Hello from North NJ

[XEON]

Well since everyone else is doing this...

Hello my name is Justin, I am 17 years old, yea I am new but I have been into offroading since I was 13. I have a dirtbike, Yamaha WR426. I also have a Jeep Wrangler. I bought this bad boy on eBay a few months ago and never looked back. Its an 1988, bought it so I can work on it, which is basically all I ahve been doing. Its in the shop right now for some engine timing and a rear bearing seal. I would love to learn more about cars and such, since I have been interested as a kid. Now that I have one I decided to put together a group. I have mentioned it a few times on JeepForums and Badzook loved the idea. He stared emailing me and we then started this group. Since he lived in NY and I lived in NJ and there are lots of other people interested in our area. We decided to call it "Tri-State 4x4." At first it was a "club" but we did not want to deal with subscriptions and what not. So I just call it a group and for money issues we asked the kind people of the area to donate.

Thats some of my story. Wanted to keep it short. Hope you guys enjoy this as much as I do! :D

[MikeN]

Hi Justin,

Nice job to you and Badzook getting this board started. You seem to have gotten it organized very quickly.

Since it seems off roading has gotten into your blood there's something I suggest that you should do that will save you a ton of money for ever.

I see in your profile you're a student. At 17 I assume you're either about to finish High School or are in College already. If that's the case and if you don't already know how to, go find a Welding course someplace. Be it BOCES, or some tech school center. Go learn how to weld the right way. You will not believe how much that skill is needed when you break an off road vehicle and for fabricating things for your rig rather than paying big bux for someone else to shop it to you.

MikeN

[XEON]

I know how to weld :)

I am not good at it because our Tech teacher retired. But I know how to weld. I am trying to get the welder from the school. They canceled all the metal working classes :(. So they have no use for it...

Yea I am planning on getting a welder soon and fabbing my own protectiong for the undercarage.

[MikeN]

That's great that you know how to weld Xeon!

I suggest you shop around a lot before you buy a welder. Lately, the last 5 or so years I've seen a lot of offshore crap coming in at very attractive prices with off brand names.

A friend of mine got one from a Farm and Tractor store and it don't have the power to barely burn his finger.

I don't know what you had in mind to spend or if you already know what kind of welder you want but even if it's more money, for a tool like that, that should last you the rest of your life, I suggest you stick with the known names like Lincoln, Miller, Hobart etc.

I have a nice little Lincoln Weldpac 100 that is gas adaptable even though I've been using flus wire that will weld up to 3/8ths plate. I have a Lincoln Stick AC/DC buzz box if I decide to start building ships and need to weld thicker than that. :)

TTYL
MikeN

[XEON]

Yea I was looking into Lincoln, Miller (EXPENSIVE), Hobart, and Craftsman have some. Yea I know there are lots of cheap tools and what not. I only buy Craftsman hand tools (got some new ones last week, GO LIFETIME warreny). But buying a welder now is along way... I dont need it yet. I dont even have my Wrangler at hand...

[njedgexj]

i picked up a lincoln 3200hd last year...it works well for me...i run .035 wire with c25 gas mix...itll do 3/16 single pass not too bad....flux core i can do 5/16 single pass...but flux core sucks...this summer im planing on upgrading to a bigger machine...but first im saving to get a plasma cutter..