 

[sab]

No, but they do balance them for me.

I ask because you may have seen in my build thread that I screwed up the sequencing and my plan to use balancing beads went awry. I made an appointment for them to balance mine for me this Friday. I'm curious - did they sell you tires without mounting? I wondered if they'd do so because I would have liked to have gotten certificates for them, but I ended up buying tires online instead, assuming they wouldn't sell tires uninstalled.

 

[AirborneTexasRanger]

Thanks for the assessment. To get it back together, I beveled both sides of that plate and welded both sides. I ground a groove in all of those cracks, and again welded both sides. I also ran a bead on both sides of the other side of the piece - assuming those welds were just as good as the side that failed. Finally, I rewelded all of those areas you labeled as "Existing Bend Line."

I didn't take any pics of the completed piece, but I was happy with the results. It then held up to Pritchette, so there is that...

Now that I'm home, I'll pull the truss again to check everything, and perhaps reweld it under better (read: Air Conditioned) conditions.

Thanks again.

I would've done the same thing.

If you're really bored you could test it for other cracks.
- Clean all the paint, dirt, rest, etc. off of it. - Spread some cheap food coloring all over, red preferably
- Let it sit for ~10 minutes
- Wipe it completely clean with damp rags
- Cover it with some talcum powder.

If anything bleeds out then you found a crack

 

[Apparition]

I ask because you may have seen in my build thread that I screwed up the sequencing and my plan to use balancing beads went awry. I made an appointment for them to balance mine for me this Friday. I'm curious - did they sell you tires without mounting? I wondered if they'd do so because I would have liked to have gotten certificates for them, but I ended up buying tires online instead, assuming they wouldn't sell tires uninstalled.

Discount said they'd balance mine if needed but they are good enough without balancing so I've never taken them in.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

I ask because you may have seen in my build thread that I screwed up the sequencing and my plan to use balancing beads went awry. I made an appointment for them to balance mine for me this Friday. I'm curious - did they sell you tires without mounting? I wondered if they'd do so because I would have liked to have gotten certificates for them, but I ended up buying tires online instead, assuming they wouldn't sell tires uninstalled.

I buy tires from DT unmounted, with certificates. Never a question. But - one of my sons is a manager for them, so perhaps that helps.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

And on top of all that, we actually were able to do some wheelin':

A few from Hell's Revenge:

Hell's Gate:

And a few random hill climbs:

 

[NashvilleTJ]

And a few from Pritchette Canyon:

First up: Chewy:

Rocker Knocker: I go up the middle because the traditional line scares me...

 

[BlueC]

So how'd the new truck shake out? Much different that the older one?

 

[NashvilleTJ]

And a few of my buddy Thomas running Moab Rim:

A hill climb somewhere...

A nice ledge coming down the Rim - dicey dropoff on the far side.

Thomas flexing it out coming down The Crack:

 

[NashvilleTJ]

So how'd the new truck shake out? Much different that the older one?

Oh yeah, very nice. The old truck did very well across the Rockies. But, there were one or two times on steep grades at altitude that I found myself flooring it, and the truck dragging the Jeep at about 60. With the new one, there was never a time I had to floor it, and it always held the speed I wanted. I was impressed. I think the combination of the extra power and the 10-speed tranny made the difference. The engine breaking was also much improved over the old truck.

Also, my wife likes the massage feature on the seats...

 

[Apparition]

Oh yeah, very nice. The old truck did very well across the Rockies. But, there were one or two times on steep grades at altitude that I found myself flooring it, and the truck dragging the Jeep at about 60. With the new one, there was never a time I had to floor it, and it always held the speed I wanted. I was impressed. I think the combination of the extra power and the 10-speed tranny made the difference. The engine breaking was also much improved over the old truck.

Also, my wife likes the massage feature on the seats...

View attachment 535074

I paid attention to mine on the way back. From Silverthorne to the Eisenhower tunnel I set the cruise on 66 mph and the truck never dropped out of 10th or slowed. Easy button towing.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

I paid attention to mine on the way back. From Silverthorne to the Eisenhower tunnel I set the cruise on 66 mph and the truck never dropped out of 10th or slowed. Easy button towing.

Well, I can't say mine never dropped out of 10th, but I wasn't doin' 66 either...



In fact, I may have been goin' a bit too fast:

Should be another Discount Tire warranty replacement. They are gonna love me this week...

 

[Apparition]

Well, I can't say mine never dropped out of 10th, but I wasn't doin' 66 either...



In fact, I may have been goin' a bit too fast:

View attachment 535075

Should be another Discount Tire warranty replacement. They are gonna love me this week...

I went up at 3:30 am so I didn’t need to draw attention to myself.

