Anyone ripped off an oil filter?

usa591 · **Posted:** Wed May 27, 2015 2:15 am

I think the oil filter is in a really bad place…or is it my imagination?

This weekend I brought a spare filter, tools & oil out to the desert just in case. Didn't need them, made it back just fine.

Am I being paranoid? Anyone ever actually do damage to it?

flash7210 · **Posted:** Wed May 27, 2015 8:22 am

Of course, more lift always helps.
And so does having a good spotter.
If you are really paranoid, add more skid plates.

Unless you are crawling over some big rocks, I wouldn't be too worried.
But it never fails. As soon as you leave home without all your tools and extra parts, thats when something bad will happen.

flash7210 · **Posted:** Wed May 27, 2015 8:37 am

BTW, where out in the desert did you go?
I've always wanted to try the Mojavie Trail.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Wed May 27, 2015 1:17 pm

JL_Rockies managed to punch a hole in his - Moab 'Top of the World'

he made it back with about a gallon of extra oil and some help -

I didn't kill the filter - but I did bend the tranny skid (Mopar) enough to dent the transmission pan -

still ran fine for a while - although I changed it when I got home.

filter sticks down - but it's a small target close to the skid mounts - the tranny pan bridges a longer gap

usa591 · **Posted:** Wed May 27, 2015 2:36 pm

flash7210 wrote:

BTW, where out in the desert did you go?
I've always wanted to try the Mojavie Trail.

Nothing too crazy--we were mainly in Joshua Tree Nat'l Park. I sought out some 4x4 only roads and actually had a nervous moment when I got into some soft sand for a hot second about 12 miles from nowhere. Lived to post about it, though.

I had my ham radio, so I figured I could ultimately raise someone if I needed too, but it got me thinking about who monitors what out in those parts--I also had my CB but didn't hear a peep all weekend.

flash7210 · **Posted:** Thu May 28, 2015 8:20 am

usa591 wrote:

flash7210 wrote:

BTW, where out in the desert did you go?
I've always wanted to try the Mojavie Trail.

Nothing too crazy--we were mainly in Joshua Tree Nat'l Park. I sought out some 4x4 only roads and actually had a nervous moment when I got into some soft sand for a hot second about 12 miles from nowhere. Lived to post about it, though.

I had my ham radio, so I figured I could ultimately raise someone if I needed too, but it got me thinking about who monitors what out in those parts--I also had my CB but didn't hear a peep all weekend.

Off topic...

What kind of radio are you using?
And what antenna? Are you using a tuner?
I've been considering getting a HF mobile setup but don't know where to start.

I got into some really remote areas in Northern Nevada where cell phone signal was nonexistent and not another human life-form within 20 miles.

CRDMiller · **Posted:** Thu May 28, 2015 10:32 am

I have bent the trans skid about two inches into the transmission pan.

i had a m1 301 installed and it caused it to leak at the o ring.

I have always carried a spare oil filter and oil. Because the filter location has concerned me greatly.

now I drive a little smarter, filter is a non issue really.

later I removed the pan and hammered it out. pan did not leak.

usa591 · **Posted:** Thu May 28, 2015 1:45 pm

flash7210 wrote:

What kind of radio are you using?
And what antenna? Are you using a tuner?
I've been considering getting a HF mobile setup but don't know where to start.

I got into some really remote areas in Northern Nevada where cell phone signal was nonexistent and not another human life-form within 20 miles.

Well…since you asked:

I've got a Kenwood TM-V71 mobile rig. It's dual band (2M/70cm), rated at 50W, but according to my SWR meter, it's only pushing about 40W. My antenna is a Diamond NR770 mounted dead center on my roof with an NMO mount, so I've got a pretty good ground plane. It's rated at 3dB on 2m and 5.5 dB on 70cm. My SWR is about perfect, 1:1.2 or so.

I took pictures of the install and will do a separate post showing how everything came together.

I'm really happy with the setup--the face of the mobile detaches and I mounted it right above the AC vents and the body of the radio sits under the driver seat. There's a factory pass-through a little to the left of the brake pedal in the firewall that is easy to send the 12V wires through to the battery to power everything.

To mount the antenna, I had a stereo store remove the headliner and run the wires--just faster that way. I put two NMO mounts up there--one for Ham and the other for a CB antenna.

I'm really stoked on it. Under good conditions, I can make simplex contacts 20 to 30 miles away. I've hit repeaters up to 100 miles away--but that is usually due to the repeater being at a high elevation on a mountain.

I'm a huge fan of Ham Radio now--works great where cellphones don't, especially when a repeater is involved. SoCal is full of them. Don't know about Utah or Nevada. Having said that, I still bring the EPIRB from the boat just in case--it's my Nuclear Bomb Option if I ever really need help. CB seems to be much less monitored, has lower power & is far less "professional" in my experience. I would definitely go the extra mile and get your Ham license/mobile rig setup.

I don't know much about HF…yet…but I do know that you will ultimately get better range. However, the antennas tend to be much bigger (due to frequencies) and I don't think the radios are as small and compact or as easy to tune. Also, to really get access to all the HF bands, you would need to get an upgrade to your basic Ham license (so you'd have to take two tests). The basic Ham license is relatively easy to pass, no Morse Code requirement.

flash7210 · **Posted:** Thu May 28, 2015 2:21 pm

Cool.
Send me an email: flash7210(at)gmail(dot)com
We can continue this conversation through email.

minesbigger · **Posted:** Sun May 31, 2015 9:57 pm

usa591 wrote:

I think the oil filter is in a really bad place…or is it my imagination?

This weekend I brought a spare filter, tools & oil out to the desert just in case. Didn't need them, made it back just fine.

Am I being paranoid? Anyone ever actually do damage to it?

Ya its in a really bad place

i was worried as well i bought some 4xguard skids and everything thing is safe now