Laughable Personal Modifications

[ThisGuyUKnow]

There have been plenty of threads poking fun at silly things other people have done to rigs. Whether it was that cursed PO and his/her butchered wiring jobs or some schmuck selling their CJ covered in hurculiner claiming it is a 9k custom paint job, we have seen them all.

Now I say lets point the finger back at our selves. I did something really "rigged" up today and it just got me smiling, I started to think about some of the "fixes" or "mods" I have done over the years. Most of which I thought, at the time, I had done a good job. Now I just face palm at the thought of what I once thought was a job well done and wonder how many times the people who have bought my past rigs off of me have cursed my name as the evil PO.

So lets see em. Whatever you want to call it, redneck engineering, ghetto rigged, you name it. Lets have a good chuckle at our own expense.

Here is mine. I got tired of waiting to drive around my cj and the whole in the Transmission well felt like I had the oven open blowing directly into my face. (Anyone who has been to the middle ease knows the feeling) Its not a permanent solution just a temporary one while I wait for my new cover plate to come in the mail but still its pretty rigged up. I just hope it doesnt turn into one of those things that is SUPPOSED to be a temporary bandaid and end up long term

 

[Torxhead]

Not what I would call really laughable, but me along with a lot of other guys make changes that involve drilling holes. Then you realize it isn't going to work or you just got tired of it, so you are left with a bunch of holes in your rig. Another issue is I think I am on my third or forth softop and not all the button holes line up with each top so I have a few extra holes there.

 

[Hedgehog]

Nope ....:driving:.... Sorry can't think of a single one ....

 

[PaRenegade]

Sometimes late at night (2 am or so) when I’m jamming, a good song comes on that changes me from a Jeep repair guy to a Rock Star, and if I can’t reach my air guitar or air drums, my feet get to stompin’ and my mind wonders elsewhere. Does anyone see anything wrong in this picture?

The sad thing is that I didn't realize it until I was tightening the second bolt! Luckily it was an easy fix.

 

[Hedgehog]

slave cylinder backwards

 

[Posi]

Yup, easy fix, just two bolts to swap that wheel cylinder around.

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

Nope ....:driving:.... Sorry can't think of a single one ....

I meant this to be a fun thread, but no one wants to play. I guess you were just born with the experience necessary to perfectly fab stuff up with "factory" quality

 

[gr8dain]

The one I have (which is still in my CJ) is that behind the dash are ground wires tied together with household wire nuts. The PO had done some, but when I added gauges and my stereo I added to the mess. I know I need to create a ground block, but other issues keep me from getting to that fix.

 

[jdcaples]

I just grounded a new speedo cluster housing to the negative side post battery terminal using a bare stranded wire run of some indeterminate gauge that I had lying around.

I can't bring myself to drive it for longer than the length of the driveway at the moment. No, I didn't drill a new hole for this....

... and yes, I'm laughing at myself.

-Jon

 

[IOPort51]

I did not keep pictures of the first two attempts at a power distortion center. That would be relays and fuses for all the electrical circuits with the original fuse block only handling low current systems and relay control. but they were both a bit of an embarrassment.

I was mistaken , this is the second. the first was salvaged from a Cherokee. Both worked but the Cherokee did not have the proper gauge wire, too many splices and the relays were too light. the second was not as water resistant as I would have liked and it had fuses which were later replaced with circuit beakers.

 

[Hedgehog]

Guy - Was supposed to be a "Who me, never" kind of joke. Of course I've made some stupid modifications, but was lucky enough to stop and rethink in time to either remove or rethink the stupidness. I've done a lot of that sort of thing. I've done things like weld in a 6" angle iron rust repair just to sit back and wonder why I didn't do 12". That's not very funny though.

 

[hole]

I think most of us have done something redneck-ish, probably more than once too. Telling the (CJ)world about it doesnt come as easy for some. Personally, I find it much easier to admit that kind of stuff after my 17th beer sitting around the campfire :wasted: , but that's just me

 

[GatorBate]

Maybe not what you would call redneck engineering, but before my first trip to Moab with my new Old jeep I replaced all the U-joints in the drive lines and reused the old straps and bolts with the striped heads. The first day we went down Kane creek. About half way through as I climbed up out of the creek there was a loud banging noise as my rear drive line fell off into the creek. I manage to make it the rest of the way out to pavement in front wheel drive. Only had to be pulled through one obstacle. Then the long drive back to town. As I attempted to take off from the first stop sign I came to in town, once again a loud bang. this time from the front of the jeep. When I looked under the jeep the front drive line was on the ground. Spent that night rebuilding drive lines and yes, they went back in with new straps and bolts.

 

[duffer]

Another issue is I think I am on my third or forth softop and not all the button holes line up with each top so I have a few extra holes there.

Amen! Something that simple would seem to be easily standardized but the spacing even changes with the same manufacturer over the years. Pure stupid.

 

[007]

Here's only my latest... I was N O T going back out for another male-male barb - screw that!

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

Here's only my latest... I was N O T going back out for another male-male barb - screw that!

Haha Nice!

 

[hdgapeach]

Got rebar tying wire holding my side pipes up right now. The dang flange broke and that roll of bailing wire served its "get back" purpose in a most excellent fashion .

 

[Turbogus]

I did not keep pictures of the first two attempts at a power distortion center. That would be relays and fuses for all the electrical circuits with the original fuse block only handling low current systems and relay control. but they were both a bit of an embarrassment.

I was mistaken , this is the second. the first was salvaged from a Cherokee. Both worked but the Cherokee did not have the proper gauge wire, too many splices and the relays were too light. the second was not as water resistant as I would have liked and it had fuses which were later replaced with circuit beakers.

I hear ya there IO, the Ford version isn't any better but I was able to rewire to the relay block what I had to with some creative cutting, bending (the terminals to accomodate lager gauge) and soldering. Working good so far except where I ran out of Ford terminals and tried Echlin. Over time they just backed out so replaced the four pot relay extension.



As far as my own "laughable" personal mods it'd have to be the Big Daddy Roth "Rat Fink" bobblehead I screwed to my dash. I'm thinking of modding it with red LED bulbs for the eyes.