Cheapo Tow Rig project

[paradisePWoffrd]

You must not have tow mirrors...

Actually, I don't have non-tow mirrors. Keep them flipped out ghost trailer style. They shake and move adjustment when flipped in.

 

[77GreenMachine]

Do y’all not have Cummins stickers? Maybe you need stacks? I’m not sure why you’re suffering and not getting the legendary fuel mileage.

 

[paradisePWoffrd]

Do y’all not have Cummins stickers? Maybe you need stacks? I’m not sure why you’re suffering and not getting the legendary fuel mileage.

I think you're on to something. The free flow from the stacks plus the added aerodynamics of the squat and stickers must be what does it.

Off now to order some parts.

 

[77GreenMachine]

No new new updates, just been using the truck a lot. I topped off from just under a 1/2 tank yesterday. Based on the math the empty mileage is just over 11mpg.

I ordered tow mirrors, they should arrive this week.

Also, my trip to PA was canceled to do the benefit ride for Scott. Still gonna put the truck to the test though cause if everything works out right I should be going to Bearwallow in Logan, WV at the end of the month. Should be interesting going up Fancy Gap.

 

[77GreenMachine]

Tow mirrors engaged! Before and after. Looks a lot better, and I can see a whole lot better now. I didn’t put them in ghost trailer mode, just looked goofy. I know that’s optimum HP and MPG gains but my flat bill is at the cleaners so I left them slid in.

Stock mirrors for sale if anyone needs them. Gonna throw them in FB market place for $20


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[77GreenMachine]

Few updates. I replaced the front door speakers with some cheapos from Walmart. Sounds great now.

I swapped a tailgate from my buddy’s wrecked parts truck. Tail gate opens and shuts as it should now and has a real handle but I still need a bezel. I also snagged a few interior pieces, one being the flip down console. It needs a good cleaning and a new lid.

I have the camper shell on and mounted. Camped in it this weekend at the benefit ride. It was convenient not fooling with a tent, but boy was it humid! Thankful for the folks around me that let me use their generator and plug in my box fan, otherwise it would have been unbearable.

When I came home, I went up 49 to 220 this time running with James Belcher and his buddy’s. The truck done great. It hung right with them on all the hills and I was very happy. It seems if I keep it above 60 it pulls great. James has a Cummins and his buddy had a newer Duramax. The only noticeable difference was when we merged on 220N from 49. They effortlessly got up to speed with traffic by the end of the on-ramp while I was really twisting mine up and they ran off and left me. I caught back up no problem. Overall, I’m super happy with this cheap truck!

A full tune up is next in order. I do have a weird front end shake around 70-75 I need to find. These tires are not 10ply and near their max capacity on the truck. I’m probably going to have to get different ones later if I haul anything heavier than the Jeep.

I plan to paint the tail gate and the camper shell soon. Probably have it painted by the time I go to Harlan in August. Most likely just going to rattle can it with some good paint.

I do need the spare tire assembly that goes under the bed if anyone has one.


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[Croatan_Kid]

Go to Advance and look in the "Help" aisle and get a new tilgate handle bezel...they're like 6 bucks last time I checked.

The spare tire hoist from a 1500 should be the same as a 2500, so I'd think it would be really easy to find one.

I thought you had gotten a set of PYO rims for that thing...did I just imagine that?

 

[77GreenMachine]

I had planned to get polished aluminum rims, even found 2 sets but wound up with these like new steel wheels for free so I just didn’t worry about it.

 

[Croatan_Kid]

Ahh, gotcha. The PYO rims are actually clear coated. People usually strip them and polish them if they were getting ratty looking though. I wish they made them in a 17" because they're light as hell since they're forged.

Free ninety nine is more better though!

 

[untchabl]

@77GreenMachine Think I've got 2 PYO wheels sitting in the barn, they aren't the best looking but you can have them if you need a rim to put a spare tire on.

 

[77GreenMachine]

@77GreenMachine Think I've got 2 PYO wheels sitting in the barn, they aren't the best looking but you can have them if you need a rim to put a spare tire on.

