[VTCruiser]

Originally Posted by JJS

Very nice. I would say too nice to drive in VT during the winter. Are you going to oil the undercarriage?

nope. After what I went through degreasing the underbody to seal it with rust bullet there's no way I'll oil back under it. Plus, I spend way too much time under the cruiser to want it covered in oil. It really makes it a mess to work on. I think I have it pretty well sealed. I have all the plugs and grommets in place and I am just going to wash it as often as I can. I'll have my sisters civic hybrid to drive as well, so i'll leave the cruiser garaged and drive her car as much as I can stand to...

Salt sucks.

[Bryan062087]

Any report on the mileage you are seeing with the 1hz in town/highway. I'm assuming you have 3.7 gears still.

[VTCruiser]

Originally Posted by Bryan062087

Any report on the mileage you are seeing with the 1hz in town/highway. I'm assuming you have 3.7 gears still.

nope, 4.11 in the new axles. I've been averaging about 21mpg. My average commute is now about 1.5 miles and coupled with the winter warm-ups I expect it to go down a little this winter. But, the new tires are little less aggressive and narrower, so I hope get back a little on the highway. I have only had them on for about 100 miles though, so it's too soon to tell.

[Bryan062087]

Originally Posted by VTCruiser

nope, 4.11 in the new axles. I've been averaging about 21mpg. My average commute is now about 1.5 miles and coupled with the winter warm-ups I expect it to go down a little this winter. But, the new tires are little less aggressive and narrower, so I hope get back a little on the highway. I have only had them on for about 100 miles though, so it's too soon to tell.

I see.. was there a drop in MPG when you went from 3.7 to the 4.11's?

[VTCruiser]

Just a little i think. I can get the same mpg as I used to, just not at the same speed.

[VTCruiser]

A few more updates...

A couple months ago one of my sealed beam headlights burned out and I finally got around to replacing it last week. I decided to get some roundeyes for it and get rid of the dated sealed beams. The install was super easy and I am pretty pleased with the way it turned out. I left the stock replacement 60/55 bulbs for now but may upgrade the harness and bulb later. Sorry for the crappy pics taken in the dark cramped garage...

Before:




After:




I also just realized I never posted info about the completed 4WD setup. If you recall I opted not to convert the t-case to manual shift, but keep the vacuum shift system despite all the problems I have read about from 62 owners. I like the push button shift on the fly feature and for me it has always been reliable. I can see how with a gas engine it may be different because the vacuum systems are a lot more complicated making trouble-shooting difficult and more prone to leaks. On the other hand, the 1HZ vacuum pump produces plenty of consistent vacuum, about -90kpa (~27 in.Hg) at idle and the only things on the system are the brake and clutch booster, the 4WD and the fuel pump compensator. very simple.

The HJ shift setup, from what I could tell, is exactly the same as the FJ62 only the solenoids have fixed wiring (no plugs) and are 24V. I talked a little about the wiring HERE but never revisited the results. I had to modify the solenoids slightly to attach them to the HJ bracket and to accept a FJ62 harness pigtail. The threaded hole existed on the FJ60 firewall and it bolted right up.



This winter was the first time I really used the 4WD and I found it was really slow to engage. I finally got around to looking at it yesterday and I discovered that one of the hard lines was clogged just before the t-case. I used the lines off a 62 parts rig which were in better shape than the HJ units, but I guess I forgot check this one closely . Anyway, now the system works perfectly and the t-case shifts instantly.

[Sporin]

killer build!

[VTCruiser]

I just added a pic to my last post of the $18 solenoids for the 4WD.

Otherwise, not much of an update. I had the front d-shaft u-joints replaced only to find out the 4wd vibration was actually a worn slip yoke so it looks like I'll need a new front driveshaft. Once I get all the little things sorted it'll be time to start outfitting...big plans for this spring...

[GLTHFJ60]

Originally Posted by VTCruiser

Once I get all the little things sorted it'll be time to start outfitting...big plans for this spring...

Nice. Do tell!

[VTCruiser]

Originally Posted by GLTHFJ60

Nice. Do tell!

soon enough...

[VTCruiser]

Oh, I also finally got around to installing a passenger grab handle...

[AGreekBoy]

i have been waiting to see what was next. looking good man.

