HZ into a lj78 (1 Viewer)

[beislebub]

I've come to the point that many other lj78 owners have, cracked head that needs money thrown at it. So instead of the easy fix (new head), i've decided to go the long route. I bought a Hzj79 ( 2001 I think) ex mine truck, with a 1Hz and a 5 speed R151F tranny. The front clip was a little banged up, so I was able to source a complete front clip off of a bj74 in decent shape. The plan is to use the front clip from the bj74, and the engine/tranny and mounts from the hzj79.


Pulled the engine/tranny out of the lj78, fairly straight foward with the front clip off.


Got the engine tranny out of the hzj79, a lot less electrical, but the mine grime made the rust thick and abundant.
View attachment 314789

So now the easy part is done, first thing on my list is to deal with the front clip mounts. the 79 mounts are about 6 1/2" wider and a few inches foward. Not to sure if I want to cut the ones off of the hzj79( like to leave the front end attached), or just make some extensions and fit my lj78 mounts to it. The front cross member on the 79 is right inline with the mounts, where if I moved my 78 mounts out and foward they would be about 6 inches ahead of the 78s cross member. I guess what I'm trying to say is, do the mounts need the support of the crossmember right at the brackets?

Well I'm back off out side to tinker some more . Not to sure if I figured out the picture thing yet though?

Joel.

 

[nate dogg]

this has to be the best way to go- you'll have the bulletproof engine, four doors, coils. It'll be money! Good to see you're putting your old man to work (this is Nathan, as in Simon's ol' skiing/biking buddy).

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Wow, thats gonna be one heck of a tight fit.

Pretty sure the frame rails are narrower than the width of that tcase.

Good luck.

Rob

 

[prado t]

Right On. This is gonna be AWSE. Looking forward to seeing more.

 

[beislebub]

Hey there Nathan, didn't take to much effort to get the old man off of the couch, he even skipped a day of fishing for it.
I'm definately stoked for this upgrade.


The frames seem to be pretty much the same, looks like a generic frame for few different models AFAIK. The transfercase width of the R151 is actually a little less, due to the A343's vacume/pressure diaphragn cylinder.

Joel

 

[crushers]

hey, want to sell the rest of the 79 since you stole it out from under me? LOL!!

i sent a guy to look at it, he responds, i tell him buy it, he calls me later in the day, "day late and a dollar short".
nice score M8

 

[beislebub]

I guess that's the early bird senario! Sounded like there was a few people looking.

Sure Wayne if you want the rest,we can work something out. The frame is bent up front, mostly on the drivers side.


Joel.

 

[crushers]

LO!!
yah, i hummed and hawed since i wanted the cab and not the engine. glad to see it going into a LJ78, you are going to love that engine.
shoot me an email to:
wayne@crushersrule.com
and lets chat

 

[grease_guzzler]

What are you doing for front suspension? It looks like in the pictures of the mine truck that its front axle is coiled. Will you try to use those to deal with the extra weight of the 1HZ or try something with the LJ springs?

 

[beislebub]

Made the front clip mounts last night, from scrap metal I had laying around. I just tacked them to the frame, until I can get a larger welder ( had to heat up the steel from the back side to get a decent beed, doesn't really work well on the frame though). Not the most stylish things, but they should work.


When I had the fenders on I had to cut a few holes to make room for the power steering, and the shock/spring towers. Thinking I'll just cover them with a rubber flap


As for springs, havn't given it to much though yet. The lj's front springs are about 5 '' outside width, and the 79's are 5 1/2 on top and about 5 1/4 at the bottom. So I'm going to look into how much a "heavy'' lj front spring can take, I already have the med OME 45mm rear and 25mm front setup with shocks. Any thought on this ?

Joel.

