[5280Hawk]

Hey Johnny!

I didn't forget about you, I've been super busy w. Stimulus projects we are trying to get out.

Im still planning on finishing the full scale CAD templates we talked about.

great write up!

[GLTHFJ60]

Originally Posted by alaska60

I am very excited to see the transformation of your cruiser. I just finished reading this entire thread and have to say it brought back some great memories fro me as well. My first cruiser was a 1977 fj40 I bought from a minister in Anchorage alaska. That was in 1989. Since that day I have driven nothing else. I currently operate a flyfishing business in Alaska where we use fj60s for guide rigs and I have a prestine 85 fj60 with only 90,000 original; miles on it. NO RUST. I call her "Dusty" she just sits in the garage collecting dust. I also have my mod fj60 with a 383 stroker and SOA with a H55 tranny and ranger torque splitter locked front and rear with ARB air. I love this fricking truck!!!
I just wish I found this forum earlier in my cruiser adventures. It would have saved me a ton of bloody knuckles and guessing. But it also taught me a ton about being resourceful and knowing my rig!!
I often wondered who was behind Jim Belushi 1942. Keep up the good work.
Tom <')))><

Thanks man! Yeah, Jim Belushi was a pretty awesome actor and I have had some pretty similar nights to his characters' so I thought it was fitting.

Originally Posted by 5280Hawk

Hey Johnny!

I didn't forget about you, I've been super busy w. Stimulus projects we are trying to get out.

Im still planning on finishing the full scale CAD templates we talked about.

great write up!

Ben! Good to hear from you and thanks! After getting down here in KY work on my truck has really exploded, so the bumper has kinda been put on hold, so don't worry about it. This SOA is my highest priority right now, so we'll see what happens after it's done.

[GLTHFJ60]

Update, ordered the perches, ubolt plates and trac bar axle mount from ruffstuff. Springs are 2.75" wide by the way.

[Dirtgypsy]

dude you done yet? finished and on the road for the Rubithon wagon run in june?

Clint

[GLTHFJ60]

Originally Posted by Dirtgypsy

dude you done yet? finished and on the road for the Rubithon wagon run in june?

Clint

One step at a time man. I won't be able to make it to the Rubithon unfortunately because I can't take that much time off work. I'd love too but I'm already taking a week off to go volunteer.

2010 sounds good though!

[Dirtgypsy]

2010? Maybe. There is a couple from Canada that are going next year I would like to meet up with. Wife wants to go back to Moab and it is tempting to go there instead just to mtn bike again.

Take your time on the SOA and do it right.

Clint

[GLTHFJ60]

Installed my Roundeyes headlights and painted my new headlight doors + grill with "Industrial Grey" from my local Tractor Supply. I think it came out pretty well and the headlights are wicked bright!!!

SOA this weekend...........

[boots4]

MMM, bright head lights... I still need some real headlights. Did you do your own wiring?

[GLTHFJ60]

Originally Posted by boots4

MMM, bright head lights... I still need some real headlights. Did you do your own wiring?

Roundeyes are plug and play. Works with the stock harness and they're pretty awesome. I highly recommend them.



On another note, I'm starting to think about what tire to buy for my rig. I will be DD'ing this probably about 12-15k a year, so I was thinking another set of BFG AT K/O's in the 35x12.5 variety, balanced with dyna beads or some equivalent. Any thoughts?

[GLTHFJ60]

Originally Posted by GLTHFJ60

On another note, I'm starting to think about what tire to buy for my rig. I will be DD'ing this probably about 12-15k a year, so I was thinking another set of BFG AT K/O's in the 35x12.5 variety, balanced with dyna beads or some equivalent. Any thoughts?

I know this has been beaten to death, but no one has a suggestion on a better DD tire in this size?

[GLTHFJ60]

My 60 can float, and when it does that I can get 1,000,000 mpg.

[boots4]

Hurray, here comes the good stuff!

[Lost]

nice!!!
i ordered my soa gear the other week, should be in soon!

gl with the project

is the trac bar for the rear? how necessary is it? i didnt order one

and do you want smaller then 35s for a soa? seem like anything smaller would be crazy

[boots4]

Originally Posted by Lost

nice!!!

is the trac bar for the rear? how necessary is it? i didnt order one

That depends. Yes it is a good idea and things that will make it more necessary will be more torque from your engine by more power or gearing reductions, bigger heavier tires providing more grip, soft spring packs, style of driving/wheeling you do.

[GLTHFJ60]

Just got home from the 1100 mile round trip to pick up my initial set of tires and front axle. It's 4am eastern time and I'm going to bed.

I'm going to run the trac bar because I have a really heavy right foot when it comes to wheeling and I would rather not spend most of my time on the trail replacing broken pinions.

More pics and progress tomorrow. Thanks for the good word guys!