I sure appreciate that! I have a whole set of steel wheels with 2 nearly new tires as spares. Thank you though!

 

[77GreenMachine]

Haven’t updated this in a while. Nothing has changed with the truck other than the mileage. I have put close to 1,500 problem free miles on the truck. It has made several trips to Uwharrie. The last time was 4 trips in one weekend because I had to take 2 Jeeps down and bring them back. The truck just tows great, I love it.
Everythime I ride in the truck I just think “man I love this truck!” And I smile because it’s paid for.

So in the morning me and the family are leaving for Potts Mountain VA for some wheeling/camping. I’m going to go up 52/77/81N. Looks like I’m gonna get to see how it does going up Fancy Gap. I’m not really worried about it all.

Question: I have a 1/2 tank of fuel which should get me just inside VA to the Loves and get cheaper gas. Should I bother putting premium in this thing? Is it worth the added cost?

I have it loaded down with a few hundred pounds of gear in the back and my family of 4 for the ride, even got my boys Power Wheels Jeep.

 

[jeepinmatt]

Haven’t updated this in a while. Nothing has changed with the truck other than the mileage. I have put close to 1,500 problem free miles on the truck. It has made several trips to Uwharrie. The last time was 4 trips in one weekend because I had to take 2 Jeeps down and bring them back. The truck just tows great, I love it.
Everythime I ride in the truck I just think “man I love this truck!” And I smile because it’s paid for.

So in the morning me and the family are leaving for Potts Mountain VA for some wheeling/camping. I’m going to go up 52/77/81N. Looks like I’m gonna get to see how it does going up Fancy Gap. I’m not really worried about it all.

Question: I have a 1/2 tank of fuel which should get me just inside VA to the Loves and get cheaper gas. Should I bother putting premium in this thing? Is it worth the added cost?

I have it loaded down with a few hundred pounds of gear in the back and my family of 4 for the ride, even got my boys Power Wheels Jeep.

You really need more straps on the rig. 1 across the door sills doesn't seem like enough to me.

 

[Croatan_Kid]

Did you ever give it a full tune up? Plugs, wires, fuel filter, etc? If so, a half tank of 93 mixed with some 87 would average out to 90 octane, which is how they actually make mid-grade gas at the pumps. It wouldn't hurt to run some through it, but then again, I'm not sure that it would exactly help anything either. The compression ratio is 9.4:1 and I don't know that it can advance the timing enough in stock form to really need any more than 87 can offer.

You should totally get it tuned though! Maybe do a TBSS intake, throttle body swap, and some long tube headers with a good exhaust

 

[77GreenMachine]

I haven’t done the tune up yet. I’m going to do that before I go to Harlan.
I will be down to about empty by the time I reach the Loves on 77 so it would be a while thank of 93. Not convinced it’s worthbit so far.

 

[Croatan_Kid]

Probably isn't, honestly.

 

[77GreenMachine]

Haven’t updated this in a while. Truck is still doing great. It clicked 524k on the way back from Harlan. I let a friend borrow it Monday and he went to almost GA to pick up a wrecked JK. That was another 500 mile trip with no issues.
He got 13.7 mpg going down empty and 11 coming back. I got 10.2 round trip for Harlan.
It climbed the “stairway to Heaven” on 58 well at 50-55 in 2nd gear @ 3700rpms. Super happy with it. Coming back I hung right with Chris Keziah in his Cummins for the most part quite well.
I STILL have not done a tune up to the truck, but I’ve got 1000+ miles with no CEL now.
I’ve been offered more than triple what I’ve got in the truck but I can’t replace it for that so I won’t take it. I’ve come to really love this truck and would like to see just how long I can run this thing.
I installed a flip down console and a CB for those long trips. Sleeping in the camper shell is going well too, so long as I don’t forget to close the lid and let in rain all in the back at Harlan

The real test would be if I got a gooseneck to pull a slide in camper and the Jeep together. I wish I had a ball in the bed so I could see if it would do well hooking to a friends setup. May be getting into diesel territory with that but who knows. I got a few years before I worry about that.

