Build Thread 1981 CJ7 Trail Rig Build

[Nikwho]

We're going to take it down to Jerome, AZ this Saturday and see how it does.

 

[Nikwho]

Went through a little bit of a fiasco with the steering box! I relocated it 4.5" forward of its original location. That put it in a pretty good location, with the front axle moved forward 7". I ported the steering box and plumbed the hydro-assist ram. I had issues with my CJ7 steering box getting hanging up while turning to the right. Then it started getting more stuck. Well, it wanted to get stuck, but my hydro-assist ram wanted to keep steering further to the right, and the hydraulic ram won, devastating the worm gear and ball bearings inside the box!


I installed a PSC remote P/S fluid reservoir. Bought a new PSC high pressure power steering pump, had to swap the original style reservoir for the one designed to use a remote reservoir. Also installed a PSC inline P/S fluid cooler and a P/S fluid filter inline after that.

To plumb everything, I bought a -6 and a -10 AN kit off of amazon, of all places. They are affordable and seem to be high quality. A friend turned me on to them! I think that I'm about $100 into all the hose and fittings, and have some left over for future projects.

Here's my pitman arm, now that it is double sheared and painted:


Beyond that, the only other thing that I can think of is installing new speakers and a new Bluetooth stereo. Oh, and the new digital readout fuel gauge I bought from Summit Racing. Was cheap and seems pretty accurate. It reads from 0%-99%.

 

[Nikwho]

I realized after my window to edit my post had expired. The transmission is an "NP435", not an SM435. My apologies.

 

[Nikwho]

Finally got this thing to where I can wheel with it. The Easter Jeep Safari in Moab was kind of a bust for us. The steering box busting pretty much took it out of that trip. Still had fun wheeling the tow rig a little. Took it down the "Fins 'n Things" trail unscathed!

Took the Jeep out in the forest today. I've never had a lead sprung vehicle ride this well! Just a good combination of leaf springs and the Bilstein shocks help a ton! Should be able to take more pictures tomorrow. We're running the Smiley Rock trail in Jerome, AZ.

 

[NP435]

I realized after my window to edit my post had expired. The transmission is an "NP435", not an SM435. My apologies.

Great trans choice I run one too.

 

[Nikwho]

Great trans choice I run one too.

Well, I broke mine yesterday! last 12 miles of our trip, I only had 2nd gear, plus no reverse. So, I switched between low range and high range, as needed. Trail dumped onto highway 89A nine miles from the trailers. Revving my poor old 258 to the moon netted about 17 MPH, so it was a long trip back. Luckily it was through the switchbacks, where the speed limit is only 30mph.

Whatever the issue, it seems to be in the upper housing. The shifter feels completely loose. Trying to put it in reverse made it bind up, as if it were in first and reverse at the same time! I bought an SM465 and a T18 the other day, so I have options, but shouldn't have to do anything as extreme as a transmission swap.

 

[NP435]

Well, I broke mine yesterday! last 12 miles of our trip, I only had 2nd gear, plus no reverse. So, I switched between low range and high range, as needed. Trail dumped onto highway 89A nine miles from the trailers. Revving my poor old 258 to the moon netted about 17 MPH, so it was a long trip back. Luckily it was through the switchbacks, where the speed limit is only 30mph.

Whatever the issue, it seems to be in the upper housing. The shifter feels completely loose. Trying to put it in reverse made it bind up, as if it were in first and reverse at the same time! I bought an SM465 and a T18 the other day, so I have options, but shouldn't have to do anything as extreme as a transmission swap.

Now Im curious as to how you broke it?

 

[Nikwho]

Now Im curious as to how you broke it?

I'm not entirely sure, to he honest. Seems like it was having an increasingly difficult time shifting INTO 3rd gear leading up to it. I got hung up on a rock, and was spinning all 4 tires momentarily, in a rock river bed. Went to put it into reverse, to get off of the rock, and the shifter seemingly fell out of first gear, the the shift lever went all floppy. I reached for reverse, and it was bound internally! Like it was in first and reverse at the same time!

Played with it and finally got it back into first gear, and limped it out of the trail. A couple miles later, it "dropped" into 2nd gear, without any input from me. Never got it out of second gear. It's still on the trailer. I FEEL like the issue is in the shifter housing. Maybe a shear pin vibrated out?? I never felt or heard anything pop or break. It just stopped working and the shifter went limp. LOL.

