[Twisty]

Tilt steering column is kinda cool.....only use it in the up position, which allows a lot more leg room under the steering wheel then the std. setup.

All the way up.


All the way down.


Bolted to the firewall


The new battery locations. Battery pictured is a 90amp hour Vision AGM. I've currently got it mounted a cheap Witworths Marine plastic battery tray, but am getting some custom trays made up at the moment to hold the 90amp one, and another 120amp hour Vision AGM battery. Am going to end up doing a draw system in the back to hide it all.

[Twisty]

Also finally ended up getting rid of the lights off the guards, and am stoked with the result! Looks so much cleaner!
I bought a set of replacement headlights which have a LED ring around them for the parkers. Then I got 4 clear round indicators of the latest range rover for $20ea new. Installed two on the bottom of the bib and one on each side.

Heres some pics of the final result.




With the LED Parkers on.


With the lights on


LED rings and indicators on.

[Twisty]

I also got the springs swapped front to rear last week which made a huge difference. Turns out dobinson did original put the stickers on wrong with my leaf packs, and thats why is sat so bum down all this time. Wish I swapped them around sooner!






I just used some silver vinyl stickers to cover up the holes for now. Cant notice it from a distance, but up close you can. Better then having holes there but.


With the stickers on

[Twisty]

And llastly I got rid of the ugly std. license plate mount and lights on the rear. I'm using a led light off ebay instead which looks a lot more cleaner. Just used some silver vinyl stickers to cover the holes on that for now too.
Std. setup

[Twisty]

Fitted a 4Way return to centre steering dampner off a 80 series today. The tough dog one I had originally bought isn't long enough anymore since the 80 series p/steer conversion.

Was simple enough to fit, just bolted a std. 80 series mount to the front of the cross member. Made a nice difference too.....but still need to sort out the castor to get it driving really good.

[Twisty]

Well Australian 4WD Monthly Magazine wanna feature the 40, and the photo shoot is this week, so I snuck in a quick couple mods in time for the shoot.

Went down to Fourbys sarturday morning, and the boys fitted the rebuilt rear diff centre with an airlocker. Had one hickup on the install, the new diff was out of a 60 series, and it turns out they have a different flange to the 40 series.......but Ryano made a few phone calls, and had a new flange there without too much of a wait.
Then saturday arve Matt (Cracka) came up for a bbq and brews and we fitted the recaros out of the 4runner......Matty can lay a pretty good weld with an arc welder for an office boy, and we had them all sorted in a couple of hours (thanks Matty!)......Am stoked with how they look, and they are also a much better driving position then the old seats, which sat way too high. Am back too lookin out of the middle of the windscreen, instead of through the tinted strip at the top.

I spent today fitting the compressor and wiring up the airlocker, then also started getting the 40 nice and clean......gotta polish and fit the offroad wheels/tyres tomo, and then polish the whole truck tuesday, then we should be right to go.

Anyway, heres a few pics.

I wasn't real keen on cutting some holes in the dash for the airlocker switches, so made up a quick alloy bracket to screw to the centre consule. Crackas keen to help out at making a new consule sometime soon, which will have the switches mounted better.


Fitted to the centre consule.


Mounted the aircompressor at the passenger side rear corner. Which will end up being covered with a rear draw setup down the track. Alo mounted the redarc isolator there, but haven't wired it up yet, waiting for the dual battery tray to be done.


The Recaros fitted.

[_Mitcho_]

VERY VERY nice job! im loving this 40, and it looks like ill be stealing your idea of the license plate on the rear too! it looks great!

[theblacksmith_30]

that is a realy cool cruiser
i am realy jellous and i hope mine will turnout that good

[fj40_73]

good thread, keep the pictures coming.

[Twisty]

Originally Posted by fj40_73

good thread, keep the pictures coming.

Originally Posted by theblacksmith_30

that is a realy cool cruiser
i am realy jellous and i hope mine will turnout that good

Thanks for the comments......Most of my pics are down at the moment, as the server I host them on is getting changed, but heres a few pics from the Australian 4WD Monthly shoot on thursday.....only shiny ones.....will have to wait for the action shots when the mag comes out.....
All cleaned up the weekend before with the play tyres and rims!


Trying to get a good shot with one of the glasshouse mountains in the background.



and thats about it.

[_Mitcho_]

ohhhh well done! that is one awesome truck!!!

