1975 Brutally Simple Daily Driver

[Buildflycrash]

Qu

thats about as you can push a set of YJ springs. Road manners will take some getting used to that it’ll lean over much more than it did if you really push it around a corner. Otherwise, the ride quality is great for what it is! We’ll see how these cheap springs will last but I think the Bilstein shocks were the right call.

A sway bar would help a lot.

 

[cj2atruck]

A sway bar would help a lot.

I bought a 1” torsion bar from the wrecking yard, built arms out of 1/2”x2” flat bar, drilled a hole in one end for the torsion bar and welded things together. Total cost was something like $50. I wasn’t sure how this would work, but it survive the Rubicon trip and apparently had good flex for a 1” torsion bar. Might be an option if you want to save some money on a DIY sway bar.

 

[neohic]

So… about that traction issue…

Today started with some other shop stuff and then it dawned on me that I had a set of axles sitting under my carport that one had a 27 spline locker in it.

Those axles have kind of a long history with me. I got them back from the current owner of a Comanche I built around nine years ago. Prior to that, these axles were under an XJ that I daily drove and wheeled the hell out of. PRIOR prior to that, they were from another wheeler XJ in Minnesota. Lots of miles on these things and it’s crazy that I ended up with them again. As for the locker itself, I would’ve put that in the axle when it was under my Cherokee WAY back (11? 12 years ago?) when it was 1000 miles away in another state. These axles are really like the car part equivalent to getting anti seize on your forearm… just keeps coming back around.

As for moving that little Aussie locker to the CJ, I found a bunch of junk along the way. Sure… it had fluid in it… but anytime I’ve ever thought about the front axle it was typically right before heading off somewhere and it was very much, “Yup! Theres fluid on it!” and that was that. I found a near milkshake of very watery fluid and some wasted u-joints. Not completely horrible?… not awesome though. It all came apart easy and right back together with new joints. It even got a fancy 3/8” cover thats been kicking around in my parts pile for years. Had to flip around the steering stabilizer to make everything fit happily.

What I need to do yet is add a way longer vent line. So, anyway… I wasn’t planning on putting a locker in the CJ today… but… here we are.

 

[neohic]

I bought a 1” torsion bar from the wrecking yard, built arms out of 1/2”x2” flat bar, drilled a hole in one end for the torsion bar and welded things together. Total cost was something like $50. I wasn’t sure how this would work, but it survive the Rubicon trip and apparently had good flex for a 1” torsion bar. Might be an option if you want to save some money on a DIY sway bar.

I’ll drive it for a while to see if I want a sway bar. I completely understand how the CJ would benefit from one but I also only have a few miles on it.

 

[neohic]

We have liftoff!

On this ramp, the measurements from the bottom to the hub have been 25”, 44”, and now 49” with the front tire being a vertical 30” from the ground. The little CJ kept traction the whole way up before I noticed that it had the left rear off the ground! Very pleased.

 

[69Willys]

Impressive build thread. Great work! I may have to try the Comet wash.

 

[neohic]

Went for a solo tootle in the woods today. Nothing too crazy, but I found a great lunch spot.

 

[Fireball]

Went for a solo tootle in the woods today. Nothing too crazy, but I found a great lunch spot.

So how do you like the ride quality of the new suspension?

 

[neohic]

So how do you like the ride quality of the new suspension?

I love it! I noticed it most on today’s drive over some gnarly washboards that used to shake the shifter out of my hand. Not anymore!

 

[Fireball]

I love it! I noticed it most on today’s drive over some gnarly washboards that used to shake the shifter out of my hand. Not anymore!

Whoohoo!

 

[neohic]

 

[neohic]

While I didn’t fix the leaking front inner axle seal, I did address another issue today. Ever since Moab, the fuel pump hasn’t put up a fit but I still wanted to move it away from the hot box that is the space above the axle.

With the suspension now done, I was waiting to move it until all of the welding around the new spring hanger was complete. I also rerouted the fuel hardline. It was originally run along the top of the frame and was coming in contact with the bottom of the tub from the now collapsed rubber body mounts. The tub is where it’s going to be with how I did my sliders and tied into the cage, so moving the fuel line was to help out future me.

The fuel pump is lower now also so I might consider making a little skid for it. It’s still tucked up higher than the bottom of the frame, and if a rock where to get up in there it’d probably hit the leaf spring first, but it’d just be my luck that a potential rock would find its way all the way up there.

 

[neohic]

The new suspension is so good!

 

[neohic]

Ugh… here I thought that my fuel issue was over. I took a friend who has never been a part of the four wheeling world out on some local trails today and on the way home it sputtered and died like it did when I took it to Moab. Before that on the trail, it kept smelling like fuel. I pulled over and noticed a bunch of fuel puking out the vent. It stopped when I cracked open the fuel cap.

I extended the vent line and borrowed the filter that was being the cap for the front axle vent line. Then it was a real surprise when it still puked out fuel! For the remainder of the day the fuel cap got put on the filler neck crooked for maximum venting.

Once back home after sitting on the side of the road for a bit, I coiled up the extended vent line and drilled out the vent mechanism in the cap.

This is now a future weekend problem.

 

[ITLKSEZ]

Ugh!!!

 

[Jw60]

I'm about ready to make a new fuel tank for mine. Gotta read up...

http://www.billavista.com/tech/Articles/Fuel_Cell/index.html

 

[Ol Fogie]

I'm about ready to make a new fuel tank for mine. Gotta read up...

http://www.billavista.com/tech/Articles/Fuel_Cell/index.html

Did not see a price for one of those fuel cells, but they look very good quality so probably expensive. the tank might fit under the drivers seat with a little mods to the seat frame?

 

[Jw60]

Did not see a price for one of those fuel cells, but they look very good quality so probably expensive. the tank might fit under the drivers seat with a little mods to the seat frame?

The venting he did was the intended take-away. I thought he had more info on tank construction and fuel system routing...

The pancake underseat tank shape is my problem. It starves the tbi pump since it lacks a sump. I made a simple air / water seperator from a boat filter but it needs more refignment. Makes a fuel mat seem worth while.

 

[Ol Fogie]

Makes a fuel mat seem worth while.

I kinda wonder how dependable those things are. They might deteriorate in a few years and stop up all the fuel system, I don't know about aircraft use of these mats but I bet they are replaced at regular intervals, maybe at every annual.
A tall slender tank placed behind the driver seat might work better with your pump setup. There might be a special configuration Aux tank to be found in a search. As I remember years ago there was a place in AZ that made custom fuel tanks in any size and shape you needed, I had them make an AUX diesel tank for my camper truck, Just can't remember the name of the place, I could probably find it though. I actually used a 5 gallon military can for a tank years ago in my first old beater of a cj2A. The fuel draw went in thru the cap, When I ran outa gas I just unscrewed the lid, withdrew my fuel line/cap and changed to my extra gas can,