Wrenching this weekend

Trying to make some more progress on Josh's CJ. Keith's got a 220v generator with twist lock plug and a propane heater he can bring out to the shop. He just got a big shipment of stuff yesterday.

The next thing we need to do is rebuild the skid/cross member. Keith has some 2" square tubing and we can re-use the old mount and rework it, but we need someone to weld here (I can stick stuff to stuff, but we'd like this to actually be beefy and look fairly good at the same time). Keith has a 110v MIG he can bring as well. Spune? Kevin? T-rav? Ben? Any of you available this weekend by chance?

Once the cross member is in, we can bolt up the new Genright gas tank & skid that Genright has donated, and plumb the fuel lines. If anyone needs a Kilby skid for a YJ, Keith has an extra he'll make you a deal on so we don't have to ship it back...

Once the fuel's done, we can plumb the rest of the brake lines along the frame, and get the tub back on the frame.

Then we can weld up the Poison Spider cage that they've donated to the cause.

After that, we can button up the seats, steering, shifters, etc.

Then we can deliver it to Scott to wire & test fire the motor.

Once that's one, we'll be able to drop drive shafts in, finish the exhaust, and button up the final details.



Now that we've got a plan, I know there are a LOT of events between now and April, when Josh returns from Afghanistan. Frostbite, SMORR Froze Over, parades, St. Patty's day, Big Meats in Disney, etc. But if anyone can squeeze a day in here or there and bring some expertise to the project, that would be awesome!

Please PM me if you can weld and can help tomorrow or Sunday. We'd like to get the cross member done so we can get the body back on the Jeep ASAP. We'll have a heater fired up in the shop. :)

Thanks!
Rich

[Guest]

I will be able to come up after 3-4 PM on Sat but Sun is out

[Guest]

i can bring my hobart 140 as well as my "skills" at welding.. just have to figure out what time i'm free. wont be in kc til tomorrow morning/noon sometime

[spunebil]

I am a morning person :)
But I dont trust the weld quality of them little welders ( and yes I have one meself, millermatic 130) would prefer to weld it at shop , but I can weld with stick also ( certified high pressure pipe/plate) ;)
If ya have access to a welding machine :)

[rjh]

I don't have a 220v or stick welder here at the shop (yet). We'd have to rely on whatever someone could bring. I think for a cross member to support the drive train we'd be fine with the smaller welder; we're likely only welding 1/4" or smaller anyway. Ben built mine with a Lincoln 110v welder and it's held up fine. It's tough to get it to the shop right now; I don't have a picture handy but it's torn down to the frame, sitting on jack stands, with a 2x4 (wood) supporting the tail of the transmission across the frame rails right now - we need to lower it into the correct placement, and come up with a cross member design for it....

It's starting to look like maybe next weekend would work better, for anyone who's not going to SMORR. This is really Keith's gig, I just volunteered my shop for the work space. :)

[rjh]

Ben has a 220v plasma/stick welder too, but he's at World of Wheels with his bike this weekend... not sure if he's going to SMORR or not.

[t-rav_12]

sorry, I won't be able to make it up this weekend.

[spunebil]

I can come up and turn a wrench (I am not just a welder) lol
throw me some directions and I can be there around 0800 :)

[treedawg]

I can make it for a day next weekend.Post up what day Keith will be there next weekend.

[rjh]

We're putting a stake in the ground for 2/26 - the day AFTER Frostbite. That way if anyone else breaks and needs to fix something, we'll be wrenching anyway. Our goal on the 26th is to get the body back on the frame, which means the cross member needs to get fabbed & completed. Keith is bringing the shop heater, a 220v generator, and spare scrap steel & tubing for the cross member, along with whatever other parts have been delivered (gas tank, skid, roll cage, etc).

We can work as late as anyone wants to stay that day; I don't have any flights to catch that week.

If someone with welding skills and equipment wouldn't mind bringing their stuff, that would help immensely. Otherwise I'm going to have to start knocking on my neighbors' doors to see if we can borrow some welding gear, and booger weld the stuff together on our own. :D

A plasma cutter'd be nice too, but I have cutoff discs and flap wheels if we don't have one handy.

PM me if you need the address or directions.

[Will]

Ill get with you rich and we will get the crossmember made before the 26th, that way we have a head start

[rjh]

give me some notice when you might be able to help and i'll make sure we got the 220v generator and the heater out there. i'm getting 200a out to the shop "soon" and may be able to get som 220v plugs out there sooner rather than later while they're doing it, but i'm thinking not before the end of next week though.

[spunebil]

Rich, I have an old 220 v ac cracker box that I can weld 1/8" rod with but will need to see what type of plug I have on it ;)

[rjh]

In addition to the welding, we need to run the fuel lines. Anyone have a flare tool for the gas lines they can bring? Should only need it for the day on Sunday and we can wrap that up as well - the brakes are already plumbed I believe.

[rjh]

We got a temporary cross member in place this weekend, so we can check drive shaft clearances before we spend a lot of time welding up the final product and skid. We got the Genright Crawler tank & skid installed, but not plumbed. We also got the tub back on the frame. The biggest thing we got accomplished was re-seating the driveline so it's straight and not 2" off in the tail.

Ron answered the question, "What size sawzall do I need to clear 35's?" with his YJ:


Ben cutting the temporary cross member:


Much was accomplished, much still needs to be done. Next up is driveshafts, fuel lines, and cross member. Anyone got a spare drive shaft they can bring for fitment? Bolt to bolt is 38 3/4" on this puppy.

Next Wrench-a-thon / shooting is NEXT SATURDAY (3/3) from 3pm 'till we drop.