Some pics as it currently sits. ( sort of its got new Duratrac tires now )

 

Oh boy.. yea even the big bolts, have the nuts welded on. This will be interesting( i guess cutting the head off will be easier ), a Grinder wont fit in there, my Sawzall "might" I do have a milwaukee rotary with cutoff disks that might be the only thing that fits up in there.

Is it just me or is welding a nut on instead of using a lock washer or lock nut about the dumbest thing ever? First time I have ever seen this lol.

 

Might have been his anti theft device😆

 

Nice looking Jeep!
Ive never seen anyone weld the nuts to a bolt like that either, youre probably on the right track about cutting them off.. bumper then winch.

Dont give away that hard top. If youre 100% sure you 'll never want it, sell it! Thats close to a grand of parts money

 

If you can get to the bolts that fasten the gear be box to the frame, you should be able to get the gear down and unhook the lines then.
An oxy/acetylene torch would be a lot easier to get the winch bolts out…

 

I've replaced pitman arm seals before, they aren't that hard. Biggest obstacle is getting the pitman arm off. A seal puller will extract the old seal fairly easy.
As to the welded bolts, if you can get a grinder on to nut just grind the bolt end flush to the nut (may have to grind a bit on the nut too), then wrench it off.

 

I've replaced pitman arm seals before, they aren't that hard.

I watched some videos on that doesn't look bad, mines not leaking from that seal, but from the other seal that goes to the steering wheel.

Seemed easier to just buy a new re-built box since I have to take it out anyway.. and fix my old one as a spare or something.

 

A die grinder would take those tack welds off very fast. Not an issue, if you have a die grinder and access to the nuts. If not an option, oxy/acet torch next best option. Can rent a small portable if you don't have. Oxy/Acet torch (hot wrench). What's the old saying? Hard to be seized if it's liquid .

 

You can reseal the input shaft seal of the power steering box with it in the jeep. You just have to get what’s called the plug out . The seal is in it. And you have to premark everything first and foremost. Unless you just want to roll with the renegade box you have

 

You can pop those nuts off the old school way with a chisel & BFH. Split it along the side and it will give way. Dremel works to get most of a cut, then finish near mounting surface with chisel.....if you can get to it.

 

This will work on the 1st smaller bolts he presented

(They're only welded to themselves)

Put a boxed end wrench on the hard to get to side and

use a 1/2 drive socket (and extension?) with a breaker bar on the

EZer to get to side---The bolts will twist and break off!

This might possibly work on the other bolts, the weld may snap off,

and you unscrew it the rest of the way.

----JEEPFELLER

 

This will work on the 1st smaller bolts he presentet

----JEEPFELLER

Thanks @JEEPFELLER ,

Yep my mid torque 1/2 in drive Milwaukee impact ( I didn't use a breaker bar, well I did on the nut didn't have a box end wrench large enough just 2 impact sockets. ) ripped right through the welds in the nut...on the smaller ones.

It got close to getting the big 1 1/8" nut off but its stuck now at the end. If I had the high torque impact it probably would have done it. I just have the compact and mid.

But at least I got the bumper off and have some access now and the bolt is mostly off so there is tons of room to just use my Sazwzall or something to cut the rest of the bolt off.. should be able to get the rest off tonight after work.

Also Looking at this bumper.. I think it must have been a kit with this winch mount and not a stock bumper?. I sorta wanna remove this old winch, but I don't think this bumper will go back on the frame the way it is supposed to mount stock without the winch mount plate stuff.

Either have to fab something( mounts of some sort), or maybe get a new bumper. ( Hopefully something not too extravagant, I want to keep this thing looking mostly original ish.. but I may put a modern synthetic rope winch on it. )

 

Also besides the leaks here and there that I'm working on.

Its also sitting kinda like a stink bug. There isn't really any rust on the frame. Not sure how, its just dirty but I haven't found any rust on it. must have lived its whole life here in Oregon, and not by the coast lol.

But the leaf springs look a bit rusty and the bushing on them are shot. I should probably replace those at some point. Shocks are probably ancient too. But I'm clueless. I don't really care to lift it but if it sat level again and not tail high that would be nice. Any suggestions?

 

I have a spring shop nearby that I use that is pretty reasonable. If you do you can take the whole Jeep there and have the springs re-arced, bushing done and shocks. Or you could R&R the springs yourself and take them there.

 

Random google searches for cj7 winch bumpers.. I like this one.

Rock Hard 4x4™ Narrow Width Legendary Front Bumper for Jeep CJ5, CJ7, CJ8, YJ, TJ and LJ 1976 - 2006 [RH-4001]

www.rockhard4x4.com

 

Wrangler and CJ Front Winch Bumper | TheDirtworx
about $100 less

 

Thats a pretty hefty winch and mount... I wouldnt be suprised if once you remove them, a large part of the front end sitting low was resolved.

 

I got big Birtha off!... you were correct, front raised up a bit after removing the big girl off the front bumper.

Forgot to measure or take pics but it raised a bit for sure. Still probably stink bugging a bit though.

The carnage ( I don't think i'm putting any of this back on anyway - Note I did not actually need to remove the small bolt, but wanted to see if my impact would snap the welded nut off.. it did )

Also yea, that front bumper wont go back on without mods, it bolts to the sides of the winch mounting plate, it has no way to mount to the top of the frame like a stock bumper I think mounts. Whatever I think I'm going to order a new bumper anyway. ( I should just make my own, but lol I don't have time and can only just weld )

 

A strategically well placed "Big Gal" will also balance out your Jeep's

levelness.

-----JEEPFELLER

 

Looks better without that imho..
You mentioned the spring and shackle bushings are shot and need replaced, that would be my next step in seeing how its actually gonna sit.
Post some pics of the rear suspension , lets see if theres something thats obvious causing the rake.

