Building my 66 CJ6 to look capable of things it will never do

This is what the standard low mount looks like with the familiar Saginaw "Ham Can"" shaped pump.......this bolts to the three bolts in front of the head...........Buick made two different mounts that I remember one a high mount that works with the front dump exhaust and then the one shown that is lower that works with headers.........as far as a gear box I would get a series 800 4 bolt box built with variable ratio's inside.........it will give you the best of both worlds. call Tom Lee at 818-768-0371 in Southern California by far one of the smartest guys around in Power Steering.

 

A little more progress over the weekend. Both axles were set in place, centered, pinion angle set in rear and caster angle set in front and spring perches heavily tack welded. I have the frame and axles at ride height now based on a 37" tire, and with the 3.5" Wrangler lift springs, the tires, and my shackle reverse and perhaps lower brackets, I have gained an even 8" in height from stock (top of frame to floor). Plenty, if not too tall. I also welded in both the rear crossmember at the rear shackles and the new crossmember at the new forward rear hangers to eliminate any possible torque on the frame due to the distance I outboarded. Looks like I "may" have to cut a driveshaft clearance radius out of the forward one, but that means my rear suspension would travel up almost 10", so I'm gonna watch first and then adjust if necessary. I bought the jeep with the understanding that it would start and run, and I haven't attempted that at all. I keep looking at the V-6, the less than perfect 3 speed, and the cost of doing a t-18 conversion, and then I look at a 4bt with a t-18 already mated up for around $2,000. I know I'd love the torque, but not sure I'd enjoy the noise in this family cruiser. Mileage and lack of tuning would be nice...I'm gonna get the wheels and tires on it and then attempt to start her up and see how it sounds. If it seems strong, I think I'll keep the Buick. If it needs much, its comin out. Ordered my high steer arms that will clear stock H-1 Hummer wheels today, and the same folks are drilling and tapping my passenger side knuckle. Oh yeah, we completely stripped that Dana 44 down Friday night as well. Got new ball joints, axle joints, etc just waiting to go back together, but it gets the knuckle work and then new 4.56 gears or a spool before it goes back in. One pic shows how I handled the spring under on the 44. A little torch work and a lot of grinding and re-use of the spring pad from the other side. It seems to look like a good setup. I'll use an 80TAC+ rod to weld the pad to the cast housing. Zero here again last night. Looking for some warmer weather. I'm eating a lot of wood in the shop wood furnace!

 

Looks good. I like the low lift big tire approach. Especially combined with the outboarded springs. It should be plenty stable

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Well, I made the trip to Joplin to pick up my H-1 Hummer wheels and tires on Saturday. It was a nasty cold and rainy day, and would have been a good day in the shop, but the whole family went and I think all enjoyed the trip. I bolted the rears on Sunday and I think we are right on track. It didn't get any lower, but I had it at assumed ride height already, so I guess I shouldn't have expected it to. I ended up with 73" outside to outside of the rear tires. This is about 8" narrower than my sons truck with normal wheels and 35" tires setting right next to it. Have to set the body on to know how they look for sure, but the massive backspacing of the H-1 wheels really helps narrow up those full width axles. Waiting on my knuckle and high steer arms to I can put the front back together. New axle joints, ball joints, and gear lube all awaiting...We stripped the master cylinder and the front brake lines off of the frame, as I ordered a hanging pedal, master cylinder, and power booster all in one unit off of ebay. Also ordered the cj6 full cage from Extreme Custom Fabrication, and I also purchased a tube notcher. I'm going to make my own seat mounts off of the cage when I get to that point. Short of steering box, tilt column, seats, and fuel tank, I think I'm about done buying big stuff. Do most of you run Daystar body mounts? If not, what brand?

 

Slow progress. Brown Santa brought my roll cage. I also got my passenger side knuckle back from being machined along with the H-1 steering arms from Bonz Offroad. Installed the arms along with new balljoints. I need to install the new axle joints, but right now I'm waiting on the 4.56 gears for the front. Can't decide if I want to weld the spider gears or not. I know I can run with one lockout locked then and be like an open front end, or lock them both and be locked up, but not sure I need the front locked...

Body tub goes to the sandblaster Friday! I have the hanging pedal, master cylinder, and booster assembly sitting here too. I also got the Prothane body mounts and aluminum corners for the rear of the body. Lots to do. Need time and motivation...and a little warm weather!

 

What's your plan with the cage? Full family style?

Everything else looks great man

 

Hmmm, gonna be hard to mount your tie rods to those arms......:tea:

 

The cage will have three hoops with divider bars between each pair. I think the front dividers will be to the outside to give that area strength in the event of a roll and slide. I've been rolled twice at highway speed and you need something stout there cause the windshield frame is coming back in your face if not. I'm also going to build the seat mounts off of the cage as well as harness points. I went ahead and bought a tubing notcher to properly fish mouth the tubes for nice fit and stronger welds. Once the tub is blasted and primed I'll have to put the metal top on to fit the cage and then I've got two rusted areas to repair and a couple of hat sections to replace. Also have to fit a new column and the hanging pedal assy to the firewall.

Yeah, those steering arms do need a couple of holes. I think they leave them blank so you can decide if you want to go on top or under with your tie rods and drag link. I was looking at the Ackerman angle tonight and wondered if I should drill and ream them at the same angle as the original arms? It looks like that is the right approach. If someone could chime in, I'd appreciate it.

I'm gonna fire that 225 this weekend to see what she sounds like......

 

pipe notch with a chop saw...http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/shop-tools/456800-chop-saw-notching-101-pictures.html

 

Are you going to attache that cage to the frame anywhere? In addition to moving those bars to the outside ..............for more additional strength in the overhead an added diagonal or and X in the middle will help that area from collapsing.

