Build Thread 1972 CJ5 “re”build
I recently bought my first CJ mostly as a deer lease vehicle. I’ve wanted one since I was a kid listening to stories my dad would tell about his (‘74 CJ5 with the AMC 304 V8). I knew it would need work eventually; It is much older than I am after all, but I wasn’t expecting it would be so soon!
While at the lease a couple of weekends ago I lost the ability to shift. After posting on here and getting some input from a few forum members, I decided to go ahead and drop the Transmission ; I would have to in order to fix the clutch anyway, and just do a thorough inspection of the Transmission and Transfer Case .
Well after getting it down yesterday it is clear that it needs some TLC. The seals are shot, the Transmission bearings are shot and it was getting water in somewhere or several somewheres! I ordered a rebuild kit for the Transmission (BW T-15 ) and Transfer Case (Dana 20 ) from Novak and I’ve started the tear down process.
I’m also going to replace the single shift stick for the Transfer Case , which was worn out and in need of replacement, with a double shift stick from JB custom fabrication. I just ordered replacement clutch parts from Rock Auto, not doing anything too fancy there, but I am upgrading to a diaphragm pressure plate.
A couple of other items I want to address: it seems like the folks who worked on this Jeep prior didn’t get things lined up as well as I would like, the Transmission was sitting so high that they couldn’t properly fasten down the floor plates because the bell housing was in the way, and the differentials, front and back, are tilted. I’m still not sure if that was because the u joints couldn’t accommodate the 2.5” lift from the replacement leaf springs or if they just did it because they wanted to, but I would like it if the dowels on the axle bracket for the leaf springs actually sat properly in the leaf springs. Right now they are shimmed and just bolted down tight to hold the angle. Is this a common thing to do?
In summary for this build I expect to (at a minimum): install a new clutch, rebuild the Transmission , rebuild the Transfer Case , install double stick shifter for the Transfer Case , fix alignment issues with the drivetrain, reset the axles, and who knows what else (haven’t even really dug into the engine yet)! Wish me luck!
Here are a few photos so far:
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
While at the lease a couple of weekends ago I lost the ability to shift. After posting on here and getting some input from a few forum members, I decided to go ahead and drop the Transmission ; I would have to in order to fix the clutch anyway, and just do a thorough inspection of the Transmission and Transfer Case .
Well after getting it down yesterday it is clear that it needs some TLC. The seals are shot, the Transmission bearings are shot and it was getting water in somewhere or several somewheres! I ordered a rebuild kit for the Transmission (BW T-15 ) and Transfer Case (Dana 20 ) from Novak and I’ve started the tear down process.
I’m also going to replace the single shift stick for the Transfer Case , which was worn out and in need of replacement, with a double shift stick from JB custom fabrication. I just ordered replacement clutch parts from Rock Auto, not doing anything too fancy there, but I am upgrading to a diaphragm pressure plate.
A couple of other items I want to address: it seems like the folks who worked on this Jeep prior didn’t get things lined up as well as I would like, the Transmission was sitting so high that they couldn’t properly fasten down the floor plates because the bell housing was in the way, and the differentials, front and back, are tilted. I’m still not sure if that was because the u joints couldn’t accommodate the 2.5” lift from the replacement leaf springs or if they just did it because they wanted to, but I would like it if the dowels on the axle bracket for the leaf springs actually sat properly in the leaf springs. Right now they are shimmed and just bolted down tight to hold the angle. Is this a common thing to do?
In summary for this build I expect to (at a minimum): install a new clutch, rebuild the Transmission , rebuild the Transfer Case , install double stick shifter for the Transfer Case , fix alignment issues with the drivetrain, reset the axles, and who knows what else (haven’t even really dug into the engine yet)! Wish me luck!
Here are a few photos so far:
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
