[Chowlie]

Good lord. That's one of those wash jobs that doubles the resale value

What are you doing for wiring? Running it from scratch? I had some good experience with Wire Barn recently, if you're just wanting wire and stuff. The website isn't the best, but they are SUPER responsive to questions and emails. I thought they'd screwed up my first order (the spools were just mislabeled) but the owner was texting/emailing until 11pm to make sure it got squared away. I wanted some more battery cable terminals too. Not on his site, but he had them, and added them to my order.

I'm pretty much wiring it from scratch, yeah. There's not much left of the original harness, and the light switch is completely useless. It's already been hacked up anyway so I'm gonna redo it correctly - with fuse protection!

There are very few things I'll need electricity for, honestly. Buying the upgraded 100 amp alternator kit is essentially last on my list, but I want room for expansion anyway. I'll hook up the lights on a relay and toggle switch. I have a Vornado aux heater I'd like to get hooked back up just for kicks and giggles (pictured). Maybe one day I'll find a decent electric winch for it.

For the time being I only need one fused circuit for the ignition and starter solenoid. But the handy little fuse block was only $19 so I figured I'd spring for it.

And thanks for the recommendation, I'll check out wire barn!

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[Girth83]

Yeah... mine has a bit more wiring in it. lol I bumped all the original 18ga up to 16ga, and 16ga to 14ga, and ran a lot of additional 12 and 10ga grounds and bonding jumpers. I got battery cable, heat shrink, and wire loom from them too, which you probably need. Think I found it a little cheaper elsewhere, but their price was decent, and after the first customer service experience..... I gave them more business.

Have a bit left over, but then I only rewired about 1/3 of the Jeep. lol Just got the last parts I need for my headlight relay harness, so that'll eat up some more too. Should probably figure out why it looks like my alternator isn't charging first though. :rofl:

 

[Chowlie]

Yeah... mine has a bit more wiring in it. lol I bumped all the original 18ga up to 16ga, and 16ga to 14ga, and ran a lot of additional 12 and 10ga grounds and bonding jumpers. I got battery cable, heat shrink, and wire loom from them too, which you probably need. Think I found it a little cheaper elsewhere, but their price was decent, and after the first customer service experience..... I gave them more business.

Have a bit left over, but then I only rewired about 1/3 of the Jeep. lol Just got the last parts I need for my headlight relay harness, so that'll eat up some more too. Should probably figure out why it looks like my alternator isn't charging first though. :rofl:

Looks great! I usually just buy those little spools from the parts store anyway. Lol

I'm thinking Napa may be able to crimp battery cables. If that's the case I will have them make a 6 gauge jumper to go from my battery to the positive and negative connections on the fuse box.

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[Girth83]

Looks great! I usually just buy those little spools from the parts store anyway. Lol

I'm thinking Napa may be able to crimp battery cables. If that's the case I will have them make a 6 gauge jumper to go from my battery to the positive and negative connections on the fuse box.

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Ugh... wire at most parts stores is at least twice as expensive as this. Don't do that, unless you HAVE to. lol I think it was like $50, for ELEVEN 25ft rolls in the assorted colors? A single 20ft roll of primary wire at most parts stores, is at least $9.

I've heard NAPA does crimps, but my little local one doesn't. Big one in town probably does. I just used one of those hammer crimp tools. Not the fanciest, but it worked ok. Should have stolen the hydraulic crimper from work. lol Maybe next time.

 

[jeepdaddy2000]

I suggest you install the fuse box inside the cab. This keeps water and dirt from crusting up the fuses and contacts.

Pre 76 Jeeps are super simple. I suggest you find a u pick yard and see if there any vintage pickups. I used a gen I Bronco loom in mine (I was working in a Bronco specialty shop at the time) but anything before 80 will do. It will give you an integrated fuse box as well as added circuits for any additional appliances you want to add. They are simple to modify and adapt.
Oddly enough, I installed a heater box from a Bronco as well. It installed on the passenger side much like the 72 and later Jeep boxes. It blasts hot air both down on my feet as well quickly clearing the windshield and is a super upgrade from the stock unit.

 

[bob4703]

Our 74 was in the same shape. I rewired it using the Speedway Motors 12 circuit generic harness twice. The clutch return spring broke and took out some of the behind the dash wiring so it was easier to rewire everything. Did you ever do a project and later wish you had done it differently? I had that opportunity. Each kit cost me $150--now up to $200. The first time I ran dedicated grounds to everything electrical. The various lengths and rolls of different gauge black wire cost almost as much as the harness, but that was money well spent. If you aren't do it.

I too put the fuse block/box in the engine bay. It is dryer than under the dash. More importantly it is easy to get too without standing on your head with a flashlight trying to see if a fuse is blown. It sure came in handy the one time I blew a fuse.

 

[John Strenk]

You could always put the fuse box in a Tupperware box to keep the moisture out. Seal with some silicone sealant.

