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YJ Chat and non tech

2M views 33K replies 480 participants last post by  mkershaw 
#1 ·
But tonite as I rode home with the top off I really loved my rust-bucket YJ! At damn near 300k she still runs strong and I won't give it up for the world. She just isn't so pretty right now so some cosmetic work is coming, but after a long time w/o it and just military vechiles it was twice as sweet.

Just figured y'all would get it more so than the rest of the site. ;)

John
 
#27,341 ·
I dunno, man.

Once the snow is deeper than your bumper you really can't go anywhere if you're not on top of it.

Same principle as snowshoes.

But arguing about it is pointless, because this set of tires will almost certainly never see snow. Only rocks and some mud or sand.
37's and alot of skinny pedal.... back n forth

Then add Vbar chains for the win!!!

Even the tracked rover got stuck this year
 

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#27,343 ·
So Vermont is a weird place. I moved here in 1991 from New Hampshire after a brief six months interruption in South Carolina. It seems that I’ve struggled more often than I’ve been successful here economically. I’m tired.

I’ve gotten laid off; there’s plenty of jobs but with rent in the +/- $1100 range for just an apartment the job possibilities are totally unattractive since most of what I’ve enquired about starts $11.50-$12.50/hr. That just doesn’t work! I’m 54 and I’m way too old for this crap.
Last night at work I consolidated to the basics that would fit in my us general 44” top&bottom. They’re going on a trailer after noon and I’m headed to my sister’s in NH and if I can’t find something right off that’s sustainable I’m headed to my uncle’s in Florida to sorta make a 3-month working vacation/sabbatical and regroup.
I’m tired and too old to deal with regrouping in what seems like every three years.
Something has to change or I’m not gonna be a very happy camper in about 12 years...
Winters in Vermont have just always sucked for me.

I hear they can’t find workers in central Florida? Is that true? At least I wouldn’t suffer with my Reynauds down there.
 
#27,344 ·
So Vermont is a weird place. I moved here in 1991 from New Hampshire after a brief six months interruption in South Carolina. It seems that I've struggled more often than I've been successful here economically. I'm tired.

I've gotten laid off; there's plenty of jobs but with rent in the +/- $1100 range for just an apartment the job possibilities are totally unattractive since most of what I've enquired about starts $11.50-$12.50/hr. That just doesn't work! I'm 54 and I'm way too old for this crap.
Last night at work I consolidated to the basics that would fit in my us general 44" top&bottom. They're going on a trailer after noon and I'm headed to my sister's in NH and if I can't find something right off that's sustainable I'm headed to my uncle's in Florida to sorta make a 3-month working vacation/sabbatical and regroup.
I'm tired and too old to deal with regrouping in what seems like every three years.
Something has to change or I'm not gonna be a very happy camper in about 12 years...
Winters in Vermont have just always sucked for me.

I hear they can't find workers in central Florida? Is that true? At least I wouldn't suffer with my Reynauds down there.
Best of luck to you. I hope you find the right place to begin your next adventure.
 
#27,345 ·
So Vermont is a weird place. I moved here in 1991 from New Hampshire after a brief six months interruption in South Carolina. It seems that I've struggled more often than I've been successful here economically. I'm tired.

I've gotten laid off; there's plenty of jobs but with rent in the +/- $1100 range for just an apartment the job possibilities are totally unattractive since most of what I've enquired about starts $11.50-$12.50/hr. That just doesn't work! I'm 54 and I'm way too old for this crap.
Last night at work I consolidated to the basics that would fit in my us general 44" top&bottom. They're going on a trailer after noon and I'm headed to my sister's in NH and if I can't find something right off that's sustainable I'm headed to my uncle's in Florida to sorta make a 3-month working vacation/sabbatical and regroup.
I'm tired and too old to deal with regrouping in what seems like every three years.
Something has to change or I'm not gonna be a very happy camper in about 12 years...
Winters in Vermont have just always sucked for me.

I hear they can't find workers in central Florida? Is that true? At least I wouldn't suffer with my Reynauds down there.
Where in NH? I'm from Moultonboro and all my friends there say the biggest problem they have in the area is finding help, I don't know what the pay is though. Moving sucks, my friend and wife just moved from San Diego to Las Vegas so they could afford a house.
 
#27,346 ·
Where in NH? I'm from Moultonboro and all my friends there say the biggest problem they have in the area is finding help, I don't know what the pay is though. Moving sucks, my friend and wife just moved from San Diego to Las Vegas so they could afford a house.
Keene area.
I grew up in NH; born in Concord.
If you have any contacts that need experienced help - I have boatloads of portable skill. Sales, building materials, tools, hardware, tech-savvy, management...

But really looking for somewhere between Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. I have Raynauds and I'm sick of dealing with the discomfort. I'm useless outside this time of year in New England
 
#27,347 ·
Best of luck to you Fish. I just SMH at what our country has come to, when an obviously experienced and talented guy like yourself struggles to find work. Seems like the problem is we don't make anything anymore.
 
#27,349 ·
That white ?grand cherokee? looks like it has tires that don't exactly belong there!
It was a nightmare. He's a good kid, the GC is locked F/R, 2" lift but yeah his tires sucked, usually hes not afraid to send it...... Spent the whole trail either backing up to him, or yanking with a kenetic rope.

But considering how much lift and clearance i had and was still bogging down, I don't think tires would have made a difference for him... Just left it in the lot
 
#27,350 ·
Las Vegas. Do it now or forget it. People moving here fast. Houses still in range, but not for long. The Raiders are leaving the Bay area, they know. The pay here easily near highest or highest in the country (especially without collage).