 

[gert]

Man you put your jeep thru hell, it also sounds like a shifter housing/rail issue to me, great transmission tho


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[Nikwho]

Well, I pulled the shifter housing off of my transmission! Crazy! Here's the 1-2 shifter fork! Worn through, almost completely! I must have just shifted a tad too hard, and the 1-2 fork popped off of its groove. Must have just stayed in 1st gear when I tried shifting into reverse, so I'd imagine that it was stuck in 1st and reverse at the same time!

This is the NP435 truck transmission, not a transmission that would have come in these stock! Really strong transmission, with a really low first gear. Great for crawling!
Here's what it is supposed to look like:



Luckily, there's are available to buy, for $40! I'm also going to order a rebuild kit, and go through the whole transmission, while it's apart! I have a line on another transmission, too. Wouldn't mind having a backup, anyway.

 

[gert]

WOW thats crazy


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[Manic Mechanic]

This is just my 2 cents but the red tie down strap really clashes with the color scheme I think it would look better in tan like the wheels and bumpers. But loving the build thus far.


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[DconZ]

Beyond that, the only other thing that I can think of is installing new speakers and a new Bluetooth stereo. Oh, and the new digital readout fuel gauge I bought from Summit Racing. Was cheap and seems pretty accurate. It reads from 0%-99%.

Are you running a OEM sending unit with that digital fuel guage? I am struggling with mine in my build. I have a brand new crown sending unit and tried the factory guage along with a Autometer/Mopar half sweep guage but getting no where near accurate output.. I have a second sending unit I am going to try out but wondering if you went through any pains or lsesons learned to get you to this accurate point?

 

[Nikwho]

Negative. I'm using the sending gauge that came in my RCI fuel cell. HOWEVER, this gaige would still work for you. It had multiple wires that had a lot of different ohm range options, based on which wires you cut or don't cut!

Your fuel sending unit should have between 8.6-10.6 ohms of resistance when full, and between 70-80 ohms of resistance when empty. They're commonly referred to as "73-10" ohm sending units/gauges. Mine is 0-90. But, this gauge is compatible with your stock sending unit, you would just cut a couple of wires differently. It's incredibly easy, and these fuel gauges are very inexpensive! Like $37!

Here's a link to the gauge: (I bought the green one, but there are different colors)
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-g2982-1g

 

[Nikwho]

Are you running a OEM sending unit with that digital fuel guage? I am struggling with mine in my build. I have a brand new crown sending unit and tried the factory guage along with a Autometer/Mopar half sweep guage but getting no where near accurate output.. I have a second sending unit I am going to try out but wondering if you went through any pains or lsesons learned to get you to this accurate point?

Have you checked your sending unit with a multi-meter?

Also, I have found that it helps to connect the tank sending unit to a good ground (frame/body), and I also send two wires between the sending unit and gauge, instead of one! The second wire I connect to the sending unit ground and ground the sending unit directly to the gauge! I do this with every vehicle that I install an after market fuel gauge to! This helps create much more accurate readings! Good luck!

 

[DconZ]

Have you checked your sending unit with a multi-meter?

Also, I have found that it helps to connect the tank sending unit to a good ground (frame/body), and I also send two wires between the sending unit and gauge, instead of one! The second wire I connect to the sending unit ground and ground the sending unit directly to the gauge! I do this with every vehicle that I install an after market fuel gauge to! This helps create much more accurate readings! Good luck!

I havent but thanks for the specs and I will now. I'll also check out your gauge to sender ground recommendation. Thanks again!

 

[DconZ]

I havent but thanks for the specs and I will now. I'll also check out your gauge to sender ground recommendation. Thanks again!

So turned out the Autometer gauge was setup for the opposite resistance direction and could not be reversed. There didnt seem to be any way to reverse it on the gauge side. It was reading empty at ~80ohms empty and full at ~10.. once I fixed the float issue in the tank it swept just fine, in the wrong direction. Sent that one back and have been looking at a Holley EFI. Its pricey but looks nice and its fully customizable (supports 0-250 ohms and is reversable) to your sender so I am assuming the accuracy should be bang on no matter what you unit is sending.

