Topic: The Macheen rebuild

[nwflyoda]

It should.  But my trailer isn't a deck over so i'm gonna have to widen it so my tires aren't hanging off the edge.

[redneckcustoms13]

I thought you had gotten a new one?

[nwflyoda [OP]]

i did but its not a gooseneck.  Its a 2 car hauler tag trailer.  I can't pull a gooseneck with my toter.

[redneckcustoms13]

I assumed it was a deck over pintle hitch.

[nwflyoda [OP]]

ah, i see.  naw, its got a 2 5/16" ball.  i don't like pintle hitches.  haha

[redneckcustoms13]

I don't care for them either. Unfortunately the 30k trailers I pull are all pintle though.

[nwflyoda [OP]]

Yeah, that makes sense for that weight.  mine only has tandem 7k axles so its not rated for that weight.  But, for two rigs it works fine.

[redneckcustoms13]

Does it have stake pockets and a rail down the side? I've seen some guys make extensions that just set down in the stake pockets. They were pretty nice and simple.

[nwflyoda [OP]]

No, it doesn't have stake pockets sadly.  There are some half assed rails down the side that are small.  I'm gonna have to cut them off to widen the trailer.  Once i get the rear wheels put back together, that will be my next big project.  I also want to cut the diamond plate out from the center of the trailer so that i can use that space for storage for my propane tanks and spare tires for the trailer among other things.  The trailer also has slide in ramps that suck since they aren't wide enough for a 4 wheel drive to drive on plus they are heavy as hell.  so, i'll get rid of those and weld some rackets for my 7' aluminum ramps to be used then.  The aluminum ramps can handle 5k per axle so they'll have no issues with my rig going on them.

[nwflyoda [OP]]

Update:

Wow, it's been far too long since I've updated this.  Let's see if I can remember how to do this.  haha

Since my last post, I've moved out to the PNW.  I'm now living in Washington.  But before I moved, I did some trading with a buddy and bought a brand new 4 speed atlas.  This will accompany the AW4 swap that I'm going to do once I get settled in out west.



Here is the truggy in her new home until I can get a shop built in the back yard.  This pic was well before I loaded the garage full of my crap so now it's very tight to work on the rig in here.  Moving pains.



And because it took me so long to find a place so to live and then get moved in, I didn't waste any time before i went wheeling...2 weekends in a row!!  The first was to a place in the Washington Olympic Peninsula called Sadie Creek.  The terrain was a lot more muddy than I'm used to but it was still a great time wheeling with some great folks!!  The trails were really tight for my rig and I was glad that I had rear steer!!!

Finally got to meet John with the 4 ton unimog toyota/honda powered Fiat.  This rig is sweet!



All three of the rigs here had 4 wheel steering.



The only issue that I had there was that a root stuck out and caught my valve stem.  Luckily the SX's are a tough tire so I limped it back to camp and of course I didn't bring my spare with me.  So, we performed a trail fix which consisted of a screw with electrical tape and aired up the tire than ran the screw into the metal valve stem.  Worked like a champ!



This is the second time that this has happened to me, the first at Green Acres in Clayton OK.  So, I'm gonna plug the factory hummer valve stem hole and then drill new valve stem holes on the back half of the wheel better protected.  You can actually see parts of the root still trapped in the rock ring and spokes of the wheel.



The next trip out was to the Tillamook State Forest.  We went to Brown's camp and played the weekend.  That place was such a great time!!!  Here are a couple photos from playing in the Crushers.





On this trip I had a few things that I needed to address afterwards.  One thing with the new wheel centers, since they pushed the tires so much further out, at full flex in the front (with the driver side stuffed) it caused the tire to hit my rear brake line.  I didn't notice it until I went to unload it off of the trailer.  Well, I went to bend the line down and it broke.  So, I've fixed that so that it doesn't make contact again and I ran a new line from the firewall to the parking brake.  I didn't like how I routed it before since it seemed to trap air and made it difficult to bleed the rear brakes.  Well, it appears that no matter what, the rear brakes are gonna be a royal pain to bleed with having the cutting brakes.  As I update this post, I'm actually still fighting with bleeding the rear brakes

The other thing that I needed to address was my winch stopped working.  Luckily I didn't find out while needing to self recover, I found out having to pull a buddy off of a rock after he was high centered.  After some troubleshooting, I believe the issue are my solenoids.  They'll click but they won't invert the power going to the winch motor so that the winch will actually work.

The last thing that I need to address is that my rear steer system started to act up.  It stopped wanting to turn the rear tires to the driver side with the joy stick.  It has no issues auto centering or turning to the passenger side with the joy stick.  I'm working with John at Stazworks to figure that out now.

Hopefully I'll do a better job of keeping this updated now that I've got settled in out west.  I look forward to meeting the folks out here and getting to see the trails and what the PNW has to offer....oh, and I can't wait to go snow wheeling soon!!!!!

