- Thread starter
- #301
Was able to layout spots for 3 USB/12V plugs on the lower portion of the dash. Drilled the holes and added 10-24 threaded nutserts
Builds ‘68 M715, AKA "Smokey" (Can I post this Jeep on MUD?) (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Rock40
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #302
This M715 never had grill of any sort, just a great gaping hole open to the radiator. Maybe the grill was lost years ago, who knows 
Wanting to avoid jamming a stick right through a very expensive radiator, I picked up some 316 stainless expanded metal. Then, I replaced the 5 factory sheet metal tabs with much heavier 1/8” units
Formed the expanded metal a bit with a sanding wheel, TIG welded some stainless 3/8-16 nuts on the backside and…
It came out pretty well. The metal has a bit of a curvature to it when the fasteners get tightened up and it’s VERY solid
Wanting to avoid jamming a stick right through a very expensive radiator, I picked up some 316 stainless expanded metal. Then, I replaced the 5 factory sheet metal tabs with much heavier 1/8” unitsFormed the expanded metal a bit with a sanding wheel, TIG welded some stainless 3/8-16 nuts on the backside and…
It came out pretty well. The metal has a bit of a curvature to it when the fasteners get tightened up and it’s VERY solid
- Thread starter
- #303
It's NP205 time.... Thx for the photo bombing Kaiser!
Fortunately Mark and I label all this stuff when it comes apart. Years later I’d have no clue what it came out of. This 205 is from an ‘89 Chevrolet K30 crewcab truck from Fairbanks, AK. It was a former Alyeska Pipeline truck with a 6.2 liter diesel. This case has the more desirable large input bearing
Oil looked good....
It’s apart. Internals look great but for some odd reason the inside of the 205 case is rusty. Easy fix, I’ll take that over junk internals
Fortunately Mark and I label all this stuff when it comes apart. Years later I’d have no clue what it came out of. This 205 is from an ‘89 Chevrolet K30 crewcab truck from Fairbanks, AK. It was a former Alyeska Pipeline truck with a 6.2 liter diesel. This case has the more desirable large input bearing
Oil looked good....
It’s apart. Internals look great but for some odd reason the inside of the 205 case is rusty. Easy fix, I’ll take that over junk internals
- Thread starter
- #304
Washed...
Found the factory tag, looks like it might actually be an ‘84 case that had been swapped into the ‘89 truck at some point. Either way, it still has the large 90mm input bearing
Blasted and nearly ready for paint and reassembly. Flat surfaces got smoothed with a DA
AND rust free internally
Found the factory tag, looks like it might actually be an ‘84 case that had been swapped into the ‘89 truck at some point. Either way, it still has the large 90mm input bearing
Blasted and nearly ready for paint and reassembly. Flat surfaces got smoothed with a DA
AND rust free internally
- Thread starter
- #305
So here’s some input shaft comparison. The middle shaft is a new “Fat Shaft” from Off-Road Design. Left shaft is from this case and the right shaft is from a different 205 altogether. The left shaft is internally splined. Note that the ORD shaft is far bigger and more robust. And this is a fully synchronized case which I don't actually want. I'll be swapping out all the front output shaft components
Another ORD shaft on top, OEM 205 on the bottom. The goal is brute strength, all the internal shafts are being replaced/upgraded
Another ORD shaft on top, OEM 205 on the bottom. The goal is brute strength, all the internal shafts are being replaced/upgraded
- Thread starter
- #306
Shifting gears a bit…
I’ve been putting off the sheet metal and rocker replacement because I dislike body work so much. Time to just get it over with
It’s pretty hard to find panels for this vintage FSJ. We had ordered rockers from BJ’s off-road but the fitment was TERRIBLE. None of the contours matched the original lines and they are made in Taiwan. After going back and forth with them, they admitted they were aware of some fitment problems and were “working on it”. Over 6 months later with no progress, my buddy just bent some up locally. I still needed to use the cab corner and pillar from BJ’s tho, fortunately, those pieces were ballpark close. No where near great, but close enough after cutting some of the bends and contours out
I’ve been putting off the sheet metal and rocker replacement because I dislike body work so much. Time to just get it over with
It’s pretty hard to find panels for this vintage FSJ. We had ordered rockers from BJ’s off-road but the fitment was TERRIBLE. None of the contours matched the original lines and they are made in Taiwan. After going back and forth with them, they admitted they were aware of some fitment problems and were “working on it”. Over 6 months later with no progress, my buddy just bent some up locally. I still needed to use the cab corner and pillar from BJ’s tho, fortunately, those pieces were ballpark close. No where near great, but close enough after cutting some of the bends and contours out
- Thread starter
- #307
Front panel support...
