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

[spankrjs]

Got a little bit more done the last few nights, didnt take any pics, nothing really pic worthy

Removed Gas Tank
Removed Liquid check valve evap thingy from drivers side corner
Removed rear wire harness (from taillights to fuse block)
Removed Parking Brake
Removed Parking brake cable bracket from under bed floor
Removed plastic splash guards from under body (behind back tires)
Removed passenger side rear corner body brace thingy (next to fuel filler)

Only things left to remove before I pull tub:

dashboard
gas, brake, clutch pedals
fuse box
heater box thingy from under dash

You never realize how many parts these thing have until you take one apart (and I havent even started on the powertrain)

Later

 

[spankrjs]

Finally finished stripping the tub

 

[bobbysjeep]

Great work, you're not playing around. I look forward to watching the build. One advantage you'll have during assembly is, if you forget how something goes together you can step over to the other Scrambler and look.

I have a feeling that this project is going to turn out too nice to wheel much?

 

[spankrjs]

Great work, you're not playing around. I look forward to watching the build. One advantage you'll have during assembly is, if you forget how something goes together you can step over to the other Scrambler and look.

I have a feeling that this project is going to turn out too nice to wheel much?

Yes sir, having another 1983 (that is all original and unmolested) sitting next to the project 1983 scrambler in the garage is definitely a great resource to have I would have taken alot more pics/drawings if I didnt have another Scrambler to reference

You might be right on the second part as well, but I hope not

 

[spankrjs]

Pics from this past weekend Didnt get as much done as I wanted due to spending Saturday helping a buddie put an Aussie Locker in his front Dana 30, plus checking out my Brown CJ7 for this coming weekends trail ride.

Pics of "no more tub on frame" (had 6 people to help lift it, super easy)

Frame looks to be in great shape

Look close, maybe thats why the valve cover leaked a little

Tub sitting in the yard

 

[spankrjs]

Frame pics, 3 damage body mount out riggers plus rear crossmember

Got the doors gutted

Very happy with progress so far. I have only broke 1 tool (torx bit socket) and only burnt up 2 drill bits.

Might not get much done this week since I will be going Jeeping, but I will update.

 

[spankrjs]

Got back from my last trail ride in my 78 CJ-7 (selling it to help fund this project) and got back to work on the Scrambler

1)Removed all the "hard" brake and fuel rails from the frame
2)Removed the two driveshafts
3)Loosened the nuts that hold the factory 2 piece rear axles together (did this before I pulled the rear axle off the frame beacause I dont have an impact and sometimes these nuts take alot of force to break free so I though I would need the whole frame for leverage, i.e. to keep the whole axle from rotating, BUT the two nuts broke free very easily with my 3/4 drive ratchet)
4)Drained transfercase
5) Removed transmission mount to skidplate nuts and torque arm mount to skidplate attaching nut
6)Removed proportining valve from frame
7)Removed exhaust and all hangers
8)Removed parking brake cables from frame

Pics

Look at the 50lbs of oily dirt/clay that came out the skidplate

Got along weekend coming up so hopefully I can get the following done, in this order:

Pull transmission and transfercase
Pull engine
Pull axles
Remove suspension and steering box from frame

And then I will be ready to take it to the painter to paint the frame and body. While the frame and body parts are gone (about 6 weeks give or take) I will start to disassemble the transmission, transfercase, and axles to fully rebuild each component plus add upgrades. Hopefully I can get all the powertrain parts rebuilt while the frame and body are gone so that when they are finished it is just a matter of reassembling each of the major subassemblies back to the frame.

 

[spankrjs]

Last night progress:

Removed skidplate

Pic of filthy tranny and t-case. I think every seal is leaking LOL

Pulled t case out. Didnt use a jack because it is so easy to work on this thing without the body in the way. Unbolted t case from tranny and pulled it out.

Pulled transmission next. Used the floor jack, just in case, but the T-176 only weighs MAYBE 65 lbs.

