Jonathan's 1978 Jeep CJ-5 Project: February 2010

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Toby Tucker Looks At That Funny Thing We Were Talking About

This is the air tank I plan on using. No clue where I am going to put it. I might put it on the fuel rack. This way when I roll, the gas can and the air tank can party.

I don't have U-bolts yet, so I am using these rad clamps. I plan on getting some ubolts and plates from the jun-salvage yard.

These are the finished spring perches. I had to flip the spring pins in order to get the spring to line up with the holes. My finished spring perches provide 0.8" of lift over the axle and they are 2.5"w x 8.5"L.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

One Year Anniversay

Readers, visit http://jonathansjeep.blogspot.com to view some slideshows of where we started, where we are now and how we got there. I poured over the 3,200 pictures to bring you 130 pictures that stood out to me. I'll have another post soon with lots of details about where the project is headed.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Spring Perches

I am working on the beginnings of Spring Over Axle SOA for my Jeep. To date I have accomplished the following:

I ground the sway bar, shock, and Spring Under Axle SUA perches off.

I have loosely placed the axles under their respective locations.

I have acquired and installed the YJ springs in the rear.

Have almost completed the two rear spring perches. I was able to make good arcs using my drill mill (at 100 rpm) and an angle grinder with a cutting wheel (because hole saws aren't deep enough to cut all the way through). I need to get a smaller hole saw for the front mounts.

Testing the fit.

All that remains is some grinding for the surfaces to be welded, cutting the 45 deg angles on the spring perch, and drilling the center hole.

I have to acquire some 3/8" plate so I can make shackles and the U-bolt plates. Progress is slow as time, materials, and money are all limiting factors at this point.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Finger and Welding Glove vs Wheel Stud and Brake Drum

Wheel Stud and Brake Drum 1, Finger and Glove 0.

You gotta keep coban around the house.

This thing is swollen like some kind of looney tunes, it throbs like it too.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Hover Jeep

It has come to my attention that we live in the year 2010. We live in the future so I am converting the jeep over to hover power.

Before conversion:

After conversion:

I found some flaws with the ancient suspension technology. The shackle reversal system that was installed on the jeep was not done so properly. The brackets had wiggled loose and were a major problem just waiting to happen. It is fortunate that the unfortunate differential failure occurred as this could've became a much more serious and dangerous issue down the road. It is strange how in life inconveniences can save you from your ultimate demise. For example, consider the old lady that is paying with coins at the grocery store. She may save you from stepping out in front of a cement truck one day. On the other hand, she may be the reason that you step out in front of one too. So the romanticization that an old lady taking forever at the store is teaching you a virtue such as patience is a load of bull shit. In short, look both ways, check the torque on all your suspension bolts, install onboard air/welding/cnc machine, and put your money where your mouth is, not in some metaphorical old woman's coin purse.

Front shackle bracket ready to kill. I was worried the whole time about the previous joker's welding skills! We will see how good his penetration was soon enough when I do a shackle reversal reversal.

Hanging by a thread. It is nice to know you were hanging by a thread. It is much more nerve racking if you know you ARE hanging by a thread.

Front axle separated from the jeep without incident.

At the car wash, degreasing axles.

Axles after degreasing. They are clean enough for me to do all the final touches in my neighborhood with my power washer. Look at the dana 44 rear (front of picture) next to the ford 8.8 rear (middle of picture), it is puny!