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1982 CJ7 Limited Build

13K views 74 replies 11 participants last post by  82cj7ltd 
#1 ·
Hey all, just joined on here recently searching for advice and more local parts. figured i might as well post what I've torn down so far. dont have the very begining pics but good enough.

I'm somewhat mechanically inclined, but I will certainly need help along the way, as well as knowledge on replacement parts and identifying some of the current parts.

This was bought by a friend who had swapped out the original 258 (4.2) engine and 5? speed t5 trans for a rebuilt AMC 360 bored .030 over and either a Turbo Trans 350, or 400; I haven't been able to positively identify it yet. I matched up the #'s on the trans tag via google to a 350 turbo trans on corvettes in the 80's, so I'm thinking it's a 350.

It was running when I bought it, but those tubs weren't galvanized, and being so, I had a better view of the road through the floor than the windshield. :sonicjay:

Order of business:
1. Get tank out and cut all fuel lines (rusted out)
2. Remove brake lines
3. Remove all wiring as possible from engine
4. Get engine/trans removed
5. Blast frame and paint it
6. Get rear shackle mount brace welded on, then paint that.
7. Everything else


Need help on identifying various parts I have. Orionn has been a big help so far in general parts needed counseling and identification. Looking for a second opinion on whether or not I have a dana 300 t case.

I would have assumed so since it's stock, but he said the adapter kit is really expensive so I'm not sure now.

Anyway, forget all this :blah:

Here it is
 
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#46 ·
yea I've always thought the opposite cause I've always heard about death wobbles and all kinds of higher speed (highway) effects.

Apparently with a smaller lift though (2") and when it's done right, a spring lift is better. Higher body mount blocks aren't dangerous if they're done right, but it can cause re-alignment issues elsewhere, like with running all your lines and everything like that. So I'm considering one.

Separate question........ trying to figure out which tranny I have for sure. Yea I know it's a thm 400....... but I'm pretty sure my buddy told me it had overdrive........ which means it could be a 4L60 (700R4) or 4L60-e (electronic). I've found a bunch of miscellaneous pages on these trannies, but these two pages are pretty good.

http://www.fortdodgetransmission.com/tech-assistance/transmission-identification-gm/
http://www.fortdodgetransmission.com/tech-assistance/transmission-identification-gm-700-700e/#

the bottom half page of the first link and the very top and very bottom of the second link are the pertinent parts. Looks like the 4L60 had overdrive and the 4L60e had overdrive..... so...... until now I'd always read that the 4L60 was only a 3 speed..... but they think otherwise. Dare I hope???

There is so much conflicting info about thm 400's, 700r4's, which are apparently different names for the 4L60 and 4L60e, not to be confused with the 3L80e or the 4L80 (in trucks), that it kinda confuses me. Right now I guess I want to know whether it's possible to have a 4l60 with o.d......... and if not........ whether I have that or a 4l60e.

My trans tag is 3195528 if anyone can fully interpret that. First # is year I believe so 1993, which is the last year for the 4L60 which may or may not have o.d. according to various sources but I think it does. It's also the first year for the 4L60e (according to my interpretation of my sources).......... so I'm not really sure. Just kinda going in circles here. Any help?
 
#48 · (Edited)
Your TH400 is a three speed. Also the only GM automatic trans to be fitted with a bellhousing pattern that matches the AMC engine blocks.
A TH400 is a different animal than the 700r4, 4l60 and 4l60e family.
Those all have OD.
Your friend was incorrect about that Jeep having an OD automatic.
It did have OD when it had the 5speed.
 
#49 ·
Death wobble is usually caused by worn out parts or a serious steering angle problem.
A mild lift done with the correct parts should not cause it.
However, if you already have worn ball joints, loose tie-rod ends, sloppy spring or shackle bushings or sloppy bolt holes in the shackles/ mounts, a lift will change your center of gravity enough to make those worn parts cause death wobble.

I didn't mean to tell you that a mild (2in) body lift was a bad thing.
You asked which was better. A spring lift is better because it gives you more than just room for a taller tire.
It gives you more suspension travel (articulation) = better offroad ability.
Nothing wrong with a mild body lift as an inexpensive (stage one) stepping stone to building the rig you want on the budget you can afford.
My son once said he liked his Ranger's body lift because it made it easyer to power wash the mud off the drivetrain.
 
