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Intermediate Frankenjeep Build

Public Service Announcement!!

A narrow track Dana 30 can be found in at least three configurations on a Jeep.

- Drum brakes

- Discs with a two-bolt caliper bracket

- Discs with a six-bolt caliper bracket

The six-bolt, I presume, slips over the spindle bolts, just like a Dana 44 Scout axle.

Mine is a two-bolt version (1979) which has a smaller bracket that bolts to the knuckle with two 1/2” grade 8 bolts.

The rotors and (presumably) the calipers will not interchange. The rotors are 1/4” thicker - which leads me to believe that the calipers are different, also.

Of course, in my ignorance and inexperience, ordered the wrong rotor & pad kit. Grrr.

Jon B.
 
Jon B. said:
Public Service Announcement!!

A narrow track Dana 30 can be found in at least three configurations on a Jeep.

- Drum brakes

- Discs with a two-bolt caliper bracket

- Discs with a six-bolt caliper bracket

The six-bolt, I presume, slips over the spindle bolts, just like a Dana 44 Scout axle.

Mine is a two-bolt version (1979) which has a smaller bracket that bolts to the knuckle with two 1/2” grade 8 bolts.

The rotors and (presumably) the calipers will not interchange. The rotors are 1/4” thicker - which leads me to believe that the calipers are different, also.

Of course, in my ignorance and inexperience, ordered the wrong rotor & pad kit. Grrr.

Jon B.
Click to expand...
Be sure you get a hardware kit with your calipers and use disk brake grease on those parts.
 
Buildflycrash said:
Be sure you get a hardware kit with your calipers and use disk brake grease on those parts.
Click to expand...
New hardware kits came with the calipers AND with the rotor/pad kit. Hardware galore!

Good point regarding grease; I’ll be sure to use that.

The rubber hoses I bought for a ‘79 CJ are too short and have a 3/8-24 female inverted flare end (IFF). My hard lines have 7/16-20 IFM ends. Bummer. I’m going to use my old hoses, which are 7/16-20 IFF on one end and AN-3 on the wheel end. Finish Line Factory has adapters to go from my AN-3 to the 7/16 (11mm) banjo fitting so those are en route from Florida.

Jon B.
 
Well, carp. The fittings arrived and were installed. And they leaked. Corresponding with the manufacturer had their guy admitting a design or manufacturing error. The ‘flat’ for sealing is too small. If the crush washer is slightly off-center, they won’t seal. They’re refunding my purchase price.

I found another set with wider flats for sealing, and have ordered those. Half the money - or less.

What the guys at FLF can’t give me back is the time. Oh, well.

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Jon B.
 
Whilst waiting for parts (the story of my life!) I thought I’d make sure that the wheels I have will fit over the brake calipers. Hmmm… The wheels just clear, but the stick-on balancing weights won’t. Grrrr.

Wait! I have another steel wheel… yes! It has two clamp-on weights, just an eighth ounce more than what’s on. Close enough on a sixty pound wheel/tire combo.

There! Now it fits. Yay me.

On another note, the older ECM uses the single-wire knock sensors, rather than the two-wire ones that are installed on the 5.3. I bought two new ones and found nice threaded holes for them; one on the right front of the block; one at the left rear. I didn’t even need the relocation mounts that I bought. I also have the cable-operated throttle body ready for install but want to get the brakes tested before I start on the next step. Doing upgrades in series treks much longer but for, me, is safer in the long run. I’d get distracted and forget things.

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Jon B.
 
Finally! Brakes are done. Wheels are back on. Steering stop bolts tested.

All is good. Gotta clear the shop before I can get out for a test drive. But… snow & wind (40mph gusts!) today, then cold - well below zero (F) cold for several days.

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Jon B.
 
I was reminded this morning that nothing has been posted regarding the upgrades. Thanks, @Buildflycrash!

The shiny new cable-operated throttle body is installed, along with the position sensor and Idle Air Control stepper motor. The new (old style, single-wire) knock sensors are in place on the block. The new (1999) 4896 ECM in mounted and its wiring all spliced in (no pics cuz’ it’s uuuuuh-glee!) to the existing harness.

Just yesterday afternoon I turned on the switches, crossed my fingers, and hit the starter button. It ran!! Holy moly, Rocky! It lives! It came up with - amazingly - just one fault code; the Inlet Air Temp sensor was misbehaving. Checking wires this morning, I found that the “Low reference “ was grounded but not to the pin on the ECM where it should have been. A quick reconnection cured that. Now, it runs “faultlessly”. Ha,

Now I wait for an accelerator pedal and cable so I can drive it. Then I can clean up the mess.

No pics; too embarrassing.

Jon B.
 
A trick to keep the caliper hose sealing washers from leaking is to anneal them before installation. It softens them up so they seal better. Also go back and recheck the banjo bolts as the washers can relax and cause the banjo bolt to be loose. Been there done that.
 
OK. The accelerator pedal and cable are installed, and the wiring has been made to look acceptable.

The ‘go’ pedal is a bit high off the floor at idle. The spline on the shaft & arms is too coarse to hit a sweet spot, so I’ll have to live with it OR if I can’t, I’ll find a better pedal assembly.

The ECM needs a fine tune but the engine shop is only 50 miles from me, so I might just drive there on a nice day (no heater in the heap).


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Jon B.
 
I think it’s time to call this thread - and the build - complete.

The brakes work as expected, though the pads need to be worn in a bit, and the pedal is just a bit soft (air, I presume).

The ECM and cable throttle body are both making the engine perform admirably, so that part went well. One knock sensor is misbehaving but that’s minor for now.

The throttle response on this thing is, in a word, scary! With a limited-slip rear axle, the slightest push on the skinny pedal breaks the tires loose (gravel road) and the rear wants to come round. Right now!

There are more things to be added/tuned/modified but those can go in the “What did you do…” thread. I’m gonna proclaim this build project finished!

Jon B.
 
OK, one more post…

Since the last post, some additions have been made:

Cup holder - very important; I like coffee!

Cell phone mount - I have OnX for off road navigation.

Fire extinguisher - duh.

Spare tire - 33-10.50 x 15. Mickey Thompson.

Scissors Jack and handle.

Cargo platform over spare, bolted to rear fender tops. With D-rings.

Jerry Can carrier on platform.

I trimmed the hitch receiver off, as I don’t want to pull a trailer. A shackle will go in the old drawbar for recovery.

Polished some of the windows in the soft top. It helped.

Added my “Cat V8” emblems.

Installed new side lights/reflectors and LED flood lights in front.

If you care, I put pics in the “What did you do…” thread.

Tomorrow it’s going for what I hope is the ‘final’ tune of the ECM. I should have just bought EFI Live or HP Tuner. It would have cost less money.

Jon B.
 
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