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Seabee M38A1 Build

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by tymbom, Mar 30, 2014.

  1. May 30, 2022
    jeep peep69

    jeep peep69 Member

    redding ca.
    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2007
    Messages:
    619
    If you have a drill press and patience drill the bolts for safety wire or get bolts predrilled a lot more reliable than welds
     
    Downs and Fireball like this.
  2. May 31, 2022
    Norcal69

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

    Northern California
    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2014
    Messages:
    3,549
    What ratio and spline are you running?
     
  3. May 31, 2022
    tymbom

    tymbom Member

    Siskiyou Co.
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2012
    Messages:
    814
    Didn't even think of that... I'll have to look into that...
     
  4. May 31, 2022
    tymbom

    tymbom Member

    Siskiyou Co.
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2012
    Messages:
    814
    I'm running 31 spline axles and 4.56 gears. I think the gear ratio is perfect for my tire size and lack of overdrive. It cruises along at 60mph with a quiet exhaust note at about 2500rpms...
     
  5. May 31, 2022
    Norcal69

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

    Northern California
    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2014
    Messages:
    3,549
    I was going to offer a loaner 3rd member setup with spool but the lowest ratio I have setup is 5.0 :(
    If your locker is destroyed I think I have a couple 9" detroit lockers at the old shop. I can make you a good deal on one if you need it.
     
    tymbom likes this.
  6. May 31, 2022
    tymbom

    tymbom Member

    Siskiyou Co.
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2012
    Messages:
    814
    Thanks for the offer!! I'll dig into it as soon as the parts arrive. I looked at it today and most of the holes are still good so I'm hopeful
     
  7. Jun 1, 2022
    tymbom

    tymbom Member

    Siskiyou Co.
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2012
    Messages:
    814
    [​IMG]
    Doing stuff while I'm waiting for diff parts to arrive... Last summer when I first had the jeep driving I thought it was running too hot. Turns out the brand new guage was reading 20 degrees too hot. I cut out the inner fenders to try and get as much airflow as possible. Unfortunately that didn't make a difference and I somehow threw away one side. So I have an extra set of fenders that I'm going to modify in the same manner as the ones I cut up. Kinda frustrating doing work that was already done again... :mad: Oh well.

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    Make sure you hand select the finest, straightest, most extra virgin fenders...

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    The drivers side isn't much better. The black soot is from welding captured nuts on the inside of the fender. These fenders didn't have any or they were ripped off over the years... I also remade the upper radiator clamp thingy, but the new fenders are just different enough that things are moved around a little so I'll have to redo that again. I think this was the 3rd one so... :crazy:
    Hopefully I can make some more forward progress tomorrow
     
  8. Jun 3, 2022
    tymbom

    tymbom Member

    Siskiyou Co.
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2012
    Messages:
    814
    [​IMG]
    Started whittling away at the driver's side fender... I left more flat fender this time so I have a spot for tools and parts to fall off of.

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    I saved the side panels from the original fenders to reuse. Hopefully more tomorrow
     
  9. Jun 6, 2022
    tymbom

    tymbom Member

    Siskiyou Co.
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2012
    Messages:
    814
    [​IMG]
    The passenger side fender is mostly did from the outside... I still need to take it off and weld some stuff from the inside. Looks just like it did before eh?

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    I did find a bit a Bondo on the topside... Three layers! Bubba should be proud.

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    I guess these are perfect for being chopped up...
     
  10. Jun 17, 2022
    tymbom

    tymbom Member

    Siskiyou Co.
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2012
    Messages:
    814
    [​IMG]
    The fenders are did. The drivers side was a huge pain in the rear.

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    It took all these tools to get stuff mostly lined up...
    The drivers side fender appears to be a half inch longer than the passenger side. Now the grill is twisted. I think it's gonna take some cutting and welding to get things lined up again.

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    The diff is back together. It went right back together without any troubles.

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    The locker needed some attention from a flap disc to clean it up a little, then I cleaned up each hole with the drill press. It went together smoothly after that.

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    The case was scored from the ring gear bolts backing out.
    Now I have only a few things to get done before the Rubicon trip
     
  11. Jun 28, 2022
    tymbom

    tymbom Member

    Siskiyou Co.
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2012
    Messages:
    814
    [​IMG]

    Let's see how well this works... This entire time I've been using my phone to share these posts and pics. I finally decided to use the family laptop so hopefully this is a little better for picture heavy posts. I'll be making a post in the Trip Reports about our latest adventure.
     
