Redoing the CJ, again

[tracyj]

Nice! You guys are cruising right along. But then you have to, cuz' EJS is only 38 DAYS AWAY!! ;D

[greenjeep]

We also spend some time prep-ing the front axle. I had the joy of grinding off the rest of the axle brackets. After using up 3 grinding wheels, it was as good as I was getting it!


Next we disassembled the front end, pulling out the hubs, wheel bearings, rotor, spindle, king pins, knuckles, axle shafts, and carrier.


Then I cleaned all of the above!




Here's all the king pin stuff


Next we set up the empty housing under the front end so we could set pinion angle, caster, and tack on the brackets




Caster looks like it should be right about 4 degrees


Empty axle (but it's still heavy!)


Mocking up the lower control arms

[greenjeep]

tracyj said:

But then you have to, cuz' EJS is only 38 DAYS AWAY!! ;D

Tell me about it, time is getting way too short!!!!!

[greenjeep]

Jeff was able to get the front all tack welded together, and the truss over the cast differential built. It's all coming together now!!










We measured for my steering arm, so I'm ordering these today, as soon as they get here we can build the tie rod, drag link, and track bar.

[tracyj]

admin said:

Then I cleaned all of the above!




Here's all the king pin stuff

Don't take this the wrong way Dave, but this is the MOST organized I have ever seen one of your projects.

[greenjeep]

Shut up you

Generally I'm very organized, if I have the time to be and don't have to be on the trail in 10 hours!!!

[PJTPW]

Well, I think I'm in the 6th circle of u-joint hel* right now. ;D

Tried pressing the u-joint out, shattered the cap, shattered the other cap. (This is the first axle no less...)







Ryan

[PJTPW]

After many choice words to help coax the u-joint out; I decided the press was not going to do the trick, and brandished the 6" cut off wheel on the 4.5" angle grinder. Yep, had to cut through two sides of the cross.

Me - 1, Ujoint -3

[PJTPW]

Still have to get these out of the stub, and the rest of the u-joint out of the short side inner.

I think we'll sell the longside with the stub attached. ;D

Jeff, Jim, and I are going wheeling Sunday if you want to go FYI.

Ryan

[greenjeep]

d**n!!! What'd you do?

So, can we say those u-joints were "in here"

[PJTPW]

You're telling me. ;D Never had this much trouble getting a u-joint out. I'm having to cut a notch in the caps from the inside so I can get them out of the stub. I tried pressing what's left out, and it's not going to happen without bending or breaking something.

They're pretty much rust welded in there.

Ryan

[pepper]

Sounds like a old wheelers trick. I learned to do it about 18 years ago, when you get a new axle, U-joint. you make up a salt water bath for it. Clean the inner part of the axle and then the caps with a light sand paper and then spray the salt water on it and let it soak. Do not dunk the axle in it with the u-joint, you will freze up the joint. I do this with all my ne joints and it keeps them in the ears. i have had one walk out and have broken one.

[PJTPW]

Interesting way to keep caps in. Never heard of the salt water way.

I've been using loctite green, bearing and sleeve retainer, for several years and it works great too. Broke a stub and part of the ear was still on the cap although the rest of the shaft was not. A little heat and it all comes back apart.

Ryan

[PJTPW]

I looked and the long side axles are interchangeable between Dodge and Chevy, but not the short side inners. (~2" difference)

What day are we working on it again? I can likely help with the FI stuff by Thursday or Friday.

Ryan

[greenjeep]

Thanks on the axle info.

I don't care when we get together again, I hope to have the king pin, o-ring and steering arm stuff anyday now. We can wait for some of that to arrive, or just get the FI done now while we're waiting.