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71 Wheeling Rig

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by Fireball, Jan 18, 2021.

  1. Apr 16, 2021
    wheelie

    wheelie beeg dummy 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor

    York, PA
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    Mar 6, 2004
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    Looking good. Keep at 'er.
     
    BobtailBob and Fireball like this.
  2. Apr 18, 2021
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2018
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    5,622
    Finished up the trasfercase tonight.

    Started by tapping in the front bearing and working on the snap ring:
    [​IMG]

    Holy heck that was a pain in the arse. I had to clamp the housing in the vice and use two big screw drivers to get it in:
    [​IMG]

    Put some gasket sealer and grease on the front seal and I pounded it into place:
    [​IMG]

    Inserted the 4wd shift fork and rail. Brushed Permatex Aviation Form-a-gasket on both sides of the gasket:
    [​IMG]

    Put sealer on the bolts becase several are open into the case:
    [​IMG]

    Front cover installed and torqued:
    [​IMG]

    Gooped and greased the shift rail seals and pounded them in with a deep socket and a dead blow hammer:
    [​IMG]

    Sealed:
    [​IMG]

    Used a hammer to flatten out the oil pan rail around the bolt holes and used Form-a-gasket on both sides of the gasket:
    [​IMG]

    Installed and torqued:
    [​IMG]

    New felt dust seal on the rear flange/yoke:
    [​IMG]

    Flipped the transfercase over and used the 2ft Crescent Wrench to torque the rear yoke in place:
    [​IMG]

    Installed the shifter detent balls and used sealer on the caps. I'd really like for this thing to not leak (much):
    [​IMG]

    Installed the shifters with new anti-rattle springs. For now. They'll need to come off when I put it in the Jeep. Everything seems to be working well:
    [​IMG]

    And that's that. The transfercase is done (except the front yoke). I'll tape up the holes and put it aside and start working on the transmission.

    Cleaned up the bench and put all the tools away for the next project. Here's some of the tools involved:
    [​IMG]

    Oops, I almost forgot to put the tag back on:
    [​IMG]

    I think I'm going to make longer front shackles before I start tearing the transmission apart. They should be a pretty quick fab job.
     
    fhoehle, locrwln, Rubicloak and 10 others like this.
  3. Apr 18, 2021
    Mr Vaughan

    Mr Vaughan

    are you doing a shackle reversal?
     
  4. Apr 18, 2021
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    No way. That defeats the purpose of me buying bolt-in springs.
     
  5. Apr 19, 2021
    Mr Vaughan

    Mr Vaughan

    why?
     
  6. Apr 19, 2021
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2015
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    6,656
    I had a chance to ride in this yesterday. I’d ridden in one Buick 350-equipped CJ5 before in Moab, and the memories of that rig came rushing back. The torque that those engines possess is unreal. I remember an old quote, “The only reason we need a transmission is because nobody has invented the perfect engine.” Well, this thing is close. Come to a slow-rolling stop in 3rd gear, high range? No problem. It’ll lug down to 200rpm without a shutter and pull right out of it.
    Chug....



    Chug...


    Chug...

    Chug...
    Chug

    The new suspension feels great too. Very soft and supple for a stock setup. This is going to make one heck of a wheeler when it’s finished. I mean, it already is, but more gears are going to make this thing unstoppable.
     
    Stakebed, fhoehle, wheelie and 6 others like this.
  7. Apr 19, 2021
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    If I'm going to be doing a lot of fab work on the frame moving spring mounts around, I would go with more modern longer/wider YJ springs and not use the 1 3/4" wide BDS bolt-on springs I did. This Jeep has too many things that need to be done and my time is limited so bolt-on springs it is. They work well enough for my needs for the moment and I can move on to the next project.
     
  8. Apr 19, 2021
    Norcal69

    Norcal69 Out of the box thinker 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Northern California
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    I'd rather top off my tank with a couple gal of water than start a shackle reversal vs up front shackle debate...... :rofl:
     
    jeep peep69 and Fireball like this.
  9. Apr 19, 2021
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    Feb 9, 2018
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    Yeah, I'm not even going there. That would completely blow this thread up.
     