[VTCruiser]

About two years ago I broke the clip on the stock hand throttle when I was removing it. I have since done without it, but I have missed its functionality for idling up for cold starts and off road. For awhile I have tossed around the idea of moving the hand throttle to the shifter which would be a little more ergonomic and free up another hole in the dash, something I never seem to have enough of.

I am aware there are kits available for this, but since the pedal assembly is already set up for one, I figured it would make for an easy home-brew project. Here's what I ended up with...

Parts used:

1. (x1) Rear (more indexes than the front) Bicycle gear shifter and control cable
2. (x1) Bicycle control cable casing- About 33" long, you can buy it by the foot from any bike shop
3. (x1) Casing end cap - these just slide over the end the casing for better finish, also found at a bike shop
4. (x2) M5 nuts
5. (x1) crimp-on end stop (I used a non-insulated electrical butt connector)
6. (x1) plastic sheet metal clip - The square kind that you pop into a hole to accept a screw. I got one at my local body shop for free, it's just a matter of finding one that fits into the pedal.
7. (x1) Spacer bushing - for mounting the bike shifter to the cruiser's shifter lever.
8. Zipties

Assembly:
I started with the cable casing and popped the end cap on one end. On the other end I threaded on the two M5 nuts. This was a little tricky because it was a tight fit, which is good since I wanted them to bite into plastic casing. I used a razor blade to taper the casing just a little at the very end so the nuts would thread on straight, and the slowly threaded on the nuts one at a time with a pair of pliers. I "cut" thread with the nuts about 3/4" up the casing. These nuts are used to secure the casing by sandwiching the bracket in front of the pedal and for adjusting the final tension of the cable.

I already had a bike shifter and it's actually a pretty nice "rapid-fire" unit made by Sram with a ratcheting mechanism which is good because it locks up in "gear" to resist the pedal force. It already had a control cable in good shape, but these can be bought new at a bike shop as well. I slide the casing on the the cable with the end cap on the shifter side. Then I slid the casing into the bracket in front of the pedal, allowing the nuts to sandwich the bracket. With the shifter in the floor board, I made sure the casing was fully seated against the shifter and then measured how long the cable needed to be to go through the pedal with enough room to crimp on the end stop. I pulled the cable back out, cut the cable, slid on the plastic clip and crimped on the end stop. I put it back back in once again to see how close I came, and made any adjustments by moving the nuts up and down the casing until I was satisfied. Here's what the pedal end of the assembly looks like:



Mounting:
Standard handle bars are 7/8" in diameter, the diameter of the cruiser's shifter lever, is not, at least not where I wanted to mount the hand throttle. To make the spacer bushing, I used a small chuck of 7/8" Diameter aluminum round stock about 3/4"-7/8" in length that I got from my local meter supplier.



The shifter lever is tapered so I need two diameters. I measured the shifter lever about where I wanted the top of the throttle to mount, and about where the bottom would be. It was a about 9/16" at the top and not quite 5/8" on the bottom, so i started with a 1/2" drill bit, drilling all the way through, and worked my way up in size until it slid down the lever to where I wanted the top to be. Then I drilled about half way through the bushing with increasing size bits for the bottom diameter until it seated nicely about where I wanted it to be. Then I just tapped it in place with a hammer for a "press fit," slid on the hand throttle assembly and cinched it down. I routed the cable down the lever, under the heater ducts and up to the bracket securing it with zipties along the way. Then I secured the casing, slid the cable into the pedal slot, and popped in the clip. Done!





I am VERY happy with the way it turned out. So far it works perfectly. I can ratchet the rpms up to about 2200rpm using my index finger, and ratchet back down with my thumb...

Up...


Down...


would have it been easier to just replace the OE hand throttle? Yes, but doing it this way gave me a little more functionality, and a whole lot more satisfaction.

[Falco80]

Ingenious idea mate! I like the way you think.

[GLTHFJ60]

I like it! I've seen it done with a rotating style gear selector, but I think I like this better.

[VTCruiser]

yeah the lever placement with this particular shifter is perfect.

thanks guys!

[VTCruiser]

As you know, I haven't made a lot of progress over the last several months, but that has given me time to work out a few bugs since the rebuild ("phase 1") last summer. Now that I have everything pretty much where it should be, it's time to enter phase 2 of the build: Outfitting!