#50 · (Edited)
ok......... but now I just remembered my original issue with spring lifts........ wont it make my drive shaft angle too steep? It's just under 45* now, and my mechanic said that another 2" would make it too steep to operate both efficiently and vibration free. he said the angle could go anywhere from 65-75* at that point I believe, and that would be something I'd want to avoid.
 
#51 · (Edited)
here are the shots I have of my rear driveshafts angle. Not the greatest cause I wasn't trying to capture the angle of it, but rather the routing of the fuel & brake lines. and i forgot my camera the day I was removing my driveshafts and exhaust.

is this angle getting close to pushing the limits of reasonable with regards to r d-shaft angles?

would the change in angle brought about by a 2" suspension lift make that angle unreasonable? or at least where my u joints wouldn't last at all?

will a new driveshaft, such as one with a double-cardan joint be necessary for this to work?





 
#52 ·
The new lift springs should come with a small wedge shim to tip the pinion up a little.
I would run it that way. It should be fine if we're only talking 2" lift. If it vibrates or if you are considering more lift, Iwould buy or build 1" lift motor mounts to tilt the t-case down a little bit to match the angles better.
 
#54 ·
A constant velosity (CV) jointed drivrshaft would definatly help eliminate bad vibes, but remember, you'll have to tip the pinion up even more. It would have to be about in line with the d-shaft. A good fix if it's in the budget. I would try the cheep fix first if it's even needed.
 
#55 · (Edited)
A 400 looks nothing like a 700 r-4.

http://www.maliburacing.com/auto_tranny_id.htm

The 350 is shorter and has a bit more aftermarket support but with the 400 already in place there is no real need to swap in a 350.

The 400 does not have overdrive but that does not limit the function of this cj. Once this thing is driving if you find yourself getting annoyed by the high highway rpm's consider going to a 3.15 ratio or such. You will suffer a slight drop in acceleration but will prolong the entire drive lines life. For off road use you can look into installing a lomax 4/1 kit in that 300 along with a twin stick if you feel you want it at that time.

A 2" body lift is a good idea. You will need to relocate a few things and might want to consider a different steering shaft but it is worth doing.

As far as clearance goes though unless you want the slight added flex that a 2" spring lift will add there is really no need to put in a 2" spring lift. You can easily get the same amount of clearance by changing out fenders, flares, and opening up the tub slightly. Not only will you have better road manners then with a 2" spring lift. Your drive train will last longer and you will not NEED to swap in a CV shaft or mess around moving things around.
 
#57 · (Edited)
I’ve always thought a body lift would be a good idea, but no one else will agree…. Why? I’d guess it’s cause most people are heavy offroaders and they need more flexibility like a suspension lift gives them. I don’t think I’ll need the extra flex, but I guess I don’t know yet.


What else would I need besides longer fuel/brake lines and a different steering shaft? I was already thinking about getting a different shaft cause mine was just a tad surface rusted…… so I figured it was worth having a new one. How much extended would it need to be?

Why would my drivetrain last longer? Cause the drive shafts angle isn’t so high? If I swapped in a cv shaft, my drivetrain would be fine with a suspension lift, right?

Also, from what I'm told, I believe I'm running 2:73 gears right now......... so I should be fine on the highway. 3:15 gearing would give me better acceleration actually. what would you guess my rpms would be @ 70 with a 360 and thm 400?
 
#58 ·
A small body lift is not a bad idea. The problem is people get stupid with them and have a 6" body lift or such. On most of the kits out there the only thing holding the body on is bolts. The longer the bolts the greater the change they will shift or sheer in a crash. I would rather cut fenders to fit bigger tires then to add a lift. Part of that is I am just cheap at heart. I have tossed in a few hockey puck body lifts on junk rides. I always made sure to weld tabs to the frame then bolt the tabs to the body along with the cheap body lift bolts. It creates a bit more vibration but in a crash roll etc the body always stayed on and I credit the tabs to that not the bolts running through the hockey pucks.



The less angle you have in your drive shafts the longer the u joints, seals, and such will last. The more travel you have the higher chance of the pinion creating a situation where the angle is far off causing accelerated ware. If you just add a body lift your not changing the angle of your drive shafts. Your ride will remain the same. It will be better after you rebuild the spring pack and add some cheap shocks. The less rpm's your engine is turning the less wear it is creating(within the power curve). There is also a power loss with higher rpm's but I wont go into that. Lets say you have a 3000 stall and 3.15 gears running 33" tires. Your 1/2 shift is going to be around 40 and 2/3 is going to be around 60. Your going to have good acceleration around town while having around 2500 rpm on the highway.

