What did you do to your SMB today?

[DesertSMB]

We have four MAXTRAX traction boards which we store on the roof rack of our fixed top SMB. They are held in place using MAXTRAX mounting pins. Sometimes those little buggers can take the strength of a rock climber's fingers to loosen them up. I decided to solve this problem by making a custom tool to loosen them up. I used a 5/8" coupler nut and a short piece of 1/2" smooth rod. I drilled out the threads and then cut grooves to fit over the key hole shaped pegs and then welded them together. My finished product is shown in the photos below. The last thing one wants when needing MAXTRAXs is to fight with the attachment system. This will live in the pouch on the back of the passenger seat along with the tire deflators and tire pressure gage.

[geoffff]

Originally Posted by DesertSMB

We have four MAXTRAX traction boards which we store on the roof rack of our fixed top SMB.

Nice custom fabrication! I'm lazy and just use velcro straps to hold down my four rooftop Maxtrax.

[86Scotty]

Damn, what pads and rotors were those?

[simplesez]

Stock rotors. Can't find the receipt for the pads. #neveragain

[DesertSMB]

So this past December I was in Death Valley and had call to use my high-lift jack for the first time. It is mounted to the front Aluminess bumper with a 4xRac which came on the van when we bought it. It had two small wing nuts and ridiculously small locks. As it turned out I need to get out a pair of pliers to take the wing nuts off. This seemed like it needed a solution. The original bolts were pretty trashed so I replaced them with a couple of new carriage bolts and made the new larger wing nuts shown here. To lock it up I welded a piece of angle on to the 4xRac and used a 1/2 inch trailer receiver lock. Yes those are hose washers used as spacers.

[DesertSMB]

In our fixed top SMB we have some very useful storage shelves around the back half. We have some very nice storage bins which fit in them very nicely. They are also useful for storing extra shoes and other things one wants to get to quickly. The only problem is that when on seriously bumpy roads everything tends to jump out and ends up on the floor. A solution was needed. So I got out my trusty sewing machine and stitched up some nets which we can snap into place when off road and which can roll up and tuck behind when not.

[Fool120]

I mounted the largest Tranny cooler I could find, that might fit on the van, the Tru-Cool - Max LPD47391. To make it fit, I removed one of the grill mounting posts, and added two pieces of bar stock across the opening to hold the tranny cooler, later painting it all black to look again like a stock option. I cut a little sheet metal for the hose, and had to alter the plastic air flow deflector on the side of the radiator. Awhile back, I also added the larger 4x4 tranny pan with a drain plug, when servicing the the tranny, and seeing if I trashed it after I over-heated the tranny in the mountains and dumped 6 qts of fluid out of the front main seal, on the trail. It seemed OK inside the pan, and the tranny is working fine. Next will be a tranny temp gauge.

[Oogs]

Had to remove the dog box to work on my stereo. While it was out I trimmed back the carpet and cleaned up the over spray from the carpet adhesive to hopefully create a better seal. You can see the difference after I cleaned the right side. There were places where the carpet covered the area where the rubber seal meets the metal floor.

[Fool120]

OK, after installing the larger Tranny Cooler, the larger 4x4 Tranny pan, I've installed some gauges: Tranny temp, EGT, and Boost. This should me out of trouble.

[KTMRIDER]

Originally Posted by Fool120

OK, after installing the larger Tranny Cooler, the larger 4x4 Tranny pan, I've installed some gauges: Tranny temp, EGT, and Boost. This should me out of trouble.

Very nice. Let us know how the tranny cooler does and what EGTs you are commonly running.

Did we talk at the meet and greet a few weeks ago in the canyon in OC?
Eric