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My CJ6 Frankenstein Build, Little Of Everything!

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by y2k-fxst, Jul 13, 2015.

  1. Sep 9, 2018
    y2k-fxst

    y2k-fxst Member

    North English,IA
    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2014
    Messages:
    293
    Hubs and lockouts installed tonight. The Jeep axle, Chevy spindles, and Ford hubs fit together as though they were meant to be!

    hub 3.JPG

    Nice to finally have the front axle sealed up and filled with oil.

    hub 4.JPG

    Sneak peak at what's to come. First time in 3 years I can even bolt a wheel onto the Jeep!

    hub 5.JPG

    Looks like I'll need at least a 6" flare to cover the tire when done. Had been wondering where I'd be with the Wagoneer axle.

    hub 6.JPG
     
    73 cj5 and ITLKSEZ like this.
  2. Sep 9, 2018
    montanacj

    montanacj Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2012
    Messages:
    794
    Just looked through this thread and it’s cool. One question why so many pics of your cat? Just kidding, it’s to bad photo bucket messed this thread up. Is it possible to post the pic of the rocker repair? I’m in the middle of that right now.
     
    baldjosh likes this.
  3. Sep 9, 2018
    baldjosh

    baldjosh Member

    pacific north west
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    Oct 24, 2017
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    451
    took me a second but then i got it...hahaha sorry! its gotta suck to have all that work messed up!

    love watching the progress...keep it up !
     
  4. Sep 9, 2018
    y2k-fxst

    y2k-fxst Member

    North English,IA
    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2014
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    293
    The rockers I had some 16 gauge bent with a 90 degree lip. Then used that to cut patch panels from and weld into place.
     
    montanacj likes this.
  5. Sep 30, 2018
    y2k-fxst

    y2k-fxst Member

    North English,IA
    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2014
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    Since I am waiting on a drive shaft so I can set my pinion angle on the rear axle and start that build. Decided to work on the trans cover. Originally planed on re-using the factory one but, after I started clearancing it for the NV4500, I figured out there wasn't going to be much left of it. So started mock-up for a whole new one.

    Anyone but me hate mock-up? Started on it this morning walked away. Then sitting watching a stupid movie a solution came to me. Went out and messed with it some more. Got almost 3/4 the way done, then ran out of imagination and beer! Do know I need to move the shifter hole 1" further forward.

    trans cover mockup.JPG
     
  6. Oct 1, 2018
    y2k-fxst

    y2k-fxst Member

    North English,IA
    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2014
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    293
    Anyone else get anxious waiting for the next part to arrive? Won't be able to pick up my rear drive shaft till next Monday.
     
  7. Oct 8, 2018
    y2k-fxst

    y2k-fxst Member

    North English,IA
    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2014
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    293
    Did some running today, picked up the rear driveshaft and yoke. Next time I get to work on the Jeep I can put it in and get my pinion angle set so I can start on my rear axle build.

    Drive shaft.JPG
     
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  8. Oct 9, 2018
    y2k-fxst

    y2k-fxst Member

    North English,IA
    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2014
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    So, today I figured out why I like doing business with brick and mortar stores. Even though I had a lot of other stuff to do, I went out and put the drive shaft in and set my pinion angle. Was going to weld on the spring mounts but, wanted to locate my bearing housings. Figured out the housings I bought in January were wrong! Called Quick Performance in Ames just for ships and giggles. They told me no problem bring them in and they would switch me for the ones I need. Try doing that with an online supplier!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 10, 2018
    Posimoto and Muzikp like this.
  9. Oct 10, 2018
    y2k-fxst

    y2k-fxst Member

    North English,IA
    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2014
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    One of the things I've always been OCD about is I always tear apart and inspect every used part I'm putting into service. Doesn't matter if it's from the junk yard or from a friend. Been messing around getting ready to build the 9" Ford axle that was under my Jeep when I got it. Knew from when I tore it apart the first time to cut it down the setup was bad. The carrier had around 0.20" side play instead of pre-load. This is only the second axle I've built, the first one is the front axle for the CJ. But, I don't think this is a typical gear wear pattern!

