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Build Thread 1983 CJ-7 Renegade

Build Thread 1983 CJ-7 Renegade
C dubya

C dubya

Active Jeeper
Posts
388
Thanks
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Location
Bartlesville, OK
Vehicle(s)
83 Jeep CJ-7 Renegade,
258 I-6,
T-4(Soon to be a T-19),
Dana 300,
1987 Grand Wagoneer,
360 V8, 2008 Chevy 2500HD Z71 Crewcab, 6.0 V8
What started off as a tuneup and buff job is turning into cancer treatment. I have a 1983 CJ7 Renegade with a AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l I6, Dana 300 and T-4 . I ahd started a post in the misc discussion but will go ahead and continue it here. I have the interior out of it and had ordered the floor pans. I worked on getting the roll bar out this weekend and still don't have it out. :( Damn torx bolts are a PITA! At this point I am thinking the tub is going to come off, it's totally saveable but if I don't work on the bottom of it I know I will regret it forever. Plan is to keep it stock with some improvements and make it more of a daily driver. I want it to look good and function well, but not be something I won't want to drive. Here is my starting point, have to add my progress from my pics on my home cpu.
 
Here are more pics, hope to post some more updated ones this weekend. The goal for this weekend is to get the roll bar off. Some more of how she was, and then some of the rust.
 
Some more and the floor pans. My floor pans from current to classic fabrication came in thursday.
 
The infamous buffed spot that started my build. And another side view.
 
Id try and keep the original paint if you can. It looks like most of it will clean up pretty nice. Itll take a bit of muscle power though. :)
 
Petescj said:
Id try and keep the original paint if you can. It looks like most of it will clean up pretty nice. Itll take a bit of muscle power though. :)
Click to expand...

I would love haved love to do that Pete, but after today I think there is just going to be too much work on the tub to save the paint. I think it would be a viable option on the hood and fenders. Pretty much going to have to respray, and did I mention I hate rollbar bolts. Bain of my life right now.
 
I'm with you man--mine started out as just fix the brakes and a tune-up but once we looked under the carpet:( was time to rebuild--- good luck and keep us posted
 
Not much progress this weekend. After welding on bolts to the rollbar bolts I was only able to get one out. I just can't get enough bite onto the bolt head. My welder seemed to be underperforming. I think I am going to go the torch route, but won't be able to buy one until next week. I did get the dash pad off and dash panel unbuttoned. Pretty slow progress, hope to get in some evenings this week, as my weekend is locked up.
 
Those bolts are VERY difficult to get out, even if you can weld a bolt on top of them like you did. I had the exact same problem. I had to drill most of mine out, the seat belt tie down bolts were by far the hardest.

Each bolt basically required a new drill bit too, especially drilling out the grade 8's.

You're going to have some nice rot under those roll bar plates unfortunately. :(
 
bullseye said:
Those bolts are VERY difficult to get out, even if you can weld a bolt on top of them like you did. I had the exact same problem. I had to drill most of mine out, the seat belt tie down bolts were by far the hardest.

Each bolt basically required a new drill bit too, especially drilling out the grade 8's.

You're going to have some nice rot under those roll bar plates unfortunately. :(
Click to expand...


Bullseye, how exactly did you drill yours out? What size of bit? Did you hollow them and beat them out, or try to just drill the whole thing away. Sounds like a pretty viable aternative. I have already seen the rot from the bottom of the tub where the bolts are. Roll bar bolts are demoralizing.
 
Got my steering wheel puller in yesterday and got the wheel off. Felt like a small victory as everything else seems to be a waiting game to figure out I need to get the right tools to get the job done. Took some pics and will try to get them up before I leave today. No progress this weekend, I am going fishing! :chug:
 
Keep at it.
It is a tough road... have done many a Torx bolt.
I usually would soak them in PB blaster for a few days.
Then with a torch heat them up cherry red.
Then put the torx in and beat it in with a hammer so there is no doubt it is all the way in there.
The I would try very lightly to get it out... if not, more heat repeat.
When that didn't work, I went to the welding.
when that didn't work, I drilled and tapped them out.

