Building a $120 CJ7 from the frame up.

[daddyusmaximus]

[FONT=&quot]

I managed to locate my torque arm bolt I thought was missing. Hell, I don't even remember taking it off, and it wasn't what I was looking for at the time... lol. Why don't I remember taking it off? Because I didn't. I went to move the skid plate, and there it was... giving me the finger.
Good deal, God loves me. I ordered up a bushing set, so we'll see what happens when that gets here.

Then, I went to take the purple motor mounts off my green engine...

Whoever built that CJ5 I got this drivetrain from had awful taste in colors.
So, I'll soon be putting the drivetrain back in the frame, (soon, as in "this summer") and I got to thinking about the engine itself. It was running strong when I pulled it from the CJ5, but it's been sitting on an engine stand for over a year now. It did have some issues, but nothing I was worried about at the time.
1. It got bad fuel mileage. Duh, a Mopar 360, 4.88 gears, no overdrive, and 33s.
2. It did have a very slow leak at the weep hole of the water pump. (easy fix)
3. It was difficult to start during cold weather. Duh again, big ole v-8, 4 barrel with no choke.
Other than that, she ran like a striped ape. I'm concerned about the fact that it has sat for such a long time. I'll be hand cranking it... and all that. I never really paid attention before when I was tearing the CJ5 down, but now I notice that the drivers side of the engine is dry, and the passenger side is all oily... All 40 year old engines burn a little, or leak a bit, but I never noticed it when I was driving the green jeep...now I'm kinda worried, but I don't want to have to open her up, and kill my budget. if I don't have to. I have other expensive crap to get like fuel injection.

Here is more of that wonderful purple that will be going away...

I also picked up a gallon of simple green in preparation for getting a neighbor kid to help scrub the engine down this week....


​

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

​

[/FONT]

 

[daddyusmaximus]

I made a little progress today. A little. I went out to paint the tire carrier as I was worried about it being still bare steel. Did the bumperettes as well. I also found a slightly darker color, (Khaki). It's closer to what out vehicles looked like in Iraq, so I'll be going with that.

Now normally (being a redneck) I just shake the spray can, and shoot. However, with this being my first frame up vehicle build... I decided to use some of that prep stuff first to clean the metal... Then, I shot it with some primer... Them I shot it with paint... Then for the first time ever, I got more than just my normal runs from putting it on too heavy. I got cracks. This didn't happen with the frame, or the bumper... Maybe because I hit that with the chassis saver first...

Not a big deal breaker, but enough to **** me off a bit. First time painting bare steel, so maybe there's a trick to it... I'm normally painting over stuff. I'll paint over it again in a day or so, and see how it comes out... It's going to be a rough looking military build anyway... In 28 years, I ain't never had a pristine military vehicle, besides, I want it so that when it gets dinged up on the trail, I can come home, and spray paint the scratches.
Second thing is I'm looking to get the powertrain in this week. This means I had to clean the skid plate. Oh, how I wish I had taken a before shot of it. That thing was caked with, in places, over 1/4" of crud. Putty knife, brush, simple green, water hose, and my shoulders are on fire. BUT, it's clean... ish.

I got some names of some mobile welders, so I'm hoping to get one of them to come out and weld in the motor mounts, and ford truck shock towers I'm using this later this week.
I also figured out a little bracket that will hold the tire carrier open so it won't swing around if it's opened on uneven ground. One thing LOD neglected to put into their design. The welder will have to do that as well.

 

[daddyusmaximus]

[FONT=&quot]

Well, this was a long, hot, rainy day. However, I spent it in the garage with my best girl, and my Jeep, so tired, and sore though I may be, I'm happy.
After getting in contact with a couple area mobile welding guys, I thought it best to see how close I could get the engine to line up to where I need it to be. Today was all about test fitting the powertrain. First thing to go in was the skid plate. When you're a cripple working alone, and you're still nursing a sore shoulder, you do what you have to. I used my big labor saving device... the cherry picker.

Next came the trans, and t-case.

