Build Thread 84 CJ7 coming full circle

[Scooter402]

Pete,

Thanks for the kudos on my CJ. It's been a work in progress for quite some time, and I'm really kicking myself for doing everything I'm trying to reverse. Don't get me wrong, the full widths were nice while it lasted, but everything else that I did I really wish I could go back in time and slap myself on the back of the head for even thinking about it.

Point taken on the wide airplane wings. With the Boggers, it will already sound like a C-130 rollin' down the strip. I think I'll thank myself later to go ahead and bite the bullet and cut the axles down to where I want them.

Your comparison pics of the TJ flares vs. CJ flares is priceless -- every time I look at CJ flares I think "nah, they'd just be too small" but they sure do keep that classic look going on. My problem is the rear wheel wells have already been cut for TJ flares. The PO did that mod for me. So I'm down to either making my own, finding a decent set of something like Bushwhackers, or patching in the rear body panels. But I also agree that the big meats on steel wheels sure does look good. I'm eventually going to clean and paint these steelies...I had thought I would replace them with some kind of aluminum wheels, but I can't find any that have that "tough" look you had also mentioned. Once again, thanks for helping me make up my mind.

Trust me, I feel you on the "getting misty looking through old pics." I look at some of the old pics I have of my CJ, from right when I first bought it, to my first few wheeling trips with it...Those are on 3x5's though, I don't have them digital. I was too po' broke country to afford a digital camera then. Maybe one of these days I'll have to scan a few to reminisce on the good old days with everyone.

Where bouts in PA are you? Rausch Creek is about an hour and some change from me. I've only been there once, but it was to take some parts to someone on another forum years ago. Maybe one of these days I'll have to see if I can hit the bunny trails there with my CJ...It hasn't seen a trail in...well, since I first bought it near a decade ago. It's only been a mud skipper since.

Thanks again for the insight!

 

[Petescj]

Those pics were 33s with a 2 1/2 spring lift. The stock wheel well size and flares were no good for that. This is my latest Cj with 35s on a 4 in lift and 1/2 in lift shackles. Stock flares but I know trimming is in order before I get to really wheel it a bit. I still have the front fenders from the other Cj I showed with the Tj flares. One day Im going to put them on again and see what I think.



As for your Cj its not terrible your cut for Tj flares already. With 38s you have no choice whatsoever. Tj Rubicon flares are about 6.5 wide I believe. That may be an option for you. I havent seen any wider larger flares that try to retain the stock Cj style.

 

[rr41mag]

we havea welder position here, panama city fl

 

[Scooter402]

Those pics were 33s with a 2 1/2 spring lift. The stock wheel well size and flares were no good for that. This is my latest Cj with 35s on a 4 in lift and 1/2 in lift shackles. Stock flares but I know trimming is in order before I get to really wheel it a bit. I still have the front fenders from the other Cj I showed with the Tj flares. One day Im going to put them on again and see what I think.



As for your Cj its not terrible your cut for Tj flares already. With 38s you have no choice whatsoever. Tj Rubicon flares are about 6.5 wide I believe. That may be an option for you. I havent seen any wider larger flares that try to retain the stock Cj style.

Wow, that's nice looking. Nothing says "beef" like a lifted CJ! Thanks for the heads up on the Rubi flares. I'll keep an eye out. In the mean time, I think I've got a hair-brained idea of some fender flares I'd like to make. I'm just going to keep all the details to myself until I find out if it'll actually work or not. That way nobody can laugh at me.

we havea welder position here, panama city fl

Yeah? Would you mind PMing me the details?

 

[Petescj]

Wow, that's nice looking. Nothing says "beef" like a lifted CJ! Thanks for the heads up on the Rubi flares. I'll keep an eye out. In the mean time, I think I've got a hair-brained idea of some fender flares I'd like to make. I'm just going to keep all the details to myself until I find out if it'll actually work or not. That way nobody can laugh at me.

