1996 fzj80 (Bruce) will be hitting the trails now (1 Viewer)

[chappysfj40]

good morning all.

so Bruce spends most of his days sitting and waiting for snow to plow or some work and the house, nothing crazy. its an Iowa rig so the rust is starting to take over, paint is faded like a champ, the rear tailgate is not held on by anything more than prayer. rust is the killer.

i been wanting to get back out and do more wheeling on the other side of the park so to speak, also hit some TLCA events, i have a full on LS buggy so we only hit the buggy trails and miss the other half of the parks because of that.

so this will be nothing too crazy of a build and the basics of the build are as follows.
max tires 33s and going swampers, because i have a big tired buggy...
maybe 2 inch lift to get rig of sagging old springs.
fix the lockers. neither end works
maybe gear to 529 or do tcase gears. on the fence here. 529 maybe to deep for street but i dont drive long distance
cage of sorts. undecided how crazy that will be
rock sliders have been added, actually cut out rockers to do it.
head gasket was done April of 2020
back seats will come out. maybe a set of drawlers out of plywood for spares and such.
fix exhaust.

i am sure i am missing a few things but this is the start.

so this should be fun

cheers

buggy for reference

i had this cruiser and loved it on 33s out in cali when i was stationed there. rubithon 2008

 

[SoCal80series]

I like it. I have a pearl red 96' as well.

 

[cruzinfj1]

Do the high and low side tcase gears. On 33s, that would put it geared where it would still drive decent enough on the road, and when future mods come up, it will already be done. I mean seriously, how long are you really gonna keep it on 33s??? lol

What are your plans for the cage? Thats on my short list here also, so I have been reading up on as many as I can.

 

[chappysfj40]

33s is the goal because no matter how you slice it big tires and an 80 equal one ton axles and i dont have that want yet.... yet.... cage i am thinking about one combo inside and out.

i am on the fence about tcase gears or 5.29s. it won't be a street rig besides running into town. not inter state, but i am really liking the idea of tcase one and done.

 

[chappysfj40]

who is selling the tcase gears now.

one thing i have noticed since i did the head gasket in 2020 is my trans OD light will blink from time to time. and i did replace that sensor. so this is one of the things i need to sort out also.

 

[cruzinfj1]

Tcase gears, and then start on your tons... Your wallet will thank you!! lol

I'd have to look through my folder, but pretty sure I got mine from these guys. Have ordered quite a bit of odds and ends from them, and never any issues. Fast shipping also-

Sumo Gear Land Cruiser Transfer Case 10% Underdrive Gear Set - Fits 8x/100 Series

Low Range Gear Reduction Sets for Toyota Land Cruiser Applications

cruiserteq.com

 

[CharlieS]

Cruiser Outfitters/CruiserTeq. I've had great experiences with them. I picked up my Sumo low gears from them, and my Sumo high gears from Cruiser Brothers, another top notch shop.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

We would love to help with gears @ Cruiser Outfitters (cruiserteq.com is our e-commerce site)

Any information you're looking for on the gears themselves?

We also offer turnkey t-case pre-built and ready to install.

 

[chappysfj40]

well thanks you. the turn key would be nice for sure.

gonna get on the site and look around some
thanks again

 

[chappysfj40]

may have found some 255 75 17 take offs on the face book. thats pretty close to the 33 goal

 

[chappysfj40]

the first rule is getting harder and harder to stay with. 33 tires are kinda pricey. and for the price i should just get 35s and have a nice happy medium.... uggggg

 

[cruzinfj1]

the first rule is getting harder and harder to stay with. 33 tires are kinda pricey. and for the price i should just get 35s and have a nice happy medium.... uggggg

SEEEEEEEE!!!!! Any ya know, 37s are the new 35s in the wheelin world...... 35s and tcase gears would be a really solid start.

 

[BucketEighty]

Another vote for 35's and T-case gears (both 10% Underdrive and 3.1:1 low range). You can go to 4.88's or 5.29's next time your diffs need an overhaul.

My current truck is on 265 75 R16 (31.6"x10.4") tires with stock gearing because it's my daily driver, family hauler, road trip truck, camping truck, etcetera. My next step up will be to T-case gears and 35's. Hopefully I have a different daily by then but that tire size and gearing is still acceptable for me to daily drive and/or road trip in my 80.

 

[chappysfj40]

i love it....

one rule breaks they all break. hahhaahahah

 

[chappysfj40]

you know there is a s*** ton of take off parts out there for the jeeps. these shocks maybe the perfect set up beside being too long... but have welder will adapt....

 

[chappysfj40]

good am

found a set of wheels local in FB for 80 bucks. so we will see if i need spacers. no tires yet.

also started to change out my rear ujoint. yep it was smoked. amazon failed me and did not drop it off like they said it was gonna be.
changed the small seal i the end of the pass side rear axle.

 

[chappysfj40]

good am
so took the cruiser out this past weekend. whata great time was had. only landcruiser at the event. all jeeps but had so much fun. put 160 miles on the rig driving to and from the trails, and to dinner and and breakfast and everything. trails were simple through the woods type of things. nothing hard. but did challenge the cruiser because lockers dont work. balding 33 bfg ATs and no lift. hahahah
i will say the 4.5 will rez real nice. i love it.

 

[chappysfj40]

holly cow. yesterday i was able to find locker motors on ebay for 125 and 150 omg..... i ordered them.. we shall see how they work

 

[chappysfj40]

so i replaced the front locker motor, no lock on it working either. i also dont see the my light coming on for the center diff. i did see it real brief but now wont come back on. i can hit the button form the center diff and it makes a noise like something is happening but no light. and from what i read or what i thought i read it said that light needs to come on in order to send signal to the locker motor. not sure if i under stood it correct.

i can take the motor off and push the rod to the left and lock the front easy and do drive and the light will be solid red like it should. then take it apart and move it back and nothing.
even with the motor out i can here it cycle at all. so i am back at the center diff lock. hmmmm maybe i am wrong.

 

[cruzinfj1]

so i replaced the front locker motor, no lock on it working either. i also dont see the my light coming on for the center diff. i did see it real brief but now wont come back on. i can hit the button form the center diff and it makes a noise like something is happening but no light. and from what i read or what i thought i read it said that light needs to come on in order to send signal to the locker motor. not sure if i under stood it correct.

i can take the motor off and push the rod to the left and lock the front easy and do drive and the light will be solid red like it should. then take it apart and move it back and nothing.
even with the motor out i can here it cycle at all. so i am back at the center diff lock. hmmmm maybe i am wrong.

Yes, its in your CDL. Needs that signal.

Last year I broke the harness that goes from the pass inner fender to the front locker. You can unplug it there and lock/unlock it there with a power probe. Thats how I got through the weekend.