RAYSJEEPS .NET

Scrambler hardtop repairs

Restoring full length hard tops is a time consuming project. There are many types of repairs I.E. fiberglass, latches, hinges, glass, felt trim, etc. 

Sagging  in the center from length wise down the top(running from front to rear) and sagging across the center going (running from side to side) are major repairs. Stiffeners can be used on the inside of the top. They can be either bent 3/4″ aluminum box tubing or number one lumber,1 x 2′s or 2 x 2′s arched to fit the Original Bend(s). Surface preparation at this point is essential. Round off the outside corners of the stiffener because fiberglass does not like sharp corners.

The next step is attaching the stiffeners to the inside of the fiberglass top. Use a total five flat head wood screws for each wood stiffener and five metal flat head screws for the aluminum.  Drill the holes from the outside of the top into the stiffener. Mix up some bondo and apply between the stiffener and fiberglass. Set the first two screws lightly and temporarily using a flat washer under each head to hold in place then set all five without washers. Let set until hardened. Apply fiberglass and resin, smooth, sand and paint.

MORE TO COME!

Different ways to lock the spare tire on your jeep.

The locking spare tire lock on early model  jeeps, OEM version.  Here is a picture of what it looks like.

A short piece of chain and lock will do.  You can buy locking nuts for all of your wheels and spare.

The REDS are Running – Donald Skrabanek 1993

Electrical Problems Made Easy

For proper current flow to exist the circuit must have the correct source voltage applied and be free of any unwanted resistance in the circuit and the best way to test this is to measure voltage drop in the circuit.

Here are the steps to take to perform a voltage drop test:

1. Connect your DVOM negative lead to the battery’s negative post.
2. Connect your DVOM positive lead to the battery’s positive post and measure its voltage. Record this reading.
3. Connect your DVOM positive lead to the positive side of the load being tested, as close to the load as possible.
4. Operate the circuit, and record your measurement.
5. Connect your DVOM positive lead to the negative side of the load being tested, as close to the load as possible.
6. Operate the circuit and record your measurement.

Let’s take a closer look at these steps. First, we want to test the integrity of the ENTIRE circuit so placing your test leads at the battery is a must. You can make an extension lead for your DVOM so you can always connect to the battery ground terminal with your negative meter lead. Second, it is important to know the source voltage available. If the battery is weak to start with your circuit is already working with a handicap.

In the third step, you are making sure all that source voltage is getting to the load component. Getting as close to the load as possible insures you are testing the entire path. On the positive side of the load you should read within 0.50 volts of your source voltage, i.e. if you started with 14.56 volts you should read no less than 14.06 volts. This applies to most basic circuits. If you are diagnosing a PCM/ECM related circuit you may want to see even less than that.

In step #5, you are looking for unwanted voltage drops in your load downstream because all the voltage should have been used by the load. If you get a voltage reading of 0.50v or more here there is something else taking voltage from the primary component. This unwanted source may be ultimately found downstream of the load maybe even at the battery connection itself.

Some voltage measurement on the ground side of a working load is normal. If an open to ground exists you will measure source voltage on both sides of the load. If the ground side measures 0.0 volts and the component is receiving correct source voltage then the load likely has an internal open AKA you have a failed component.

A common mistake is to use a chassis ground under the dash when testing inside the car.; but don’t forget that chassis ground point still has to make it back to the battery typically through a few more connections before the ground path is complete.

If done properly a voltage drop test will quickly isolate the problem and save you time and money in the process.

Brined & Barbecue Smoked Turkey

Old salty dog releasing another secret cooking thingy.

This original turkey brine recipe suits my own preferences and taste. You may change the ratios of ingredients to suit your taste

Pour the quart of hot water in a large and deep bucket, stir in the salt and molasses until fully dissolved, and then add the lemon, onion, garlic and other herbs and spices. Add the 4 quarts of cold water and let cool to room temperature or refrigerator temperature.

You might also use a large sturdy watertight plastic bag to brine the turkey.

Lower the turkey in the brine and make sure it is fully submerged and leave it for 12 hours. If you can get into the refrigerator the more the better. The next day just take it out and put it on the BBQ pit.