 

[grease_guzzler]

Dobinsons makes a heavy 45mm front spring for the prado rated for 50-110kg accessories. Or they may have a heavier spring for a different application that fits. And if something is needed to help the back there have been a few guys who have had success with airbags inside the coils. If you do upgrade the front I may be interested in your OME springs

 

[beislebub]

Was able to scrape together some time this morn, and dry fit the Hz. I had noticed that the stock front drive shafts of both the lj78 and the hzj79 were the same length, and after taking a few measurments it looked like tranny mounts might not need to be moved . After cutting the motor mounts out of the lj and the 79, the Hz slid right into place. I Used the stock placed tranny mount, and then tacked in place the motor mounts ( I'll be able to use both stock drive shafts ). So far it looks like the fan will need some attention, the 18" hz fan just hits the front crossmember, and the smaller 2LT fan clears by about 3/4". Both leave no room for a shroud, I'll have to see what it looks like when the panels are on, thinking if I bring the fan foward about 3" it should be past the crossmember.





Anyone know what the weight difference between the HZ and the 2LTE is? I cross referenced a Bundera (2LTE) and a hzj70, and came to 140kg, I know the suspension is different etc.

Joel.

 

[crushers]

personally, i would have cut the cront cross meber right behind it and stuck the front cross member from HD unit on...
well from this side of the keyboard that is what i would have done.
notch the top of the cross member and well a half moon re-enforcement plate in...

 

[coldtaco]

Nice swap Mine has been kind of on hold for the last few months due to work. I'm kind of doing the same as you. Putting a HD-FT/H151/full time transfer into a LJ-78. Of course I got to do it a lot harder. I ended up cutting and welding the front frame pieces from my BJ-70 onto the LJ, which did two things for me, one gave me the front body mounts and I can use the same bolt holes for the steering box and steering stabilizer shock frame mount. I am also doing a steering wheel swap and swapping my axles from the 70 into the 78.

 

[beislebub]

The lj's front cross member is attached to some part of the suspension, anti sway bar? I didn't want to tackle that so I left it alone. Thinking of using the 16" 2LTE fan, I can make a bit more room by moving the power steering lines (if I have to). I also have the shroud from the 2LTE which will work with the fan, and will still fit (with some mods) on the slightly larger hz rad. The lower rad hose on the rad hits the middle of the crossmember, will probably put a 90 on and go over.

Definately sounds like your getting what you want Coldtaco, the thought crossed my mind of doing the steering wheel swap as well, but I figured I had already bitten off enough.


Joel.

 

[coldtaco]

"The lj's front cross member is attached to some part of the suspension"
This to me looked like it was just a extra brace for the bar that locates the front axle side to side, forgot the name for it I don't know if this is really needed or not as this is the only vehicle that I have seen with this extra bracing.

 

[crushers]

how hard is it to fab up a support?
how hard is it to cut that support off and bolt/weld it to the proper HD front cross member?

in the end it is his build and i am inpressed that both of you have taken the bull by the horns and are installing a real engine into that great truck.

 

[coldtaco]

If you don't need the extra room from the front cross member then I would try and do what Crushers suggested by cutting/dishing this cross member to use the HZ fan. Of course you might run into a problem with fitting the bigger rad. Maybe instead of dishing this cross member you could cut the top half off so as to make more room. I would try and dry fit the fenders and rad to see if you need to make any more clearances for the rad/fan. I think you would want the fan to at least enter the fan shroud a little bit so you don't get any air leakage around the fan shroud. Hope this all makes sense.

 

[beislebub]

With the smaller 2LTE fan (16") it all works ( fan/shroud/rad), with the fan in the shroud. The hz fan definately needs the extra room (dished/cut out). In the end the larger fan is probably the way to go.


As for the whole removal/replacememt of the crossmember, it never really crossed my mind before, but now it seems to have its advantages.

Thanks for the input,

Joel. I'm Looking for a 7* grill

 

[crushers]

a few years back i couldn't sleep so i pulled out the frame specs and compared then to see if i could make a HD/LD truck for bushhogging and that was the solution i came up with. it seemed to be the only way (in my sleep deprived mind) to come to a solution.
plus if you build a custom mount for the drag bar then you can locate it back further and give more travel with a longer bar.

your idea seems to be working so a bit of massaging is needed. big deal.