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Frame swap restore for my 86 CJ7

After the last 10 day Labour Day camping trip way back into the bush, I noticed the CJ7's frame cracked in three new places. I was figuring out how to repair them yesterday, then figured I was repairing repairs and there 'really' wasn't anything left there to weld to when an email came in from a Website's thread monitor I posted to a while back looking for a steering shaft.

The gent was saying he still had parts (no shaft, but I got a new one some other place) so I looked just because I was bored and the post showed this really pretty looking CJ7 frame.....

Well coincidence or not, I showed my wife and she said go for it and handed me money. So I did and now have a 'project'. LOL!

The gent tossed in a gas tank and good skid plate which I need bad for an extra $20.00, Have no skid plate at all right now, lost the last one on the trail, and I gave my son 20 for gas when he picked it up for me with his mini van so for less than $350.00 I got a nice clean frame home. I was told it is from a 78.

Now to build it up for install. I put all new lines in my CJ7 back in

99/2000 when I did a frame up build with the fiberglass body, but figure it is time for all new again. So easy to run gas and brake lines from the top.... This frame has all new mounting bushings for the springs and sway bar already installed so I don't have to worry there.

I used a red rust converter, then rubberized top coat on my frame back in '00 and had no rust happen, the rust came from the inside out and killed it so this time I want to do the insides. The outside has been sandblasted, primered and painted.

I have this industrial cold galvanizing spray I used back in '00 on things like washers for mount spacers, frame pieces for my custom spare and rack mount system, etc., and there isn't a spot of rust on them so I figure I am going to soak the 'inside' of the frame with the galvanizing. The tails already have a hole cut in the crossmember so I can get inside from the back end with a tube on the spray can.

Those tails are a weak spot and crush over time so I think I will box both of them internally up as far as I can fit a square pipe, just guessing about 18" with a 30 deg angle on the ends and weld through the side holes to hold it in place. This will give some good structure for the rear shackle hangers, my rack frame and my trailer hitch to hold onto.

I already picked up a dual steering shock setup to replace my 'rod in an empty tube' posing as a steering stabilizer and got a re-core on my rad so it's new.

I have an old antique thumper compressor with an electric motor bolted to a 2x10 with a handle on it I am going to see about plumbing up to a tank for my air tools because some lowlife scumbag stole my nice new one off my front porch a couple weeks ago. I figure if I put together a 'ghetto' air tank system with ugly used parts no one will bother stealing that...

This is going to be fun...

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's - Gone to the rust pile... Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view! Jan/06
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(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
Reply to
Mike Romain
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You should take pics along the way so we can see the progress of the MikeMobile.

Reply to
griffin

Mike,

You may want to consider going with stainless tubes for the brakes and fuel lines. I did that with my truck when I redid it and the stainless only cost me $40 more than regular steel tubing.

I used a company called inline tube, but I didn't see any Jeep stuff there. Their website is

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I can say that the fuel and brake lines I got from them fit perfectly and are very good quality. It would be worth a phone call to them to see if they offer stuff for Jeeps. Otherwise, I have had friends use
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who does list Jeep stuff and they were also very satisfied with their products. Chris

Reply to
c

Thanks for the suggestion, but I kinda like making my own lines. I will check out bulk line though. I just inspected the ones I built in 00 and they are showing light surface rust. I think I will coat the new ones in galvanizing spray or try the stainless if I can get it.

It's also time for a new master cylinder, mine creeps a bit when the pedal is held down. Ohh, the 'little' details are $tarting to add up...

I am going to leave the ones across the back axle alone.

All my 'glass body mounting bolts are stainless and have held up well.

Mike

c wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

I am doing this already.

My album site, Sony is closing down so I need to set up a new account someplace.

Meanwhile here is a start:

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You should take pics along the way so we can see the progress of the > MikeMobile.

Reply to
Mike Romain

Reply to
L.W. (Bill) Hughes III

Had a look at your frame, nice welds they put on hey, I saw my frame sand blasted, factory welds are pathetic, I do better welds with my mig, and I've never had any training. Obviously Chrysler's welders haven't had any either.

Reply to
Greg

Apparently that was a local 'Jeep' shop's job all the way making it ready for resale to the gent I bought it from. He was going to make a rock buggy, but made a baby instead. He does still have a nice TJ with a 4" lift done up to match.

The back shackle hangers are bolted on stock and are the first place a frame starts to go usually so are the first 'welds'...

One of those suckers is just welded to the back crossmember mostly, they barely tagged the frame in one corner.

'I' would tear them off fast the way I get twisted up on trails. Well, maybe not 'fast', that frame is in better shape than mine was when I bought my CJ7 ten years ago....

