Newbie Questions

[Don]

Getting ready to pull the tub off my new 49 CJ3A.  Couple of questions:

1.  How does the steering column attach to the steering box.
2.  Any tricks to disassemble the parking break cable from the hand break?  Lower half of the system is incased in grease and mud.
3.  Any suggestions on how to separate the body and tub, no lifting device at the house.  Will be myself and my little helper.

[specialty]

There is a clamp around the bottom of the collar that you have to loosen after taking the steering wheel off. Sometimes getting the wheel off can be a major job in it's self. Watch when pulling the column out because it has ball bearings that will go every where if you're not careful. If I remember you might actually need to turn the steering shaft , like your driving it turning one way or the other, so the steering shaft unscrews off the sector shaft. I did a search on rebuilding the steering box on Google and found the instructions.
Now for the parking break. Unloosen the brachet under the dash. Take a screw driver or anything it takes and remove all that grease. I sprayed oven cleaner on mine and let it soak after I had it scraped good then pressure washed it.
Removing the tub is what it is. If you have no lift the more people you have the better.

[Ryan_M]

To add to what Specialty said -

Pulling the tub is pretty straightforward. The more people the better but I've removed a couple by enlisting only the help of my 100 lb wife. Just make sure you have removed all the mounting bolts, wires, and cables that are attached to it. It only takes one to to bring the process to a quick halt.

[1955CJ-5]

I slipped 2 x 4 boards under the tub, front and rear. They extended about 2 feet either side, so I could lift each corner a little at a time and block it up, working my way around until the tub was high enough to set the ends of the boards on saw-horses and then I rolled the chassis out from underneath....

I doubled the boards in the center and fastened them to the tub using the tub mounting holes....

Sorry no pictures...my real computer is in for repairs .....

[1955CJ-5]

If you plan to rebuild the steering box you may as well remove the worm shaft, column and box as a unit. Steering wheel still needs to come off.....that can be a job in itself ..there are probably a few threads here  on the process....

[athawk11]

This photo is courtesy of QTM Parts on eBay.  By the way, great seller with nice stuff.



The 3A cable is basically a ball and socket connection.  Remove the cable clamp in the firewall area.  This gives you the slack you need.  Reach up under the dash and twist the cable ball out of the socket on the back of the brake handle.

Tim

[macrisel]

To add to what Specialty said -

Pulling the tub is pretty straightforward. The more people the better but I've removed a couple by enlisting only the help of my 100 lb wife. Just make sure you have removed all the mounting bolts, wires, and cables that are attached to it. It only takes one to to bring the process to a quick halt.

I'll again add to Ryan comment.......make SURE you check and double check you have all the wires and cables unhooked before you get to lifting the tub up.  Most of these old Willys have been "worked on" over the years and may have eveything from extra brackets and extra electrical wires to bailing twine holding things together.  Not much telling what you may find when you get to lifting up the tub.  It is nice to have a pair of side cutter pliers and a utility knife in your pocket when you start lifting.

Randy's process with the saw horses works very well if you are by yourself.  It gives you plenty of time to find all those booby traps left by previous owners.  It also prevents your Dad from getting too excited with the front end loader and ripping another hole in the floorboard when he gets in a hurry to get the tub off..... :-?

[Don]

Thank you all very much for the advice.  Hopefully have tub off tomorrow.  Will share some photos of the separated units.

Don

[Jesse]

I picked up the body myself with an engine hoist if you can beg, borrow, or steal one of those. Just balanced it in the middle with 2x4s. I also ultimately screwed up the paint putting it back on with that method...

-Jesse

[Ryan_M]

I picked up the body myself with an engine hoist if you can beg, borrow, or steal one of those. Just balanced it in the middle with 2x4s. I also ultimately screwed up the paint putting it back on with that method...

-Jesse

x2. I've made this work as well. And yes, I scratched the heck out of the paint doing it.