Now the sucky part. I have to put the tub back on, to make sure I have clearance... Here I discovered something. The stupid old cherry picker I've been wrestling with is a real PITA to move around, so I just left it in place and rolled the Jeep under it... The rollers it's on are much newer, and roll easier. Plus I don't have a swing load...

Perfect fit, or it looks that way. I was worried because the jeep this all came out of had home made motor mounts, and trans cross member all welded in solid... I'm using the Jeep trans mounts, and Advanced Adapters Dodge V-8 weld in kit.

Then I run into a bit of a hiccup. It seems the Advanced Adapters kit isn't so advanced... there is about a 1/2" gap between the mount and frame on the drivers side, and about a 2 1/2 in gap on the passenger side. the welder will have to build it up some. I don't want to send them back, I like the big rubber bushings, and the plates that mount on the engine. I go in and look them up online... They had sent me the mounts for a TJ... I hope I can get them to sen out the correct ones in a rush... I've had these sitting in the garage all winter... Just need to change out the motor plate part. The CJ part goes wider and has several holes to adjust for the width.

I stretched a chain across the frame to rest the engine on for a couple days till I can get the welder here. Don't want him here till my new torque arm bushing comes in the mail anyway... The engine will be a bit offset to the drivers side. It did squat the springs a bit when I took the weight off the cherry picker...
Next I marked the locations for the shock towers. I'm gonna have the welder knock those out while he's here.

As I was getting ready to turn off the lights Brandy started getting excited. she tend to get bored out in the garage with nothing to do but watch me work... funny she doesn't get bored inside with nothing to do except watch me watch TV... or at the VFW with nothing to do except watch me do paperwork and fill the gaming machines...
I just had to snap this shot of her staring at me...

​

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

​

[/FONT]

 

[daddyusmaximus]

[FONT=&quot]

Good news. Steve from Advance adapters says he's gonna send me out the correct parts I need got the engine mount kit. I explained what I have. He wanted photos of my kit, and the instruction sheet, as they couldn't find my order in the computer. I had cleaned out my e-mail, so I couldn't even tell when I got the kit until I came back to my build thread to see when I posted the kit arriving at my house... Back in Oct. Turns out they only sold 2 of those kits at that time... to Summit racing. Sounds about right. I do order from them a lot. Still, it's their kit, so they back it, and it had the wrong parts, so I'm grateful for the correct parts getting shipped out.
Not so good news. When I got the Jeep it had a complete basket case for a tub, so I found another. It's better, but still has quite a few issues. I managed to find (what seemed to be, or so I was told) an even better one on a facebook jeep page. Photos weren't high res, but looked good. So, I drive 3 hrs taking only one break (for about an hr, and a half in an Auto Zone parking lot to replace one set of my trailer wheel bearings, and hub) only to find out the Jeep tub was a rusty piece of ****. 1/8th " steel welded on the floor right over the Swiss cheese rust. No support, a couple body mounts missing... Completely rusted away. Yeah, I had to pass.
But hey, I like wasting 7 hrs of my time, $50 in fuel, having to replace wheel bearings on a trailer, and driving home at midnight in the rain for nothing.
Auto Zone tool loan program doesn't include a jack, so I now have an EXTRA new bottle jack I only needed once. That will probably go back tomorrow at my Auto Zone.
Felt like slapping the little snot nosed brat, but I didn't. The wife would be proud of my restraint.


​

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

​

[/FONT]

 

[daddyusmaximus]

[FONT=&quot]

Holy crap, this heat is insane...
Tough week. Had to go back to the VA, and get a shot of steroids in the shoulder to calm it down. Good news is I didn't hurt anything they did during the surgery by doing too much too early like I thought. It's just all inflamed...
I've also been dealing with a pretty painful infection in my big toe. Had to get that drained... Not the tough guy I used to be... lol.
Today is good. Independence Day. Happy Birthday America! Well, the heat sucked real bad, but I got to be in a parade. Not with my Jeep though

. In my daily driver... 2003 Marauder. I was representing the VFW that I'm commander of.

Went out to lunch at an Iron Skillet. They were advertising free meals for active duty, and veterans. They even had a missing man table to honor our fallen.