With the stock 2.73 gears you may want to look at a 2500 stall to get close to the same shift points.

The problem is that your engine probably makes power from 2000-4000 so having it shift at the lower end of the power curve really waste a lot of the engines potential. I could be totally wrong maybe it is set up to be a torque monster and make power under 2500 making a 2500 stall perfect.

Play around with the gear ratio calculator for a while and see what makes you happy.
http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html

Here is some great tech that touches on drive shaft angles.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Driveshafts/
 
#59 ·
yea alright that lift stuff makes sense. grade 8 bolts aren't likely to shear though from what I've read. here's an article on grade 5 vs 8 fasteners. both pretty strong.

http://www.rockcrawler.com/techreports/fasteners/index.asp

engine speed info makes sense. honestly not sure if it's set up to be a torque monster tho. doesn't the stall converter make it need more power until it actually starts going? and now that you mention it...... idk if I even have a stall converter?? or at least Idk what it is if I do have one.
 
#60 ·
got some vht chassis and rollbar paint. self-primes, dries quickly so you can get more done. 6 coats/ hour. paid less than price below but still seems to be a good product and has good reviews.

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/j...roll-bar-chassis-paint-satin-black-11-oz-aero


obviously I'm supposed to remove the grease and wax before I start. they also want me to lightly sand the surface with 320 grit sandpaper or a red scotch brite pad. you can see the pics of my frame above; do I want to sand a little bit of that paint off, or if I mist the frame down with a spray bottle of acetone after cleaning it, will the paint bond with that?
 
#61 ·
still tryin to see if I can find a good fiberglass body with a tailgate cutout. I've heard of a lot of the advantages and cons to steel vs fiberglass bodies. Don't want to lose this next body to rust, but what would be a fair price to pay for a cj7 tub from down south with only a bit of rocker panel paint bubbling/rust?
 
#62 ·
trying to figure out what body type to go with........ how many think a cj is identified as such by it's tailgate, more specifically a fold down tailgate? Debating pretty hard on steel vs glass. Wonder if I could cut a tailgate out of the fiberglass one.... and just not put weight on it. so it could fold down and something could be loaded from the rear...... but just not like sitting on the tailgate since the fiberglass wouldn't be re-enforced?

any thoughts?
 
#63 ·
If you get a Glass tub, you can cut the tailgate into it, but you WILL need to weld up a reinforcement ring/sealing flange to epoxy/glass into the body. If you dont the body will flex and crack at the opening corners at the floor.
Not a hard job, but you do need to know a bit about glassing steel into the tub so it wont rot.
It sounds harder than it really is.
Then you just use a steel CJ tailgate.

Personally I like Glass tubs, but you need to add reinforcements, especially to the newer tubs.
If your going to hang full hard doors on a glass tub, you need to run an A-pillar reinforcment from hinge to hinge and then a tube to the other side behind the dash and tie it to the other A-pillar. Most people dont, but you will get racking in the body and develop cracks at the door hinges and the floor.
Another thing you need to do is build a subframe to mount the front seats to. it needs to be tied to the roll cage and the body mounts. As a safety benefit the seat belts also need to be tied into the subframe so it acts as a unit.
All of this is just as importat with you driving it on the street as it would be offroad.
If you have question, feel free to PM me, I'll help if I can.
 
#64 ·
If you get a Glass tub, you can cut the tailgate into it, but you WILL need to weld up a reinforcement ring/sealing flange to epoxy/glass into the body. If you dont the body will flex and crack at the opening corners at the floor.
Not a hard job, but you do need to know a bit about glassing steel into the tub so it wont rot.
It sounds harder than it really is.

Another thing you need to do is build a subframe to mount the front seats to. it needs to be tied to the roll cage and the body mounts. As a safety benefit the seat belts also need to be tied into the subframe so it acts as a unit.
are you for hire to do the above stated reinforcements to the glass tub if I get one? :naughty:
and what about your view on steel tubs? obviously, rust is a drawback. if I can find a clean tub though..... no reinforcing needed right?

how do you tie any of that stuff into the frame? Seats, rollcage, seatbelts etc. like how does the rollcage mount below the tub? do you weld an extension from the frame to the bottom of the rollcage mount plates? I understand the purpose, but not how it is actually done.

so putting a tailgate on a glass tub can be done. will the tailgate only be able to be mounted at that point, or can weight be put on it when it is down?
I haven't learned to weld...... I have some friends who do though. That's interesting. so you need a reinforcement piece at the corners of the tub where the tailgate is mounted so the fiberglass doesn't crack? that's what I thought it needed, but didn't know that solution would work. cool.
 
