I'm a new subscriber with a '79 J-10 that runs the 258 incline-six and three-speed. It is in need of help power-wise. Do you know how to reach Clifford Performance? I've tried to find them online, but I've had no luck. I looked through my past issues of Jp, but no luck there either.Chris G.Via e-mail
Clifford Performance can be reached at 951/303-2333, www.cliffordperformanceshop.com.
I am going to begin welding on my tub and was wanting to know the thickness of the metal used. I am using a MIG with No. 30 wire. Any tips you can offer will be helpful, or if you know of past articles with info or other sources would be great.Reggie MaxwellVia e-mail
I don't know the sheetmetal thickness off the top of my head (it actually varies a bit depending where on the tub you're talking about anyway), but I've welded on plenty of Jeep tubs with my Hobart 210-amp welder and 0.030-inch wire. I set the power all the way down (the No. 1 setting on my machine) and the wire speed just a tick above the lowest setting. Even if I'm not careful at that setting I'll blow through the sheetmetal. Keep your gun moving and a close eye on the puddle. If you've got a big, gnarly welder I'd suggest stepping down in wire size to 0.025 or 0.020 if your machine can accommodate it. If your machine is in the 130-210 range I'd run the power on the lowest setting and adjust the wire speed accordingly. Older tubs from the mid-1970s and earlier are quite a bit beefier than the mid-1970s and later, so watch it if you're welding on a TJ.
I spent the last couple years rebuilding an '86 CJ-7 from the frame up. I bought and installed an Aqualu aluminum body. After getting it built, I disassembled it and had it painted and then I reassembled it. I drove around town for a few days to make sure nothing was going to fall off and then took it for a real test drive.
My wife and I went to Tuttle Creek Off-Road Park in Randal, Kansas. The park is located on 340 acres in an old limestone quarry. After having a great time and getting stuck, unstuck, and pulling out another truck, we drove the 100 miles home. As soon as I got home, I dropped off the wife and went to the car wash. When the mud came off, there was a gray film covering every inch of Jeep that had been covered with mud. The gray film was etched into the clearcoat. The shop that painted the Jeep said this was caused by the lime in the quarry mud. It took hours with an electric buffer and 1,000-grit polish to get most of the film off. The result is I don't have clearcoat anymore. Have you heard of this happening before or did I just get ripped off on the paint job?
How can I protect the paint on the Jeep? I know it's going to get beaten up over time, but I didn't expect it to get ruined the first time I got it muddy. Rod Getting Lincoln, Nebraska
It's not uncommon for unfinished aluminum and some paint jobs to haze and film when subjected to extremely alkaline soil. While I wouldn't go blaming your painter right away, there is a chance that the clearcoat wasn't properly prepared and/or applied or that proper curing time wasn't established before subjecting the paint to contaminants. If when the clearcoat was shot, the surface wasn't prepared properly, extremely small pinholes in the clear could emerge that would allow the outside agents to penetrate and grab a foothold on the underside of the clear paint. However, it's more likely the paint didn't have ample time to cure, allowing the alkaline mud to penetrate. This would be especially true if the rig was painted in the winter or colder months, and the painter didn't put the vehicle in a curing booth after it was sprayed (although not all paints require this step).
I'd have the rig sprayed again with a protective clear if you're that concerned about it. Make sure your painter knows how you're going to be using your Jeep and follow the recommendations as to what product to use to avoid this in the future. I'm not very savvy when it comes to the nuts and bolts of it, but there are more durable/impervious finishes that are borrowed from the aircraft industry. Of course, these come with a higher price tag.
When or if you do get the rig sprayed, make sure you follow any curing recommendations handed down from the paint manufacturer. Then give the rig a good rubdown with at least three coats of good, carnauba wax. There are several on the market, but I like Mothers.
Got a tech question you're just itching to get answered? Send it on in to Jp Magazine, Your Jeep, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, or e-mail christian.hazel@primedia.com.