[Twisty]

Thanks Mitch!! Got some more mods happening next week......A rebuilt front diff is going in with another airlocker......So will be locked front and rear! (stoked!)

Getting some lightforce 170 spot lights.
http://www.lightforce.net.au/images/dl140170.pdf

Also currently drawing up a new custom steel winch front bar that a mate is going to make for me. It was be based along the lines of this heep one.





After the front bar is done, am going to get a rear one done too.....It'll be based on something along the lines of this.
http://www.4x4review.com/Reviews/Pro...4/Default.aspx






Was originally planning on doing all the barwork white to match the bezel and roof.....but some mates have giving me sh!t about it, saying it will look crap. The other plan is to colour code it silver to match the rest of the truck? Whats other people thoughts on what colour to do it? (I dont wanna do it black)

[Hulsty]

hey mate nice looking 40 there!

I noticed your running a 3F, is that with a 5spd? what ratio diffs are you running? was just wondering how it goes pushing the 35'' along in the bush

cheers

[Twisty]

Originally Posted by Hulsty

hey mate nice looking 40 there!

I noticed your running a 3F, is that with a 5spd? what ratio diffs are you running? was just wondering how it goes pushing the 35'' along in the bush

cheers

thanks mate! Yep, am running a 3F in the 40, but its in front of the standard 4spd and xfer.....am also running the std. 4.1 diff ratios.

It pushes the 35s along no dramas, and the low range is still good offroad.....Main thing I notice with the 35s on is the brakes...doesn't pull up real well, even with the front disc brakes. Am keen to do a disc brake conversion on the rear sometime to try and fix that but.

Gearbox and Xfer are both making some horrid noise too, so plan to do a 5spd conversion when that finally sh!ts itself.

[Hulsty]

cool thanks for that mate, I might get away with 35''s on my middy then down here in victoria, I think low 1st in the 5spd is slightly lower than in the 4spd so should be sweet!!

cheers

[Twisty]

Am almost finished drawing up the new front steel winch bumper that I'll be getting made soon. Heres the drawings so far.....(any comments wether good or bad would be appriecated)



Full size
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/FJ..._Bar_Model.jpg

[Twisty]

Well I ended up getting a copy of solidworks and did the new bar up in that...am pretty happy with the end result. Have just got to do a final check of all the autocad drawings then it will get sent off to a mates business to get lasercut.







This one is just to show the detail of the lightforce 170...am pretty happy with it.

[Teebag]

That is nice, please share the plans

[Twisty]

Originally Posted by Teebag

That is nice, please share the plans

As long as its not a business that is going to profit from the plans/drawings, then I'll be happy to share

[tmarx]

Originally Posted by Twisty

As long as its not a business that is going to profit from the plans/drawings, then I'll be happy to share

I can vouch for Jonathan, he is definately not a business

Great truck you got

[Teebag]

Originally Posted by Twisty

Well Australian 4WD Monthly Magazine wanna feature the 40

Any idea when, I look forward to reading that issue

I bought a set of replacement headlights which have a LED ring around them for the parkers

From?

[Twisty]

Will be in Issue 117 of 4WD Action (still cant get used to the new name), will also be some offroad footage on the free dvd that comes with each issue now.

www.4wdaction.com.au

As for the headlights with the LED park light ring, I got them for $60au for the pair off an ebay shop here in Oz. Heres a link to there online shop. (not sure if they shop overseas or not, but if you get stuck let me know and we'll work out something)
http://www.brightlightautoparts.com/Headlights.html

[Teebag]

Great Twisty, 3 or 4 more issues, cant wait for the dvd action, will get to see your mug too Also think the name change was daft but that Gleno seems a little soft, just take that jingle on the dvd for example , Bring back Otis I say.

Thanks for the offer on the lights, will check them out and get back to you

[turbo42]

Front bar looks pretty cool, but since you asked for input :>

Have you done a layup on the 4 series front ?

Reason I ask is that the few that I have seen look a little low when put on the 40 due to the height and flatness of them and the amount of distance that the chassis rails sit out in front.

Going through the same issues myself with my ideas and was just wondering as I would love to see it on the front of a 40.

Although I have been making mine out of beer cartons as I never was much of a drawer :>

[Teebag]

The advantage of that approach is that you have to drink the beer 1st

[shorty forty]

Nice drawings man, I'm in need of a front bar myself and that looks awsome, prob. out of my price range though. What are you doing with your old bar?? i'd be interested if you wanted to sell it.
Anyway i really look forward to checking out the new 4x4 monthly ( action??) soon , well done its a credit to you mate.