    Too bad because It's starting to look like I'm going to run over budget on this build and it already had the 3.50 ratio in it I want for the 33-35" tires I'm going to run.

    pinion.JPG ring gear.JPG
     
  10. Oct 10, 2018
    Posimoto

    Posimoto Hopeless JEEP Addict

    Minden, Nevada
    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2003
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    4,538
    I kinda jumped in the middle of this thread, so I missed what you are running for horsepower. 3.50 r&p seems pretty high for 35's unless you have some monster under the hood. ;)
     
    tarry99 likes this.
  11. Oct 11, 2018
    y2k-fxst

    y2k-fxst Member

    North English,IA
    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2014
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    293
    Cummins 4bt with a VE pump, for best operating performance I want to be around 1,800 on the highway. Factory governor starts defeuling around 2,200 rpms with a limit of around 2,500 rpms, I'm putting a 3,200 rpm governor spring in that wont start defeuling till around 2,900 rpms. I'll be around 200 horsepower at ~3,000 rpms and 440 ft/lbs torque at 1,500-2,000 rpm. I'm running a NV4500 so I have a granny gear for crawling. With 33's I'd actually be better around 3.23 gears but, I figure I might want to go slightly larger in the future.
     
    Posimoto likes this.
  12. Oct 11, 2018
    tarry99

    tarry99 Member

    Northern California
    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2012
    Messages:
    3,784
    Nice Build.........and I applaud you on all the hard work....as I know first hand all the time that takes!

    Gear ratio wise, and of course not sure where most of your planned use will be?.......off road , highway or combination thereof..........with a Jeep that will probably push the scale at 3500-3800 lbs and a 5 speed w/ .74 OD and maybe say a 150 HP available at freeway speed with the gears & tire sizes you've mentioned I'm wondering if that combination will even like 5th gear on the freeway?
     
  13. Oct 11, 2018
    y2k-fxst

    y2k-fxst Member

    North English,IA
    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2014
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    Seems like this is one of the most common ratio used for the Cummins build with 33s. Should be around 1,700 at 60 mph with the 33s. Even with 35s I should be over 1600 on the highway. Most shoot for a highway rpm under 1800 for the best all around use. If I was building a pure off-road/rock crawler I'd probably look at 4.10 gears or higher but, most say that doesn't work real well on the highway due to the higher engine rpms. The 4bt doesn't like being ran at a super high rpm and are not really designed for long term high rpms. They only even run just 1 cam bearing, right at the front journal. Rest are "parent metal" bearings. Meaning the other cam journals just run on the cast iron of the block!

    As far as available horse power, my motor was in a 14,000 gvwr step van and was only rated at 105 hp @ 2300 rpm and 265 ft/lb torque @ 1600 rpm. from the factory. I'll be around 440 ft/lb of torque at basically the same rpm range depending on final tune. I don't really get excited about horsepower numbers in a diesel since they are torque motors. Horsepower is basically effected by engine rpm and torque. The number goes up with rpm as long as the torque doesn't fall off. Basically I'm going to be at the power level of a first generation 6bt in factory trim. They came out in 3/4 and 1 ton trucks w/o overdrive and a 2.73 gear ratio.
     
    Last edited: Oct 11, 2018
  14. Oct 11, 2018
    tarry99

    tarry99 Member

    Northern California
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    3,784
    Yes but with your 5 speed and .074 ratio in 5th gear I think that's the greatest benefit to have lower axle ratios to use earlier in the transition and then nullify them once on the highway by using 5th gear....... and keep in mind Torque moves the vehicle and Horsepower sustains the movement..........so the big torque numbers are great down low.........but once in the breeze you need some HP.

    In either case nice Project..
     
