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Grade 8

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by Lifesgoodhere, Sep 12, 2009.

  1. Sep 12, 2009
    Lifesgoodhere

    Lifesgoodhere Like 6 Jeeps isn't enough

    Staunton, Virginia
    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2009
    Messages:
    265
    I got this thing almost 3 years ago now, got it for parts for my Jeep Truck, I wanted the tranny that was in it.

    Well, I took it apart, only to fins a drive train and frame that was in almost mint condition except for some surface rust, nothing major. Body is uhh, well not much left...

    So I am going to make a dedicated trail rig out of it. I am building the engine, and have pretty much everything else I would need on hand, just need to piece it together.

    I will paint the frame and clean things up some, but the body I am not going to mess with.

    I am going to eventually swap the NT D30 that a friend gave me under the front. I will get better steering, and no leaky knuckles from doing this, not to mention better brakes at the same time. It is a direct swap so I have read.

    This CJ-3B has a 2 inch Rancho lift on it, according to the guy I bought it from who parked it back in the late 80s. sat for almost 20 years till I came along.

    Motto for this build:

    If it ain't broke, don't fix it, make it so it don't break!



    Got started officially today, moved it to a better work space, after cleaning the cobwebs out of it.

    pics>>>

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  2. Sep 13, 2009
    Lifesgoodhere

    Lifesgoodhere Like 6 Jeeps isn't enough

    Staunton, Virginia
    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2009
    Messages:
    265
    Yeah, I work kinda fast...

    got the living s*** scared out of me when I was sitting in one of the seats...a 3 foot black snake slithered out and swept across my leg getting away, I got out of the seat in less than a second I think, and jumped 10 feet in the air, not bad for a white guy, lol

    Cleaned the frame best I could with a worn out wire brush today. I will yank the axle in a coupe weeks when I get the time again.

    I found a frame crack, the only one, superficial at the most, I am going to box the frame some more anyway, or doesn't matter that much.

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  3. Sep 14, 2009
    Posimoto

    Posimoto Hopeless JEEP Addict

    Minden, Nevada
    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2003
    Messages:
    4,538
    That's a very common spot for cracks to develop. Poor design to begin with. You'll be better off boxing the entire frame rather than just a few spots. I tried that technique and the frame just kept cracking where the reinforcing plates ended. Kinda depends on what you are going to use the Jeep for too. Light wheeling you'd probably be OK doing minimal boxing.
     
  4. Sep 14, 2009
    LarryD

    LarryD Member

    Gallup NM/ 4 Corners
    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2006
    Messages:
    637
    "I will paint the frame and clean things up some, but the body I am not going to mess with."

    Looks like lots of daylight showing thru those floors and bed, are you going to patch the floors or run Fred Flinstone style ?
     
  5. Sep 14, 2009
    Lifesgoodhere

    Lifesgoodhere Like 6 Jeeps isn't enough

    Staunton, Virginia
    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2009
    Messages:
    265
    plywood does wonders patching things....

    Yeah I have been told mixed things about fully boxing, both pros and cons. the one thing that stood out to me was that back then the CJs got a lot of articulation form the frame flexing, if I box it all in, I would loose much of that won't I? I was going to box the middle of the frame, the frame horn, and the back crossmembers, and one or 2 places on the back half.

    I am going to use 3/16 plate.
     
  6. Sep 15, 2009
    alex211

    alex211 Member

    Pennsylvania
    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2009
    Messages:
    441
    You either have to box all of it or nothing for wheeling. If you only box sections of the frame cracks will form right where your boxing plate ended.
     
  7. Sep 15, 2009
    Lifesgoodhere

    Lifesgoodhere Like 6 Jeeps isn't enough

    Staunton, Virginia
    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2009
    Messages:
    265
    I will looking onto the price of plate steel tomorrow, this thing is on a $2000 budget you know.

    Might re enforce some places using gussets? maybe?
     
  8. Sep 16, 2009
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2003
    Messages:
    5,466
    I only box at the points where it needs it for impact or supporting something (spring hangers, motor mounts, you know - like they did when they were built.

    I have a couple cracks, all of them in the original places before I worked on them. Never developed the 'other cracks' many are so fond of saying will happen. One of the frames I have has been that way for @ 30 years.
     
  9. Sep 16, 2009
    Lifesgoodhere

    Lifesgoodhere Like 6 Jeeps isn't enough

    Staunton, Virginia
    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2009
    Messages:
    265
    ^^ good to know warloch. thanks, taking notes. I was also thinking if not boxing, a belly skid plate maybe? from frame rail to frame rail.
     
  10. Sep 16, 2009
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2003
    Messages:
    5,466
    That will do the same thing as boxing with reguard to flex if you make it to big. Your better off with skid plates on the tranny/tcase cross members. A good comprimise is a setup like avmechanic did without the motor tie. I had a setup like that in the past and it worked real well. That is also what I will be doing to mine this winter while playing with things (the one I have now is a little too boxy for my taste, but I had to do it quick at the time).
     
  11. Sep 18, 2009
    featured

    featured Member

    Ashland, OR
    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2009
    Messages:
    52
    Nice project - and I have to comment on the scenery around your property. That is a very nice place! I lived in East TN for a little over two years and cannot wait to move back someday.

    Your rust is almost as bad as mine. :D
     
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