Build Thread Wooly's 78 CJ7

[Woolyworm]

Well it looks like I need a title change!


Wooly

 

[Petescj]

Well it looks like I need a title change!


Wooly

My 81 is getting an 87 engine and has a 84 Transmission a 82 Transfer Case 82 windshield frame and hood along with a 83 power steering set up. Much easier to just call it an 81.

 

[Woolyworm]

LOL - mines a mutt for sure! How about 70's CJ7 or Jeep


Wooly

 

[Woolyworm]

So I've been sick as hell for the past week and I'm finally on the mend so I got the garage up to about 80 with a roaring fire today and made some headway on my tank replacement.

I liked the idea of using silicone sealant as a chafe guard between the tank and skid and on the strap so that's what I did.

Finished (almost) with my body mount replacements.

Found out that Lenox kicks dewalts ***.

Picked up a cobalt bit and oversized the holes in my spring hangers to remount with 1/2" flange bolts - man that spring steel is tough stuff.


Wooly

 

[Posi]

Looks good, and good to hear your feeling better.
x2 on Lenox, the sawzall blades are great as well.

 

[Woolyworm]

Hey Posi - I actually saw a 75 stamped into the crossmember I have been working on. Is that perhaps the year??? I'll take a photo in a bit.


Wooly

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Nicely done Wooly!
Hope your feel'n better.
I have the FXD gas-tank skidplate for on my 20 gal OEM tank.
Had to notch the corners of the flanges for clearance. I can lift the Jeep with this plate installed, it's that heavy duty.
LG

 

[Woolyworm]

Thanks LG. I was really pleased with the skid as well and I really really needed one! I got a little paint on the body mounts, still need to clean everything up a little more than I'm going to put on a few coats of rustoleum industrial. Also cleaning up all my wiring back there.

Wooly

 

[Lumpy Grits]

That turn'd out NICE.
May I suggest, that you coat any and all bolt threads(before 'nut'em down)with copper anti-seize. Really helps later on when you need to lossen'em up.
LG

 

[Woolyworm]

Yes you may! And I try to make that standard practice as well


Wooly

 

[Hedgehog]

But, ..... leave it up to me to have a but on a simple idea. Once I was a big believer in coating threads in anti-seize. ...... I lost nuts or had them back off, even lost a hub on a Trooper due to excessive use of anti-seize. But, I live here in the desert and remember well what it was like to work on a vehicle from snow and rust country. Down here I can crawl under a 20 year old vehicle with a simple wrench and remove rust free exhaust clamp nuts and bolts. In snow country that ain't happening, it was common to not even try, just grab the cutting torch and have at it.

 

[Woolyworm]

Putting in an Aussie locker in my AMC20 with one piece axles tomorrow - any words of wisdom? I've done one in the front.


Wooly

 

[Posi]

Hey Posi - I actually saw a 75 stamped into the crossmember I have been working on. Is that perhaps the year??? I'll take a photo in a bit.


Wooly

Sorry Wooly I just saw this post. Your frame is an early 76. If you have an early to mid they were built the previous year and hence the 75 stamp.
Well done!

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Putting in an Aussie locker in my AMC20 with one piece axles tomorrow - any words of wisdom? I've done one in the front.


Wooly

Ck your gear pattern in more than one place.
Double ck that everydangthing is torqued to spec.
Take your time--
LG

 

[Woolyworm]

Thanks LG. Found out the Aussie was actually a powertrax no slip so I need get a different spring kit before it goes in. I did pull the spiders today - thankfully I was able to remove without taking the carrier out.


Wooly

 

[Woolyworm]

Okay - so I need to replace bearings in my AMC20 . I've got chromo axles front and rear with lunch box lockers front and rear for the current setup Dana 30 and AMC20 .

I've got a line on a Dana 30 and Dana 44 narrow track set with 3.73 gears for $AMC 150 . I can ditch my 20, try and sell the chromo axles and locker, replace the parts in the new 30 with my good stuff or I can do R&P and bearing replacement on my current axles going to 4.10s.

My 20 has some serious pitting in the tube between the ubolts on one side but I think if I truss it she would be fine.

Option 1 - regear current axles - cost of $1000 to have someone do it probably or cost of $600 to do it myself which I've never done. End up with 4.10s, locked front and rear, chromo front and rear.

Option 2 - buy the danas and swap in my good stuff and buy a locker for the 44.
Cost - $500 and a fair amount of assembly time.

End up with 3.73s, chromo front, locked front and rear.

Thoughts and opinions?

Thoughts and opinions?


Wooly


Wooly

 

[Torxhead]

Those 4:10s could be a factor when it comes to highway cruising, if you do any of that. If you want the low gears for crawling, there is the low gears for the Transfer Case option.

 

[Petescj]

Those 4:10s could be a factor when it comes to highway cruising, if you do any of that. If you want the low gears for crawling, there is the low gears for the Transfer Case option.

I ran 4.10s with a 360-T-150 -Dana 20 with 33's. I never really any problems on the highway but no real desire to be above 70mph for hours on end. 60's no problem. This is why in your case I like option 1 with the Chromo's.

That said I like the fuel mileage I've been getting with my current set up and am planning on doing exactly what Torxhead said using a LoMax 4 to 1 kit.My current setup isn't as comparable to yours though,3.73's AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l -TF999 -Dana 300 with 35s. Long steep hill climbs will be a challenge though. Time to break out the gear ratio calculator.

 

[Posi]

What gears do you have now?
Street, trail ratio?
Tire size?

 

[Woolyworm]

3.54, T-18 6.32, Dana 20 , 33's. DD in the summer, mostly in town driving other than trips to the trail. Parked in the winter. Mostly 2nd gear starts on road. They feel a little on the talk side but the granny gear makes up for it off road. 48:1 crawl. I think I could go a little deeper.

Wooly