63 Wagoneer Rebuild

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twisted frame
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Re: 63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by twisted frame »

Sounds like a great plan. Nice score on the parts.
73 J4000. 360, MC 2100, T18A, D20, stock closed knuckle Dana 44 front, 60-2 rear. Warn Lock-O-Matics, Warn/Belleview electric winch, true duals with glasspacks, old-school front diff skid plate, used 265 Toyos on 16" AR wheels.
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glake
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Location: Escondido, CA

63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by glake »

After a lot of debating, I decided to not use the TH400 and instead use the 700r4 and Dana 20 I've already got it set up to use. I put the 400 and t-case on Craigslist and sold it within a couple of days for a bit more than I paid, so that's good.

I've spent some time tinkering around with fitting 35" tires. I found that a combination of the original Rancho lift springs and a 2" body lift should clear with minot trimming at the lower front a lower rear sections of the wheel wells.
Without body lift:
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With body lift:
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I gave the fuel tank a good cleaning.
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Rather than use pucks, I opted to use some tubing I had to make the body lift, welded directly to the frame.
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Added a cross bar to mount the air tank. I'll add more support across the front later. I'm planning an auxiliary fuel tank in front of the air tank. They will share a support as well as skid plate.
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Gave the fuel tank a prime and put it in place to fab up a skid plate.
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Modified a set of F250 shock towers for the front. Found a nice pair of Bilsteins at last month's auto swap meet for $20.
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At this point I decided to call it quits for the day and take a nap.
Last edited by glake on Sun Mar 26, 2017 3:42 pm, edited 2 times in total.
1970 Jeep Gladiator: Daily Driver!
1963 Jeep Wagoneer: In progess
1972 Jeep Wagoneer: waiting in the wings
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tedlovesjeeps71
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Re: 63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by tedlovesjeeps71 »

Looking great! I hear ya on needing a nap!
Are you still going to use body bushings on the body lift? I think you kinda need that insulting flex they offer, no?


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glake
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Re: 63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by glake »

tedlovesjeeps71 wrote:Looking great! I hear ya on needing a nap!
Are you still going to use body bushings on the body lift? I think you kinda need that insulting flex they offer, no?


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Yes to the bushings.
1970 Jeep Gladiator: Daily Driver!
1963 Jeep Wagoneer: In progess
1972 Jeep Wagoneer: waiting in the wings
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glake
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63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by glake »

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Guess I'll add new rear gears to my list. I didn't realize the Rodeo used a thick ring gear. Maybe I'll step up to 4.56 ratio.
1970 Jeep Gladiator: Daily Driver!
1963 Jeep Wagoneer: In progess
1972 Jeep Wagoneer: waiting in the wings
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glake
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63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by glake »

Axles are done. I ended up using the carrier and gears from the Isuzu rear in the front axle so I only had to purchase matching gears for the rear. The e-locker is in the rear and the front is open (for now). I turned my own rotors for the first time. I gave the motor and trans a fresh coat of paint.
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Last edited by glake on Sat May 06, 2017 7:29 am, edited 3 times in total.
1970 Jeep Gladiator: Daily Driver!
1963 Jeep Wagoneer: In progess
1972 Jeep Wagoneer: waiting in the wings
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tedlovesjeeps71
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Re: 63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by tedlovesjeeps71 »

Looking nice!!
So how did you go about dealing with the Isuzu stuff? I wonder if the gears from the Isuzu would work in my 91 waggys f&r 44s?


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troopthrowback
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Re: 63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by troopthrowback »

Nice update!


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glake
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Re: 63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by glake »

tedlovesjeeps71 wrote:Looking nice!!
So how did you go about dealing with the Isuzu stuff? I wonder if the gears from the Isuzu would work in my 91 waggys f&r 44s?


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No problems with the Isuzu stuff. A Dana 44 is pretty much a Dana 44. The rear is from a 94 Rodeo and my front is a 74-79 Wagoneer. The two differences were the Isuzu 44 uses a smaller bearing on the inner pinion and also use a series 3 carrier so it has a thick ring gear even though it had 4.30 gears from the factory. The Rodeo carrier slipped right in the Jeep 44, even with the abs ring still attached. I left it on for now. When the budget allows, I will swap in a locker.
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1963 Jeep Wagoneer: In progess
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tedlovesjeeps71
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Re: 63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by tedlovesjeeps71 »

glake wrote:
tedlovesjeeps71 wrote:Looking nice!!
So how did you go about dealing with the Isuzu stuff? I wonder if the gears from the Isuzu would work in my 91 waggys f&r 44s?


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No problems with the Isuzu stuff. A Dana 44 is pretty much a Dana 44. The rear is from a 94 Rodeo and my front is a 74-79 Wagoneer. The two differences were the Isuzu 44 uses a smaller bearing on the inner pinion and also use a series 3 carrier so it has a thick ring gear even though it had 4.30 gears from the factory. The Rodeo carrier slipped right in the Jeep 44, even with the abs ring still attached. I left it on for now. When the budget allows, I will swap in a locker.
Cool. I was curious because it seems like one could salvage some 4:30 R&Ps from the junkyard pretty cheap. If they'd work in the waggy diffs it could save some coin... maybe.?.


