'68 cj5 restoration

I am in the process of restoring a 1968 cj5. My plan is to keep it as original as possible. The body work is done and the body is being painted. Unfortunately, road salt took it's toll on the body when we lived in Maryland, but I was able to get replacement floor panels from Classic Enterprises. The motor is out and being rebuilt. It has been in the family since new and only has 46,000 original miles on it but has been sitting in the garage and has not been driven since the late '70's. What should be done with the front and rear axles, and the transmission and transfer case with respect to seals, lubricants etc. prior to putting it back on the road?

 

Hey man, I'm really surprised to see no one here has responded to you. I'm new but know that these folks know whats up with the CJ5. I will say this, from my years owning a 4x4 (20) and my experience wheeling... depending of course, on the how you plan to drive it and to the extent you want to wheel it, I'd just rebuild 'em to new... or better (upgraded parts). What I mean is, naturally you want them in good, reliable condition and original is satisfactory for all around wheeling but use technology for it's improvements.
I too am building an early CJ5, mine is a '58 model. It has the Dauntless V6 which is more than enough to get this little bugger around but I tend to push my rigs pretty hard, minus any major damage of course. I hate to bend/scrape, dent or break stuff so I do prefer to overbuild. In the case of my 5 though, I plan on taking the family in it frequently so I will "modernize" it meaning I'll replace the guts of the original stuff with better/upgraded goods, do things like the disc brake conversion, new steering system (with power), at least a rear locker, new hubs, fuel injection, on board air, a good moderate lift, good tires, new electrical and braking system, full roll cage and so on to make it not only look good and perform good but I won't be afraid for my family's safety. Just my take.

 

Drain and refill everything. Don't bother with seals until/unless they leak. Might want to pop the lid off the tranny and see if the gears are OK. No better time than now. You might have some surface rust, but if the gears aren't chewed up I'd clean off the heavy stuff, run it, then drain and refill a couple more times in the next few thousand miles.

Replace rubber brake hoses, inspect the steel brake lines for corrosion. Stand on the brake pedal hard and try to plow out a line. You want to blow one out in your garage, not at a train crossing. Clean the rust out of the drums, replace shoes if necessary. Small parts kits are inexpensive, and your old springs are probably rusty and losing strength.

U-joints might be locked up. If not give them a squirt of grease and run them. Replace if loose, dry, or tight.

Repack front wheel bearings. Replace all associated seals.

 

:iagree: I agree with Chilly, I had the same issue with mine when I found it. It had been sitting for some time outside and had water ( condensation ) in everything. If yours has been inside all this time I would change fluids, llubricate everything.................For sure replace all the rubber brake lines and go through the brakes.