75 Scout II followed me home!

[Dennis Bernth]

As usual, I aimed high and hit low....I managed to get the rear driveshaft done I actually got more done than that, I pulled the cover off of the rear diff and drained the gear lube since I was doing the pinion seal anyway. Cleaning up the cover was about a half hour all by itself, the dirt and gear lube was so tight on there I actually thought it was rust proofing overspray! Managed to slice my finger using a razor blade scraper to remove the diff gasket (or whatever was on there); it was super hard, finally used a wire cup brush on an angle grinder on it and got powder that looked like what you get when you sand bondo

Once I had the diff cover cleaned up, I shot a coat of paint on it and moved on to the driveshaft. Old one came off fine, when I went to put the new U joint in the 'new' shaft I found that when I dropped the shaft out of the parts truck a couple years ago, I evidently REALLY dropped it. One of the outside edges of the rear yoke was banged up to where the outside of the yoke wasn't round anymore, no way could you put a U joint in it the way it was. After some heating and work with a pair of vice grips, I managed to get it pretty much back into shape so that the retaining clip would seat and the U joint cap would go in the yoke. Pinion seal was a pinion seal, the old one looked original and was probably just worn out, the yoke looked good after I cleaned it up so this should stop my leak. New U joint went in fine, so then I replaced the diff cover and went to work on the driveshaft. Temps were around 92 today, for some reason it didn't feel that hot and I must not have drank enough water because my arms started to cramp up something fierce working over my head
Got it back in, then I pulled the drain plug on the transfer case, figure I'll drain and change the juice in it since I'm there. Tomorrow is supposed to be rain and cooler, so I figure to get the front shaft done tomorrow at least, and maybe get moving on the exhaust, depends on how the time works out.

[Dennis Bernth]

Wow, been a while since I updated, sorry bout that! Over the past couple weeks I've done bites on the Scout as I've had a chance, got the exhaust on, got the transfer case oil changed, and got the 'new' front driveshaft in. The old one was toast, the slip joint had about 1/4" of play in every direction and almost no splines left, and the U joint at the transfer case fell apart when I tried to pull it out, the needle bearings in two of the caps were iron oxide powder. The exhaust leaked (I tried to get by with adapters and clamps, I should have just butt welded the sucker and been done with it, lesson learned) and I ended up having to weld the dang adapters to stop the leaks, that was the ordeal this morning. I had also pulled two axle shafts from a spare axle that's been laying here for a few years hoping to be able to transplant one of the shafts and it's Timken Set10 into the driver's side of the Scout rear axle, which currently had a new roller style bearing. Too many horror stories on here about axles using the straight roller bearings coming out for me, but both axles I pulled had evidently gotten water contaminated and there was a little rust on the bearings. Might have been able to clean them up, but again, it's a pretty useful part to have work like it should, so I got a new Set10, new seal, and $50 shop fee later it was pressed on to one of the spare axles. Got that swapped over today also, after using the needle greaser and lubing the bearing up really well and installing a new inner seal (the old one was letting gear lube into the end of the axle tube). Also dropped the trans pan, mainly because it had a leak that looks to be the back end of the gasket, changed filter and fluid and used a new Mopar reusable gasket so there should be no more leaks. At Midwest Classic you could tell my parking spot inside the building because of the three different oil, trans fluid, and gear lube leaks; hopefully I have all cured or slowed down, I'm gonna give it a couple days to dry off before I park it on the driveway overnight and we'll see what shows up.

Anyway, did a couple minor details inside the Scout then drove it to a graduation party for my buddy's twin daughters. Only Scout there, and a kid that owns a Scout II that currently isn't running hit me up for some parts (which I have, and which he's going to get) and checked out our Scout, which he was pretty impressed with. Runs great, got a few small things to do yet like headliner, seat covers, different steering wheel, but the 'hard' stuff is done, now it's just minor tweaking getting ready for Red Power in Illinois in July....

