Do you do all your own build labor?

[Anak]

You need to know your truck. The easiest way is to build it yourself.

I do suspension myself. You absolutely should do most of this yourself, as this is a tricky area. I allow good tuners to give me a custom shock valving. If it's not quite right, I'll retune the shocks myself by tuning the shim stacks.

Tires, brakes, rotations are done myself. I drop my wheels off loose.

Batteries, lights, winches, alternator, and starters are all done myself.

Axles, I go to a known good axle guy for gears and lockers.

Steering box, pitman arm, power steering pump, are all components you need to understand.

If you can't do it yourself, I'd limit my travel to reflect such. Don't go places where your suspension is going to fail, or the trucks has a risk of under body damage.

Also get an engine creeper, those weird ladder creeper things that allow you to lay down OVER your engine. Every single part in your engine bay requires hands on attention. Easiest way to to organize that? Hand clean every single checked part. If it's dirty, service it. They don't hand polish the bottom of race cars between races to keep them pretty.

QFT!

I am getting into building my own axles now. I have a D30 project sitting on a couple of sawhorses right now. Plans call for truss, gussets and an Ox Locker.

It is getting to the point that about the only things I don't do are AC service, automatic transmissions, injection pump service (diesel) and the machining required in order to rebuild an engine.

For me, that is working out to be as close to a sweet spot as I can hope to get. Those are generally services that are performed by more skilled technicians. That helps me keep my distance from the numbskulls for whom I have no patience.

I am totally with you on the tires. Those shops are some of the worst. They don't touch anything more than I can help. Just dropping off the wheels and picking them up later has made a substantial improvement in my quality of life. Damaged rims, stripped lugs, tires mounted backwards... I think I have experienced just about every failure mode they have to offer, short of them driving my car into a wall. I am very much done with folks of that skill level.

 

[Outdoordog]

I've installed everything on my jeep, minus the exhaust. Had I not been so busy and impatient I would of done it myself.

Larger jobs like a lift and bumpers, I'll probably have it done at a shop.

My driveway is slanted and I feel unsafe putting jacks under it. I dont fit in my garage with my roofrack.

Labor to install parts is expensive and I woklf rather do it myself. Plus its fun.

 

[sean.reyes]

I can do the labor, but I dont. I'd rather pay $200 for the 3-4hrs of work I need than spending 5-6hrs myself getting it done.

 

[SkinnySurfer_Thad]

The reason I bought this old Jeep was to do as much work myself as I can or call up a friend to help me. Now I'm not knocking anyone who has it built for them, to each their own, I just prefor the satifaction I get from doing it.

 

[Seanm26]

I install all my own stickers!

 

[Ruben Z]

I usually like to save money wherever I can. I almost always have done my own stuff.

 

[Downs]

The vast majority of my work I do myself. When it comes time to replace the engine in my Jeep I'll probably farm that out to a trust local shop as I'll need it done somewhat quickly and I don't have the right equipment to make it easier. Overhauling axles again, I'll farm that out as I don't have the necessary precision measuring tools to do it. These are things I can do but it becomes a math problem of how much time is going to take and how much money am I going to spend on tools I won't use for another couple of hundred thousand miles.

 

[64Trvlr]

So far other than tire mounting I've done all the work on my Willys.

 

[Rocco]

Hey Griz
Only my humble opinion but, working on your own rig is part of the adventure. And you don’t have to be a gear head to accomplish
minor fabrications along with installing meaningful accessories. Look at your rig as a blank sheet of paper and decide how much money you want to invest . Develop a big picture plan with the understandings that off road rigs are always a work in process with no Finnish line.
The internet is a great wealth of information but don’t get caught up in the hype of
the“ must have marketing” Working on your rig your self is the only to true way to understand when something is going wrong and how to resolve a problem on the trail . Have fun , save some money , get your hands dirty , and turn some wrenches.

 

[bmelvin]

I try to, most of the gear is so crazy expensive.

 

[Billy "Poserlander" Badly]

I've commented similarly before, but since OP sounds a little like me, I'll chime in again. I have an Xterra as well, and I've added sliders, roof rack, and a bumper w/ tire mount & can carrier, all solo. Note that they were all bolt-on, with some drilling, and a little bit of wiring. I've replaced the battery, filters, and light bulbs myself as well. I can change the oil and change a tire. My skills really end there... When I wanted a suspension lift, I paid a professional.

I want to do more myself, but it's tough, for a couple reasons:
1. I have a dirt driveway, and my garage is too short to fit the X. So, work is weather dependent at home.
2. I don't have the tools. I mean, I have some tools, but I discover when I do any work that I usually have ALMOST the right tool, but not quite.
3. My social group (such as it is, which is to say I'm 42, work full time, have a 3 year old, and don't see my friends much) doesn't give a shit about cars, and they know less than I do.
4. My X is a daily driver, and I can't run the risk of messing something major up. Many of y'all say you can't trust shops, well, I can't trust myself.
5. I only enjoy the work sometimes. Other times, maybe most of the time, I derive little pleasure from it. I understand the value of the work, but it's intellectual.