[stephen]

Nice drawing,Nice mods, and of course Very nice truck! thanks for sharing your ideas.

[nzdonjohnson]

Originally Posted by Twisty

Forgot the pic of the new shackle angle......getting better!

Just wondering if you removed any leaf's aswell in order to get your angle/ride better?

I'm thinking about buying those shackles too - any idea whether they'll help soften the ride by getting a better angle?

Cheers

[Twisty]

Originally Posted by turbo42

Front bar looks pretty cool, but since you asked for input :>

Have you done a layup on the 4 series front ?

Reason I ask is that the few that I have seen look a little low when put on the 40 due to the height and flatness of them and the amount of distance that the chassis rails sit out in front.

Going through the same issues myself with my ideas and was just wondering as I would love to see it on the front of a 40.

Although I have been making mine out of beer cartons as I never was much of a drawer :>

Hey turbo,

Nah mate, haven't done up the front of a 40 yet, but a member on pirate4x4 forum has, and am waiting for him to email me a copy so I can mount my bar on it to seee what it looks like.

The bar I've drawn is very small and flat as you mention....but wont stick out as much as my current bar as I plan to have the chassis reccesed into the bar right up to the front face (if that makes sense).

Making a mock up of one out of beer cartons sounds good....specially getting the carton part of it organised....LOL....

Originally Posted by Teebag

The advantage of that approach is that you have to drink the beer 1st

Nothing better than having to drink the beer first before building something......Last time we went out to Landcruiser Park a mate brought his 2wd commodore along......the more we drank the better it looked...

Luckily I can draw barwork better than I can build it out of beer cans

Originally Posted by shorty forty

Nice drawings man, I'm in need of a front bar myself and that looks awsome, prob. out of my price range though. What are you doing with your old bar?? i'd be interested if you wanted to sell it.
Anyway i really look forward to checking out the new 4x4 monthly ( action??) soon , well done its a credit to you mate.

Will be selling the old bar....not sure what kinda $$ yet....but yeah, if your interested make me an offer....might make me hurry up and get the new front bar organised.

Originally Posted by stephen

Nice drawing,Nice mods, and of course Very nice truck! thanks for sharing your ideas.

Thanks stephen!

Originally Posted by nzdonjohnson

Just wondering if you removed any leaf's aswell in order to get your angle/ride better?

I'm thinking about buying those shackles too - any idea whether they'll help soften the ride by getting a better angle?

Cheers

Since swapping my spring packs from front to back to what I origally had recently, no I haven't removed any leafs. I am going to drop one out of the front soon but, as the front end sits slightly higher then the rear at the moment, so hopefully it fixes that, and improves the shackle angle more.

Dont think the shackles make any difference to the quality of ride....so I wouldn't buy them for just that. The slighlty extra lift and travel is nice but....(besides the sorting out the castor).

[Twisty]

My new 12" travel bilstein 5125s arrived today.....jeez they are a sexy shock with the chrome plating, almost worth the money just for there looks....hehe I got them from Locktup4x4....top service and a awesome price, I can highly recomend these guys!

Hears a pic of the bilsteins next to the current skyjackers I have fitted. Also in the pic is the f250 shock towers which I need to install before I can fit the fronts. Turns out my rear shocks were already 12" travel, so wont gain any travel in the rear, but should get a heap out of the front. I also need to sort out some decent bump stops for the rear, as I was using the shocks to limit the uptravel and stop the 35s from rubbing on the tubs, but dont wanna do that with the bilsteins...so will sort something out for that soon.


Sh!tty photo, but they look awesome all fitted!




You can see here I have sh!t all up travel, it was the same with the old shocks, and with it setup like this, the tyres just run the tubs when fully flex. I probably should tub the rear to gain some up travel, but it seems to work well offroad as is.....so not sure....thought about a 1" bodylift for a little extra clearance too, but dont want it sitting too tall.


The 40 also spent a few weeks down at Fourbys at the end of the year getting a few minor things fixed. Had to do the rear main and crank seal, and after an inspection of the internals of my gearbox and xfer, had to get replacement ones of them too. Got a 2nd hand box and xfer off Ray185 (thanks mate) and had that cleaned up and installed....huge difference over what I had in there. Also got a front airlocker put it, so the 40 is now locker front and rear (itching to try them out!)
crappy pic of the new gearbox and xfer