[Dennis Bernth]

This morning I decided it was time to get the headliner put in the Scout. Of course, our old friend 'Project Creep' had to rear it's ugly head (more than once actually) so it turned into a longer day than I expected. I started to pull the inside trim panels on the top, and when I got the screws loose I got some rust falling down when I moved the panel out.....that ain't good, there's the first 'project creep'. Get the panels off, and yup, the bottom of the top and the top of the bottom (bedrails) had some rust going on. I decided that had to be dealt with before it went back together, so I hit it with some acid type rust killer, let it dry, then two coats of Rust Seal. Since all of this was going to take way longer than I had time before I had to leave for work, and since the weather is supposed to get WAY hotter in the next few days, I called work and got cleared to take the day off so I could stay on the Scout while I was on a roll. I figured since I had only to treat a small area, and the Rust Seal is like POR and takes a good while to dry, I had time to dig into some other stuff while I was waiting, so I decided to see if I could get an interior light functional in it. First order of business was to make sure the wiring for the light was hooked up, which meant I had to pull the passenger side tail light to get to the pigtail. Enter 'Project Creep #2'. The tail light bottom screw was no longer a screw; it had rusted so much that it resembled a flat head rivet, so it had to be ground off to get the light out. Then I found that the original steel tail light had a nice hole in it which allowed mud, dirt, and assorted crud to enter at will. I'd had some problems at Midwest Classic with the tail lights and turn signals working funky according to Mark Frederick, who followed us to the dinner on Saturday night, so I knew I'd be digging into the lights, just not right now. I decided to just go ahead and upgrade to the later model lights for now to get it working, I may go LED eventually, but for now I dug out the only pair of late model (78-80) tail lights I had and cleaned them up and wired them in. Works much better now, and no more rust. I also tore the dash apart and addressed the 'no light on the gas gauge/ammeter pod' issue, adjusted the trans kickdown (shifting too early and soft), and worked on my rattly liftgate issue.

I did get the roof patching stuff put in on the roof to deaden vibrations, and got double foil faced bubble insulation on the first section of roof over the front seats; couldn't do the rest because the Rust Seal was in the way, and I didn't want to mess it up trying to put in the insulation. I found out that the insulation makes a HUGE difference while I was working on the gauges; earlier, without the insulation, it was stinkin' hot sitting in that seat even with the doors open, now with the insulation in, it was very noticeably cooler, I'm sure that will take a huge load off the AC in hot weather over the bare steel roof. Tomorrow morning I'll finish up the bubble insulation (got the pieces cut, just have to put them in), I'm going to cut some foam board for the sides behind the window, then the headliner and side panels go back in. Pretty close to being done now other than the seat covers, I got the 'jeep' steering wheel on the other day (one of the 'Scout' steering wheel stickers from a 1980 Rally wheel fits perfectly) so that's done, it's getting closer all the time.

[sullyscout77]

I hear ya on the insulation in the roof. I was working in a giant travelall microwave today. Bet I lost 8 lbs in waterweight, (LOL)! I have since re-hydrated so no worries. Spent 4-1/2 hrs cleaning, but nothing like the progress you've been making. We had "feels like" 110degrees today, but I noticed you have had some really unseasonably hot weather up there as well.

[Dennis Bernth]

Originally Posted by sullyscout77

I hear ya on the insulation in the roof. I was working in a giant travelall microwave today. Bet I lost 8 lbs in waterweight, (LOL)! I have since re-hydrated so no worries. Spent 4-1/2 hrs cleaning, but nothing like the progress you've been making. We had "feels like" 110degrees today, but I noticed you have had some really unseasonably hot weather up there as well.

I wanted to hit it yesterday because it was supposed to be the last decently cool day we'd have for a while; it was around 80, but not much higher, not a bad day to work outside other than the sunburn on my bald head. Today they're talking 94, tomorrow they already have a heat warning out, it's going to hit 100 so they say. Plan on getting out shortly to finish the headliner, button up the dash, and pull a diff cover to check a rear axle for JeffOH that he needs, by then it'll be time to head for work.....

