IN OCTOBER WILL MARK 2 YEARS SINCE I PURCHASED THE JEEP FROM HELL.
NEEDLESS TO SAY IT HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS UNDERTAKING. I BOUGHT IT
THINKING THAT I COULD RESTORE IT AND SINCE IT ALREADY HAD THE LIFT,
33X15.50X15 SWAMPER TSL/SX TIRES AND NEW AQUAMAX TRAIL SEATS AND CUSTOM
DASH WITH AUTOMETER GUAGESI FIGURED I HAD SOMETHING TO START WITH. WHEN
I STARTED WORKING ON THIS JEEP, NOTHING WORKED. ABOUT THE ONLY THINGS I
HAVENT CHANGED ARE THE PARTS I JUST MENTIONED, HELL, I EVEN HAD TO
REPLACE TO GUAGES, TWO FUEL SENDING UNITS(NO GAS READING),(NO TRIP) A
SPEDOMETER GEARIN THE TRANSFER CASE TO BRING THE MILES UP FROM ZERO,
AND THE WATER TEMP GUAGE. PLUS I GAVE THE GUY A POS 85 NISSAN DATSUN
WITH 280K AND IT WASNT MY PROUDEST MOMENT IN AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY. I SAW
THE JEEP AND GAVE THE GUY ALL OF MY HARD EARNED CASH, 2000+ THE
TRUCK(700.00) PLUS THE AGREEMENT TO PAY HIM 500 MORE. EVERY TIME I
DROVE IT SOMETHING ELSE BROKE. IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO PAY HIM BACK. I
DONT EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH I HAVE IN THIS BEAST. WHEN I STARTEDI WAS THE
SHOPS BIT@#, NOW 1000 PARTS LATER I AM A DECENT MECHANIC. BUT i AM AT
THE END OF MY ROPE WITH THIS CJ AND I AM NOWHERE NEAR RESTORED. AFTER
ONE PIECE AT A TIME REPLACING NUMEROUS PARTS IN MY FRONT END I STILL
DONT FEEL SAFE ENOUGH TO LET ANYONE ELSE DRIVE IT, NOW THAT I BOUGHT AN
XJ I FEEL SAFER LEAVING MY CJ PARKED INCASE I WIN THE LOTTERY, IN WHICH
CASE I WILL JUST ORDER EVERY PART NEW FROM THE CATALOG THAT I CAN THINK
OF.
I STARTED WITH A SET OF POLYURETHANE BUSHINGS FOR THE SHAKLES WHICH ARE
HEAVY DUTY AND LARGER THAN STOCK. THIS HELPED ABOUT 5% OF MY PROBLEM.
THEN I PUT THE BUSHING ON MY STEERING SHAFT. I MIGHT AS WELL HAVE SPIT
INTO THE WIND.
I TIGHTENED THE WHEEL BEARINGS, THIS HELPED
I TOOK IT IN FOR A MUFFLER AND THE GUY TELLS ME MY WORM GEAR IS WORN
OUT IN MY STEERING BOX. I HAD JUST REPLACED MY TIE RODS, DRAG LINK AND
MY BALL JOINTS WERE GOOD, BUT IM STILL LOOSE. SO
I GET A NEW BOX, STILL LOOSE. THEN THE PRESIDENT OF SOUTHERN MUDDERS
TELLS ME THAT MY STEERING GEOMETRY IS ALL OUT OF WHACK. SO I DRIVE THE
THINK LIKE IM IN WORLD WAR TWO, BUT I DONT CARE, CUZ IF IT BREAKS, THEN
AT LEAST I KNOW "THATS WHAT I KNOW I NEED TO FIX" INSTEAD OF WHATS THAT
NOISE?" I GET A DROP PIT MAN ARM, STILL, HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. I AM
DRIVING IT LIKE MACGYVER AND TRYING TO KEEP THIS THING ON THE ROAD. I
LOST MY CARBUERATOR BECAUSE THE SCREWS VIBRATED OUT, SO I HAD TO RIG
SOME SORT OF BRAKE HOLD DOWN PIN FASTENING SYSTEM. HALF WAY BETWEEN
SOUTH CAROLINA AND MIAMI. NOW IM IN MIAMI AND IM STUCK HERE. I HAVE A
XJ THAT NEEDS WORK, AND A CJ THAT NEEDS A BULLET, BUT I JUST CANT BRING
MYSELF TO ADMIT IT. I ALMOST LOST MY STEERING BOX, SO I PUT A BIG DADDY
OFF ROAD STEERING BRACE. NO MORE F'ING AROUND, IM BUILDING THIS RIG TWO
WITHSTAND A NUCLEAR ATTACK.
