84 Grand Wagoneer Revival

[devildog80]

Found a spindle nut tool, thanks Will e for the loaner, so will get that front bearing looked at this week.

[devildog80]

Mongo223 and I installed new headlight adjusters this weekend, kit from BJ's, and found this when taking light out of the mounting. Sealed beam......cooking in AZ desert heat for 18 years, the damage goes deep. Still work so put them back in for now.

20231202_143054 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr

[devildog80]

Scored this over the weekend. Big step closer to 4 bbl on the truck. Will need to modify a lot under the hood regarding modification of vac lines, emissions junk, and linkage mounts, but should get more ponies out of the 401 than the 2150 can.

20231202_100247 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr

[devildog80]

Reworked the tailgate glass motor.....again. Removed motor, which was turning ok, but drive gear was not engaging on the worm drive. Found the black metal plate that holds pressure against the plastic drive gear had worn down a bit, and when we worked it the first time did not drop the guts out of it for cleaning. Took it apart and cleaned, then modified the metal plate about 3/16s "deeper" in the center on the drill press (just used it for controlled pressing of the light metal), so it would keep the drive gear from pushing up off the worm gear. Cut some leather washers out of an old pair of moccasins I had saved, just for something like this. Sprayed the gear drive and leather washers good with white lithium grease, placed metal "cap" over gear, then leather washers were placed on the outside of the drive motor between the motor & lift mechanism. This will maintain pressure so gear stays engaged on worm drive. Installed and window works nice & smooth again.

Sorry no pics

[Theodore]

Reworked the tailgate glass motor.....again. Removed motor, which was turning ok, but drive gear was not engaging on the worm drive. Found the black metal plate that holds pressure against the plastic drive gear had worn down a bit, and when we worked it the first time did not drop the guts out of it for cleaning. Took it apart and cleaned, then modified the metal plate about 3/16s "deeper" in the center on the drill press (just used it for controlled pressing of the light metal), so it would keep the drive gear from pushing up off the worm gear. Cut some leather washers out of an old pair of moccasins I had saved, just for something like this. Sprayed the gear drive and leather washers good with white lithium grease, placed metal "cap" over gear, then leather washers were placed on the outside of the drive motor between the motor & lift mechanism. This will maintain pressure so gear stays engaged on worm drive. Installed and window works nice & smooth again.

Sorry no pics

Very nice; first word I saw when I scrolled down to the previous post was “moccasins” & was intrigued; like the ingenuity. Am headed toward pulling the rear glass & swapping it for an unscratched version, along with tearing into the motor to see how things look.

[devildog80]

Thinking out of the box as I find getting the original parts working, instead of throwing money at newer parts, really is satisfying. Not to say right now there just is not that kind of money available.
Thought of using an O-ring where we placed the leather, but thought one- it would not last as long, two- if you had one soft enough to flex would compress too much from the pressure of the gear pushing up from the inside against the black pressure plate, three- do not think it would take the heat as good.
The leather should absorb & maintain integrity with the silicon grease we sprayed it with, and I used 2 smaller leather rings right in the center first, then stacked 2 full size above them, to keep spacing between the window mechanism and motor face. I have a couple extra rings we cut, and will post some pics of them.....and thanks for feedback.

Still thinking you might be able to buff out the glass with 0000 steel wool. My front windshield was so cloudy when truck came home, was like full ice over from freezing, but simple elements from sitting 18 years without being cleaned. Rubber wiper blades were completely adhered to the glass, the whole glass had little dimples that looked like sand blasting (thanks mother nature), and any window/glass cleaner was not working. 0000 steel wool, using warm water with a good shot of dawn dish soap in an ice cream bucket, an hour later the glass was clean and clear again. Polished up real nice.
And please save the old glass if you replace it. Someone would love to have a scratched glass instead of no glass, for a trail rig or project build.

[Copper204]

I just picked up a 1984 today. I really only wanted uppers. But he made me buy the whole thing……lol

[devildog80]

Good score. List extra parts in the Parts for Sale section. Sure others will be able to wittle the carcass away for you.

[devildog80]

Big thanks to Will e for loan of the spindle nut tool
So went into DS front axle yesterday to adjust a little play on the spindle nuts. Total of about 15 minutes from taking wheel off to having dissassembled down to outer bearing. Have not done one of these for decades, and found easier than I thought.
Both outside & inside nuts were loose, as I only stuck a small pic in the tang notch and both spun right out. Checked for wear/shavings and all clean at the outside bearing, and inside bearing seal is intact as no leak at back of hub, so did not remove spindle for full review. Wiped out the old good grease to check things, pumped new grease in on the outside bearing, the installed inner nut to 50 lbs, spun & adjusted for free movement so final torque at just a tap of the wrench under 50, washer, outside nut at 100 lbs. More grease....I did notice the inside nut does not have a protruded nipple to lock in the washer. There is one there, but both sides are flush with nut face. Looks like it will need a new inside nut or pin. Easy to pull apart so will run it for now.
Was informed there should not be a spring in mine, being 4x4 Selectrac (engages by vacuum switch in cab), but did find a spring is there. See layout of parts in order left to right as they came out. Snap ring, engagement gear, spring, outside nut, washer, inside nut.

