frustration

jhardy · Sep 25, 2013

So hardline what do y'all do when you get frustrated to the point of selling your project/rig. I used to have a really sharp jeep then I decided I wanted to go bigger so I did. And as we all know as soon as you start going bigger you have to upgrade everything else. I blew my old 4cy in my yj so I thought now is the time to swap to a v8. I so wish I would had just rebuilt the 4cy and been done with it. I've got a good set up now, but making it run and drive is so frustrating. To the point that I would sell it right now. Just to not mess with it anymore. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it has tons of potential So tell me guys what do you do when you are at that point. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I actually knew what I was doing. Maybe I'm just being a whinny ass, but every time I start a new small project I end up with everything tore apart and broke. Is building a jeep really this hard, or am I just really dumb?

tonybolton · Sep 25, 2013

Re: Re: frustration

Whats that saying.....cheaper to buy'em than build'em? 8)

....or maybe....Gotta pay to play. ;D

jhardy · Sep 25, 2013

LOL I have to say I wish I had kept my jeep the way it was before I started "building" it. and yeah bought something. I had a shop install the motor and trans and case. But they did a crummy job, in my opinion anyway. and I paid way to much. And so now I trying to fix what they didn't do correctly. Its just frustrating when you are working on a small budget and don't have a lot of knowledge or skills. I thought I was skilled I was way off lol. And yes unless you are skilled and have either a lot of buddies with tools and know how or just awesome at working on things it is easier to buy then build.

gasman · Sep 25, 2013

I've found the best motivation for finishing a project is to jump and go riding with one of your buddies. Nothing like being out on the trail wishing you was in your own ride to get you working on it,lol. Chad :dblthumb:

stano · Sep 25, 2013

I just got done building a buggy from scratch and there were times I had to back away from it and take a break. I also made a list of things needing done and would cross them off as I finished them, maybe it was all in my head, but it felt good to cross off an item.

Remember, you eat an elephant one bite at a time!!

pachary · Sep 25, 2013

Re:

I had my tube buggy on the trail in six months.

Built it from scratch in one half of a two car garage. First rig that wasn't "bolt on" for me.

It ain't the prettiest thing and still needs paint/powder. But tires are the weak link.

Pull ya big girl panties all the way up and get it finished!

TacomaJD · Sep 25, 2013

jhardy said:
LOL I have to say I wish I had kept my jeep the way it was before I started "building" it. and yeah bought something. I had a shop install the motor and trans and case. But they did a crummy job, in my opinion anyway. and I paid way to much. And so now I trying to fix what they didn't do correctly. Its just frustrating when you are working on a small budget and don't have a lot of knowledge or skills. I thought I was skilled I was way off lol. And yes unless you are skilled and have either a lot of buddies with tools and know how or just awesome at working on things it is easier to buy then build.

I've lived off of the "cheaper to buy em than build em" saying since I've been wheeling (just over 3 yrs now) and always think, man I just don't see how these cats build rigs from scratch all the time, or break almost every time they wheel and are back on the trail the next weekend. Seems like everytime I break something new, I usually have to buy new tools in order to fix it. Which is good to be acquiring new and various tools, but it does a swell job at keeping the wallet empty.

Some people have it made and already have a shitload of tools/equipment and a nice, spacious shop to work on their **** with. That could either be they do things like that for a living or side job, they are older than I (26 yrs old) and have acquired these things over time, have a shitload more money than I do, or inherit/borrow tools/equipment/shop from parents.

I built my "first" shop about this time last year and only owned a cheap portable toolbox with about 50 lbs worth of random tools in it. It's hard to get started when you basically start out with nothing. I mean I have a handful of buddies with fully equiped shops and my dad's work has a plethora of **** I can use outside of business hours, including a lift. But I don't like being a burden to anyone or borrowing ****....sometimes there just is no option though.

Overall, unless you have a super fat wallet and a ton of drive to wheel and wrench, you just have to take it little at a time. Too much of anything (except vagina) will almost always burn you out, especially when the wallet continues to take the biggest hit.