 

Looks better without that imho..
You mentioned the spring and shackle bushings are shot and need replaced, that would be my next step in seeing how its actually gonna sit.
Post some pics of the rear suspension , lets see if theres something thats obvious causing the rake.

I agree. it does look better without the huge old Ramsey on there.

Here is a video and some pics, sorry I'm not sure what to take pics of and its hard to take pics under there. It looks like it has KYB shocks of some sort.

Also it is on a left tilt that I just noticed when you had me go post pics. Measured from top of rear tire to fender flair the left side is about 3/4 - 1" lower than the right for whatever reason.

The front though for sure raised up after removing the giant winch.

FRONT ( they are covered in fluid and other nonsense from me cutting those bolts off so my saw wouldn't get super hot lol ) - but those bushings or whatever that rubber is looks done for to me?

Passenger Rear

DRIVER REAR

 

Changed the oil on the jeep for the first time since I got it.. found 2 sources of some of the leaks lol.

1) Oil drain plug was basically finger tight with some weird rubber washer that didn't fit at all. ( I put a new plug that came with some blue gasket/washer.. some random thing from local auto parts store but at least its new )
2) Oil filter was also hardly on i took it off with like 2 fingers.

Looks to be a running theme, I see stuff coming from the manual transmission plugs too like seeping from those. I'll get those next, and the transfer case ( changing all the oils ). clean it up and then see where the leaks actually are.

 

About the Tilt to the Left. I measured to a ton of places. Bumpers, body, tires to fender flares. After measuring. its like maybe 1/2" if even that that lower on the left( drivers ). Optical Illusion or something it looks like more in my video and from the back of the jeep but its hardly anything..

Is this normal? maybe its a normal jeep thing lol.

my buddy has a 1969 FJ 40 and they make a "leveler block" for the drivers side lean for those. "Leveler Block" Cures the Driver's Side Lean of Most FJ40s

 

Search this forum for "CJ Lean" and youll find that there are quite a few threads about this.

 

Lets see some pictures of that top you don't want.

 

Here is the top I don't like. I mean its fine but its right in my way and if I put it out in the field it will just rot away lol. I can't see myself ever using it.

 

More questions.

So I went to remove the skid plate just to clean stuff up before I change the oil in transfer case and transmission., there was 3 bolts on each side to the frame and 3 other nuts ( although one was 2 sided so the whole thing came out ).

When I took the skid plate off the whole transfer case dropped a bunch like the skid plate was holding it in position? Is this normal?

Here is a video that might explain it better. I don't know what I'm doing lol but I didn't think the skid plate would be holding a transfer case in..

I imagine this can't be normal, and its some McGyvered stuff by previous owner as the skid plate bolts are all not in the normal slots and has the other 3 weird bolts with some sort of vibration dampers on them? I'm having a hard time finding videos of what it should look like.

 

Uh... after more investigation, when I removed the skid plate the entire motor and transmission and transfer case rocked backwards and down.

The skid plate was holding the motor and stuff in apparently?

Maybe I'm just dumb but I was not expecting this lol

Lucky I didn't crush myself... I jacked it up again. I guess there is only 3 motor mounts? 2 up front under the hood and the other is part of the skid plate?

 

Well turns out I'm an idiot and its normal..

 

Gosh I hope you ain't broke exhaust stuff with the super lean-age!

I support my bell housing with a 2 x 4 and a jack or jack stand before I take the skid plate.

My header was installed in 1996, I baby it, I'm sure it might be more brittle than when it was new. I always take it loose from the exhaust pipe

when I feel it might get get put in a bind. So far, it has no hole or cracks in it.

Even a stock exhaust manifold can get busted when it's in a bind.

By the way NEVER JACK UP ON THE OIL PAN!

See Post 43 in here https://www.jeepforum.com/threads/m...timing-chain-oil-pump-oil-pan-gasket-job-pic-heavy.4470207/page-3#post-41577252

-----JEEPFELLER

 

I jacked it up by the bell housing. ( I already figured the oil pan would be a terrible idea )

My header already had a leak, I probably made it worse now lol

DOH..

I think I need a new rubber dealy bob though that rectagle shaped one was totally worn out and chewed up.

I think i's ok and its not as big of a disaster as I thought. but I'm not sure yet till I put skid plate back on and whatnot.

Edit: While its off I'm cleaning up the old gunk and seeing that I probably should buy some new of the rubber mounts and hardware, these bolts are shot ( no threads on them one of them was loose for so long it ate all the threads looks like a smooth rod now lol ).

Luckily after this week I have 3 weeks of vacation to work on this thing lol. ( and hopefully not mess anything else up haha )

 

I have a post somewhere about the support ---I can't find it right now.

Advance Auto Parts has it for less than $10 ( got mine there)

Other places (maybe Summit?) has them for like $70 in polyurethane.

I kinda figger I can buy maybe 10 from Advance, and they may last much longer

than the "one" for $70!

I think mine made it 40 years, made out of rubber!

----JEEPFELLER

 

I found these, but I'm still looking. I think I did see some on advance auto parts for much less. The rectangle one on mine is so destroyed I'm not sure what it even looked like originally.

Jeep Wrangler Engine Mount Kit (74-86 Jeep CJ5 & CJ7) - Free Shipping

FREE SHIPPING! Enhanced Stability and Vibration Reduction. The Engine Mount Kit offers a robust solution for enhancing the stability and reducing vibration betw

www.extremeterrain.com

for a full kit. but doesn't look quite like what I need but has the front mounts too? if I fix those sometime also?

Here is what I need. ( everything is all wet and nasty as I soaked it in cleaner while the skid plates off )