My Willys 3A and 3B Community
3A, 3B, DJ Technical Knowledge Base => "Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations => Topic started by: 1955CJ-5 on August 01, 2013, 04:27:02 PM
-
Now I realize that the title of this thread could be interpreted several ways....
But this is the captive nut on the grill....the nut is there, and it works fine, but the cage is partially missing....
Are these available? No time like the present to replace them...maybe they are just a common hardware/fastener store item? I looked at Lowe's but no luck..
-
Some of the usual jeep parts suppliers , as well as RFJP or Maybe Debella may have the captive nuts...as well as possibly a place like Fastenal or MSC. Also you could try your local auto body supply place to see if they list them in their body fastener catalogs. There are specialty fastener places that deal in that sort of stuff for the body shop crowd.
Or you might be able to manufacture your own cage or repair the one you have with your welding skills. Or steal one off another grille.
-
Walcks has them, not sure if they are 3/8 24 or not. I've seen the 1/4 20 ones there.
-
Thanks for the suggestions....
Bill is probably right..
I may just try to make a repair, as I have the square nuts....and the remaining steel around the cages looks OK...
I've seen the 1/4-20's, and bought a few, but these are 5/16-18...
I'll post the result whatever it may be....
-
Randy,
I had a couple captives that had your same problem.� I tried to fix them.� One went fine.� The other...well... not so fine.� That's a pretty small tab to try and weld.� I found one local Ace Hardware that carried the style that holds the transmission tower cover.� It's the type that is inserted and the tabs are then bent over to hold it in position.
On the captive nut that holds the driver seat frame in position, (front left leg) I just welded a square nut to the reinforcement plate.� I figured I would be the only one that would ever crawl under there, so no big deal.� Ooops, now everyone know my Willys isn't stock. ;D ;)
Tim
-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDQnFYo8eug
Pull over, Pull over.....That's it Sir Hawridge...you are BUSTED!
I am the Jeep police now, .....you are cited for not being stock! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D :'(
-
Randy,
I had a couple captives that had your same problem.� I tried to fix them.� One went fine.� The other...well... not so fine.� That's a pretty small tab to try and weld.� I found one local Ace Hardware that carried the style that holds the transmission tower cover.� It's the type that is inserted and the tabs are then bent over to hold it in position.
On the captive nut that holds the driver seat frame in position, (front left leg) I just welded a square nut to the reinforcement plate.� I figured I would be the only one that would ever crawl under there, so no big deal.� Ooops, now everyone know my Willys isn't stock. ;D ;)
Tim
I've been looking at them...not much steel there...we'll see...
I didn't even know there was a captive nut that held the seat in....mine were long gone and rusted away..�
But there is one for the other seat leg in the transmission tunnel....
-
On a side note regarding tub mounting, did you remember to add a threaded insert or make provisions in the hat channel that's under the fuel tank? I could be wrong and the 3A was different than the M38 tub, but at this tub/frame anchor point, you don't want a bolt head poking up under the tank. I made the mistake and had to do some modifying. Better to do before paint.
-
On a side note regarding tub mounting, did you remember to add a threaded insert or make provisions in the hat channel that's under the fuel tank?� I could be wrong and the 3A was different than the M38 tub, but at this tub/frame anchor point, you don't want a bolt head poking up under the tank.� I made the mistake and had to do some modifying.� Better to do before paint.
I've been thinking about that, and was going to use a step bolt like the one's that are used in the bed....and then use some sort of packing under the fuel tank to provide clearance...I suppose an elevator bolt would work too...
Weird place for a mounting bolt.....
It would be interesting to learn what others have done....
-
I cant remember what they are called but I found my solution just at the harware store. Its a 1/2" barrelled thread with a shallow shoulder that sits on the face of the tub. Its shoulder was shallow enough that there is adequate clearance under the tank after the padding strips are in place.
-
I found some "weld-nuts" and also T-nuts....the weld nuts sound similar to what you used...
-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDQnFYo8eug
Pull over, Pull over.....That's it Sir Hawridge...you are BUSTED!
I am the Jeep police now, .....you are cited for not being stock! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D :'(
You're Killing Me HG....Absolutely Killing Me!! ;D ;)
-
I found some "weld-nuts" and also T-nuts....the weld nuts sound similar to what you used...
Ya, it might of been that.
-
It would be interesting to learn what others have done....
I ended up using what I found in my original tub application.� It may have been changed but I was the 2nd registered owner and found most of my Jeep quite unchanged from the time it was built.� I found a 5/16-18 flat head bolt in a countersunk hole creating a smooth flush fit.� It seemed normal to me because in the aviation industry we often install flush fasteners.� I duplicated the same with new hardware.
