What have you done to your JEEP today

[DeetFreek]

Finally got around to switching out the cannon plug on the light switch this evening. I'd originally tried to save it as best as possible, but the insulation was just too brittle. So I ordered a takeoff from John up at Midwest Military a few months back. Trimmed the old tape off, marked all the wires with corresponding letters assigned to the holes and started cutting! Soldered and sealed with heat shrink tube then taped it all back up. Back in business once again.

 

[Another Ahab]

Those stubborn cut-off bolts


impact driver got stuck


finally got then cut off. I think I killed my Dremel in the process (all the smoke came out)

Maverick1701, you are plenty funny; thanks for the chuckle!!

 

[exhogflyer]

I got a deal on 7.00x16's from Coker Tire......10% off and free shipping! I've also finally got the correct M38A1 fuel pump for my Jeep. AND I have a shop local that will rebuild the starter. All this will be done early spring ( too cold in the barn right now).

 

[Another Ahab]

I got a deal on 7.00x16's from Coker Tire......10% off and free shipping! I've also finally got the correct M38A1 fuel pump for my Jeep. AND I have a shop local that will rebuild the starter. All this will be done early spring ( too cold in the barn right now).

Free shipping for tires has got to be a big deal, tha

 

[Another Ahab]

Free shipping for tires has got to be a big deal, tha

that just CAN'T be cheap, you know?

 

[DeetFreek]

that just CAN'T be cheap, you know?

I dunno how they do it either. I just got tires (stock size) for my '17 Rubicon and it was free shipping as well.

 

[DeetFreek]

After almost six months, I finally pulled the voltage regulator out last week, popped the top off and found this:
Guess I can understand why the charging system wasn't functioning correctly now.

Ordered a new one, got it in this evening, and wouldn't ya know it, it finally has more than 23 volts at the batteries!
Even got the government plate off the old one swapped over into the new one.

So, new generator last summer, new regulator and new cable. Best not be running into charging problems anymore.

I'd even went so far as to start making a test cable out of the old one. I didn't realize they were braided sleeves, there's nothing wrong with the old one other than the insulation was toast.

 

[Maverick1701]

Over the weekend we all piled in the jeep for a nice evening drive around the neighborhood.
I had to reinstall the upper distributor housing (replaced that interior black cap with a non-damaged one) but it fired off w/out any major issues and ran as well as it has been....not great but okay enough for us to enjoy.

My 2y/o loves the jeep. While doing some work in the shop earlier today he was enjoying himself sitting in the jeep.

I'm still trying to formulate a plan on my winch but haven't made it very far. The aluminum frame introduces additional challenges for removing stuck bolts.

 

[Another Ahab]

Over the weekend we all piled in the jeep for a nice evening drive around the neighborhood.

View attachment 892535

That's a beautiful old Machine, Maverick1701; looks fine, rough, and ready.

And the happy family is the most beautiful part!

 

[kendelrio]

Took mine out for some glamor shots yesterday..

 

[Another Ahab]

Took mine out for some glamor shots yesterday..





View attachment 892560

Those pics are Calendar material right there, kendelrio.

She's a beauty!

 

[kendelrio]

Those pics are Calendar material right there, kendelrio.

She's a beauty!

Thanks bud! Definitely a work in progress. Interior is next!

 

[DeetFreek]

How about what I've done to my Jeep in the last week?

Way too much to write now, so I'll sum up lol. Went to replace a damaged bumperette on the '52C and ended up putting in a whole new crossmember! Somewhere along the way, this old horse backed into something way more stout than it, buckling in the rear crossmember and diagonal braces underneath the tub, wrinkling the tub floor and snapping the drivers bumperette which was jankily repaired.

I've now got the new crossmember on and the hitch plate is lined up and welded in place. Gotta shoot a little paint before the bumperettes and lift shackles go back on and then it'll be good to go again.


This was the reason for the mess to begin with! A buddy sent me one of his take-offs from a project to replace this one.


Thinking a little bit of fire could help take some of the bend out....it didn't.


I ended up getting these mostly straight, and if I had any smarts, I'd weld on some small square stock to get some rigidity back in these.


After taking out most of the wrinkle in the floor, there's still a little mushrooming. I'm not sure if I'll go back in and try to flatten it out anymore.


Used the plasma cutter, torch, cut off wheel and Sawzall just to get all this off!


I screwed up and cut into the backing plate, so I had to fab up a new one.


