Postal steering ? and Intro

[Dave 64]

Hi All,

Thanks for making me welcome to your forum, don't know if I FULLY qualify, but maybe you can pass me off as a distant cousin, both in distance and locality!
Up until about 10 years ago, had been a long time CJ tinkerer, First was an Aussie built CJ6 with a Hurricane four. This evolved into a CJ6 with a Rambler 343, Toyota Dyna 5 speed, Dana 20 T/C and Ford 9 inch with discs all round. Gangs of fun until authorities busted me one day and sent it packing off the road (No engineers report).
Second was again a CJ6 but with a 170 Ford pursuit motor bolted to a T-90 and normal Warner Gear diffs (We had Warner Gear axles, had to do with Australian quantity to fit in with tariffs!).

Salvaged diffs, springs from first CJ, fitted into 2nd along with Aussie sourced Alloy Head 250 crossflow, C4 auto into Advance adapter into Dana 20 .
Sold it about 5 years ago when travelling to West, since returned home and retired, looking for a 'project' and found a fully imported, stock standard RHD 1975 DJ5D, AMC 232 i6 , 727 auto Dana LSD 44 etc.

Only had it home a week or so, started up, but smoky as well as noisy. Casting around for a few options, rebuild AMC 232 i6 and 727, easiest one, but can't help myself, will have to modify! Also have a 1968 Ford F250 basket case but with reconditioned 240 and NP435. Seriously thinking about wheeling running gear (including narrowed Dana 60 from Ford) under her, but leaving the option open to putting a late model disc brake live axle under the front. Easy enough to get hold of an Advance or a Novak NP435 Ford to Dana 300 T/C adapter. I know driveline may be short, but 727 is quite long, even in 2WD form. NP435/Dana 300 wouldn't be that much difference in length. Would that qualify me for CJ instead of DJ?

One thing I did find out when moving it from one side of the house to the other, was the Saginaw type steering box, as well as being worn, took about twenty turns to turn a 90 degree turn!

I reckon that someone on these sites would be able to give me a chop out with suggestions here. I DO NOT want to convert to power steering, quite happy with manual, very light vehicle remember. But HAVE to do something with the existing manual box, hopefully someone will be able to tell me if different ratio boxes, or innards, are available? BUT! Here's the kicker, has to be for RIGHT HAND DRIVE only. Have asked a few blokes if OZ built AMC Jeeps with standard CJ steering boxes (RHD) are differing ratios, but unable to find satisfactory answers. Would appreciate any help with steering set up. Possible that I may be able to get different ratio steering gear sets and just fit them into my existing steering box??

Cheers, Dave 64

 

[gert]

Wow Welcome aboard from Texas hopefully you will be able to find a rebuild for your steering this should be an interesting project youu will have to let us know how it goes

 

[oldjeeplady]

:ww: from bitter cold and snowy Wisconsin!
I agree with gert - this will be a project to watch! Sounds like you have some great knowedge to share already with the projects you have done. And YES I think you qualify to be here - most run in 2 high on the road anyway..

RHD post office delivery jeeps have been made all along - Our rural route delivery person has one (it's a wrangler....), but I would think you will be able source a part or a replacement gearbox. As you seem to be well aware, AMC used everybody elses parts, so a Ford box would be my guess - but just a guess - I know more about older Willys CJ's....and not all that much..

But welcome!

 

[tjmons]

:ww: from Michigan

 

[Dave 64]

Thanks All,

Wondering just what I have got here, spent the past few days pulling the front end out. Like me, a bit worn! Had one win though, turns out the steering box out of one of our locally produced GM off shoots (Holden one-tonner) steering box bolts STRAIGHT in! About 1970-1884 and although a little pricey, still plenty of remanufactured steering boxes around, both manual and power. Only difference is a lower ratio and an inch shorter in the Pitman arm, but even there are interchangeable.

Motor ready to be lifted out, will be able to appraise it further from there.
Cheers, Dave 64

 

[Dave 64]

Actually, meant to ask a few of the Postal DJ5 'ers. Seen photos where several of yours have both the small quarter glass in both front doors as well as glass in the sides of the body. Mine has full glass in the doors, a rear door glass, but no glass along the sides. I suppose, once again, many variations??

Dave 64

 

[Dave 64]

Hi All,

Think this should have been posted in a different part of the forum?

Just a quick update on the DJ5D project, rebuilt the Oz steering box, dropped all the steering components off and straightened them in the press. Reefed the engine tranny out, then called it quits here, last week has been heatwave conditions S.E.Australia, 120 degrees in the water bag, so I dogged it and called it quits till it cools down. Just as an aside, has anyone replaced those throw away bearings in the DJ/CJ steering shafts? I replaced them on a previous project with a sintered bronze bush and a sleeve, thought this time I may try a nylon type product turned down in a lathe to the right inner/outer size. Drill and tap both the outer tube and the nylon bush for a grease nipple, should outlast me! Also, anyone know if the spline diameter/count on the 1975 DJ/CJ steering shafts (upper) are a common type? My steering wheel is cracked badly where the three spokes meet the center hub.
Cheers, Dave64

 

[Petescj]

Welcome. Moved and retitled your thread in an effort to get you some more help.

 

[Sasquach]

Welcome aboard!
you have reminded me of why I ditched my stock manual steering and went power, wasn't the effort to turn the wheel but was the number off turns it took. Of course the ratio and effort are directly related.

 

[Dave 64]

Hi All,

Just a quick thanks to the well wishers, latest on steering is sprung for a fully reconditioned locally produced GMH one tonner steering box. Fitted straight in, just had to change the "rag" coupling to a power steering Nolathane type. Better lock to lock ratio as well.

Just about to attack the brakes, post 1975 open Knuckle type CJ disc brakes, not so much scourcing them, getting them at a reasonable cost. Cost of importing is simply prohibitive.

Cheers, Dave 64

 

[Dave 64]

Hi All,

Just a bit of an update on the 1975 DJ5D Postal rebuild.
Well, have the 240 inline six Ford/NP435 bolted in and secured, running reasonably well but not without a lot of swearing, knuckle damage and enormous amount of modification due to scarcity of parts over here.

Just about have the rear end sorted, all new brakes, shocks, springs reset, new bushes etc. Just about to start on the front springs, already have new steering box and ball joints etc, just waiting on front spring eye bushes to arrive.

Read with interest somewhere, not certain if on this particular forum, about several versions of postal jeeps fitted with opening doors versus sliding doors. My doors themselves are in reasonable nick, but the slides as well as the rain gutters need attention as rust quite bad in them, yet the roof itself in better condition than I at first thought. I always had the idea of converting the doors to a piano hinge style, not only to be able to put slightly wider wheels and tyres on, but to my eye, they are more practical. Have even seen a photo from over your way where one bloke chucked the doors entirely and made his own out of possibly CJ half doors with canvas tops. Looked a bit strange, but obviously kept the weather out.

Anyway, that's about it for the moment, in the depths of winter over here, football season, so not a great incentive to be parking the backside on cold concrete.

Cheers, Dave 64