Family CJ6 Project

Nice work! It always scares the out of me operating heavy equipment that close to something I care about.

 

What is that attached to the alternator bracket? Diff breather?

 

Yeah, temporary. I want to tie them all together and run a breather up on the firewall. It's been temporary since 2017 or so.

 

That old loader tractor doesn't leak down at the boom, but the bucket will imperceptibly go down, about an inch an hour. That is why the ratchet strap was on the bucket. The controls are excellent on the old Deere, and you can creep as slow as necessary.

 

Quick update, the 225 runs Excellent. I was chasing down a very slow coolant leak. I thought it was the water pump gasket, then maybe a casting flaw, etc. After I looked and looked, my bypass hose was mushy (the one thing I didn't change) and needed more tightening. It was running down the green timing cover and appeared to be leaking near the bottom of the water pump. I ordered a new one. Look at the simple things first.

 

I was going to do power steering, but I don't want the extra hoses or to notch my grill. The steering effort is pretty light, even standing still, so I am cool with that. I don't mind 7 turns lock to lock. I ordered a reman manual Saginaw steering box and I will throw it in. My old one had slop at the lower bushing and always dribbled grease all over everything. Forget 90W, it wouldn't even keep wheel bearing grease in. I do love old GM car power steering, floaty and effortless, but the pros of decent manual made my decision.

 

I was able to do power steering without notching my grill. It's probably my favorite mod to my Jeep, it's just a pleasure to drive it in tight places with power steering.

 

I have been kicking it back and forth. How were you able to not notch the grill.

 

One option are these banjo fittings that fit the steering box: Power Steering Box Banjo Fittings

It keeps the lines much lower, but you may need to machine flats on the steering box for them to seal.

 

keeping the box low and forward accomplishes two things, better drag link angle and keeps the hose ends below the grill.

 

I'm going to check out the banjo fittings. My frame and Saginaw bracket were joined long ago and galvanized, so no option to change their location. Thanks for the ideas, I'm going to mock up a power steering box that I have, to see how much room I have.

 

My box is out of a YJ. I have it mounted far enough back and low enough that the hoses clear the grill with a lot of room to spare. This was actually a really easy job... unless you hook your pressure line to the return side like I did

 

I can second that advice. Almost broke a couple fingers with the steering wheel jumping around like crazy!

 

I put new u joints in the steering shaft and gave it a coat of rustoleum. I wound up putting in a reman box after going back and forth. The old one was just worn out. Lower bushing and shaft were shot. It is now really tight and steers easier than before. Not power steering easy but easy enough. I have a power steering box, pump and brackets that I may use on one of my kids' jeeps.

 

Hey, that looks like the front driveshaft on my 3b

 

Just fitted an XJ power steer unit to my 74 cj6.
Needed to notch out the cross member to allow the pressure line to get to the top of the steering box but otherwise it used the original manual steer bracket.

Off course I'm back to front and all that down here so it may not be relevent.

 

It was a pto shaft in it's previous life. I think the ends were from some Scout steering joints I had laying around. I really don't quite recall for sure now. Lol

 

Thanks to Fino, I now have a nice oil bath air cleaner, and I am looking for the proper breather and hose, but this Chrysler breather and kinda weird hose will work for now.

 

Also for the first time in any Jeeps life I have ever owned, every light and gauge works. I spent the better part of today making it happen, along with cluster parts donated by garage gnome. I installed bump stops yesterday (finally). It's nice to be wrapping up some small details. I have been driving it constantly since the engine rebuild. The kids and I really missed Farm Jeep Willy.

 

Well, I am going back to 6" wide wheels, removing the flares, and putting on some 34x9.50x15 swampers. I trimmed the fender flares, got them to look older, but not old enough. I prefer the no fender flares look on this old Jeep. I have a decent set of 15x6 IH Scout wheels I am going to get powdercoated. I threw this one on just to check it out.