'71 Wagoneer Pt 2

[sierrablue]

Getting it ready to go back to CO next week...

Got the rear support brace for the headliner installed since the board was starting to fall down some back there--didn't install it initially because it was holding up fine and I didn't want to drill the holes if I didn't have to. Got my front right turn signal working again...turns out it wasn't grounding AND the bushing inside wasn't holding the prongs against the bulb, and I wondered why it wasn't working

Also changed the oil...had to get a K+N filter because it was that, STP, or Mobil 1...of those, K+N is the one I trust the most, although not by much. Going to start ordering my filters from Rock Auto as I can get the Bosch Premium (supposed to be the best filter on the market right now) for under $5.

I've also started running the Ford Diesel 10W-30 "For Super Duties", as it is the service manual recommended 10W-30, as well as having massive amounts of phosphorous and zinc to protect the engine, and detergents to help clean it out (should be fine especially considering it's not fuel injected). I really like the oil and it seems like good stuff for what I'm doing...even if it is a little weird putting "Ford" branded oil in a Buick engine, powering a Jeep...lol

The other thing I did today was removed the spring snubbers from the frame (front springs) as I need new rubber pads for them before I run them again. I'm not entirely convinced that they're necessary anyway, and if I don't have issues with bottoming out I'll probably just leave them off. Hopefully that won't be an issue and I'll be good to go.

I still have a couple things left to do on the seat, and that can go back in (it's almost done), and then I also want to bleed the brakes and install my front mudflaps before I go back out to CO. Otherwise I think it should be good to go, and it'll be quieter and hopefully more comfortable on the way back out.

[sierrablue]

Finished up getting my seat rebuilt and reinstalled--this is the vinyl that was on it before; it was just under a seat cover before.

I also installed plastic sleeves that came with my seatbelts--people have put their feet on them before, so a) I wanted to make sure they'd stay clean and not get beat up, and b) I wanted to get something solid there so people will know when they're stepping on the seatbelt. As it turns out, the plastic sleeve goes to just inside the seat and then stops, so it's a nice clean look with them there, and very uniform.

With a little bit of luck it'll last awhile--there are no longer broken springs, it has brand new foam, and the vinyl is woven, vented vinyl (well, on the part you sit on at least). It's probably not the most comfortable in the world but it could be a whole lot worse.

Inside the seat were date tags--one of them indicating late summer/early fall of 1970, and one of them indicating very late November of 1970. As late as it is, I think that second tag has to be about the day it left the factory, as the sticker on the b pillar indicates November. There was another Jeep on Bring a Trailer that said December of 1970, and the VIN and equipment indicate that it was less than 30 cars after my '71.

[devildog80]

You think the bump stops (spring snubbers) are not really doing anything, take them off pending install of new ones...... But the first big unavoidable pothole you hit at speed on the hiway.....BAM....sounds like a bomb goes off under your truck when that axle pops that spring to full movement up against the frame. Been there & done that, nearly had to change my fruit-of-the-looms, so even a bad bump stop is better than none!

[sierrablue]

You think the bump stops (spring snubbers) are not really doing anything, take them off pending install of new ones...... But the first big unavoidable pothole you hit at speed on the hiway.....BAM....sounds like a bomb goes off under your truck when that axle pops that spring to full movement up against the frame. Been there & done that, nearly had to change my fruit-of-the-looms, so even a bad bump stop is better than none!

Oh I have bump stops on the frame still, I'm not THAT crazy. On <some of> the early Wagoneers, there are separate snubbers that effectively change the length of the spring and thus increase the spring rate. It had both, which I find incredibly weird.

[Herk]

The mid stop snubber on front springs has been around since the early days of the Willys Wagon. They give the front springs a progressive rate, don't be so quick to eliminate them. My experience is removing them will improve the street ride (if you are resting on them) but makes the front end mushy any you will SLAM into the axle (center) stops going over bumps that wouldn't previously bottom the suspension. I also hit my bumper on the ground a few times on a fairly tame trail. I put mine back the next day. The mid stop is one of the surprisingly clever pieces of design in the early trucks that went away after 73 when AMC updated (cheaped out) the suspension design.

You want just a little (1/4" - 3/8") or so of play between the mid stop and the main leaf of the spring with the vehicle sitting empty. This way the suspension is "soft" over minor bumps like railroad tracks and light washboard, but starts to lift the body up smoothly to clear a larger bump without banging the axle stop.

The picture above (orange Jeep?) shows a full length add-a-leaf, and a clamp that will possibly fowl the (removed) mid stop. The add-a-leaf will firm the front a bit, but the ride with an add-a-leaf that keeps the spring pack off the mid stop will be smoother than a stock spring pack resting hard on the stop. The Jeep in the picture also has RS5000 shocks mounted upside down. RS5000's don't work upside down.

[Yeller]

Herk, thanks for doing all the typing, now I don’t have too

[sierrablue]

The mid stop snubber on front springs has been around since the early days of the Willys Wagon. They give the front springs a progressive rate, don't be so quick to eliminate them. My experience is removing them will improve the street ride (if you are resting on them) but makes the front end mushy any you will SLAM into the axle (center) stops going over bumps that wouldn't previously bottom the suspension. I also hit my bumper on the ground a few times on a fairly tame trail. I put mine back the next day. The mid stop is one of the surprisingly clever pieces of design in the early trucks that went away after 73 when AMC updated (cheaped out) the suspension design.

You want just a little (1/4" - 3/8") or so of play between the mid stop and the main leaf of the spring with the vehicle sitting empty. This way the suspension is "soft" over minor bumps like railroad tracks and light washboard, but starts to lift the body up smoothly to clear a larger bump without banging the axle stop.

The picture above (orange Jeep?) shows a full length add-a-leaf, and a clamp that will possibly fowl the (removed) mid stop. The add-a-leaf will firm the front a bit, but the ride with an add-a-leaf that keeps the spring pack off the mid stop will be smoother than a stock spring pack resting hard on the stop. The Jeep in the picture also has RS5000 shocks mounted upside down. RS5000's don't work upside down.

The Jeep is a '72 on Bring a Trailer that had a better shot of those snubbers than I have. I did notice that the suspension feels too soft even on the street--I'll probably bring the brackets out to CO with me, and find a new bushing for the one that the bushing rotted off of.

I think you greatly overestimate how frequently I go on trails and what the trails are. It's the daily driver, and I've done a few ATV trails and stuff with it, and a few normal 4x4 trails, but nothing really crazy.

I don't want to run it with that bushing gone as I'm afraid of cracking the main leaf on the spring.

[Herk]

The bump stops Jeep used look a lot like garden variety Mopar LCA bump stops https://www.moog-suspension-parts.com/m ... 80#fitment

[sierrablue]

https://www.suspension.com/9.9118

I'm thinking I'll get something like this. For the application I don't think I really care if it's rubber or poly, but it's cheap, and I don't want it to be a progressive stop like the Dodge bump stop is.

Actually the poly is probably better because when I coat it in oil the poly isn't going to completely rot out right away lol

[Yeller]

You want them to be progressive. I’ve used those, better than steel on steel but not much, like comparing getting you butt paddled with a 2x4 or a willow switch, one makes you bleed and the other bruises bone.

[sierrablue]

From the factory they weren't progressive. And because the springs are still moving I don't want them to he progressive; the progressive is what I want on the actual stops for the axle on the frame, but I don't want screwy springrates in the front.

[sierrablue]

Go figure I just found these, after having already bought stops for it...

https://www.crownautomotive.net/Bumper- ... 31263.html