Messages

1

PAST EVENTS: / Re: 17th PA Jeeps Show Pics

« on: August 08, 2012, 10:17:35 PM »

Nice photo's and I bet ya'll had a lot of fun.

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"Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations / Re: Strange noise

« on: November 21, 2011, 09:07:47 AM »

Tom and Calvin, I just remembered something to look at. Some clutch plates have springs in the center section of them and are to dampen the engagement of the clutch. If the springs break or become loose you could get a rattle there. When I listened to Calvins noise it was more like a rattle than a vibration but when we tied the heat riser open it didn't change.

Look at your clutch plate to check for loose and/or broken springs.

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"Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations / Re: Strange noise

« on: November 19, 2011, 10:40:14 PM »

Ok, have ya'll checked to see if the yokes are in line on each drive line? I hadn't thought about that until it was mentioned here. If you remove the drive shafts one of the spline ends could come off and when you put it back it may be one tooth off or more.

EDIT: what about the old service bulletins, did any of them mention a similar vibration?

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"Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations / Re: Brake light switch

« on: January 05, 2019, 10:42:08 AM »

Brake light switch, ARRRRGGG.
Been my experience that that they only last a year and they leak or fail to work or both.
Leak at the metal to plastic- REPLACE IT.
Leak at the pipe thread- you should have used the paste Teflon  thread sealer on it and it doesn't have to be extremely tight.
If the brake lights fail and shorting the wires together at the switch make the brake lights work replace the switch. Shorting the two wires shows the wiring to the switch and the brake lights are working and the switch isn't.

finally, I hope you have better luck finding a brake light switch that lasts more than a year. That is, if your jeep is driven a lot all year long. Garage Queens don't have that problem.

my Jeep, Annabelle Lee, gets 6000 to 8000 miles a year. Most of it in Utah and Arizona.

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"Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations / Re: Oil Pump Leak

« on: January 05, 2019, 11:16:40 AM »

I suggest removing the pump and replacing both gaskets and checking the end shaft play to be sure it has the correct end play. Don't guess, use a dial indicator or feeler gauges to check it.
Resealing the studs is a good move.

BUT, when you remove the oil pump you will have to check the distributor timing because the distributor runs off the end of the pump shaft. Don't assume the timing is correct.

The dist is timed off the end of the pump shaft and if you don't get the gear back where it was on the cam then the dist. shaft will keep the pump from going all the way in. It may take two people to do the job, one to hold the rotor from turning and the other to keep trying the oil pump in different gear teeth matches to get it lined back up. The dist. shaft has an offset tang that goes into the lube pump gear.

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"Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations / Re: Drag link ??? Help

« on: February 29, 2012, 08:55:04 PM »

Are all three the same thickness?

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"Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations / Re: Drag link ??? Help

« on: February 24, 2012, 11:27:37 AM »

I didn't look at that Larry, nor did I remove the link and measure the ball ends. I still believe Willys designed it for a reason and a person has to be careful when changing things around.

As an example, I worked for an International truck dealer in the past and I was given the job to rebuild a rear differential. In the process of doing so I had some difficulty getting a correct assembly and told the service manager what I found and I may have to modify or remake a part. He said, "well, it's odd that the International parts that have worked for years won't work now, go find out what your doing wrong". I went back and checked everything and found out I had misinterpreted the instructions and assembly procedures. The manager and I were good friends and I had no problem going back to him and admitting my error. He smiled and said, " I knew you would figure it out and saw no reason to explain it to you".

Sometimes things are not as we see them at first and need more thought and inspection.

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"Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations / Re: Drag link ??? Help

« on: February 24, 2012, 10:52:19 AM »

I went out and looked at my CJ3 and the front zerk is pointed toward the center and the rear zerk is pointed to the ground. Also, the bend in the link goes from the lower steering box arm ball end to the higher bell crank ball end.

The only reason I can see for having the long end to the front is to clear the axle. If the link doesn't hit the axle housing at full bounce then it should work, BUT, I think the factory intended the long end to the front because of interference with the axle.

I also looked at my CJ2 parts Jeep and the front zerk points toward the left wheel. The photo shows the CJ3 link with the front zerk towards the wheel. So, at some point Willys must have changed the part. Then the Reproduction people changed the ends to the same length to the bend.

It appears as long as you have the ball plates and spring adjustment system correctly assembled and nothing interferes with anything it's your choice which end is to the front.

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"Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations / Re: Drag link ??? Help

« on: February 23, 2012, 05:39:33 PM »

I would only add that Willys designed it that way for a reason so why not follow their method.

