2X4 frame for my CJ2A

I've got the same steering column in my M38a1... I love it except for one thing... The quick release allows the wheel to wobble a bit. And the you gotta pull the pin all the way out to remove the wheel. They include a bolt to use on the street, maybe it fits tighter...

 

I read that review of the column. I am thinking I might have to do a bit of engineering to make it right. Thanks for reading and the heads up!

 

I've thought about getting one of these...


I've used this style on a race truck and loved it... This one has the same number of splines as the Nostalgia column, but the groove for the pin might be different. I think if the collar doesn't fit the shaft I'll just buy some steering shaft material and weld the other collar on...

 

Yeah, I will probably have to do something similar, but it sure is a lot easier than making my own column.

 

Got my steering column and the Ujoint I added to the order. I think it is a great value. One problem is the pin that keeps the hub on is faulty out of the box. Just falls out. I emailed speedway but no reply yet.

Bled the master cylinder, made and ran the front brake lines and hooked up the rear.


The pic makes it look like the lines touch, I assure you they do not. My line running and coils are not as nice as some but whatever. It gets the job done. I also did the preliminary bleed both front and rear.

I have speed bleeder at all 4 corners and all brake lines are NiCopp. NiCopp is superior in every way to regular steel brake line.

 

i agree, doubt ill ever do a steel line again.

 

Any special tools needed? Or will the standard benders/double flare tool work with it as well?

 

Standard flaring tools and benders work just fine.

 

Actually they work better on this stuff.

Its more expensive though, but is advertised as not rusting. More ductile too.

 

I ordered the column 36" and it needed to be 34 or so. I didnt take into account the added length offered by the hub and the sheller steering wheel. Yeah, genuine sheller, stamped into the wheel . Its green where I milled it flat.

Measured


Removed the shaft, cut to length and milled shaft for D end U joint. It happened so fast it was a blur.


Milled the flats, cut to length, ready to go back together. chatter marks because I used a roughing end mill. Still as perfect as i can make anything and the fit is the same from the factory.


Milled both sides of the steering wheel flat to prep for the quick release hub to get bolted to the steering wheel.

going for tapered head stainless 5/16-18 socket head bolts that will go through a piece of countersunk aluminum then through the steering wheel then into the new hub. I want the aluminum so that the steering wheel doesn't crack when I tighten down the bolts. The bolts the hub came with are these 3/4 inch long 1/4-28 unobtanium size in the 1 3/4 OAL that I need so the hub will get drilled and tapped for 5/16-18

Nothing is a bolt on thing. uhgg...

 

you've got that fancy lathe and could make your unobtanium fasteners out of just about any material you've got around.

just a thought (it's only time to figure it out right?)...

 

Yeah, I don't have the proper thread cutting tooling and 1/4-28 would be a tough thing to do right off. Make it easy like 1/2-13 first....

I have tried to cut threads, but so far it has been easier to just buy something. I like a good challenge, but I really want to be done with this project. Oh any my lathe is not in the least bit fancy. Its old and big, but not fancy. I think its 55 years old or something. Works very well for my purposes though.

Now this is a fancy lathe
http://static.squarespace.com/stati...b47/1276031962000/monarch.jpg?format=original

 

I've been certainly amazed at the tooling and learning you've put into your jeep... my lathe is, um, yeah, nope. nothing. I wish I had the space. Love what your doing, it's a project and I too usually buy before making...
keep on - following with interest

 

Thank you. CL is your friend when looking to buy a lathe.

 

Made my steering shaft again. Used the steering shaft out of the cj5 column. Turned it down to fit in the "Sweet" U joint weld side and the D tube side.

Tig welded the joints again

Its in paint now.
Made the top piece for the steering wheel quick release mount out of 1/4 aluminum. The bolts are 5/16-18 stainless tapered socket head.

Its not perfect, but neither is this almost 70 year old wheel.

I think I am going to fill the giant cracks with JB weld.

 

I used JB Weld on my original wheel also, then I used 220 to start sanding it smooth, mileage varies with your sanding patience. Also going to use it on my cane handle as the left-nub broke off just before the "B" in Brake (break).

I use atomized stainless powder in my JB mix in a 2:1 ratio 'almost' - example: I just made about a tsp of epoxy, and I used about 1/2 tsp of atomized stainless powder (brownells product). I only use the powder when I need to drill / tap the fill I made with the JB. My ratios are like how grandma made biscuits, a little of that, a dash of this... but the 2:1 aprox works well for me in the past. Takes a bit to work it in. Was thinking for the brake nub, I may drill and insert small roller bearings as posts for strength of the nub, if I didn't chuck 'em, else I will use brass brad nails.

 

Apparently I should not have thrown out all my "plastic" chips from this steering wheel. They did have metal chips in them too..

What some people have done is to take the "Plastic" from a doner wheel, grind it up, dissolve it in acetone and fill with the smeary paste that it hopefully becomes. For under 6 bucks I will just use JB weld though. Never gonna look perfect, so I will make it functional and move on.

Another option that may or may not work is a trick I used when fabricating things out of plexiglas. To solvent weld the stuff you use methylene chloride. Dichloromethane - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia It melts the stuff and chemically bonds it. I bet its the same ingredient in model cement.

Anyway, you do the same thing, dissolve some finely ground plexiglas in a small amount of this deadly substance, then fill your screw up with it. Working with pexiglas is merciless and unforgiving. Its either perfect or garbage.

 

Repaired that steering wheel. I had low expectations and it turned out better than I could have ever expected. Filled the cracks with JB weld and when it set up enoughI cut and shaped it with a razor blade. I tun took MEK substitute, what I had, and rubbed it smooth. Sanded it from 150 grit to 320 all over then rubbed it down real good with that MEK substitute.




Its real easy to do, took about 2 hours and 6 bucks for the JB weld. I think I am going to really like this custom quick detach Sheller steering wheel I thought was pure garbage.

Since I am less about the details than some of you, If you went to a higher grit then hit it with a polishing wheel and some plastic compound it would really shine. Could even use a different color epoxy and use the cracks as a custom accent. Art.

If I make things too nice I get sad when I wreck stuff, like I do, so I leave everything a bit rough. That way when it gets scratched or dented I don't care. Maybe its a cop out or some sort of completion anxiety, but whatever.