Thanks. Thats the truth about a Cj with some lift! It may take a little extra work to keep the police off your back here in Pa but from the looks of your Cj it'll be well worth it. Im in Slatington. Its about 15 miles north of Allentown and 50 miles North of Philly. Im about an hour and 1/2 from Rausch myself. Ive only been there as a passenger. I liked Paragon alot before they closed.

 

[Scooter402]

Thanks. Thats the truth about a Cj with some lift! It may take a little extra work to keep the police off your back here in Pa but from the looks of your Cj it'll be well worth it. Im in Slatington. Its about 15 miles north of Allentown and 50 miles North of Philly. Im about an hour and 1/2 from Rausch myself. Ive only been there as a passenger. I liked Paragon alot before they closed.

Looking at that pic of your CJ again, it makes me miss the winch I had on the front of mine...it had a Mile Marker 12000 lb. winch when I bought it. Like a complete dummy, I sold it to pay for some other parts when I went to straight mud racing. Now I wish I had it back. Maybe I'll find another one someday for a decent price.

I've only read about Paragon...I think it was closed by the time I came to PA. I got here in 2008. I was born and raised in TX, moved to OK when I was 16, then joined the USMC. From there, I've been all over the country and around the world. Now I'm in Chester Springs, about 30ish miles west of Philly.

Are there any local clubs for the eastern PA region? I've never really looked around. If I ever get this thing trail worthy again, much less streetable, it would be nice to ride with some folks again.

 

[Petescj]

Ive bought and sold so many Cj parts I fell stupid all the time. The key is dont sell anything , you'll need it later. I parted out the one I pictured first and am still kicking my self for letting go of the pristine windshield frame and glass , power brake bracket, booster and master cylinder. The hardtop with a rust free liftgate is also gone. I'll pm you some info on clubs a bit later. Got a couple things to do before bed.

Looking at that pic of your CJ again, it makes me miss the winch I had on the front of mine...it had a Mile Marker 12000 lb. winch when I bought it. Like a complete dummy, I sold it to pay for some other parts when I went to straight mud racing. Now I wish I had it back. Maybe I'll find another one someday for a decent price.

I've only read about Paragon...I think it was closed by the time I came to PA. I got here in 2008. I was born and raised in TX, moved to OK when I was 16, then joined the USMC. From there, I've been all over the country and around the world. Now I'm in Chester Springs, about 30ish miles west of Philly.

Are there any local clubs for the eastern PA region? I've never really looked around. If I ever get this thing trail worthy again, much less streetable, it would be nice to ride with some folks again.

 

[Scooter402]

Ive bought and sold so many Cj parts I fell stupid all the time. The key is dont sell anything , you'll need it later. I parted out the one I pictured first and am still kicking my self for letting go of the pristine windshield frame and glass , power brake bracket, booster and master cylinder. The hardtop with a rust free liftgate is also gone. I'll pm you some info on clubs a bit later. Got a couple things to do before bed.

Thanks, I appreciate the info.

I think I've learned that lesson, too, about not selling or giving anything away. Things I need that I gave away...LITERALLY...GAVE...AWAY... a windshield frame, yes, it had some rust, but it had good glass, a good wiper motor and arms, etc. Now mine is a bare frame with lexan that I have to put glass back in, wiper motor, arms, linkage, etc. A 20 gallon poly fuel tank and skid... an AMC 360 block... a T176 transmission...A pair of stock axles that had an Eaton LS rear and (if I remember correctly) 4.10 gears... I sold 33" mud tires with good tread and the hard-to-find-and-expensive-when-you-do magnesium 5 slot wheels....stock seats...stock dash with all gauges and a speedometer. so now I have to find a new speedometer. And replace the fuel tank...and windshield... The list goes on and on.

Lesson learned! Don't sell anything!