TacomaJD · Sep 25, 2013

And this also is why I want another motorcycle. I wish I had never sold mine last year.....but I just HAD to upgrade to a bigger, better crawler. :

If you are into motorcycling, that's the perfect fix for when you are frustrated with your rig. If it's broke or ain't got time to wheel or wrench on it, you can just hop on a bike and go for a fun ride.....whether it be for an hour or all day. Helps break the monotony of focus being centered solely on your rig being fawked up or not having enough time to enjoy it.

$5-6k and you can have a good motorcycle and protective gear and that's all you need to have a fulfilling side hobby. Nothing like the expenses of getting into crawling hardcore. Tools, trailer, tow rig, breaking parts, shop, etc. Plus motorcycles double as cheap transportation and most get anywhere from 30-50mpg's, depending on the type of bike.

If motorcycling ain't your thing, there's several other hobbies available to break the monotony. Just look for a hobby that isn't a big, continued expense like crawling. Pay once and done, basically.

Just my $0.02 :dblthumb:

grcthird · Sep 25, 2013

Polaris financing can have you riding by this weekend! molaugh

When I got tired of building mine, I just stuck it off to the side for a while and said to hell with this. Then drug everything back out in a coupla days/weeks and got after it again. 90% of mine was done in the driveway with no shade/cover unless I got the EZ up tent out. :

As stupid as it sounds, a build thread helped keep me motivated. I always looked forward to updating it.

TBItoy · Sep 25, 2013

I just do other things until I get frustrated with not being able to do some real wheelin, then I get my ass in gear and start building again.

4wheeling is all I've ever wanted to do, since I was 5-6 years old. I've filled in with hunting, fishing, motorcycles, kayaking, boating, and r/c cars, but I always come back to 4wheeling.

I've also always kept a relatively stock 4wd rig that I could take to the woods on easy trails, camping, fishing, hunting, etc or go to a park for an event and check out the big rides. That always keeps me motivated to build on my "real" rig.

I've tried buying rigs that were "built" but it always seems that there is too much I want to change on them, then end up selling them and building my own rig again.

motorhead0320 · Sep 25, 2013

I "bought" my last two rigs. Wish I had built them. I had to redo so many hillbilly rig jobs from the original builders. Would have been happier to have done it my way from the start. Buying is often cheaper since someone else takes the hit on new parts, but then you gotta fix call the **** you don't like. I agree with the guy that said ride with a buddy a few times. I was rigless for a while. One wheeling trip riding passenger and I was hooked again and ready to buy.

TacomaJD · Sep 25, 2013

Re:

I've lucked out buying the two rigs I've had. First one was owned by a guy that had an extensive, detailed build thread on the truck and he also was all the time posting wheeling pics and never mentioned having to fix stuff out of the ordinary. Drove all the way to northern Ohio from Alabama to get it and was satisfied with it.

My current truck has also been a good one, but I was able to actually wheel with it a lot, as I bought it from a fellow local wheeler that's also now a friend. Again, been satisfied with it. Maybe I'm just not like some and want to change enough on a rig for it to matter. But both cases before I bought, I looked hard, liked what I saw "bumper to bumper" and how it performed, and was ultimately happy with both purchases and have thus far only had to fix self inflicted broken parts.

zebrajeep · Sep 25, 2013

Re:

jhardy said:
Maybe I'm just being a whinny ass,

This ^^^^^

zebrajeep · Sep 25, 2013

Re:

pachary said:
Pull ya big girl panties all the way up and get it finished!

And this^^^^^

zebrajeep · Sep 25, 2013

Re:

You are not going to be a burden to your dad! He will love helping you. Just make sure you do most of the work.

Anything worth having takes work!

If it's easy, you don't want it!

fordf250 · Sep 25, 2013

You should talk to ratedx on here he will make you feel better about it :****:

RustyC · Sep 25, 2013

Make the list. I have build two rigs a Jeep that was basically built twice and my current buggy project. I have found myself just standing there looking at it and wondering where to start for the day.
I found that if I made a list of major things to do, brakes, wiring, plumbing etc. and what parts are needed to complete that section of the list. I would work on one thing unit it was finshed or out of parts (read $$$). Then I would move on to the next. Marking something off the list build momentum to move to the next section.
I have also found that if I work by myself and a radio I get more done.
Anybody can quit but it feels really good to take pictures and wheel a rig you built yourself.