03-MAY-2012
Driveshaft too short
The shortened driveshaft is now too short so a new front driveshaft will have to ordered.
10-JUN-2012
Changed the original Dana 20 shifter to twin sticks
Since the OEM Dana 20 shifter wasn't working and had problems plus I didn't like where the original shifter was located because it was way under the dash and hard to get to so I installed a set of JB twin shifters. I spoke with John at JB and told him that I wanted to relocate the shifters closer so I used shifters that are made for a full size Cherokee/Pick-up because they mount 4" closer and have an additional 4" of adjustment.
14-JUN-2012
New knobs for shifters
JB shifters come with plain black knobs but he makes some really nice machined knobs so I got a set and filled the machined shift pattern with black paint and picked up a couple O-rings for the machined grooves.
Now the transfer case shifts like it's supposed to unlike the old shifter that was just sitting in the shift box.
14-JUN-2012
Another view of the new transfer case shifter knobs
Here's another view of the o-rings on the new knobs. With the shift pattern filled in with black, the addition of the black o-rings not only made the knobs look great but they have a great grip as well. I sent a picture of them installed to John at JB Custom Fab and he wanted to know what size o-rings I used, I guess he liked the addition also!
07-JUN-2012
Removing stuff that is not needed
I have removed the rear bumper/tire rack, the hardtop, the rollbar, the rear seat, the rest of the rubber flooring, the funky front bumper and winch, the dash pad, and anything else that is not going to be used or in the way of the rusty tub.
07-JUN-2012
No more funky looking grille guard
I ended up having to use a torch on the grille guard because nothing was bolted on anywhere! I'm still contemplating what to do with the winch mount because its not exactly where I want it and it's welded into the front spring mounts. The rear bumper needed to be cut off with the torch as well.
12-MAY-2012
Rock slider rust
Someone welded on some 1 1/2" x 3" tubing as rock sliders but it looks like I have a rust problem on the passenger side. Not sure what i'm going to do yet with these?
28-JUN-2012
Waiting to be sandblasted
I cut out the front 6 inches on each side of the floor to expose the front body mount to be blasted with the rest of the tub. I scored the rest of the floor to be cut out with a 1/16" blade and instructed the blaster to just blast up to the scored cut.
28-JUN-2012
Ready for blasting
I had two bolts holding the seat in and a set of lap belts for my 20 mile drive on the freeway over to the sandblast shop. I taped off most of what I didn't want blasted.
28-JUN-2012
Sand everywhere for the drive home
Even though the whole tub was blown out with high pressure air to get all the sand out, it was still everywhere! I could only drive on the freeway a short distance before I had to get off and take side streets because I had huge puffs of dusty sand flying everywhere every time the Jeep would hit a bump in the road. By the time I got home I was covered by so much dust that I had to jump in the shower right away because I was a light shade of green. Most of the sand was up underneath the lip of the dash. in the heater box, the wiring, and in every little cubby hole.
10-JUL-2012
Sand was everywhere!
Both of the tail light housings were full of sand and both sides were completely assembled so I don't know how it got in there. Those sandblast nozzles must operate at really high pressure.
30-JUN-2012
Cut out the rest of the rust
After having the tub sandblasted I cut out the remaining section of the rusted floor. I didn't want to drive it back and forth to the sandblast shop with the floor cut out for a couple reasons,
1. I didn't want the body to bend and my door opening to close up.
2. I didn't want to fall through the floor!