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46 CJ2A #69750

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote markcl52 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Apr. 2016 at 6:13pm
I am in Eastern Mass, I keep the CJ2a in Waltham. I need to find the right place. I have the brakes, lights, wiper and horn in good shape, but the parking break slips (covered in oil), the tires are old, and there is slop in the steering. If i have to fix everything, I'd rather hold off on paying registration and insurance because it will take me a while to find the time. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mbullism Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Apr. 2016 at 6:25pm
Originally posted by markcl52 markcl52 wrote:

I am in Eastern Mass, I keep the CJ2a in Waltham. I need to find the right place. I have the brakes, lights, wiper and horn in good shape, but the parking break slips (covered in oil), the tires are old, and there is slop in the steering. If i have to fix everything, I'd rather hold off on paying registration and insurance because it will take me a while to find the time. 

The flip side is that once you register it you only have 7 days to get inspected... only took me about 6 weeks, lol.  It would (should) be a minor ta-do, but in MA having no sticker or an expired sticker is somehow a moving violation, and is surchargeable...

What a racket Confused
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mbullism Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Apr. 2016 at 11:20pm
Put some more time in today cleaning up my donor springs... this job continues to not be for the faint of heart, lol, especially given I'm not exactly sure of the outcome.  The extent of my testing of the used springs is basically my putting my 220# on the rolling frame I bought and noting the spring set compared to the natural set of the springs currently installed.  

Previously dismantled, and power wire brushed
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Each leaf was gone over with paint/rust stripping pad in my angle grinder.  I'm not gonna lie, I have some concerns about the pitting found on a few leaves, but we're gonna run with it for now.  My thinking is i could've just swapped springs and they likely would've worked just fine, cleaning things up couldn't hurt too bad, lol.  The edges were all dressed to remove stress risers, first with a grinding disk, then a medium flapper wheel 
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Several leaves had ridges set in them from the ends of the leaf below... these catch points were eased, trying not to remove more material than necessary
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loosely assembled...
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Tomorrow the old bushings come out, each leaf gets wiped down, then re-assembly with new rebound straps.  The current plan is re-assembly with graphite lube, then self etching priming of the springs as a whole unit, and paint, then pressing in new bushings.  

My 2A currently has 9 leaf rears, 8 leaf fronts... the "new" springs will be 9 leaf rears and 10 leaf fronts, I'm hoping the mitigation of the wear and tear and pitting as well as the overall cleaning will leave me no worse off than I started (the existing springs are beat) with a better overall stance.

Time will tell  :P 


Edited by mbullism - 05 May 2016 at 6:39pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mbullism Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Apr. 2016 at 8:10pm
out with the old...
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in with the new
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mbullism Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Apr. 2016 at 8:12pm
Let's just say putting the rebound clips on, tight, looks a lot easier on TV, lol
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but a little perseverance, and abundance of clamps  :) 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mbullism Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2016 at 5:25pm
What you are witnessing, ladies and gentlemen, if this doesn't work out, is undoubtedley the LAST time I will be attempting this Wink

It's gonna be fine... these have come together, the curse words have bounced off them cuz they're steel, and we're headed for paint.  Finally. Confused
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mbullism Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2016 at 9:12pm
The springs are downstairs in paint...hangin' around... end of a sunday, last day of a weeks vacay... rainin'....

Figured I'd go outside and take the temperature on the aluminum top I bought, start to get a feeling for what it was and wasn't going to let me get away with...  it's got dents and creases to hammer out, holes to fill, yada yada... step one?  a bath.

It became apparent early on a sponge or bristle brush was not going to cut it, saving the patina was likely out and matching any soldered patches is folly anyway.... dish soap and a scotch brite pad, first pass on the roof:
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SE Kansas 46 CJ-2A Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2016 at 11:20pm
Looks like there may have been a little liquid lubrication in one of the photos of the finished springs...sometimes there is just no other way to look at a jobWink
46 CJ-2A #64462 "Ol' Red" (bought April 1969)(second owner)(12 V, 11" brakes, M-38 frame, MD Juan tub)

U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer(ret.)
U.S. Army Vietnam veteran and damned proud of it.



