Build Thread Mike's 1986 CJ7 (Mid Year) Rebuild

[Lumpy Grits]

Nicely done!
What other type of leather work do you do?
LG

 

[Torxhead]

Yes, very nicely done. On mine, I installed a door opening stop to prevent stuff from falling out when parked on a hill. Years ago, I installed a plastic replacement glove box that I got from J.C. Whitney.

 

[Belizean]

Yeah I got one of those plastic glove boxes about 25 years ago from J. C. Whitney also. The cardboard just didn't hold up well when wet

 

[mdeluca]

Thanks you guys…

Here's a custom holster and gun belt I designed and made a little while ago.

Nicely done!
What other type of leather work do you do?
LG

http://www.conceptleather.blogspot.com



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[mdeluca]

Decided to add a Cooper Bussmann relay box to the CJ in order to upgrade to H4 lighting, upgrade the horn, install a new amp behind the dash, and provide for future upgrade to heated seats.

After thinking about adding individual relays, I happened upon the Cooper Bussmann relay box from a guy on ebay who sells them with the relays and wiring tails already installed. I sent him a request to extend all the tails to 10 feet and make one of them 10 gauge instead of his usual 12 gauge (this was for the amp). This unit is equipped with five 30 amp switched relays and five unswitched 15 amp circuits.


Misc. parts assembled for upgrade (wire, loom, loom stays, bluetooth amp, horn, relay box, 60 amp circuit breaker, distribution busses, terminals, etc.).


Didn't want the amp seen (or easily stolen) nor did I need a stereo head unit. I wanted to use iTunes on an iPhone via bluetooth to control the music. I fabricated these brackets from some aluminum channel in order to mount the amp between the dash and the firewall.


Here are the amp and brackets mounted. There is a spot between the heater vent and the control knob cables that just allows this Kenwood KAC-M1824BT, 400 watt amp, to fit.


Relay box and 60 amp circuit breaker mounted to passenger fender.


Relay box and 60 amp circuit breaker mounted to passenger fender. The relay box came with a 60 amp fuse, but if something ever failed I don't think I'd be able to find a 60 amp fuse (nor would I want to fool with it on the side of the road) so I went with the breaker. Power comes directly from the battery via the starter solenoid. Ground comes directly from the battery.


Inside the Cooper Bussmann box. I removed the five unswitched fuses and wiring to reduce bulk and clutter. I can add them back when, and if, needed.


Bought an air ooga horn from Harbor Freight for $11, drilled a new hole in the fender and ran the wire from the relay behind the grill with the headlight wiring.

All of the wiring for the lights from the existing fusebox run by the horn in the loom. From there I spliced new wire onto the low beam, high beam, and horn wires and ran them behind the grill and over to the relays. Then ran the power from the relays back via the same route.

I used new ceramic headlight connectors that are abundant on ebay.


Added a battery disconnect as a precaution. You can just see a coupling nut attached to the heater bolt as a stand-off for the battery negative wire coming to the firewall. Decided to use this stand-off idea instead of the distribution busses.


Drilled a hole in the firewall in order to run the power leads to the amp and heated seats. Used a grommet in the firewall to protect the wires.


Cut a hole for, and mounted the amp remote control pad to the radio blanking plate. The mounting pins on the blanking plate broke off so I drilled them out and mounted it with buttonhead stainless bolts. The iPhone mounts via a RAM Mount in one of the existing dash mounting bolt locations. Also added a dual 2.1 amp USB charging port where the old cig. lighter used to be. This is intended to keep both of our phones charged while out for extended periods.

I've never done any automotive wiring, but am generally good with electrical, so after some research here and elsewhere, decided this was a good way to get this job done.

If you have suggestions for improvements, let me know. It could help the next guy.

 

[gert]

Man thats looking pretty good, I love keeping the wiring protected and bundled together for a simple clean look

 

[mdeluca]

CJ7 Wiper/Windshield Frame Repair

While driving down the road during a heavy rainstorm, the wipers on my CJ7 bound up and the driver side wiper shaft buckled the windshield frame. After doing some research, apparently the CJ7 windshield frames are weak (fixed by Chrysler in the 1987 and later Wranglers) and prone to this problem. The following is my fix. Only time will tell if it holds up.


Note the driver side wiper shaft position.


Note how the windshield frame has caved in to the right side of the wiper shaft embossing.


Using a two foot length of 1/2" all-thread, washers, and nuts, fashion a prying tool and secure it to the windshield frame. I used a layer of painters tape on the surface of the washers to protect the paint.