-
It would be interesting to learn what others have done....
I ended up using what I found in my original tub application.� It may have been changed but I was the 2nd registered owner and found most of my Jeep quite unchanged from the time it was built.� I found a 5/16-18 flat head bolt in a countersunk hole creating a smooth flush fit.� It seemed normal to me because in the aviation industry we often install flush fasteners.� I duplicated the same with new hardware.
That sounds perfect....and 5/16-18 is consistent with much of the other hardware...
Was it like an elevator bolt with the square base, or was it ribbed sort of like the road wheel studs?
While we are at it, what did you use for packing between the tank and the floor?
-
It was not an elevator bolt, or stove bolt, with the square at the base of the head. Not ribbed like a wheel stud. I was simply as shown in my sketch below. If I remember correctly at the local hardware store there were two types: one was slotted and the other had an allen drive. The allen drive was a better quality bolt. I prepared the hole by gently tapping the metal around the hole inwards to accept the tapered head. After it was "caved in" about right I turned a large drill bit a couple of turns with a half inch drill motor to true up the hole for a better fit.
(http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo336/calvinhunt/Jeep%20Carl%20Comb%20Road/IMG_1896.jpg)
For a spacer under the tank I cut two strips of quality rubber sheet about and eighth inch think, two inches wide, and placed them on the floor. I used rubber contact cement to keep them in place. It has been good because from time to time I actually spray water from a hose under there to keep it cleaned out. Seems to work well.
-
Thanks Calvin,
The allen drive sounds best...I avoid slotted hardware whenever possible..
I may glue down a few of those body-to-frame insulators....or maybe cut up an old tire sidewall..I want to avoid anything that may absorb water, just as you did.
-
For the body-to-frame I actually used the tread portion of an old tire (bias-ply nylon) rather than the sidewall. It provided more rubber. Here is a pic.
(http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo336/calvinhunt/JeepwithTaraskids-Lucilleonions006.jpg) (http://s389.photobucket.com/user/calvinhunt/media/JeepwithTaraskids-Lucilleonions006.jpg.html)
-
Back to the the captured nut...
All they need is a little grinding..
-
For my mounting bolt under the tank, I took a normal hex head bolt and headed to the grinder. I ground the head of the bolt down to about half of the original thickness. For spacers, I used an old heavy, rubber mud flap off of a dump truck and cut it into 2" strips as shown on Bob Westerman's 3A site. I think the mud flap even had the famous naked lady outline on it.... ;D
However, i had my tub on and off so many times I think I ended up leaving that bolt out for the final install. My jeep is primarly for show and paved roads and I didn't think the tub was going to fly off without that bolt in there. Plus, I had a nagging feeling in my mind that my "Bubba bolt" would work loose and end up rubbing a hole in my fuel tank. Bad enough I'm sitting on top of 10 gallons of flammable liquid in a 60 year old tank.....I didn't want to tempt fate even more.
-
The mud flap is a great idea....I'll watch for one on the side of the road and then risk my life trying to retrieve it!
What a place for a bolt, and what a place for a gas tank.....
-
I just had another idea....maybe I'll use the old windshield-to-cowl rubber seal.....
-
Fearing a visit from the jeep police, I decided to take matters into my own hands and make a caged/captured nut for under the driver seat....
(http://i1055.photobucket.com/albums/s519/green55jeep/51%20cj-3a%20rust%20pictures/th_P1060374_zps1d47c112.jpg) (http://s1055.photobucket.com/user/green55jeep/media/51%20cj-3a%20rust%20pictures/P1060374_zps1d47c112.jpg.html)
(http://i1055.photobucket.com/albums/s519/green55jeep/51%20cj-3a%20rust%20pictures/th_P1060379_zps686fd94d.jpg) (http://s1055.photobucket.com/user/green55jeep/media/51%20cj-3a%20rust%20pictures/P1060379_zps686fd94d.jpg.html)
Well, this is just the cage.....nut to follow.....
-
Looking Good! Really Good!!!
-
Thanks Calvin....
Here is the rest of the story...
(http://i1055.photobucket.com/albums/s519/green55jeep/51%20cj-3a%20rust%20pictures/th_P1060384_zps836e3593.jpg) (http://s1055.photobucket.com/user/green55jeep/media/51%20cj-3a%20rust%20pictures/P1060384_zps836e3593.jpg.html)
(http://i1055.photobucket.com/albums/s519/green55jeep/51%20cj-3a%20rust%20pictures/th_P1060385_zps867b5209.jpg) (http://s1055.photobucket.com/user/green55jeep/media/51%20cj-3a%20rust%20pictures/P1060385_zps867b5209.jpg.html)
-
Pretty cool. I love home a fab work.