NOAA Extreme Weather Information – phone numbers

 National Weather Service Forecast Office (Houston/Galveston) (www.srh.noaa.gov/hgx) www.texasonline.com/portal/tol/en/emergency Department of Public Safety

 (www.txdps.state.tx.us) 512-424-2000

Governor’s Division of Emergency Mngt

512-424-2138

(www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem/pages/index.htm) 

Texas Department of Transportation

(www.dot.state.tx.us) 1-800-558-9368

Texas State Road Conditions

(www.dot.state.tx.us/travel/road_conditions.htm) 1-800-452-9292

281-337-5074

National Weather Service Forecast Office (Brownsville) (

www.srh.noaa.gov/bro) 956-504-1432

National Weather Service Forecast Office (Corpus Christi)

 (www.srh.noaa.gov/crp) 361-289-0959

Office of Tourism Information & Referral

 (www.traveltex.com) 1-800-888-8TEX (8839)

 Texas Department of Agriculture (www.agr.state.tx.us) 1-800-TELL-TDA (835-5832)

Texas Highway Patrol (www.txdps.state.tx.us/tle) 512-424-2000

Texas Highway Patrol Roadside Assistance 1-800-525-5555

Texas Rangers (www.txdps.state.tx.us/director_staff/texas_rangers) 512-424-2160

Governor’s Office (www.governor.state.tx.us) 1-800-843-5789 (in-state only) or 512-463-2000

Texas Animal Health Commission (www.tahc.state.tx.us) 1-800-550-8242

Texas Attorney General (www.oag.state.tx.us) 1-800-621-0508 or 512-463-2100

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (www.tceq.state.tx.us) 512-239-1000

Texas Department of Insurance (www.tdi.state.tx.us) 1-800-578-4677 or 512-463-6169

Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (www.tpwd.state.tx.us) 1-800-792-1112

Texas Department of State Health Services (www.dshs.state.tx.us) 1-888-963-7111 or 512-458-7111

Brownsville Public Utilities Board (www.brownsville-pub.com) 956-983-6300

CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric (www.centerpointenergy.com) 

1-800-752-8036

CenterPoint Energy East/South Texas

(www.centerpointenergy.com) 1-888-876-5786

 Entergy (www.entergy-texas.com) Customer Service and Emergencies 1-800-ENTERGY (368-3749)

Power Outage 1-800-9OUTAGE (968-8243)

Houston County Electric Cooperative (http://houstoncountyelec.com) 

Customer Service 1-800-657-2445

Power Outage 1-800-970-HCEC (4232)

Nueces Electric Cooperative

(www.nueceselectric.org) 1-800-NEC-WATT (632-9288)

 San Patricio Electric Cooperative (www.sanpatricioelectric.org) 1-888-740-2220 or 361-364-2220

AEP – American Electric Power (www.aep.com) 1-877-373-4858

US Coast Guard, 8th District (www.uscg.mil/D8) 713-671-5100

 

Jeep News centerpoint, DSHS, entergy, extreme weather, national weather service, NOAA, TAHC, TCEQ, TDI, Texas DPS, texas highway patrol, Texas Rangers, TPWD, US coast guard

Fiberglass versus steel body

I live in Boston and have this jeep.  As you can imagine, it’s all rusted.  I don’t want to get rid of it, but don’t know where to start regarding possible refurbishing.  I’m told there is a fiberglass body I can put on it.  Is that a better way to go than completely changing out all the metal?  Thanks, Rip Reeves (Senior Portfolio Manager-Insurance Client Strategies).

Hello, glad that you contacted me. There are fiberglass body assemblies, I.E. tub ($1500), one piece front-end ($900), and other various parts available from aftermarket retail stores. Most of the pieces are basically blank and you have to drill & cut various holes for fit-up. Naturally fiberglass will not rust and the cloned assemblies fit up pretty close.

 After market steel assemblies are reliably available and have more holes in the right places and are priced a little higher than fiberglass.

There is an associate of mine that sells new aftermarket jeep parts. Go to my website www.raysjeeps.net and then go to the PARTS page and click on http://funjeepsparts.com/webstore. They can help you in new after market parts.

