80 Built Thread - Harold (1 Viewer)

[beachboyy]

Just brought home my first 80. I have owned a 55 in the past but havent been in the cruiser world for a while. The 80 seemed like a perfect platform for a family wheeler/camp/snow rig. I bought it sight unseen (kinda). I had a friend check it out for me and he seemed to think it was a decent deal so I bought it. It has a few quirks, but all in all seems ok. Time will tell I guess. Its a 1995 with 215,000 miles on it. Body and frame are straight. No lockers. No rust anywhere except a 1" spot right above the windshield in the direct center. I believe the cruiser has been repainted years ago but its hard to tell. Interior is so-so. Front driver seat has tears, the rest have some major wear. Passenger side power seat works good, driver side motor works and right side moves but the left side seems like it may be off the track? Radio antenna is taped together and doesnt retract/extend. A/C looks complete but doesnt blow super cold, probably just needs a recharge. After an inspection under the vehicle it looks like it has had an oil leak for a long time (this is judging by the amount of buildup). It doesnt drip in the driveway that I see and I didnt lose any on the dipstick on my 300 mile drive home. Will have to get it cleaned up and see where the oil is coming from. The only thing I did before driving it home was change the belts. The previous owner had the wrong belt on the alternator side and only had 1 out of 2 belts on that side. Here she is when I pulled in.

 

[beachboyy]

Did a few things today. Changed the oil. Took off the running boards and mud flaps. And put in a new radio antenna which retracts/extends and works great now. Also took off the spare tire and lifting system for the spare as I will not be using it any longer. Cruiser goes in the garage tomorrow to get a complete Slee 6" lift put on it. I got 5 new 37x12.5.17 KM2's mounted on black soft 8's. I also have complete front and back bumpers from 4x4 Labs. I'm sure I will be pulling the fender flares and getting him sprayed with line-x but have a few questions about that. I i know everyone welds the fender flare holes. However, i'm not a welder (as much as I would like to be). Has anyone filled the holes any other way or is every other way just a waste of time? I know everyone says to go with the 4" lift with 37s and trim. However, I just couldnt bring myself to cut her up right off the bat so I will start with 6" and see how it goes. Also got a couple cup holders and badges ordered today. Cant wait to get started!
Here is a pic after running boards have been removed. If anyone is looking for running boards, mud flaps, or OEM wheels I will be getting rid of them all. Also here is a pic of the engine compartment. No show vehicle that is for sure. Notice the bonus duct tape The head gasket has not been done to my knowledge.

 

[hamishpotter]

welcome (back)

straight to 37s, full armor, and a Slee 6". you're certainly not wasting time. I was just contemplating changing my front LED dome light from white to red

sub'd

 

[jp_waltz]

Wow! Sounds like yore a man with a plan. Are you going to regear and add lockers. Those 37's are heavy heavy heavy. Keep the pics of the progress comin. Good luck, she looks like a beaut!

 

[beachboyy]

I am a fisherman by trade so I have to go away for months at a time. So I'm only home for a month right now so just gonna do the lift, bumpers, line-x, and possibly some sliders. Then when I get back this fall I'm going to tear into the axles. Def regear to either 4.88 or 5.29 with ARB's. Also want to beef them up some with longfields possibly. I know its gonna be a total slug with the 37's and stock gearing. But just wont have the time to do it all right now.

 

[beachboyy]

Also forgot to mention that instead of the OME shocks that Slee sells with the kit, I went with the full length Ironman shocks. Didnt make sense to add the lift and have to drop the bracket for the shock and limit the travel even more.

 

[beachboyy]

Started doing the lift today. Everything seems to be going pretty good so far. Broke a wheel stud on the rear that I will have to fix. Got most of the front done today minus the control arms. Nothing seemed to give me trouble except getting the new panhard bar to line up. Once the panhard was out and the new springs where in, the panhard (that according to Slee is supposed to be 3/8" longer than the stock panhard) did not want to line up. It was as if the axle shifter to the passenger side. I used a ratchet strap and it pulled into place pretty easily. The only other thing that seemed weird is that according to Slee's directions you are supposed to hook up the sway bar then let the truck back down on the wheels. However there is no way the sway bar bolts back in with the axle rotated the way it is (without the new control arms on and the axle rotated back to the proper position). The drag link is in the way. But I'm sure it will be fine once the new control arms are on.

Some of the goodies.



Shot of the installed spring and shocks.


This is off the jack stand and on the wheels. Current ride height with the 265/75's

 

[beachboyy]

Got the front done completely and most of the rear today. Also replaced the broken wheel stud. However, I broke the brand new wheel stud while seating it with the wheel. Luckily I had a bunch and the next one didnt break. Have to do the rear upper arms, steering stabalizer, driveshaft, and bleed the brakes and I will be done. I have a FSM on the way but it wont be here until later in the week. Can anyone tell me the torque specs for the front control arm bolts, front panhard bolts, rear panhard bolts, and rear upper arm bolts? I would like to be done with this thing in the next day or so and get the 37's mounted.

