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Topic: Putting together Ethan's CJ7 (Read 719 times) |
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builder77sDad
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Putting together Ethan's CJ7
« Thread started on: May 4th, 2009, 2:54pm » |
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My son Ethan Alexander died unexpectedly last year of sudden cardiac arrest. This happened at work, but unfortunately no one nearby had CPR training, and no automated defibrillator was in the building. (You might want to review your own worksite and push for yearly first aid training and a readily accessible defibrillator.)
Ethan had a CJ7 that he was in the process of making into a super Jeep. He had the frame acid cleaned and dipped into molten zinc. He then painted it black. The engine is mounted and he has a top quality transfer case and shifter. The suspension and rear axle seem to be finished, but the front axle needs work, perhaps using gearing from two axles he got at a junkyard. He has an aluminum body for it. He did a lot of planning and purchased a basement full of top quality parts. It can become a fantastic and durable crawler, but I don't have the knowledge to put it together myself.
Could you recommend a Richmond area Jeep enthusiast who I could hire to work with me to complete Ethan's Jeep? I have all the tools needed, and a nice garage to build it in. I am hoping to get it done this summer by having two two-week periods devoted to the Jeep. Perhaps one or two Jeep enthusiasts could work 20 hours per week with me to complete this project.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
Robert
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toynrnd
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Re: Want help putting together son's CJ7
« Reply #1 on: May 5th, 2009, 4:08pm » |
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Sorry about your son's accident, Robert.
Post up how people can get in touch with you.
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'06 Dodge 3500 (tow rig), '99 XJ (wheelin' rig), '92 MJ (2WD daily driver), '81 CJ7 (wheelin' rig), '51 CJ3A (on the road - work in progress), '48 CJ2A (project), another '48 CJ2A (project), '43 GPW (project)
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builder77sDad
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Re: Want help putting together son's CJ7
« Reply #2 on: May 7th, 2009, 12:26am » |
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My wife Mary and I plan to drive to Richmond this Wednesday (May 13th) and stay one week. Then I will be driving back and forth from Massachusetts several times this summer with only my dog for companionship.
If you are a CJ enthusiast, you are welcome to stop by next weekend. I am interested in your advice and if the weather is good we could grill something. Ethan's house is near the intersection of 288 and 95.
I have maintained Ethan's cellphone number so it is a local call for Richmonders. 804-651-6110 I check for messages daily, and when travelling keep it with me. You can contact me by phone or at ralex2@comcast.net.
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bigdaddyyj
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Re: Want help putting together son's CJ7
« Reply #3 on: May 8th, 2009, 7:36pm » |
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I'll give you a call. I am in the same area and have a little knowlage building rigs. I'll work on maybe getting a few buds there also.
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builder77sDad
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Re: Want help putting together son's CJ7
« Reply #4 on: May 16th, 2009, 04:40am » |
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If you would like to help advise us on completing Ethan's CJ7, you are welcome to drop by (early afternoon?) Saturday May 16th. Or Sunday May 17th if Saturday is not a better date.
Ethans's house is behind the Halfway House restaurant on Jeff Davis Highway (Rt 1), about half a mile north of the 288 intersection, just south of Richmond. There is enough parking room for a number of Jeeps in the drive and at the rear of the property, near Ethan's military truck. Please call us at 804-651-6110 so we can be sure to have enough hamburgers and hot dogs to grill. Yes, a lure to gain your advice. Hope you will drop by.
Robert and Mary Alexander
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Chris
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Re: Want help putting together son's CJ7
« Reply #5 on: May 17th, 2009, 10:43am » |
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on May 16th, 2009, 04:40am, builder77sDad wrote:If you would like to help advise us on completing Ethan's CJ7, you are welcome to drop by (early afternoon?) Saturday May 16th. Or Sunday May 17th if Saturday is not a better date.
Ethans's house is behind the Halfway House restaurant on Jeff Davis Highway (Rt 1), about half a mile north of the 288 intersection, just south of Richmond. There is enough parking room for a number of Jeeps in the drive and at the rear of the property, near Ethan's military truck. Please call us at 804-651-6110 so we can be sure to have enough hamburgers and hot dogs to grill. Yes, a lure to gain your advice. Hope you will drop by.
Robert and Mary Alexander |
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Robert, It was a pleasure meeting you and your wife yesterday. Me and my guys are looking foward to helping you out and getting this project complete. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call.
