sounds like one of times when i stop and think...

the hurrier i go, the behinder i get.

Al

_________________
Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.

 

Wooo Hoooo! Finally got the axles back in last night, did the "Spin Test" on the Aussie. Things lock and unlock just like they are supposed to. All my clearances are right at minimums, so I was a little concerned. Got one brake halfway back together and had a call, it was dark by the time I got back home. I had doped up the diff cover, so I drug out the light and put it on, hopefully I can get the brakes back together and fluids in tonight.

Next project will be a rear diff cover. Hard to beat the DIY price for the BTF cover. Where's a good place to get one?

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'81 CJ-5, clapped out 4.2, MC2100, 2 1/2" Rancho, T-176 "It's Beat, but it's mine!
Project '84 CJ-10a

Why would anyone climb 69 flights of stairs? Check this out: http://www.sore4x4.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3873

Woot Woot! Got my brakes all back together, fluids in, got the wife to come out and help me bleed the rear brakes after work Saturday. Only had 2 interuptions after I got home. I didn't test drive it, didn't want to do it after dark. I had an issue with the headlights that I had to fix, I didn't have any. Turned out the PO, when he crushed the side, rigged the dimmer to a toggle switch on the dash. Eliminated the floor switch. But he used about 18 gauge wire. Amazing I haven't had a fire, probably a good thing I carry a big extinguisher, though. I changed it back to the stock wiring and floor dimmer. It works in the driveway, but things can be dark out in this part of the world at night. Especially when ALL the lights go out suddenly!

Then I got the front driveshaft put back together Sunday, had it come apart on me one morning on the way to work. Really only a 15 minute fix, new U-joint on the T-case end. Worst part was the chunk of dried mud that landed in my ear. Noticed that my T-case skid is really banged up, when I rebuilt the tranny and T-case, it was straight, and un-scarred. That will need upgrading, someday. Guess I may be a little hard on stuff.

Ordered a BTF rear diff cover Saturday, I can't believe how thin that thing is!

So, finally got a chance to test drive it, noticed I had low air in the tires. Hmmm, wonder how that will affect the test drive. 25 lbs rear drivers side, 10 lbs passenger side. Guess what, it pulls as the locker locks and unlocks! Not too bad though, if you expect it, it's manageable.

Aired the tires up to 25, plenty for the CJ, and it makes a huge difference. Almost not noticeable, except at stop signs, intersection turns. I LOVE THIS AUSSIE THING, already! I want one in front, but power steering, first.

_________________
'81 CJ-5, clapped out 4.2, MC2100, 2 1/2" Rancho, T-176 "It's Beat, but it's mine!
Project '84 CJ-10a

Why would anyone climb 69 flights of stairs? Check this out: http://www.sore4x4.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3873

You are closer to the finish then I am... When I first installed my locker in the front, it freaked me out for the first few times it would pull to one side.

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Jake

Booger Weldz wrote:

i paid him back in the hotel room when he was on the phone with his wife!!! teabagged/bare ass to the head!! he blocked it and then got pissed when his arm smelt like dirty butt and sweaty road nuts

But this isn't really a major build, it's just doing little stuff that needs done. When I started, I never planned on doing a major gutting that would take me down. I read about guys that start a project, thinking it will be 2 months, and have it end up being 4 years. That wouldn't work for me, not my personality. I would end up selling boxes of parts.

_________________
'81 CJ-5, clapped out 4.2, MC2100, 2 1/2" Rancho, T-176 "It's Beat, but it's mine!
Project '84 CJ-10a

Why would anyone climb 69 flights of stairs? Check this out: http://www.sore4x4.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3873

guilty as charged!!

Al

_________________
Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.

Hmmmmm, I wasn't thinking FSJ, I was thinking about all the CJ "kits" you can find around teh forums and on CL. Got 2 sets of Waggy front springs today...

_________________
'81 CJ-5, clapped out 4.2, MC2100, 2 1/2" Rancho, T-176 "It's Beat, but it's mine!
Project '84 CJ-10a

Why would anyone climb 69 flights of stairs? Check this out: http://www.sore4x4.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3873

wow beat youve been a busy beater, nice to see you makin progress on that jeep and i cant wait to do some wheelin with you old timer lol

Nice to see you around, Sean. Name a time and place. Of course, working around my schedule makes it pretty hit or miss, I think I may be 6 days a week from now until the Christmas Bills are paid.

Drove the CJ round trip through the woods to Stabler and back yesterday, took the Forest Service 41 road over, and the 42 back. I REALLY LIKE the Aussie! Several places I know I would have spun a tire with it open, steep grades where it was washboarded, no problem at all. As rough as it rides, had to drop to first for much of the ride.

And today, the opposite end of the spectrum, 80 mph indicated on I-5 up to visit my Mom. Needed a bracket welded, I thought Red could TIG it up. Turns out it's not aluminum, it's magnesium! He's going to order some magnesium filler rod, should have it done by Saturday.
Took it easier on the way home, but it still drives just fine. With an Aussie, I suppose ALL lockers, matching tire size is huge in making them feel good on the road. Through Longview, traffic slowed to 60 because of the rain, standing water in the ruts, I had no problems. Guess BFG MTs must clear water out OK.

