Build 2002 HZJ79 Double Cab Firetruck

[Kroll]

The 79 lacks A/C from the factory- apparently it was quite rare to get A/C in a firetruck build. For the time being I decided on tinting the windows to help keep the cab a little cooler. The added privacy also helps with making it feel less like a fish bowl.
Front window tint is illegal in AB, but many people still do it. I went with 50% in the front and 15% in the rear.

I also ordered a set of Escape Gear seat covers for the front and rear seats.
They fit really well and feel much better against your body than the factory vinyl finish.

There's a Canadian company from the East Coast that has this fire extinguisher mount that a buddy of mine uses in his Tacoma. I had to add a stretchy ski strap to better hold the extinguisher, since it would slide a bit overtime. Easily accessible from the driver's seat if heaven forbid I ever have to use it. No complaints from any passengers about it yet.

 

[Kroll]

Late April had arrived and I was about 1 month away from getting the SET tray installed. My list of things was getting shorter, but still a few time consuming upgrades awaited me. Next up was a winch install. Initially I really wanted to install a M8274 Warn, I even picked up a used one and was ready to refresh it for the 79. After realizing how big the Vision X lights are I would never have enough clearance to mount an upright winch. I started looking for low profile mount style winches. Nothing really was coming up in the used market, so I pulled the trigger on a Warn 9.5XP-S. I normally run a wire cable in my other trucks, but thinking about weight savings I decided to try synthetic for the first time.
Install was relatively easy, I did have to clock the lever on the winch so it faced up towards the winch opening to make operating it easier. I also bought some large hose clamps to affix the winch controller box to the motor.

Plenty of room for the Vision X lights that would get mounted later. I did have to order an offset hawse fairlead since the ARB in a 70series requires it.
I also had acquired a NOS winch cover for an old horizontal mount Warn from the 80's, as luck would have it- it fit perfectly on this winch as well.

I was lacking a hook for my winch cable to clasp onto. A buddy had installed a bumper on a 5th gen 4Runner recently, and coincidentally the hook fit the bolt spacing of the ARB bumper / 79 frame. I did have to use the spacer that ARB provides in their install kit to space the hook away from the bumper to clear some weld seams.

 

[Kroll]

It was finally time to tackle the front axle of the 79. The truck came with permanent drive flanges, this meant the front birfs were always engaged and so was the front drive shaft, even though the transfer case was a part-time unit. This all amounts to a bunch of extra moving parts that accelerate in wear and contribute to extra drag (increased fuel mileage). My fix to it all was the installation of some brand new Aisin FHT-001 Free Wheel Hubs that came from Aus. Unfortunately, the swap is not as simple as just swapping the outer hubs. Toyota ended up using a different length of birf for each application and a different spline shape.

From my research the solid flange style that the truck came with has a Birf length of 179.3 mm and a "V" spline shape.
To run an Aisin Free Wheeling Hub, the Birf length should be 168.1 mm and a "N" spline shape.
In short, this meant I had to do a birf swap in order to install my new shiny Aisin's.
I bought all new genuine gaskets, rubber seals and a set of aftermarket NKN Birfields (Japan made).

I won't bore you with all the details of doing a front birfield refresh since that has been documented extensively here.
What I started with...

Upon removal, everything looked really good. Wheel bearings had some old grease that looked a bit aged, so they got cleaned up. Only real issue that I ran into was the trunion bearings. The races had developed notches in them from what I gather happens when a truck sits idle. Thankfully the local Land Cruiser shop had a set of Koyo High Capacity ones to install as a replacement on the same day.

Just about ready to get the swivel housing back on. These 79/80/105 outer balls are massive in size. Easily 2 tubes of grease fill the space...after doing this job I promptly looked up and ordered an electric grease gun. Removing the inner axle shaft from the original birfs was pretty easy. I mounted some square tubing in the vice and used gravity along with a fast downward motion to allow a sudden jostle to bump the inner circlip out and pop goes the inner axle shaft - make sure you catch the shaft or have a something soft resting underneath to prevent the splines from smashing and potentially chipping.

You can't beat that fresh hub feel when engaging these hubs.

Mucho better! This 79 doesn't look like a mall cruiser anymore.

