Build Thread 78 CJ-5 project

[oldguy]

Picked up my fifth CJ5 (shoulda kept the fourth) and thought I'd share what's going to be done to her. I found it on Craig's list and it was one of those "looks good from the highway doin 60" things but what the hey, bought it anyway. Had a bunch of good parts, new engine, rebuilt Transfer Case , pretty nice glass body and some new tires etc... Drove it for a couple of months and last spring decided to take the tub off and do a ground up fix - turned into a fixer uper +. As you can see it needs a new frame.

So I bought one.

Yup, 2 x 4 x 3/16 tubing. Thought for once I'd do it the hard way. While I'm at it all do the reverse shackel stuff, steering stabalizer, etc.. and thought I'd fabricate the stuff rather than buy.
Have the frame cut and pieced together. some fabricating and such.

But before I post more I would like to know if #1 your all interested, #2 you all have suggestions and answers, #3 this is the right place to post. and #4, how can you post pics without that resize thing showing up!

Please let me know
Dave

 

[Sasquach]

oldguy, Ya you found the right spot. I think your build gona get lot's of attention with this crowd so I say proceed :drool:.
Looks like a stout trailer your using for your frame jig and buy the looks of you work I am assuming it is nice and flat.

 

[oldguy]

Thought I'd show you "the HEEP" as my son affectionatly refers to it. It's in two garages and a barn but I'm concentrating the vitals.






and

Not as bad as it looks though. I'll post some of the fram progress next.

Dave

 

[oldguy]

Now on to bigger things. Any jeeper knows here are your two best friends, next to a credit card and a junk dealer.

I use a Lincoln SP135plus, .23 gas shielded. Love it, the torch is the typical smith medium. Fixed a lot of OOPS's with these.
The frame will be strong enough to hold anything I throw at it but I want this to be VERY streetable so I'll stick with "mostly" stock drive train. Made a reverse shackel system for the front and incorporated 2.5 inch wrangler springs, will add a leaf I took out of the rear springs to stiffen it up a bit.



I wanted the rear spring mounts to act as gussets for the joining surfaces of the two frame boxes so I made my own. The rear springs are out of a 3/4 ton chev (8 pack), I lightened it by removing two leafs and will use the center leaf (most arch) in the front packs.



It's all tacked together, now to flip it over and weld it up. Hope to hang the axles soon but have to modify rear perches.

Dave

 

[Sasquach]

I have an sp125 that is flux core set up and have pulled much hair out trying to work with it so I am picking up the parts needed tomorrow to convert it to gas, good to hear your happy with your sp135 and looks like it works well for you.
Why the new windsheild frame? the white one looks good from here and original is preferred.

 

[Cheepjeep85]

i have the same little lincoln you have, set for .30 flux core, i have a gas setup but ran out. it pays for itself quick don't it. any how nice build man we don't get to many folks building their own frames around here. you got some serious skills.

 

[oldguy]

Been inside doing some house stuff ie.. "the garage was off limits" but "I'm back"... Getting the axels ready to accept the larger springs and as you can see the rear spring perches are gone


and the fronts are to small

the ones I'll use are for a 3/4 ton truck but with a little re-work, it is a Jeep remember, I'll have a nice set of antiwarp perches.

Notice on the front perch on the short side will actually contact the front pumpkin, this eliminates the torque put on the axel tube from the u-bolt on an original cj.

Why is it when you order several parts they all come in except the one you need right away? And when you order they never tell you the part is out of stock and won't be in far "about a week" but is in transit to them from some factory outside of Mongolia, in the woods, by a creek, being shipped by row boat!!

Dave

 

[dalefan88]

thats some nice work there

 

[oldguy]

Got the spring antiwrap spring perches on today.



I also finished up the front spring packs. I added the center leaf from the 3/4 ton rears and hammered the retainers on. It's kinda hard to tell but the front spring is the 4 leaf YJ spring and the one in back is the YJ with the added leaf. I gained about an inch of arch but a lot of stiffness which I need for the AMC 304 .

