Hot mess, a 1967 CJ-5 restoration

[bmorgil]

Wow! Nice Simpson 260! Take it apart and get the batteries out if you haven't already. Even if they have corroded up, you can usually clean them up. The original circuit diagram for the 260 is available, and I think Simpson still "refreshes" the 260. There are parts available. Here is a cool website about the Simpson 260. It takes several minutes to load the web page but it is pretty cool if you wait for it. A bit of electrical nostalgia there. I cant wait till LarrBeard hops in about the other meters in your pictures.

http://simpson260.com/

[LarrBeard]

Those are the two premium analog meters - Simpson 260 and the Weston Analyzer series.

That Simpson is one of the older series that still used the banana plugs for test leads. Later series had the OSHA mandated safer reverse gender leads (no exposed pins that could be energized).

Parts are available for just about all of the meters Series 5 and up - older ones may need to be cannibalized. They are not hard to work on - it just takes a bit to sit down and figure out switchology of the various functions.

One quick test to see meter condition is to sit the meter on its back, stand it up and tilt it from side to side and see how much the meter needle moves. A really good meter isn't terribly sensitive to meter position. Mine has been dropped hard at one time or another and the meter wiggles between sitting and standing. That can usually be corrected with the little meter adjust screw in the center bottom of the meter face.

Good luck!

[davide]

Thanks guys for the analog education on these meters. Most everything I did was in the digital world that having these analog meters is something special for me. I don't know exactly what that is yet, but I know that time will have it's say in that.

After a 14 hour drive, I made it home last night and started unpacking some of the things I brought back with me.

A little more gold was found when I was cleaning out Dad's garage. In one of my initial posts, I mentioned that the e-brake was missing and I was in a conundrum on what to do about it. Well...drum roll...I came across the e-brake drum and liner assembly as well as the brake lever and cable assembly. Talk about a kid in a candy store!!

IMG_2952.jpg

[gmwillys]

Good deal on the parking brake! Clean it all up and get it installed. It is a bit of trial and error to get it all set up just perfect, but the benefit is worth the effort. I rebuilt ours a while back and it works flawlessly since, even after I inadvertently left in applied while on a trail ride for about a 1/4 mile until I started to smell the brake getting hot. Full disclosure, we were on the side of a mountain with the four wheel drive in low range. I thought it was a bit sluggish on take off, and my nose told me why after a bit.

[bmorgil]

gm, I lit an 18 wheel semi on fire leaving the parking brake on! It was empty and just like you said, I couldn't tell I was pulling right through it. It definitely can happen when you are crawling in low gear! I use the Park Brake on mine all the time. Just my luck it would get bumped into neutral and roll away.

David, the next time you need to measure some electrical event, grab that Simpson and watch that meter sweep! There is something very gratifying about watching a precision meter move. Its a lot more visual than flashing numbers.

[LarrBeard]

You really hit the jackpot - both with the Simpson meter and the emergency brake assembly!

[gmwillys]

I had a service call once, where a driver was at the fuel depot loading his tanker up with gas and diesel. He didn't put the Johnny bar down on the trailer, that covered the outlet fittings while in motion. By the time I got there, he had emptied three 20 lbs extinguishers on the trailer brake drums. He drove about six miles with the trailer brakes applied. Needless to say, it was an expensive day for him. Four wheel seals, four brake shoe sets, four drums, and a service call. At least he didn't drag the tires.

[bmorgil]

Wow at the fuel pumps gm! It amazed me how the red hot brake drum just kept igniting the gear oil that was running out past the destroyed seals. You put it out with the extinguisher and it just lights right back up. I can relate to emptying the extinguishers!