It is demoralizing, but it is awesome when you see the little bits after you are done and you know you won... also, I would stock up on some beers, you will need them.

cb
 
C dubya said:
Bullseye, how exactly did you drill yours out? What size of bit? Did you hollow them and beat them out, or try to just drill the whole thing away. Sounds like a pretty viable aternative. I have already seen the rot from the bottom of the tub where the bolts are. Roll bar bolts are demoralizing.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry it took me this long to answer your questions...I have been out of town.

So the thing is, I didn't really take any pics of the process to drill bolts. But below is the pic of the heads that will pop off when you drill and the other is the pic of the seat belt anchor bolt that was soooooo much fun to get out.

To answer some of the questions from your other thread and here:

In my case the bolts were just frozen. Blow torch, WD 40, liquid wrench, impact driver, air impact wrench just didn't work. Most of the bolts were Torx and stripped almost instantly.

There really isn't any exact protocols I followed but what I did for each was:

1) Hit it with liquid wrench long before I started.
2) I used a smaller bit to start the hole. I would use a hole punch but with the Torx bolts, but there is already a hole there in the form of the stripped out "star" where you stuck in the Torx wench.

As I stated earlier, I basically killed each bit on each individual bolt. So I would buy a set of packaged bits usually from ACE that were on sale. Like 10 or 20 in the pack.

I would use a small bit a remove an inch or so of material, or however long the small bit lasted.

3) I would then use a bit roughly ALMOST the size of the bolt.

So I would efficiently destroy the smaller bits then use a couple of the medium size bits and destroy those then have a lot of large bits leftover.

I did buy some of the super pricey individual bits for like 10-15 bucks a piece, but found they did not last all that much longer than the cheap sets.

4) When I completely drilled thru the bolts, I would again spray some liquid wrench and hit the little fraker from underneath with a hammer and that would usually bend and collapse the bolt enough to pop it out.

Sometimes I would use a set of vise grip pliers and crush the bolt in the hole as well.

Either way worked or I combined the 2 methods. :D

I also remember using an old chisel and hammer then hitting the bolt with the corner of the chisel from the outside bending the bolt in on itself. Then hitting it with LW again then using the vise grips.

Each bolt took me at least a 1/2 hour and those damn grade 8 seat belt anchor bolts took even longer.

Yes you will need an electric drill. Preferably one with a 2nd handle for your free hand to put added pressure down. JMHO of course.

1683d1259909787-cj7-restoration-progress-advice-please-img_0672.jpg

1999d1262896527-cj7-restoration-progress-advice-please-img_0849.jpg
 
Last edited:
Another point I forgot to mention. I pretty much destroyed all of the set nuts that were welded into the frame.

Many of the bolts holding in the seats and back seat were frozen years ago when I replaced the OEM carpet the first time probably in 93 or so.

I simply put a washer, lock nut, then nut on the bolt right over the stripped (drilled out) set nuts.

I probably could have re tapped them, but it was ultimately easier to do it my way and have piece of mind knowing all the nuts and bolts were brand new.

I also upgraded all my bolts to Grade 8's which was probably overkill, but for a few bucks more it made sense to me at least.
 
Thanks everyone for the replies. I have a heavy duty drill coming after Thanksgiving, so probably like alot of us I am stuck until after the holiday weekend. By the way, the fishing was good.
 
You might consider never seize when putting it back together
 
Well my drill arrives thursday, going to give it a good go this weekend. Lofty goals. On a side note, I scored a ford T-18 over the holiday weekend. Them suckers are not as easy to find in Oklahoma as one my think. :chug:
 
The bolt drilling is not going as smooth as expected. Beginning to doubt my skills fellas. :censored:
 
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