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The Volvo-powered Willys CJ3a

Could you explain your approach on the M45 to transfer case torque tube? I'm wondering how you kept them coaxial and made the torque tube just the right length. Did you have an alignment tolerance in mind or did you fixture it and weld it and called it good?
 
Could you explain your approach on the M45 to transfer case torque tube? I'm wondering how you kept them coaxial and made the torque tube just the right length. Did you have an alignment tolerance in mind or did you fixture it and weld it and called it good?
Thanks for the interest.

The splined stub shaft (that is at the center of it all) floats. It has about 1/16" that it can move in/out on the transmission end, and it could go in the female end of the t-case as far as it wanted, so my length measurement wasn't as critical as you might think. As long as I left a small gap between the female collars for a bit of tolerance, it was good. I just measured that with a tape measure to the nearest 1/16".

Cutting the tube square on both ends was the most critical of all. Without a proper lathe, I had to rely on a roll of aluminum flashing I had here for the mark. I taped the flashing to the tube and wrapped it tightly around the tube a few times. As long as the flashing is wrapping evenly, it is making a square edge. I used an engraver to mark the edge of the flashing, then spun it around to do the other end. I cut the tube with a cutoff wheel, and I fine tuned it with a grinder and a machinist's square. That part took hours to get it perfect.

As far as getting it to align perfectly side to side, I'm lucky that the D300 t-case has a removable input bearing assembly. I was able to use that as an alignment tool. I machined the collar to accept the indexing ring, welded that into the adapter, then dropped the bearing assembly on top of the adapter. This aligned everything perfectly. (Pic below.) I clamped everything tight and welded it up.

After it was all welded, I noticed there was still a little play between the steel adapter and the aluminum M45 bearing retainer when the bolts were loose, so I centered it where the stub shaft had free play with the least resistance, and I drilled two holes through the plates and drove in some split pins as centering pins.

Keep in mind this is all still just theory at this point. It might be way off and have a glorious catastrophic failure in the first five miles. :oogle: At that point, I'll be adapting a Jeep T5 to the B230.

Rmds5TG.jpg
 
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I finally got the hard lines on the frame finished today.

I went about my brake setup a little unconventionally. Using the Volvo MC, I blocked off one front and one rear circuit, and I’ll run the remaining 2 lines to the brake failure sensor as a junction block. From there, the two circuits split to feed the LF/RR wheels, and the RF/LR wheels.

The front Toyota calipers are 4-piston monsters, and the rear Isuzu Rodeo calipers are single-piston. The difference in piston surface area *should negate the need for a proportioning valve.

So, from the sensor, I ran two lines front and two lines to their opposing back sides.

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Through the frame holes made for this...

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And back around the muffler to two separate rubber lines.

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I cut the tube with a cutoff wheel, and I fine tuned it with a grinder and a machinist's square. That part took hours to get it perfect.
Welcome to the understatement of the year.

Wow. This is phenomenal, every aspect of it. Your fab skills put mine to shame, yet I also admit that I've never done this much metal work. What I see here is how my brain works with wood. Maybe someday I'll switch gears. In that sense, you are an inspiration, though it's daunting to contemplate.

This is either incredibly well thought out, or you've not bothered to show us all the trial and error. Or maybe a bit of both. That air filter box is stronger than most body structures. I never would have thought of bringing the mass air into the cab, but I'll bet any electronics removed from underhood heat are bound to last longer. The mounts, cradle and crossmembers are works of art, the overhead sway bar is brilliant, the pedal box mounted upside down is hillarious. If that clutch cable doesn't feel better with grease, you could always adapt an over-center spring mechanism from a VW/Audi or BMW.

Love the 4-piston calipers, they're awesome compared to pin sliders, and I think you're probably correct about the proportioning valve calculation. The only place where that decision might bite you is if you have varying amounts of cargo weight, but there isn't exactly a lot of room for cargo anyway. If you ever need something adjustable based on body height, look at the valve on the rear axle of a Chrysler minivan. Brake lines are cunifer? I'm guessing only based on the color. Did you find that they form easily (fittings and such)?

Lemme get this straight. No room for air intake plumbing or ignition coil or sway bars or much of anything else, probably not even to get your fingers in there for repairs, yet you're leaving room for a turbo?? You're completely insane. :-P Holy crap I love that. Can't wait to see what else you've got up your sleeve.

I?m *originally from that area. :) I moved to Idaho 16 years ago and miss nothing but the... well, nothing really. :lol:

Indeed, how fondly I recall my time in the salt belt. :lol:
 
What I see here is how my brain works with wood. Maybe someday I'll switch gears.
I?m a cabinetmaker by trade, so it?s entirely possible. :cool:

Thanks for the kind words, Toybox.

This is either incredibly well thought out, or you've not bothered to show us all the trial and error. Or maybe a bit of both.

