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Build Thread 1980 CJ5 resto/mod

Build Thread 1980 CJ5 resto/mod
i'll be following you, since im doing the same, but with an 83 CJ5 . since your in texas i can just stop by ;):D:D
 
Got the engine completely dismantled this afternoon. Yea!

Broke the pulley off the front of the crank trying to take it off. Puller slipped. Not Yea!:(

All in all, everything looked pretty good. Only a few bearings were slightly scratched, but none were spun that I could see. At least they were all seated properly. Got some other questions I will put up in the drivetrain forum. Found more than my fair share of carbon buildup.

Pics to come when I get a chance!


This won't be too expensive Dear! That's what I keep saying. Over and over again.
 
I'm in College Station & recently bought my friend's barn fresh 1980 CJ5 . I'm slowly changing the fluids & am enjoying reading your thread & watching your progress. I will start one myself as soon as I learn to post pictures. Thanks for posting your project/progress!
 
clively said:
I'm in College Station & recently bought my friend's barn fresh 1980 CJ5 . I'm slowly changing the fluids & am enjoying reading your thread & watching your progress. I will start one myself as soon as I learn to post pictures. Thanks for posting your project/progress!
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Glad you enjoy the read! I got the tranny/ Transfer Case out hanging on the lift now. Changed fluid while that was up in the air. It all looked pretty fair I guess, no metal shavings anyway and the fluid still had viscosity to it!

I ordered the hype flex master bushing set and a few pieces to replace the hose clamp on the Transmission shifter while I had the urge to part with some cash!

Should have that by the end of the week and can get to work on it all.

Need to get back on the tub and get the old seat belt bolts out. I have sprayed them with the aero kroil 4 or 5 times over the last few weeks. Might come out if I hold my mouth right! It's just been a little too cool lately for this fella to be working outside here. No, there isn't snow on the ground. Yes, I know the Gulf of Mexico is 130 miles south of my back door; but I don't do cold. At all. I think it will be up in the 60's this week. Might get it done that afternoon!

Just checked, 70's next week. Even better!


This won't be too expensive Dear! That's what I keep saying. Over and over again.
 
I like what I'm seeing. Roll up those sleeves and jump in and get dirty. I'll be droppin' in again. BTW, the Gulf Coast is nice, even with the cooler weather. Tonite it's short whiskey's and cigars on the back deck. Chiminea will be smokin' too.
 
Project86 said:
Tonite it's short whiskey's and cigars on the back deck. Chiminea will be smokin' too.
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Now you are speaking my language!
I was born in a hospital that is 1.5 miles from my house. I like it here. Close enough to Houston to get whatever you you need and a lot of stuff you don't! Far enough away from the coast to get some good wind from hurricanes, and far enough away from Tornado Alley to not own a storm cellar.

We will have to get together sometime for a whiskey drink and catch some redfish.......I will bring the whiskey!



This won't be too expensive Dear! That's what I keep saying. Over and over again.
 
Complete bushing set came in today!:D

Got all the pedals, e-brake assembly, and steering column supports off the tub and sand blasted yesterday. After heating the metal up in the floorboard of my truck this morning with the heater on, the rattle can black paint/primer was applied. (Daddy always said "Son, if its worth painting, paint it black!" He was a welder, it just came with the job I guess.)

I will get it re-assembled and get some pictures posted, it wasn't a bad job if I have to say so myself!

Also plan on getting the Transmission hose clamp removed and replaced with proper components. That hose clamp has been on there for the 20 years that the PO has owned the vehicle, I hope it works without it!

I should get some pictures posted tomorrow afternoon/night of recent progress.

GO SHSU! BEAT NDSU!
 
I bought my jeep in Texas when I was living in Texarkana last year. It was a "farm" jeep and the odometer read 4400 miles. Its a 1981 model CJ7 .
 
rr41mag said:
I bought my jeep in Texas when I was living in Texarkana last year. It was a "farm" jeep and the odometer read 4400 miles. Its a 1981 model CJ7 .
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What a find. Since it came from Texas, it must be good!


