Prep work for the 2018 Rubicon trail trip. |
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chasendeer
Member Joined: 24 Feb. 2012 Location: Napa,CA Status: Offline Points: 1086 |
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I took your advise and dropped the #, and it appears to work!!!
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3A Steve
Member Joined: 10 June 2016 Location: West Virginia Status: Offline Points: 879 |
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Does anyone have info about a skid plate for the e-brake? Seems very vulnerable. Watched a friend hit one this Spring. He kept going but the brake didn't.
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Greaser007
Member Joined: 16 Jan. 2018 Location: Anderson, Calif Status: Offline Points: 850 |
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May I add to the comments -
Hey Chasendeer Wow you are lucky you didn't get burnt-out in those Napa fires. I am up south of Redding, and was through Callistoga 2-days prior to the fires. Anyway - prep for the Runbicon ! I prepped a '46 CJ2A in stock format in 1985 and ran it through the Rubicaon the following 2-summers. I can offer what i did to my Willys. First - you need articulation. i cut, and welded extensions to the spring-pack guides. This moved the cross-bolt Up away from the upper leaf, for More-Droop. measured full droop in a twist and bought new Monroe shocks based on their extended/collapsed chart. Good articulation is a Must ! ( i laughed at the guys with Rancho springs ..... they were too stiff back then with no-droop ). Second - Air pressure ... lower-it to 12-lbs depending on tires. Third - invert your spring U-bolts to the threads stick-Up with the plates on top of the spring-pack. ( Carry 2-spares .... ) then no-sliders needed. Fourth - Emergency brake - i took mine OFF for clearance. Fifth - Brakes. i ran the original drum brakes, but with all components in very-good working order .... and Properly adjusted. The Rubicon will keep you in a white-knuckle state, and you will be very pleased you have the Terra-low. My First year throught the Rubicon, i drove my '77 Jeep CJ-7 Renegade with 304 V-8 and 4:10 with 3-spd transmission. I was on the Brakes the whole time, trying to go slow enough. And had to slip the clutch a fair amount too. I ran the old Armstrong Tru-Trac tirew which were about 32" diameter. Those tires worked Good while aired-down to 12-psi. The second year, 1984, i installed a T-18A transmission out of a 2wd Ford pickup, and bought the Novak adapter kit, and installed the Dream T-18. To summarize, i ran my Cj-7 each year from 1987 to 2001. 1985 and 1986 i ran the little Willys those two summers. Low Center-of-Gravity is good to keep in mind. Pack all spared parts and tools on the Floorboards. I have seen jeeps upside down, and it happens quick. I would focus on Articulation, and make sure you do not have Any Drive-train-Bind in U-joints at full suspension droop ! Ken had a great write-up and very good pointers on gearing ratios. I was always AMAZED at how well the Odd-Fire V-6 climbed. Years later, i read an article that discussed the reason why. They have a heavy flywheel like a Hay-Baler ! bumping into a rock will not stall the V-6 because the momentum of the Flywheel carries it up-and-Over. Have fun and Good-Fortune ! Feel free to ask me for any clarification. Len |
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chasendeer
Member Joined: 24 Feb. 2012 Location: Napa,CA Status: Offline Points: 1086 |
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Len Thanks for the info. I was very lucky on the fire, it burned to about 1/2 mile from my home!! I will look in to a few of the mods. Thanks Jay
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Greaser007
Member Joined: 16 Jan. 2018 Location: Anderson, Calif Status: Offline Points: 850 |
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I liked Jpet's reply about the E-brake and the hole with the screwdriver !
If I look closely, mine may already have a rust-hole available. hahaha some of those inclines may make things pucker a bit, and Yes I would start the Jeep in-gear on occasion in a Desperate-situation. Clench your Teeth. I looked at your Jeep in the link you provided, and that is a Keeper. What kit did you use for the Full-Floating rear spindle / axle and brake conversion ? My brother-in-law has an old Air-Force CJ2A and he had someone convert his rear to a 44 dana with full-float spindles, and I think he spent some $$$$. And he said it still tows hard. .... well, he's pulling with a ford. |
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chasendeer
Member Joined: 24 Feb. 2012 Location: Napa,CA Status: Offline Points: 1086 |
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I used Herms Kit for the 44, it already had 11" brakes. Jay |
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Lee MN
Member Joined: 13 Aug. 2008 Location: Harris, MN Status: Online Points: 4950 |
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Perhaps that's what's required! Lee |
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LEE
44 GPW-The Perfected Willys 49 2A “If you wait, you only get older” 67 M715 American Made Rolling History |
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chasendeer
Member Joined: 24 Feb. 2012 Location: Napa,CA Status: Offline Points: 1086 |
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I found a Carter WO 431 with the adjustable high speed jet. I figured it may come in handy up there.