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az chip
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Re: 63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by az chip »

Nice to have friends like that!
'81 Cherokee Chief 81 WT Chief/MSD 6/Holley Sniper/ Rusty 4" Spring lift/ Bulltear oil adapter/K&P Engineering Oil Filter/ NP 208/ Serehill Light Harness/KC LED Headlights/ Evil Twin Fab Roof Rack and sliders/ Ross mirror mounts.
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tedlovesjeeps71
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Re: 63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by tedlovesjeeps71 »

Sorry to keep muddying up your thread. So the Isuzu 44 ring, pinion, and carrier all fit in the Jeep Dana 44 housing. Are the splines the same? Any issues, even small ones, in putting them in? I'm thinking about going to the junkyard to pillage some rodeos for gears. Just want to know what to nab while I'm at it. Thanks.


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glake
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Re: 63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by glake »

tedlovesjeeps71 wrote:Sorry to keep muddying up your thread. So the Isuzu 44 ring, pinion, and carrier all fit in the Jeep Dana 44 housing. Are the splines the same? Any issues, even small ones, in putting them in? I'm thinking about going to the junkyard to pillage some rodeos for gears. Just want to know what to nab while I'm at it. Thanks. Image


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Happy to help. Carrier fit right in, axles shafts slipped right in. Inner pinion bearing/race was the only difference. I believe you need Timken 31594/31520. Taking the whole axle is the way to go. Disk brakes with built in parking brake. There's a write up over on Pirate. http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/isuzu/60 ... -axle.html
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tedlovesjeeps71
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Re: 63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by tedlovesjeeps71 »

glake wrote:
tedlovesjeeps71 wrote:Sorry to keep muddying up your thread. So the Isuzu 44 ring, pinion, and carrier all fit in the Jeep Dana 44 housing. Are the splines the same? Any issues, even small ones, in putting them in? I'm thinking about going to the junkyard to pillage some rodeos for gears. Just want to know what to nab while I'm at it. Thanks. Image


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Happy to help. Carrier fit right in, axles shafts slipped right in. Inner pinion bearing/race was the only difference. I believe you need Timken 31594/31520. Taking the whole axle is the way to go. Disk brakes with built in parking brake. There's a write up over on Pirate. http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/isuzu/60 ... -axle.html
Thanks for all that (again. Image) I'm trying to remember which of my vehicles I had that I failed at getting the Isuzu rear to fit in. I have one under the commando, fits. I can't recall if it was my 83 NT cherk or my Scrambler that I tried to put it under that it had issues. It was a case of the calipers being dead on with the springs so no way to service them without removing U bolts. I'd love to go pillage the junk yard for 4:10 or 430 gears for Walter. I think some rodeos or troopers even had 4.56s??


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glake
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63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by glake »

Got the front axle in place. New ball joints, cleaned and paint and shocks mounted. My dropped pitman needed to be enlarged a bit due to the J truck steering drag link end being larger. That's the box I bought from Jerry a few years back - thank again Jerry!
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I've spent the past few week working on some skid plates. I've got the skeletons done for the transfer case, gas tank and oil pan. I'm having a hard time find some scrap sheet for the covers. Our metal yards in SoCal seem to be slim picking anymore.

T-Case Skid
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Gas tank skid
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Oil pan skid
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Last edited by glake on Sun May 21, 2017 7:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
1970 Jeep Gladiator: Daily Driver!
1963 Jeep Wagoneer: In progess
1972 Jeep Wagoneer: waiting in the wings
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glake
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63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by glake »

Body went back on last week and the trimming began. I behind the wheels even with the sheetmetal under the tailgate. That's a 35" in the second picture.
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Then I used some 1" square tube to reinforce. Someday I need to get a bender.
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In the end, it worked out pretty nicely. Straightened the rear metal gives a nice line. Tomorrow I'll be grinding and hopefully begin on the bumper.
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Last edited by glake on Sat May 27, 2017 4:04 pm, edited 4 times in total.
1970 Jeep Gladiator: Daily Driver!
1963 Jeep Wagoneer: In progess
1972 Jeep Wagoneer: waiting in the wings
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az chip
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Re: 63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by az chip »

Stuff is getting real! Burn that thing in. What else for body work?
'81 Cherokee Chief 81 WT Chief/MSD 6/Holley Sniper/ Rusty 4" Spring lift/ Bulltear oil adapter/K&P Engineering Oil Filter/ NP 208/ Serehill Light Harness/KC LED Headlights/ Evil Twin Fab Roof Rack and sliders/ Ross mirror mounts.

troopthrowback
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Re: 63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by troopthrowback »

Looks good!!!


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SJTD
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Re: 63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by SJTD »

I'm figgering to wrap the bumper around under the quarters behind the tires which'll require trimming the fenders like you did. I like how you reinforced them. Might copy it.
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'84 GW with Nissan SD33T, early Chev NV4500, 300, narrowed Ford reverse 44, narrowed Ford 60, SOA/reversed shackle in fornt, lowered mount/flipped shackle in rear.
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glake
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Re: 63 Wagoneer Rebuild

Post by glake »

SJTD wrote:I'm figgering to wrap the bumper around under the quarters behind the tires which'll require trimming the fenders like you did. I like how you reinforced them. Might copy it.
That's one of the great things about this site. Plenty of ideas!
1970 Jeep Gladiator: Daily Driver!
1963 Jeep Wagoneer: In progess
1972 Jeep Wagoneer: waiting in the wings
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