Definitely both. This thread is obviously the CliffsNotes of the build. I have an in-depth build thread over on EarlyCJ5.com, if anyone is interested. I?m pretty sure non-members can see it. I try to be forthcoming with all the good and the bad in that thread, along with the thought processes that went into it along the way. It was originally going to be a fairly straightforward restomod to take the kids for ice cream.
Varg in Jeep?s Clothing

I had to google cunifer brake line. I?ve only ever heard it called nickel-copper or Nicopp. Yes, it?s what I?m using, and it?s awesome. I?m so used to breaking the flare fittings with steel lines, I bought a few extra ones heading into this project, and I haven?t broken any. The price is the only drawback. I got my roll from Summit and came up a few feet short. Now it?s either buy another roll from Summit, or buy the short pieces I need from my local parts place for the same price. Ouch.

Thanks for the heads up with the minivan proportioning valve. My dad?s ?66 IH pickup had one of them; I had it in mind as a last resort. Good to know of a more modern source.
 
Here?s one of those trial and errors...

I built the front axle years ago without the calipers installed. I threw them on the other morning and found that the inlet port dumps really close to the steering arm. I?m not sure I?ll be able to fit the hose in there without using a 90? fitting and shooting it up toward the top knuckle pivot.

It?s hard to tell in the pic, but the edge of the arm easily clears the hole, but the arm is angled. A rubber hose would have definite contact.

It?s irritating, because caliper removal after the brake line is on will either require arm removal or line removal.

h9C7h4o.jpg


Pic of the front hard lines roughed in.

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I decided to try banjo bolts in the ports that normally use inverted flare fittings.

I researched the threads/pitch I needed for these banjo bolts (m10x1) and located a part number through O'Reilly?s website. I called them, and they had two of them within 2 hours. They were $4 each. Awesome! Picked them up that night.

I had to machine the faces of these caliper ports flat for the banjo fittings to seal. They were pitted badly and uneven. I hit them with some sandpaper just to see what I was working with...

CUBLgDP.jpg


I made a tool out of a flare fitting, two washers and some sandpaper. I cranked down on the fitting and turned the big washer. It took a few pieces of sandpaper to get them to enough bare metal to seal, but it made a nice perpendicular cut.

2RRdVd6.jpg


2AbSPgI.jpg


Then I had to cut a big chunk out of the steering arm for the new fitting and hose to pass for removal. Oversight fixed! I?ll have some custom hoses made up when I get a funds refill.

1y1Ajbx.jpg
 
This thread does not disappoint. Maybe you’ve mentioned it earlier but out of curiosity what do you do for work? Is this just a hobby thing or do you work in the same industry as well?
 
...what do you do for work? Is this just a hobby thing or do you work in the same industry as well?

I?m Mr. Mom. I homeschool my 2 kids (Idaho schools SUCK), I?m the family chef, and I run my own high-end cabinet business out of my shop when I get time. During school months, I don?t really have the time to take on big jobs, so I sneak down to the shop after my wife leaves for work and before I start school, which is usually about 1 1/2 - 2 hrs a day. Never enough. This project is in its 13th year I think. Finally seeing the light at the end of the loooong tunnel has been a huge motivator.

I have a BS in art education but never used it. Since college, I?ve worked as an auto mechanic, shop welder, iron worker, cabinet maker... My wife has more success at making money than I could ever dream of, so I just work at keeping her happy, fed, her car running, and the house in decent shape; I fit my hobbies in where I can. It all works out in the end.
 
I?m Mr. Mom. I homeschool my 2 kids (Idaho schools SUCK), I?m the family chef, and I run my own high-end cabinet business out of my shop when I get time. During school months, I don?t really have the time to take on big jobs, so I sneak down to the shop after my wife leaves for work and before I start school, which is usually about 1 1/2 - 2 hrs a day. Never enough. This project is in its 13th year I think. Finally seeing the light at the end of the loooong tunnel has been a huge motivator.

I have a BS in art education but never used it. Since college, I?ve worked as an auto mechanic, shop welder, iron worker, cabinet maker... My wife has more success at making money than I could ever dream of, so I just work at keeping her happy, fed, her car running, and the house in decent shape; I fit my hobbies in where I can. It all works out in the end.

Right on man, you certainly don?t have it easy yourself, that?s a big workload. Sounds like you definitely have your priorities in good order!

Cheers!
 
Work on this has slowed a little. Our family goes all out for Halloween every year. I took a break from Halloween costumes this morning and decided it’s time to strip it down to the frame so I can box it, fill holes, finish the welding, and paint it. What I’m going to do with the front frame horns and bumper are still a big question mark, but I’ll be able to repaint them in-place easily enough.

NMsuqRj.jpg
 
Thanks for the details on the adapter / torque tube. Not that I think you necessarily need it, but I wonder if this would be a good application for a guibo between the the trans and transfer case. Might increase the margin for error. The BMW e30 AWD system has a guibo between the trans and transfer case.
 
I really did give a giubo some thought. If this shows any issues, I might work towards that route. In the end, I couldn’t really see any benefit besides removing some shock loads from the drivetrain, but there isn’t any one spot in the chain that I’m worried about holding up to shock loads. If it eats bearings in the trans output or t-case input, I’ll know something is out of whack, and it’ll call for action.

Thanks for the feedback.
 
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