Wusty Welic ... wonderful!

[Mike Cecil]

Slowly, slowly ...

Spent last Sunday week ago sorting all the paperwork that inevitably builds up during restoration. I keep notes, receipts, supplier's contacts and so on in folders in the workshop for quick reference. I have an original parts list, but I keep a copy in the workshop along with repros of most manuals.

After the frustrations of the brake problem with the Willys MB , I spent the rest of today painting all the small parts I had been cleaning and blasting over the last several weeks. They can dry overnight, and I'll wrap, label, and pack into storage boxes tomorrow.

The last images are the tool I had made to press the new valve guides into place, with a red and white scribe mark at the correct depth below the top of the block, and the engine lifting bracket I made which bolts into the head stud holes. It has various lift points to allow lifting the engine alone, or when fitted with the clutch, bell housing and transmission. The lift holes are the size of a D-shackle pin.

Have not a clue why the images keep appearing on their sides - they were the right way up when I loaded them!

Mike

[Mike K]

I can recommend "Military Maintenance for MB/GPW 1941-45" edited by Robert V Notman. 375 pages.

The book is a compilation of articles from the wartime ARMY MOTORS publications. The articles describe how to tweak the Jeep and in some cases they describe the science behind what goes on.

Did you have any trouble removing the head studs in the block ? I made a stud remover , my own design and it works very well. I used an old file , cut it to make a wedge. Apply heat to the stud lower section . Most people go for installing all studs as the later Jeeps did have. I found that the new studs I bought are not a good fit in the block, too loose. Think the threads in my block are distressed somewhat , as you undo the old studs , they have crud/rust on them which can damage the external threads in the block.

[Mike Cecil]

Thanks Mike, I'll look for a copy. No, no problem removing the head studs - all came out with a little pressure using as pipe wrench.

It's been dismantle the gearbox and transfer case time this week. Gearbox looks fine - very little edge wear on the gears, all nice and clean and looking good. The stripped case has been soaked in caustic solution, externally sand blasted, cleaned and externally primed, ready for re-assembly. New bearings, shims and gaskets should arrive by Mr Fedex tomorrow (no wonder my wife keeps referring to it as the 'mail order jeep'!)

The transfer case was another matter. You know something is amiss when you drop the bottom cover, and it's full of nice sparkly sludge and has a big chunk of chewed-up metal lying in it! On disassembly, the reason for the sparkles became clear: main shaft case hardening is stripping off. Where the chunk of steel came from I have no idea, as all the gears are intact and look almost new. Fortunately, I have the basics of a spare transfer case, a later model with a larger diameter intermediate shaft, with a good main shaft. Front casting, rear casting and main casing are currently in the caustic bath and will be cleaned and painted soon. New bearings, intermediate shaft, thrust washers, gaskets and seals arrive tomorrow.

The first image is the sparkly faces of the thrust washers with bits of case hardening embedded, and that mystery chunk of steel that washed out of the sludge in the bottom pan, along with a bolt! The second image is the main shaft, showing where the case hardening is stripping off.

Mike

[Mike K]

Your are fortunate to have a gearbox that is in good shape, many of them are stuffed . The later wartime T84 gearbox ( think it's the H type) have a seal at the rear end of the main shaft, this was an attempt to alleviate the transfer case oil migrating into the gearbox. There was a oil seal kit available during the war, mechanics could retrofit the seal into earlier gearboxes. Many restorers fit a modern double sealed rear bearing, but the little breather cap on the transfer case front output casting/cap needs to be functional otherwise pressure will build up and oil will be forced out through the seals. G503 forum has many posts on all this.

The chunk of metal may be from a shift fork ?

Article is from Dec. 44

[David Herbert]

I think that the chunk of metal is a piece of the cage of a ball bearing.

David

[Mike Cecil]

Thanks, Mike, for the article. I have a new un-sealed bearing for the gearbox (came with the spares), but will now purchase a sealed bearing for that rear position.

David - could be, but don't know what it started life as, just know it's not going back into this transfer case re-build!

Spent yesterday finishing off and undercoating lots of small stuff and getting the chassis finalised and ready for the sand blaster.

Mike

[Mike Cecil]

The axle housings went off to the sandblaster yesterday, suitably shrouded to avoid getting grit inside and masked to prevent sandblasting of the polished surfaces. Dismantling the axles was an interesting process - you know there is a problem when you take off the rear cover and bits of chewed-up steel drop out! A carrier bolt and keeper had come adrift at some stage, and been chewed up by the crown wheel & pinion, but surprisingly, neither have any visible damage. The bolt and keeper are another matter - I might have to replace them!

Yesterday I had to do a woodworking job on a treated pine post to erect another bird nesting box for the local Wood Ducks and Hooded Mergansers, so stayed with the theme and finally made an axle rack, neatly tucked out of harms way next to the work bench. This should reduce the risk of damage to threads and splines while in storage. It safely stows the axles from the current project, plus the spares for both the MB and GP.

The stacks of finished parts, ready for re-assembly, grow: the image shows one of three such stacks. I've also created a database listing of parts I'll need to purchase - that continues to grow, too!!

Mike