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builder77sDad
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Re: putting together Ethan's CJ7
« Reply #6 on: May 27th, 2009, 2:16pm » |
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I wish to thank Greg (bigdaddyyj), Chris, and the great southsidejeepers who came to see Ethan's incomplete CJ7 and advised me on how to proceed. Greg was especially helpful by assisting me in putting an air conditioner in the garage window. This will make working on Ethan's Jeep a lot more fun on a hot day.
I haven't opened all the boxes yet, but it appears that Ethan planned his Jeep in great detail, bought all the parts, and it is now a matter of putting the puzzle together.
I plan on driving to Richmond from Massachusetts and have four weekends when anyone interested can drop by for a time and help plan and wrench. June 13, 14, June 20, 21, July 11, 12, and July 18, 19. Hopefully it will be complete by then, and Mary and I can go for a trail ride with the wonderful people we are meeting.
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Chris
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Re: Want help putting together son's CJ7
« Reply #7 on: May 27th, 2009, 6:58pm » |
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Southside Jeepers has a trail run scheduled for all of our new members the 1st weekend you have listed. We WILL be there the following weekend for sure and we will schedule all of our other activities around the time you will be down here. Can't wait to get started. See you soon.
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builder77sDad
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Putting together Ethan's CJ7
« Reply #8 on: Jul 3rd, 2009, 12:47am » |
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My plan was to report my progress and post some photos. Unfortunately I left the camera and photos in Virginia. What they show is Ethan's CJ7 frame on axles and wheels, and his mounted engine, transmission and transfer case. There were also some axle photos and a display of various parts. To my knowledge, Ethan had planned carefully and had purchased all the parts he needed to make a respectable off road rig.
I have separated all the Jeep and motorcycle parts, and most of the Jeep parts are in the garage, many on a new pegboard and a workbench. Also, I insulated the overhead garage doors and put rolls of radiant barrier film over the ceiling. These improvements should make the garage a comfortable place to put together the complicated puzzle Ethan left me.
The main question at this point concerns the front axle and gearing. Ethan's rear axle (which he had painted) is a Dana 44. I took off the differential cover and counted 41 and 11 teeth, making it a 3.73. The front axle (unpainted) is a Dana 30 with 49 and 18 teeth making it a 2.72. There are two Dana 44 axles near his Jeep, both gotten at Chesterfield Auto Recycling. I didn't take them apart, but did rotate the axles and count the driveshaft turns, and found that they are probably the same gearing as his mounted rear axle.
It seems that I have the choices. One is to keep the Dana 30 front axle and swap its gears with aftermarket 3.73 gears costing nearly $400. The other is to shorten one of the Dana 44 axles by (I think) nearly ten inches as it came from a vehicle with a wider wheelbase. The second option is far beyond my ability. I would think that an exle would be a difficult item to weld and balance properly.
I have found a couple of other things and clues you might want to consider. I found one piece of hardware that said it was appropriate for a CJ that was raised between 2 and 6 inches. I also found a Dana 300 TeraLow transfer case rebuild kit with 4:1 gearing. I hope it can fit into a Borg-Warner transfer case.
So I ask you. What axle choice would you make? And about how much should I expect to pay for the axle welding and balancing at a good machine shop?
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toynrnd
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Re: Want help putting together son's CJ7
« Reply #9 on: Jul 6th, 2009, 06:56am » |
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Do you know what tire size you plan to run? If you aren't going very big, and aren't heavy on the throttle, the Dana 30 front may be strong enough. (Also, you never stated what engine he has in it - this could be a factor, too.) I imagine that getting the Dana 44 cut down may cost as much, if not more, than just getting the Dana 30 regeared. The part for 2"-6" of lift, could it be a drop pitman arm? Is the tranny an automatic or manual? Do you know which Borg-Warner transfer case it is? Does the rear driveshaft centered coming out of the transfer case, or does it come out in line with the front driveshaft?
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'06 Dodge 3500 (tow rig), '99 XJ (wheelin' rig), '92 MJ (2WD daily driver), '81 CJ7 (wheelin' rig), '51 CJ3A (on the road - work in progress), '48 CJ2A (project), another '48 CJ2A (project), '43 GPW (project)
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builder77sDad
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Re: Want help putting together son's CJ7
« Reply #10 on: Jul 6th, 2009, 12:42pm » |
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I am in Massachusetts at present, but will be driving to Virginia in a few days and will be wrenching this weekend. I can only answer a few of your questions now, but will add more answers when I am in Richmond.