And pulled bell housing next

Also removed all the shocks. Probably wait till the weekend to pull motor but I might get bored and pull it tonight. Just a matter of disconnecting the motor mounts.

 

[bigwalton]

Awesome progress! I'd have been too excited to get it completely stripped and pulled the motor

I need to rebuild a D300 now, so I'd be interested in pics/tips

 

[spankrjs]

Awesome progress! I'd have been too excited to get it completely stripped and pulled the motor

I need to rebuild a D300 now, so I'd be interested in pics/tips

It was getting late on a work night so I had to call it quits If it would have been Friday or Saturday night then the motor would have been dangling off the cherry picker

It might be a couple weeks before I tackle the 300 but I will post pics. I know there are a few pieces that have to be pressed on and off but the rest should be easy (I hope)

 

[spankrjs]

Did a little bit last night, just some easy, simple stuff

1) removed upper front shock mounts
2) removed sway bar
3) removed aftermarket steering box to frame brace
4) removed steering stabilizer
5) drained front diff fluid

6) And this is where I ran into my first minor setback Removed (or tried to) the sway bar to frame mounts. 3 of the bolt heads broke clean off the bolts and the 4th one spun its nut inside the frame The one that spun its nut is an easy fix, grind the head of the bolt off and push it up and out into the frame, then I can remove the bracket. The 3 that broke the heads off I will wait until I get the frame stripped, then flip the frame upside down (for easier access, alot easier to drill down into something then up into it) and drill out the 3 offending bolts and hopefully retap the threads in the captured nuts. Worst case I will have to drop bolts down from inside the frame when I go to reattach these brackets. There are plenty of factory holes in the frame around this area to gain access to this area and fish some bolts down through. I just had to do this on my 78 CJ-7 to reattach one of these brackets, took about 5 minutes.

Hopefully these are the only captured nuts I have problems with

Will pull motor and strip the rest of the frame this weekend. Will post plenty of pics next week

Later

 

[spankrjs]

Progress Update:

Friday night - no work, went to Brandon, MS to pick up roll bar (thanks jallan and gscram and homerscj8)
Saturday - pulled clutch, removed alternator and powersteering, removed intake and exhaust, and pulled motor (after going to buy an engine stand)

Pics

 

[spankrjs]

Sunday morning removed engine brackets. Took lots of pics so i would remember how to put them back:

 

[spankrjs]

Removed rear suspension next

That was all the work i did Sunday due to July 4th festivities.

Got called into work Monday for a couple of hours, BUT I left early and picked up a Warn Front Hub conversion from a local guy, insert happy dance here:

 

[spankrjs]

Monday afternoon, removed front suspension.

Random pic of rear center pins, some how they are welded to the rear perches, will have to replace them. Never saw anything like this before?

And finally, pics of bear frame, then carried it outside, thanks Tommy

All in all I think i got alot done considering all the interruptions :-)

 

[bobbysjeep]

Man, you are making some serious progress. Do you have a goal of when you would like to be finished? Are you sure your going to want to wheel it when it's finished?

 

[spankrjs]

Man, you are making some serious progress. Do you have a goal of when you would like to be finished? Are you sure your going to want to wheel it when it's finished?

On the first part, I was originally hoping to have it back together and running (everything except the fuel injection) by the end of October. I dont think that is possible Hopefully I can have it finished by December of this year, depending on how much free time I get, but I think that the end of year goal is achievable


On the second part, that thought crossses my mind from time to time, BUT, since I sold my trail rig I have 3 choices for a trail Jeep:

1) Use my all original/stock green '83 Scrambler, not going to happen

2) Use my 05 Rubicon daily driver, its a TJ, stock, I wont have any money left after this build to modify it, so nope on that choice as well

3) Use this Scrambler for my original intended purposes. I think that the first scratch will hurt really bad, but after that it is all downhill



Or, I could buy another jeep and start over again

 

[spankrjs]

Captured Nuts, Busted Studs and other frame Fun

My post the other day was fairly brief on descriptions. Overall my frame is solid, crack and rust free. The only "problems" I have with it deal with some of the captured nuts inside the frame. Here is a description of what I ran into on my frame. I will post some pics later.