 

[tlucier]

Haven’t updated this in a while. Truck is still doing great. It clicked 524k on the way back from Harlan. I let a friend borrow it Monday and he went to almost GA to pick up a wrecked JK. That was another 500 mile trip with no issues.
He got 13.7 mpg going down empty and 11 coming back. I got 10.2 round trip for Harlan.
It climbed the “stairway to Heaven” on 58 well at 50-55 in 2nd gear @ 3700rpms. Super happy with it. Coming back I hung right with Chris Keziah in his Cummins for the most part quite well.
I STILL have not done a tune up to the truck, but I’ve got 1000+ miles with no CEL now.
I’ve been offered more than triple what I’ve got in the truck but I can’t replace it for that so I won’t take it. I’ve come to really love this truck and would like to see just how long I can run this thing.
I installed a flip down console and a CB for those long trips. Sleeping in the camper shell is going well too, so long as I don’t forget to close the lid and let in rain all in the back at Harlan

The real test would be if I got a gooseneck to pull a slide in camper and the Jeep together. I wish I had a ball in the bed so I could see if it would do well hooking to a friends setup. May be getting into diesel territory with that but who knows. I got a few years before I worry about that.
View attachment 274747 View attachment 274748

Been following this thread and I think it’s awesome! How did you mount that CB? What did you screw the mount into?

 

[77GreenMachine]

@tlucier I used 1-1/4”self tappers right thru the head liner into the roof. There is a support brace there so it screws into that and not the actual roof. I tucked all the wiring up in the headliner and ran it down the behind pillar molding so you can’t see any wiring.
I had mounted a cb like that in an XJ years ago so I figured there would be a brace above the headliner and I pulled it down a little to confirm before I done it.
I did not like any other of the mourning options I had. It was in the way, inconvinent and just didn’t look good. Mounting it there is perfect. Not only does it sound great since the speaker is on the bottom, it’s up and out of the way and I just take the mic off and put it in the glove box when not in use.

I will take some better pics of that setup for you soon. I originally tried to use 3/4” tappers but they were not long enough to get they the headliner to the brace.

 

[tlucier]

@tlucier I used 1-1/4”self tappers right thru the head liner into the roof. There is a support brace there so it screws into that and not the actual roof. I tucked all the wiring up in the headliner and ran it down the behind pillar molding so you can see any wiring.
I had mounted a cab like that in an XJ years ago so I figured there would be a brace above the headliner and I pulled it down a little to confirm before I done it.
I did not like any other of the mourning options I had. It was in the way, inconvinent and just didn’t look good. Mounting it there is perfect. Not only does it sound great since the speaker is on the bottom, it’s up and out of the way and I just take the mic off and put it in the glove box when not in use.

I will take some better pics of that setup for you soon. I originally tried to use 3/4” tappers but they were not long enough to get they the headliner to the brace.

Thanks Phillip! Appreciate your reply. That’s a clean install.

 

[77GreenMachine]

@tlucier I took these photos and never posted them.

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[77GreenMachine]

For all the peeps not on FB, this happened the other night while bringing the Jeep home from being reworked over at K_Squared_Offroad.
525,000 miles and counting!!

Also, the oil pressure had gotten low again, so I changed it last night. I had put some cheap oil called Peak in it before. This time I went with Penzoil high mileage. Oil pressure is back up. However I’m convinced about all oil is the same, I mean how many people are actually producing oil? I imagine there is only a few manufactures and they just brand it differently.

I still need to do the full tune up and stop procrastinating.

Also, I never painted the tailgate or camper shell and now it’s too cold. That’s what I get for procrastinating.


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[jeepinmatt]

For all the peeps not on FB, this happened the other night while bringing the Jeep home from being reworked over at K_Squared_Offroad

So what happened? It made it up to 60?

 

[77GreenMachine]

So what happened? It made it up to 60?

Downhill with a tail wind!

No it clicked 525k.

 

[Croatan_Kid]

How many of those miles are on that motor?