Double lock nut the tub side of the all-thread with a couple of fender washers, then tighten the nut on the outside of the windshield frame. I used another set of doubled lock nuts further out that I could get a wrench on to tighten. Then gently pry until the windshield frame is straight. You can check for squareness (shaft to windshield frame) with a right drafting triangle or a carpenters square. Be gentle with small corrections at a time so as not to crack the paint.


The linkages at both the driver and passenger side were bent. I used pliers and a vise to straighten them out. My bushings were not out of round. Otherwise I'd have replaced the bushings or the entire linkage.


Found some 2" fender washers with 1/4" center hole and secured them to this jig. I used a 2" diameter hole saw to cut "crescents" into two washers at the same time.


Used a free harbor freight tarp to mask the the windshield frame and set up my epoxy station.


Place the fender washers on either side of the windshield wiper shaft embossing and mark. Then sand down to bare metal. Sand the mating surface of the fender washers. I also wiped with alcohol.


Use J-B Weld original formula (higher PSI rating than quick set) on both surfaces and press into place aligning the "crescent" cut with the embossing and leave 24 hours to set.


I am using a 5/8" grade 8 washer to reinforce the back side of the embossing. You will have to cut the notch into the washer to accommodate the tab in the wiper shaft flange. I bathed the shaft pivots in Tri-Flow for a week and slathered all of the bushings with lithium grease as well.


This is the proper linkage orientation from the Jeep Service Manual.
NOTE: There is a little adjustment in the motor position. I moved it as far to the passenger side as possible to create a slight "bent knee" where all of the linkages meet on the driver side shaft.


Proper wiper arm placement per the Jeep Service Manual.


Decided on the Crown replacement arms in black this time (originals were gray). Did black wipers as well. I plan on coating both sides of the windshield with RainX to allow for water sheeting and as a lubrication for the wiper blades.

Hope this helps.
Mike

 

[gert]

Wow I did not know the frames were weak, this is a really good write up on fixing it


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[Belizean]

Don't know if the rain X wiper fluid messes with CJ wash pumps but I have read that it plays hell on the Jeeps/Chrysler windshield pumps on GCs.

 

[mdeluca]

Decided to make a cushion to fit between the seats for the dog.

This is my first stab at upholstery and I'm pretty happy with the results.



He's happy too…!!!



Here's the write up...

 

[gert]

Dude that seat cushion is really cool


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[Lumpy Grits]

Outstanding, and really like your leather work also.

LG

 

[mdeluca]

Thanks you guys...

 

[mdeluca]

The driver side mirror whistles above 35 mph and was driving me nuts.

I was able to determine that the ridges on the surface of the outer mirror rubber seal were whistling in the wind. I tried wrapping black electrical tape around the mirror and, while it did fix the whistle, the tape didn't last long. It is the center groove in the rubber seal around the mirror that causes the whistling.

My solution: Wrap a length of black paracord tightly in the center groove all the way around and mark. Cut the cord and melt the ends together (heat both ends at the same time with a lighter and push together). This eliminates the need for a knot and allows the cord to sit flush in the groove all the way around. Then stretch the loop of paracord back around the seal; it should fit tight. This may take some trial and error to get the length right.

Fixed the whistle, has lasted over 2,000 miles at highway speeds, and is virtually invisible.

 

[shum8]

I'm gonna hafta do this just so I can have a melted butt seam - sound cool!!

Funny - I don't think I've ever had a mirror whistle like that, but I can see where it would drive you nuts. And for me that would be a short trip....

 

[gr8dain]

Mine whistles also. I thought it was the nut on the back. But i covered it in various things that did not help. This is very informative. Thanks

 

[sparkzaflyin]

Mine may (or may not) whistle....I can't hear it over the various creaks, clunks, and groans of everything else. Look like a great solution. Quadratec would probably charge 100 bucks for that too.

 

[mdeluca]

Winter projects begin...

* New front & rear bumpers... got the front shackle mounts filed and the bumper painted...

* New rear bumper arrived...

* New front seats arrived... gotta sell the stockers...

* Got all the stuff for upgrading the heater (Blazer Motor)

* Gonna install ceramic heaters in the seats...

 

[mdeluca]

Old bumper replaced… Pro Comp Rock Crawler w/bow shackles.
Cleaned up the bumper and painted with Dupli-Color ceramic low gloss black engine enamel (magic paint).


Picked up this diamond plate frame cover from a guy on eBay… Scotch-Brited it to match my storage box and siliconed some hose washers (3 per stack) to the bottom for support.


All installed… another thing done. Also Scotch-Brited the shackles… much better.

PS… I would have made the frame cover from walnut, but it seems shumone in Virginia is bogarting all the choice wood...

 

[shum8]

HA - Not all of it, just some of it LOL. You got some nice progress goin on there


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