After I get Power Steering, I WILL put one in front, too.

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'81 CJ-5, clapped out 4.2, MC2100, 2 1/2" Rancho, T-176 "It's Beat, but it's mine!
Project '84 CJ-10a

Why would anyone climb 69 flights of stairs? Check this out: http://www.sore4x4.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3873

If you head back out to stabler again let me know. Ive wanted to make that drive for a while and just haven't got around to it.

_________________
Handle every stressful situation the way a dog handles it...

If you can't eat it or hump it, pee on it and walk away.

I think it would make a great snow run. You would have to hit it early, though, I think we may have been as high as 4500'. Run the south side going over, come back on another route. I got 16 mpg round trip.

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'81 CJ-5, clapped out 4.2, MC2100, 2 1/2" Rancho, T-176 "It's Beat, but it's mine!
Project '84 CJ-10a

Why would anyone climb 69 flights of stairs? Check this out: http://www.sore4x4.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3873

That would be a good snow run!

_________________
Handle every stressful situation the way a dog handles it...

If you can't eat it or hump it, pee on it and walk away.

So, onto the next step. Getting an engine in it that's not sick. I bought a 4.0 HO from a '92 Cherokee, pretty much complete. Here's a link to a video of it running: http://s386.photobucket.com/albums/oo30 ... I_1450.flv
Guys from the Piston's Wild club pulled it out to sell. It was stolen and sent off a bluff up by Jones Creek, and they helped the owner recover it. Evidently the accelerator was held down with a rock, but when it hit it died. The owner donated it to the club to make money for the trail building fund. They did a real clean job of pulling it out, nothing cut, just unplugged. I got the complete harness and computer with it. I've been collecting parts, planning on doing the swap, so since I needed to pull my radiator to fix it, may as well get started. Time to go out and brave the cold, I got about 2 1/2 hours to get something done. Sure be nice to have a garage! I know a guy up in Yelm that did the swap, he said when it come time to wire it, he'll give me what help I need. My goal is back on the road by the end of January.

_________________
'81 CJ-5, clapped out 4.2, MC2100, 2 1/2" Rancho, T-176 "It's Beat, but it's mine!
Project '84 CJ-10a

Why would anyone climb 69 flights of stairs? Check this out: http://www.sore4x4.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3873

Damn Gordon, couldn't you have waited till it got a little warmer outside?

Good luck!

_________________
It's a Jeep thing, Chrysler doesn't understand!

Sure, I could wait. I'm not that smart. Got the old engine almost out yesterday. I thought I had everything unbolted, but the passenger side motor mount wouldn't let go. Might just be the angle of the chain. I had to quit at 2:30, I had promised the step son I would take him Christmas shopping for his mom. I'll take the block mount bolts out this evening after work and try pulling a little more. I have a 1/2" gap between tranny and bellhousing, so it's close.

_________________
'81 CJ-5, clapped out 4.2, MC2100, 2 1/2" Rancho, T-176 "It's Beat, but it's mine!
Project '84 CJ-10a

Why would anyone climb 69 flights of stairs? Check this out: http://www.sore4x4.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3873

OK, so I've made a little progress, but not much. I'm hoping to start putting the engine back in on the 3rd, if I don't get to it then I actually have a 3 day weekend coming up on the 17th 18th and 19th, MLK Day. I would hope to have it back in and be struggling with wiring issues by then. If i have trouble with that, I will trailer it up to Yelm, I have a buddy up there that swapped a 4.0 into his CJ.

What this is about is what to do with some accumulated gift cash. I have enough to buy a tube bender, or some stuff. I know that if i buy a bender, it will mostly sit, but it seems to me that EVENTUALLY, I would get my money's worth out of it. on my list of things I want for the CJ-5 is a cage, rocker protection with integrated slider steps, a grill hoop, tube fenders and flares. Figure round numbers $1200+$200+$150+$350+$150=$2050. Bender will eat up about 1/2 that, materials about 1/2 that, labor another half, so buying a bender I owe the Jeep about $500 but I have a bender paid for.

Anyone with an opinion or some input?

_________________
'81 CJ-5, clapped out 4.2, MC2100, 2 1/2" Rancho, T-176 "It's Beat, but it's mine!
Project '84 CJ-10a

Why would anyone climb 69 flights of stairs? Check this out: http://www.sore4x4.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3873

There are a couple ways to look at this.

1. You could buy everything and it will be bolt on perfect. Happy Days!

2. Or you could design and build exactly what you want. Problem with this is that you have to learn how to use the bender thus creating lots of junk pieces because you bent it the wrong way meaning you have to go get more tubing meaning MORE money. But you still get the satisfaction of saying "I did it all by myself!" That is a quote from my 3 year old... AND, you will get to see me more as I will come up and bend my stuff after you have learned how to use it! Happy days for me!

