We are SO far ahead of the game compared to last year.

Here's a quick status on the car:

I dropped it off at LetzRoll Offroad for this week, pick up on Saturday so that I can do the final week of prep prior to KOH.

Yukon Gear and Axle has stepped up BIG. They have sent all new chomoly shafts and high end joints all the way around for the entire rig. Andrew is installing them this week and all the existing shafts and joints now become spares. What a blessing.

Here is Andrew's list for this week:

Axles shafts
Joints
Gussets
Rear Bumper
Pressure in shocks and bump stops
Front driver axle seal leak (replace seal)
Front and Rear axle dif cover leaking - repair or replace
Replace Atlas rear seal (leaking)
Exhaust leak
Service and check both diffs, trans, and transfer case
Look everything over and make sure I am not going to die

... related to that last point, I just got this e-mail from Andrew, "We did have.to re do your motor mounts today. Its not good when your engine torques over a inch and your power steering pully hits your shock mount. O yes your Pitman arm was bent and about to break off. I had a genright arm on the shelf I just gave you for a late Christmas gift." He's a great guy.

Here's my remaining list once I get it back on Saturday:

Fuel Cell baffling (foam ordered, open up the cell and install... I hear Scott is a fuel cell expert)
Suck down winch repaired (low on the priority list, but with Backdoor and others on the list I would like to have this)
Wire main winch to in cab controller (Jimmy - I'm going to need your help, kind sir)
Additional tires (Pit Bull has shipped 4 more 37x12.5x17's)
Track down headlight issue (Once I put the switch in, they worked... now they don't. GRRRRR electrical stuff)
Seal brake reservoir (when braking hard on rocks, it pushes fluid out like a sieve...)
Adjust and clean harness (Geoff is much bigger than Ivan as a co-driver...)
Clean helmets (they are still filthy...)
Look into latches on nets (they are hard to latch now. If WD-40 doesn't help, consider changing latch style)
IRC tracker (pre-ordered ~ rent and pick up on the lakebed like last year, install on the lake bed, like last year)
Camera plan (map out what goes where, charge batteries,
Tie down straps (need to purchase and replace the two worn front straps for safety)
Spare serpantine belt (need to purchase from NAPA)
Seal fuel cell with cork gasket (Geoff has the cork gasket. Scott's tearing down the fuel cell anyway. Mike won't get sick)
New steering wheel (mine is trashed after Texas, so a new one has been ordered from Summit racing, 13"... it's on its way!)
Tighten serpentine belt (now that it's stretched out, it's loose. Simple adjustment.)
Tighten and mark each and every bolt
Check tire pressures (on car and all 4 mounted spares)
Pre-purchase all fuel with discounted Fry's points

Getting close guys!!!

If I didn't work this weekend I would be all over the fuel cell like Rosie O'Donnell and chocolate pudding. If you need a Costco card to buy fuel let me know. I can lend you mind.

Sketchy lakebed beard prep. Check.

You ever get the trans fixed on the burb?

Avis wrote:You ever get the trans fixed on the burb?

Sure did. January 4th. Pete's Transmission is AWESOME and I highly recommend them to anyone who will listen!

Race radio update: Jim is letting me use his radio for the race (Shawn's co-driver form last year who helped us with electrical on the lakebed) and they are programming it to the new LetzRoll Offroad frequency. I don't know if we'll have helmet headsets or not. We may be old school hand held, but something is better than nothing in an emergency.

Paul - I will get the name of their radio guy (some HAM dude... you probably know him. You all look the same to me... LOL) so you can get the exact frequency, etc... but you will love all his antenna stuff.

There is also an OUTSIDE chance, Geoff, that they can fix Andrew's old intercom system and we'll have that too.

Is Paul the only radio guy going? Just curios if we will have a "radio guy" at both pit locations, or just one of them, and which one? If I'm getting ahead of myself/you just tell me to shutup and ask later.. lol

Avis wrote:Is Paul the only radio guy going? Just curios if we will have a "radio guy" at both pit locations, or just one of them, and which one? If I'm getting ahead of myself/you just tell me to shutup and ask later.. lol

You're getting ahead of yourself. I was answering a text from Paul in this thread without thinking about it. He (Paul) wanted to know the race frequency so he could pre-setup his gadgetry prior to leaving. He digs stuff like that. Jimmy is a radio guy too and others are brining handhelds. There will be a LetzRoll official radio guy (provided by Andrew and Mark) at each pit that has the big antenna things Mark showed us yesterday. I know we also plan on having a multitude of radios for the pit/camp area that are little hand helds. I have four from Jimmy.

I have 4 handheld VHF radios too (not sure 100% on there freq.) also a friend is letting me use his part 97 radio (part 97 is exempt from some of the FCC rules as its made out of country)
:)

You should stage one of these after a race :)

I have been so bad an updating this...

... however, the weight conversation came up on another board today (no, not MY weight, Bob, but the buggy's weight) and I realized I had never documented the official KOH weigh in here!

The buggy weighs 4,139 lbs at race weight (spare tire, full fuel cell, spare parts, tools, etc...). Average weight for my class was about 4600 lbs. Average weight for the stock class was about 5100 lbs. Average Ultra4 cars ran about 4,900 lbs.

Hmmmm... ESAB has stepped up to the plate with some cash. Looks like all the buggies are going yellow and black. I may need to take a page out of the yellowsub playbook for design tips. :-)

The mayo to catsup to mustard metamorphosis is almost complete...

Yellow and black you say?


Hmm I have a great idea for new fire suits



4965

Nice

offroadaz wrote:yellow and black you say?


Hmm i have a great idea for new fire suits



4965

lolololololololol!!!!!!!!!

You owe me a new Monster. That made me laugh. I pictured Andrew, Tim, and everyone in those... I see a PS coming up.

3...2...1...go!!
4970

You know... I kinda dig the new ESAB fire suits.

i wanted the vertical stripes, make me look less fat :p

Bwahahahahahah!

Still think the next vid needs to have this for the music
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