[Dennis Bernth]

Once again, best laid plans and all that.....

Went out and got the foil faced bubble insulation installed in the Scout. Then I went to my storage trailer and got the headliner out that I had saved from a parts truck probably about 6 or 7 years ago. I've never seen one like it in a Scout II, it's not the standard 'perforated hard board' , it's what looks like a sheet of thin foil backed insulation board with a vinyl facing on the side that's visible. It has some pattern to it that has to be formed in the backing board, so I have to assume it was factory made, but for some reason it's the only one I've run across. I figured it would look good in the Scout, and I was right, it would have.....if the dang MICE HADN'T CHEWED A BIG HOLE IN THE BOTTOM WHERE YOU COULDN"T SEE IT TIL YOU MOVED IT! Safe to say at that point in time I loved those mice about like Bill Murray liked gophers in 'Caddyshack', and if I knew where they were hiding out I would have tried some explosive corn on the cob or something

Anyway, it was getting later (and hotter) so I made a quick trip to the closest lumberyard. Unfortunately if you want 6"x6"'s for building a pole barn, they're your choice...if you want paneling or something, forgetaboutit. They heard my tale of woe and managed to dig up one sheet of 1/8" hard board (not perforated, solid) that will have to work. Using the mouse chewed headliner as a pattern, I cut the hardboard, drilled the necessary holes and cut the necessary cutouts, and put one coat of paint on it so far (it's gonna take more, that hardboard likes to soak it in). So once more, project creep smacks me in the face....

[Jeff Jamison]

I have seen that headliner also in a parts truck I had,it was a 74 scout.
Jeff

[Dennis Bernth]

No progress to report on this one yet, but hopefully quite a bit tomorrow! The past week of high temps (past three days of 100 actual, 110 or better 'heat index') as well as some other stuff I needed to take care of postponed me working on the Scout. The jerry rigged headliner is ready to go, so tomorrow I'll stick up the last piece of insulation, and pop it in. I have a replacement for the cracked dash pad also, and I need to get the seatcovers put on. Then a quick going over and I'm going to pronounce it ready to head South to Red Power week after next. It's going to feel good being outside in less than 100 degree weather, I spent the last two mornings working outside and when you can wring out your skivvies it's not a good feeling Drinking a liter of cold water about every fifteen minutes kept me going, but it's no fun, right now it's 75 and decent out, almost feels chilly after the past week!

[Dennis Bernth]

Alright, I admit it, I'm in awe of guys like Darren and Jeff Jamison that can do headliners and make em work. I also admit that the one I made kicked my butt today, and the score is headliner-1, fat bald guy-0. Tammy came out to help, and we wrestled the headliner into position. First problem is that it's so heavy that the 'keepers' won't hold it up; that is if you can hold it up long enough and in the right spot to find the holes to insert the keepers
It became pretty obvious that it wasn't going to work; I don't know if this is some different kind of hardboard or what, but it's stinking HEAVY, and there is just no way those few retainers are going to keep it up there. Have a visitation at a funeral home Tuesday morning for my buddy's mom, so I figure I'll take the pickup and stop at Lowe's and Menards and find something that's more suitable for a headliner than what I have. Either some lightweight paneling, maybe some light weight plexiglass(?), or some foam insulation board that I can paint or cover with some kind of fabric, similar to the headliner that the rodents made lunch out of. Obviously when it comes to headliners I'm mentally challenged, so it'll have to be light and simple. On a good note though I got the replacement dash pad in and it's much better, also got a cover on the steering wheel which now has a much better feel to it. Right now I'm at the point of needing the headliner and seat covers (which I'm waiting to get the headliner in to do the seatcovers) and I'm going to call it OK for now....so I'd like to finish it and mark it off my list.

[michigan scout]

Dennis I use luan its real light. Check out my post on the 71 scout. The one I sold on eBay a couple months ago. Actually it did pretty good on there.