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Rick G
Member Joined: 17 May 2015 Location: Amarillo, TX Status: Offline Points: 1467 |
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Realized that I never posted pics of my skid plate. This is off a late model TJ. I “un-welded” it, narrowed the cross member, and then re-welded it with a little offset to cover the brake drum. It has already saved my bacon several times. This is a must for trails like the Rubicon. |
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Mike S
Member Joined: 20 May 2006 Location: West Coast Status: Offline Points: 2318 |
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I drove the Rubicon trail some years ago in a more or less stock Toyota Landcruiser (FJ40). Two things I wished I'd had are power steering and on-board air. T90C and TerraLow are good ideas. Sliders - yes. Hi-steer - yes. Mike
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'47 CJ2A -- #114542
Warn FF D41 rear Lock-Right locker 11" drum brakes Dual master cylinder T90C Transmission 16 X 6 Jeep truck wheels Cooper STT Pro tires |
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chasendeer
Member Joined: 24 Feb. 2012 Location: Napa,CA Status: Offline Points: 1086 |
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Well she made it!!! Only issue it had was the clutch pivot came out twice at the end and death wobble due to a bent tie rod. We adjusted the tie rod longer and then drove 80 +/- miles back to the truck!!!
It was a great trip!!! I will try to add some photos of the damage that was done. Jay
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Unkamonkey
Member Joined: 23 Mar. 2016 Location: Greeley CO Status: Offline Points: 2093 |
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I'm glad you made it. We were up doing Holy Cross City here in CO and there was a FJ40 with a length of an Aspen wired to the tie rod to hold it together. We do what we need to do.
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uncamonkey
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Greaser007
Member Joined: 16 Jan. 2018 Location: Anderson, Calif Status: Offline Points: 850 |
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Jay you made it !! that is so cool.
Where did you carry your spare ? Hey, similar to you, this year with the Carr Fire in Redding, it burned over 1,100 homes and was 16-miles from me. My god, that 20-foot-tall dense Manzanita brush went up like a roman-candle with a dense canopy of Digger Pines that may stand 80-feet tall. We lost the sun July 23, and never saw it for 45-days. I wonder how many Willys got burned-up :-( Let me know if you have a friend with a Carter WO that is collecting dust. I hope to find a good used Carter for my L134. If you come through the Redding area and have time to visit let me know, and I will show you around my collection of "stuff." real case of Jeepitis. Will you be going back for more Rubicon ? Len |
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Ol' Unreliable
Member Joined: 25 Sep. 2016 Location: CO Springs CO Status: Offline Points: 4226 |
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Make sure you don't let anyone cure you.
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There's a reason it's called Ol' Unreliable
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chasendeer
Member Joined: 24 Feb. 2012 Location: Napa,CA Status: Offline Points: 1086 |
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Len
Yes we made it!! Fun trip!! My spare was on the fender right behind me. That Carr sure was a bad one!! Glad you made. I will look you up next time I'm up that way. Jay
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chasendeer
Member Joined: 24 Feb. 2012 Location: Napa,CA Status: Offline Points: 1086 |
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Well its time to dust her off for this years trip. My plans for her are just a few updates.
First on my list is to figure out why it will not hold any oil!! Hoping for a loose oil pan nut. Wish me luck. Next will be an upgrade to the suspension. On the last trip my springs took a beating. I will be changing them out with some good used ones, I have a stash of GPW ones I may use!!!. I will also upgrade the U shackles to M38a1 closed end style. Had to order these for the Netherlands, also a set of Ian's new U bolt sliders. My main issue on the trip two tears ago was broken engine mounts that caused the majority of my problems, there for I'm also going to use a set of Ian's engine mounts. Jay
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chasendeer
Member Joined: 24 Feb. 2012 Location: Napa,CA Status: Offline Points: 1086 |
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I ordered a set of four M38a1 spring shackles from David Wildenberg on Sunday, they showed up today. Cant beat NOS parts!!
Jay
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chasendeer
Member Joined: 24 Feb. 2012 Location: Napa,CA Status: Offline Points: 1086 |
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Found a nice set of M38 springs in my boneyard that I'm going to use.
Jay
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