Wildman's TJ is getting a face lift

[Wildman]

Are they putting monkeys in space again?

Just playing, I know how a day at the VA goes. Hope they’re treating you well up there, mine here is pretty good. I was just reevaluated for my disability. Outcome: good
Glad you’re feeling better and getting back to wrenching!

I can say that my opinion of the VA has improved over the past 3 years. If you'd asked me 5 years ago I would have told you that I HATED the VA and you basically had to drag me to any appointments with them.
But since my amputation they have been really good about providing better service.

I've got to start a new claim here at some point and don't look forward to having to deal with that part of the process.

Funny part was after my amputation I had to go get evaluated for the amputation and the doctor I saw couldn't tell if I was above the knee or below the knee even though I had shorts on. It was like OK I'm here can you just make a note saying I don't have my leg anymore? Hope you don't think it'll grow back.

 

[Nickgsjeep]

I can say that my opinion of the VA has improved over the past 3 years. If you'd asked me 5 years ago I would have told you that I HATED the VA and you basically had to drag me to any appointments with them.
But since my amputation they have been really good about providing better service.

I've got to start a new claim here at some point and don't look forward to having to deal with that part of the process.

Funny part was after my amputation I had to go get evaluated for the amputation and the doctor I saw couldn't tell if I was above the knee or below the knee even though I had shorts on. It was like OK I'm here can you just make a note saying I don't have my leg anymore? Hope you don't think it'll grow back.

I can only imagine, the evaluators can be hit or miss. I can just see him sitting there rubbing his chin while mentally crunching the disability percentage differences between above or below knee amputations and the possibility of you “getting better” while you’re sitting there going “my fucking leg is gone!”
My first evaluation when I first got out was terrible, but this second time around was awesome. Did everything online, went to two appointments and saw some people who cared (or at least seemed to) and it was a great outcome.

hope the same for you this time around man!

 

[someguysjeep]

my memory sucks..........we're you involved in a convo about the BCE's as they are being called now? and getting together and helping a few others do it? someone said BCE party , i vaguely remember. i thought you were part of that.

 

[Wildman]

my memory sucks..........we're you involved in a convo about the BCE's as they are being called now? and getting together and helping a few others do it? someone said BCE party , i vaguely remember. i thought you were part of that.

I'm going to be doing the BCE to mine but that is it. I have to cut and redo the rear frame anyhow so I might as well take care of that.

 

[someguysjeep]

you got tube for the upper patch?

i was dickin around at work last wk with nothin to do so i ripped a few copes out of some tube scraps with the plasma, i think would work.
they are cut big to handle up to 1.5" of BL, and can be trimmed for less.

i could toss a set your way some time next wk, if it helps.

got a few sets, so if anybody else needs some chime in.

 

[Wildman]

you got tube for the upper patch?

i was dickin around at work last wk with nothin to do so i ripped a few copes out of some tube scraps with the plasma, i think would work.
they are cut big to handle up to 1.5" of BL, and can be trimmed for less.

i could toss a set your way some time next wk, if it helps.

got a few sets, so if anybody else needs some chime in.

I have a small section of the tube left over from the frame stretch but I don't know if it will be enough yet since I haven't cut anything yet.

Sure if you don't mind throwing some in the mail it would be appreciated. Do you still have my mailing address?

I was just out in my garage and had to turn my heaters back on. It had been warmer so I'd turned the heat off. But Mother Nature is having fun with us again and it's 28* out and we got a dusting of snow again.
So I'm going to wait about an hour to let things warm up again and then go out and spend a couple hours working on stuff. I've got to stop around 2PM today since I need to get spiffy'd up for a date tonight.

 

[someguysjeep]

i think i still got your info in my DM's. if not i'll let ya know.

 

[Wildman]

I can only imagine, the evaluators can be hit or miss. I can just see him sitting there rubbing his chin while mentally crunching the disability percentage differences between above or below knee amputations and the possibility of you “getting better” while you’re sitting there going “my fucking leg is gone!”
My first evaluation when I first got out was terrible, but this second time around was awesome. Did everything online, went to two appointments and saw some people who cared (or at least seemed to) and it was a great outcome.

hope the same for you this time around man!

