83 FJ60 Build up thread

[Project60]

Frame Repair

Spent 1.5 hours on the 60 tonight. I got both the inner frame rails cut out on the passenger side and the driver side. I took off both the body mounts that were in the same area.

Passenger Side:

Driver Side:

Body mount with rusty mounting surface:

 

[Project60]

Frame Repair

Got 3.5 hours on the 60 today. I took the body mounts and rear shackle hangers and made the mounting holes square to accept 3/8" carraige bolts. Took forever with a dremel and a bit that looked like an end mill. I then tried out the new sand blaster. Took a while to get it familiar with it. I blasted the frame and mounts where they went together and I sprayed 3 coats of self etching primer on the mating surfaces. I figured I should get some paint on those surfaces.

Sand blaster worked good once I figured it out. No bockage due to water, but every few minutes a big piece of solid coal slag would get stuck in the nozzle. I will have to start straining the coal slag with a window screen.

20lb sand blaster from HF:

Frame blasted and sprayed:

Mounted blasted and sprayed:

Square holes for 3/8" carraige bolts:

 

[klinetime574]

Lookin Good!

 

[Project60]

Frame Repair

Got 1.5 hours on the 60 today. I turned down the diameter on the carraige bolts so that it was square in the body mounts and round in the frame. It also meant the diameter was larger than 3/8" and it fit the frame hole better.

Carraige bolt - 0.090" square, remaining ~0.400" round:

 

[FinHJ60]

Nice project!

That frame looks good, compared to those we have here.

 

[CruisinFJ60]

WOW looking great i havent kept up eith this much ypou have gotten a long ways man!

 

[Project60]

Frame Repair

Got 1hr 15 minutes on the 60 tonight. I got the rear body mounts and rear spring hangers back onto the frame. I attached with the carriage bolts and nuts. I hit them with the impact wrench to ensure they were tight. I then cut off the remaining thread with a cut off wheel. Then I hit the nut and thread with the welder to make sure they would never come apart . I welded the body mounts into place as well.

Carriage Bolts attached:

Thread cut off and welded into place:

 

[philos1]

looking good....

 

[old cruiser guy]

Hey Project
I found your thread and am reading with intrest you are at the point now in your build that I was at two years ago. I started my build and had to move 4 weeks after getting the body off the frame and then I had to build a new garage that took up almost 2 years but BOY WHAT A GARAGE IT IS I have a tow post lift and a crane for lifting the body. You are doing an awsome job on that 60 you will be proud when it,s done I know was when I did my FJ-40 21 years ago. My daughter want.s my 40 she was a year old when I did that truck. Now if I can just find the time finnish my wifes 60 after 7 years I can rebuild my fj-40 again. PS keep up the good work it looks great. I could never keep track (BOOK) of my time it would drive me CRAZY!!!!! plus your wife my find it.CART

 

[flybynight]

Nice project, keep chippin away!

Question...if you are welding the bolts why not just weld the brackets and fill the holes in the frame?

I hope you are wearing a respirator welding on galvanized parts...at the very least a p100 charcoal mask. Sorry just a saftey moment won't happen again.

 

[Jess the gearhead]

I kept a book on my truck with all the receipts, but wasn't really diligent with note-taking regarding my hours and tasks--I'd be curious to know how much time I spent on it...

Re: wheel wells:

I cut out the bench seat pivots and stamped reinforcing ribs from the inside of the wheel well when the moisture started to leak in on rainy days. They had rusted beyond repair. I replaced the resulting hole with a 12 gauge plate and 1/2" x 1/8" thick angle iron taped with bolt holes for the seat pivot (I reused the top pivot post retainers) and triple fiberglassed the wheel well side. These repairs (both sides) are still rust-free four years later.

I also sandblasted the super-rusty tack welded laminations where the bottom edges of the wheel wells come together with the pan and inner sides and fiberglassed the whole area (around the edge as much as I could)--rust is starting to reappear there after four years including some thick stuff trapped between the layers.

I must've spent 10 hours removing as many layers of rusted metal there as I could, but the rust still prevailed.

The outer, visible circumference of the wheel wells also starting to rust through at the skin but the extra thick fiberglass on the inside of the wells seems to be solid enough to reblast and fill.

I took the rear bed walls apart and filled as much fiberglass in from the top of the wells as I could. If I had to do it again I'd mix some plain resin in with the chopped strand fiberglass to allow it to flow into the deeper crevices.