  12. Jun 30, 2022
    tymbom

    tymbom Member

    Siskiyou Co.
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2012
    Messages:
    814
    [​IMG]

    Uggggh. Well that was fun. Today was my day off so I brought my wife lunch while she was at work. Since it was a beautiful cool day, only 95 degrees, my daughter and I drove the Jeep. On the way home I started noticing a vibration. Let off the gas and it went away. I thought aww darn here we go, another problem with the diff. Got home and backed it into the shop. Took the rear tires off and started looking. First thing I checked was the drive line. The first u-joint on the double joint was toast. No big deal just run back into town and grab another one. And a couple for spares for the front shaft. These little buggers are a pain since the cup and ball is spring loaded. I figured out that if you put the cross in on the cup and add one cap at a time it went easy. I used a 6 inch C clamp to push the cap in. Then that cap kept everything in line for the second cap. And while I was at it I greased up the other u-joints.

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    I did notice a squeak when we were driving on the coast...

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    In other news, I now have bumpstops on the rear axle. The rear tires would just barely kiss the fender on full articulation before, but with the Rubicon trip coming up, I decided that I needed to have bumpstops. Wheeling loaded for camping is a little different than just playing around for the day. I don't like the way it lands on the u-bolt, so I might build a pad that goes over the u-bolt.

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    In the convenient ditch, it doesn't fully compress, but it's close. I can tune the bumpstops by trimming them to allow the tire to move further up, but I need to go find something bigger to flex on... Toby likes it though...
     
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  13. Jan 25, 2023
    KarlWithaK

    KarlWithaK New Member

    Austin, TX
    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2016
    Messages:
    44
    Howdy from IG. Looking forward to perusing back thru this thread.
     
    tymbom likes this.
  14. May 11, 2023
    tymbom

    tymbom Member

    Siskiyou Co.
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2012
    Messages:
    814
    Time for some Rubicon Trip prep...

    My last snow wheeling trip was back on March 15th. My transmission wasn't very happy by the time I got home. It all started on last year's Rubicon trip. The 1st day it started popping out of 2nd gear. We made it through the trail okay, and it never really did it again unless I was going back and forth like when I was pushing snow. Then the transmission would bind up and not want to go into 1st or 2nd.

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    We had fun though...

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    Kenny's jeep is fresh off a rebuild and wheelbase stretch running 37s on Dana 44s.

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    We made it up to the foot of this drift. If anyone has been up to Kangaroo Lake or China Crater lake, we were near there. This is where my transmission finally had enough so we turned around.

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    We made it back to the pavement and headed home after airing up. The transmission was growling and popping out of 3rd.

    I pulled the transmission and brought it to a transmission rebuilder in town. He quoted a good price and I was hopeful for the best. He called me a couple days later with bad news. Basically everything was worn out except the gears and shafts. And the case. The 1st and 2nd slider and the 3rd/4th slider was chewed up too. Quite a few parts are no longer available for these old SM420's anymore. So I've been hoarding a couple SM465's in the shop. I pulled the top cover on one...

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    It looks pretty good to me... I called Novak and since I've already adapted my Dana 300 to the 10 spline output of the SM420, I'm into the SM465 adapter for less than 300 bux. The SM465 is better in every way and every part is still available new. The only thing is the length is a little longer. I'll be moving the engine forward so I don't need to have new driveshafts built. I'd like to keep the rear shaft as long as possible... maybe the third try on motor mounts and 4th or 5th on the radiator will turn out better. I'll keep ya updated. Laters
     
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  15. May 12, 2023
    Danefraz

    Danefraz Well-Known Member 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Chico CA
    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2012
    Messages:
    2,263
    :watch: Again
     
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  16. May 16, 2023
    tymbom

    tymbom Member

    Siskiyou Co.
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2012
    Messages:
    814
    [​IMG]

    Since I had the transmission and transfer case pulled out I went ahead and pulled the engine. It'll be easier to put the new combo together on the shop floor and swing it back in.

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    Then I pulled out the driver's seat and the fuel tank and hoses everything down. There was a strange funky smell in the jeep after our trip to the coast last July. A leftover sandwich got left behind and covered up between the seats. I was super busy with work for a couple weeks from all the fires so by the time I got back to the jeep it was pretty nasty . I cleaned it the best I could but it was always there. Hopefully I got it this time. I found all kinds of candy wrappers and cigar bands too. So much dirt and mud as well.