Then after a nap, and some freshly grilled hot dogs, I went out to put on the new motor mounts that Advance Adapters sent me. You can see the first set was not gonna work...

Now to watch Independence Day.
After all, Independence day is all about a Marine who marries a stripper, then saves the world.


​

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

​

[/FONT]

 

[daddyusmaximus]

[FONT=&quot]

Guess who has motor mounts, and shock towers welded in?

Well, that happy feeling didn't last long... Guess who's brain damage, coupled with the inability to think in hot weather caused him to have the guy weld the motor mounts in the wrong place?

Having a TBI is not fun. I'm always forgetting things, losing things. I took off the rubber isolators and bolts, but to prevent me from losing them, I put them on the bolts... Now the guy shows up to weld, and I position the mounts without the rubber... He leaves... I remember the rubber... the engine sits too high with them, or just right without, but then it's mounted solid. I try to put them in, and the holes don't even line up. I remember from when I had the tub on, I should have room, but I really didn't want it that high anyhow. There is another issue...
The Jeep didn't come with this powertrain combo, and I had used the original trans mount (a new one) just to locate the engine in the frame. This places it in the correct place (front to rear) but a bit too high for good drive line angles.
So now I have a new plan... I have to modify the motor mounts on the engine block. Cut off the flat part on the bottom, and have it welded to the top, lowering them over the rubber isolators. Also, I don't need 4 inches of room between the transfer case and the skidplate, so I plan to have a machine shop remake me one bracket (red arrow) 1.5" shorter.

It's in for now, but it won't be in for good, for a while... I just don't want a complete fabricated solid mounted home made welded in set up like it had in the CJ5 it came out of.
Shock towers came out better. the tops are all perfect.
Rear.

Front.

Only problem here is the lower mounts on the left front are not in line properly, but they can be tweeked easily enough...

Last thing I had him do was a couple of little brackets I found in my scrap pile for my tire carrier. I needed a way to lock it open so it wouldn't swing back, and forth when I was using it. Now I can just open it, and drop a bolt or pin in there to lock it in place. I loved the LOD bumper when I looked at it online, but they didn't have a way to lock it open, and I didn't notice this at the time I ordered it. Problem fixed.

​

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

​

[/FONT]

 

[daddyusmaximus]

[FONT=&quot]

One other thing I've noticed that will require attention... the longer YJ springs makes for very tight clearance on the big 20 gal fuel tank I took off the CJ5. I have about 1.5" of rearward movement before the pumpkin gets into the skid plate...

I can't have nothing nice...
This is with the tub on, but nothing in the tub. Those shackles are gonna flex more than that, so I'm gonna have to think of something... I couldn't use the CJ7s fuel tank. Way too rusty. I'm thinking maybe just put a cut out in the front of the skid plate, then a trans tunnel like depression in the front face of the tank about 3 inches deep...


​

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

​

[/FONT]

 

[daddyusmaximus]

[FONT=&quot]

I have not been spending much quality time with the Jeep as of late. The heat tends to kick my ass as I have had heat exhaustion several times in the past, and heat stroke twice. Also I thought my shoulder wasn't healing well from the surgery, but as it turns out it's my nerve damage from the IED that has been giving me fits. Same result in that my left arm hasn't been much use to me. I was able to correct one problem that I didn't like. The transmission sitting up too high. I designed a very short (half inch) box mount to replace the tall (two inch) zig-zag stock mount and had it welded up at a local machine shop.

A cut out in the side allows me to reach in and hold the center bolt with a wrench to tighten it.

The bolts drop through holes in the opposite sides big enough for the bolt heads. The transfer case sits at a more natural height, though with the SOA lift I will need to trim the skidplate for front driveshaft clearance at full droop.

