The Mud Pit > Wrenching
XJ Refurb
kirksjeep:
So the Hidden Hitch that is estimated to take 30 min to install, took about 4 hours!!!! I snapped the bolt in the passenger side nut strip, and then had to remove the bumper to repair the nut strip. Then one of the tabs for the bumper bolt snapped and had to be ground off. The two upper bolts for the rear bumper are a true PITA, they are way up inside the bumper and there isn't much room. Since I had the bumper off I decided to fix the big dents in the rear bumper. I beat the dents out as best as possble and used a litte bondo to clean it up a little. Tomorrow I'll spray the color and the clear then wet sand and buff. It should look ok from 10 ft away. ;D.
The only easy part of the job was hooking up the wiring, it was a plug in set up with the amp to power the trailer lights.
calvynandhobbs:
Kirk, they write their estimates in a perfect world when everything goes right. They should automatically add 2 hours to any hitch or part that is being installed on a Jeep because something always goes wrong. You can count on it.
kirksjeep:
The bumper and bumper caps are back on. The bumper turned out ok, not great, but better. I had a few spots where the primer didn't harden and when wet sanding the primer it peeled up like goo. The clear was still a little soft when I was mounting it, and some dirt was pushed into it when attaching the rubber strip to the back. It still needs to be wet sanded and buffed, so it might look better after that, but I have to wait another day for the clear to dry. I think the high humidity slowed the cure times.
I also found that the drivers side, under the bumper cap had been hit pretty hard. The damage isn't visible with the cap on, but the paint was chiped and it was starting to rust. I cleaned it all up with a wire brush and hit it with some Rustoleum paint to keep it from getting worse.
I also won a switch block (defroster, rear wiper, cig lighter, 12V power) from ebay for $10 with shipping. I am hoping that the defroster switch is good, since a new one is $29 at the dealer. The part is comming from NC, where they don't use the deforster as much as up here. Now I just need to win the passenger side mirror I am bidding on and I'll be set. ;)
kirksjeep:
--- Quote from: PaulW on August 10, 2009, 12:58:25 PM ---Good luck with the mirror.
--- End quote ---
I have a little over a day left on the auction. I also am bidding on a power steering pump bracket for a 97+ 4.0L, so I can finnaly get the new intake manifold on my Jeep.
kirksjeep:
--- Quote from: PaulW on August 10, 2009, 10:24:11 PM ---
in the words of tim allen...argh argh argh
--- End quote ---
I won the power steering pump bracket w/ pully for $26 with shipping. The cheapest I found by calling around to the local junk yards was $50 at M&J.
Now I just need to win the mirror. ;)
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