What's my point? I don't know, I guess it's just nice to know that I'm not the only one who hasn't built a functional vehicle from shop scraps, duct tape and zip ties. Y'all are pretty impressive...

How did you all learn to wrench? It seems like a native tongue for many of you...

 

[472HemiGTX]

How did you all learn to wrench? It seems like a native tongue for many of you...
[/QUOTE]

My Dad, who was a motorhead, went to trade school and was professional mechanic when he was younger. I got my first motorcycle as a basket case when I was 7 and my first pickup when I was 12. Dad taught me how to wrench and truly "fix" things. He helped me put the motorcycle together and we got the pickup running, repaired the brakes, rebuilt the transmission and did the paint and bodywork. It was finished in time for me to drove it for my driver's test when I turned 16. That set me on the path of being a motorhead myself. Later I went to college for an Auto Tech. degree and have received a lot of OJT over the years. Now 40 years after that driver's test, I work at a desk and wrench/build in my free time. But as mentioned before, I love to mechanic. It relaxes me and pulls me back to center after a long stressful day.

To each, their own, do what you enjoy and have the rest done so you can do what you enjoy. When I was younger and would get frustrated, Dad would point out that it is supposed to be fun. If it pisses you off, you need to find a different hobby.

BTW - hello from Central Oregon

 

[bmelvin]

The reason I bought this old Jeep was to do as much work myself as I can or call up a friend to help me. Now I'm not knocking anyone who has it built for them, to each their own, I just prefor the satifaction I get from doing it.

I love doing projects with my son.

 

[Billy "Poserlander" Badly]

My Dad, who was a motorhead, went to trade school and was professional mechanic when he was younger. I got my first motorcycle as a basket case when I was 7 and my first pickup when I was 12. Dad taught me how to wrench and truly "fix" things. He helped me put the motorcycle together and we got the pickup running, repaired the brakes, rebuilt the transmission and did the paint and bodywork. It was finished in time for me to drove it for my driver's test when I turned 16. That sent on the path of being a motorhead myself. Later I went to college for an Auto Tech. degree and have received a lot of OJT over the years. Now 40 years after that driver's test, I work at a desk and wrench/build in my free time. But as mentioned before, I love to mechanic. It relaxes me and pulls me back to center after a long stressful day.

To each, their own, do what you enjoy and have the rest done so you can do what you enjoy. When I was younger and would get frustrated, Dad would point out that it is supposed to be fun. If it pisses you off, you need to find a different hobby.

BTW - hello from Central Oregon

Thanks, appreciate the reply. Not to get off topic, but I've really been missing the sage and juniper of Central Oregon lately for some reason. I've gotta get back over there soon...talk about finding your center, there's just something special about the high desert.

 

[Seanm26]

How did you all learn to wrench? It seems like a native tongue for many of you...

I started taking things apart when 5. Quickly learned to put them back together so I wouldn't get in trouble. Got a job at a dealership as a valet when I was 17. Got a degree in auto tech when I was 19. Been working on cars since then and I'm 36 now.

 

[64Trvlr]

How did you all learn to wrench? It seems like a native tongue for many of you...

As a kid I wanted fast cars but even though I had 4 jobs I didn't have much money. So I hung around the gas station I worked at and helped wash parts, pack bearings, did oil changes and grease jobs and learned how to do things. I "worked" at a speed shop for free and in return got advice, help and some free used parts for the Chevelle I was building. If I wanted to go fast and look cool I had to do it myself not pay someone to do it for me or have my family buy it.

That lead to becoming a good mechanic and a young guy and eventually having my own shop. Now I just putter around on my own projects and help friends on theirs.

 

[Anak]

How did you all learn to wrench? It seems like a native tongue for many of you...

My father was not at all mechanically inclined, but we had lots of things that needed fixed. And we lived out in the sticks. We didn't even get electricity until the mid '70s.

I learned out of necessity. Largely the hard way.

But I also learned that I could overcome just about any obstacle. And I have made it a point to accumulate the tools and skills to further that.

 

[JDGreens]

I'm incline to do most of my work myself. I'm not a mechanic by any stretch, but am very capable of learning how and get things done. I think I would have more of the work done by someone else if my rig was new. But the Jeep Cherokee Xj is a very easy vehicle to work on. And the nicest aspect of this rig is it's inexpensive and has a ton of aftermarket support that also isn't going to break to break bank. I have nothing against a newer Toyota, Jeep Jk or any other rig newer than 2015. But along with the added expense I feel working on them mechanically would be way over my head anyways.

Back in high school I was fortunate to get to take welding class for 2 years and auto body and paint for 2 years. I really enjoy doing that kind of work most. I have fabricated a lot of parts for my rig and plan to make most of the under carriage armor for my rig except the t-case skid, due to how nice Rusty's skid plate is for the price. But I am going to be welding the frame stiffeners on and building the rock rails, gas tank skid and roof rack will be fun too.

 

[grubworm]

I think I have experienced just about every failure mode they have to offer

 

[Anak]

View attachment 142047

We will put that in there with the running the car into the wall idea.