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WellFedHobo's '48 CJ2A project (#158011)

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dasvis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jan. 2021 at 9:15pm
Originally posted by Tom in RI Tom in RI wrote:

https://www.farmjeep.com/how-do-you-remove-a-steering-wheel/

The right puller really works. Hammars and hub pullers will destroy the wheel but still not remove it.  If you can get your existing wheel off in reasonable shape it may be restorable. The black mung comes off with solvent and wet sanding. Epoxy can fill cracks and a coat of paint will give it bling. 


 Not always, I have Joe's puller & it was a no go at least on my wheel. 
Fine puller, but I tried every trick in the book to help it work, but finally gave up & cut the wheel off.
1947 CJ2A #88659 "Rat Patrol"
1953 CJ3A #453-GB1 11266 "Black Beauty"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WellFedHobo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jan. 2021 at 1:51am
Seeing tires next to this thing makes me hopeful that someday it'll actually drive out of this garage. 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WellFedHobo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb. 2021 at 11:08pm
Today would have been a great day to have a rugged 4 wheel drive vehicle. Arkansas is having historic levels of snow. We just got around 8 inches of snow on top of an ice storm a few days ago, and starting tonight (Tuesday) through Thursday we'll probably get another 6-10 inches of snow. The low temperatures are almost unheard of for here, and we went something like 1200 days without snow until now. This would be the year I didn't pick up any firewood... Now I'm stuck at the top of a steep driveway, needing to go up 2 or 3 other hills to get out into town. Almost zero firewood and limited groceries. If the power goes out, it's gonna be miserable for a few days.

Right before this all hit, I ended up starting the process of learning how to make my own brake lines. The first couple of attempts are up on YouTube. I've got a ways to go before I'm ready to replace the existing hard lines. The ones I have aren't leaking yet, but they have some rust on them and I might as well replace the hard lines while I'm at it since I'm replacing basically everything else but the backing plates.




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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WellFedHobo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Mar. 2021 at 2:01am
I'm finally getting back around to working on the brakes. I've been dreading the front ones because they look awful. As expected, I broke the S line and the short line from the soft line to the brass T fitting.



So I tried putting my brake line flaring skills to the test. I made a somewhat close replacement for the short hard line. Then I got a little bit brave and made my own S line. 



It looks.... close. Maybe I'm being a little too ambitious on learning to make my own hard lines. I guess we'll find out if it fits and how badly it leaks.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WellFedHobo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Mar. 2021 at 11:26pm
I learned how to manually mount tires on a wheel without the use of a tire machine. It was in the spirit of learning how to do things the hard way. (Actually, I think this whole Jeep project has been about how to do the whole thing in the absolute most difficult way possible...) I'm now armed with the knowledge of how to do so with only with soap and some tire irons. 2 out of 4 done, I think I might have clipped a tube on one of them, we'll see how the pressure holds up.


The S line fabrication didn't fit very well at all so I threw in the towel and ordered some from Ron Fitzpatrick. I think I actually have all of the brake parts in my possession right now. I just need to get them on the Jeep, then figure out what's not right with the emergency brake because it fits too tightly to spin. 

I'm debating just running the drums that are on it for the time being. They seem round enough, though two of them really do look like they're close to or at their service limit. Some jerk in the past welded the studs to the hub and I don't know if I can just grind the old ones off and put in some new ones yet or not. I may need new rear hubs altogether. Front left looks fine though it has reverse threads. Front right hasn't been off the jeep yet.

I did find that my left Dualmatic locking hub is cracked slightly. Looks like someone got a little spicy on the trail back in the day. Doesn't seem easy to find parts for them anymore without buying a set. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote uncamoney Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Mar. 2021 at 11:43pm
I feel your pain, I started 50 years ago but I had a nice MB in the end. Tires, I used to do them for a living.
Nothing like fixing a semi truck trailer flat with a 60 ton crane on the trailer with your butt hanging out in I 70 traffic.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WellFedHobo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Apr. 2021 at 1:57am
This, embarrassingly, took me 4+ months to figure out. (Mainly because I took it apart, waited for parts, tried to put it back together, it didn't fit, so I let it sit until I nearly lost a bunch of loose parts...) It was only after doing most of the rest of the brakes that I figured out that the e-brake pads weren't supposed to be centered on the backing plate, and that's why none of it fit right... But hey, I'm learning. The cable feels really loose so I don't know how well it will work as a parking brake. You have to pull the e-brake handle out about half way before it feels like it catches. There doesn't seem to be a lot of adjustment you can do. The threaded end of the cable only goes so far into the clevis. 