 

[Scooter402]

I got a little more work done today. One wasn't really all that exciting, just welded in the spring perch on the front axle. I figured it wasn't really photo worthy. Then I decided I'd go ahead and rip apart the driver's side axle so I can get to cutting it up. After I took apart the manual hub, I started spinning the lock nuts off the spindle. When I looked inside to pull the outer bearing off...it looked a little funny. Here's what I saw.



Look at the spot I'm pointing at with the pick -- look a little flat? I have no idea how the cage got bent, but the roller doesn't really like to turn that easily. Good thing I've got more bearings. I guess I'm glad I decided to rebuild the whole front axle!

Here's the caliper mount and spindle ready to come off...everything will get cleaned and painted before it goes back together.



After a few gentle slams with my favorite BFH, those came off and the axle is ready to come out.





Here's the axle shaft on it's way out. I'll knock the two apart so I can send the inner off to get cut and resplined. (Not really sure when I'm going to do that... I'll have to convince the wife that it'll be her idea. ) While looking the inner splines over, it looks like I'll need new inner axle seals while I'm in there. I guess everything is coming out!

And here's the knuckle after it came off, once again, after a few gentle slams with my BFH. Ball joints are still in good shape. They're about 7 years old, I installed them when I put full widths in the CJ back then. They really don't have many miles on them at all, so some fresh grease will probably be about all they need.



Later this week (hopefully Wednesday) will be cutting the axle tube after knocking off the inner C. I'd do it tomorrow, but I'm going to have lunch with the vice prez at work. Gotta get my boot into another door one way or another!

 

[Scooter402]

I got very acquainted with my grinder today.



From the time I got started grinding/cutting, til when I was done smoothing down the last few bits of weld left on after cutting the inner C and shortening the tube, it took about 2 hours. I started by trying to grind/cut the weld out around the C, but got tired of pounding and pounding away on the C with the crack in the weld just laughing in my face. So I measured about 15 times, marked a line around the tube, and measured it about 30 more times after staring at it to make sure I REALLY wanted to go about it this way...Then out came the sawzall. I cut off the tube where it needed to be with the C sitting 4" farther back than it originally did. Then I used my cutoff wheel to cut the tube flush with the C. The sawzall came back in again to cut two slices out of the tube inside the bore of the C, then got knocked out with my hammer.



Here's everything all cleaned up and the C ready to go back on.



Here, I beveled the tube a little bit and beveled the inside of the bore of the C to help it align back onto the axle tube a little bit easier. After pounding it all the way back on, I checked the angles several times and measured about 15 times more before I decided I was about as happy as I was going to get.



Now it's kinda permanent!



I figured now was as good a time as any to break out the wire wheel and clean things up.



And now a fresh coat of black. I also cleaned up the knuckle and sprayed the inside before tightening the nuts on the ball joints.



When you put your knuckle back on, tighten the bottom ball joint first, then tighten this adjuster (if you can see it) to take up the slack in your ball joints.



Now the driver's side of my axle looks all nice and clean and new. Tomorrow, I'll clean up the caliper mount and paint it black, then do the same with the hub. Hopefully I'll have time to get this side back together. I'll clean up and paint the passenger side hopefully Friday.

 

[Scooter402]

As planned (for once... ) I got some cleaning and painting done.





Here's everything back together. Just as the other side, I only have the fender sitting on there. That's why it's got goofy gaps between it and the hood.







I think...it's looking pretty good. In my humble opinion, anyway. I didn't think I moved the axle back as far as I did...I"m fairly certain that I've still got it sitting more forward than where it was, at least by an inch or two. Funny thing is, the front driveshaft I had bolted in when it was on leaves before is too long now...possibly because it's about 5" or so lower than it was, but I'm not sure. I am going to have to cut the rear of the front fenders out, though. They look a little small. That, and I turned the wheel to full lock, and the tire does come awful close....Doesn't rub, just misses by about an inch or two.

Anyway, how do we like the look without the rings on the wheels and the center caps? I think I like it.