​

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

​

[/FONT]

 

[daddyusmaximus]

[FONT=&quot]

Well, nothing has got done on the Jeep all summer. Money is always tight during the summer because my wife is a teacher's aid, so no paycheck. Also my shoulder is NOT healing from the surgery I had back in the spring... I have just started my third round of physical rehab with it. The VA keeps telling me the surgery went well, and that it's useless to even get a new MRI for 1 year, because it will just show abnormal anyway... They say it's inflammation from the surgery. I've had 2 previous shoulder surgeries... they healed much quicker.
Anyhow, I'm getting pissed sitting around, so I decided to start in on the axles. Well, first I took out the fuel tank. No photos, but I don't like how close the pumpkin is to it with the YJ springs, so I'm gonna get a 2" tunnel put in the front edge of it kinda like a transmission tunnel, to give it some room.
First thing was to get one of the axles out. I decided to do the front one first. I lifted up the frame with the engine hoist,then worked the axle out from under, and onto a set of rollers.

I have too much crap in the garage, so I decided to use the Jeep itself as the workbench for the axles... I rolled it around to the rear, then hoisted it over the rear frame rails. Using double layers of plywood, I set it on jack stands on the tail of the frame, and strapped it down.

I set to work soaking every nut I could find with PB Blaster, and started in on one side. Being as my shoulder isn't up to snuff, and I haven't been able to stand long periods for years, I didn't get far, but I did make progress, so I'm good with that. I got one side brake caliper off, one Dodge truck automatic hub out, and that's where I got stuck. I stared in on the cotter pins, but the first one I came to was a PITA, and I decided to let it soak,and just call it a day. Just for fun, I tried the other side... pin came right out...

​

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

​

[/FONT]

 

[daddyusmaximus]

[FONT=&quot]

Well, the trend of nothing going right is still active. I couldn't get the front axle apart, so I ended up taking them to a friend's house. I neglected to get photos, but same ole stuff. Used the cherry picker to lift them, backed the trailer into the garage, (that took a dozen tries) and took both the "good" one and the original to his place. He works as a mechanic by trade, so he can use the shop at work after hrs. Hopefully he can heat them up, and knock them out from behind with an air hammer.
Today, I decided to give the rear axle a try. It laughed at me... Broke a bolt off in the caliper bracket for the left side. Then I discovered what was inside...

Holy crap, I was driving this in the green CJ5 up till I tore it down to build this CJ7.
Now, I do remember the green Jeep having a vibration in the rear when I was driving it. I figured it was the pinion bearing not getting enough oil due to how far the housing was rotated. I think I was right about that. It won't allow the carrier to rotate so I can get to the cross pin, or "c" clips... If you grab a rotor, you can twist the axles,and see the carrier try to move, but the pinion is frozen.
Can't even budge it with my tanker bar.

Any ideas here? Or will I end up letting Ryan take this one apart too...
By the way... notice the nice repair job on the yoke... 3 bolts one size, 1 another. I'll change that out anyway as I'd rather have the u-bolt type than the strap type.

How the hell do you get an axle apart when you can't rotate the carrier?


​

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

​

[/FONT]

 

[daddyusmaximus]

The good news is the pinion now turns. The bad news is, it doesn't matter...
I took off the yoke, put back on the nut, and gave the pinion couple good raps. After that I could turn the diff no problem. I got the crosspin bolt out, and started to remove the pin. Bang, all progress once again came to a screeching halt. The ring gear is so fat, it's in front of the crosspin. The pin only came out a bit,and smacked into the teeth of the ring gear, leaving me to wonder hoe the hell they put it together...

I looked inside, and sure enough, without getting the pin out, I don't see how I can get the "c" clips out to remove the axles...

Really starting to hate these axles...

 

[daddyusmaximus]

[FONT=&quot]

After another long break of nothing getting done, Jeep money going to other things, (OK one was a project gun) and a bunch of crap going wrong (including all this virus crap) I'm back at it. I'm halfway through another round of physical therapy on the shoulder, and it's going much better. Should be after almost a year...
Problem I had getting the front axle apart was I couldn't get the spindles off the knuckles. Took the old housing, and the replacement junkyard one to a friend from my off road club, who is a mechanic by trade. He was able to use a torch to heat it, then knock them out from behind with an air hammer in the shop after hrs. Of course, it took me forever to get back up there to pick them up once he did...

