Builds 77 FJ40 Build, It begins...and may take a while

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got a little more off the frame today. really close to start building. just ordered some parts from 4x4 labs. steering stuff!! I need that in there to watch clearances as I get the engine in.

poll here now. money aside would you rather go nv4500 and atlas as I plan or h55 with Orion? this also means centred rear axle or stock one.
 
Its almost a tie. I would probably go with nv4500 if price is no problem. However I would check to see what the price difference of the 2 options are and go with the cheapest and easiest to install. Also I would consider doing a 3 link or 4 link in the rear and springover in front. The link suspension is nice because you can tune in the suspension geometry which will help offroad a lot and with no axle wrap you wont break as much. Plus it will ad to the cool factor if done cleanly. Also with any more than 4 inches of lift I would go with some wider axles for stability. What size tire do you want to run?
 
right now I have 33 x12.5 and like them for drivability. I'm trying to keep my spring over low for centre of gravity and so I can get into my garage. if possible ill stick with them but if looks silly I'll go to 35s. I like the nv4500 idea for parts etc but the adapter kit is going to be slow getting one. maybe not the best reason to change my build plans but it did get me thinking. I do like the atlas for strength and the syncros are a nice feature for shift on the fly.
 
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SUPER PUMP!!!

so as you know I'm putting a Mercedes OM617 in my cruiser. I mentioned earlier it was going to be a tuned engine. there's not much you can do to increase power out of these engines without increasing fuel supply to meet the demands of a bigger turbo. the mw pump that comes on the American turbo engines aren't readily modified but the naturally aspirated ones from Europe (the m pumps) are!! I found this one from a Mercedes forum I'm on from a fellow from Serbia. I took a chance and bought it from him and he shipped it to Sweden to a well known injection pump builder named Goran. his business is called dieselmenken (look him up on Facebook. he does some amazingly cool stuff). anyway he built me one of his super pumps that has 7.5 mm elements and put out about 150 cc which should be good for roughly 200-225 hp and 250 ft/lbs!! pretty good numbers from this little engine. there are some claims of 300+ with bigger elements but I don't want to stress the engine too much and this combo is quite driveable. it's not supposed to be a race car. I also got some injectors built from a guy in S Carolina who has a dieselmenken pump and knows what will match this pump. now just need my engine back and will need to talk to some turbo experts to find something that will match this pump. CAN YOU TELL IM EXCITED?!!!!! this has taken me about three years of research and looking for a pump.

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I'm getting ready to order my transfercase and am curious as to thoughts and experience with crawl ratio as I can get different ratios of transfer case. with an nv4500 and 4:11 diffs my three options that I'm looking at for low/1st gear are
46:11 , 69:17 , or 87:61. I've read that anything lower that 40:1 is good for a 4x4 but I've seen crazy lower numbers and just want some advice as where's a good compromise. I will use it mostly for trails and a little mud and lots of deep snow driving. I don't do too much rock crawling.
 
yeah those were the numbers I was thinking for crazy low and being so far away from that made me think is there a good happy medium. I don't want a huge gap in ratios between high and low but don't want to duplicate things either. I kind of like the 87:1 idea too but want some opinions like yours from actual experience. thanks for your input.
 
so I've been on hold a little with my build while I'm getting the driveline and other parts completed. I have a question for those who have custom build experience. as I am doing a new driveline I have to position everything in a new place making sure I have proper clearances from frame, steering, body, etc. because of the new driveline I'm going spring over and using new axles for a centred rear. now what order do I do it in. prop up the frame and put in the drive line then match the axles afterwards for proper pinion angles or put axles and suspension together first and then driveline? seems like axles should go in first but I'm looking at a diamond axle housing and they want to know what my pinion angle should be so they can build it but I won't really know until the driveline is in. any thoughts as to how to figure this out? thanks
 
I have a H3 Hummer with the 4:1 transfer case and the 5.3L LS motor and 4L60e transmission - the 4:1 is pretty much useless for anything but rocks. The problem is the computer won't let the vehicle start moving in 3rd gear, it will start in 2nd - but it's just not right for snow. My wheeling is mostly snow and mud. But I'm in the same quandary about my FJ40 and how I'm going to gear it. I'm planning a NV4500, so with the 6.87 low gear, plus 4.88 gears....

I'll be watching your decision process with a lot of interest... carry on.
 
talked to diamond axles and they said they could tack the knuckles on instead of fully welding them. that way I could adjust them once I find out my pinion angles are. it's essentially allowing me to do a cut and turn without really cutting them. I think that's the way I will go. this way I can get the rolling chassis together, position the driveline then make minor adjustments to my axles. I like it!
 
well I've gone and done it!! I ordered my nv4500 and atlas! should be ready in about 6 weeks so I assume I'll have it in about 2 months or so. hopefully I'll have my engine done by then. that's when the fun work will begin. I'm tired of working on rusty, greasy, dirty parts. I'm now collecting the new stuff to start going in the frame. slow but sure right!!
 
