Conquest 8x8 re-build

[mitchamus]

some more progress on this made over the weekend...
(yes it has been going on faaaaaaar to long)

engine.jpg

[mitchamus]

ok - so made some more slow steps on the weekend.

I finally replaced the bent front axle. a new axle in Australia costs $207 AUD ($193 US/$199 CAD)
It was nice to have a new part that just slid into the bearings without having to be polished up with the die grinder!

Also had some 'fun' messing about with the brake cooler ductwork.
This thing must have a captive nut on the inside of it.... I put in a bolt that I thought was the correct thread, only to find once it went in, it would not come back out.
I can only assume that the captive nut is now turning on the inside of the duct and it simply refuses to let the bolt turn inside it.

If only swearing loosened stuck threads.

It looks as if the duct work has not been aligned properly for a while, and that the machine has been used without the blower on,
as the bottom part of the ducting appears to have been melted, and the top of it bears the marks of where it has been rubbing on the brake discs.

The new duct is about $56US (duct part 126-36 discontinued - 668-04 is the new one) - so it's probably over $120 in aus, so I'm not sure I will be replacing it any time soon. I'll just have to dodge up something to keep the existing one in place.

I trial fitted the top tub on, just to get a look at the fitment, and i think some straightening/replacement of the steering levers is in order.


I'm hoping to start the engine to see if/how it runs. judging by the state of the crud I've cleaned off the engine, I think it will have more that it's fair share of leaks!
next purchase will be a new battery!

onwards & upwards!

check the angle on the levers
top_on.jpg

[Paul219]

Great thread so far. It's really come along, I'm sure it's costing you too. I'm sure your engine will start, it seems to me they beat the crap out of the unit, but it wasnt the engine that stopped the carnage, it was the axles. Keep us posted, Post some picks.

[mitchamus]

Thanks Paul,
Next purchase on the list is to get a battery, I've also managed to source two s/h rims, one of which has a new runamuk on it which was a great find.
- so that sorts the problems of the two damaged rims, and it turned out that the front left wheel (where the damaged was) the tyre had a blown out side wall - so that problem also fixed.

I would really like to put new sprockets through the whole thing, but I need to get this girl earning her keep asap.

[Paul219]

I have a Conquest and It's amazing what they can do. I think you'll be happy with the end product. I live in a area where people have been know to sink in the mud, (Quick sand) never to be seen again, miles of swamp. No trails and thick brush. I just point it and go, I make my own trail. Some where out in the swamp, on one of the many small islands is the lost fortress of Metacomet, the youngest son of Massasoit. His winter fortress has never been found, history says it's their, but where is unknown, it's my hobby and my goal to find it.

I want to say, it looks like your doing a real quailty restore too. Did your engine start?

[mitchamus]

Hi guys... still inching along on this.

Got the battery & tray all buttoned up, had to mess with the wiring a bit - But she started!

Aside from a initial cough and lots of blue smoke... she now runs sweet as a nut and I didn't even have to touch the carb or anything!

gearbox sounds a bit clunky - but this is the first time I have actually sat in any argo - so it could be just normal for all I know.

It shifts into each gear properly, and runs ok in each with no load. Once the chains are on - then we'll see how it really is.

[northern8x8]

great thread mitchamus looks like your having a good time rebuilding the machine of a life time. I myself am just finishing my 84 8x8 rebuild the tranny and redoing all the chains and bearings as well as thinking up ideas to add on to the design. they are time consuming and can run a bit high cash wise but for such a simple machine really rewarding to rebuild with really the simplest and minimalist of tools.

keep up the good work!

[mitchamus]

Thanks!
I got a quote on the chains again... and the price has gone up 31% since I last got a quote. I could handle 15% ... but not 30%!!
and when you're buying 40ft or chain... it all adds up.

[shot410ga]

I just went through a rebuild on my 98 Conquest. I ended up buying all quality chain (Diamond, Tubiki (sp?) on e bay, in small lots I got about 50' for less than $200. Some of the packaging was beat up and soiled, but the chain was all brand new.

[mitchamus]

Can anyone tell me how I work out If I have D60 chains on the back?
All the sprockets seem to be for doubles... I guess that means no single D60 right?


I have also discovered that it seems like I have a mix of axles.
I ordered 8 new axle bolts, but they only fit in 3 of the axles
they are to big to fit in the others.

I guess I'll have to take one of the ones that take a smaller bolt to my local bolt place and get some that fit.

[mitchamus]

I just went through a rebuild on my 98 Conquest. I ended up buying all quality chain (Diamond, Tubiki (sp?) on e bay, in small lots I got about 50' for less than $200. Some of the packaging was beat up and soiled, but the chain was all brand new.

Unfortunately eBay in australia is slim pickings for things like that.... and the post formt he US is getting more and more expensive... especially since the Ozzy dollar has dropped against the USD.

[plott hound]

theres got to be a farm supply place in OZ that sells it at a decent price????????????????????

[mitchamus]

I'm looking at forklift parts suppliers now....

last price I got was for $343 for a 10' length :O

[mitchamus]

so...I started messing around with the wiring last weekend.

as yes... to absolutely no surprise at all - the previous owner has 'fixed' this as well.

all of the negative earth wires have been pulled from the earth BUS, snipped off and connected directly to the earth lead, and wrapped up in electrical tape.

There seems to be little to no wires coming from the other sides of the fuse blocks - which left me hoping they have not 'by passed' the fuse blocks somehow, but I did managed to blow a fuse - so here's hoping!


I managed to get the brake blower wired up, although I'm not 100% sure how it's working.... as I traced the wires back up the loom and ones been cut
(I guess it's a different wire or something - but funny/frustrating all the same)

I couldn't get the headlights to work, as there was no actual voltage running down the wires to the units.

The headlights themselves had been glued up with silicone, so I guess they used to get water in them all the time maybe...

I pulled one apart (to check the bulb - which was blown) and it was very brittle, and broke apart in my hands some, along the lines of some 'repaired' cracks.
which now I think about it - was probably what the silicone was really for!
The actual headlights themselves look to be about 1/2" smaller than the 100's of generic replacement rectangular lights I can find on ebay (typical)


I did manage to wire in a bilge pump, and added a switch for it on the dash - I just have to make up a bracket to hold it in the stock location which shouldn't be too hard.


I would love to go through the whole wiring loom and put everything back to stock, but I don't think I have the time... or the patience!
but who knows - some other wiring problem might present itself (like battery not charging) and I might not have the option!

The hour meter was also not wired up at all, and I could not find the wires/loom that were supposed to go to this.

I did mange to find a cheaper chain supplier, which have quoted me $80 less than the other place - so pretty happy with that.

Next steps are
get out a broken grub screw from one sprocket
get the headlights working
wire up hour meter
Hook up the brake blower tube
make bracket for bilge pump
stick on foam between the two shells
buy & fit the chains
lube everything
change the engine fluids
join the shells.

[frenchconxion]

mitch, take a look at malpasonline.co.uk the 50-2 duplex chain works out around105 Aus $ for 5 m length they ship but not sure what the cost would be to your part of the world as a last ditch it is not a bad price, I will be using them as french prices make me feel faint! Hope this helps on the chain front. Nice rebuild, gives me hope for my project!