So, I get all the parts home, and now I have the remains of almost two complete units to go through.

I won't be using the 4.88 gears, of the originals, but the 3.55s of the junkyards unit are in fine shape. This will also get me a comfy 1,925 RPM @55mph and 2,450 @ 70mph when cruising down the road on my 35s... Before, it had 33s, and 4.88s, and would turn over 3K doing around 55 or 60mph. I started looking up all the seals, bearings and goodies I'll need to rebuild it, but with typical off-roader enthusiasm... first thing I ordered was an Eaton Trutrac... lol.
Here you can see the splines on the outter that blew when the axles was still in the old CJ5, next to the nicer axle from the replacement junkyard unit. It looks to be not boogered up too awful bad, and could still serve as a spare, so It will be cleaned up and taken along with...

​

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

​

[/FONT]

 

[daddyusmaximus]

Having the front axles apart is nice, but what's even nicer is payday. My Eaton Trutrac came in from Summit Racing, and I started hitting up Auto Zone for the small parts, like bearings, seals... Being a cheep guy, I'm getting just enough at a time to get my point each time I go into town. Today I got one set of wheel bearings, races, and an inner seal for one of the front rotors to get my 5th point, and when the new rotor comes in tomorrow, I can get $20 off on it. I had to drop off the knuckles at a local shop to have the old ball joints pressed out, and new ones installed, as I have no press.

 

[daddyusmaximus]

[FONT=&quot]

So I'm looking, and looking, and I can't for the life of me find bearing, and seals that are made in the USA. Damn NOTHING is made in the USA anymore. Really starting to tick me off. Took my front rotors in to NAPA to get them turned today, and checked there too. Made in Spain, Denmark, everywhere but the USA. At least it's not china or mexico... and their does have a 3 year warranty, so I ordered a bunch from there, and I'll take the mexican crap back to Auto Zone tomorrow.
Also picking up a CJ7 hard top tomorrow. I put out feelers for a swap as my CJ7 came with a YJ top. Real PITA seeing as it doesn't have the proper YJ tailgate to go with. The guy wasn't using it, it was just sitting in his barn. He wanted to sell, but agreed to swap just to be nice. His way of saying thank you for me being a veteran. Cool. So I get home and go to get mine ready to take up tomorrow... Problem. I had taken the hatch off mine, and stashed it in the shed so it wouldn't get broken. Guess what? I can't find the bolts to put it back on. Every single nut and bolt in the hole build is up in the garage in marked baggies... except these. Well, I message the guy (facebook) and tell him of the problem. I'm hoping like hell he won't mind seeing as how he's not gonna use it anyhow. The dude says "just come get this one, and sell yours to help with your Jeep." Holy cow. He's GIVING me a CJ7 top. Now it's not perfect. It's been repaired where the hatch hinges are, and there's a hole from a bubble light because it came off a plow Jeep, but, I ain't gonna turn down free parts... So glad I sat and talked with them for a while today.
Next thing. I go home and start in on the housing. Gotta clean it up to get ready for the new parts coming in. I notice something... the junkyard housing I got to replace my slightly bent original... isn't the same. The spring mounting surfaces are the same. The width is the same. they both use the same brakes, spindles, knuckles... but the old one has thicker wall tubing. It's only got the slightest little bend, from jumping real hard, so now I'm thinking maybe I should just get that one straightened, and use it. I won't be jumping, so the thicker wall tubing would be good insurance for me. Probably need different seals and bearings... Carrier fits either, so I guess a Dana 44, is a Dana 44... Gotta think on it, and see.
Old axle housing I blew the hub on.

Junkyard replacement I had to get because I couldn't find a spindle anywhere.

​

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

​

[/FONT]

 

[daddyusmaximus]

[FONT=&quot]

Picked up my knuckles today with the new ball joint pressed in. Couldn't resist a test fit...