Bobwhite Quail

The Bobwhite, known in the south as the "partridge", is one of several 
species of American quail. It is a chunky ruddy-colored bird, a little 
larger than a meadow lark. The cock has a conspicuous white throat
and a white stripe over the eye. In the hen these parts are buffy. The
tail is short and dark, and the light-colored breast is flecked with dark
bars. 
They squat motionless and almost invisible, until a person is very
close. When they "flush", with a startling explosive whirl, they fly
some distance at high speed with fast-beating wings and then coast or
"scale" with the wings curved sharply outward.
Throughout spring and summer the male may be heard, morning and
evening, calling from a perch on a fallen log, a fence post, or occasionally a low tree. 
A clear whistle  "Bob-White!" or "Poor-Bob-Whoit!", with the last note loud and ringing. 
 
The "covey call", a shrill "ka-loi-kee?", is used to call the members of a family together. 

This is answered by a lower-pitched "whoil-kee" which can be imitated to bring quail
 within a few yards of a quiet watcher.
In a field or near the edge of the woods, the mated pairs build a nest
which is merely a shallow hollow in the ground, lined with dead grass
and leaves open to the sky or under a tuft of grass. In it she lays from
7 to as many as 28 pure-white oval eggs about an inch in diameter. 
Although she leaves the nest on warm afternoons to feed and exercise,
the male also brings insects and other food to her. If something
happens to the hen at this time, the cock has been known to hatch the
eggs and raise the young. During the day, the family devours
enormous quantities of insects and some wild seeds and berries. 
At night they sleep on the ground in a circle, with all heads pointed 
outward to watch for enemies. If a feeding family is disturbed, the 
parents give a low warning note and the well-camouflaged babies
"freeze" to become almost invisible. The parents then pretend to be
crippled and try to lure the enemy away by fluttering over the ground,
just out of reach.
As the young mature, the diet changes until in fall, winter and spring
it consists of a variety of wild fruits, weed seeds (especially the
common ragweed), and waste grain gleaned from fields. Because of
the great quantity of destructive insects eaten, such as the chinch bug,
no bird is more beneficial to the farmer. In northern regions, many
quail die during severe winters with deep crusted snows. 
Because quail nest, eat and sleep on the ground, they are prey for hawks, owls,
crows, foxes, skunks, weasels, snakes, rats and roaming house cats. 
But their most deadly enemy is man, the hunter.
 

Baked Pineapple Quail

8 whole quail (skin on) – 1 can (20 oz.) sliced pineapple (drain and reserve juice), 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tsp. dried rosemary, 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, 1 small thinly sliced lemon, 2 Tbsp. salt and pepper, 3 tbsp. Tony’s,

Preheat oven to 400° F. Arrange quail, breast-side down, in a shallow baking dish. Blend all ingredients and juice mixture over quail. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Turn quail breast-side up and arrange pineapple and lemon slices over quail. Baste with sauce and bake until quail are fork tender about another 15 minutes longer.

Batter Fried Quail

12 quail – 3 cups water, 1 Tbsp. salt, 1 cup pancake or biscuit mix, 2 tsp. onion powder, 2 tsp. sea salt, 3 tbsp. Tony’s, 1/4 tsp. seasoned pepper, 2 envelopes instant chicken broth, 1 forth cup vegetable oil.
Cover quail with salted water. Chill at least one hour. Combine remaining ingredients in a paper bag. Remove quail from water, and shake in bag of mix. Fry in hot oil only until golden brown. Serves 6.

Quail recipes – chili

Pre cook 3 lbs. dry kidney or pinto beans. Slightly pan fry (brown) one pound of quail in olive oil.  All other ingredients = 16 oz. stewed tomatoes (undrained), 2 oz. Jalapeno sauce, one large 1015 onion (chunked), 4 garlic clove (smashed), one table spoon Tony’s,  dash of salt & pepper,  one cup broken tortilla chips (optional), 2 tbsp chile powder, 2 tbsp. cumin.

Add all ingredients into the large pot of cooked beans. Bring to a boil and then simmer 15 minutes to heat and cook thoroughly.

Quail recipes – Dutch oven, weekly additions

Dutch oven quail – Roll eight quail in equal combination of flour, cornmeal and Tony’s. Preheat  about  one half cup  of  fat/olive oil piping hot in dutch oven. Brown birds quickly on both sides. Then add a one cup of water, place lid and turn fire low to let simmer for one hour.

BestTech Pest Control

BestTech Pest Control is happily serving the Pearland/Manvel area for pest control, fire ants, termites, rodents, fleas/ticks, etc. Residential and Commercial. Call 281-208-0956 for an appointment for an evaluation. We has been going “green” since it’s inception. By properly identifying pests and the conducive conditions that CAUSE pests we can make more precise applications that help limit the amount of chemicals used in/around your home and family or your facility.