  10. Apr 19, 2021
    Rich M.

    Rich M. Shoe salesman 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Maryland
    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2008
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    2,169
    Discussion aside, I have 1" longer shackles and have some frightening white knuckle roll steer with my Superlift softrides in some situations. I'll be reversing my shackles. Just saying...Easy to duplicate the early 5/m38a1 hangers and dimensions.
     
  11. Apr 19, 2021
    wheelie

    wheelie beeg dummy 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor

    York, PA
    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2004
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    So now I must consider this engine instead of a 302. (No Ford vs GM debate here please). I'll have to do some research on the 2. I DO like the idea of staying Buick in CJ that came from Toledo with a Buick.
     
  12. Apr 19, 2021
    SoCalNickG

    SoCalNickG Member 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Whittier, CA.
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    Mar 17, 2017
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    Although I never driven or owned a Buick 350 powered Jeep, for a long time I've thought that the Buick 350 would be the ideal V8 swap for a dauntless powered Jeep. On paper it's lighter than a Chevy V8 and gererally was made for more low end torque. I love the work on this biuld.
     
    Fireball likes this.
  13. Apr 20, 2021
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    Having had a small block Ford powered Jeep in the past and several small block Fords in Mustangs, I like them but I think the Buick is a better Jeep motor. It weighs about the same as a 302 but has 50 more cubic inches. It has the smallest bore and longest stroke of all the small block 350s so It will never be a high RPM screamer but it makes fantastic low end torque.

    Advantages for the Buick:
    • Bolts into a V6 Jeep. (Except the radiator).
    • Can use any transmission that can be adapted to a GM v8/v6 which it lots!
    • Light weight for the cubic inches.
    • Long 3.85" stroke for lots of low end torque.
    • It's technically a "Dauntless V8" like the full size Jeeps had from the factory at the time.
    • You can drop the weight even more with an aluminum intake from TA performance. (It's expensive though).
    • There is a factory available HEI distributor.
    • Rear sump pan and good oil filter location.
    Disadvantages for the Buick:
    • It's old and they haven't made any since 1980. It might be hard to find one.
    • It's hard to find parts for and parts will be more expensive when you do find them
    • Most will have a 2 barrel intake.
    • It never came with factory fuel injection.
    • It has the same oil pump with aluminum housing as a Dauntless V6 that can wear prematurely.
    • The distributor is in the front. (I'm poking fun at Chevy)
    Advantages for the 302 Ford:
    • It's a similar weight to the Buick, but you can cheaply install aluminum heads and intake to drop a good 70lbs off it.
    • It has a lower deck height so you have more room for a brake booster before it hits the valve cover.
    • Parts are plentiful and cheap.
    • Making 350hp is trivial.
    • You can make a 347 stroker out of it for very little money and increase your low end torque.
    • If you use a 85+ 5.0l engine, it has modern items like roller lifters and cheaply available roller rocker arms.
    • More robust oil pump.
    • There are several factory fuel injection options.
    • The distributor is in the front. (Poking fun at Chevy again)
    Disadvantages for the 302 Ford:
    • It has a very short 3" stroke so it doesn't make as much low end torque.
    • The oil pump is in front, so the oil pan needs a fairly deep well in the front even when running a Fox Mustang or Truck rear sump pan. Depending on ride heght, this can interfere with the front diff. The oil filter can also interfere with the front diff.
    • The most common front covers and accessories are fairly long making it harder to fit a radiator. SN95 Mustang and Explorer front covers and matching accessories can knock a couple inches off the length to mitigate this.
    • Depending on ride height, the front driveshaft can interfere with the starter.
    • Will easily bolt to Ford transmissions but there aren't as many adapters available to other transmissions.
    In summary: If I was building a V8 Jeep from scratch, I'd probably use a fuel injected 351W from an early 90s truck and I'd use the Explorer front cover/accessories to make packaging easier. If I had a factory V6 Jeep I wanted to convert to V8 (and I could find a Buick 350), I would bolt that in and save a ton of effort.