The one thing that's holding me back right now is the lack of a shop press. Every harbor freight in over a hundred miles is out of stock. My local Grainger has them but they're a little too pricey and industrial strength. Lowes and Home Depot don't carry them. A couple of smaller shops don't carry them. Craigslist is a desert. Even Facebook marketplace only has a couple that are a half a day's drive away or just incomplete. Amazon is hit or miss and I'd rather not miss. Heck, I even checked ebay... If I had just ordered one from somewhere 3 weeks ago, I would have had one by now. 

Once I finally get one, I'll be able to press out the old wheel studs, replace the drums, press in and swage new ones on the hubs, and move on to the next thing.


Edited by WellFedHobo - 20 Apr. 2021 at 1:59am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rick G Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Apr. 2021 at 3:13pm
You probably already know, but you have to cut the old swage off before you press out the studs, else you will ruin your hub.  Also, I’ve never re-swaged new studs.  Just press them in and go.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WellFedHobo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Apr. 2021 at 3:25pm
Originally posted by Rick G Rick G wrote:

You probably already know, but you have to cut the old swage off before you press out the studs, else you will ruin your hub.  Also, I’ve never re-swaged new studs.  Just press them in and go.  

Oh, yes. That part was quite an adventure.  


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WellFedHobo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Apr. 2021 at 2:09am
I'm slowly but surely picking up all the life skills needed to put this Jeep back into a road worthy or trail worthy state. FINALLY got a 12 ton shop press. Harbor Freight failed me for a month so I had to go through Amazon. Got the swedges cut out with the drill press and swedge cutter, got 5 studs pressed out, got 5 new studs pressed in through the new drum. I do have the proper tool to recreate the swedges but I lack something solid to set against the stud so I can properly re-swedge them. A lot of people say don't bother, maybe I shouldn't, but I guess I'm sort of a "by the book" kind of guy. I'll see if I go that far soon. 


My arms hurt from just doing one hub and drum... 3 more to go...



Incidentally, I found out what people were talking about with the whole "socket trick". If the thing moves and you miss it, you'll definitely warp the hub and/or drum. I slightly warped a drum, though fortunately the hub wasn't warped. (I have a spare, but I got really lucky with this one.)
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1948 CJ2A #158011 "Sunk Cost Fallacy"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WellFedHobo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 May 2021 at 7:39pm
While I was working on the hubs, the guys on a vintage Willys Facebook group convinced me my bearings and races were toast and this was a great time to replace them. I didn't disagree, just didn't want to have that expense. But here we are. All new races and bearings. These are NSK brand, Japanese made. I have mixed feelings about Japanese parts in a post-war Jeep, but Timkens are made in China these days and the Japanese are known for quality and reliability. 



Got one wheel out of 4 completely sorted out minus the locking hub. It was broken long ago and when I unbolted it, it decided to not want to go back to its flat shape. Seems like it being bolted in was the only thing letting it stay in the right shape...



I had hoped to clean up and restore these Dualmatic hubs but now I might have to go hunt for a new one. 


Edited by WellFedHobo - 07 May 2021 at 7:40pm
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1948 CJ2A #158011 "Sunk Cost Fallacy"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BUTA46 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 2021 at 7:50am
Consider a full wire harness replacement to help isolate the electrical issue. My 46 had all kinds of weird electron shuffling going on until the whole harness was replaced. Might want to do it now while you have access to so much of the vehicle.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WellFedHobo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 2021 at 7:51pm
I've definitely thought about getting a Walck's harness. This may sound stupid... but the Jeep is filthy inside and out. It feels like if I get through the total restoration, a new harness would be dirty and stained by the time I got to that stage. For now I'm just doing a patchwork harness, replacing what's broken as I come across it. Eventually I'll have an ugly but functional harness made from whatever wires I have around, then I'll replace it with a new harness when the tub is rebuilt in a few years.
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1948 CJ2A #158011 "Sunk Cost Fallacy"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WellFedHobo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 May 2021 at 1:39pm
I'm definitely starting to lose a bit of steam on this project. Sometimes you just need something to go right and get a few wins under your belt, you know? I had hoped to have this project driving by now. But lately I keep running into setback after setback, gotta wait to order parts I didn't know I needed, etc. For example, I thought I had my emergency brake sorted out, but I pulled the handle and managed to break the bolt holding it to the crossmember, rendering it useless. (Glad I found that out before I needed the emergency brake...) And I thought I had every brake part needed, but I neglected to make sure that the upper eccentrics were free and able to be adjusted properly. (3 of 8 were hopelessly stuck or broken...) And I only replaced broken or visibly pitted brake lines, but ended up changing my mind and replacing all but the two obviously newer (circa the 90s) lines. 