A 15/16" socket helped square up the layers before welding it into place.

 

[Mullaney]

How about what I've done to my Jeep in the last week?

Way too much to write now, so I'll sum up lol. Went to replace a damaged bumperette on the '52C and ended up putting in a whole new crossmember! Somewhere along the way, this old horse backed into something way more stout than it, buckling in the rear crossmember and diagonal braces underneath the tub, wrinkling the tub floor and snapping the drivers bumperette which was jankily repaired.

I've now got the new crossmember on and the hitch plate is lined up and welded in place. Gotta shoot a little paint before the bumperettes and lift shackles go back on and then it'll be good to go again.

View attachment 892565
This was the reason for the mess to begin with! A buddy sent me one of his take-offs from a project to replace this one.

View attachment 892566
Thinking a little bit of fire could help take some of the bend out....it didn't.

View attachment 892567
I ended up getting these mostly straight, and if I had any smarts, I'd weld on some small square stock to get some rigidity back in these.

View attachment 892568
After taking out most of the wrinkle in the floor, there's still a little mushrooming. I'm not sure if I'll go back in and try to flatten it out anymore.

View attachment 892569
Used the plasma cutter, torch, cut off wheel and Sawzall just to get all this off!

View attachment 892570View attachment 892571
I screwed up and cut into the backing plate, so I had to fab up a new one.

View attachment 892572
A 15/16" socket helped square up the layers before welding it into place.

View attachment 892573View attachment 892574

.
Nice looking weld work!
Lots of pushin and movin and cuttin...

.

 

[DeetFreek]

.
Nice looking weld work!
Lots of pushin and movin and cuttin...

.

Thanks, I put in a few years at a weld shop lol. At least I learned something while I was there other than how to hold a broom and look busy!

 

[Gastrap]

Installed new Weebee seat covers on my M38 springs with a little burlap and polyfill. Awesome quality stuff! Also installed the tub after finishing the floor replacement and welding up 98 extra holes.

 

[DeetFreek]

Bumperettes are on, lift shackles on and the taillights are no longer yellow! Hammered out some wrinkles and filled some of the extra holes.

I have a buddy that will be sending me a pintle hitch soon, so that will wrap up work on the tail once that's on.



I can tell there's still a bow to the tub, the lights cant inward yet, and they're going to stay that way because that's above my pay grade lol! I know some of it stems from the light mount itself, especially the passenger side. I can see the bend in that mount, but if i were to straighten it, that would put the light at even a more severe angle.

 

[Mullaney]

Bumperettes are on, lift shackles on and the taillights are no longer yellow! Hammered out some wrinkles and filled some of the extra holes.

I have a buddy that will be sending me a pintle hitch soon, so that will wrap up work on the tail once that's on.

View attachment 892925View attachment 892926View attachment 892927

I can tell there's still a bow to the tub, the lights cant inward yet, and they're going to stay that way because that's above my pay grade lol! I know some of it stems from the light mount itself, especially the passenger side. I can see the bend in that mount, but if i were to straighten it, that would put the light at even a more severe angle. View attachment 892928View attachment 892929

.
Wonder if using a washer "ahead of the light box" on the left or right would turn the light to "straighter than it is"?

 

[DeetFreek]

.
Wonder if using a washer "ahead of the light box" on the left or right would turn the light to "straighter than it is"?

Not a half bad idea there, other than making it stick out more, there's no reason it shouldn't work.

 

[DeetFreek]

Pintle cleaned, painted and installed.



Next up, exhaust. Ripped off the CJ appearing system, ordered midpipe and muffler and failed to check the downpipe. It was in good shape with the exception of the missing flange which I completely overlooked. Those of you with keen eyes will see what I failed to catch. Good thing I put some time in at a industrial muffler factory years ago so I could fix what was missing.


Now, I could have just ordered the downpipe and waited a few days, but that's not how I do things. I had the material, I had some hours to kill, so I made the flange and used a piece of pipe from the previous setup as a slip pipe so I could bolt everything up and then set the length correctly.


Everything in place, tacked the slip pipe onto the downpipe, took it off and finish welded it. Bolt everything on one last time, and it sounds like a Jeep again!



During all this mess, had a bolt snap off in the exhaust manifold (not really surprised there) so yank the manifold off and drill/tap it out and install a stud like there should have been to begin with.

After all that, cut off the flat tow hitch brackets that I'd only caught my shins on a few times.