SO I PUT ALL OF THIS AND IM STILL DANCING, BUT ITS ALOT BETTER. THE
STEERING WHEEL IS TIGHT FOR THE MOST PART, BUT THE SHACKLES ARE LOOSE
AGAIN. PLUS MY REAR SPRING PERCH WAS BROKEN. PROBABLY NOT GOOD SO
FEARING FOR MY LIFE I TAKE IT THE GUY WITH A WELDER AND WE PUT IT BACK
TOGETHER LIKE HUMPTY DUMPTY. I DONT KNOWIF MY TIRES ARE SEPARATED OR MY
RIMS ARE BENT OR IS THE ABSENCE OF A STEERING STABILIZER REALLY CAUSING
ME THAT MUCH OF AN ISSUE. I HIT A BUMP AND I HOLD ON, THE POWER
STEERING WASNT EVEN HOOKED UP WHEN I FIRST GOT THE DAMN THING SO MY
ARMS ARE PRETTY STRONG. THE STABILIZERS WERE JUST WRONG, I MEAN WITH
THE LIFT, THE NORMAL PITMAN ARM,THE DRAG LINK AT A 50 DEGREE ANGLE, IT
LOOKED LIKE A FIVE YEAR OLD WITH AN ETCH-A-SKETCH DESIGNED IT.
I JUST LOST MY TRANSFER CASE, NO MOW IM STUCK IN 2WD. I CANT EVEN GO
OFF ROAD. I NEED NEW TIRES. MY WINDSHIELD IS BUSTED. MY EXHAUST LEAK IS
GETTING WORSE BUT IM WAITING FOR MY DOUBLE BARREL INTAKE AND HEADERS
BEFORE I YANK IT ALLOUT OF THERE AND PUT MY NEW GASKETS IN THERE.
ASWELL AS A DOUBLE BARREL CARB. THE BOTER IS CLACKING THEN IT STOPS, MY
CLUTCH ROD IS WELDED SO THERE IS NO MORE ROOM FOR ADJUSTMENT, IF I FIND
THE SOB THAT SOLD ME THIS FRANKENSTIEN CONTRAPTION( DONT EVEN MENTION
THE ELECTRICAL OR THE MISMATCHED TAILLIGHTS POOORLY WELDED FLOOR PANS
OR THE WELDED SHUT WINDOW FRAME. THE HARD TOP I JUST TOOK OFF AS WELL
AS THE DOORS BECASUSE THEY DIDNT REALLY KEEP OOUT THE ELEMENTS AND THEY
NEEDED MORE WORK THAN MY JEEP. I DONT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO REALLY ASK,
THIS IS GOOD THERAPY FOR ME TO GET ALL OF THIS OUT,I DONT EXPECT THAT
ANYONE REALLY EVEN READS ALL THIS CRAP, BUT HEY, WHAT THE HELL HAVE I
GOT TO LOSE. THIS JEEP HAS MORE ISSUES THAN JIMMY CARTER HAD PILLS.
DOES ANYONE KNOW IF A DANA 20 WILLMATE TO A T150? AREANY PARTS FROM A
92 CHEROKEE GOOD FOR ANYTHING ON A 76 CJ, INLINE 6 (CANT TELL IF ITS A
232 OR 258-BUT I SAY 258 JUST BECAUSE I FEEL BETTER ABOUT SAYING ITS
BIGGER. MAYBE IM CLOSER THAN I THINK TO GETTING THIS JEEP CLOSE TO
WHERE ITS CONSIDERED DONE. A BRAKE PROB VALVE, A WINDSHIELD AND FRAME,
SOME WELDING, NEW STEERING STABILIZER, REVERSE SHACLE KIT AND NEW
BUSHINGS, A T15 TRANNY AND WIDE TRACK AXLES, INTAKE HEADER AND DOUBLE
BARREL CARB, A PAINTJOB, NEW TIRES AND OR POSSIBLY RIMS,MAYBE JUST
STEAL A DODGE RAM AND TAKE HIS HEMI AND DRIVE TRAIN(JUST A THOUGHT)
DROP IN RUBBER LINER, STEEL HALF DOORS AND A NICE BLACK SOFT TOP, A
STEREO ONCEI HAVE FIXED ALL OF THE NOISES, MAYBE A CENTER CONSOLE, AND
HELL WHILE IM AT IT A BEAUTIFULL WIFE AND A WHITE PICKET FENCE
i LOVE THIS TRUCK BUT ITS BEEN A TREASURE HUNT. I CANT GIVE UP ON IT,
BUT I JUST AM RUNNING OUT OF IDEAS. AND MONEY. AND TIME. ANY HELP WITH
THE SHACLES, I THINK MAYBE MY U BOLTS ARE DONE, THEY WERE SEIZED
SHUTAND FELT LIKE THEY WERE AT THE POINT OF BREAKING. MY DRUMS ARE ALL
NEW, SO THEY DONT REALLY CHATTER, HELL, ONCE I GET THAT PROP VALVE
FIXED IT WILL ACTUALLY STOP FRETTY DAMN GOOD.
I WILL WRITE THE SEQUEL TO THIS NOVELIF ANYONE CARES TO RESPOND OR IS
STILL AWAKE AT THIS POINT,THANKS FOR READING.