I found the fan does a good job of dispersing water all around the engine compartment.

 

[Chowlie]

You could always put the fuse box in a Tupperware box to keep the moisture out. Seal with some silicone sealant.

I found the fan does a good job of dispersing water all around the engine compartment.

It does actually have a little plastic lid that snaps over it. I don't expect it to get very wet in that location anyway. If it seems that it may become a problem I can always seal it up better later. The tupperware box is a good idea.

 

[Chowlie]

Here's what I got sorted last night.

I removed the entire parking brake assembly and everything is there, but it's really filthy and needs to be gone through before it can be used again. (Not to mention there are no cables in sight) Dad told me it's never worked since he's had it, so not in the last 45 years.

I'm still unsure about the leak at the rear of the t-case, but I have new seals and a shim pack on the way. There was some oil when I removed the parking brake hub, but that's to be expected anyway. Judging by the amount of oily buildup in the parking brake assembly I'm sure it's fair to say it's at least been oozing over the years, so I will change that seal while I'm there.

I had planned on reusing the oil bath engine air filter but I had no idea how integrated it all is. Just the center metal element is about $100, and I'm not interested in all that at the moment. I already have the air horn and connecting hose, so I'll grab a Spectre filter from O'Reillys and hook it up with a tube in the center. I bought the air horn from Kaiser Willys and am not too impressed with the quality. The horn itself is decent but the clamp was garbage. FORTUNATELY I came across the old clamp when cleaning out the back, so I cleaned up the thread on the screw with a 1/4-20 die and reused it. MUCH better fit.

I figured out why the speedometer doesn't work - the cable is broken at both ends. Good thing it's a cheap replacement. The gauge itself still works, fortunately, but needs some lube.

The clutch/brake pedal assembly is loose and crusty. I removed both the old grease fittings and the holes are completely blocked. The clutch feels pretty good, but the brake pedal is extremely loose with a lot of play. I may be able to make a brass shim for it, but I'll have to pull the pedal first to inspect the wear.

 

[Mongo228]

Wow. And I thought I had cleanup to do!

E-brake cables are like unicorns these days. Also, if you can, figure out the length of cable you will need; there are several different lengths for the main cable from the pedal to the connection with the junction/spreader.

Good luck!

 

[Fourtrail]

Wow. And I thought I had cleanup to do!

E-brake cables are like unicorns these days. Also, if you can, figure out the length of cable you will need; there are several different lengths for the main cable from the pedal to the connection with the junction/spreader.

Good luck!

The E-brake is mounted to the back of the transfercase, not inside the rear drums like the more modern Jeeps. There should be a ratcheting pull lever mounted to the bottom of the dash that releases with a 1/4 turn of the handle. When i used the E-brake on my early '5, I used a twist lock throttle cable from a medium/heavy duty truck application from the local NAPA. Mine also was missing the handle and cable.

 

[Fourtrail]

I had planned on reusing the oil bath engine air filter but I had no idea how integrated it all is. Just the center metal element is about $100, and I'm not interested in all that at the moment. I already have the air horn and connecting hose, so I'll grab a Spectre filter from O'Reillys and hook it up with a tube in the center. I bought the air horn from Kaiser Willys and am not too impressed with the quality. The horn itself is decent but the clamp was garbage. FORTUNATELY I came across the old clamp when cleaning out the back, so I cleaned up the thread on the screw with a 1/4-20 die and reused it. MUCH better fit.

Just clean the metal element out with diesel fuel or kerosene. There is no reason to try and pull apart the oil bath air cleaner to replace the metal element unless it has rusted to nothing. The metal element is just there to catch the big stuff before the air passes through the oil sump at the bottom of the air cleaner.

 

[Chowlie]

The E-brake is mounted to the back of the transfercase, not inside the rear drums like the more modern Jeeps. There should be a ratcheting pull lever mounted to the bottom of the dash that releases with a 1/4 turn of the handle. When i used the E-brake on my early '5, I used a twist lock throttle cable from a medium/heavy duty truck application from the local NAPA. Mine also was missing the handle and cable.

I have the handle and the t-case mounted assembly but nothing in between. I think KaiserWillys has everything else I need.

 

[Chowlie]

Just clean the metal element out with diesel fuel or kerosene. There is no reason to try and pull apart the oil bath air cleaner to replace the metal element unless it has rusted to nothing. The metal element is just there to catch the big stuff before the air passes through the oil sump at the bottom of the air cleaner.

Well, that's the problem - the canister has been sitting open for the last 20 years and the top is filled up with mice and squirrel goodies. lol So if I can figure out how to remove and clean it I'll go that route, but sadly I don't think there's any hope otherwise.

