'72 FJ40 Door Refresh Pics - Weatherstripping and Stuff

[Rockets2000]

I decided to tackle the doors this weekend since it's starting to warm up in Houston. The weatherstripping was totally ineffective, so while I'm waiting on my EZ harness (and the guts to do the wiring), I figured I'd get something done. Funny how the simplest projects seem to protract and cause additional expenditure. My 40 came from AZ and is pretty much "rust free". However.....

The following are the steps I'm taking. Please feel free to comment and advise, as this is a work in progress.

Doors off with a little help from a BFH and a couple of punches

In my haste, I dropped the the DS door...

Dissassembled and ready to work on

Found some cracks that need to be welded up

Cleaned up the window cranks and door handles. My paddle handles were shot, so I ordered some from CruiserCorps.

More to come!

 

[davegonz]

Looks good!

I just finished doing a Painless Wiring harness on my 40. I recommend that you don't throw away the old harness because you will be reusing some of the wiring for switching the windshield washer/turn signals/heater blower, etc.

Also, go to Coolerman's website and download the schematics for your year.

 

[Rockets2000]

Thanks Dave. I plan to keep some of the wiring for those things since I'm getting a generic harness. The PO also installed an aux fuse block under the hood, so I have room for lights, winch, electric fan, train horn, etc.

 

[Rockets2000]

On to the window rails. The old stuff came out pretty easily, especially the one with a piece of corrugated cardboard box instead of the brushy channel stuff. I got replacement channel from CCOT. Get the stuff with the metal frame. It goes in like a champ!

Ready for new channel

Here's all you need, plus some blocks to block up the side rails when you pound in the new channel

Put the top piece in first so the side pieces can butt against it at the top of the frame. I used some sealant in the bottom of the groove. Maybe overkill, but it will keep the rattles down.

Pinch the ends with your fingers and push the top channel into the corners

Place the frame assembly on edge and tap the channel in with a mallet. Once you get it most of the way in, use a little more force and pound in the beads so they're flush with the inner frame edge.

Same drill with the side pieces. Run a bead of sealant if you want it, pinch the top end of the channel and push it down. Here is where you'll want to use the blocks. Turn the frame on edge and support it with blocks/bricks in a couple places so you don't damage the corner of the door that is on the ground. I suppose if you have a well-equipped shop you can use other methods...Tap the channel all the way down the length of the rail and pound it home so it is flush. If you have a gap at the top where the side channel butts against the top channel, tap it LIGHTLY on the end with the mallet. BE CAREFUL NOT TO HIT IT TOO HARD OR THE CHANNEL WILL DRIVE UP INTO THE TOP CHANNEL AND DAMAGE IT.

 

[Rockets2000]

Time to remove the old rubber weatherstripping. It came off in chunks and dust.....

All that was left was some adhesive

I sprayed it down with some spray adhesive remover and started to take off the goop

Then I got smart...

Found some rust on the bottom edge, but no too bad

Cleaned up and ready for some POR 15 and paint

That's all I got done today. Gotta find someone to weld up my cracks and wait for the weather to get a tad warmer for the POR 15 and paint. Sorry for the quality of the pics. I was shooting them in a hurry and mostly one-handed.

 

[dx379]

I need to do this myself. Subscribed, and thank you for the pictures

Jonny

 

[fj404life]

I need to do this myself. Subscribed, and thank you for the pictures

Jonny

x2 thanks for taking the time to document!

 

[igotta40]

Sean, on that cracked steel, I'm low on oxygen but I might have enough for a small job like that. Get the metal good & shiny, bring the parts over and I can braze it up for ya. Nice work, BTDT...

 

[k00kiem0nster]

x3. I got to this myself so please document.

 

[Rockets2000]

Sean, on that cracked steel, I'm low on oxygen but I might have enough for a small job like that. Get the metal good & shiny, bring the parts over and I can braze it up for ya. Nice work, BTDT...

Thanks Ron. Maybe this weekend or later in the week? Let me know when's a good time and I'll get the doors ready. I've got parts on order and I'm kind of on a roll....kind of.

 

[igotta40]

Door Repair

PM sent

 

[Hoz FJ40 CO]

Looks good!

I just finished doing a Painless Wiring harness on my 40. I recommend that you don't throw away the old harness because you will be reusing some of the wiring for switching the windshield washer/turn signals/heater blower, etc.

Also, go to Coolerman's website and download the schematics for your year.

I just bought a wiring harness from ERICS for this very reason. I have a new 'ITSASNAP' wiring harness but need the switch connectors to splice into this harness. Was this a difficult job for you to splice in the old with the new harness?

 

[Hoz FJ40 CO]

Great thread I just had the same crack in the same place welded onto my doors but I need to replace the channels. Thanks for taking the time to doc this for us!!!

 

[Rockets2000]

Made some progress on the doors today. Here are the before pics - I didn't realize how much paint would be boiled and flaked as a result of the brazing process. Oh well, at least the inside and outside doorskins are connected now.....

First pic is POR 15 application

Second pic is the nice brazes that igotta40 put down

Third pic is the ouside of the door ready for primer. I'm just spot finishing for now as an experiment. If it looks like **** I'll paint the whole door. I'll finish primer and paint tomorrow and see how it goes.

 

[Rockets2000]

Lower doors got painted today and installed new hinge bushings.

Rattle can paint is pretty close!

Pulled out the old hinge bushings

Some came out in pieces

Got the holes cleaned out and ready for the new bushings

Didn't get pics of the install as it went pretty fast but here are the parts

I'll get the upper doors painted this week and hopefully finish the assembly and weatherstripping next weekend.

 

[capt.rick]

great job ,this is on my list to do before winter comes,,,, ha ha

 

[bikersmurf]

Lower doors got painted today and installed new hinge bushings.

Rattle can paint is pretty close!

Pulled out the old hinge bushings

Some came out in pieces

Got the holes cleaned out and ready for the new bushings

Didn't get pics of the install as it went pretty fast but here are the parts

I'll get the upper doors painted this week and hopefully finish the assembly and weatherstripping next weekend.

Where did you get your weatherstripping? I'll need to replace mine some day.

I just recently learned that there were supposed to be bushings in the hinges... After more than 20 years without them, my holes were no longer round. oversized bushings took care of that problem.


I also had the same cracks in my doors.

 

[Rockets2000]

Weatherstripping is from CCOT. So far all I have installed are the window channels and test fit the window wipers and brushes, but the quality seems good on all of it.

 

[Biscuit]

My paddle handles were shot, so I ordered some from CruiserCorps.

Did you order just the handles or the whole latch assembly? I'm debating if it worth repairing the loose inside mechanism. for my door project (Which is 5 weekends on just the hinges right now)

 

[70 FJ40]

Thanks for all the pictures and tips. I will be doing this to mine in the near future so this is great.