 

[Petescj]

I think...it's looking pretty good. In my humble opinion, anyway. Funny thing is, the front driveshaft I had bolted in when it was on leaves before is too long now...possibly because it's about 5" or so lower than it was, but I'm not sure. I am going to have to cut the rear of the front fenders out, though. They look a little small. That, and I turned the wheel to full lock, and the tire does come awful close....Doesn't rub, just misses by about an inch or two.

Anyway, how do we like the look without the rings on the wheels and the center caps? I think I like it.

I am digging your humble opinion. Those axles are gonna be a bit wide by Pa standards. I wanna see what you come up with for flares. And you better have a Jeep friendly Inspection station. On a side note where did that grill come from? Looks like a M38 A-1 grill by the turn ignal cut outs. As far as the trim rings I like them either way but lean more toward keeping them on for some reason. Im an odd bugger though.

 

[Scooter402]

Yeah, they are definitely wide. I think I may have to change from referring to my Jeep as a beast or a guy or whatever to being my "sexy fat girl." The flares will have to be 7" wide just to get to the end of the tread. I'll try making one flare and see what happens with it. If I don't like it, I'll probably just have to abandon it and go with the axles being narrower. I know I just put this much time into doing the one side, but it's not like I've never had to re-do something before...

To be totally honest, I'm not sure on the grille. It was already there when I bought the Jeep. I thought it looked different too, but this is the only CJ I've spent more than 4 minutes around.

I'm kind of the same way with the trim rings, too. I like them both on and off...Now that I keep looking back and forth from the front wheel without to the rear wheel with...I dunno, I think both of them look good. And it does kinda "finish" the wheel's classic look, anyway.

In the mean time, after I finish cleaning up the other side of the axle, and making it black, I've got some engine work to do, then I'll be working on the exhaust. I'm going to have to cut my headers back some anyway, to be able to clear my tires now that it's back to a "stock-ish" wheel base. Even more so by the fact that it's about 5" lower than it was when I built the headers, they're going to have to be changed. So on that note, since I'm cutting them anyway...I was contemplating completely cutting them up and building some in-frame headers and running my exhaust that way all the way out the back. Any thoughts for keeping it fenderwell, or just doing in-frame since I have to cut the headers anyway? I figured if I kept them outside the frame, it would probably look a little goofy since I'd have to squeeze in some cats, and they're not exactly attractive. That, and if I do take it down some trails, exhaust outside the frame rails tend to be rock magnets, according to most exhaust threads I've read.

 

[Petescj]

I just did some quick measurements when I was down in the garage. Standard Cj flares look to be around 2 3/4 in and standard Tj flares came in at 3 1/2. Im not trying to be a jerk but I think your best move is to shorten the axles up a bit more. As far as exhaust your gonna want to go inside the frame headers all the way. You can grab some small racing cats from Summit fairly cheap. The outside the frame ones are just like you said , rock magnets.

And what do you mean " If I do take it down some trails..." We'll hit Rausch Creek.

 

[Scooter402]

I just did some quick measurements when I was down in the garage. Standard Cj flares look to be around 2 3/4 in and standard Tj flares came in at 3 1/2. Im not trying to be a jerk but I think your best move is to shorten the axles up a bit more. As far as exhaust your gonna want to go inside the frame headers all the way. You can grab some small racing cats from Summit fairly cheap. The outside the frame ones are just like you said , rock magnets.

Thanks for getting those measurements. I've got a couple ideas of things I could do to get full tire coverage, but I'm still not sure about one, since it becomes a little more permanent than my other idea. I do not want to get some of the regular aftermarket 7" flares, though...Like I said, makes it look like an airplane about to take off. The more thought I give it...I dunno, I might need to narrow these down a bit more. I'll keep brainstorming for a bit longer to see if I can come up with something that looks good as well as provides necessary coverage.