I still haven't gotten a chance to flush the transfer case and transmission to make sure they will even work... Plus a few other ignition related maintenance items, plus the oil change... there's a whole list. 

I'm still doing build updates roughly weekly on YouTube. The latest has been front bearings and races.



I'm also still struggling to come up with a name for the Jeep. Part of me wants to call it something tied to the family, but it's not like it was "grandpa's jeep" or anything like that. Feels too fake.  It was someone else's for over 70 years. It had only two long term previous owners. The first was the chief of police of a city half an hour away, who sold it to his friend back in the 70s as a hunting Jeep and never registered it. Apparently it was well known around town as "Bob Holloway's Jeep" or just "Holloway's Jeep". That was back in simpler times, before the place went from a small town to a college town/city. Calling it "Holloway" sort of seems right.
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1948 CJ2A #158011 "Sunk Cost Fallacy"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BUTA46 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 May 2021 at 6:13am
I put one of Walcks harnesses in my Jeep twenty two years ago at the beginning of my Jeep trek. I do not regret it. Even still, I spent way too much time chasing electrical ghosts that could have been more productive fixing mechanical things. Just an idea from the past, but if you haul out all of the old harness now to eliminate unknown issues, and replace only what you need with a new harness as you go, you might still have a nice looking harness at the end. Or, consider the cost of a second, brand new harness to be installed at the end of your build verses the frustration you already know from chasing tiny six volt electrons through their rabbit holes.
Either/or, good luck with your new buddy!! “Holloway”, did you say?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote smfulle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 May 2021 at 9:51am
Keep chugging. You'll get there.
I like Holloway, or maybe shorten it up to Chief.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WellFedHobo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 June 2021 at 5:06pm
We finally got some car dollies to help move the Jeep around. I'm a little bit... fluffy around the middle... so getting to the passenger side to do work on the brakes was difficult. The brake adjustment was getting tedious as well. This will make access a bit easier. Rotate it around, put it back on jack stands, do some work, put it back on dollies, roll it back. A bit annoying but it helps make the work easier. And the Jeep stays chained to the foundation so it can't try to escape down the hill and into the wild. (Or my neighbor's garage at the bottom of the hill.) This is the cleanest the garage has been since last August.

The GoPro camera makes my 20x20 garage look huge. Or maybe the Jeep is just small.


I tried to reprioritize the list of things to do and got immediately side tracked. I decided to rewire the grille just to have one thing back to 100%, but that led down an electrical rabbit hole. The main harness is just toast. I know it's bad but I hadn't realized how bad until I started having to peel 2-3 layers of vintage electrical tape to find out. It's really hard to trace wires when they're all the same color (dirt or dirty electrical tape).


This little corner of the harness for the foot switch is a good example. Pretty typical for a 70 year old harness. A continuity test (and satisfying click) of the foot switch indicates that it's in good working order despite looking pretty rough. I'm waiting on some connectors to show up this week. Then I can begin to remake the main harness. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WellFedHobo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 June 2021 at 12:13am
I spent the weekend under the hood and under the dash dealing with the wiring harness. I'm down to just the tail lights, brake lights, horn, and one wire that goes from the ammeter to (I think) the alternator. Once I remembered that the grille actually has to be bolted on to be grounded...  Everything that had wiring replaced worked correctly. 


I didn't have the right bulb for the tell tail light but a #57 almost fit. (Too tall but close.) I had to shim the light with a couple of washers to get it to work right. Once I hook up the new speedometer, all gauges will finally be functional. The original ammeter worked but I had a new one that had intact insulators, so I switched to it while I was at it. 



Parking lights work great but the lenses are crap. I have new ones for later. I'm trying to decide if I want to repurpose them as turn signals or add a set of two wire turn signals to the fenders. 



Headlights and high beams work great but need some adjustment. I wasn't careful when I rewired the headlight buckets so one of them is a little wonky. In the end, I'm glad that we went through all the manual work to trace wires and try to match them to a wiring diagram. I've bought a lot of parts to just bolt on, but it's nice to do a bit of the hard work. "Built, not bought." 

Almost every circuit was shorted to the frame or another wire on another circuit. I can't believe we were able to start it up and run it without something catching on fire. But it's certainly no wonder I couldn't keep the battery charged.


Edited by WellFedHobo - 28 June 2021 at 12:18am
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1948 CJ2A #158011 "Sunk Cost Fallacy"
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