Build Thread 83 CJ7 its time to get it done

[gert]

It started many years ago with a dark green jeep with a bad paint job hiding bad rust repair work a inline 6 that got to the point that it took an MSD 6 box to make it idle, a T-4 4 speed, an AMC20 rear (2 piece axles of course) and a Dana 30 front

I had to rebuild the rear axle after I took a road trip to Hot Springs AR listening to the pinion bearing howling. I drove in the fast lane the whole way home so I could hear it really well. I scared someone who was sleeping in the passenger seat of an Explorer since it was so loud

When I got home I thought it was the output bearing of the T-4 so I traded it in on a reman T-5 . Woops, well after that didnt work I ordered new bearings and a Lockright and rebuilt the rear.i chiped a tooth on the ring gear and had to buy a used set to finish the rebuild which was a 3.54 so it didnt match the front axle anymore. So begins the long jurney it had as a 2 wheel drive. Not to long after that I started hearing the clunk clunk noise from the rear. I could watch the axle nut move back and forth on the drivers side. on goes the 1 piece axle set.(I have changed a few pants sizes since then)

After wheeling it and driving it everyday for a while the inline was junk, I got an AMC 360 V8 out of a 78 Grand Waggy and did the last rebuild it will support .060 over bore .030/.030 on the crank. I had the heads rebuilt with 2.02/1.60 valves and a triple angle valve job

I found out quick that an AMC 360, lunch box locker, and 34/9.50 Super Swampers make quick work of stock drive shafts, u joints, and yokes. I was in school and decided that I wanted to restore the jeep before I restored my Dart to get practice doing paint and welding. It co incided well with breaking the last drive shaft I had. I also graduated and moved to Texas after starting the resto. Life got in the way real quick which idled the jeep for a few years. I began working on it again 3 years ago with new body panels on the tub, a Dana 44 front axle Dodge 9.25 from my old 4x4 Dodge. I also found an NV3550 and seats from a 2000 Wrangler.

With the addition of the Dana 44 I decided that I would keep my buddie's YJ springs and do a spring over

Life has gotten in the way again so I just sold the old tub and bought a newer YJ tub.

I finished building my Transfer Case with everything in JB conversions catalog 4 to 1 gears 32 spline outputs rotation ring 1350 yokes and a twin stick from a bronco site cant remember who right now. everything I got for the Transfer Case is absolutly TOP NOTCH and I reccomend them highly


well since Im on a roll I got the universal parking brake from Tom Woods and fabbed up a bracket to bolt it right up to the output using the right rear parking cable.

Well the day after I got the Wrangler body home I already had the seats tossed in dash board attached and front clip on.

Tonight I am going to start fabbin the new front bumper and winch mount

 

[CJ]

What thread do you want to work with?

 

[elwood blues]

Hey gert, good to see you back around .

 

[diddy2003]

Looking great man! Nice work so far.

 

[gert]

Hey gert, good to see you back around .

Thanks Elwood, its good to be back

 

[Old Dog]

gert, good to see your back at it.

 

[gert]

ok, more fun today started the bumper build for real this one should be just some easy bolt on stuff I do not want my warn winch to block the entire grill so I decided to borrow a trick from a blazer bumper I saw I also like the smoother ride of the shackle flip but didnt want the tires to hit the fender flares like BusaDave's ssoooo I cut the plate out from between the frame rails moved the steering box forward by 3" and am boxing up the bottom of my bumper to hold everything inplace. I am still thinking about the final design for the steering box brace as I do not ever want it to come loose, so I am looking at some of the aftermarket heavy duty steering box frame braces. I am about to start the front of the bumper after lunch ​

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[Petescj]

Nice to you see you working on it again , and thanks for the review on JB Conversions.

 

[gert]

weekend over, bumper project not getting closer though, Quadratec sells a HD steering bracket that I am going to use and I will tie it in to the bumper and frame, Today I realized that now my winch is mounted and it only toke me 8 years to do it whew time flies

 

[diddy2003]

This is the heavy duty bracket I just bought from quadratec. I bought the Zinc one. Looks pretty nice.

Mountain Off-Road SB7686Z - M.O.R.E. Heavy Duty Steering Box Mount for 76-86 Jeep® CJ-5, CJ-7 & CJ-8 Scrambler - Quadratec

 

[gert]

This is the heavy duty bracket I just bought from quadratec. I bought the Zinc one. Looks pretty nice.

Mountain Off-Road SB7686Z - M.O.R.E. Heavy Duty Steering Box Mount for 76-86 Jeep® CJ-5, CJ-7 & CJ-8 Scrambler - Quadratec

Yep that's the one, made by MORE I also like the zinc plating

 

[tonkatrucksryan]

Cant wait to watch your build. Great work so far!!!

 

[gert]

The bumper is finally as done as it will be for awhile, I'm hurtin and tired of messing with it. I have over 40 hours in it and a shade under $100 in materials. tonight I start the spring hangers, it will have a 3 inch stretch in the front to clear the back of the fenders while flexing. I am going to add a 2 nd set of holes in the hangers for a tow barView attachment 10337View attachment 10338View attachment 10339

 

[tarry99]

The bumper is finally as done as it will be for awhile, I'm hurtin and tired of messing with it. I have over 40 hours in it and a shade under $100 in materials. tonight I start the spring hangers, it will have a 3 inch stretch in the front to clear the back of the fenders while flexing. I am going to add a 2 nd set of holes in the hangers for a tow barView attachment 10337View attachment 10338View attachment 10339

Gert,

You made mention of keeping that steering box tight and without flex. I think your aftermarket frame mount is a step in the right direction.
I also feel it necessary to somehow tie that steering box sector shaft housing into the other side frame rail.
Here is a few pictures of what I did, Good luck with your build.

 

[gert]

Tarry99, sweet I like, and will look into it

 

[diddy2003]

Mine from MORE.

 

[gert]

I put off cutting this hole all weekend....after I drilled it I was thinking about how you wouldnt want to be hoping your in the right spot I plan on adding frame gussets on both sides so it wont be the weak point in the frame... so the basic bumper, shakle flip, and 3" wheel stretch are on




I also got my new 3.90 ring and pinion for my Dodge 9.25 and its billet 1350 yoke they ran out of the regular cast yokes

 

[diddy2003]

Don't know why that didn't work. Here it is:

 

[gert]

Diddy 2003, I am looking at tieing in the steering sector shaft into the bottom of the bumper since it sits 3 inches below the frame rails using a circular collar like on yours.

I have started back on the wiring today. I am building my own battery cables and winch cables from welding wiring which has alot of small stranded wires, (cunducts electricity better) my OCD is kicking in again. I cant stand rats nest wiring. I mounted the control box for the winch on the R/H inner fender and now iim thinning out the extra wires from the painless wiring harness




[/URL]

 

[mtnwhlr]

So do you have a remote to run your winch? If not you will have to raise your hood when you need it