7.) 5-23-10 Update

Since my last posting the engine and transmission has been installed. There was allot of headache with trying to remember where all of the plugs on the wire harness belong and it took Brian and I quite a few nights to get all the wire harness put back together and cleaned up.. At this point the engine is almost ready to fire up once the cooling system is hooked back up, but before I finish that we need to finish designing and fabricating the steering and track bar. This will be allot easier to accomplish without the sheet metal of the front fenders and grill in the way. I went to the junk yard this weekend and picked up a front drive line from a late 80's Cherokee to use as a rear drive line.. The front drive line already has a double cardan joint at one end and a slip yoke at the other... The drive line right now is about 3 inches too long and I plan on grinding out the weld of the slip fit on the cardan side and shortening up the tube length of the drive line and re welding it.. I know that the diameter of the tubing is smaller than what a normal rear drive line is but at this point i doubt that it will be an issue.. If I do end up breaking the drive line due to it's smaller diameter then we will change it out at that point... But so far it has only cost me 30 bucks for the new rear drive line as apposed to 300-400 bucks to have one built... I will get into more detail on the steps we took on making this once it is complete...

There are just a bunch of odds and end things that need to be done before I can drive the Jeep and some of them are easy 15-20 minute jobs and others like changing out the ring and pinion and rebuilding the axles are more of a weekend project. Here are a few pictures of the progress we have made of the last few weeks..

6.) 5-1-10 Update

(Resurfaced flywheel ready for new clutch.)

( Transmission and NP231 transfer case reassembled and cleaned)



(Slip yoke kit install finished and new yoke centerline measurement is 3.800 inches.)




(New chain and short output shaft installed... This kit required the removal of the 2 needle bearing sets)





(Yoke center line distance to back of transfercase 9.800 inches.)

Well it's been a few weeks since my last posting so I thought I better give an update on the progress.... My last post I was working on putting in the slip yoke eliminator kit on the transfer case, that has been finished and cleaned up a bit... Bian Kaspick came over the other night and helped me finish the install...It was really a help to have another set of hands holding everything in place when putting all those parts back together..Thanks Brian..We ended up installing a new chain in the transfer case. The chain sprockets and gear sets looked to still be in good shape. The hard facing of the gears showed little wear so I left them alone. From the pictures you can see how much of a difference the new length is now from the old...The transfer case is now back on the transmission and the new clutch and resurfaced flywheel are both on the engine... The other night James and I married up the engine and transmission and it's ready to be put back into the Jeep....