 

[Woodrow]

The next issue was not so easy. We wheeled the first half of Fins and all of Hell's on Monday. No issues. On Tuesday we hit Poison Spider. Not five minutes into the trail, and virtually no obstacles, I hear a POP, and then a bit of grinding.

And I see this:

View attachment 535037

The axel side front upper control arm mount came apart. It failed right at the intersection of the bolt-on 1/2" mount (that's it with the 3 allen head bolts) and the main body of the truss. I run a three-link front, so there is a lot of stress on this joint.

Fortunately, still close to the beginning of PS, I was able to limp back to the trail head, go back and get the trailer, and haul it back to our place. Crazy lucky it happened where it did.

Back at the place, we pulled it apart. Take a look at the edge where it was welded to the mount. To my eye the weld on top looks like it is just sitting on top of the base metal, with very little penetration. I do not have a picture, but there was no penetration on the 1/2" bar on the mount side.

I'm hoping @AirborneTexasRanger can take a look and tell me what he thinks.

View attachment 535020

When the joint failed, the rest of the mount folded over and just came apart:

View attachment 535021


View attachment 535022


View attachment 535023

To my eye, there are several failed welds on this piece.

View attachment 535038

This is one of the few parts on the rig that I have not fabbed and welded myself. This was the original Dynatrac truss - manufactured by Dyratrac. Whoever welded this thing certainly did not do a good, or even passable, job. As hard as I wheel this thing, I cannot believe it has not failed before now.

Just back from Moab. First, the carnage report.

Three problems with the Jeep this time. The first issue I noticed as soon as I backed it off the trailer:

View attachment 535013

Not a single metal hanger in the place - so this was my next best option:

View attachment 535016

It was the correct gauge, and after some untwisting and straightening:

View attachment 535017

I did not think this would last as the wire is much more pliable than the actual antenna. I thought it would bend as soon as we hit the trail, but it lasted the entire trip!

Oh yeah - and it actually transmitted and received. No one could tell the difference - even with no way to tune it. Success #1.

The next issue was not so easy. We wheeled the first half of Fins and all of Hell's on Monday. No issues. On Tuesday we hit Poison Spider. Not five minutes into the trail, and virtually no obstacles, I hear a POP, and then a bit of grinding.

And I see this:

View attachment 535037

The axel side front upper control arm mount came apart. It failed right at the intersection of the bolt-on 1/2" mount (that's it with the 3 allen head bolts) and the main body of the truss. I run a three-link front, so there is a lot of stress on this joint.

Fortunately, still close to the beginning of PS, I was able to limp back to the trail head, go back and get the trailer, and haul it back to our place. Crazy lucky it happened where it did.

Back at the place, we pulled it apart. Take a look at the edge where it was welded to the mount. To my eye the weld on top looks like it is just sitting on top of the base metal, with very little penetration. I do not have a picture, but there was no penetration on the 1/2" bar on the mount side.

I'm hoping @AirborneTexasRanger can take a look and tell me what he thinks.

View attachment 535020

When the joint failed, the rest of the mount folded over and just came apart:

View attachment 535021


View attachment 535022


View attachment 535023

To my eye, there are several failed welds on this piece.

View attachment 535038

This is one of the few parts on the rig that I have not fabbed and welded myself. This was the original Dynatrac truss - manufactured by Dyratrac. Whoever welded this thing certainly did not do a good, or even passable, job. As hard as I wheel this thing, I cannot believe it has not failed before now.

On Wednesday, I met Ryan and the team for a run on Pritchette. While trying a crazy line over a couple of huge rocks just before Chewy, I sliced the front passenger side tire:

View attachment 535045

This is why I still carry a spare. Every trail flat I have ever had has been a big cut like this.

View attachment 535046

With a bunch of help from Ryan, Ben and Mike, we got the spare on in short order.

Back at the place that night, I tried something new to me:

View attachment 535047

Since the cut was not on a "flat spot" of the tread, I had to ground off some of the lugs to get a flat spot for the patch:

View attachment 535048

I cut the patch to the correct size, cleaned up the tire, and was ready to glue it in place....

...when my wife yells at me that we were late to head out for dinner. So, no patch. I figured if the need arose, I could slap the patch on out on the trail. I wound up not needing the spare, so it remains like this hanging on the back of the Jeep. Just to see if it actually works, I'll stick the patch on sometime this week (then, off to Discount Tire for a Warranty Replacement )

Jeff, you did a great job dealing with all of this in addition to some of the group's other issues. It was great to see your rig in action. Your driving and spotting skills were excellent as well. You get the boy scout merit badge for trail preparedness. Nice work!

 

[BlueC]

Well, I can't say mine never dropped out of 10th, but I wasn't doin' 66 either...



In fact, I may have been goin' a bit too fast:

View attachment 535075

Should be another Discount Tire warranty replacement. They are gonna love me this week...

You gonna slap a patch on that one too?