Another Scrambler Purchase/Road Trip - UPDATE- BODY ON FRAME AGAIN

[spankrjs]

Another Scrambler Purchase/Road Trip - UPDATE- GETTING CLOSER

Hey Guys

I am going to be flying up to Indiana on Thursday to pick up one of Toby's "extra" Scramblers. I will be driving it back to Biloxi, MS (thats all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico LOL). Trip is somewhere around 700 miles. Jeep is in good shape and has been recently diven so should make the trip fine. But, we all know about old Jeeps and long road trips. Hopefully I wont have any problems.

Anyway, if anybody that lives along the route I will be taking south (Tennesee, Kentucky, North Alabama, North MS) wants to PM me their phone numbers (for emergency purposes only that hopefully wont be necessary) it will be greatly appreciated.

Not sure on my exact route back yet, I 65 seems to be the simplest route, but I would rather take secondary highways. Will probably head out Thursday afternoon and crash out at a motel somewhere in TN that night (depends on weather) and make the majority of the trip on Friday.

I have been driving and working on old Jeeps for about 15 years so hopefully i wont have any surprises that I cant handle on my own Anyway, thanks for the support

Raymond

 

[bigwalton]

SWEET! Great to hear one of Toby's is going to a good home "on here"

Obviously, I love hearing about road trips to get Scramblers, too. Take lots of pics for us and good luck on the trip!

 

[revho]

take some pics along the way of the trip and scrambler and keep us up to date.

 

[spankrjs]

I will take a bunch of pics along the way Only bad thing is I wont be able to upload them to the site till I get back

I will try to post up progress reports to the site on the way back, but my cell phones internet technical abilities aren't the best LOL

Hopefully I wont have to talk to any of you fine folks on the way back home LOL

 

[MrBeep]

Be On The Lookout

Anyone seen a black Scrambler traveling south on I-65 in Kaintucky with a big smile on the drivers face?

Raymond left southeastern Indiana around 4:30 this afternoon heading for Mississippi.

It was a pleasure meeting you Raymond and look forward to seeing you again at a national Scramble soon.

You Tennesse boys be gentle with him. (Even those with their hearts in Texas)

Have a Happy New Year!

 

[bigwalton]

 

[MrBeep]

New Home

I talked to Raymond and he is safely home and very happy. I'll let him fill everyone in on the trip. Anyone on this board see him around the Arkansas / Tennessee border? He passed another Scrambler heading North and said they were very energetic waving back at him.

 

[spankrjs]

Me and the Scrambler made it home safe and sound with no major drama.

On Thursday December 31, I flew from Gulfport MS to Atlanta GA and finally to Cincinnati OH. Toby and his wife picked me up at the airport and brought me to the Scrambler. Toby also gave me a brief tour of his top secret jeep depository. I would have liked to have visited longer but I was trying to get on the road before it got dark and before the roads started freezing. I test drove the Scrambler, it met all my expectations and Toby’s descriptions, so I paid the man and off I went.

Toby had gave me very explicit instructions on a shot cut route back to I65, but I promptly forgot them and proceeded to drive in a big circle for an hour. After driving for about an hour, Jeep started sputtering like it was out of gas, so I stopped at a station to fill it up. Only took 3 gallons, so I knew something was not good. Got back on the road, made it to a town by I65 and found several parts stores. Of course, being New Years Eve, they were all closed, so no fuel filter for me.

Got on I65, heading south to Louisville KY. Made it to Louisville, started sputtering, stopped and got gas, only took a couple of gallons again. By this time, around 8 pm, it is dark, cold, and drizzling. Got on the highway, drove south a couple of miles got off the interstate in Shepherdsville. I stopped there because they had 3 things I needed: (1) a place to eat (2) a place to sleep (3) a parts store that would be open the next morning. So, I spent New Years Eve sleeping at a Motel 6 after eating dinner at a Waffle House. But, I was pretty tired because I had been up since 5 am, so it was one of the best meals/showers/sleeps I had had in a long while.

I got up at 6am the next day. It was still dark outside and the temp was around 17 degrees. I went back to bed. I headed to the parts store at around 8am. I changed the fuel filter in the parking lot of the store. I also bought a few spares I thought I might possibly need (stuff that I have had break before on long trips in Jeep CJ’s – u-joints and an ignition module). I also bought a 2 gallon gas can (in case I ran out of gas – it’s a Jeep CJ, of course the gas gauge doesn’t work). I also bought all the fuel filters that store had for the Jeep, which turned out to be only 2.

Hit the road at 9am and made it all the way to Nashville, TN before it started sputtering again. Got fuel and changed the fuel filter. Got back on the road and it was running fine again. My next stop was in North Alabama, right after crossing the state line. Jeep started sputtering, so it was another gas and fuel filter stop. I also had to buy some more fuel filters because I had no more spares, I also ate lunch here. Got back on the road and made it through Birmingham. I decided to do a preemptive fuel filter/fuel stop. I left the gas station to find a parts store (to buy more fuel filters) and that is when my only problem struck. I hit the brakes to stop at a light and the petal felt soft. I thought that maybe I had accidentally knocked the top loose on the master cylinder while removing my “check the engine oil rag”. No such luck.