[rapier46]

Such a rad unit dude.  I follow the ghoulie on Instagram and I’ve seen your rig in his videos too.   Awesome stuff

[nwflyoda [OP]]

Thanks!  Yeah, that is a sweet rig for sure!  He's really popular on Instagram as well.  haha

[mudmaster]

I don't know what winch you have, but when my Warn had some bad solenoids I replaced them with this: https://www.warn.com/control-pack-upgrade-kit-99760

[:)bestgen4runner]

Holy Balls!!!!
My favorite build lives in Washington now 
I so want to follow this beast around on a trail or two. 
This is the motivation I needed to get My rig ready to roll again.
What City did You move to? Is everyone in the USA Moving to Washington now?
What made You move? So stoked!
FYI You need to start planning for the Reiter rock crawl comp next year. PLEASE!!!! I can help You!

[nwflyoda [OP]]

Holy Balls!!!!
My favorite build lives in Washington now 
I so want to follow this beast around on a trail or two. 
This is the motivation I needed to get My rig ready to roll again.
What City did You move to? Is everyone in the USA Moving to Washington now?
What made You move? So stoked!
FYI You need to start planning for the Reiter rock crawl comp next year. PLEASE!!!! I can help You!

hahaha, thanks bud!!!  I'm definitely down!!  I'll definitely be taking the rig out again once I get the brake issue resolved.
I'm living outside of Tacoma.  I moved for the job, weather, and wheeling really.
When/where is that event?

I don't know what winch you have, but when my Warn had some bad solenoids I replaced them with this: https://www.warn.com/control-pack-upgrade-kit-99760

I'm running a mile marker PE8000.  It used to have a MOSFET winch controller but that failed and they sold me a retrofit kit per se that got rid of it and just used the on board solenoids and such. I've had this winch for YEARS and it's been a good winch for me but I've used it hard.  Probably more than its rated for.  I've snapped the steel cable and broke the magnetics off the motor.

These look like the solenoids that I have on my winch.

https://www.surpluscenter.com/Electrical/Relays-Contactors-Solenoids/DC-Relays-Contactors-Solenoids/12-Volt-6-Terminal-Winch-Motor-Solenoid-11-3514.axd

[:)bestgen4runner]

Search
Reiter rock crawl 2019 on youtube tons of video so you can see what it’s all about.
Last year it was held on July 20th Saturday I’m sure it will be within week of that date this year.
This will be the 4th year for the comp. it’s located just outside of Monroe.
Absolute blast!

[OTO Phil]

I don't know if you're on Facebook or not, but I hope you're planning on this snow run!

https://facebook.com/events/s/snow-jam-2020/522210381674109/?ti=cl

If so, I'll see you there!

Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk

[Rockcrawlintoy]

I don't know if you're on Facebook or not, but I hope you're planning on this snow run!

https://facebook.com/events/s/snow-jam-2020/522210381674109/?ti=cl

If so, I'll see you there!

Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk

Where is this run at?

[mudmaster]

Where is this run at?

I believe Elbe??

[helipilot77]

Holy Balls!!!!
My favorite build lives in Washington now 
I so want to follow this beast around on a trail or two. 
This is the motivation I needed to get My rig ready to roll again.
What City did You move to? Is everyone in the USA Moving to Washington now?
What made You move? So stoked!
FYI You need to start planning for the Reiter rock crawl comp next year. PLEASE!!!! I can help You!

nwflyoda-
I too have been following your build for a long time. Welcome to the area!
Bestgen and Rockcrawlintoy-
we need to hit the trails. My rig is almost ready.

[:)bestgen4runner]

That's it!
I'm going home after work tonight and ordering Tabs, Airing up flat tires, and Going for a drive around the block.
Hell, I might even drive it to work tomorrow.
This is all so very exciting!

[OTO Phil]

Yes, I believe it will begin in Elbe

Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk

[nwflyoda [OP]]

Search
Reiter rock crawl 2019 on youtube tons of video so you can see what it’s all about.
Last year it was held on July 20th Saturday I’m sure it will be within week of that date this year.
This will be the 4th year for the comp. it’s located just outside of Monroe.
Absolute blast!

Nice, that isn't too far at all from where I'm at.  Actually, I've got a buddy here that is going there on Friday.  Sadly I've still got to work the bugs out of my rig and I work on Friday.

nwflyoda-
I too have been following your build for a long time. Welcome to the area!
Bestgen and Rockcrawlintoy-
we need to hit the trails. My rig is almost ready.

Thanks bud!!  I've only been to a couple places since I've been here but can't wait to check out the other places to wheel.

I don't know if you're on Facebook or not, but I hope you're planning on this snow run!

https://facebook.com/events/s/snow-jam-2020/522210381674109/?ti=cl

If so, I'll see you there!

Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk

Yeah, I'm on facebook.  Man, that looks like it would be a blast!  I may be able to make it that weekend.  The weekend prior I'm going to be in Idaho co-piloting in the '59 Fiat rig in a race.

