Build Thread Cj8 build from parts

[gert]

looks great…. however I see you behind the wheel what happened to the daughter lol

 

[BIGTRUCKNUT]

looks great…. however I see you behind the wheel what happened to the daughter lol

You can't see her - she's in the passenger seat grinning from ear to ear.

Daughter is driving on the road but isn't confident enough in the dirt or on obstacles yet. Going back in a few weeks with my CJ5 and the Scrambler so she can get some time behind the wheel in the dirt.

 

[BIGTRUCKNUT]

Not sure how many of you do this but I put a zip tie around each shock shaft on my trucks in order to check suspension travel. When I want to check travel I just slide the zip tie down against the shock body/seal and go about my business. Anyway, I reset the zip ties all around before going out to play in the Scrambler Saturday but forgot to check them until yesterday. I must say that I'm very pleased with SUA reverse shackle YJ front (Rubicon Express 4.5") and XJ rear (Iron Rock 6.5") spring performance so far - flexed all corners to within 1.5" of bottoming out each shock without significant rub and didn't lift a tire while crossed up in the twisties. That was with the front track bar still hooked up. Next time we go out I'll remember to take photos.

Still waiting on more parts - have wiper kit, Summit heater, and other odds and ends inbound. Also comtemplating 1.25" wheel spacers all around to widen the track a little and get more clearance between the tires and springs (has '76 CJ5 narrow track axles). Also need to sand, paint and hang YJ half doors and canvas door uppers. Hard part will be installing door striker bolt/mount on the repop tub. Need to find a YJ that i can measure striker location from and hopefully get it right the first time.

 

[Saint0416]

Looking GREAT!!!! I am still making headway on my CJ7, but no where even close to your build status! Very nice work man!!

 

[BIGTRUCKNUT]

Looking GREAT!!!! I am still making headway on my CJ7, but no where even close to your build status! Very nice work man!!

Appreciate the comments and you just keep plugging on the CJ7. Just remember that Jeep builds are never really ever done and if you are like me, you'll end up tearing it apart and freshening it up in another 8 to 10 years. Regarding the Scrambler, my build progress is not quite so impressive when you consider that I've be jobless since retiring from the military back in June and I really have nothing better to do in my spare time. I also have a whole garage/car trailer full of projects just like it waiting for me to give attention to and complete. My "work" is never done!

Daughter drove "her" Scrambler to school today so it's not even here in the driveway to fiddle with. Hoping to find a real job soon but in the meantime will wrap up the Scrambler build and start on the transformation of my Dodge - swapped out a pair of leaking valve cover gaskets today and might restart the bodywork on the "new" truck cab this week.

Anyway, keep moving forward.

 

[BIGTRUCKNUT]

Picked up a Ford T18 for a good price today, plan to eventually swap it into the Scrambler to replace the T-150 currently behind the 304. Need the get a job before I can buy the t-case adapter and TeraLow 3.15 gearset though. More to follow.

 

[TFDScrambler]

I just read through this build and have to say strong work. I'm in the middle of one now and was wondering how the Duplicolor bed liner is holding up so far. I know it's only been a few months but I am about to spray mine and don't know which I want to go with yet. Have it Limited down to the Duplicolor Armor and the UPOL Raptor.

 

[BIGTRUCKNUT]

Had a great time putting this one together. The bedliner was easy to shot and still looks great, even on the driver's side floor with daily use. I would say that the DupliColor Bed Armor liner has held up well on the floors in the passenger compartment but nothing has gone into the bed to comment on its durability there. Regardless of bedliner brand, I would strongly suggest putting down a good coat of seam sealer on all the interior seams and let it set up for a week or so to completely cure/shrink before laying bedliner. Don't forget the seam at the front of the bed where the raised bed sheetmetal joins the verticle surface coming up fom the passenger compartment floor. I missed this seam and I didn't put the bedliner down heavy enough there to fill the seam to my liking. I'm going to go back and run a beam of sealer in that seam over the bedliner to keep the water from getting in there and rusting.

Stopped to look at a M38 for sale yesterday evening, had a quick paint job but otherwise needed alot of work. Had a aircleaner hole cut into the center of the hood covered by a raise "scoop". Under the hood was a Pinto motor, rest of the drivetrain and suspension looked stock. Lots of holes throughout the body, lights were thrown together to make it legal. Has alot of potential, wife wasn't impressed. Gears in my head are turning - I'm thinking Chevy 4.3 V6, SM420, D18, stock axles (D25/Dana 44) with stock 5.38s and lunchbox lockers on Interco 10.5/34-15 LTBs. Maybe big drum brake upgrade. It's an M38 but already hacked up with Pinto motor and all so I wouldn't be too sentimental about keeping it stock. What you think?

 

[BIGTRUCKNUT]

TFD - saw your Scrambler over at CJ8.com, looks like a nice base to start from.

 

[BIGTRUCKNUT]

Getting ready to resurrect this thread... It's been a long while since I wheeled or did any major work on the Scrambler. Been talking about it for a few years now but I finally collected enough parts and am committing some time to upgrade my drivetrain. Coming out is the old T-150 and Dana 20 and in will go a T19 4-speed, DD Machine doubler, and a 4.0:1 low range D300. The 304 is still running well and the Dana 30/AMC20 axles are fine - okay, maybe a rear brake job is required. Scrambler still needs paint but that can wait.

Will post some pictures of the bling.

Ty

 

[gert]

Wow sweet dude can’t wait to see some pictures


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BIGTRUCKNUT]

Wow sweet dude can’t wait to see some pictures

Mocked up for fit.

T19 close ratio trans, DD Machine Box4Rocks DIY doubler, and D300 t-case with 4:1 low range gears. Need to install parts, adapters, rebuild trans and t-case, and slap it all together. 4:1 first gear, 2.71:1 doubler, 4:1 t-case low range, and 3.54 axle gears will net me an extreme crawl ratio of 154:1 with intermediate low range options for any terrain. And now some bling:

 

[BIGTRUCKNUT]

Got the T19, doubler, and D300 installed this past weekend. Still need to install the triple cable shifter and hook up the driveshafts. Interestingly, with all the additional drivetrain length it looks really close to use the rear driveshaft on the front and vice versa. They will physically bolt up when swapped around but I need to make sure the front has enough slip spline left so as not to bottom when the reverse shackled front springs are at full stuff. The rear is fine as is but that driveshaft was used/old and the nylon coating on the slip splines is peeling (which was fine for the front but not for full duty in the rear). More to follow.

 

[gert]

man if you get a chance i would love to see some installed pics what a hell of a set up

 

[BIGTRUCKNUT]

man if you get a chance i would love to see some installed pics what a hell of a set up

The jeep is up in my trailer right now, I'll post some up when I roll it out to finish the crossmember and shifters.

Appreciate the interest.