I pulled into an Auto Zone to inspect the problem. I found brake fluid leaking from the passenger side rear brake backing plate. By this time it was starting to get dark, and get colder. I bought a new wheel cylinder, but due to the fact that it was getting dark, the parts store was going to close early; I decided not to change the wheel cylinder. I went to a Home Depot in search of a 5/16 cap to put on the brake line. I planned on taking the line loose from the wheel cylinder and capping it. Home Depot didn’t have what I needed. So, in frustration, I pulled the line off, cut the end off, bent it back over itself several times in the hopes it would stop leaking. No luck. Turned out I should have just left it alone. The Scrambler did still stop, just only on front brakes and the petal was spongy.

I don’t necessarily condone my actions, but I have had experience in this area. I decided to keep driving the Jeep. I went into a large empty parking lot and repeatedly slammed the brakes. Each time I did, the Scrambler would stop in a safe distance without any bad pulling or other drama. When I first bought my brown CJ-7 it had only front brakes hooked up and I drove it like that for several months, so I was experienced in the front brake only characteristics (which surprisingly aren’t that bad, except on wet or icy streets). With my new found “faith” in the brakes I pressed on.

I got back on I65 and kept heading south. My next stop was south of Montgomery. Another fuel and filter stop. I kept on trucking south. It was dark, cold, and I was getting tired at this point. My next stop was in Greenville, AL, got fuel and changed the filter for the last time. I was now out of fuel filters and all the parts stores were closed. I could have gone to Wal-Mart and maybe scored a few fuel filters but I didn’t feel like wasting a bunch of time at Wal-Mart so I kept on trucking.

I had to stop 3 more time on the way home. Each time I would simply remove the fuel filter, tap it out the best I could, reinstall it and keep on trucking. The “tap out old fuel filter” trick did cut down my range from 150 miles to 75 miles, but I was close to home so it didn’t bother me.

I made it home (to Biloxi, MS) around 10pm Friday night. Beside the fuel filter issues and the blown wheel cylinder, the Scrambler ran and drove perfect. No bad vibrations, no loose or wandering steering, no weird noises or smells, etc. I only lost ½ quart of oil in roughly 750 miles of driving. I made the trip in 13 hours, which taking into consideration the fuel filter changes and the time I spent wasting trying to “fix” the brakes, was pretty good time. By using mile markers and the stop watch on my phone, I was averaging between 70-73 mph (while driving, average trip time of 57mph) and getting 18mpg. Not bad at all. And, for such a long trip in an old Jeep, to only have lost a wheel cylinder and the fuel filter issues, I am not complaining at all. Fuel filters are easy to change, especially considering any other potential problems.

I would like to thank Toby for selling me this Jeep Scrambler. He is a great person to deal with, and I was glad I got the chance to meet him Hopefully, I will see him again at one of the national scrambler meetings. I know Toby feels terrible about the fuel filter problems I had, but there was really no way of knowing that this problem existed. The funny thing is, after the first few filter changes not that much crap would come out of the filters. I still have some of the filter I changed on the trip, so I might cut one open and see what’s inside them. I never got any rust out of them, so I am really not sure what the issue is. Maybe it was an ignition problem? All I do know is, is that after 2 hours of interstate driving, like clock work, the Jeep will sputter and want to die (like it is starving for fuel or the ignition is cutting out). If you stop, turn it off, let it sit for 2-3 minutes (the amount of time it takes to change a fuel filter) it will fire right back up and run perfectly for 2 hours at interstate speeds. Drives fine around town for 3-4 hours straight with no problems. I will diagnose the problem and let everyone know what I find. Even with the current “cut out after 2 hours driving” issue, I drove the Jeep to Daphne, AL the other day to pick up a used fuel tank for my Brown CJ-7. The scrambler drove perfect, except for one filter change. I am really pleased with this Scrambler. Thanks again Toby, that’s it, for now…….

 

[John N]

Congrats on the 'new' Scrambler.

It sounds like it's time to drop the gas tank. Clean it out and put a new sock on the pick-up. Probably need a new float to get the sender working, too.

 

[bigwalton]

Congrats!!

 

[MrBeep]

New Home

Enjoyed meeting you Raymond and look forward to doing some wheeling together.

As much as i dreaded seeing that one leave, I do have to admit it lookes very happy in it's new home surrounded by all that "Green" rather than having all that cold white stuff all over it.

Enjoy it, I sure did.

Toby

 

[Cincyjeeprs]

Oooo! That's the nice one. I got to ride in that with Toby a couple years ago in Clayton. Real solid. Like John N said, I'll bet the sock is missing or fallen off. What size gas tank does it have? If it's the stock 15 gallon, I have a used spare sending unit I'll send you for the ride. Check your grounds first, of course.