 

[Blade 80LC]

I imagine you'll want to get a copy of the FSM. The 1996 model is very similar to our 1995's. https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/1996-fsm-and-ewd.600442/#post-7696087

 

[beachboyy]

Thanks for the link! Like I said I have a hard copy on the way but its in the mail right now.

 

[beachboyy]

Well the lift is all done (minus the steering stabilizer). I like the way it turned out so far. I think I was pretty fortunate, not a single nut/bolt was seized up on the whole vehicle. I bled the breaks for quite a while today along with the LSPV. They are still a little mushy but not horrible. However, after I got the tires on, I went to park in the drive way and the e-brake doesnt seem to be working. Can anyone think of why this would be? It was working when I put the stock tires back on the vehicle to drive it out of the garage and down to the tire shop.

She's all dirty but at least the lift is done. Bumpers are next.

 

[beachboyy]

Well got some more goodies.




Hopefully will start on the front bumper today. Only thing I havent figured out is where to remount the a/c dryer. I have been reading up on it here on the forum and it looks like you an bend it out of the way for some bumpers, but with the reveal with the 4x4 labs front it will still show. I know @jcardona1 tucked it up behind the turn signal, but since I wont (at least for now) have the fancy LED turns signals he does, I will still need my factory turn signal. Thinking of unhooking it for now (dont need the a/c right now) and then repiping it later. And yes, both bumpers are powdercoated. Seems to be more popular as of late to paint it yourself but I still like the powdercoat.

 

[ERG80]

You're making good time on your build! I'm jealous.

 

[nigelsiam]

It's looking really nice!! Keep updating with LOTS of photos.

 

[beachboyy]

Got the rear bumper mounted today. Moral of the story......get a friend to help you lift it into place. Unfortunately all my friends were working so it was just me and my back.

Stock bumper off


Ground down the welds and then took off the cross members.


Cut off 3 1/2" of the frame and mounted her up. Really like how high and tight it is.

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I forgot to get extra lugs so I cant mount the spare of hi-lift right now. I will get some and get some shots of everything mounted tomorrow.

 

[beachboyy]

Forgot to mention that I had to cut the exhaust back. Wouldn't fit with the new bumper. Nothing special just hacked it off shorter under the rig. In need of a whole new exhaust system anyway.
Before


After

 

[beachboyy]

Also there is one spot of rust on this entire vehicle that I have found and it is right above the windshield, dead center. (mentioned in my first post). However, the other day I washed the cruiser at one of those do it yourself car washes. Pretty good pressure that comes out of the wand and when I got back in the vehicle there was water coming in right where that rust spot is above the rear view mirror. It is something that has to be addressed soon so it doesnt get any worse. I have had the vehicle in the rain quite a bit already and it doesnt leak, but with a little pressure it did. I took it to an auto body place to get a quote. The guy barely looked at it. Snapped a few pictures from a long ways away and then mumbled something about how the whole roof will have to be repainted. The quote came out to $1650. Does this seem high? I dont really care about "painting the whole roof" or even how good the final product looks cosmetically at this point. I just want the rust gone and the window sealed. Can any Central Oregon people give me a good recommendation of a body shop that will work with me? Here are a few pics of the spot.
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[Blade 80LC]

It looks like the paint is blistered along the top of that window for much more than the one small spot. I think you may find more rust than you want to hear about, if you peeled back the windshield rubber. One of my brothers had the front edge of his roof fixed, and it was a bit involved. Since it was good weather, and he had another car to drive, and he wanted a new windshield; he had a company come out and remove the windshield. Then he cut out the rusted steel, welded in fresh metal, painted the roof, and then scheduled to have the new windshield put in.

Even with the windshield out, it was a chore. I hope yours is less involved.

 

[beachboyy]

Got the front bumper on today. The front 4x4Labs bumper is way more of a PITA than the rear in my opinion. It did not fit as well without some modification. And even so, I still didnt get 2 of the bolts in. Love the way it turned out though. Approach angle just improved a ton.
I started off by taking off the AC Dryer. I want to remount this in the battery box and need to start sourcing some dryer lines from a 91-93. Then I was able to do some trimming.
Before:


After:


After having the bumper on and off 4 times trying to get it to line up I finally got all the bolts in except one on each side. I had to grind some of the weld on the body mount on the passenger side so the bumper could be pushed back far enough. Also had to use a flapper wheel and buff out the frames so the bumper would fit on. It is so tight its ridiculous.

You can see how each side the same bolt doesnt line up.



Lots of frustration later and its done.

 

[wearsabrowncoat]

I've never seen rust in that spot. I thought you were going to line-X your rig. If so, just have the body shop fix that spot and prime it before rolling it over to your line-x shop.

Also, I don't think that last bolt hole will ever line up. Looks like it was drilled wrong. I would enlarge it when the bumper is off for line-x.