Also picked up my free CJ7 top. Turns out the 2 little holes where the woopie light was won't be much of a problem. I can either just silicone them, or put one of my leftover Army woopie lights there... The back hatch... well, that may be a different story. That falls squarely in the "What did you expect for free" category. It works... but it's not long for this world. It's been repaired on the top by the hinges, saw that yesterday. What I didn't see was the inside... It's gone... It will need replaced. I can still sell or trade my YJ top. Maybe take the hatch, and glass out of this to make a hard top bikini top for the summer...

​

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

​

[/FONT]

 

[daddyusmaximus]

So, I jumped on the cragslist, and facebook sale groups in my area last night looking for a hatch for a CJ7 hard top. I figured I could sell my YJ top later to make up for buying one. Hell, I don't even remember how I got sidetracked into looking into tops, when I'm supposed to be buying parts for the front axle... I guess my TBI gave me some ADHD, but it's in my head now.
Never did find one, but I stumbled on something that made me think I may not need a CJ7 hatch... a YJ tub. This was 3 hrs away, but it was in way better shape than the CJ7 tub I went 3 states away to get. With the YJ style tailgate, I can just use my YJ top that came on my CJ, AND not have all those rust holes to fix. There's one issue, the trans tunnel has a little section missing because he was running a 700 HP big block Ford, C6, and 1 tons, but everything else is solid. Oh, and the glass is cracked in the windshield, but I have a 2 CJ windshields.
Talked to the guy, and he took it off the frame last night. I went down today and picked it up, along with the gas tank, since it feeds from the drivers side. Got the roll bar, power brake upgrade... and the chance to take apart, and clean a tub all over again.
Now I will be selling my CJ7 tub, and some associated parts to help offset what I just spent. (new kitchen roof money) In the end, I thing this will work out a lot better. I suppose I could still use the freebie CJ hard top. Seeing as the hatch is FUBAR, I could take it off, and the side glass out, and have a hard bikini top for the summer. Gotta have my shade.

 

[daddyusmaximus]

[FONT=&quot]

I'm still missing 1 seal, and 1 race, (both on order) and the rotors are still getting new studs pressed in, but I've just about got what I need to reassemble the main axle. I ran out of money, so no new brake pads or calipers... yet. Not like I'm going anywhere in it soon. Down in the back pretty bad though right now, so probably take some time off before I get to cleaning, and prepping the housing anyway.

​

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

​

[/FONT]

 

[daddyusmaximus]

[FONT=&quot]

Well, still waiting... A friend who has set up gears before is going to show me how to do it, but he's been working a lot of hrs these days, so the axles hasn't been put back together as of yet. I have decided to spend some time working on the new tub. Looked real nice online... Looked good when I went to pick it up too.

Now keep in mind, when I say "good" I mean "not rusted all to hell". It was, however, used as a mud toy. An open top... mud toy. Yeah, it's gonna take some cleaning...

This thing has so much mud in it, I was finding mud inside the windshield frame all around the wiper arms... In fact, I found 2 Bic lighters in there, and one still worked.
On the plus side, the tub has been bed lined, so it's in good shape for the most part.
Oh, by the way, I also had to fix the trailer too. Got home with the tub, and discovered this... Lucky I made it home...

​

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

​

[/FONT]

 

[daddyusmaximus]

[FONT=&quot]

Next up. Lets see if I can make the old doors fit.

They do, sort of.
Bit of a gap at the front...

Not gonna be rain tight... Great, now I have to mess with those stupid star drive door hinge screws. Broke 2 bits so far...

I've used this old B&D Workmate as a portable work station, but it's not really the best solution. A bit too low, doesn't roll around, fluids soak in the top.

Found this cool steel table in the facebook classifieds that holds storage bins. It only came with 6 bins, but I had a bunch, so good deal for me.

This bad boy should come in real handy.


​

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

​

[/FONT]

 

[daddyusmaximus]

This brings me to today...

I went out to prep the front axle for re-assembly. Spent a butt-load of time wire brushing it, then primes it, and gave it the first coat of color. The knuckles, and brake caliper brackets got their primer before I ran out of steam... Then I was updating the treads elsewhere, and decided to do one here on INGO too...

My "two year " project is two years old... and probably has another two years left tow go... At least... Well, It will get done one of these days.