Hehehe,
Found this and it was just too fitting for this conversation.

 

[Wildman]

OK I finally got the holes drilled in my tabs for the engine/transmission skid plate.
Now I've got to weld them together.

 

[Wildman]

So I made backer plates that I welded the nuts to so I'm not trying to fish the nuts in place.

And then I made the arms that will stick out to hold the arms for the skid plate. I used the arms to give me the distance I needed between the two tabs.

Did the passenger side first.

And then the drivers side.

Because the motor mounts are angled I needed these tabs to make a mounting location that was flat.

I'll butt the nits up against the motor mounts and then put some braces to help make them a little stronger.

I think this will work and should be strong enough.

 

[Wildman]

It might be a little OVER KILL but it was the only way I could figure out how to mount the arms for the skid plate since I don't have stock motor mounts that this was made to mount to.

I'll work on welding the tabs with the nuts to the frame tomorrow and then test fit everything to make sure it all works like I want it to.

 

[Ephry73]

It might be a little OVER KILL but it was the only way I could figure out how to mount the arms for the skid plate since I don't have stock motor mounts that this was made to mount to.

I'll work on welding the tabs with the nuts to the frame tomorrow and then test fit everything to make sure it all works like I want it to.

Better overkill and overengineered than have to fix it in the trail or the road

 

[Wildman]

Better overkill and overengineered than have to fix it in the trail or the road

Totally agreed.

 

[Wildman]

After I ran into town this morning I started working on the mounts again. The first thing I did was to run a tap thru the nuts to make sure the threads were okay after the welding. And while I was doing that i noticed that as I tightened the bolts down the end that would attach to the nut backed plate that the ends would compress. So I welded in a little shim to keep that from happening.

Then I worked on how to mount the nut backed plates and decided that I would stand them off from the motor mounts using some 1/4 x 1" flat stock.

 

[Wildman]

I bolted the brackets to the nut backed plates before I welded them to the motor mount to make sure there wasn't any clearance issues.

 

[Wildman]

Then I welded the plates to the motor mounts. Turned out better than I expected.

 

[Wildman]

Tomorrow I will test fit the engine/transmission skid plate and verify the every thing is going to work.

 

[Wildman]

Well I had a ROUGH night last night so I didn't get anything done today. I did get my port-a-power in today so I can mess around with it tomorrow. And I'll be mounting the skid plates to make sure everything fits.

Once I am sure all is good I can prep the front frame to be painted and start getting that done. Once the frame is painted it'll be time to set the engine back in place I hope for the LAST time and then start messing around with wiring.

I've still got to install my raised body mounts and get the BCE done when I cut off the extra frame I have sticking out the rear.
I need to pull both axles out and do the final welding on them also.

I'm waiting for the Fox 12" shock from @pcoplin but they are hard to get right now. Once I have them I can do the rear outboard and then I'll be close to being able to check out everything.

 

[someguysjeep]

if you are gonna shorten whats back there that's gonna influence the shape of the patch.

i got the box bout ready to go, should have it out tomrw, i put in a few tid-bits i had laying around you might find a use for.
USPS sucks around here they still haven't delivered Xmas packages, so it's comin UPS.
i put 2 sets of patches in the box, 1's cut a bit deeper and longer than the other.

 

[Wildman]

if you are gonna shorten whats back there that's gonna influence the shape of the patch.

i got the box bout ready to go, should have it out tomrw, i put in a few tid-bits i had laying around you might find a use for.
USPS sucks around here they still haven't delivered Xmas packages, so it's comin UPS.
i put 2 sets of patches in the box, 1's cut a bit deeper and longer than the other.

It's gunna depend on how much I'm into the curve once I shorten it some. And I haven't looked at it that close to know yet where it'll end up.

I'll take a picture today and show you where I'm at.