Hot for 2 1/2 months per year, the rest is near perfection.
Some of the lowest taxes in the country. (5th lowest)

No humidity, no pythons, no mosquitoes.

About 80% of Nevada is public land open for off road use
NO natural disasters.

Just about everything is legal. From gambling and prostitution to pot and high capacity magazines. More hemp stores that 7-11's!
Can make $80,000 parking cars.

Right now, a comfortable 75*
Why am I writing this nonsense?

Because if you ever thought of moving, now is the time. And that goes for a lot of other places too. Places like Texas, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, western Wyoming...
 
#27,351 ·
Las Vegas. Do it now or forget it. People moving here fast. Houses still in range, but not for long. The Raiders are leaving the Bay area, they know. The pay here easily near highest or highest in the country (especially without collage).

Hot for 2 1/2 months per year, the rest is near perfection.
Some of the lowest taxes in the country. (5th lowest)

No humidity, no pythons, no mosquitoes.

About 80% of Nevada is public land open for off road use
NO natural disasters.

Just about everything is legal. From gambling and prostitution to pot and high capacity magazines. More hemp stores that 7-11's!
Can make $80,000 parking cars.

Right now, a comfortable 75*
Why am I writing this nonsense?

Because if you ever thought of moving, now is the time. And that goes for a lot of other places too. Places like Texas, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, western Wyoming...
Careful Chris.... next thing you know you'll have every /f12 er moving in and then it'll be wall to wall @ssholes:grin2:
 
#27,352 ·
It has become scary what trades people with experience can earn for wages. People that are actually not afraid to bust their butts for a living and will do it in the heat and the cold. Take us dealership techs or any any auto tech for example. Dealer labor rates have skyrocketed but tech flat rate wages have not. Meanwhile the book times are more and more impossible and I am sure you guys realize how much more complicated and specialized your 2019 and 2020 model year vehicles have become. The bottom line is that the "hands on" industries and not just mine will run itself out of people willing to do it in not to far of a distant future.
 
#27,353 ·
Labor rates for specialized (skilled) that can't be "offshored" will continue to rise.

Las Vegas
Heavy Equipment Operator $158,131.67
Eletrician $164,893.56
Mechanic $151,861.07
Heavy Truck Driver $116,339.50

To see your occupation, the real numbers, go to

https://transparentnevada.com/

Type in your occupation. I think you will be surprised how high the pay is here.
 
#27,354 ·
Some truth there

I can get a job easy.
With rents at ~$1000/mo for just an apt plus utilities- the starting wages of $11-$14 are at best: dead ends. Not sustainable and I'm sick of trying here.
I feel your pain. I am praying that you find the right pathway to being secure.

Perhaps you should consider going out on your own. I am in Charleston SC and do handyman type of work. People consistantly pay me $200 to change a ceiling fan or to fix a running toilet. I work about 10 to 20 hours a week at these rates. I could find more work but I enjoy my family and am going to seminary.

Brother, your skills have value. Make your own way.

Sent from my SM-G930U using Tapatalk
 
#27,356 ·
I feel your pain. I am praying that you find the right pathway to being secure.

Perhaps you should consider going out on your own. I am in Charleston SC and do handyman type of work. People consistantly pay me $200 to change a ceiling fan or to fix a running toilet. I work about 10 to 20 hours a week at these rates. I could find more work but I enjoy my family and am going to seminary.

Brother, your skills have value. Make your own way.

Sent from my SM-G930U using Tapatalk
Handyman work can be pretty lucrative. Especially once you build up a base of customers.
Ca$h payments can add 30% to the actual value (if you know what I mean)
 
#27,357 ·
Ya, maybe I should jump back in that direction. I've done it before. Had a card that said virtually nothing besides my name, phone, and, "Have tools- will travel"
If it wasn't for your desire to get out of the cold, I would offer up that my daughter and her BF are making $20+ per hour each with a decent amount of overtime days per year. Working in the Utility Trailer plant in Marion, VA building reefer semi trailers. Eventually they are returning to FL and hopefully cashing in on their skills in the rapidly growing aerospace industry all around here (Brevard County).

I would avoid greater Orlando because of traffic, crime, high cost of living and housing shortage. But there is a shortage of skilled trades all over down here. Having lived from Cape May, NJ and 7 places on the coast between there and New Orleans I ended up settling here on the Space Coast. Been here 31 years.
 
#27,358 ·
I guess they've updated them in the last 15 years. How are they in rocks?
I'm not sure. I do know tires, like about everything, is a trade off. A soft compound tire will grip rocks well but have poor wear characteristics. And soft rubber will puncture easier.

Dick Cepek, Mickey Thomson and many other brands are made by Cooper Tires.
I pretty much only buy Cooper after wasting thousands of dollars and continually being disappointed by tires with defects. Bad belts, radial pulls, out of round, blemishes... there's a LOT of defective tires out there.

In advertising, Cooper use to use the slogan "our tires are rounder"
Out of round tires don't balance. It's a defect.
I have had the best experience with Cooper. I don't have Cooper stock or relatives working for Cooper. I do have 10+ cars, trucks and Jeeps that all need tires. I don't want to waste my time chasing tire defects and arguing with tire shops.

I'm surprised at tire tech. I think tires for Jeeps and trucks are falling behind. Much new tire tech seems to be taking place for the super-fast growing UTV class.

These tires are good on rocks. M1 Evil by AMS tire and Wheel. I'm hoping this tire tech will make it's way to the Jeep industry.
These are 8 ply radial DOT
 

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#27,359 ·
Got to see some cool Jeep history today in Huntsville, AL. It's not everyday you get to see the prototype Jeeps from Ford, Willys and Bantam all in on place!
 

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