Daily driving again!! ('80 CJ7)

[tbones999]

I am daily driving my CJ again!

I rebuilt my Transmission (T-176 ) and messed around with a lot of different clutch configurations. The trouble all came from a clutch that wouldn't disengage. Body flex, from rust, soaked up too much of the movement in the clutch linkage. I tried the standard hydraulic system everyone uses, but I could never get it bled. I went back to the mechanical linkage with an added brace between the clutch bellcrank mounts and the frame to stiffen it up, still no luck. Finally, I went back to a hydraulic system but used a master cylinder from Wilwood with a larger dia bore. Shifts like a dream!! I am very proud of how much better the Transmission works; working on it was intimidating.

For the first drive, I took the little guy (3yr-old) for ice cream. We got two waves on the way home! We both went ballistic.

I also have a word of caution. When you spend a lot of time going in and out of the hood the extra latches become a nuisance. They are definitely not there for show. The latch in the grill only lasted up to 40mph, and now I have a dent across my whole hood that makes it look very snout nosed. No one hurt, no windshield damage, lesson learned.

Happy Jeepin' everyone!

 

[Torxhead]

Yeah, I forgot to latch those suckers also. Had the hood come open on the freeway at around 60-65 mph. Took it off, turned it upside down and stepped on it. Primed the peeled paint and was good to go. It is kind of a bear to drive it like that though. A fellow club member with an M38 had his hood open on the road and with the military hood hinges it just flew off over his head.

 

[Hedgehog]

There's a thought for about everybody. Check the hood engagement surface for the front latch. Mine was mostly cut, like a can opener would do. If yours is like mine you need to control the heat and weld that bad boy back up or fit a plate for reinforcement. The hood should always be captured at driving speed.

Tbones999 - You have the famous Jeep crease. I've got one, many others do as well. Not an easy feature to get rid of too.

 

[Torxhead]

I also put a different spring in there after getting a hood in my face. The oem latch spring just let loose.

 

[caveman]

You have the famous Jeep crease. I've got one, many others do as well. Not an easy feature to get rid of too.

I have several old CJs out behind the garage for spare parts and every one of them has that crease.

 

[tbones999]

I am enjoying the Jeep crease love.

Thanks for your replies!

 

[Petescj]

I enjoy people who daily drive their Cjs. Me too!

 

[jdcaples]

I know I love driving my '80 CJ7 daily. If Washington State has to desiccate, I'm going to make the most of it!


-Jon

 

[gr8dain]

My Scrambler is a DD as well. Most days. Sometimes it is a daily tow home. But more often then not, it gets me to work and back.

 

[Neuner]

I am daily driving my CJ again!

I rebuilt my Transmission (T-176 ) and messed around with a lot of different clutch configurations.

Good to hear!

Yes, thanks to the PO, I'm sharing the love of the crease. Caught them not being latched before leaving the neighborhood once, thank goodness.

I'm going to have to do a rebuild on my T177 eventually. Mine shifts and works fine but is really starting to leak. Can you give me a quick synopsis of how much of a PITA it is? Do you need a press, etc?

 

[tbones999]

Can you give me a quick synopsis of how much of a PITA it is? Do you need a press, etc?

Everyone says to get a good set of snap ring pliers. It is deeper than that. All of the snap rings look like the snap ring on the right side of this picture: Snap ring picture
I managed with the standard snap ring pliers that are designed for eyelets, but it would have been a million times easier with a pliers designed for the chamfered ends.

I did use a press. I don't know that you would need to though. I used it to get the bearings in, and I used it to get the counter shaft out. If you were really patient you might be able to get the bearings in with small taps working around the race... maybe. I'm glad I had the press.

Reassembly is exciting. Find a good forum post with good pictures (and take your own pics too). The service manual and any instructions that come with a rebuild kit are great for determining what to do next, but they lack in defining orientations. You need a dowel (I used PVC) that is just shorter than the length of the case (inside wall to inside wall). I found a forum post that said the dia and length of the PVC to use. During reassembly, you set the counter shaft in the bottom, with the rollers and dowel in it. (The dowel holds the rollers in place.) After the main shaft and bearings are in, you stand the Transmission on its end, work the counter shaft into place, and push the actual counter shaft in and the dowel out. I imagine it is a lot like pulling the masts up when you build a ship in a bottle.

Getting the bearings out is a pain. I ordered a big ol' bearing plate from harbor freight. The plate was thicker than the grooves on the bearing. I "sharpened" the plate with a rotary tool, but ultimately I just cranked it down on the bearing as tight as I could. I was able to use a 3 jaw puller from work that was just big enough to grab the plate. On (at least) one of the sides, you are actually pulling the bearing and shaft our together. My 3 jaw puller was trying to move the bearing relative to the shaft. Instead of pulling the bearing out, I was pushing the shaft in. Eventually I worked it out, but it would have been easier if I would have come up with away to pull the bearing relative to the case.

Overall, it was pretty straight forward. I think I covered my lowlights above. Best of luck! Don't hesitate to PM me if you have more questions.