Bessie's rebuild.

X2.

 

Okay thanks for the spring info guys I look into getting a new set in a little bit, but now I have a more a pressing issue with the donor 225 I have. I can not for the life of me get the distributor out and it's really making me angry. I have the clamp off and I couldn't pull it off so I hosed it with PB blaster and tapped it with block and hammer and then proceeded to snap a large chunk of the cast aluminum of the distributor off. Tried a slide hammer, didn't work. The short of it is the only thing I can get this stupid thing to do is rotate and that's using a large set of water pump pliers, a lot of force, and some heat from the MAP torch. Any advice guys or am going to have to rip the front end of this motor off to get this thing out? Thanks in advance.

 

Still trying to get my donor 225 to fire, but in the mean time I've moved onto stuff on the frame, because I will meet my September dead line. I pulled the front axle out so I could finish welding in the motor mounts and the gusset plate I put on the in side of the frame. While I had the axle out I finally replaced the king pin bearings in the passenger side and, like the ones on the driveside they were broken too. I also added a two hole steering knuckle that I yanked off of the Commando then I painted the whole thing green.

Front axle.


Two hole steering knuckle

I also bought new springs from a local source, Stanley Springs, I recommend them highly. They are prompt and sell American made products. I went and painted them green as well.


Front Spring

Right now I'm in the process of making new front shackels. More updates as the come. Sorry about the fuzzy pictures I left my camera at work.

 

Looks like she is coming along nicely. Good work.

 

Spent some time last night working on the drag links and tie rod last night and I'm a confused. When I pulled the the linkage off the Partster the drag link attached to the front hole on the two hole knuckle and the tie rod on the rear hole, but with my current set up this isn't going to work. The linkages cross and are at very steep angles and they have very little clearence, the tie rod is also running on angle to the other steering knuckle. When I put the drag on the rear hole and the tie rod on the front hole everything looks much better the links are parallel to each other.

Steering with the drag link runnning in the rear.


What I'm not sure of is if this will work safely, because every stock setup I've seen with a that style setup has the drag link on the outer hole of the knuckle. Any advice Guys? thanks in advance.

 

I think the drag link should be on the outer hole as it it will provide more leverage to the steering. You may need to find a shorter pitman arm or move your steering box forward. The box looks like it is set back a bit.

 

Thanks guys, I kinda thought so but I hope it wasn't the case. I cut/pried the old box off last night, and now I'm trying to figure out it I want to fab up another mount out of plate steel and tubing or use the cast bracket off of the Commando. I'm thinking about going with the commando bracket but I'll study it some more and go from there. Thanks for advice again folks.

 

Steering box Round two.

Went ahead and bought a new mounting plate from Advanced Adapters and welded it to the front frame horn and started making a new cross memeber here are the pictures.


Box welded in as far forward I as can go with it, It may be to far but it'll have to do


An other veiw of the box.


Half of the cross member.

 

How did you like the bracket from AA?

 

I like it so far. It sets the box up nice and high, lots of area to weld it to the frame and it positions the box in way that you don't have to drill any holes in the frame.

 

Thanks I went with this bracket because I saw the pictures of your red flatty and liked the set up. The cross member isn't quite finished yet and I can still move it around to get it exactly were I want it to be, it's going to to be pretty tight in there when it's all said and done.

 

I can imagine so. I don't think I'll have room for a power box, but I don't expect I'll ever need it this Jeep.

 

I finished the steering box/new front crossmember up a few weeks ago, and I've moved on to the disk break swap and trying to figure out the steering linkages.

Here are some pictures of the box and cross member.


Another shot showing how tight it is.


My hope is to put some wheels back on the front so I can wheel it home and power wash the frame on Independence Day, so I can paint it up and call it good, but we'll see I guess.

 

Well it's a little late but better late than never.



Seems like Now I moved passed the ripp it all apart stage and on to the put it all back together

 

Funny how this working on this thing goes in spurts. Well after a short hiatus I've gotten back to it again I'm getting ready to reinstall the motor and transmission, but I have a question about clutches. I want to know what would be a decent one to use, I was leaning towards a centerforce but my knowledge is kinda limited. I would like something with better holding power than a stock clutch at high rpms, but still be able to slip it if need be at lower rpms. Any suggestions?

I'll post up some progress pictures in a little bit.