 

[Kroll]

The birf swap went well, but I encountered some very stubborn steering components that did not want to release themselves to make my job easy. In the midst of removing the tie rod ends and the relay rods, some damaged occurred. Removal would have gone a lot smoother had I the proper fitting tie rod puller the first go around. So as I awaited for a shipment of fresh 555 steering ends from Australia, amazon delivered a OTC 7503 outer tie rod remover to aid in getting all the bits off without anymore damage.

555 #FYE034131 Good for all RHD 70's from 1999-2019
The box did not fair well, the tie rod ends rattled about a lot inside during the journey from down under. Two springs from the relay rod end got damaged (hold tension on the boot) so I got a partial refund and managed to use my old springs from the set that I removed.

The OTC tool that came to the rescue, a truly invaluable investment if you do any of your own steering / front end maintenance.

Fresh Japanese quality 555 goodness.
You can see in the picture the different style of springs that I cobbled together to retain the boot in place from grease seeping out after it's been greased.

I extended both front and rear diff breathers by about 30cm, after the lift they seemed a bit short. I don't have any intentions to take the 79 through deep water crossings, better to be pro-active though.

Took the opportunity to mock up the sub-tank. Originally I thought I could fit it behind the transfercase, similar to how the single cabs do it...but my floor pan does not allow for it. So I was looking to mount it a bit further back. Still have a bit more measuring to do before it gets finalized.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

I hope my dentist doesn’t discover this tool.

 

[coldtaco]

Cruiser outfitters sells those 555 bits, lots closer than down under

 

[janyyc]

Cruiser outfitters sells those 555 bits, lots closer than down under

The 49th parallel sometimes makes it cheaper to order from halfway across the world than from our friendly neighbours to the south.

 

[Kroll]

Cruiser outfitters sells those 555 bits, lots closer than down under

Valid point- I usually don't look for parts in the US unless I absolutely can't find it anywhere else (ie: take off 70 series parts).

The 49th parallel sometimes makes it cheaper to order from halfway across the world than from our friendly neighbours to the south.

That's exactly it! The exchange rate, shipping charges and duties that the Feds love to take can be minimized with deals from far away lands.

 

[mt72]

Those fire trucks are amazing! Your getting it well dress too

 

[coldtaco]

The 49th parallel sometimes makes it cheaper to order from halfway across the world than from our friendly neighbours to the south.

Interesting

 

[Kroll]

To make room for the secondary fuel tank I removed the factory exhaust post-downpipe. The factory system was very bulky and intricately shaped around the frame rails and rear body. I also did not want to make any modifications to the SET tray fenders, since they would require trimming to fit the rear exhaust routing.

My solution was to make a side dump exhaust for the time being. I was a bit worried about clearance, but it seems to be a non-issue.
The only annoyance with the side dump exhaust was the exhaust note that you would hear reflected back from the highway shoulder barriers that you encounter on winding mountain roads while the driver window is cracked open. If I was to change it, making the exhaust dump to the passenger side would be more favorable.

My last little job to prep for the tray install was to remove some of the big welded brackets that remained from the firetruck body removal.
I had to be careful, because they would double as a fixture point for the tray mounts as well.

 

[Kroll]

The last touch to the build was the installation of the Vision X 8.7" Light Cannons that I snagged during 2022 black friday sales. I've been a fan of the Vision-X light cannon group for a while. Their low power draw, impressive lumen output and the ability to change lens cover colours / beam patterns met my needs.
I went with the yellow lens because I find it easier on my eyes, especially in poor visibility conditions. I chose a pencil beam lens for the passenger side and a euro flood beam pattern for the driver side. The kit comes with a nice wiring harness that made install easy. I had to make some spacers to provide better clearance between the side body of the light and the ARB bar. I also bought some nice stainless metric hardware for mounting.

You can see the poly-carbonate filter covers that attach firmly on the outside of the lens with a rubber washer to prevent an ingress of any contaminants.

The hue of these lights is amazing. Using them on dark lonely roads this past year, I am really impressed with them.

Swapping over the lens covers is a quick job and I've been swapping them to see what set up I prefer.

 

[Kroll]

Tray install day had at last arrived. I loaded up the spare tire into the cab of the 79, along with a bunch of OEM hardware and spare tire holder bits.