I'd drop the tank, blow out the lines, check the sock & sending unit, then pull the carb and clean it out, especially the idle tubes. You know some of that gunk got past the filter(s)(s)(s). You sound like a guy who probably knows all that, so I'll shut up now.

Enjoy your new ride. Hope to see you in Tenn. this June.

 

[spankrjs]

Appreciate it Cincyjeeprs It is a stock 15 gallon tank. I picked up a used tank and sending unit the other day for my brown CJ-7 (that tank has a little leak, will probably fix that tank and put back in the 7 and keep the used tank for the Scrambler) so I have another used sending unit to try, plus I ordered a new one, too. Thanks for the offer, I sure appreciate it, but I am currently drowning in sending units LOL

I plan on dropping the tank and blowing out the fuel lines, but I am having too much fun driving it right now to temporarily disable it LOL. That, and the cold weather followed me down here

It had started idling a little rough, but half a can of carb cleaner fxed it up.

I am definitely going to clean out the idle tubes, too. That trick cured my other 83's rough idling blues with a quickkness

 

[spankrjs]

UPDATE

Finally dropped the gas tank out of this thing on Saturday. When I first lowerd the tank I saw it had a large amount of dried up dirt on top of it (very fine, sandy stuff, like talcum powder). I dont know how that stuff stayed on top of the tank, espescially considering that I drove the thing from Indiana to Mississippi on the interstate doing 70 mph LOL Anyway, pulled out the sending unit and the entire bottom of the tank was lined with the same stuff, about 1/8 " deep. I think the sand got in the tank through the dried up O-ring around the sending unit, that and the fuel outlet line coming out of the sending unit was loose, allowing it to spin and wobble around, thus letting dirt drop in. Also, the "sock" filter had a tear in it allowing the pump to suck the sand up and pack up the fuel filter by the carb. I cleaned the tank out completely, and thankfully the inside is rust free Bad news is, when I was cleanig the outside of the tank I noticed 4 spots of exfoliation. Knocked them loose, now I have 4 little pin holes in the bottom of the tank Well, since I just got practice patching a hole in the gas tank of my CJ-7, I'll patch this one up and stick it back in the Scrambler I already have a new sending unit to stick in here, plus I found a used skid plate that is in excellent shape to replace the rusted one that was on the Scrambler, so I should be good to go to get this thing running again soon.

Except for the fact I broke the stupid center strap while taking the nut off Hopefully I will get one in time to get this Scrambler back on the road in time before a trail ride this weekend

 

[spankrjs]

Toby's old Scrambler has been running great since the gas tank drop. I have been driving it around regularly and it is runing like a top

I got bored this weekend, the bed liner kinda was pissing me off, so I stripped the entire Scrambler Took about 16 hours, only used my hands, a screwdriver, and a small pick. Approximately 90% of the liner is in the trash

Here are some pics:

 

[spankrjs]

I was very grareful for the lack of rust that I found. I knew there was some rust on the passenger side by the door, you could see the bubbles underneath the liner. Overall, the tub is in great shape Windshield frame is rusted out at the bottom, but that is an easy fix

The main rust that I found was rust I was aware of. The rear bed floor is pretty bad. It is still solid, but it has major exfoiliation, pin holes, and dents. I will replace the bed floor and the front corner piece under the roll bar on the passenger side. Other 3 corners are good Wheel wells each have 1 small rust hole each, should be an easy fix. I think the bulkhead might be shot, but I havent removed it yet to prove my suspicions

Here are some pics, and proof that BEDLINER DOES NOT BELONG ON A SCRAMBLER

It took 1 minute to remove the bedliner from the floor of the Jeep

 

[spankrjs]

I will start a build thread once I really get started on the rebuild. Overall, I am still very happy with this Scrambler. The major body panel replacement will only be:

The center rear bed floor
Passenger side front corner rear bed piece under roll bar
Windshield frame
Front floorboard (not pictured) It is still solid, but has been previously patched with plate, and I like the look of the original stamped floorboards better, so I will cut it out and replace it

Thats it for now. I will be pulling the tub completely off the frame and getting it baking soda blasted before any body work. Probably wont be till later on this summer. I have to go to Santa Fe for a wedding in the beginning of June, I might drive this Scrambler there, so I dont want to take it apart yet

 

[bigwalton]

Nice! That' looks much better. Great starting place.

 

[twmattox]

**IF** bedliner is properly applied it is just fine. But, a lot of people use it to cover up nasty little "sins". That just results in later problems... Good work!~

 

[spankrjs]

**IF** bedliner is properly applied it is just fine. But, a lot of people use it to cover up nasty little "sins". That just results in later problems... Good work!~

It is kinda funny, now I am no expert, but it looks like they did "proper prep work" everywhere except for the bed