Rear rocker cut down to match interior panel contours
“B” pillar cut down to size, fitted and tack welded
Fully welded and sanded/blended down at the seams
Welded rocker, I’ll add the cab corner later
Rear rocker cut down to match interior panel contours
“B” pillar cut down to size, fitted and tack welded
Fully welded and sanded/blended down at the seams
Welded rocker, I’ll add the cab corner later
- Thread starter
- #308
Got a bit closer today and managed to finesse the driver cab corner into place!
Reinforced the interior of the “B” pillar
Made supports for the upper part of the cab corner
One example of many regarding how poorly these panels fit. The original 90 degree break in the sheet metal left the panel WAY too long to correctly line up with the flange inside the cab. So, you cut the panel down and weld a length of steel in lengthwise so things actually line up
Reinforced the interior of the “B” pillar
Made supports for the upper part of the cab corner
One example of many regarding how poorly these panels fit. The original 90 degree break in the sheet metal left the panel WAY too long to correctly line up with the flange inside the cab. So, you cut the panel down and weld a length of steel in lengthwise so things actually line up
- Thread starter
- #309
It’s in, not fully welded yet
Correctly getting it to line up as best as possible required my wife pushing the hell out of it in several places as I tacked it into place. The Taiwanese steel is also a joy to weld on, just full of impurities
Correctly getting it to line up as best as possible required my wife pushing the hell out of it in several places as I tacked it into place. The Taiwanese steel is also a joy to weld on, just full of impurities
- Thread starter
- #310
Moving on to something less tedious than sheet metal work.
1.5” spacers arrived from Wheeladapter.com These are machined from Timken steel and use a 10.9 wheel stud. MUCH stronger than OEM.
These were needed to give us a bit more clearance at extreme articulation as the tire is quite close to the coil over
The fit was excellent, these are a very quality spacer
1.5” spacers arrived from Wheeladapter.com These are machined from Timken steel and use a 10.9 wheel stud. MUCH stronger than OEM.
These were needed to give us a bit more clearance at extreme articulation as the tire is quite close to the coil over
The fit was excellent, these are a very quality spacer
- Thread starter
- #311
Monkeying with the exhaust again.
Added quick disconnect flanges to all 3 ends of the cross over pipe
Stainless flex joint and Borla muffler…
Snaking it through the cross member, this is a full 3” exhaust from the headers back
Stainless hangers with insulators, again used weld in nutserts to mount them
2nd Borla muffler and a bit of tube, this gets the exhaust out and over the rear axle with room to spare at full bump. Little more exhaust to go tho
Added quick disconnect flanges to all 3 ends of the cross over pipe
Stainless flex joint and Borla muffler…
Snaking it through the cross member, this is a full 3” exhaust from the headers back
Stainless hangers with insulators, again used weld in nutserts to mount them
2nd Borla muffler and a bit of tube, this gets the exhaust out and over the rear axle with room to spare at full bump. Little more exhaust to go tho
- Thread starter
- #312
Got the whole exhaust mess in. It’s tacked and has support brackets, just needs to come out for final welding
LOTS of bends. This piece gets the exhaust up and over the rear frame rail
3rd Borla muffler, right under the bed and just behind the 14B axle. 3 mufflers? Since neither one of us are 16 years old anymore I’d rather hear the conversation than listen to the exhaust drone away. It’ll be stealthy, HA! If I sneak up on you out on the trail you’ll know why
Rear dump exits just behind the passenger rear tire
It’s up and out of the way, it’ll be mostly covered when I add the rear bumper extensions
LOTS of bends. This piece gets the exhaust up and over the rear frame rail
3rd Borla muffler, right under the bed and just behind the 14B axle. 3 mufflers? Since neither one of us are 16 years old anymore I’d rather hear the conversation than listen to the exhaust drone away. It’ll be stealthy, HA! If I sneak up on you out on the trail you’ll know why
Rear dump exits just behind the passenger rear tire
It’s up and out of the way, it’ll be mostly covered when I add the rear bumper extensions
- Thread starter
- #313
Moving on to finishing out the rear suspension. Need to set the King bumpstops in for good and determine the limit strap length
This is full stuff driver with the passenger side coil over fully dropped/extended. Essentially the wheel hub is on the floor
Perfect fit!!
