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Tennessee CJ with a wiggle

Discussion in 'CJ' started by Harley Jim, Jul 31, 2019.

  1. Jul 31, 2019 at 5:06 AM
    #1
    Harley Jim

    Harley Jim [OP] Member

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    Hello to all. I am going to rework this 73 CJ5 that I purchased for my wife. She is a total gear head and was a jeep racer back in the day. It has some steering issues that I am hoping to solve here with your help. Thanks, Jim

    IMG_20180526_125745.jpg
     
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  2. Jul 31, 2019 at 5:36 AM
    #2
    Harley Jim

    Harley Jim [OP] Member

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  3. Jul 31, 2019 at 6:01 AM
    #3
    aggrex

    aggrex Well-Known Member

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    DE
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    Tuffy>AEV>TTO>JW>STech>EVOcage>MagnaFlow>SpiderTrax>RockHard>TF>SpringTail>67design>Bolt>GPCA>Curt>
    Awesome looking CJ
     
  4. Jul 31, 2019 at 4:47 PM
    #4
    Jim Beam

    Jim Beam Well-Known Member

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    Nice picture of the Jeep, how about one of the front suspension?
     
  5. Aug 1, 2019 at 8:18 PM
    #5
    JKBob 25

    JKBob 25 Well-Known Member

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    I like a lil wiggle in my CJ.
    Ummmm....my bad....wrong forum. :anonymous:.

    What's your CJs issues Dude? I'm sure we can help..
     
  6. Aug 3, 2019 at 8:11 PM
    #6
    Harley Jim

    Harley Jim [OP] Member

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    Well this may get long winded but here goes. I bought this last year and knew it had a steering issue when I bought it. Started checking things out then I got put up on blocks with 2 surgeries. So now I am back at it. First It dose not have death wobble but at about 45 mph it starts wandering and will compound if you dont get out of it. I started checking things like tire psi tie rod ends ect. Since I did not build it I really didnt know how it was put together so. I took the front axle and suspension out then cleaned and checked the frame rails, cross members, and everything else. I disassembled the front axle. I found both front shocks were bent, all 4 ball joints were seized shackles were over torqued and were stripped, both front calipers were frozen, it had a stock pitman arm causing the drag link to be at a bad angle.IMG_20180526_151252.jpg
     
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  7. Aug 3, 2019 at 8:41 PM
    #7
    Harley Jim

    Harley Jim [OP] Member

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    I disassembled and cleaned, all parts. I cut the front bumper off and the 1/4" plate that was welded from the bumper to the cross member. Everything was cut back to stock and ground clean and painted. There were no cracks in the frame or cross members. I replaced the shocks, ball joints, shackles, calipers, and added a 2" drop pitman arm

    20190723_140905.jpg
     
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  8. Aug 3, 2019 at 8:51 PM
    #8
    Jim Beam

    Jim Beam Well-Known Member

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    Hopefully you can get that thing fixed and learn more about as you go. Along with what you found and as I recall, a lot of suspension changes have been made to these vehicles. I think it was about '76 the CJ made another suspension improvement. Using a one piece tie rod was one of them, although you might have one. I have seen where a lot of guys driving these older Jeeps using a lot of air pressure in the tires. I would suggest using around 24 p.s.i. and try that out, you have a really light rig with pretty large tires. Interesting to hear that you have not found any cracks as these things do flex and prone to cracks.
     
  9. Aug 3, 2019 at 9:12 PM
    #9
    Harley Jim

    Harley Jim [OP] Member

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    20190731_210104.jpg Hi Jim Beam
    I am having trouble trying to upload pics from my phone to help me explain what has happened and what I have done. Thanks for helping me figure this out
     
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  10. Aug 4, 2019 at 9:53 AM
    #10
    Jim Beam

    Jim Beam Well-Known Member

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  11. Aug 5, 2019 at 3:57 PM
    #11
    Harley Jim

    Harley Jim [OP] Member

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    I will read the artical and thank you.
    I am having internet installed on the 12th then the pic will not be a problem.
    Thanks
     
  12. Aug 13, 2019 at 4:55 PM
    #12
    Harley Jim

    Harley Jim [OP] Member

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    IMG_20180526_151252.jpg IMG_20180526_151114.jpg IMG_20180526_150840.jpg IMG_20180526_150909.jpg Ok I have made some progress and have the internet installed in the garage now I will be able to post some pics. I am going to back up a bit and show what I started with. Thanks
     