20230415_183908 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr
20231206_153957 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr
20231206_155546 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr
20231206_160609 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr
20231206_160833 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr
20231206_160817 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr

[devildog80]

Pics of leather washers cut for the slight mod on rear window glass drive motor
20231206_175611 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr
20231206_175642 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr

[devildog80]

Took the waggy out to test 4x4 system, and found it is locked in 2x4. Hi/low lever froze in 4 hi, and vac will not shift the front diff. Looks like cables and vac actuator are coming off for repair.
Friend Mongo228 that we help each other with Jeep stuff, followed me out to Bulldog Canyon for a test run, and took a couple videos.

https://youtu.be/K0UrKXJ88tE
https://youtu.be/9WyVkNX_ymE

[devildog80]

Was having reservations about how good the old rebuilt MC2150 was working. Could be there are unseen issues that can be fixed, but decided to modify the new carb, to accept the trans shift linkage, and put it back on.

Looking at the pin that needed modification, and decided to hit it with a hand file, to see how hard the metal was. A couple of hits across it and found the metal was soft enough to keep going. About 20 minutes and pin head was gone, roller slid off, and ready for drilling the hole for spring clip on the outside.

20231214_151720 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr
20231214_154518 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr

Drilled the hole and slapped carb back on the truck. Linkage fit perfect. Just need to adjust shift throw as the new carb just a little different position than the old one, for linkage position.
20231214_175806 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr

[devildog80]

To trouble shoot low mpg with rebuilt 2150, I dropped the new 2150 back on the truck. No adjustments done from when it was on the truck just a few short weeks back and running good.
Well.....pulled the original 2150 off.....and DID find multiple vac line issues. Fixed those and put the new 2150 on the truck, which was running like a champ when it came off, and it ran like total crap. So after 5-6 times trying to get it to seal on different baseplate configurations now, pulled it and put the old rebuilt 2150 back on so I can move the truck. Runs better now than before, probably due to vac line issues not seen earlier.
Decided to quit fussing with the 2 bbl and just go forward with 4 bbl install and have it done. Getting the rest of parts needed together, to get it done sooner than later.

[Theodore]

Still thinking you might be able to buff out the glass with 0000 steel wool. My front windshield was so cloudy when truck came home, was like full ice over from freezing, but simple elements from sitting 18 years without being cleaned. Rubber wiper blades were completely adhered to the glass, the whole glass had little dimples that looked like sand blasting (thanks mother nature), and any window/glass cleaner was not working. 0000 steel wool, using warm water with a good shot of dawn dish soap in an ice cream bucket, an hour later the glass was clean and clear again. Polished up real nice.
And please save the old glass if you replace it. Someone would love to have a scratched glass instead of no glass, for a trail rig or project build.

Hey, devildog80, just noticed you had replied; re: polishing with 0000 steel wool, are you saying polish by hand? Or, with a buffer somehow? It appears to be scratched on both sides, especially bad on the inside. Haven’t looked at how the defrost wires are attached, but would have to account for it.

[devildog80]

All by hand, and you could buff lengthwise along the defrost wires. My thinking it is worth a try....at least, as a perfect rear glass is hard to come by either supply shortage or cost.

[Theodore]

All by hand, and you could buff lengthwise along the defrost wires. My thinking it is worth a try....at least, as a perfect rear glass is hard to come by either supply shortage or cost.

True; am looking to make a junkyard run tomorrow & check the rear glass on the junker I’ve pulled so many parts from. Fingers crossed.

[devildog80]

Hope you find one that is nice and clean with no scratches.

[SJTD]

The defrost grid is "painted" or glued on but the glass is etched for it so you can't just remove it.

If you don't need the defrost you can have a glass shop cut a new window and have it tempered.

[Theodore]

The defrost grid is "painted" or glued on but the glass is etched for it so you can't just remove it.

If you don't need the defrost you can have a glass shop cut a new window and have it tempered.

I’d like to keep defrost; GW sits outside right now; am trying to get everything back like it was. Will document what I find at the junkyard on my build thread.

[devildog80]

Have had starting issues since getting the truck, mostly hard cranking when engine warmed up, and my brain went straight to needing more power on the starter itself. Looking at gear reduction starters, and cost is sooo much for these, from $75 to 600+, and tough to know which one is the right one for unknown year 401 engine.

That said, I was having starting issues again the past few days. Tinkering to swap out the 2 bbl to 4 bbl, so not tearing into things just yet, just getting mapped out what can come off regarding vac lines/emissions junk and what needs to stay, and checking to be sure all the ports are ready on new intake.

Looking at low battery this morning to put charger on, and found my ground post clamp was loose. THAT will sure give starting & charging problems. Tightened up the clamp, put the charger on, went inside to search for an affordable gear reduction starter. About 30 minutes into the rabbit hole......I saw some light! I have cleaned and reconnected all the battery/solenoid/starter cables on the truck, replaced the starter with a new stock starter, and cold it works normally. When engine is warm, hard-slow cranking issue. The one cable I have NOT replaced.....from solenoid to starter...DUH! Positive cable....$5-10.....gear reduction starter.....near need to make a deal to swap my grand daughter for the cost of one it seems. So....will be replacing that starter cable first, THEN see if a different starter is needed.