Build Project Liberty - Trail/Overland Jeep Build

Function > Form

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Aside - I'd be curious on details of his solar/battery setup for the shop.

24x 2V deep-cycle batteries in series (I think)
16x 36"x50" (ish) panels mounted south-side, vertically on the barn wall.

On Saturday, we worked about 15 hours using various tools throughout the shop, then another 5 hours Sunday. No power loss or reduction.

No bathroom/water in the shop except for a gravity fed line from a tank. It also powers their house, but all lights are LED, no washer/dryer, heat is wood/propane supplemented. Solar also runs the house's well pump.

lmk if you want other details. I'd have to ask for the nitty gritty.
 

Kunker

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Any further details on the batter/inverter/solar setup. Does he run 240 off of it (sounds like it with a welder), source for the equipment, etc. Intrigued by the idea of at least adding some solar capacity to the house, although I don't know that I could convince the wife to go fully off the grid.
 

Function > Form

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Yeah I love that shop. There are lots of pics on instagram @dlsinc - check it out if you are on there.

After leveling the site and pouring the pad, the outer structure was stick built by local Mennonites (it's near Collingwood). Metal roof, poly ridge cap for extra light.

There are two sides: one is insulated, painted plywood walls, two floors, open concept with a wood stove. If you stuff it, you can get it to about 12-15*C. It's not a big stove. Upper floor is a large cathedral ceilinged office/display space (industrial designer) with large corner windows.

The other side is uninsulated, attached by a HUGE roll up door, then another two roll up doors one on each side, plus a large barn door at the end. Large enough to drive a Kubota M20 though it with ease. The side opposite the solar panels has a large overhang, maybe 25 feet deep running almost the entire length. Other than the ridge cap and two garage doors, no
windows.

I didn't think of taking more pics at the time...too much cutting/grinding/welding/swearing lol
 

Minion

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Definitely going to check out that instagram later. Man, there are some words I never thought I would say. LOL.
 

Function > Form

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PS pump died Thursday and I had to drive the groaning elk/giraffe/heep for a couple days. Figured it was dead anyhow.

Got a rebuilt one for $110 at Partsource and replaced it yesterday. The last little bit of whine still isn't out of the system and it's pissing me off. When I refilled the system, I did it slowly with the front on stands, filled a little above the cold max level and then, with the engine off still, turned it very slowly from lock to lock about 20x each side. It foamed like crazy at first, but eventually it got less and less and there were only slightly larger bubbles popping up by the end of these cycles.

After the 20x each side, I turned it to each side and left it for a couple minutes to let the air bubbles come up to the top of the reservoir. After about 4x each side, I started the engine, still with the wheels up, and turned it VERY slowly (maybe 10x each side) until the whining almost completely disappeared...like Cadilac quiet, which I've never had in this jeep.

BUT when I lowered it back down and started to VERY slowly turn it lock to lock (only twice) with the engine on, still groaned some but got less after the cycles. Took it for a drive and it was even less after a couple minutes.

This morning, it's still groaning a bit.

SO onto the QUESTION:
Am I impatient? Or did I do the air-bleeding procedure incorrectly?

OR could I have a leak somewhere else? I can't see anything obvious. Yes, I did replace the high pressure o-ring.
 

Function > Form

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Also, refinished the steps yesterday too. Got some nice warm air and they look sweet again - they are semi-gloss black tremclad.

Will post a pic later.
 

Minion

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Since you've never had it this quiet before I'd be tempted to drive it for a few days and see if it gets any better. It sounds to me like you did everything right, but things can always go wrong.

Aside - I checked out that instagram (Again, never thought I'd say that) and my god that shop is pretty. I'll volunteer for manual labour on your next trip just to get to see it. lol
 

junkpile

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Is the noise coming from the pump or the rack? Double check that the high pressure line isn't touching anything, it'll resonate through whatever it touches.
 

Function > Form

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Hey guys - so many bubbles still. Must be another leak somewhere.
[MENTION=641]junkpile[/MENTION] I'll check for the hp line contact - pretty sure it's from the pump, but maybe it's the rack...didn't think the rack itself would make noise, but I don't have any PS experience.

I should add that when I got home last night, the fluid was just at the hot/low level. Topped it up a bit and it was almost completely silent! At that point, I thought, "YES. I'm a genius". Actually, I thought, "Well, I'm not a complete idiot".

It sat overnight, fluid at the proper level, started it and it whined immediately and was HARD in both directions off-centre. Backed out of the garage, power came back, but was whining loudly. A couple slow turns lock to lock and it was quieter, but NOT quiet enough. The fluid was foamy and lots of bubbles.

The only time it was hard was just after backing out of the garage - seems there is air in there. Hasn't happened at all while driving.
 
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Function > Form

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Lol bad pump... The seal on the pump to reservoir was bad and it foamed ridiculously. I pulled it and put in a new one again yesterday.

Now she's purring like a kitten.

Phew
 

Function > Form

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Oh yeah the oem pump that was making noise was because the bearings were toast. The outer race was mangled and fell out when I pulled it. The c clip was there but not in the channel.
 

Minion

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I think I'm gonna be doing a power steering pump on my sisters car soon. It's making noise pretty badly apparently. Just hope the hoses are fine.
 

junkpile

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Good you found the problem, I'm curious though, was there no fluid leaking out at the seal? Just air being pulled in?
 

Function > Form

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Cb antenna installed. Might move it to the side of the hood, but this is better for height. I'll see what the swr is like and decide then.
 
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