This won't be too expensive Dear! That's what I keep saying. Over and over again.
 
73CJ said:
Enjoy your build and you are doing it right.

Being an Alumni of the Herd, you have it wrong. Go Bison! (And that's what happened)
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Being an Alumni of SHSU I can say that they just got their a$$e$ kicked yesterday! Wasn't close, wasn't some trick play, wasn't because someone was hurt! The best team won. Congrats to NDSU.

[But, I have been to NDSU campus before back when I was 19. The women are soooo much better looking in Texas. That's why them boys have so much anger built up inside. Just saying. Lol!]


This won't be too expensive Dear! That's what I keep saying. Over and over again.
 
33 year old rubber bushings are not your friend! Got the rear out and 25% back in. BTW, you got to take the little metal sleeve out of the springs. I can't feel my hands today very well!

Got the tranny mounts put on before I messed with the other stuff an it is held up with a strap over the frames. Picked the whole thing up over an inch!

Didn't get to the pedal assembly. Maybe this week.......


This won't be too expensive Dear! That's what I keep saying. Over and over again.
 
Pictures...everyone loves pictures!

Parts were sandblasted before painting to make sure it will hold up another 33 years. Like the Rolling Stones said so well in 1966, Paint it Black!!!!



11:00AM

Started on the bushing swaps as I mentioned previously. This is just as easy as it sounds, take out old, clean off 33 years of Mother Nature's loving, and re-install new. I started with the new Transmission mounts so that I could get the lift freed up to get after body bushings next. It wasn't lunch time and there was plenty of Sunday left for fun with the CJ. This took some careful thought and reference of pictures from when the dismantle began, there are only about 15 holes to use to mount three bolts in after all! Found the picture and got it together. Had a wonderful bowl of gumbo and rice for lunch BTW!

Before And After All shiny and stuff!!!!:D
12:30PM

Time to get to work on the frame bushings, so lift was moved and picked back frame up enough to take all weight off the springs. Take out the back shackle, passenger side and stare for a few minutes at those rubber bushings.........what to do.........screwdriver and BFH. After a few licks with said hammer, swapped over to small hammer and break out the Kroil Oil from the fine folks at Kano Laborotories! Rubber has a tendancy to stick to metal after a while for those who haven't performed this manuver before. these are two piece, and came out pretty well. Bolts back on and good to go! Passenger rear half way done!:chug:
 
Time to move on to the front hanger of this rear spring. Take both front bolts out of both rear springs, and ta da! Nothing....
Take both shocks off and ta da!everything swings away beautifully.

1:30pm

Next step would logically be remove front bushings of the rear springs. Get done with the rear before moving to the front. Sounds like a plan. Get the metal insert out that the bolt goes through, remove 33 year old rubber, re-install new polyurethane and bolt it back up. I just got through with the back, this shouldn't be too hard right?:confused:

4:00pm

Wife asks if pizza would be good for supper. I just nod in agreement for fear of her finding a divorce attorney while out to pick up dinner if I tried to use words at that point:mad:. I had one small rubber bushing out at that point and both hands were bleeding and cramped up and just a little frustrated.

5:30pm

I was informed that when she got back with dinner I should be done with the Jeep for the evening so that I could join the family for what was left of the day. Also, It didnt even look like I had much done for all the racket and bad words she had heard coming from the garage. I stood up straight, a feat in itself at that point, and looked around myself. There were no less than 25 hand tools around my feet and a small handful of tiny rubber pieces and two metal bushings to show for my effort.

6:00pm

Dinner is home. I have both bushings out now, and emory cloth has cleaned the rust and small nicks up inside those other metal parts that surround the spring eye. All is well, my temper has cooled, I just want to get the new bushings in and go enjoy my dinner. Get it lubed up and try to install..........doesnt fit:mad::censored::mad::censored:

Maybe I have the wrong part in my hand, there are sooooo many pieces in a complete bushing kit after all!:D Quick check of the instruction sheet/part list, right piece.....WTH!!!!!

