My 1982 Scrambler Project

[Pepper]

It's been a while since I updated.

Working on a few things. The wheeling season last summer / fall destroyed my gas tank skid and my steering box.

I upgraded the steering box with a box from a 1999 Dodge Durango 4wd 8cylinder. $65 from a junkyard (from a car with under 60k on it). It is a bolt up but, true to MY form, it took me forever, lol. Nothing mechanical comes easy to me but I do the best to remain patient with myself.

Got it in and WOW! Great upgrade. Steering is very tight. The Durango box is supposed to provide more steering power. I won't know until I'm on the trails next to a rock.

thought it was time for the steering box skid:





It is also time for my new 14 bolt diff cover. I didn't make this but it is a thing of beauty!! 1/2" stamped plate with 1/2" strap across the middle. The welds are amazing, so much so that the paint will be clear coat and just keep the raw look without rusting, I hope.



The gas tank skid is next, them maybe a steering box brace.

[DC CJ8]

great pics! but....a 1999 Dodge Durango steering box is a direct bolt in replacement? What about the belt driven pump??
Todd

[Randyzzz]

Nice! Is that a Ruff Stuff cover?

Looking forward to hear how the Durango box works.

[Bad Karma]

looks like "Great Lakes Offroad" diff cover. i got those on my 60s... MMMMMMM BEEFY!!

[Pepper]

Originally Posted by DC CJ8

great pics! but....a 1999 Dodge Durango steering box is a direct bolt in replacement? What about the belt driven pump??
Todd

This is the steering box, not the pump. No changes to the pump, it is still a belt driven pump. The supply and return lines to the pump are the same. Actually, they are exactly the same on a '69 Olds 350, too, because that is the engine that is in my rig, lol.


The diff cover is from Great Lakes Offroad, yup! It is awesome. I also have the 14 bolt pinion guard. It is made from 1/2" plate also!

[Pepper]

Update on the steering. Okay the Durango box is NOT a direct bolt up. The box does bolt to the frame but the input shaft on the box has a smaller diameter. It worked for a while then failed under duress, lol. After 5 trail fixes we got it on the trailer.

Solution:

Another Durango Box, then took the lower steering shaft out of a Durango and then cut both the CJ and Durango columns and combined them.

Durango on top, Jeep on bottom:


Durango on bottom:


Drilled for a plug weld, also:


Then welded it:


Tested it out wheeling at Flatnasty last weekend and it worked like a charm. A LOT more steering with the Durango box but not quite enough so . . .

More cool stuff on the way:



It was an extra $16 or so to make sure I would have it by Friday but would like to have on to test out this weekend. I have help on Friday night so wanted to make sure it was here.

Bigger items: Cylinder was only $82 and the hydraulic hoses only $10.50 each. The total, with 2 day shipping was $100 less than the trail-gear kit and about the same savings over the parts from Redneck Ram (West Texas Offroad).

My setup will be a little more booty fab but what the heck, everything else on my rig is, too, lol!

[CJ8LVR]

Originally Posted by Pepper

My setup will be a little more booty fab but what the heck, everything else on my rig is, too, lol!

I'll have to disagree there!

Nice "adaptation". It really does look good.

I'm diggin' that diff cover too a few posts up. Where did it come from?
BTF perhaps?

[Pepper]

Great Lakes Offroad, that diff cover is a beautiful thing, lol:

http://www.greatlakeoffroad.com/diff.html

Oh, and thanks for the comments. I will post up pics and info on the hydro assist. Should have it done by Friday night. Box is already drilled and tapped. A buddy of mine is helping, he has forgotten more than I'll ever know!

[Pepper]

Got my gas tank skid built:

Actually had posted this up in bigred1969's post:

http://www.cj-8.com/forum/showthread...=gas+tank+skid

but wanted to keep my projects together in this thread.


I started by using some steel strap and bending in in under the gas tank and bolting in through the crossmembers to hold the gas tank in place. Sorry no pics, just bent 2" steel strap.

Then I welded an angle iron crossmember in the back of the Jeep, welded in 5 studs that drop down from the top:


As you can see I drilled out another piece of angle and slotted the holes that would mount under the skid crossmember.

Made a "frame" for the gas tank skid with angle iron by cutting and bending it, then welded the end pieces to the cross brace, basically making a skeleton for the skid.

I bolted up the skeleton in place to the frame, then cut plate for the back and bottom and tacked them into place.

With the 14 bolt, I had to notch out quite a bit so it would not have clearance issues. I braced inside the skid with some angle to give it strength. As you can see I simply bolted it into the crossmember above the rear axle.


Actually I welded studs so when I go to install it, I slip the two studs on the front (? or rear depending on your opinion of how to describe it, lol) . . . okay the end over the axle . . . sllip the studs into the hole on the crossmember and that holds that while you simple slip the other side over the studs welded into the angle with the studs, clamp it with some vice grips and its in. Put the nuts on it and it is installed. This is SO much easier to install than the one I made for the TJ!!









All in all, I'm happy with the finished product. Some of the welds got ugly 'cause there was so much to weld I know I kept bumping into the duty cycle of the welder.