From Front of frame to rear of frame:

Front Drivers side Shackle/Steering Box Captured nuts
First Bolt broke the head off, BUT was able to heat the broke bolt with a torch and remove it without damaging the captured nut or stripping threads out
Second Bolt came out no problems
Third Bolt broke the captured nut off, will have to fish a bolt through the hole upon reassemblly, no big issue since there are access hole in the frame around this area

Front Passenger side Shackle Captured nuts (3rd hole was used to attach steering box brace)
All 3 bolts came out with no problems

Drivers Side Sway Bar Mount Nuts
First Bolt broke the head off, heated with torch, wont come out, STILL need to drill it out and retap
Second Bolt broke the head off, BUT was able to heat the broke bolt with a torch and remove it without damaging the captured nut or stripping threads out

Passenger Side Sway Bar Mount Nuts
First Bolt broke the head off, was able to drill it out and retap threads
Second Bolt, still need to drill it out, captured nut has spun, will have to fish bolt through hole upon reassembly, no big deal due to factory access holes in this area

Both Front Bumpstops
All 4 bolts came out,no problems

Drivers side Skid Plate nuts
All 4 captured nuts are fine

Passenger side Skid Plate nuts
The 3 nuts that were used are fine. The 4th hole has a broke bolt in it. Since I have the frame stripped and laying upside down in my yard I will drill and retap this hole. If I dont do it now i will kick myself in the butt later on for not doing it

Both Rear Bumpstops
All 4 bolts came out,no problems

Driver Side Rear Shackle Hanger Nuts
Both nuts broke free Will have to fish bolts through upon reassemblly

Passenger Side Rear Shackle Hanger Nuts
Both nuts are fine



All in all I think I came out great. Two more nuts to drill and retap, 4 bolts to fish through upon reassembly

 

[bigwalton]

When you say you're going to fish bolts through, are you saying you'll put the bolt inside the frame and down? Are you going to do something to them so they won't spin or try to get a wrench on them?

It's not hard to make up replacements for captured nuts. Even me, with my sad welding skills has made a couple. Just a matter of welding a nut of the proper size to a piece of flat bar long enough to lodge between the sides of the framerail when it's getting tightened but small/narrow enough to get into a nearby hole in the frame. For something like the shackle hanger, you might be able to do both nuts on one piece of strap/bar and that would help in getting them positioned/started.

I don't think I have any pictures, but you just cut a piece of bar/strap the right length, drill a hole in it larger than the bolt you'll use and weld the nut over the hole. Might take some work with a magnet to position it and get the bolt started, but I had a bolt fished in the framerail that I used in one skidplate hole and the threads were constantly getting screwed up. I always had to replace it whenever I dropped the skidplate. At least now I just need a bit of magnet action on it to get the bolt started each time.

If that's not what you meant, I typed that out for no good reason

 

[spankrjs]

That all makes since, I know what you are talking about

On the easy to get to holes (sway bar and front shackle hanger) I will probably just drop a bolt through the frame. I have found that if you use a lockwasher under the head of the bolt and behind the nut, when you tighten, the bolt the head wont spin. If you have to take it apart, clean the thread really, really good, and you can usually take nut off without too much trouble.

On the rear shackle hanger, I MIGHT take a piece of steel bar approximately 1" wide, 3" long, 1" high, drill and tap both holes in this single piece. I think it will be fairly easy to "fish" in there

I might just get my buddy with a welder to come over and weld the nuts back in place, he owes me a favor, it is fairly easy to do, and would probably be the best fix We will see

Sounds like you have been down this road before as well, bigwalton, definitely is not fun