On your steering you may want to wait and get more weight in there to compress that suspension first.........on a spring under with high steer arms you may find out that the tie rod may fit better mounted lower in the original cast in place positions on the spindles because when mounted high it can get close to the frame while going through its steering arch under spring compression...........the drag link should be fine on the high steer arms but probably mounted from the bottom up. Just one of those things you will not know what clearance you have until you get weight in there and the suspension is at ride height.

 

Those arms should have been angle machined where the tie rod ends go also. Under articulation the tie rod end on the drag link can bind...

 

We made some progress again over the last few days. I installed the 4.56 gears in the front axle, got it filled with new lube and sealed up, installed new axle joints in the front axles and installed them, and got the spindles remounted. Tonight will be rotors, wheel bearings, lockouts, new calipers and brakes, and finish welding of the spring perches-and then a coat of paint. I hope to put the front end under her permanently on Tuesday evening. I also installed a new u-joint in the rear driveshaft, got ready to install it, and realized it needs to be an inch longer to be right. So, ordering some 2" ID tubing today to get that done. Whoever had installed the driveshaft previously had it way out of phase; I bet it vibrated pretty good. After much looking through the Saginaw steering thread here, measuring, and searching, I went ahead and ordered a Scout II power steering box. The fact that it mounts outside the frame and leaves plenty of room for my front dump manifold, and the fact that I will not have to have 15 u-joints in the steering shaft to make it work were the deciding factor. It will mount far enough back on the frame that it will not conflict with the tire. I think its the right choice. Now I need a power steering pump to fit this 225....
Body is being sandblasted this week. I have 3 rust spots to repair, about a foot of hat channel to replace, and then it will get Upol Raptor Liner inside and out in Desert Tan. I think.
Windshield frame and cage will be black. I think.
Hardtop will end up OD green. I think.
Didn't get around to starting the engine this weekend...

Pics soon.

 

Had a good evening. She is on her feet and running. Pics and video tomorrow. Seems like a big milestone.

 

Here are some pics. I did get it running last night as well. Wired a momentary switch to the starter solenoid, cleaned the points and cap, verified spark, checked the oil, poured a little gas in her gullet and she fired up. Sounds really good. I'm ordering hoses, oil filter, engine paint, and a single wire alternator for her today. I'll put plugs in the heater hose ports. I am going to somehow heat this thing with an electric heater. Haven't looked into it yet...

 

New hoses, new cap and plug wires, all old sending units removed and plugged for now pending new gauges, new single wire alternator, engine painted, heater hoses eliminated...she's starting to look like a jeep finally. Hint, hint that original Motorola alternator looks good if someone needed one for an original restoration...

Tie rod is at machine shop buddy to be shortened to give proper toe in with new offset hi steer arms. I cant say enough good about Bonz Offroad. Excellent service, great communication, great products, good advice, you get the picture. Do business with these guys! Going with an ES2233 tie rod end to hook my drag link right into the tie rod, eliminating one arm connection. Scout steering box is here. Pulling arm off of it to install a shorter one I had on the wall. Frame will be gray POR15 tomorrow if it isnt too windy. Pics soon.

 

Steering will be my focus this week. Steering arms have been shortened to clear tire sidewalls, tie rod is re-threaded 10-1/2" shorter than stock to allow for the ES2233L tie rod end with the hole in it for the drag link, and I have a 13/16" drill bit on its way so I can drill the holes for the tapered bushings in the arms. These will be put in at a 10 degree angle to account for the Ackerman angle. Also ordered a piece of 3/4 x 3-1/2 x 12" long flat to mount my steering box to. The drop arm I had hanging on the wall fit the Scout II steering box perfectly, and eliminated that mile long arm that they have stock. The scout box is 4 turns lock to lock, and about 3" of swing from center will turn me to my stops. It should work out well. Painted the engine...I know...it isn't green. New alternator and hoses. I have no idea where we are on the carb, but it idled well when I had it running. I also welded on new rear cross supports. The originals were bent up, thin, and the mount holes were torn. This 3/16 angle should outlast me. The originals are under there, and I plug welded them to the new ones at every hole as well. Old shock mounts are off. We can roll it in and out of the shop now, so the shop got a thorough cleaning on Sunday-and it needed it! Here are a few pics.

 

Frame coated with POR15 inside and out over the weekend. All parts of frame to see daylight then topcoated with rustoleum gloss black. I think it turned out pretty good. Steering is complete except for welding 3/4" steering box mount to frame. I have the holes drilled and c-bored and the high tensile bolts are red loctited in. Front braided brake lines are run. New water pump will be here in a day or two. I'm waiting on the body at this point.....

 

I mounted my steering gear outside the frame as well. I used a box off of a 1978~79 Ford F150/Bronco however. It is configured the same as the Scout box but a more plentiful (ie.. cheaper).

 

Can't get the image to post for what ever reason... It can be seen on pg 17 of the Saginaw Power Steering page.

 

I looked at it, and yes its very similar. I think mine is a bit farther forward than yours-but that is probably due to my shackle reversal and the fact that I moved that front hanger all the way to the front bumper, and I also have longer than stock steering arms. My wheelbase is longer than a stock cj-6 by a couple of inches. I added 1" to the rear driveshaft and I think the front is gonna take 2" or so, and that doesn't account for all of it since the 60 in the rear is bigger and the input sticks out farther, which is probably also true of the 44 in front. I may taper my plate like yours before it is welded to the frame. It does look like a very similar box. Was your frame plated on the inside there as well?