Back to the small instruction sheet that was in the bag of rear spring bushings, written right there on that page "IF vehicle is equiped with metal spring bushings in spring eye, these will need to be removed prior to installation of these new bushings." (Close to that anyway)

:mad::censored::mad::censored::censored:

6:05pm

Inside to have dinner with my family, Jeep will wait another day.....

Thats where it sits. Those metal bushings will need to be removed before I can continue. I have taken bushings out before, need a hacksaw/sawsall, make a small cut, remove and repeat on the other side.

(BTW, there are two more of these :censored: bushings on the front springs...I cant wait!)
 
Hang in there if it was easy everybody would be doing it. Sometimes it's best to just walk away from it for awhile and start fresh.
 
mtnwhlr said:
Hang in there if it was easy everybody would be doing it. Sometimes it's best to just walk away from it for awhile and start fresh.
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Thats what I did! Now that I can feel my hands again, and the bleeding has stopped. I found my time tonight better spent on my computer updating my build thread!

Thanks for the encouragement :chug:, it is going well and timely considering a few set backs. It's just time and money after all!:D

With any luck, it should be looking just like it used to in no time!:confused: Dang, I said that out loud to myself and it sounded strange.....that is the point of a restoration after all....isn't it? LOL
 
thiswontbetooexpensive said:
Now you are speaking my language!
I was born in a hospital that is 1.5 miles from my house. I like it here. Close enough to Houston to get whatever you you need and a lot of stuff you don't! Far enough away from the coast to get some good wind from hurricanes, and far enough away from Tornado Alley to not own a storm cellar.

We will have to get together sometime for a whiskey drink and catch some redfish.......I will bring the whiskey!



This won't be too expensive Dear! That's what I keep saying. Over and over again.
Click to expand...

Drop in and take a look around when you get a chance.

www.lakanookielodge.com

Planin' a trip to Mexico for marlin and snook, for February if the cards fall right. Right now, the logistics are the issue, need to go Manzanillo, then swap the West coast for the East coast, Tampico. My dad has a hard on for a marlin, but not the all the travel. He might get sent home early, lol. I haven't fully committed to the idea yet.
 
Got the rear bushings changed out! YEA:chug:

Was buttoning up the bolts after getting it all greased up, and broke one of the bolts off flush with the hanger. Driver rear. NOT YEA.:(

Put the tools down and went inside to add those parts to my cart on Morris.

On the bright side, the new ones have the grease zert built in and should last another 33 years!

Didn't post any new pictures but will as soon as the progress is visual!
 
I was laying on my back under the front end this morning, of my Jeep that is....noticed that my frame isn't as cleanly painted as I was thinking. No real rust damage, but it just doesn't look right to me.

I think it is just since I am in this state of disassembly, the next step should be to completely disassemble the rolling chassis and blast and repaint the frame. Kinda seems crazy to me somehow, but I think it is the right thing to do. I should have it all apart tomorrow, or at least real close!

Then I will move over to the barn. Kinda handy working in the garage and I have to walk by it every time I come and go from the house to get to my truck. The barn will actually give me more light and room to work with. Just have to re-arrange some items and take my tools back over there. Barn is large and the tub is in there already, just need to take the other stuff over there and get after it I reckon! I am confined to the one-car side of my three car garage now and have to make several trips around everything to get what I need it seems.

I am about 70% through the suspension bushing swap as it sits now. I did manage to get the last two of those :censored: metal bushings out of the spring eyes. Hammers, chisels, wrenches, sockets, safety glasses, go-jo, screw drivers, and time. That is all you need to get the bushings swapped out BTW......And at least one thirty pack for good measure!

I will get some pics taken and posted after it is all apart. Sorry for the long post.
 
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