    Since I already have the 350 in this Jeep and I LOVE the torque, it stays. I'll probably put a Holley Sniper EFI system on it some day.
     
    Last edited: Apr 20, 2021
    blalp!, wheelie, timsresort and 5 others like this.
  14. Apr 20, 2021
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    Worked on the 1" longer front shackles tonight.

    Chopped 1 3/8"x3/8" bar stock to five inches long:
    [​IMG]

    Deburred the cut ends with the flapper disc:
    [​IMG]

    Center punched the holes using stock shackles as a guide get the distance from the end:
    [​IMG]

    Holes marked:
    [​IMG]

    Then it was off to the drill press to drill 3/16" pilot holes. I used the center punched part as a drill guide for the other three parts:
    [​IMG]

    Then I enlarged the holes to 7/16" doing a pair at a time. I used the 3/16 drill bit and a c-clamp to make sure both parts were lined up. When I drilled the second large hole, I put a 7/16" bolt in the already drilled end to keep things lined up. I used plenty of oil for nice easy drilling:
    [​IMG]

    Then I did some reference marks on the corners for radius guides:
    [​IMG]

    Bolted together pairs and ground the radii at the same time. Then I took them apart and beveled all the corners:
    [​IMG]

    Chopped some 3/4"x1/8" square tube for cross braces and beveled the ends for welding. It will look something like this when I'm done. Beefy!:
    [​IMG]

    Hopefully I'll get them welded and painted tomorrow night.
     
    Last edited: Apr 20, 2021
    blalp!, 73 cj5, Rich M. and 12 others like this.
  15. Apr 20, 2021
    Ol Fogie

    Ol Fogie 74 cj5 304, 1943 mb

    Southern...
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    Nice looking work.
     
    Fireball likes this.
  16. Apr 20, 2021
    timsresort

    timsresort Active Member 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    South Lake Tahoe CA
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    Buick for the win! I also think the Buicks, across the line, were meant for jeeps, and jeeping. But I'm prejudiced. I would love to play with a 350 some time. Not really needed for the rock stuff I do, but it would be fun in the sand at Ocotiilo Wells or Johnson Valley. I have the 215 V8 out of my first car, a '63 Buick Special, that is ready and dying to get into a jeep project some day.
     
    blalp!, Rich M. and Fireball like this.
  17. Apr 20, 2021
    Norcal69

    Norcal69 Out of the box thinker 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Northern California
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    Sounds to me like your problems will be exacerbated by shackle reversal. Sounds more like a bumpsteer issue it me.
     
  18. Apr 20, 2021
    wheelie

    wheelie beeg dummy 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor

    York, PA
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    Great firsthand info on engines. Thank you. Very informative and helpful.

    Nice work on them thar shackles, too.
     
    Fireball likes this.
  19. Apr 21, 2021
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    Shackles bolted together with bushings to clamp the cross braces in place. Cross braces centered top to bottom and front to back. I made them .020 wider than the bushings to make sure I can slip them over the bushings and springs for installation:
    [​IMG]

    Tacked:
    [​IMG]

    Removed the bushings and welded it up. My welds are strong but terrible looking. Especially on short welds like this. lots of stops and starts and no room to get a good weave going. I swear sometime I'm going to take a week off work and disappear into the shop with a pile of scrap to practice welding:
    [​IMG]

    At least my welds are better than welds you see on the internet. Look at this beauty:
    [​IMG]

    Amazingly the bolts still fit through the holes post welding:
    [​IMG]

    One side painted. I'll paint the other side in the moring and hopefully get them installed tomorrow night:
    [​IMG]

    With those done, I started scraping gunk off the T18. I tired quickly of that and retired to the house for the night:
    [​IMG]
     
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  20. Apr 21, 2021
    73 cj5

    73 cj5 Not ready for the junkyard yet

    Clinton, Mississippi
    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2014
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    2,137
    If it holds I don't care what it looks like. ;) I also get to use these fancy wheels.

    [​IMG]
     
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