Tear Down / Build Up

[mattstoy]

Hi guys.
First let me say a BIG thank you to all who make this website possible. I think I have finally found something to do online other then surf porn! I have been browsing this site for a good 6 months now and I am finally posting my first post. So….I recently purchased what I like to call Frankenstein. I actually bought it from a Mud member, who I think bought it form anther Mud member. Pretty sure this monster has been around. I am nick naming her Frankenstein, b/c every where I look I see parts from former cruisers. I bought her, knowing it would need some work but the body and frame were solid (for the most part anyways). I was hoping to get her running and drive it for a year two, then tear it down and restore/rebuild as needed. However, the more I think about the more I have come to realize that my best bet is to tear her down right off the back. I figure I could put $$ into get her running, but then have to just tear the new parts off later anyways. So, I want to get in and have a solid platform to build off of. Kind of kills my immediate fun with a cruiser, but I think overall it the best choice for the future life of this cruiser. So, basically I just wanted to introduce myself and also see if anyone can offer some tips/trick/suggestion for tearing down these beasts. I am planning on renting a storage shed (unless I can talk the wife into a garage addition. Still working that!) to store the pieces as they start coming off. I want to get it down to the frame and have it blasted and refinished. Then just start putting her back together, and refinishing/replacing as needed. So, looks like I am it for the long haul, but…. I could'nt think a better vehicle to be stuck with..haha. This is my first time attempting something like this & I have a few newbie questions that I listed below. I bought this truck for a learning experience & I am pretty handy with a wrench and I am pretty mechanically inclined, so I feel like this is something I can handle, however, I might be hitting you guys up for some advice and help along the way. Thanks again to everyone on this site.

#1 Is there any type of prep that needs to be done to the motor before I pull it and have it sit for a year or two?

#2 When pulling the body, it sounds (from previous threads) that the tub and cowl are 2 seperate sections. However, I can't see (havent received my factory service repair manual yet) where the 2 would have a seam where they meet. Is this something I need to cut? Can the tub and cowl be pulled as 1 peice?

#3 Now this is really a newbie question, but when pulling the engine, where do hook the chains of the puller to? The motor mounts?

Thanks again!

[apeterson]

#1 not really.... are you going to tear it apart??? if so drain the oil first... get an engine stand to put it on either way. then you will be able to move it

#2 no they are welded together. you can sepertate them at the seam if you want... see my build thread, not sure the page but you will see where I seperated them.

http://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series...-build-up.html

#3 I used the head bolts one time... some have said not to do that others have done it, it worked for me. if you are not taking off the head you will not be able to do that. I have also ran a chain from the alt. bolt hold on the pass side of the engine to the intake/exhaust bolt hole in the rear on the drivers side. both worked for me.

[nodaksn3]

I'd suggest that if you're going to let it sit for a while, change the oil and crank it over to get the oil circulated. Old oil has crap in it that will corrode the engine over time if left in there. Small detail, but...
I used the head bolts to lift mine out, then replaced the lifting lugs when I put it back together-got them from a friend. Good luck, Ned

[mike@dw]

Welcome and good luck.

[Coolerman]

You need the engine lift hooks. Go to the Wanted section post you want engine lift hooks for your year engine.




Oh boy! Another chance to show-off my engine!


They look like this...

[bsmith123]

http://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series...dy-mounts.html

Here's a link to my post on installing body mount-If you blow up the pic in paint I took a pic of the install instructions showing all the mount locations if you can't make them out in the post

Not the most detailed write up but you'll get the idea

there are 12 mounts with 4 across the very back and 4 on each side. One set of mounts have the bolt heads inside the tub the rest are on the bottom

pretty easy job to take all the mounts out a shorty wrech helps on 2 of the back bolts I sprayed with pb blaster a week ahead of time

once the 12 mounts are off the whole thing from the cowl back will lift off


The front just unbolts a piece at a time in about 30 minutes total no prob--again pb blaster for an easy removal

[mattstoy]

Apeterson, WOW! Nice work. You give me hope, haha. Great write up. As far as the motor, I dont plan on getting into it to much (atleast I hope not). I know its leaking around the oil pan, so at the most (again I hope) I will remove the pan and put a new gasket on there. Cowl question... Not that I would have a problem cutting it from the tub, but I guess i now have the question of why cut it? Why not just remove the tub and cowl as one peice? I havnet read the FSM yet, and maybe there is a reason in there. I am just in the planning stages, and going though all the thoughts in my head. Again Nice job on your rig!

