Baka's 1998 Build

Tru dat. It sucks breaking something right out of the gate. But I managed to have a lot of fun until then. Coming home was a little nerve wracking since I was half waiting for the wheel to come off or lock up at 70mph, but I made it.

 

This is from the Hardrock trip back at the end of April that ate the OGT's right front corner and ended my ambitions of ever going out of state to do the real thing...

https://youtu.be/BGCEYC0any8

Video courtesy of @Madunc For a change, the OGT getting damaged didn't get caught on video.

 

Very cool video Lee...I need to find a good video editing program! Looked like some fun wheeling

 

That stuff was a lot steeper than it looks in the video, and I definitely wasn't keeping up with the big dawgs there. I didn't even attempt the rock gardens nor the climb with the huge ledge that Todd and the red Hilux went up. I did attempt the climb that Todd got denied on that the Hilux made it up, but I was denied on that one as well. Haha, our 2nd Gens were playing it really safe, although in fairness I think they were both open/open. But yeah, it was a great time until that stub axle pretty much exploded. Still made it home under its own power though.

I did get to pull Madunc out of that bottomless mud hole he found, and I like doing that stuff. He was surprised with how hard the OGT pulls since when he came out of the hole he stepped on the brakes and I was still pulling him.

 

I'll bring the bs here instead of your WTB thread. Bahaha I broke mine the day after you from what it sounds. If you want to go out of state you just gotta bring spare parts!

 

Haha, Yeah, I had planned on that, but I shattered that axle within 2 hours at a small ORV park and it did enough damage to require a press to fix...or if I was only running the autobone axles, I'd have to have one for every obstacle and I spend all day replacing axles instead of wheeling. It wouldn't be a very fun trip.

 

@allenfab





Now I just have to hope the inner bushing isn't too tore up and then I'll just need a lockout.

 

Nice! I'm real glad we rescheduled this cause the garage is full of shit from the move lol. I'll be ready for ya next weekend though

 

Me too. Got someone coming over to look at the t-case Sunday. Coming from 3 hours away so hopefully that means he's all but positive he's gonna buy it. Didn't ask about money either, so either he's planning to rob me or he's prepared to pay full asking, haha.

 

That will be a nice little come-up if he comes through. You can buy a few hubs with that cash haha

 

Ayup. Unfortunately, this is my regear money I'm spending on repairs. I would have been only $300 away from being able to send my diffs off to ECGS and getting them back with 4.88s.

 

Paid a visit to @allenfab today and picked up a few random spare parts for the OGT. We also pressed my new axle bearing and bushings in. Thanks a ton for the help, Todd!

This first part, getting the old bearing out, I did at the Baka shop. I was able to save the inner bushing which was good because it was out of stock...



New bearing and outer bushing...



After we got the new parts pressed back in...



Thank gawd! This saved $250 for a new wheel hub + ~$70 for a new wheel bearing + ~$20 for new wheel seals + ~$60 for the machine shop to install the bearing and seals. Cost me about $50 with shipping for the new bearing and bushing. I'll take that any day (especially since this wheel bearing has less than 2K miles on it and it would have hurt my feelings badly to destroy it to put in a new wheel hub).

Now I just need to find a new lockout. Worst case, I can get a brand new one from Low Range Off-Road for $128 + shipping, but I'm hoping someone has a used one they'll part with.

Edit: Also, in the process, I discovered my UBJs were toast...again (I'm assuming if the passenger side is, then the driver's side probably is too). So I'll be putting the third set of those in in 4 years. At least they are free and not terrible to replace.

 

So, after 5 and a half months, I went from this...



To this...



And the OGT is finally back in fighting trim just in time for the Fall Camp & Ride.

 

Fun picture from the Fall Camp & Ride. This the first time I've ever seen the LTBs deformed like that at 14 psi. Kinda cool and I'm relieved to know that they will wrap around the terrain at that pressure.

 

Got phase one of the new front bumper knocked out today. @allenfab got the recovery points/receiver/front crossmember welded in and we got the base plates for the actual bumper made up with the lightbar mount. the rest of the bumper won't be done until after the Annual Meet unfortunately, but it's finally happening!



Oh, and Todd, as of this afternoon, the light bar is fully functional. It's probably going to wait until Citrus to begin communicating with aliens like John's ( @TacoTRD78 ) did, haha.

 

haha, good deal. Just don't mess with that light bar before Citrus!

 

That looks great Lee! Where'd you get those recovery mounts?

 

Cant wait to see the finished product Lee. The light bar that was communicating to Extraterrestrial life I think your talking about was @LMarshall73.

 

Aw, damn...CRS strikes again!

Haha

You betcha!

Thanks! I got the shackle eyes and the receiver from Ruff Stuff Specialties. They have some fantastic fab parts. That's also where I got my super beefy leaf spring top plates, ubolts, shock mounts, and anti-wrap spring perches when we did the rear end.

 

I thought It was a case of CRS Lol. I wasn't going to call you out, but figured better me than someone else lol