I hit the scale north of town to do a weigh in before things got underway.
Front Axle: 1400 Kg (3086lbs)
Rear Axles: 1000 Kg (2204lbs)

Fenders removed. Final bits of metal that needed to be removed before install could take place got cut, cleaned up and then painted.

Slowly getting there for tray install

On the headache rack you can see a tab that got welded into place to be a solid mount used for the spare tire holder assembly as found on factory 79 boxes.
I really wanted to incorporate this simple, yet nifty design by Toyota.

A water tank sits in front of the slide out tool drawer, capacity is 47L. A little extra water for longer extended back country trips is going to be a nice bonus.

 

[Kroll]

Ralf builds sturdy aluminum mounts that are unique to each build, then the tray fits between the rails and gets bolted into place.
It's a simple system, that allows the trays to fit a wide range of vehicles.

Fuel inlet tube and vent are extended to fit the new fill neck location.

The storage boxes and fenders ride on a rail system, so fitment is precise and able to tolerate variances. If I decide to increase my tire size in the future, I can buy larger rear fenders to suit the jump in tire size.

I really wanted to replicate the looks of a factory 79 box, so I requested to have the tray sides to have an outer lip (normally they are on the inside) and also to integrate some tarp cover hooks. I was absolutely floored to see how well my vision came to fruition.

My last request to round out that factory look was the application of OEM decals. I even added a Japanese spec decal from the GRJ79.

 

[mt72]

Clean cut impressive

 

[Rigster]

Ralf builds sturdy aluminum mounts that are unique to each build, then the tray fits between the rails and gets bolted into place.
It's a simple system, that allows the trays to fit a wide range of vehicles.
View attachment 3518743
Fuel inlet tube and vent are extended to fit the new fill neck location.
View attachment 3518744
View attachment 3518745
The storage boxes and fenders ride on a rail system, so fitment is precise and able to tolerate variances. If I decide to increase my tire size in the future, I can buy larger rear fenders to suit the jump in tire size.
View attachment 3518746
I really wanted to replicate the looks of a factory 79 box, so I requested to have the tray sides to have an outer lip (normally they are on the inside) and also to integrate some tarp cover hooks. I was absolutely floored to see how well my vision came to fruition. View attachment 3518747
My last request to round out that factory look was the application of OEM decals. I even added a Japanese spec decal from the GRJ79.

Starting to really come to life! Those guys at Summit really do nice work, and you can tell they really care about their work. Love it.

WRT the water tank in the drawer, is this a seasonal holding tank, or is it heated as well? That would be really kewl, or I suppose, a potential battery drainer - depending how you look at it.

 

[Kroll]

Clean cut impressive

Thank you! The finishing work on the tray has impressed me a lot.

 

[Kroll]

Starting to really come to life! Those guys at Summit really do nice work, and you can tell they really care about their work. Love it.

WRT the water tank in the drawer, is this a seasonal holding tank, or is it heated as well? That would be really kewl, or I suppose, a potential battery drainer - depending how you look at it.

100%, Ralf at Summit really brings a vision to life and ensures all the fine details are taken cared of. I helped to install the tray now a second time, and I really enjoyed the experience working with the SET team.

The water tank is a seasonal one. I suppose you could add an electric heating element to keep it liquid in low temps.
At the moment I don't really have any intentions to drive the 79 in the winter.

 

[Kroll]

I suppose I ought to show you how it all turned out!

Fully sealed 4' long drawer. Been able to fit my recovery gear, axe, chairs and even tools in there.

All the drop sides are fully removable. I also opted for 6 tie down hooks- they have been really useful with securing gear.
Spare tire sits a lot higher than a factory 79 box but I am still able to see adequately through the back window.

After a long day, it was truly rewarding to see it all come together. I am absolutely obsessed with this truck now, it turned out exactly how I had envisioned it.

I stopped at the same scale house on my return drive.
Front axle: 1320 Kg (2910lbs)
Rear axle: 1310 Kg (2888lbs)
Gained a little bit of weight in the rear now.

 

[WandatheTroopy]

Absolutely stunning!!! Absolute dream car! Hey, What fuel tank do you have? I am sorry if you already went into this in a previous post. I have one of these fire trucks and need to deal with my tank.
Thank you!