What are you doing to your VX this week?

PO made the Strick9 Rock Sliders removeable. They fill up with snow/ice in the Winter so I took them off. Concerned about the post rusting and they just looked bad so I made some caps...

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCN0281.JPG

Bought some black PVC and caps at local Lowes

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCN0278.JPG

Cut into 4" pieces and capped with ends

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCN0279.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/da.../DSCN02802.JPG

Fit was not snug, so I added some door weather stripping that I had to keep the water out.

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCN0282.JPG

Looks better and should keep rusting to a minimum

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCN0283.JPG

Very nice! :thumbup:

It finally happened. Ripped the inner and outter boots on the drivers side...

I guess I'll be working on that next weekend, as I don't have the boots here...

Are the inner and outter boots the same part #? Called local Pep Boys and they said they have 2 and it's a "universal" kit. I guess I'd just have to turn it around and put it on the inside?

PS, how many hours did it take anyone else to do the change? I've got about 3 hours of day light left and don't want to start if I can't finish today. I'm pretty good mechanically... just can't pick up the parts until 3pm.

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Originally Posted by Bob Barker

Are the inner and outter boots the same part #? Called local Pep Boys and they said they have 2 and it's a "universal" kit. I guess I'd just have to turn it around and put it on the inside?

PS, how many hours did it take anyone else to do the change? I've got about 3 hours of day light left and don't want to start if I can't finish today. I'm pretty good mechanically... just can't pick up the parts until 3pm.

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BB- Maybe want to do a search, there's quite a bit of recent info on CVs, model #s, how-to, etc.. Details on the boots, the joints, etc etc...

I believe the inner and outer are differant part numbers. When I did mine they were differant. Now that I have torn my front end apart a few times I can do it in about 2 hours per side. I would plan on 4 since you never know what might get thrown your way...rust, stripped bolts, etc. Good luck and have fun.

Yeah, I read all the how to's THANKS! they were a huge help. I had problems with the flat band clamps that came with the boots. I even bought the pliers and never felt like I could get hem to tighten enough to seal. They are on with screw type clamps right now, I know that's not ideal but I had to finish it up last night! Any how to's on operating some flipping flat band clamp pliers?!?

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Originally Posted by Bob Barker

Yeah, I read all the how to's THANKS! they were a huge help. I had problems with the flat band clamps that came with the boots. I even bought the pliers and never felt like I could get hem to tighten enough to seal. They are on with screw type clamps right now, I know that's not ideal but I had to finish it up last night! Any how to's on operating some flipping flat band clamp pliers?!?

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There's a special tool for tightening those flat clamps...:_wrench:

http://www.bing.com/shopping/KD-Tool...5d&wf=Commerce

Should be able to get your hands on one at most any auto parts store.

A screw type clamp will eventually wear through the boot.

It's the one that looks like a can opener, you put the "stop" against where the band goes through itself, then put the free end in the winder, tighten it down, bend & trim.
Then a few taps to flatten it out, & a few layers of electrical tape if ya wanna get really fancy.

Well that's not the pliers I bought at all.... I'm gonna have to go back and find the right things. Thanks dub

I am dropping my differential and installing a new rt side cv inner cup. Here are my tips for anyone else who wants to do this. First build a 24 by24 garage with a hydraulic bay in your backyard...heated if you live North. Then invest in 2000 in air tools, get a drill press, band saw, welder, grinder and all the other tools you may need. Then those fork like things that they sell to seperate ball joints and tie rod ends....give that to your neighbor for his grill or your wife for a speghetti claw...they are useless. As for me I did it while laying on top of acorns in my driveway. In total it took me about 8 hours to get the diff down onto the pavement. I am slow, 50 years old, achey, and tend to just stare at bolts for about 15 minutes before I actually put a wrench on them. It is New Year's day - I started this the night before New years Eve by pulling the front drive shaft. I allowed this 3 days off work to get it done and take my wife shopping like I am now. Good year everyone.! (8 hours just to get it down- another ? to reinstall)

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Originally Posted by Ebenezr

I am dropping my differential and installing a new rt side cv inner cup. Here are my tips for anyone else who wants to do this. First build a 24 by24 garage with a hydraulic bay in your backyard...heated if you live North. Then invest in 2000 in air tools, get a drill press, band saw, welder, grinder and all the other tools you may need. Then those fork like things that they sell to seperate ball joints and tie rod ends....give that to your neighbor for his grill or your wife for a speghetti claw...they are useless. As for me I did it while laying on top of acorns in my driveway. In total it took me about 8 hours to get the diff down onto the pavement. I am slow, 50 years old, achey, and tend to just stare at bolts for about 15 minutes before I actually put a wrench on them. It is New Year's day - I started this the night before New years Eve by pulling the front drive shaft. I allowed this 3 days off work to get it done and take my wife shopping like I am now. Good year everyone.! (8 hours just to get it down- another ? to reinstall)

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You don't need all that for a diff drop...lol. For separating ball joints, just use a sledge hammer, whack em a few times, and they pop right out, I have done it literally dozens of times on my VX. All you need is a wrench set from Harbor Freight-15 bucks, jack stands and floor jack-40 bucks for the set or so, an extra bottle jack-9 bucks or so, I recommend an electric impact-50 bucks plus another 15 for the impact socket set, 3-5lb sledge-7 bucks, a 2x4-scrap piece-free, thats about it. Should be able to get it down in 2-3 hours tops. If you lived closer, I could help you out:)

Hey I shopped electric impact wrench and couldn't find any such animal. So they do have them...well I will look again. Part of my time crunch is modifying the brackets. Doing it myself and using a different method than others have used. I'm using a cheap harbor freight welder , welding for the first , and loving it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ebenezr

Hey I shopped electric impact wrench and couldn't find any such animal. So they do have them...well I will look again. Part of my time crunch is modifying the brackets. Doing it myself and using a different method than others have used. I'm using a cheap harbor freight welder , welding for the first , and loving it.

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Very strange, if you search impact wrench, it doesn't show up. I searched wrench, and filtered to power tools, and voila:
http://www.harborfreight.com/catalog...CategoryExpand

You can get 25% coupons all over the place, sunday paper, popular science and so on. I broke my first one the first time I used it and decided to take it apart rather than take it back. That was a mistake...springs and bearings everywhere. They wouldn't take it back after that. Bought another one, I have beat the piss out of it, ran it so hard the grease started smoking, and it is still going strong.

Yes when you google electric impact wrench there are a million of them. Here is a picture of how I modified my brackets. dropped 1.25 ". Remember this is the first time I have ever welded so laugh if you will at my welds. :).

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/0451.JPG
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/0461.JPG
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/0481.JPG

Do you think that will be strong enough?