My $.02 worth...

 

[Project60]

Nice project, keep chippin away!

Question...if you are welding the bolts why not just weld the brackets and fill the holes in the frame?

I hope you are wearing a respirator welding on galvanized parts...at the very least a p100 charcoal mask. Sorry just a saftey moment won't happen again.

Thanks all for the positive comments! Once I get the frame done I will post up the hours spent since it will be a milestone. At this rate, I should be done with the frame before the end of the year .

Well said on the respirator.

I welded the nut to the bolt to keep it from coming undone. The reason I didn't just weld the bracket on was said on one of the earlier pages. The horizontal welds seem be ok (came from the factory), but the vertcal welds are non-existant. Take a look at all the parts/brackets attached to the frame. Anything vertical is rivetted on. I am just trying to copy that mentatlity.

 

[flybynight]

SORRY!!!!! Now that you say that I remember and I like the logic. Some times it takes repeatin' for it to sink in, one of my many faults just ask my bride.

 

[Project60]

Don't apologize, this is a learning excersize for all (especially me!).

Sorry for the lack of posts. I was out last week for vacation, took the kids to Orlando to see Disney World. This week I am out in Japan on business, so no new work for a little bit.

 

[Spike Strip]

Re: wheel wells:

I cut out the bench seat pivots and stamped reinforcing ribs from the inside of the wheel well when the moisture started to leak in on rainy days. They had rusted beyond repair. I replaced the resulting hole with a 12 gauge plate and 1/2" x 1/8" thick angle iron taped with bolt holes for the seat pivot (I reused the top pivot post retainers) and triple fiberglassed the wheel well side. These repairs (both sides) are still rust-free four years later.

I also sandblasted the super-rusty tack welded laminations where the bottom edges of the wheel wells come together with the pan and inner sides and fiberglassed the whole area (around the edge as much as I could)--rust is starting to reappear there after four years including some thick stuff trapped between the layers.

I must've spent 10 hours removing as many layers of rusted metal there as I could, but the rust still prevailed.

The outer, visible circumference of the wheel wells also starting to rust through at the skin but the extra thick fiberglass on the inside of the wells seems to be solid enough to reblast and fill.

I took the rear bed walls apart and filled as much fiberglass in from the top of the wells as I could. If I had to do it again I'd mix some plain resin in with the chopped strand fiberglass to allow it to flow into the deeper crevices.

Gearhead

You got any pix you can post of the wheel well fix ??

Maybe start a new thread on wheel well fiberglass fix?

Thanks

 

[Landcruisin'60]

Its been discussed and the verdict is vertical welds are fine. If you look at your tranny crossmember mount it has vertical welds same with a few body mounts, I think. Though the nice thing with what you did is if you ever decide to put longer leafs on it will be easier to grind the weld off the nut vs. cutting a welded mount off. Either way its looking good!

 

[cruiserjunktion]

Are you gonna pass the truck down to your sons?

It should easily outlive you, once you have finished.

 

[Christian]

galvanizing

Hi, I have a HJ60 stripped down to the inner axleseals and I have disassembled the frame, had it blasted and galvanized. It was exactly as degraded as yours. The company that did the galvanizing said it had been quite a job! Since it is impossible to get all the grit and rust out of the rails it "spits" insanely whem dipped into the hot zink (460degrees C) But I am very pleased whith the result!

 

[Project60]

Frame Repair

Got 2 hours on the 60 tonight. Sorry for lack of progress, I have been out of the country and on vacation.

Got the middle body mount brackets bolted on with turned down carraige bolts and welded nuts. I also drilled out the front body mount "cups" that hold the front apron on. I will have to make some new ones in the lathe at work. Ran out of welding gas, so I will have to get more before I can weld in any patches.


Mid body mounts:

Front Body Mounts - Severe Rust:

 

[Project60]

Galvanize Frame

Hi, I have a HJ60 stripped down to the inner axleseals and I have disassembled the frame, had it blasted and galvanized. It was exactly as degraded as yours. The company that did the galvanizing said it had been quite a job! Since it is impossible to get all the grit and rust out of the rails it "spits" insanely whem dipped into the hot zink (460degrees C) But I am very pleased whith the result!

I have realized the same thing the more I work on the frame. There is no way to get inside the rails, and I have NO intention of doing this again. I called around and found a place in town that will do hot dip galvanizing for $375. Not the cheapest, but I will do it to ensure I don't have to do this again.

Thanks!