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    I put the transmission on the engine stand to try and make it a little easier. I was still struggling and stooping over...

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    Novak is so good. I called them up to ask about the adapter since I had already used their adapter with the SM420. Since the 10 spline output of the 420 is the same as the 465 I didn't need the spud shaft that goes into the Dana 300. That saved me a bunch of money. The new one came to less than 300 bucks. Way cheaper than a rebuilt transmission... I ordered it a Thursday afternoon and it arrived on Monday. Tomorrow the drivetrain will get put together and I'll swing it back in place. My idea is to put the transfer case in it's normal spot since the new length is from the front edge of the adapter forward. Then I need to make new mounts for the crossmember that the engine mounts to. I need to squeeze the radiator forward a bit as well. Hopefully by the end of the week I'll be close to driving again. It's been too long already. Thanks for checking out. Laters
     
  17. May 18, 2023
    zinertia2

    zinertia2 "and which part are you keeping?" 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Greencastle , IN
    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2018
    Messages:
    184
    Jon
    How much did the vented side panels help with cooling/air flow from under the hood? Cannot seem to find this in your build.
    Thanks
    Dennis
     
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  18. May 18, 2023
    tymbom

    tymbom Member

    Siskiyou Co.
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2012
    Messages:
    814
    I can't really say since I don't have a before and after to quantify any hard data like under hood temperature. But what I can say is that when engine is running there's a steady flow of hot air coming out of the vents and I've never overheated, even on 105 degree days...
     
  19. May 18, 2023
    tymbom

    tymbom Member

    Siskiyou Co.
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2012
    Messages:
    814
    Yesterday I managed to get the drivetrain all bolted together and swung into place. I didn't realize it until I was trying to bolt up the transmission crossmember that I noticed that the transfer case wasn't clocked up as far as with the SM420. The SM465 is just bigger in every way... So I tried to modify the transmission crossmember but it wasn't liking the way it was going. This afternoon I pulled everything back out.

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    ^ This is with the transfercase clocked up higher by one hole on the adapter. It took some careful grinding and trimming.

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    The shifter tower got sanded down a bit. There was a little web on the side of the transmission case that stuck out and the flange on the top of the case got thinned out from underneath.

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    I'm pleased with the results. The last thing I wanted to do was have a huge bulge hanging down about four inches from the bottom of the crossmember.

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    I weighed the crossmember the other day and it was 58 pounds. It doesn't sound too bad since it's all 1/4 wall material. It's pretty much bomb proof...
     
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  20. May 31, 2023
    tymbom

    tymbom Member

    Siskiyou Co.
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2012
    Messages:
    814
    [​IMG]

    Finally some picture worthy progress. My last weekend I had the drivetrain repositioned and the mounts moved. I'm determined to stick with a mechanical fan so it took a bit of searching to find what I needed. I was using a 19 inch diameter OEM fan from a full size Chevy truck. I have no idea what year, but I think it's a late 70s part. It works great and moves a ton of air. The only problem was it needed a 1 inch spacer to clear the power steering pump pulley. I did some research and found Flex a Lite makes racing flex fans that are quite a bit better than this cheesy hot rod flex fans that don't move a ton of air and cut your hands up. This thing is beefy. It's all steel and it's 18 inches in diameter. It's also 1 3/4 inches thick. It clears the power steering pump pulley by almost a 1/2 inch. So I lost a week waiting for that to ship from Tennessee. It showed up yesterday. I had already trimmed the backside the grill and made room to push the radiator forward. After mocking it up this morning I found that the radiator, fan and shroud would all work together. Hopefully this fan does the job...

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    Next up was moving the power steering reservoir. I liked the spot it was in before, but the hose was kinking ever so slightly as it went around the shock hoop. Now there is a shorter, stiffer hose. I just hope it's not too close to the engine because of the heat.

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    I just need to add some squishy foam between the reservoir and the mount and another big hose clamp.

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    Next up is the shifting lever... Here it is after I did some bending... Before I couldn't sit in the seat. 1st gear...

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    Second gear...

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    And reverse... I'm not sure if it's going to be comfortable yet. It feels kinda sporty having the shifter right next to my leg, but I might need some more room. I might pop it back out and move it away just a bit more... Hopefully I'll be testing this stuff out this next weekend. Thanks for checking it out. Laters
     
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