  13. Aug 13, 2019 at 5:14 PM
    #13
    Harley Jim

    Harley Jim [OP] Member

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    The story is it sat in an airplane hangar for 20 years and was used as a tow vehicle behind a motor home. The odometer reading is correct and was certified by the car lot that I found it setting at. 20190716_162405.jpg IMG_20180526_151038.jpg
     
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  14. Aug 13, 2019 at 5:27 PM
    #14
    Harley Jim

    Harley Jim [OP] Member

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    This is where it gets a little cloudy but I try to do my research and get it right if I can.
    A man bought it from the estate of the gentleman that pulled it behind the motorhome. As near as I can tell he removed the stock front axle and springs ( due to some type of an accident caused by his brother ) and replaced it with a circa 1983 front axle and springs. He could not get the geometry correct so he traded it in at the car lot for a ford pickup. 20190716_162420.jpg 20190723_140922.jpg 20190726_152048.jpg
     
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  15. Aug 13, 2019 at 5:47 PM
    #15
    Harley Jim

    Harley Jim [OP] Member

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    I have dissasembled everything from the spring hangers forward. Cleaned and inspected everything for cracks loose hardware ect. Wire brushed and sand blasted everything. 20190726_125156.jpg 20190726_125204.jpg

    20190726_140904.jpg
    20190726_125151.jpg
     
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  16. Aug 14, 2019 at 10:19 AM
    #16
    Harley Jim

    Harley Jim [OP] Member

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    This is the new shackle the po installed. I found several items like this on the jeep.20190814_131447.jpg
     
  17. Aug 16, 2019 at 4:39 PM
    #17
    Jim Beam

    Jim Beam Well-Known Member

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    I love to look at pics that guys sent in to check out possible issues. Like suggesting a bit of silicone grease on those spring shackle bushings and checking out stripped out threads on the bolts. You might be better off by purchasing a set of aftermarket spring shackles. The Torque arm on the tranny looks a bit loose also, I like mine all the way tight. With those big tires and aftermarket springs there is a lot of load on the front spring shackle hangars, I have seen many break right behind the rivet clearance hole. It always happens on the trail where they are stressed out the most. If you don't have any frame cracks, the Jeep has not seen much trail use. I have seen them most on the winch saddle where it is welded to the frame, and just above the main spring hangar on the frame. Big aftermarket springs put a lot of stress on that part of the frame. Wiggles are probably caused by worn pivots like on the drag link and tie rod. How about an underhood pic?
     
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  18. Aug 18, 2019 at 1:26 PM
    #18
    Harley Jim

    Harley Jim [OP] Member

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    20190814_130435.jpg 20190814_130335.jpg 20190814_130314.jpg 20190805_150147.jpg the shackle with the stripped thread is the one that I took off I replaced them with the new ones in the pic. This jeep spent most of its life behind a motor home it had very little wheeling life.
     
  19. Aug 18, 2019 at 2:05 PM
    #19
    Jim Beam

    Jim Beam Well-Known Member

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    Oh yeah! looks real clean. I can see numerous upgrades. especially the front disk brakes. The things I like about that year of CJ is the short length for weaseling thru tight obstacles along with its light weight. Along with the narrow axles to squeeze thru big rocks and trees. Although by now a lot of trails have been opened up for the larger and wider rigs. I see you have manual brakes which can make stopping those big tires a bit hard to do especially at the faster speeds. You might want to consider a heavier duty tie rod, as I have seen quite a few of those bend up. Thanks for the pics.
     
  20. Aug 18, 2019 at 5:29 PM
    #20
    Harley Jim

    Harley Jim [OP] Member

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    Jim
    My wife raced jeeps on a closed circuit track years ago and this jeep is a replacement for that one. But it will never be off road or raced it is only a grocery getter. She still can wheel the crap out of one but she is retired now. The first two pics are from the day we got her old race jeep back. We were going to restore it but it had sat under pine trees for about 15 years and the tub is completely shot. I sent the seats out and had them reupholstered. The thread was rottenIMG_20180526_151033.jpg 1219151527a.jpg 1219151527-1.jpg
     
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