What Did You Do To Your Jeep Today?

I took the back window out of the Commando convertible top and polished it up. Far from perfect but I can see much better out the back when the top's up.

 

So, you go commando around town a lot?





(just had to, couldn't resist, wait for it ...).





this is also why I want one, because it's more comfortable going commando









and who wouldn't like to bump into a group of acquaintances you don't normally hang out with at the local burger purveyor and say "I've been going commando around town all day, you wanna see it"






Oh, btw, that's a great job of polishing your parts, so you can go commando and see better. The old saying is quite the contrary...




Man, I need to get back to my day job...


On a more useful note, I used this product (and the PC-2 and PC-3 were in reserve if I needed to use them) to polish the lenses on the Highlander.

https://www.automagic.com/product/pc-1-extra-cut-rubbing-compound/

I found it on Amazon. I did the work by hand a few years ago, and this time I used the Dewalt polisher with the PC-1 sponge. outstanding! Didn't have to go to the PC-2/PC-3 sauces as there were no visible swirls.

Secondly, this stuff was great, it went on easy, polished good and buffed off easy. I remember as a kid back in the 70's and 80's, the turtle wax compound used to almost require a putty knife to get it off once it dried...

We had an auto detail guy for years, was awesome, some of the best money I think I ever spent. Sadly, the "C" got him, but he used Automagic waxes and stuff, so when I decided to polish our stuff, that's what I found and used... it's outstanding, easy on, easy off, no fuss no muss.

SO, point of this? If I had soft windows that needed to be buffed to clear, I'd have tried the PC-1/PC-2/PC-3 route, then I could also deal with the brush pinstripes I'd probably have also...

 

Usually, I'm topless while going Commando

 

I've done that, usually from the Hot Springs to walmart and back. With today's generation, eyes glued to their phones, no one ever noticed.

 

How else are you supposed to drive? With crocks and socks?

 

I have decided to move on from the Dana 27. Parts are hard to find and it is just preventing me from improving my jeep.

So I picked up a Dana 30 from a '75 CJ5. I found it on facebook for $200. It is a 3.73 supposedly but I will open it up to verify. My plan is to go through to check everything, then swap it into the jeep as is. The fella I got it from is building a '55 CJ3A on the '75 CJ5 frame.

He originally planned to put this axle under the CJ3A so he put in new axle u-joints, went through the bearings & put new 11" drum brakes on it. Then He talked to the Collins brothers jeep folks and they sold him a newer Dana 30 with original disc brakes and more wing-dings. This was a few years ago so the one I bought has been sitting for a few years, unused.

After I have put the 30 in the jeep and am happy with its' performance I plan to put in a locker, switch back to disc brakes, and at some point change both axles to 4.88 gearing, followed by overdrive install. This is the first step for all that.



This is the CJ3A he is building. He has been working on it for almost 10 years but wants to have done by sept for a car show in Topeka. It has a 4.8 chevy LS with headers & 4 barrel conversion.


Chevy V8

 

I usually do regular oil analysis on my vehicles. This is the first one I've done on this YJ after doing a short interval change after getting it all back together, I got this with over 200k miles on it, and it had sat for years prior to this and it had the rattle as well. Sounds like a diesel at idle, smooth under load, no oil burning, good compression. Can't remember the exact numbers, but they were well within FSM specs. Looks like I've got the ol piston slap/skirt wear issue going on. I'm debating pulling it to do a full overhaul or just do an "inframe" with a bottle brush hone and throw some new pistons, rings and bearings at it and seeing how much longer she'll go. The report mentions low viscosity. I forgot to put a note in there that mentioned I spent some time troubleshooting a high fuel pressure issue that was causing the engine to flood out so I'm guessing that's from possible fuel dilution.

 

Spent about an hour today making multiple trips up a steep road near my house. I've been experimenting with timing settings, trying to get some HP out of the little 225. Best I got was 38 MPH in 4th gear direct, that's with the timing at 17 degrees and the vacuum advance hooked up to ported vacuum.

 

Omg this is awesome haha

 

And this afternoon, I took this 70s vintage shin buster trailer hitch (on the left) off of the Commando. The Draw Tite receiver hitch on the right was a craigslist find, but it's going to need a couple of holes drilled and move a tailpipe hangar in order to mount it, so that'll be a project for another day.

 

Built a stand for my new-to-me dana 30. Confirmed it is a 3.73. I think I will go ahead and put a drop-in locker in it. Probably a Torq-locker rather than a lock right or Aussie. The torq-locker has an improved design & is made in the USA.

Once the weather cools off a little I will start swapping parts over to the axle getting it ready to install.




https://torqmasters.com/product/torq-locker-tl-13027-dana-30/

 

I am running the Torq-locker, it works well. Was easy to set up only noticeable when locked in on hard surfaces. Highly recommend it.

 

Hi Grant. Can you retrofit your D27 Discs to the D30 axle ? That would be a plus, wouldn't it ?

 

Being a drum d30 yes he just needs to carry over the hubs, rotors, calipers and brackets. Not even a need to bleed the brakes when finished

 

That is the plan.

 

I painted a fender. It’s just a fender but man it’s a lot of work. This is a NOS fender I got with my Jeepster. Now on to the other fender, hood, grille, doors and body. That adds up to about three years.

 

Yea, but it's 3 years of pure joy and fun

 

Well my Dana 30 project is of course getting more involved than I hoped, of course. It is a jeep.

In order to install the Torq Locker I had to pull the carrier. The 3.73 ring gear interferes with the center pin removal. So after I pulled the carrier & bearings I figured I might as well replace the inner axle seals while I have it out, that's no big deal.

But of course driving out the old original seals quickly dumped a bunch of dirt and old grit all over the pinion gear stack. So then I had to pull the pinion gear shaft & bearings. So basically my lunch box drop in has become a complete axle tear down. Oh well I am glad this is a totally spare axle so I can keep driving the jeep.

It looks like all the bearings are the originals, so I am just going to clean them and re-use them. New pinion seal of course. The carrier bearings are Bower brand which was acquired by NTN in 1985.

 

I drove it
About a 150 mile round trip I guess
My brothers 79 is in front, and my little 3B following close behind.

 

Installed my new wiper motor today. Like most Crown parts that are just rebranded Omix, there was an issue that turned a relatively simple job into a bit more lengthy undertaking. Not horrible but just irritating. The lever on the new motor that connects to the wiper linkage was installed 180* off which left my wipers "parked" in the vertical position. So, I took it all back apart, moved the lever the 180 and reassembled. All good now.

When I first tried to power up the new motor, I had the windshield unlatched and tilted slightly forward. Turned the knob and nothing happened. First thought was junk parts but I quickly realized that there was no good ground until the windshield was up and latched. Viola. Moving wipers.

Removed the manifolds from the B for a buyer. T-case is out already and is a candidate for rebuild and reuse in the project.