  15. Oct 11, 2018
    y2k-fxst

    y2k-fxst Member

    North English,IA
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    3.73 with 33" tires is the lowest gear most have actually liked with the NV4500, with the 3.50 coming in first. Anything lower than 3.73 they seem to run out of throttle, and anything higher than 3.23 they fight high EGTs. At one time I was looking at the 3.25 but, then thought if I went to the 35s I'd want the little lower gear.
     
  16. Oct 12, 2018
    Fly Navy

    Fly Navy Member

    Emerson, IA
    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2014
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    361
    I have a 96 Dodge 2500 with the 6BT/G56 6 spd (OD is the same ratio as the NV4500) and a 3.55 rear end. 60 mph for me is right at 1750 rpm. I was raised as a diesel mechanic and drove many heavy trucks growing up and there is a lot of misunderstanding out there about proper gear ratios for diesels. When I ordered my truck the dealer kept telling me I had to have 4.10 gears if I was going to work this truck and I pointed out to him he didn't know what he was talking about. You can't set up a diesel powered vehicle with what works for a gas engine. My neighbor has a cummins with 4.10 gears and what effectively amounts to a 3 speed transmission because even in the fields he never uses 1st or 2nd.

    As far as I'm concerned Torque is where it is at! Over the road trucks run down the interstate at 70 with over 60,000 lbs and often less than 400 horses... but over 1500 ft/lbs of torque. My little truck can run at 21,000 pounds gross all day at 70 up mountain passes (I always slow down going down hill:)) with only 275 horses and a little over 750 ft/lbs to the wheels. My problem isn't lack of power it's lack of gears. Even with a 6 spd I'm always reaching for another. Ideally I would like to have a 7 speed transmission with 6th at .74 like it is now and 7th at .68 or so... Of course then I would probably just want an 8 speed. My only real complaint about my truck is the weight over the front axle from that 6BT... if it gets greasy off road the nose just wants to point down hill, with or without the locker in the front, so you really have to watch it.

    But I certainly wouldn't recommend anything lower than 3.73 and would err toward the higher side because the 4BT has the torque to handle it. I think anything between 3.25 and 3.55 would be fine.
     
  17. Oct 12, 2018
    tarry99

    tarry99 Member

    Northern California
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    I agree , and I think there is lots of confusion.........and mostly I believe coming from trying to compare old school mechanical fuel injection pump early diesel motors to later electronic fuel systems with variable turbos and timing in how they now react to different gear ratios in these later pickup trucks...........

    I know the guys that race the diesels still like the Bosch series of mechanical pumps which can be off the chart for HP ........but not sure anyone here is going in that direction.
     
  18. Oct 27, 2018
    y2k-fxst

    y2k-fxst Member

    North English,IA
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    Nov 17, 2014
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    Got the spring mounts welded on today, and filled the original vent hole. It was going to be too close to the u-bolts to get the brake lines in.

    spring mount.JPG

    Since I'm inventing this Jeep as I go and had to relocate the vent anyway. I realized I had a lot of clearance above the pumpkin, and if I put it in the middle I wouldn't need to have as long of a flexible hose on it when I was flexed out.

    vent.JPG

    Since I had the rear U-bolt skid plates off I went ahead and drilled them for the shock mounts, blasted and painted them.

    skid.JPG
     
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  19. Oct 28, 2018
    y2k-fxst

    y2k-fxst Member

    North English,IA
    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2014
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    293
    Little slow down today. Had a Ford 9" jig that a friend said I could borrow to get mine welded up. Problem is he went to did it out this morning and remembered he had used the 1.25" cold rolled shaft to fix some equipment, all he had was the alignment pucks. So I didn't run down to get it, he's 1.5 hours round trip from me and my steel supplier is 2 hours round trip the other way! Plus they aren't open on weekends.
     
  20. Oct 31, 2018
    johneyboy03

    johneyboy03 The green beast

    Quebec, Canada
    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2011
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    2,115
    I have the scout axle...almost the same wms than the oem waggy axle.

    i run 6 inch flare but i have the right wheel. Tire goes flush with the flare.
     
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