Repairs

Before I bought it, the Jeep had been sitting for five years or so without being driven. Up until then, it was being used irregularly and only the minimum preventative maintenance had been performed. While every Jeep is different, this narrative should give you an idea of mechanical repairs these machines typically need to get back on the road.

1987

As the engine was seized and the brakes inoperative, an engine overhaul and brake job were the first order of business. This work was beyond my skill at the time and I delivered the Jeep to a mechanic for the work. Removal and replacement of the engine, machine shop charges, and replacement of tune-up components, starter, battery, and the like cost me around $1,900. The brake repairs, including a new master cylinder, cost $300.

I bought a second CJ-2a while this one was in the shop, a real basket case -- body falling apart, and both the transfer case and the transmission tended to jump out of gear. I bought new tires for it. I had fun driving it around but it eventually blew a head gasket, at which time I scavenged the few remaining valuable parts, and junked the chassis. Funny thing, though, the second Jeep had way more power at the top end, cruising comfortably at 50-55 MPH. I wouldn't find out why for another ten years, though.

I replaced the front driveshaft in my "original" jeep using parts from the "second" jeep and some new U-joints, and installed new tires and a horn in the same manner.

1988

The transfer case failed as a result of running out of gear oil while flat-towing the Jeep. An expensive lesson.

1989

Replaced the battery, again, the old one having been overcharged, boiled dry, and one of the cells shorted. A casualty of the mechanical voltage regulator.

Replaced one of the hood hold-downs.

Replaced the exhaust system.

Added a tank heater to assist with cold-weather starts. Attached a 1-amp battery charger to the firewall to use to keep the battery topped off.

1990

The clutch linkage failed in the middle of a busy street and I had to make a new one out of a piece of 1/4" rod from the hardware store.

I replaced the tie rod ends and bellcrank bushing, resulting in much better steering.

The fuel gauge and ammeter were replaced with modern instruments.

I replaced the steering knuckle seals, an easy and inexpensive repair that corrected a severe problem with leakage.

1991

The brakes failed again and the Jeep was relegated to garages and trailers for the next five years.

1996

Time and money finally permit more thorough repairs. I took the Jeep to Willys Minneapolis for a complete going-over. The metal top, an aftermarket item in poor condition and of no value, was scrapped. The brakes were completely overhauled, with new cylinders, lines, and hoses. The front axle yoke and seal were replaced to correct a problem with leakage. The rear axle pinion seal was replaced. The transmission and transfer case were removed and overhauled, and the shift tower replaced, to correct problems with leakage, jumping out of gear, and difficult shifting. A number of hard parts (gears, synchronizers) were replaced in the process. The hand brake assembly, which had been missing most of its parts, was restored to proper operation. Another new battery was installed, and the generator and regulator were scrapped in favor of a late-model alternator. The bumper (actually more of a frame component than body component) was bent back into a square condition. It had been bent outward in the center during a series of badly-executed recoveries in years past. The clutch/brake pedal shaft assembly was replaced to correct side play in the brake pedal. A new fuel tank was installed.

Meanwhile, the seats were recovered at Dick and Rick's Auto Upholstery in Bloomington.

Now that the Jeep was driveable, I completed many remaining minor repairs myself. These included new coolant hoses, new spring shackles, a new spare tire carrier, insulation for the fuel line (to correct a problem with vapor lock), a new fuel pump (the one from the overhaul was not correct), and an overhaul of the carburetor (primarily to fix an inoperative accelerator pump).

During the carburetor overhaul, I found a throttle restrictor plate. These were installed by the factory to limit maximum RPM during break-in. They were supposed to be removed at the first oil change. Mine never was. The mystery of the lack of power compared to my other CJ-2a was finally solved.

Repairs continued with overhaul of the steering drag link, installation of the missing instrument light, replacement of the brake light switch and the wiring to the brake lights (insulation had failed and the wires were shorted to ground). Replaced the felt weather-stripping between the cowling and the hood. Replaced the rubber windshield gasketing, both between the windshield frame and cowling and between the glass panels and the frame. Replaced the wiper blades. Replaced both pieces of glass in the windshield. Installed the missing control knob for the vacuum motor for the wiper. Replaced the wing bolts for the windshield hold-open. Repaired the windshield latches. Straightened the windshield frame. Lubricated the speedometer cable. Replaced the heater fan motor with a 12 volt unit, and repainted the housing. Replaced one of the front parking light lenses and both bulbs. Replaced the windshield hold-down strap at the front footman loop. Added the missing footman loops that had been removed to make room for the (now removed) aftermarket hard top. Replaced the wooden hood blocks. Replaced the accelerator linkage grommet. Replaced the oil pressure gauge with a correct, used gauge. Replaced the canvas sleeves that fit over the tailgate chains. Repaired the horn switch.

A can of rust-inhibiting enamel paint and a brush have always been the basic appearance maintenance tools of the Jeep owner. A showroom finish seems out of place on a vehicle designed for rugged use. I wire-brushed the entire vehicle and painted it with a enamel paint and a paint brush.

After about six months, the Jeep was ready and served well during the grouse hunting season. It was drained of fuel and garaged for the winter.

1997

After sitting all winter, the Jeep started right up after sufficient cranking to bring fuel to the carburetor.

Took the Jeep to a welding shop where several body flaws were fixed. The mounting holes for the old top were welded up. The license plate mount was repaired. The cracks by the spare tire carrier were repaired, and the tailgate was repaired.

I finally found a Ramsey PTO winch which I had installed. The front springs were sagging and had to be replaced. We used replacements with a 2" lift, and added new shocks at the same time.