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"Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations / Re: Seat Question

« on: May 03, 2012, 10:40:58 AM »

You won't be able to heat treat the spring steel after the seat is assembled. You can measure the wire diameter and get spring wire that is not hardened and bend it to the series of U's to the same shape as an original and have that heat treated. Then you can bend it to make it spring up but you still have to have the wire frame that is part of the seat spring configuration plus all the spring supports in the frame.

After you get one done you may never want to do something like that again. The fact that no one makes a replacement spring seat frame to cover should tell you something about the difficulty of making one.

Go to an upholstery shop and ask if you can sit on some different thickness and hardness of seat foam. Then make a decision as to how it would work for you. Be sure to pull your feet up on a box to replicate how you would sit in the Jeep. Be aware that for most of us the back part of your butt will contact the seat more than your legs, unless your short.

While I did test the foam I wish I had picked a firmer foam for my seats, for on a long drive my butt gets sore. So with that thought when you pick the foam you like choose the next firmer foam. �

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"Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations / Re: Seat Question

« on: April 26, 2012, 08:49:04 PM »

I have a plywood bottom with foam cushions. I went to the upholstery shop and pick some foam that felt good when I sat on it and had him make the seats and backs using that foam. I'm sure it's not as good as the original but it feels ok to me.

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"Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations / New dress for Annabelle thread

« on: August 19, 2017, 03:05:19 PM »

I posted this on the CJ2A site and it was immediately removed. I was going to copy/paste but I wasn't fast enough. I guess they don't want anything about CJ3A Jeeps on their site.

The tub on my Jeep was sinking down around the frame mounts and parts of the body were rusted away so it was time to replace it. In April my son and I drove to Walcks to pick up a tub kit and other parts. I spent a lot of time with Carl and I enjoyed the visit. He is a real nice person.

They have an unbelievable bunch of used parts stashed around their property. If you need a hard to find part call Carl, he may have it.

The tub fit the frame ok, by that I mean with the fenders temporally bolted on with a few bolts we were able to get the frame mount bolt holes lined up reasonably close to drill them into the top hats. The tub is not really centered on the frame but I don't think any of them are.

The shift lever fit reasonably close in the hole but the low/high lever hole had to be enlarged quite a bit for it to shift to low range. The fuel tank hole had to be opened up at the top so the neck would fit into the tub. I had to cut away some of the neck grommet to make it fit also. The holes in the floor for the fuel tank drain and fuel line had to be enlarged.

when I installed the fenders I had to do a lot of forcing to get the bolt holes lined up. When I tried the new windshield frame on the new tub the mounting arms were to wide to fit the cowl contour and pivot points. i used the old windshield frame and it fit fine.

The hood and tailgate fit ok. I used my old grill and everything lined up after some adjustment. There were some other issues but I don't remember all of them.

The floor of the tub is rubbing on something under neath. I dropped the rear tranny cross member 1/2" and it stopped squeaking for a while but it's doing it again now.

I took it on some creek crossings and rough gravel roads here to be sure everything is ok. So far all I have a problem with is the squeaks.

I painted it WWII Olive Drab again because I like it and it's hard to see in the woods and on the Utah desert among the Sage Brush and shrubs.

If you replace your tub with a MD Juan expect a lot of work fitting things up. I painted the tub and other parts before putting it together and touched it up when done. I didn't want to put it together, take it apart, paint it and put it together again. It took 4 months working on it about 4 to 6 hours a day, weekends included. That was from tear down to drive away A few days were spent on other jobs that came up.

I believe my tub kit was made in the last part of 2016. I don't think it's older than that because the importer in Georgia had just got a recent shipment of the complete tub kits in when Carl ordered my kit from them. 

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"Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations / Re: Harrison Heater Switch - Repairable?

« on: December 01, 2012, 09:31:42 PM »

Sean just popped his apart. Looking at the photo with it apart it looks like the dimple on the case lines up with the rivet on the switch lever. If so then it should POP apart. I may check mine out to see if it is working and then POP it apart.

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"Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations / Re: Harrison Heater Switch - Repairable?

« on: November 25, 2012, 03:09:26 PM »

I looked at mine and I think the case is glued together. I don't see any tabs to bend or any other way to separate the case. From what I can tell it's a throw away part when they were made. However someone may have figured out how to get it apart without destroying it.

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"Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations / Re: New question about Rzeppa axles and bushings.

« on: May 12, 2017, 11:59:30 AM »

The axle job is done. Rather than leave the axle nut loose to allow it to center I followed the manuals way. It told about how to shim the Bendix axle using the nut type and then it said it using the Rzeppa axle just install a .060" shim between the axle and the flange and put it together.

I machined two shims and put it together torqued the nut and it works just fine.