Got the spring plates on the rear axel

and the pass side plate on the front axel

the drivers side plate is on a row boat from Mongolia!! I spoke to the folks at 4WD and was assured it's shipped today. If not I'll make a dummy so I can attach the axels to the frame. I'm itchin to get the axels hung in place so I can mock up the shock, sway bar and steering stabilizer mounts. Then on to steering, engine, Transmission ....... Oh Lord what did I get myself into!! Anyway the frame is hanging from the hoist just waiting.


Till later Dave

 

[Petescj]

Nice! I'll enjoy watching this. Thanx for sharing.

 

[dalefan88]

this is a sweet build. wish i had a welder and knew how to use it

 

[oldguy]

I have an sp125 that is flux core set up and have pulled much hair out trying to work with it so I am picking up the parts needed tomorrow to convert it to gas, good to hear your happy with your sp135 and looks like it works well for you.
Why the new windsheild frame? the white one looks good from here and original is preferred.

Sorry I didn''t get back to you sooner - the white frame is so full of holes the only thing holding it together is the glass, but you'll be glad to know the black one is an OEM from a previous build.

Now the important stuff - did you get the gas conversion and do you like it?? You can set the heat and feed low enough to write your name on a snuff can lid but set it high enough to do a multiple pass on 3/8" plate. I understand from your profile you have cv joints on your cj?? If thats right did you find a difference? If so what kind did you use? Ordered or from a donner POS?

On a side note - the fabrication bench is on it's way to the polebarn until needed again.



Thanks Dave

 

[oldguy]

Got the pass side spring plate today, a little modification to accept 2.5 u-bolts and it's on


Hung the axels on the fixed spring eyes

and fabricated the shackles. I made the bars out of 2x3/8 stock , drilled 6" c to c for the rears and 5" c to c for the fronts.

then cut 2x2x1/4 square tube for stiffeners between the bars.

for the front I cut the tubing in half again so it can cradle the rear eye and still pivot without binding on the frame.

fronts on

rears on, these as well as the fronts may need modification once I start mounting the body.

It's sort of hard to tell but the rear differential is rotated up about 8 degrees to take some of the bind out of the joint

and the front is rotated about 5 degrees for the same reason. Go to much and you loose the ability to sling lube to the pinion bearing.

I hope to get the gussets welded on the frame in the next couple of days and then on the the steering.

Has anyone out there usec CV or cardan joints on the rear of your CJ5 ? I've got one off a chev truck that I can weld in place but if you don't gain anything great whats the point. Also just a note, I moved the front axel forward 2 inches to accommodate the reversed shackle system because the axel moves rearward and up when you hit a log, deer or whatever and I moved the rear axel backwards 2 inches because, hummmm, I felt like it. No really I wanted to gain as much as possible in driveshaft angle. Thats all for now.

Please enjoy Dave

 

[hazzo1]

Wow. Great Build.

I'll be watching.

 

[oldguy]

I've only had one day this past week to play but I did get the frame all tied up. The axels are aligned and tracking straight and the thing sits level side to side with the rear 4 inches higher than the front. Either I was better that I thought in planning this one or very lucky, probably the last.


Also got the shop cleaned. It does get pretty bad.

Starting on the steering tomorrow.

Till later Dave

 

[fishinfool98]

All i have to say is damn!!
I thought this was going to be a jeep built buy some old guy with a bottle of old grand dad!
Very good job definatly something to follow

 

[Wayne7]

Oldguy, Great pictures of your process, most interesting to see this one come altogether, keep up the good work. Cheers wayne7

 

[oldguy]

Got a couple of hours in this weekend, can't wait for the snow to go and the 2 months of summer to start! I resealed the steering box, it's hard to find a rebuild kit for an original, everyone offers remanufactured boxes but the originals are close to bulletproof.

and started aligning the engine, Transmission and tcase.

I'd like to get the drive train in and the tub on before I remount the steering box. I want to get it as high into the frame rails as possible for protection.

Hopefully I can get back at it this weekend.

Dave

 

[Petescj]

Tease! I'll keep watching though.

 

[oldguy]

Finally back in the garage. I set the tub on the frame to get some measurements for the engine placement.


It looks like I can move the engine back about 1.5 inches and cradle it about 2 inches lower in the frame. Love that center of gravity. Back at it tomorrow.