[mattstoy]

Coolerman, thanks for the tip. I will definitly look at getting thoose hooks. BTW, if my motor looked like that, I would be finding every excuse I can to show it off too. Looks great!

[apeterson]

dont know how far you went into my thread but I put an alum tub on there so that is the only reason to take it off... if you are keeping your body DO NOT remove it... take it off as one piece or you will never get it lined up correctly again... lots of people will put a brace in there if they do that before they start doing body work.

for sure change that oil pan gasket when you have the engine out... make sure you buy OEM cork gasket...

[mattstoy]

Bsmith, thanks for the info. I was looking at the instruction you had on your thread, and dosent look to bad.

[mattstoy]

Apeterson,
When you say dont remove it. Are you refering to the entire body, or just the cowl section. My plan was to get the body off to have it blasted and coated. I am also thinking it would make it a lot easier to get at the trany and transfer, as I know they need some new seals as well. I was hoping to get them out and basically take them somewhere to have them given a detailed once over, by driven mechanic.

[apeterson]

I mean dont seperate them... take the whole thing off as one piece

[mattstoy]

ohhh, I gotcha. thanks!

[mattstoy]

Ok, finally have some time to put up some pics. Got the Hardtop off, with the help from a buddy. Again a learning experience, as I didn’t know the top had 8”+ poles that held it into the tub. But we muscled it out, and only broke one thing. That was the beer bottle I had left on the work bench! I was planning on removing the fiberglass from the metal sides, but gave up on that after I broke off the first 3 bolts I tried. However that was before I discovered the magical workings of Kroil! I have since stored the top at my Moms, but plan to soak the bolts real good in Kroil the next time I fool with the top. I would like to see if a body shop can fix the rusted rear sills. But that is way down the road.

[mattstoy]

After the hardtop was off, my 3yr old had just woke up from his nap. Haha, he came out in the Garage and said. “Daddy the Jeep (I know, I know, he calls it the 4 letter word, but I am working with him on that) Looks cool like that, and wanted to go for a ride. So, I figure it will probably be the last time it runs for yrs, so I took around the back yard a few times. Parked it back in the garage and while drinking a beer thought to myself...hmmmm, wonder if the windshield would fold now. Gave it a gentle tug and…SNAP! Both hinges broke right in two. After getting the windshield to stand on its own, I looked at the hinges and then saw that the PO had welded the hinges (I am guessing because the windshield is a diff yr then the tub) and I broke the welds when I gave her the tug. Live and learn!

[mattstoy]

My process is going sort of slow, as I only really get 1 night a week to dedicate to serious work. But, after the top, I tore into the front end. Got the hood removed, left side engine skirting, fender and some other misc piece part removed. Took me a week to get 2 bolts out. One was a bolt that mounts the fender to the frame and the other was a bolt that mounts the fender to the Cowl. Both took lots lube, heat, and finally a bit of persuasion from a 2ft long pipe, I put on the end of wrench (Redneck engineering) for leverage.

I then moved to the other side, and did the same removing the skirting and fender. That side went a lot quicker and I had time to start removing items from the fire wall, such as the fan assemble. It was late and I didn’t want to get into removing the master cylinder and clutch cylinder that night, so I went inside and removed the gas tank, then called it a night.

[mattstoy]

Following week, I got the brake booster & master cylinder off along with the clutch cylinder and also disconnected the throttle linkage. Move back to the inside to remove the pedal assemblies and steering column and then called that a night.

[mattstoy]

So, this brings me pretty much up to date. I have disconnected hard brake & clutch lines still mounted to the fire wall, removed the switches & cluster, basically stripping down the cowl, removed the transmission and transfer case covers inside the tub, and now have all the body mount bolts removed (most with the help of a sawzall) waiting on some help to lift the tub off. Oh yeah, I plan to rewire the whole truck, so wiring removal is pretty easy going along the way. I am keeping the connectors (what’s left of 30yrs of hacking) in the slightest chance I might re use them. I have a few more pics with the cowl stripped and transmission cover off, but they are still on the camera which is in the wife’s trucks! WIll try and post later as I know how everyone loves pics!

[mattstoy]

last 2!

[3doghouse]

That's a cool supervisor.

[mattstoy]

Tub is off! I have to say, I am happy with what I see as far as the condition of the frame. The body, has alot more "spots" then i would have thought, but most is from where the PO cover the rusted parts with new metal. Not sure why if he was going to take the time to weld in new, why he never cut out the old? Oh well, overall I am still happy with what I am seeing. Could always be worse

[mattstoy]

pics ddint make it... here