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I followed my brain, not my heart, and am going with an automatic... but if a NV4500 appears before the decision is cast in stone (maybe even after it is), it will be manual. I saw a 6 speed today from a Dodge truck... I drooled, but the $1700 price tag and the "no one makes anything for it yet" caused my heart to falter again...
 
a six speed would be super cool but five gears is still an improvement from four. i actually drove a six speed jeep a few times and found that it felt I was always shifting because there were so many gears that you'd run through the rpm so fast you were always ready to be shifting. maybe it was just me getting used to it but I actually think I'll like a five speed better. especially if I can truly make the power I want so there's no lag at lower rpm.

I went with the 3:8 atlas so with 4:11 gears and the low 5:61 of the nv4500 I have a low gear of roughly 88:1. should be good for what I'll be using it for. I've been dreaming of this combo for about five years now so it finally is coming true.

I also got my power steering plates and steering shaft kit from 4x4 labs so that's ready to go onto the frame. I also got some daystar body mounts so I know where the body will sit on the frame. when I get those things in I can start fitting the driveline for these major clearances. once it's all welded in I'll take it all apart again and get the frame blasted and coated
 
Congrats on taking the plunge! I'm hoping the wide ratio of the NV4500 won't be a problem as far as keeping in the proper boost range, but when I had my turbo rebuilt they used a slightly different A/R to help spool at lower rpms... Guess we'll see.

I can't wait to see how that pump you have turns out with the matched injectors.
 
a six speed would be super cool but five gears is still an improvement from four. i actually drove a six speed jeep a few times and found that it felt I was always shifting because there were so many gears that you'd run through the rpm so fast you were always ready to be shifting. maybe it was just me getting used to it but I actually think I'll like a five speed better. especially if I can truly make the power I want so there's no lag at lower rpm.

I went with the 3:8 atlas so with 4:11 gears and the low 5:61 of the nv4500 I have a low gear of roughly 88:1. should be good for what I'll be using it for. I've been dreaming of this combo for about five years now so it finally is coming true.

I also got my power steering plates and steering shaft kit from 4x4 labs so that's ready to go onto the frame. I also got some daystar body mounts so I know where the body will sit on the frame. when I get those things in I can start fitting the driveline for these major clearances. once it's all welded in I'll take it all apart again and get the frame blasted and coated

My wife has a 6 speed MT in her JK - I agree, but it's mostly a 5 speed with a granny gear.... my dislike of the JK comes from that stupid auto-hill-holder function....
 
ha ha. there were a lot of things I didn't like about it to be honest. it was a really harsh ride (2door). the only thing I though was nice was it felt like the doors were solid when you close them. otherwise I'll take my 40 over it for every other possible reason!

my wife's cousin however has a special edition rubicon 4door. much nicer ride, nice truck but I still would take a 40 any day for style!
 
ha ha. there were a lot of things I didn't like about it to be honest. it was a really harsh ride (2door). the only thing I though was nice was it felt like the doors were solid when you close them. otherwise I'll take my 40 over it for every other possible reason!

my wife's cousin however has a special edition rubicon 4door. much nicer ride, nice truck but I still would take a 40 any day for style!

I've made a lot of believers out of Rubicon JK owners with my H3 Alpha. With a V8, electric lockers front and rear, 35" tires under a stock lift, and IFS suspension - it's quite comfortable. I don't get into the fanboy stuff, each rig has its pluses and minuses. I like my Alpha because it's solid and can tow more/haul more than a JK. I like the '40 because it's what every Jeep wants to aspire to be. I like the JK because my wife likes it.

However, the funny bit - is the one that causes the most angst - when it comes time to haul people, everyone, and I mean everyone goes for the H3 before the JKs and FJ (not 40)
 
well its been a while since i've been able to update anything. there have been a few things going on in the background that are now coming together. i had the OM617 rebuilt and it's 99% new parts. should be a strong engine. the guys who built it had a little trouble sourcing parts but they all came together finally. they know what i have planned for it so made sure everything was perfect. i just got it today…

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its a thing of beauty really!! i can't wait to get it hooked up to the rest of the driveline. the transmission and transfer case should be here next week. there were a few shipping delays but it's nearly in my shop. now i have to prime the engine so it doesn't rust while I'm getting everything fitted. i want to get building it so badly but i have to collect a few more large ticked items before i can do that so i have to save a little more $$.

i also got have my power steering stuff waiting to go onto the frame. hopefully this weekend ill get a little time to start welding.

i've also got to clean my shop so everything is nice a clean for the new parts coming in!!
 
i got to pend a few more hours in the shop tonight. i spent most of it organizing it and cleaning (yes i still need to seep) but then got a little more frame prep done. i'm starting with getting the power steering plates on, then i'll look at getting the spring hangers on and getting suspension on, then lining up the steering connections and then ill start aligning the driveline. so tonight was getting the metal cleaned up on the frame horns and then priming them with a weld through primer. i should be able to get welding next weekend.
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i took off the shackle reversal i had on there previously. as a newb back in the day i welded it on not knowing that the weld would pass right over the farm VIN. now that i have it off and the 4x4labs plate has a VIN cutout in it i was hoping to restore the numbers stamped into the metal. does anyone know what font or size of letter punch toyota would have used? if i could match it that would be cool but if not then i'll just get as close as possible. heres a picture of what the VIN looks like
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