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote markcl52 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2016 at 11:30pm
I was looking at my springs today. My front springs are 10 leaf and with the weight of the jeep they are completely flat. I'd be interested to see how much arch you have on the front once installed.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mbullism Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 2016 at 12:10am
My current front springs are 8 leaf and significantly reverse arched/sagging... the current plan is to compare old and "new" during the swap, as well as before and after install. To be clear, simply cleaning the new 10 leafs, rebanding and painting isnt going to make them anything they weren't already when I picked them up. It will make them flex smoother and possibly extend their life, but any arch they did or didnt have is what it is... that said, I firmly believe they are significantly better than what I have now-

As for the liquid lube, lol, revamping and painting 38 leafs times two sides each is worthy of a glass with an ice cube in it...that beer can can't scratch the surface
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mbullism Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 2016 at 1:59pm
So time has been a little limited lately, but I managed to get the front passenger side spring out, and the front drivers side is 85% out... letting some shackles soak.  I'm feeling generally better about my outcome after the swap. 

Rear pivot, front passenger side:
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original 8 leaf next to the two 10 leaf fronts I just cleaned up  (noticeably longer unsprung)
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I didn't catch it in this pic, but measured from the plywood up to the main leaf where the axle sits, the old stack is 3-3/4"+/-, the "new" ones are 4-1/4"...Assuming the military wrap loops are similar.  I took measurements floor to fender and axle to bump stop at the frame before disassembling.  Will be interesting to see what happens here afterwards....
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So I'm sure I'm not breaking new ground here, but I was a little surprised that my 8 leaf originals have staggered end gaps, that is to say they appear to use the same length leafs as the 10 leaf stacks (which have a uniform layout).  If I call the main leaf "1", and the full length military wrap "2" and so on, the 8 leafs are missing #3 and #7.  I hadn't really thought about it to be honest, but I had anticipated even leaf end gaps instead of two places either side of center where the leaf above has to go twice as far from the last support it receives from the leaf below...  I cannot say what effect #7 will have for sure, but it's my understanding the longer leafs go towards ride and the shorter ones towards capacity.  That said, the problem that my originals were having that was most noticeable was out towards the ends, where #3 is "missing"...the lack of support appears to have hastened their demise.

What you cannot see in the pics is that there is a HA-uge difference if I stand on one of the refurbs vs. standing on the original.  Even so, if I'm being honest with myself I'll have to get the vehicle weight back on these and take it down the road before I can yammer on intelligently about it, lol
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote markcl52 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 2016 at 2:56pm
Looking forward to the axle to bump stop measurements so that I can compare to mine. I have some homemade brackets welded on to my front spring plates that probably held some sort of plow at one point.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mbullism Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 2016 at 3:28pm
Whatever comes of it will be solely a function of the donor springs in the condition I found them, it's not like anything I did created arch, stiffness or capacity that wasn't there when I bought them...  

that said, my originals were obviously buggy whipped so almost anything will be an improvement- 


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mbullism Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 May 2016 at 11:48am
Time continues to be precious.  Had a funeral this weekend, family in from out of state in my house for three nights, and still managed some wrench time  ;) 

Well, the front springs are out, without "further" damage...THAT was a tussle.  I still have one shackle end stuck in an old spring, but the rolling frame i dismantled continues to save my arse with parts...