 

[Nikwho]

Well, the build continues! I ordered some new Corbeau bucket seats to match the rear bench seat. Also, I bought 4 new PRP 5.3 harnesses in orange. I was driving through Phoenix with an empty trailer a couple days ago and picked up 71 feet of 1.75" x .120" DOM tubing for the roll cage. I'm tentatively planning on keeping my "A" and "B" hoops of my existing cage, so I think that 71-ish feet (three 23'7" sticks) will be enough to wrap up the cage!

I also picked up a stick of 2"x.250" DOM and a stick of 1.75"x.250" DOM for my 4 link bars. It appears as though I cannot leave well enough alone. I'm going to 3 link the front and likely 4 link the rear! Annnnnnd, ditch these wimpy axles I habe now and swap in a set of one ton truck axles! I'll run my 2005+ Ford Super Duty axle up front. I have my new plasma cutter ordered, so that'll make light work of prepping the Super Duty axle (cutting factory bracketry off). I THINK that I'm going to cut and re-tube the front axle, moving the high pinion differential to the passenger side, so as to prevent having to flip my Dana 300. Undecided on that front, as of now.

I MAY play with airbagging the Jeep, as opposed to running coilovers or air shocks. (See Dirthead Dave's "Butter Jeep" build on Motortrend/Youtube)

I'll likely swap in the Dana 70 rear axle with the current leaf spring setup, at least at first. The rear flexes pretty well and this rig rides REALLY nice, for a leaf sprung setup. I'll run a Dana 80 spool in the rear, modified for use in the Dana 70, and a locker up front on the D60. I'll be running 40"-42" Maxxis Trepador Stickies, so I'll need to pick a gear set somewhere between a little taller than my current 4.88's, and say 6.16:1.

I FINALLY was able to track down a 23 spline NP203 input shaft, out of a '74-'79 Dodge pickup. It took me about 4 or 5 months of moderately active searching to finally find one. I got that swapped out the other day, so my doubler case is ready to go into the Jeep! Also have my triple stick shifters ready to go. Along with my 6.68:1 granny 1st gear, 4:1 D300 and 2:1 NP203 and 4.88:1 gears, I'll finally have my 261:1 crawl ratio! Once I get the doubler case installed, I'll look at getting the Dana 70 in place, move the engine/trans/t-cases forward as much as I can (will also be swapping over to a Ford Escort dual speed electric fan setup, to save a little space) and make sure that I'll have acceptable front and rear driveline lengths, and move forward with my trans/t-case mounting brackets and a full length belly skid plate. Looks like this old "mild trail rig" is going to turn into more of a buggy, after all.

If anyone has been bored enough to read all of this, I'm LEANING towards aborting my tube chassis rock buggy build, and making this CJ7 my dedicated trail rig! I'll throw a few random pictures that I've taken, and will update soon with any more progress made!

 

[Nikwho]

Picking up some affordable DOM in Phoenix! $5/foot! Less than HALF the price of trying to buy it in Flagstaff, AZ!


FINALLY sourced my Dodge NP203 input shaft, and got them swapped out. Now my NP203 doubler case is ready to go between my NP435 and Dana 300 transfer case! Fun fact; if I went up to the 7.17:1 gear ratio available for the D60/D70 axles, I could get my crawl ratio all the way down to 384:1! I think that will be too low, even in high/high with 42's, but good to have options! I like my final high range gearing now with 37s, so just going to see how much more gear I'll need with 42's, to match my current final drive with 4.88' and 37's.


Sold the '68 Ford Fairlane and my '50 Chevy, to fund some more Jeep foolery, and the air bagged '61 Cadillac Sedan Deville build!


Having also brought a vintage (1964) Shasta camper restoration project into my life (my wife says that I thrive on chaos), I needed to free up a little space, anyway!

 

[Nikwho]

Cant wait for the Caddy to get delivered! Its enroute from Washington state, back to Arizona! Its entirely original. I'll be keeping it mostly stock, with the exception of swapping out the original springs for airbags, and the factory carburetor for a Holley Sniper EFI kit. Gonna be a fun car! Time will tell if I end up LS swapping it. I would LIKE to make it so that I can travel long distances with it and the restored Shasta camper.



Anyway, back to Jeep stuff. Last two times I've taken the Jeep out, I haven't taken any photos. I need to be better about that! I'm super happy with how well the Jeep flexes and rides with leaf springs! If I were smarter, I'd probably leave it setup exactly how it is! It works surprisingly well, for what it is!