I also noticed the tranny skid plate on this one won't work for my drivetrain so I will have to swap mine over.

Mike

Greg wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

I'll send you some pics of my new frame tomorrow, I'll take a couple of the factory welds. My frame came with wide track, and 4" lift, so I will be swapping over to wide track at the same time, I may do a 9" in the back though.

Reply to
Greg

I see what you are talking about, I was just thinking on those shackles, not he overall welding.

I already have a D30 and a D44.

Mike

Greg wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

Are you going to beef up your frame?

I figure I should reinforce all the spots these frames break at before there is any damage.

I want to beef up all the spring hanger areas, gusset the front crossmember and angle brace and gusset the rear crossmember for anchoring the trailer hitch and bumperettes solid.

I am going to stuff the tails with a square tube.

I was thinking on getting some 3/16" plate steel and making a bunch of cardboard templates, then renting a cutting torch or plasma cutter if I can find one and zip them all off in an afternoon/evening.

Too bad you live so far away....

Mike

Greg wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

Doesn't that reduce needed flexibility and make a brittle area to the side of the weld, if you don't know what you're doing? Just my $0.02.

Cheers,

Earle

Reply to
Earle Horton

I already have enough flexibility to keep tearing my rad in half and to have my doors just pop open so I was kinda wanting stiffer.

Here is one shot of how twisted up it can get:

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Don't forget, I have a fiberglass tub with a one piece flip up front clip so the body adds nothing to the stiffness...

I also have a small 'mig' welder that can easily do two passes on the welds. If I remember right, the first pass wrecks the temper and the second somewhat restores it.

Mike

Earle Hort> Doesn't that reduce needed flexibility and make a brittle area to the side

Reply to
Mike Romain

Ya I talked to a local welding place, I'd like to plate the frame from rear crossmember to in front of rear hanger, that's where mine went. This new frame is 99% better then mine, but still has a hole under one spring hanger. I could do all this myself but worry about legallities of welding on my frame, even though like you I have kept my old one together over the last

3 years.
Reply to
Greg

I know for a fact you are allowed to weld repairs on a frame in BC. I built a bungalow for and worked cutting and running a crane in a scrap yard for a gent over near Courtenay on Vancouver Island. He snapped the frame on one of his crane trucks and had it plated and welded. I questioned the legality and found out it was fine to do.

It is also legal in Ontario and Nova Scotia for sure.

I just can't see putting this frame in as is and having to do it all over again in a few years or having to start the repairs all over again.

All the CJ7 frames seem to blow out in the same places from flexing because of that inside frame box. Then rust fatigue gets them.

This frame is so pretty though that I hate to chop it up...

Mike

Greg wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

Has to be done by a certified welder though to be legal.

Reply to
Greg

We aren't doing 'repairs' though, we are adding 'extra safety features' to an already safe existing frame with good photographic evidence.

Same with adding custom bumpers or 'nerf' bars, they don't come 'certified', yet they add to the value of the vehicle for insurance purposes and are legal.

I am not really worried about that. My insurance company is aware of my modifications from 'way' back and wants a new appraisal once I have the new frame installed so 'they' like it beefed up just fine.

Mike

Greg wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

Hey Mike, I just got off the phone with a place called metal super market,

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there's one in Naniamo for me, but I see there are lots in Ontario. Anyway I am getting 2 - 5' peices of 1/8" walled 4"x3" rectangle tubing, which gives it a 2 3/4" interior size, same as frame. So I am going to cut one 3" side off and slide under frame from just in front of rear mid spring hanger to back tail, it will take a bit of notching to go up and over wheel humps, but once welded in it will deffinately add the strength I need. Cost is $93.70 plus tax, I'll pick it up Friday.

Reply to
Greg

LOL!

I too just got off the phone with metalsupermarket here in Ontario!

I was thinking 3/16 plate and just doing the rear outside, picking up the shackle hangers with weld up as far as the front rear hanger, well,

6" at least past there, then doing the inside rear as far as the gas tank cross member. I am going to stuff the tails with 2 1/4" square tubing with some strips of plate welded onto it on the outside half to fit snug after I galvanize the inside of the frame. The inside C half is smaller than the outside C half frame.

I wouldn't want to box mine on the outside due to rust belt factors....

What do you have for a cutter??

That is going to be an insane amount of cutting you want to do.

My frame starts at 3 X 2 1/2" at the tail and slowly deepens up to 4 1/2 X 2 11/16 at the front of the rear spring hanger.

Mike

Greg wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

I had something along these lines in mind:

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Click on frame plates on the catalog first page.

Mike

Mike Roma> LOL!

Reply to
Mike Romain

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