There is a guy on CL in the Couve that says he will bend and build things. Don't know his pricing though.

Anyway, it would be cool to have a bender. I've always wanted one too!

_________________
It's a Jeep thing, Chrysler doesn't understand!

There's a guy in LaCenter, too. I suspect that I will never be short of friends if I get a bender. I've been researching for a while. I like the non-fixed vertical style, for my use it makes more sense. Use it where I am now, move it with me in a couple of years, take it up to Red for him to use.

Welding I can get done, I have my stepdad's old Monkey Wards AC-DC buzzer, and if i want it Tig'd or Mig'd it's an 75 minute drive to a certified welder. So I could tack stuff then get it burned in. He keeps telling me to take a Tig class then I could do my own, but not enough time. The way I understand is that since i learned to OA weld first, Tig isn't that much different.

_________________
'81 CJ-5, clapped out 4.2, MC2100, 2 1/2" Rancho, T-176 "It's Beat, but it's mine!
Project '84 CJ-10a

Why would anyone climb 69 flights of stairs? Check this out: http://www.sore4x4.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3873

I bought a 110v Lincoln wire feed a few years ago and absoulutely love it! It suits all my welding needs just fine.

_________________
It's a Jeep thing, Chrysler doesn't understand!

Well, I've almost got the engine sitting in place. I was frustrated and irritated last night by the time I quit. The intake manifold is hitting the steering column and brake booster, I think I'm going to have to slide things a little before I can get it to slide all the way in. I knew my body was shifted, but didn't realize it was that much. My plan as of right now is to take the body mounts loose, and get the engine in. I may have to jump my tubswap up, we'll see how things fit. Paying for Jeep parts and wedding stuff and the kiddo's birthday present all in one month drains the budget!

Also drained and dropped the fuel tank, got the sender out. Should have that part done and back in place by the end of the week.

_________________
'81 CJ-5, clapped out 4.2, MC2100, 2 1/2" Rancho, T-176 "It's Beat, but it's mine!
Project '84 CJ-10a

Why would anyone climb 69 flights of stairs? Check this out: http://www.sore4x4.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3873

Just chug-chug-chugg'n along aren't you?

So, if you loosen the body mount bolts to shift the body out of the way of the engine, what are you going to do when it comes time to tighting them back up?

Do you have an example of your tub plan?

_________________
Jake

Booger Weldz wrote:

i paid him back in the hotel room when he was on the phone with his wife!!! teabagged/bare ass to the head!! he blocked it and then got pissed when his arm smelt like dirty butt and sweaty road nuts

Isn't it funny how one thing leads to another to another to another.....


Just ask my wife, I spent $25 on a new perfomance cam and by the time I got it in I was well over $400. She was pleased. He He

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It's a Jeep thing, Chrysler doesn't understand!

I should suppose that a thrashed 29 year old Jeep will have those kinds of issues.

Jake, I bought a pretty straight tub from a guy that was parting out a '79. It had some minor rust repair work, that's almost done. I'm just going to swap the repaired tub in place. But like Scott says, one thing leads to the next, and I'm afraid of how long I will be down if I try to bite that one off, too. When I do the swap, since it's straight, I want to do some armor before I take it out, and that will be a delay, figure round numbers $1000 in stuff.

_________________
'81 CJ-5, clapped out 4.2, MC2100, 2 1/2" Rancho, T-176 "It's Beat, but it's mine!
Project '84 CJ-10a

Why would anyone climb 69 flights of stairs? Check this out: http://www.sore4x4.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3873

I am so right there with you. I am trying to figure out where I want to stop so I can start wheeling again. I don't even want to start on anymore until I have all the parts for the next phase.... dom, coil overs, haims, hardware, seats, sheetmetal, trans gears, etc...... $3500

_________________
Jake

Booger Weldz wrote:

i paid him back in the hotel room when he was on the phone with his wife!!! teabagged/bare ass to the head!! he blocked it and then got pissed when his arm smelt like dirty butt and sweaty road nuts

OK, I'm a little stuck. I'm using a '95 XJ fuel pump grafted to my CJ sender, that way I keep the OEM gauge, and with an electric pump, I prefer an in tank pump. My problem is I need the plug that goes to the pump. I was going to go to LKQ today and pull one, but it turns out they aren't open on Sundays. Guess what, I work the other 6 days. Anyone know a U Pull place with a '95 interchange XJ to get one? Or the dealer part? I do have other things I need to work on, but I will need it before the end of March.

Thanks in advance
Gordon

_________________
'81 CJ-5, clapped out 4.2, MC2100, 2 1/2" Rancho, T-176 "It's Beat, but it's mine!
Project '84 CJ-10a

Why would anyone climb 69 flights of stairs? Check this out: http://www.sore4x4.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3873

Wish I could help but I'm not sure what your looking at. Joeoffroad might know...

_________________
It's a Jeep thing, Chrysler doesn't understand!