[:)bestgen4runner]

Any interest in attending My annual Bday run this Feb 22/23 ?
Elbe Washington
Good people and a good time.
Would love to see "My all time fav build" in action.

[nwflyoda [OP]]

Any interest in attending My annual Bday run this Feb 22/23 ?
Elbe Washington
Good people and a good time.
Would love to see "My all time fav build" in action.

I'm definitely interested!  It all really depends on if I break anything at KOH this year.

[:)bestgen4runner]

I'm definitely interested!  It all really depends on if I break anything at KOH this year.

I'll keep My fingers crossed that She holds together and your able to make it. 

[nwflyoda [OP]]

I'll keep My fingers crossed that She holds together and your able to make it. 

haha, Thanks!

[nwflyoda [OP]]

Update:

KOH2020 is in the bag and what a great time it was!!!!

I was able to wheel for 6 days and the only issues that I ran into were that I sheered 2 bolts that attach the driver front high steer arm to the backing plate for my portal box.  Luckily I hit up Hammer town and the folks at McKenzie's Performance Products were SOOO awesome and gave me the 2 bolts that they had in their bin to get my rig going again!  I was blown away that they'd do that for me since I wasn't a racer, just someone there to watch and wheel.

The other issue that I had was that I had a wire burn for my accessory switch.  A little history about this switch, a few weeks ago while snow wheeling here in Washington, I had an issue with my accessory switch falling apart.  The terminal actually came out of the switch body itself.  So, now this happened and it seems to be a trend which means a relay is needed.  So I wired up a relay (a very poor job wiring it up I might add because it was a trail fix to keep me wheeling and of course I'll rewire it properly).  The relay should alleviate the amperage going through that switch.

We covered so much ground wheeling it was amazing.  I'll admit, I was worried most of the time that I'd break something big but luckily I didn't but I also brought a ton of spare parts in case I did.  I brought a spare front axle housing (for the inner and outer C's if they failed), a spare 3rd member as well as a spare inner long side shaft.  And I loved the fact that I was able to beat on the rig pretty good without any real breakage!!!

But man did I go through some propane!!  haha  Which was a great thing because that meant I was wheeling!  I brought 4 full 8 gallon tanks and I came home with probably 1/2 of 1 tank left. 

Here are some pics from the trip.

Here my buddy Kyle's jeep buggy with the 4.0 and stock 5 spd but with an atlas.  The treps started working great on his rig once they started to get broken in.  They were brand new before this trip.



I believe this was at the top of Sled Hammer.









In the middle of the desert on one of the sand dunes where my buddy's yoke backed off his tcase.  Dude had a bunch of issues/breakage but was able to fix em and keep wheeling like a champ!



I can't remember which trail this was at the top of, but it was a fun spot to play around on the rocks and had a good view.



On the way home is where things got interesting.  While on the Mt Shasta pass which was only about a 6% grade but it went for about 7 miles, I had 2 rigs in tow on my trailer (grossing about 45k lbs) and as I was nearing the peak, the turbo blew and left us stranded on the side of the highway for a few hours while I waited for a tow.





We ended up unloading one rig and he drove it the rest of the trip home...which was about 8 hrs.  My toter, rig and trailer were then towed (separately sadly...I say that because the tow company had to send out 2 trucks to tow me to their shop) to the big rig repair shop.  They said the parts wouldn't be here until Monday-Wednesday so there was no point in waiting around, I had to be at work on Monday.  I jumped in a buddy's RV and we finished the trip home.

Because I can't leave my rig and trailer in Northern Cali while I live in WA, after I got home, I got about 4 hrs of sleep then grabbed my Dodge and did a turn and burn to rescue my rig and trailer.  It was a long drive but I made it home safely.  My pups were champs being stuck in an RV and my truck for so much time.

My toter is still down in Northern Cali while I wait for them to replace the turbo, intercooler, and air filter.  In trying to figure out why the turbo blew, my suspicion is that the air filter got clogged from camping in the desert and while on that pass, it was trying it's damnedest to get air flow and it sucked a piece of the filter into the compressor wheel and boom goes the turbo.  This is just going off the pic of my broken compressor wheel.  You can see some fabric stuck in there and there should be no way that would happen unless the filter came apart.  When it happened, the turbo was making 28 psi of boost and the EGT's were around 1200-1300.

Once I get the word that the toter is fixed (which is gonna really hurt the wallet due to the tow, parts and labor), I'll get to go down to Northern Cali once more to rescue the toter.

But all in all, I had a blast at KOH!!

[Dingman.]

Looks like a fun trip except for the whole tow rig issues!

[nwflyoda [OP]]

Looks like a fun trip except for the whole tow rig issues!

Yeah, it was great with the exception of that part.

The sad part is that they haven't finished fixing it yet, so it looks like I'll have to fly down next weekend to go get it.