I kinda thought I would go inside the frame with the exhaust. I think it will sound better as well as look cleaner. Both V8 Jeeps I've had had fenderwell headers. The only difference with these was I built them...And since I've got to take them apart to at the very least tuck them back under the rocker a little, I may as well bring them inside the frame. I've seen the racing cats, and given the price, I think they are going to work well for me.

And what do you mean " If I do take it down some trails..." We'll hit Rausch Creek.

I think hitting some trails might be nearer in the future than driving down the street. You'll have to let me know the next time you're heading that way. I'll have to see if I can convince the wife.

 

[Scooter402]

Nothing much photo worthy going on lately. I've shortened my drag link, and am going to "temporarily" shorten my tie rod until I get new material (new TREs, and a chunk of tube to thread to put them in) to install. Only reason for the "temporary" fix is just in case I need to move it between now and whatever the future may bring me. I've also been in the process of knocking out all my freeze plugs, cleaning the sludge out of the bottom of the coolant passages and installing new plugs.

I have been thinking of what I want to do with this GONZO sized hood scoop, though...


I'm between doing a chop/cut/rebuild of it, to make it more low profile and narrower, or just getting rid of it all together and patching the hood back up. Unless I find a cheap/free hood between now and then...I can get some 18 gauge sheet from work for fairly cheap, but then there's the time to make it all right, do the body work to straighten it, etc. The glass work on the scoop would probably be easier. I do like subtle scoops, but I'm not sure what to do here.

any thoughts?

 

[Scooter402]

Daaaang…down to the bottom of page 3, I was….Looks like I need to do some more work!

Well, not much work to post up here as of late. Been busy with work and school, and over the past week, been moving into a new town home. Finally got this shoe-horned into the garage!



Now HOPEFULLY I'll actually get some real work done.

 

[Scooter402]

Wow...I've got to put a stop to this "working on the CJ only once a year" thing I've got going on....

Anyway, there's been a lot going on lately. Between a furlough last year, going back to school again, a move to a bigger home, then getting a promotion at work (and doing my best to attend school at the same time), things have been busy. I've finally been able to get in the garage a bit over the past few weeks.

My rear brakes were in some nasty shape...visual aid shown here. I just never did anything about them since I installed this axle, because the intention was to go discs when I found the time and money.







Since I've finally come to the realization/conclusion that I'm probably never going to race this CJ again, and I'd like to try to at least make it a trail toy, if not street legal, I decided to rebuild the drum brakes rather than swap to discs, and make the possibility of adding in a parking brake that much harder/more expensive.

Here's some progress on the rear brakes:

All cleaned up and painted.


New brake hardware installed:



New drums:



New parking brake cables, and me doing my best impression of Wilson:



And finally, new brake lines from the flex line to the wheel cylinders:





Now, I've got to replace a seized front brake caliper, and then I can go and bleed the brakes all the way around. After that, I'm looking to get my steering how I want it, plumb in my hydroboost setup. But first...

This weekend, I think I'm going to finally start taking a stab at making my new fenders to cover up my tires. It'll probably be a few weeks before I show any of that...I wanna make sure it won't look too dumb or I'm not embarassed of my work before I show the CJ world what I've been up to.

y'all.

 

[mtnwhlr]

holy did those breaks even work?

 

[Scooter402]

holy did those breaks even work?

Hah...it's funny you should mention that... See, what had happen was... What I meant to say was... Hahah...

No, they didn't work at all. I was planning on swapping in discs, but then time, money, life, etc. got in the way and it sat. And sat. And sat. Just to clear the air, this axle was swapped in AFTER I moved to PA from NC, and I was already out of racing. Thought I would continue here, but turns out there's nowhere to race. So now I'm making my attempts at making my cj street legal again.

Also forgot to mention that last weekend, I tore the top end of my motor apart and swapped out the huge honkin' solid roller cam I had out for something a little more mild. Mild to me, anyway. Now I've got to measure for new pushrods, because the set that I had that I thought would work are actually about .100-.150 too short. If anyone is interested, I may post up a how-to for checking/measuring pushrod length.