Here are the plans for the coming months:

1. Turbo - I did it. After a couple years of saving I finally threw down for a turbo kit for the 1HZ. I went with a kit from All-American Imports out of the Netherlands. What I liked about this kit is that it uses a lot of Toyota parts including a CT26 turbo, HDT exhaust manifold, and boost compensator for the fuel pump all for a pretty fair price. It came to a little over US$2400 at today's exchange rates including shipping to the US. No intercooler, at least for now, and I plan to keep boost at a modest level to maximize fuel economy and reliability. We'll see how long that lasts.
2. BEBs - As part of the turbo install I plan to replace the BEBs as a precautionary measure.
3. Oil bypass - Also related to the turbo install, I plan to fit an Amsoil oil bypass filter to help keep the oil extra clean for the engine and turbo.
4. Dual Batteries - I just got my new SS battery trays for my dual battery set-up. Haven't decided on batteries or module yet.
5. Cargo System - I gave away my old set of plywood drawers. They have served me well over the last few years, but it's time to change gears a little. This is still in design phase, but I am looking to integrate more storage, a fridge, etc.
6. Armor/Gear - This is a long list of gear that I will probably be picking at over the next year or so as funds permit. It includes: recovery bumpers, winch, sliders, roof-rack, rooftop tent, long rage fuel tank, on-board water, on-board propane... You know, "the basics."
7. Misc - As I type, I have a set of 16" wheels and a split rear bench on a boat from Australia (thanks jsaltlick!). The wheels will eventually get a some 255/85 MTs serving as my expo wheels, and the split bench with be installed to allow for the new, more modular cargo system.

Quick Sidebar: I have to give props to Maarten at AAI who has been putting up with me for the last two years. Seriously, I have been emailing him since March 2006 about this kit. He has been amazingly helpful (and patient) with answering my questions, finding the most inexpensive shipping method and piecing together a "custom" kit for my somewhat unconventional application. For a while, I was even considering to buy everything but the CT26 and getting a Garrett domestically instead to try and save a buck. Maarten was happy to accommodate, but with the euro down I just decided to pony up for the whole shebang. He had earned the business, and I probably would have spent the same money and a lot more time in the end regardless.

PICS:

1. AAI Turbo kit
2. Boost Compensator

[72cruiser]

shiny parts! nice!
keep it up.

whenever you want to make the sliders, plan a trip back to cashville and we'll do 'em right.


malphrus

[VTCruiser]

Originally Posted by 72cruiser

shiny parts! nice!
keep it up.

whenever you want to make the sliders, plan a trip back to cashville and we'll do 'em right.


malphrus

haha, yeah man. did you get a bender?

[89s rule]

Very nice!

[72cruiser]

Originally Posted by VTCruiser

haha, yeah man. did you get a bender?

yeah man, bit the bullet a couple months back

[VTCruiser]

Originally Posted by 72cruiser

yeah man, bit the bullet a couple months back

[72cruiser]

Originally Posted by VTCruiser

yeah, i'm hopin to finally make a set of those rear quarter sliders in about 3 weeks.
found a guy here in nashville that is goin to let me borrow his 62 for a day or two to fab em up and test fit them, etc. i'll shoot you some pics when i get em done.


malphrus

[VTCruiser]

Originally Posted by 72cruiser

yeah, i'm hopin to finally make a set of those rear quarter sliders in about 3 weeks.
found a guy here in nashville that is goin to let me borrow his 62 for a day or two to fab em up and test fit them, etc. i'll shoot you some pics when i get em done.

malphrus

Definitely.

[VTCruiser]

Almost forgot...I added dual batteries to the list on post 287. I just got my new SS battery trays!

[89s rule]

Originally Posted by VTCruiser

Almost forgot...I added dual batteries to the list on post 287. I just got my new SS battery trays!

Where did you get the SS trays? I thought the guy who used to make them quit a year or so back.

[VTCruiser]

yeah I got them through that guy. I think he's started making them again.

[GLTHFJ60]

BADASS!! What's his webpage?

[VTCruiser]

Stainless Steel Battery Trays for TOYOTA LANDCRUISER

He hasn't updated the stock yet. he said he's only got a few 60 trays on hand right now but has a bunch being made.

[jleeFJ62]

everything is looking good! when are you planning a trip back down south?