Blue towel roll is simulating the coil over, it’s the same diameter. Very close clearance to both the tub, fender and coil over
This is full stuff driver with the passenger side coil over fully dropped/extended. Essentially the wheel hub is on the floor
Perfect fit!!
Blue towel roll is simulating the coil over, it’s the same diameter. Very close clearance to both the tub, fender and coil over
- Thread starter
- #314
Rear bumps are in, what a pain. Apparently it’s a well documented issue that the King bumpstop cans distort when they are welded, which makes it impossible to get the bump in and out of the can. After fighting this for a bit, I had a friend machine up an aluminum slug to help keep the can round
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- #315
Full droop. Quite a bit
Ride height. About 1” of up travel before the axle begins to hit the bump. Bumps have 2.5” of travel
Ride height. About 1” of up travel before the axle begins to hit the bump. Bumps have 2.5” of travel
- Thread starter
- #316
Couple of small things
Mounted the Hole Herse floor switch for the headlight High/Low beams
Fully waterproof and tucked up behind the inner fender
Mounted the Hole Herse floor switch for the headlight High/Low beams
Fully waterproof and tucked up behind the inner fender
- Thread starter
- #317
Cut up some chunks of DOM to make rear frame reliefs. At max droop, the coils were JUST making contact with the outside of the frame
Of course there just had to be a nasty old chunk of frame or leaf spring support right where it needed to go
Relief pieces, they are .120 wall
Done on the driver side, passenger side needs the same
Of course there just had to be a nasty old chunk of frame or leaf spring support right where it needed to go
Relief pieces, they are .120 wall
Done on the driver side, passenger side needs the same
- Thread starter
- #318
Got the passenger side coil notch completed today
Blasted through the frame….
Welded and DA sanded
Sanded and blended out the driver side notch also
Fairly minimal intrusion into the frame once it’s all welded back up
Blasted through the frame….
Welded and DA sanded
Sanded and blended out the driver side notch also
Fairly minimal intrusion into the frame once it’s all welded back up
- Thread starter
- #319
Planning ahead for the rear sway bar. We are going with a custom length Sway A Way
Bar should sit where the blue sharpie line is and have room to articulate upwards to max bump
Unfortunately about 1/2 of the factory bed mount has to be chopped off since it extends outboard of the frame
See ya!!
I’m officially past the point of fretting about slicing bits off the frame. Just when I think I’m done I end up hacking off more
Bar should sit where the blue sharpie line is and have room to articulate upwards to max bump
Unfortunately about 1/2 of the factory bed mount has to be chopped off since it extends outboard of the frame
See ya!!
I’m officially past the point of fretting about slicing bits off the frame. Just when I think I’m done I end up hacking off more
- Thread starter
- #320
Got all the nonsense holes plugged in on the driver side, used 1” round tube caps
Cleaned off the old mount in preparation for gusseting it again. Using 1/2”-13 welded nutserts
Part of the old mount. The hole is far too large and the bed was obviously loose. All the holes are hogged out
Used an oval tube cap, drilled it to just over 1/2” and welded it in with the correct offset so everything lines up
Gusseted mount, upper mount shortened and welded back in. Uses poly CJ5 body mounts
Last of the old spring hanger bolt holes filled in with silicone bronze
Cleaned off the old mount in preparation for gusseting it again. Using 1/2”-13 welded nutserts
Part of the old mount. The hole is far too large and the bed was obviously loose. All the holes are hogged out
Used an oval tube cap, drilled it to just over 1/2” and welded it in with the correct offset so everything lines up
Gusseted mount, upper mount shortened and welded back in. Uses poly CJ5 body mounts
Last of the old spring hanger bolt holes filled in with silicone bronze