Roll Cage

The factory roll cage is good enough for street driving but when you go off roading you really need the full roll bar cage system. Some are bolted in and some are welded in. There are after market boltins with CNC clamps. These half collar clamps work well when you do not want weld to the factory roll cage.

Look at the PIC of how my set up is on my Scrambler. The extended vertical roll bars extend through the bed and weld directly to the frame using 90 deg sweeping elbows.  There are frame tiein kits available from Rock Hard for a little over $100 but you can make them yourself  if you are mechanically inclined.

There are brackets that  mount behind the dash, extends down to the floor, with a plate at the floor and a plate under the floor. This bracket fits inside the door post channel so snug to the body that it does not interfere with the use of the emergency brake or release handle.

2010 COOKOFF Chili & Gumbo Results

RAYSJEEPS is having our annual chili and gumbo cookoff  today.

First and Second place trophies. And, for Showmanship the winning team gets two tickets to see ZZ TOP at the Houston Livestock Shos & Rodeo (HLSR). Chenango group (Dave & Yavone) won 1st place last year, Under the Bridge (John, Lynda, Steve, Monica) won 2nd place. There will be some tough competition this year from new groups claiming that their chili and gumbo is the best. We’ll see.

Chenango group (Dave & Yavone) won 1st place again this year, Under the Bridge (John, Lynda) won 2nd place again this year. The Blackshear group won 3rd place chili as well as 3rd place gumbo.
The Mardi Gras Moms wone 1st place gumbo and the Dumbo Gumbos won 2nd place gumbo as well as the two tickets to see ZZ TOP at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo (HLSR). By the way the party was also to celebrate Staci’s 50th birthday. If anyone is interested we have PICS of the party.

Barbeque BBQ

Ray’s Blue Smoke BBQ – pork or beef ribs

RAY’S JEEPS .NET › Tools — WordPress

RAY’S JEEPS .NET › Tools — WordPress.

Jetta GLS 1.8T / GLI 1.8T

turning up the pressure in the Jetta’s turbocharged and intercooled induction system, the 1.8-liter DOHC 20-valve four generates 180 horses and 174 pound-feet of torque versus 150 hp and 155 pound-feet in its previous Jetta installation. Just as important, the torque curve has an upper plateau roughly the size of Kansas, peaking at 1950 rpm and staying there all the way to 5000 rpm. This is the most powerful four ever offered by VW, and it makes the Jetta formidable in straight-ahead performance, a stout ally when the driver pulls out to pass and wants extra haste.

Lifted Scramblers

Pictures wanted of Lifted Scramblers

Pictures of Scramblers with different style wheels black, aluminum, chrome etc. Also let me know if the Scrambler has a lift on it and tire size so I have some idea what I am looking at. I have a 2.5 lift kit to install.

I have an 83 that I am in the process of purchasing wheels and tires. I just bought 31×10.5×15 Mickey Thompsons.

I was looking at the Crager rims soft eight style in black.

I also really like the new Dick Cepek DC-1 in black. I can’t seem to find the DC1 in 15×8 with the right bolt pattern. What problems would I have, or can I mount the 31×10.5 on a 15×10 rim?

Go to my website http://www.raysjeeps.net and look up the Service page

OTHER PICS

Keystone Rims. 

 

Traxxus radial MT 33′s on 15×8 American Racing Diamond locks

4.5″ lift, 1.5″ body lift and 35″ mudders 

 

2 1/2″ Skyjacker springs, 3/8″ shackle lift, 1/2″ body lift, 31″ tires. 

 

 

Stock:

4.5″ RE lift, 1″ body lift:

 

 

 

Spring Shackle set up

Outboard Springs PICS wanted

Q

I am going to go with outboard springs on my Jeep when I switch to early Bronco or GM axles.  I was reading through some old threads on axle swaps and was thinking about when I do my axle swap. Instead of reinventing the wheel I would like to see some pictures of what you and others have done.

A
Lookup at my website www.raysjeeps.net  

Go to the Service page and find the off-road scrambler.  Sample

OTHER PICS – home made front bracket

RuffStuff Specialties has pre-fab’d outboard brackets on their website. These are some of their hangers.