[QUOTE=Slackdaddy;3462224]Well, deer season is over, back to work on the jeep (14 in the freezer BTW )

Must be a huge or multiple freezer/freezers. Nice work. Love the Cherry picker as well.

 

# freezers it's all we eat meat wise. Most of my deer are with multiple Park and rec management hunts.
Yeah, the tractor works pretty good for pulling engines,, not sure how it will be putting them back in?
We plan to drill spot welds and finish taking apart the rockers tomorrow.
The local metal supply "boutique" is quite expensive, $135 for 2) 6' 2x6z 1/8"
They cater towards small orders and custom cuts. The local "Big industrial" metal yard closed 2 years ago.


Slack

 

Wife and son went to inlaws birthday party,, I stayed home and cleaned the garage up,, had to evict some "Non car things" Got the engine up on the HF stand, put a cheesy but very useful "service cart" together.
Put a lot of XJ parts in the 2nd floor storage (can not tell you how nice walk in 2nd flr "car parts" storage is.


https://www.cherokeeforum.com/attach...1&d=1518318570


Decided I will have to replace the "Inner" rockers before putting the 2x6 tube outers on.


While the frames appear very solid (except the last 20"), I could see some surface rust looking through the small access plugs in the floor, I want to get a better look, so I cut out a 3" x 3" floor piece over the frame in the cabin. The frames "are" solid, but rust is starting, I would call it heavy surface rust.( the pictures make it look worse than it is)


https://www.cherokeeforum.com/attach...1&d=1518319141


https://www.cherokeeforum.com/attach...1&d=1518319231


https://www.cherokeeforum.com/attach...1&d=1518319306


The rust stops where the front engine bay rails hook to the "floor" frame rails and stops were they slope up at the rear wheel well, it appears to be just the low area that held silt and moisture.
I could do a couple different things with these rails:
Nothing, they lasted 19 years, they'll last another 15 if I hose em down with fluid film.


Use one of the miracle rust encapsulators,, probably worse than nothing, as I have not remove the loose stuff.


I could cut the floor out (a ~3" wide strip) above the rail, media blast, zink chromate prime/paint, then weld a strip back over. Then use a wand and hose em down with fluid film.


The Garage : CLEAN
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/attach...1&d=1518319910

 

In my '00 I used the Eastwood Internal Frame Coating. What if anything it is doing I can't say for sure though. Also I moved my rear diff breather out of the uni-body and ran it up to the front with the front diff breather just so I could do that section too. Thinking gunking up the breather would be bad. LOL. Fluid Film is awesome stuff IMO. I used to go to my friend's house and use his Fluid Film Gun Kit and compressor. Could not help but notice the Porter and Cable compressor in the picture. Is it this one?

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...r-30-gal?rfk=1

If so what do you think of it? I just bought that one last year from Tractor Supply. Think I got a good deal on it. $290.32 out the door. I also bought my own Fluid Film Gun Kit. Just love the way the wands let you get inside the uni-body.

 

It is a Porta cable 30 gal. I picked up a Champion 15B on a 80 gal horz tank for free (pump in the foreground of picture) and a IR T30 on 60 vet tank, both needs some work, And I really need some air now, So I grabbed the Porta Cable from TSC. So far it has done all I need it to do, sand blasting will be another story. How did you get it for 290??

 

As far as reinstalling the engine, hang a chain fall or come along from the forks of the tractor. Forks for course adjustment, fall for fine adjustment.

 

My buddy knew I was looking for one cause I was asking him all sorts of questions about compressors in general. Has that one at his camp and likes it. Told me it would do everything I want it to do. He is one of those guys who knows his ****. Been eyeballing that compressor for about 2 years. Kinda afraid to pull the trigger. So it was on sale for $380 last year and I was thinking of pulling the trigger. Then I received one of those 15% off friend and family emails. Went there to go check it out. Then they told me that they would take off another $50 off after the 15% off of the $380. I had to buy it. I had no choice. LOL.

 

BTW, I mic'd the sheet metal from the rocker and the floor pan, they both mic'd at .04 - .042,, That puts it between 18 and 20 gauge.
If I cleaned the paint off it would probably "be" 20 gauge.

 

Back to work, really liking the cheapo service cart


2x6 1/8" wall rocker tubes


The Boy grinding spot welds on old inner panel


front cut line for 2x6


Cut


PPE


And finally getting the pinch weld apart


New inner rocker dry fitted


Cutting the bottom flange off the new inner rocker panels


Flange cut off


Dry fitting the 2x6


Rear fitting


Front fitting




Next up: welding the end caps and tube rails on the 2x6 rockers.
Then: Sand blasting or Dipping (electrolysis) the remaining rusty metal, then a Zinc Chromate primer.
Then welding in the 2x6 rockers

 

Great progress!

 

If you don't mind me asking where'd you get the 2X6 for your rockers? I see that your'e in SOMD as well

 

That is some serious work and I bet your boy is anxious so he can drive it one day.

When done who really is driving it you or him lol.

 

Lately I have been getting my metal from "Metal Supermarkets" in Beltsville.
They are a franchise and are Not cheep, but they can get pretty much anything in 1 day, and are nice folks,, kinda a small clean "metal store"


I used to by from "Boulevard Sales" in Elkridge, they were a gritty industrial metal yard,, hard core and typ bought stock length (for what I am paying for 6-10' pieces now. Unfortunately they closed up (retired).

 

He's 15,, and getting his learners shortly.
He knows it is going to be 6-9 month project,, especially once spring hits and kayak/fishing season hits.


I have struggled with a lot of the detail and steps we are putting into it. on one hand I want everything on the body 110% and we are taking a lot of extra time with it,, or the other hand I am like "he'll be 16 when he's driving it, it will be luck to last 6 month"


I have a rust free Green 2000 sitting in the drive, it goes in the shop as soon as his is done,, and he KNOWS he is helping with mine

 

BTW, if anyone is interested, I mic'd the rear cargo floor pan metal - .031 or 21-22 gauge.
The "frame rails" were .05" or 18 gauge.