#65 ·
unfortunately no pics..... but I did get that frame pretty much all repainted yesterday. sprayed it with wax and grease remover, sanded with 400 grit, sprayed again, and put on 3 coats of vht chassis paint. looks good. only have to do the top now next weekend.
 
#66 ·
Had an interesting thought a few days ago..... The jeep already had 33's when I got it, and the body mount bolts and bushings I took out didn't look any longer than stock...... and my driveshaft angle was already a little steep....
I think I already have like a ~2" suspension lift..... That jeep couldn't fit 33's stock. Any thoughts?
 
#67 ·
been a little while, finally got the top side of the frame painted today. looks quite nice. next week I'll be cleaning the axles off and hopefully making this frame a rolling one.

For cleaning the rust, I'm told brushing phosphoric acid on and letting it sit for a few minutes will eat through the rust. only a couple minutes though or else it'll eat into the axle! Any thoughts on this?
 
#68 ·
got the rest of the frame painted over the weekend!! :rock:

I'm going to try and get the axles and suspension on the new frame this friday. so from what I'm told, if I get some phosphoric acid and spray it on the axle so it can eat through the rust (once I get it off the old frame) then it will be a lot easier for me to sand any remaining rust off the axles and then paint them.

anything to avoid? other than not rinsing them with water and letting the acid eat through the steel.
 
#69 ·
well.... it's been a while. I keep forgetting to take my camera with me when I go to work on the jeep. I have one little crummy picture from my phone though.

Long story short, I got both axles off the old frame, and just threw them on the new one real quick, didn't mount up the rear of the rear shackles or the front of the front. Just the front rear springs bolted in and the rear front ones.

Probably won't be able to get much more done before spring. Next step was going to be to de-rust the axles with acid, but they may get blasted eventually, I'm not sure.
Would blasting the axles take more metal off then I want? Or if I used a softer media that wouldn't affect it??

K so here's my lousy pic
 

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#70 · (Edited)
Other good news is.... I found a cj tub!! I think I'm going to be able to arrange for it to be picked up.... it's in Georgia!! :rock:

Unfortunately the top and hard doors were already sold by the time I saw the ad (lol i don't look in the atlanta craigslist very often). But it's a nice midnight blue color. No tailgate... but I think that when the time comes, if I still want it badly enough, I will be able to fab one up, or get help on it at least. Can't let that deter me from getting a body altogether. :sonicjay:

He says he has another front bumper like the one in the pic except stronger. I may look into that as well.

Anyone ever heard of a dash pad cover? He has a handful of them and says that
"it's like a hard plastic but thin, kinda like the old school halloween mask, only a little thicker. It just fits right over the original pad." It doesn't have the jeep logo on it, but I guess it protects the typical cracked dash. Not sure.

Here are pics of the tub and front clip, as well as the dash pad cover. Also I made the previous picture I posted a bit bigger. The rear tail lights are obviously not stock... but I've never seen any modded like that before? Anyone else? Look like they could be led's? :confused:
anyways.. :blah: here it all is.













 
#71 ·
nobody?

any opinions on whether I should go with the stock bumper that's just a steel bar.... or a tube bumper? I've always thought those tube bumpers were weaker for some reason. Like they look less strong than the stock on to me just because I feel like you'd pull the bumper right off the front of the jeep since it's so high up and far from where it's mounted.
I guess it depends if it's bolted on or welded.
 
#72 ·
Looks to be a fiberglass tub. And no those aren't stock lights. They look like recessed trailer LEDs. If you are looking for a tub, dmcjeep usually has some. Check with him since he is a lot closer than Atlanta. :sonicjay: As for bumpers, big tube bumpers are way out dated. I'd say save up and buy quality one from jcr or another Michigan fabrication company.
 
#73 ·
o yea.. i know its a fiberglass tub and that the tail lights aren't stock.... just was wondering if they were led's or not....
and I met a few people and made some connections and one of the connections is going to be heading down to georgia and picking up the tub for me.

He's already going to be down there, so he said he could pick it up since I helped him find a good deal on something else too.

hmmm so tube bumpers are outdated?? yea those rear bumpers on jcr look pretty cool..... but what about the front bumper?? I wasn't planning on putting a winch on it.... and all of those bumpers are built around winches.
 
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