Build 1982 FJ60 - Project Clifford

[sadovnik]

I'm at 6,000 ft. and also get around14 inHg. 130psi compression at 6000 ft. is equivalent to 151-155 at sea level. In conclusion, those are pretty good numbers for a 40 year old engine.

 

[CruiserTrash]

As somebody at 5300' I agree - these numbers are very decent. I've been able to get my vacuum up to 16-17inHg. Might want to dig around for leaks or adjust valves as mentioned above.

 

[Sperl]

Concur. Do a valve adj for the baseline, too. May pop your vacuum Hg up slightly if they're out of adjustment.

I'm at 6,000 ft. and also get around14 inHg. 130psi compression at 6000 ft. is equivalent to 151-155 at sea level. In conclusion, those are pretty good numbers for a 40 year old engine.

As somebody at 5300' I agree - these numbers are very decent. I've been able to get my vacuum up to 16-17inHg. Might want to dig around for leaks or adjust valves as mentioned above.

Great feedback, thanks guys. I definitely have a couple of leaks to run down and haven't touched valves or timing yet, so it's encouraging that there's room for a bit more improvement.

On the topic of timing - is checking/setting timing a huge PITA for everyone, or am I doing it wrong? I need to do the remove-flywheel-cover-and-paint-marks trick to make it easier to see the marks, but I did an initial timing check just to see what was up and holy cow - I was doing inverted engine bay yoga to hold the timing light and see anything in that window. Any advice...?

 

[Spike Strip]

Yeah, it's oragami torso time when reading timing marks. Easier if you have a good bright timing light and painted marks.

 

[Sperl]

I've been reading up on leaf spring theory and could use some input. Specifically - which leaves to remove to mellow out Clifford's ride?

I've mentioned before that I'm pretty sure Clifford has lived a few different lives, and at one point was a heavily loaded beast. His suspension reflects that; the rear end in particular has a beefy eight-leaf pack and he's riding high on them. I'm pretty sure they are OME spring packs based on the shocks and a few other clues, but markings are long gone so...

Here's the rub - I don't have plans at the moment for a heavy build. Stock bumpers, spare will be back underneath shortly, the max load will be passengers/bikes/camping gear, etc. Someday maybe Clifford will get burly bumpers and a killer drawer system and whatnot, but for now I'm aiming for an OEM+ type build.

All that said...Clifford bucks like a bronco on the heavy suspension. I want to mellow him out a bit, so I think the play is to remove a few leaves. Pictures of the rear pack below. My guess is third from the top is an add-a-leaf. It has a different end profile than the others and looks like current OME add-a-leaf profile, and Cruiser Outfitter's add-a-leaf page says "typically this is the 3rd leaf from the top of the leaf pack."

Thoughts...?

 

[CruiserTrash]

I've been reading up on leaf spring theory and could use some input. Specifically - which leaves to remove to mellow out Clifford's ride?

I've mentioned before that I'm pretty sure Clifford has lived a few different lives, and at one point was a heavily loaded beast. His suspension reflects that; the rear end in particular has a beefy eight-leaf pack and he's riding high on them. I'm pretty sure they are OME spring packs based on the shocks and a few other clues, but markings are long gone so...

Here's the rub - I don't have plans at the moment for a heavy build. Stock bumpers, spare will be back underneath shortly, the max load will be passengers/bikes/camping gear, etc. Someday maybe Clifford will get burly bumpers and a killer drawer system and whatnot, but for now I'm aiming for an OEM+ type build.

All that said...Clifford bucks like a bronco on the heavy suspension. I want to mellow him out a bit, so I think the play is to remove a few leaves. Pictures of the rear pack below. My guess is third from the top is an add-a-leaf. It has a different end profile than the others and looks like current OME add-a-leaf profile, and Cruiser Outfitter's add-a-leaf page says "typically this is the 3rd leaf from the top of the leaf pack."

Thoughts...?

View attachment 4222976

View attachment 4222977

View attachment 4222978

3rd one from the top can come out. The ones shaped like that are the "extra leaf" or "add a leaf" springs that turn a medium into a heavy, and a heavy into an extra heavy.

 

[Sperl]

3rd one from the top can come out. The ones shaped like that are the "extra leaf" or "add a leaf" springs that turn a medium ingot a heavy, and a heavy into an extra heavy.

Good feedback, thanks.

I laid under Clifford a bit more yesterday to stare and meditate on this idea, and a couple more issues occurred to me.

I’ve got one u-bolt (circled below) on each side with threads that have taken a hit and are bent or mangled. I’ve got enough clean thread to cut them above the bad bit and still get the nuts off, and since I’m shortening the leaf stack it should be okay on reassembly. I think.

But on shortening the stack - I’m not sure the bracket (correct name unknown) that holds leaf pack to axle will fit correctly with a leaf removed. There’s a gap at the bottom that would close, but the gap is a hair shorter than height of the leaf I’d remove. Hmm…

 

[CruiserTrash]

That metal channel things is only applicable to the stock springs. For all aftermarket spring applications get rid of that and the rubber "isolators" if they're still present. Not a good idea to keep all that stuff for a few reasons.

I'd just get some new u-bolts and nuts instead of trying to save that. Loosen what you have to relieve the load, then take an angle grinder to the existing u-bolts. Once it's almost cut through whack em with a hammer a couple times to break them.

 

[Sperl]

That metal channel things is only applicable to the stock springs. For all aftermarket spring applications get rid of that and the rubber "isolators" if they're still present. Not a good idea to keep all that stuff for a few reasons.

I'd just get some new u-bolts and nuts instead of trying to save that. Loosen what you have to relieve the load, then take an angle grinder to the existing u-bolts. Once it's almost cut through whack em with a hammer a couple times to break them.

Ohhhh, this makes sense. A bit of poking around here tells me I do need a bushing fit kit for the center pin, so that's going on the parts list with new u-bolts and nuts.

Thanks for this input - mud community expertise and experience for the save once again!

 

[Sperl]

A few more things ticked off the list this week! I did the underbody fuel and vapor separator lines to match the ones I did in the body cavity a couple of weeks ago. I also replaced the filler neck hose, gasket, and clamps. I'm slowly replacing all of Clifford's rubber, and I'm finding the replacement of stiff/brittle bits with fresh/pliable very satisfying (and mostly pretty straightforward). I decided I had enough clearance to handle these lines without lowering the fuel tank. It worked out, but I've got a few knuckle and back-of-hand scrapes to show for it.

 

[Sperl]

With the fuel and vapor lines done I reinstalled the spare carrier crossmember and the winch raise/lower assembly thing. The spare is out of the cargo area and back underneath and I'll be honest - as soon as I cranked it all the way up and stood back I pretty immediately understood why lots of people move the spare to the back. Maybe a rear bumper with swing out has moved up the list.

For now at least it *should* protect my chrome bumper...?

 

[Sperl]

Replaced sway bar end links with new extended ones from @TRAIL TAILOR . I think the old ones may have been original. The bushings were hard/brittle/cracked/deformed, and the links did not match Clifford's lifted geometry. Both sides were worn to the extent that they were just kind of rattling around. The new ones were an easy install and put the sway bar back into a functional plane.