[2badfjs]

WAKE UP!!!!!!!

lets see some more pics!

and that's John Belushi in your avitar not Jim.

[GLTHFJ60]

Ok, update time.

So after taking the axles out from the truck on Friday after work, the next step was to bring them to Paul, who is near Rogersville, MO, approx 1100 miles from where I am located right now in Lexington, KY. I traded Paul my two axles for his setup SOA front 62 axle and a set of 35" tires + rims. Paul is a great guy and my truck will be a good home for the axle. I got home at 4am after a very long day wearing my assprint into the drivers seat of Kenny's truck ( thanks Kenny! )

Today I didn't get much done, but I feel good about it. I need to replace the pinion seal on the axle I picked up ( leaked all over the bed of the pickup ) and pick up some more parts. I need 4 greasable frame side spring pins in addition to shackles for the front, a pair of center bolts for my front springs. David has a set of 36x13.50 Mickey Thompson baja's that I'm going to trade him for and after that, all I have are questions and pictures. First the pictures...

1. Truck my new front axle came from
2. My end of the deal
3. By far the easiest way to load / unload axles out of a pickup

[GLTHFJ60]

More pics...

1. Axle's new home
2. Disassembled front springs
3. Tire example

[GLTHFJ60]

Now for the questions.

First off, for center spring pins, do you guys just use bolts or do you order new center pins? Mine were all bent and rotted, so they need to be ordered.

Next, see the tire picture above. There is more wear on the left side of the tire than the right. The outside of the tire ( when mounted ) is the more worn side. What would cause that??

Painting the springs. Is there any tangible benefit to painting the springs while one has the pack apart aside from aesthetics? I was planning on cleaning them, but if there is no real benefit to priming and then painting them, then I'll just clean them up a bit. Either way, the NE salt will make them rusty soon anyway.

Thanks for the advice guys.

[GLTHFJ60]

Ok, so I'm going to order new spring pins and I just painted the springs ( for aesthetics ) but I still don't know about the tires. Any advice there?? What would cause that wear?

[EOE_overland]

Originally Posted by GLTHFJ60

Next, see the tire picture above. There is more wear on the left side of the tire than the right. The outside of the tire ( when mounted ) is the more worn side. What would cause that??

A little too much toe-in on the camber?? Is that a common SOA side effect?


Looks like you've had a busy weekend! I like the paint job on the 62 .

[GLTHFJ60]

Originally Posted by EOE_overland

A little too much toe-in on the camber?? Is that a common SOA side effect?


Looks like you've had a busy weekend! I like the paint job on the 62 .

Camber is not adjustable on these solid axle rigs, so if it was any other vehicle I would say the camber is off. I have no idea what would have caused this and I definitely have never seen it before.

Definitely a busy weekend. I do not recommend driving for 18 hours straight,

[Bryan062087]

I had that same problem with tire wear, replaced my springs, shocks and it went away. I might have had a bent spring bc of a wreck I had earlier or maybe a shock was bad.

Just my experience.

[macneill]

Them wheels look hot!

[GLTHFJ60]

Originally Posted by macneill

Them wheels look hot!

Not gonna use those rims. I have a set of 15x10's that Kenny and I powder coated black and the 36x13.50's will be mounted on them. The tires and rims will be donated as collateral for aid on this build, partially because I don't like the backspacing they have.

[EOE_overland]

So how long is she gonna be floating? You bumming rides to work all week? And nice pictures this time; much more viewable than the Adam's Family shots of the H55 swap . Keep it up man!

[GLTHFJ60]

Originally Posted by EOE_overland

So how long is she gonna be floating? You bumming rides to work all week? And nice pictures this time; much more viewable than the Adam's Family shots of the H55 swap . Keep it up man!

Haha, I'm trying

She'll be floating until I can order some new spring pins and while I have to order more crap, I'm going to order greasable spring pins and new bushings for the sway bar. I can't decide if I want to order a new steering damper now or not, but I'm leaning on the no side.

Kenny has graciously lent me his 3/4T Dodge for me to utilize while my truck is up in the air. It has a NV4500 in it

[GLTHFJ60]

Just placed an order with SOR for a new set of shackles, new spring center pins, new greasable spring pins and a bushing set for the front sway bar. I'm just about out of money

[GLTHFJ60]

It's really sad how little 400 bones will get you. I got a really good deal on the set of shackles, don't get me wrong, but damn. I got an extra set of spring pins so that when I break one I will have a replacement. First pics of the parts so I remember how shiny they were in a year.

[GLTHFJ60]

Installed the springs with the new poly busings and greasable pins + shackles. The front springs came out great all painted and the rear springs had to be flattened out a bit with a ratchet strap and a board to fit. It's all together though, so the next stage is to install the front axle and get my damn rear axle housing back