I need to measure the tires to be certain of their height. The engine is an in-line six. Ethan bought an aftermarket steering wheel (adjustable) and parts for steering linkage but I can't tell you the brand at present. The front drive shaft is on the passenger's side, the rear drive shaft is centered. There is a Dana 300 TeraLow 4:1 gearing kit that I hope can fit (with only minor grinding) in the existing transfer case. The transmission is manual, but I can't say which one (4 or 5 speed) until I look at it again.
I will try to post updated info Thursday or Friday.
Robert
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builder77sDad
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Re: Putting together Ethan's CJ7
« Reply #11 on: Jul 10th, 2009, 3:43pm » |
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I have returned to Ethan's house and have done enough work to give updated info to refine my questions.
His current rear axle is mounted above the leaf springs, and has 3.73 gearing. His current tires are 29" 31x10.50R15, but when they need replacing I will probably get 32" tires (and 16" wheels). He has an inline six cylinder 258, and a Borg-Warner five speed transmission. He has already replaced his transfer case gearing with a TeraLow 4:1 lower gearing and a two stick shifter. The rear axle has a centered differential, and the front axle has the differential on the passenger side. He has done a shackle reversal on the front leaf springs, and disk brakes for all four wheels.
My questions concern what decisions to make for his front axle. His current axle is a Dana 30, but from advice I have already received, I won't put 3.73 gears in the old axle and keep it. He had pulled two Dana 44 front axles from the local auto recycling yard, and which of these to use is the decision I would like advice on.
The more rusty (but not too badly) front axle is a Dana 44 that is too wide, but would only need to have the driver's side shortened. The only problem is that the gearing is 3.54, and so the gears would have to be changed to 3.73 to match the rear axle. It would mount above the leaf springs as his Dana 30 does.
The less rusty axle is wider, and if the passenger side was not shortened the wheel will stick out another two inches. It has the correct gearing (3.73) and could be the source of gears if the more rusty axle was used.
There seem (to my inexperienced self) two choices. One is to swap gears into the more rusty front axle and mount it above the leaf springs. The other choice is to use the less rusty (but wider) front axle but it would be mounted UNDER the leaf springs.
If the second choice is made, I assume that the rear axle would also need to be mounted under the springs. To my inexperienced eyes it looks like the rear axle could easily be reversed and put under the springs as the differential is centered.
I have several questions. One concerns having the axle over or under the leaf springs. Are there any advantages or problems with either mounting method?
My second question is if a relatively inexperienced person can swap ring and pinion gears or if I should take it to a real mechanic.
Also, when I have the axle shortened on the driver's side, should I also have the old shaft shortened or is it worth the cost to get a high strength alloy shaft? If so, should I also replace the passenger side shaft? Are there other axle parts I should replace at this time?
If I buy aftermarket front axle shafts for a Dana 30 they might be the correct length, but could they be put in a Dana 44 axle?
Thanks for your advice, Robert
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toynrnd
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Re: Putting together Ethan's CJ7
« Reply #12 on: Jul 14th, 2009, 1:16pm » |
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Robert,
Here is my $.02. I am tried and true K.I.S.S. principle kind of person. I have an '81 CJ7, 6 cylinder, on 35" tires. I still have the Dana 30 front axle. I drive pretty conservatively, and I haven't had this Jeep at a lot of hard core wheeling places, but I've done some tough stuff with it. Regearing the dana 30 would be your least expensive and quickest alternative. How often are you going to take it wheeling? How heavy is your right foot? Since you're only planning 32s, I think the Dana 30 would hold up fine.
Back to your questions...
Stay with the "spring under axle " setup you currently have. Going spring over will create a whole new batch of problems - steering, axle wrap, etc. Combine the two Dana 44s, using the spring under housing, the 3.73 gears, and cutting down one side. You would have to do some homework as to which is more cost effective, shortening your existing shaft or buying a new, customed sized one. I would find someone with some experience to set up the ring and pinion. They would have the right tools, and could get it done a lot faster. I would look at replacing the bearings, races, seals, brakes, etc. while you have the axle apart.
Good luck!
Chris
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'06 Dodge 3500 (tow rig), '99 XJ (wheelin' rig), '92 MJ (2WD daily driver), '81 CJ7 (wheelin' rig), '51 CJ3A (on the road - work in progress), '48 CJ2A (project), another '48 CJ2A (project), '43 GPW (project)
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