A quick question on the front end... people have mentioned that I should lube/service the knuckles. Other than completely disassembling them it looks like there is just a grease fitting on each side that feeds the front wheel bearings and that's about it. The FSM mentions checking the differential fluid every 1,000 miles and removing the front shafts yearly to check for damage and to clean everything. Once I get the rear axle bolted back to the springs I'll jack and block up the front end to inspect and bleed the brakes. Should I just take the whole front end apart and give it a once-over?

 

[jeepdaddy2000]

Front knuckles should be disassembled and the king pin bearings inspected, the old grease (if there is anything in there at all) scraped out, and the seal surfaces cleaned with solvent and emery cloth.

While the job isn't hard (and it is a good excuse to do a wheel bearing pack), it is just another thing to do. I would be prepared to have to purchase a set of wiper seals and possibly the upper and lower bearings and races. You may also have to get a set of shims for the preload. Replacing any bad bearings and races and resetting the preload on the knuckles will eliminate binding, slop, and wobble in the knuckle.

The fitting shouldn't be for grease, but a mix of grease and 90WT, making it thin enough to flow but too thick to weep out the seals. This mix lubes the axle u joints and lubes the kingpin bearings. With the advent of locking hubs, the upper bearing can get starved due to the joints not rotating, flinging the lube around inside the knuckle. I eliminated this years ago by installing a tin "seal" under the upper bearing race. This was actually one used in early Bronco open knuckle Dana 30's, but you can make one if that is the route you want to go. The lower bearing takes the weight of the vehicle and if the knuckles have been dry for a while, the bearings and races can rust, ding, or bind.

 

[jeepdaddy2000]

Oh, as for the air cleaner, when I was a kid I remember a neighbor cleaning his (I think it was a Nash) steel wool style cleaner housing and breather cap by lighting them on fire. He rinsed them thoroughly with kerosene, drained them, then lit them off till the fire went out. You may want to double check this technique on one of the antique car forums.

 

[Chowlie]

Front knuckles should be disassembled and the king pin bearings inspected, the old grease (if there is anything in there at all) scraped out, and the seal surfaces cleaned with solvent and emery cloth.

While the job isn't hard (and it is a good excuse to do a wheel bearing pack), it is just another thing to do. I would be prepared to have to purchase a set of wiper seals and possibly the upper and lower bearings and races. You may also have to get a set of shims for the preload. Replacing any bad bearings and races and resetting the preload on the knuckles will eliminate binding, slop, and wobble in the knuckle.

The fitting shouldn't be for grease, but a mix of grease and 90WT, making it thin enough to flow but too thick to weep out the seals. This mix lubes the axle u joints and lubes the kingpin bearings. With the advent of locking hubs, the upper bearing can get starved due to the joints not rotating, flinging the lube around inside the knuckle. I eliminated this years ago by installing a tin "seal" under the upper bearing race. This was actually one used in early Bronco open knuckle Dana 30's, but you can make one if that is the route you want to go. The lower bearing takes the weight of the vehicle and if the knuckles have been dry for a while, the bearings and races can rust, ding, or bind.

Thanks for the info. I'm gonna try to clean the knuckles and add extra lube for now. It's still got full-time 4x4 front hubs so it shouldn't starve anything. The front end is really tight aside from bad bearings in one side. Seems it got some water in the grease at some point.

I took the front hubs off this week and figured out what it needs for the most part. All the wheel studs were loose on one side and the inner bearing was gritty. Getting a new hub and bearings for it, along with new seals for both. New brake cylinders and shoes are required too. I'm going to change the differential oil but leave it all together for now. Maybe once it's all running and driving I'll really go through the front end. But it feels nice and tight otherwise.

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[Chowlie]

Upon closer inspection today it looks like there is some seeping around the wiper seals. Guess I'll buy those and go ahead with pulling it apart.

Also had to pull the master cylinder back off because it needs a new copper seal on the end.

The brake pedal is SUPER sloppy on the rod. Thinking maybe I can make a brass shim to tighten it up.

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[Chowlie]

Got both sides off and it honestly wasn't too bad. The right side (with the bad bearings) was mostly full of lube, and the left side was empty. Both u-joints and all bearings felt good and tight. I'll reseal and put everything back when the parts arrive.

The front differential had some VERY thick oil in it, I'd even go so far as to call it grease. Just goopy slop. I scooped out all I could and sprayed the rest out with engine cleaner. Didn't finish getting the rear cover off yet but I assume I'll find something similar in there too.

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[Chowlie]

This is probably a dumb question, but how critical are the front inner differential seals? A part of me wants to go ahead and change them since I'll be there, but it still won't be a fun job. And if they leak a bit, what'll it matter anyway? The oil will just leak over in the knuckle, and I doubt it will be enough to hurt anything - especially if I check the fluid levels every few weeks.

Got some u joints done yesterday and cleaned up the parking brake assembly. Guess I'll be buying new shoes for it. Also cleaned up the left front hub. Have a new one coming for the right because all the lug holes are wallowed out.

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