Old rear pivot bolts on the bottom, reclaimed pivot bolts at the top...
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plates and Ubolts waiting on paint... Gawd, I hate cleaning, lol...
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Got some new shackle seal rubber from Walks last week.  Between what I took off the '46 and salvaged from the rolling frame I'll be able to make up all the shackles I need, including the dreaded left hand threads, lol.  Hopefully clean up a set some night after work, get stuff in paint, and at some point next weekend my front feet should be back on the ground.  Fingers crossed.
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Did I mention I hate cleaning parts?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mbullism Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 May 2016 at 11:13pm
Got the front springs in, and bolted down... needs a grease and a run down the street.  LOOKs much happier, they sit with a positive arch, the shackles dont point straight forward...
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It was the end of a long day of other stuff, and frankly had to get to rolling to make room in the garage... early measurements are positive... the nose sits about an inch higher, but more importantly the lean is much better.  My understaning is the long main leafs go toward ride and height.  If that holds true ive only added one leaf.  The lower added leaf goes tords capacity when loaded... I think, lol.  The drivers side was about an inch lower measured at the front fender on a line through axle center...the difference now is a hair under a half an inch.  Not sure the whole story reveals itself until I swap the rears, though.

Am going to try to get back to it later today and finish buttoning up... balance of lug nuts, shocks, etc.  Will measure axle to frame then.  Was caught off guard by the u bolts being a touch short.  I recalled them sticking out of the nuts a bit, I had anticipated them being flush with two added leafs.  They're about 80 percent engaged, which I know is technically enough, and they torqued fine.  I see myself swapping the bolts from the salvage chassis in my future, but it'll keep.

Onward-
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mbullism Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 May 2016 at 11:15pm
So initial measurements (before the rear spring swap, which frankly will take a back seat to  my T90 swap, Kempton PA and Hillsboro NH... I have a stretch of time between Hillsboro and my family vacay in Duxbury mid august to catch up...)

The pre/post measurements are as follows:

slab to underside fender through centerline axle 

drivers side 31.5/32.5
pass side 32.375/33

Top of axle (bump stop shelf) to frame in front of bumpstop (at bump stop plate)

drivers side 2.875/4
pass side 3.25/4

I forgot to strip and paint the shock retention washers, so they are down stairs now...  Once I pop them in I'm goin around the block, though it may be midweek  ;)

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mbullism Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 May 2016 at 4:23pm
So the front springs are a rousing success   :)  It's nice out, so I just turned a 10 mile required trip to walmart into about a 40 mile joy ride with a stop at walmart, lol...

Who'dve thought that adding two leafs would add an inch, reduce lean and result in a softer, more civilized ride?  To be fair I did just add new gas charged shocks as well, but hitting a bump or a hole no longer elicits thoughts of whether my dental insurance is paid up   :D  

I'm going to wait on doing the rears for now, but am pondering whether to tackle a valve adjustment or T90 swap with so little (free) time between now and PA, and then again NH.  The gearbox is cranky and the throwout bearing wines a touch,  but they're "serviceable" so I'm thinking valve adjustment...

Right now I gotta mow, then new rear axle seals and brakes in the Taco...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mbullism Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 June 2016 at 6:12pm
Trying not to start anything too big before NH next weekend... leaky wheel cylinder, easy peasy right?.  The smallest seed can grow into the biggest nastiest PITA daylong struggle, lol...all you have to do is plant it  ;)  . What I continue to forget is that it's a safe bet that no matter where I go in the 46, somebody has been there before me.  Let's just say they were no indy car mechanic-

Only one wheel cylinder leaking up front, needed new shoes, and that meant pairs, so both sides...of bearing nuts chewed to ship, homemade castle nuts on the axles (and I'm not just talking hand cut slots homemade, I'm talking home ground hex facets so that a socket wont fit homemade, and no nice way to put a wrench on it down in the hub housing  :|  )  and two of four wheel cylinder bolt heads rounded off, and behind the "S" steel brake lines...which are stuck.... and on and on.  Nothing 10-12 hours won't fix, lol.  
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I'm about three hours to this point:

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if you look close, you can see where even the heads on the bottom adjusters are dog chewed...

Best part of the whole job?  Test drive to the beer store-

Then, as more of a tinkering while rehydrating thing, finally swapped out the pedals which have been driving me nuts... out with the old
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in with the much better
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Happy feet!  :D 

Edited by mbullism - 20 June 2016 at 2:29pm
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