Build 94 FZJ80 - Let the Adventure Ensue

[FMC80]

maybe we can share a shipping pallet ahaha. Bumpers are next up for me as well after a wallet recharge. Sweet build so far!

I'd definitely consider it! What bumpers are you looking at? I'm looking for a Slee or Delta rear. Maybe a 4x4 Labs. They're all sweet.

 

[chex808]

I'd definitely consider it! What bumpers are you looking at? I'm looking for a Slee or Delta rear. Maybe a 4x4 Labs. They're all sweet.

looking at arb front and slee rear. Would probably throw in slee sliders as well with the order.

 

[FMC80]

looking at arb front and slee rear. Would probably throw in slee sliders as well with the order.

I'll definitely entertain the Slee rear if savings on shipping is worth doing. I really like the DVS rear, their products are incredible. Not sure I can justify the cost, though I understand you gotta pay to play!

 

[FMC80]

You netted 4.25” lift from 3” springs. You must not have extra weight of HD bumpers and armor all the other stuff typical mudders attach to their rigs.

You got the 4” arms and got only 6 deg plus a little castor angle correction? If my memory serves me, the 4” arms should correct +7.4 degrees.

Can you post a profile photo of your front driveline to pinion connection? Needs to include some of the driveline.

@baldilocks hope these pics get after what you asked me to show.

 

[baldilocks]

I prefer more positive castor angle but you are within spec and the best part is that you are also in very good alignment for that DC shaft. If the castor angle was at the max factory spec or even more, like mine, the pinion to driveline relationship would not be so good for a smooth running DC front shaft. I think you are going to be happy with how it performs once the new DC shaft is installed.

 

[MrMikeyG]

Pell, my truck gives the same high speed feel you were having in a basically stock configuration. I'm trying to decide how much to tackle myself vs. waiting a few weeks to throw it at a shop for a big front end (steering related) service. Forty mph and below is all fine and dandy, 40 and above especially on wheel rutted roads is nerve wracking for sure.

 

[FMC80]

Pell, my truck gives the same high speed feel you were having in a basically stock configuration. I'm trying to decide how much to tackle myself vs. waiting a few weeks to throw it at a shop for a big front end (steering related) service. Forty mph and below is all fine and dandy, 40 and above especially on wheel rutted roads is nerve wracking for sure.

Weird Mike. Could it be something as simple as wheel bearings? Let us know how it turns out man. I took my front DS off while I wait for my new one to arrive. All the growls and whines and whirs have disappeared. I just drive with the CDL engaged and all is well.

 

[FMC80]

Simple yet significant mod done. I installed the Koso water temp gauge in my upper rad hose. I bought the Koso gauge and Glow Shift 40mm water sender hose attachment because I didn’t want to tap into the block or wherever you do it. I’m too much of a wimp for that stuff yet.

The truck maintains 183* on the freeway all day long. In bumper to bumper traffic the temp fluctuates between 187-190*. I took her wheeling today and it was around 87-88 degrees ambient and she maintained 187* the whole way. The highest she got was 192* when I had her idling in the full sun.

I like having the peace of mind and knowing my cooling system is top notch after all the maintenance I did.
This is from today’s little adventure.

 

[FMC80]

I’m shallow and petty. Before I bought the cruiser, the rear passenger, window was replaced with clear glass and the tint was old and purple. I stripped the tint and tinted it as close to matching the factory gold iridescence of the other windows. Well, it didn’t match. It was nothing anyone commented on, no one likely noticed. But I noticed and I was seething with anger and shame over it. So I hit up Chris, @slow95z and he hooked me up with a new one in only a few days. He packed the window in at least 50 sq ft of bubble wrap which is awesome because Hawaii USPS likes to treat our mail like I treat hookers while tweaking. Ummm anyway, Chris gave me a couple of pointers and I R2’d the window in a few minutes. Now I have matching windows all around. I can sleep again
Before:

After:

And threw up patches on the old liner. Over 20 years of units I was a part of. I gave a bunch away so there should be more but slowly, I’ll replace these with cruiser patches.

 

[White Sheep]

A year or so ago. . .

 

[FMC80]

A year or so ago.
View attachment 2715671

Are you out now or still in? Either way thank you for your service

 

[White Sheep]

Are you out now or still in? Either way thank you for your service

Im still in for a few more years. At Ft. Bragg. This was my first duty station, and its going to be my last. Thanks for your service too.

 

[FMC80]

Im still in for a few more years. At Ft. Bragg. This was my first duty station, and its going to be my last. Thanks for your service too.

Right on, I’m punching the button this December and plan to be out in 2022. If you’re interested I can email you a AWC paper about military retirement and DFAS which outlines the best month to retire to maximize your $$$. BLUF: never in any month of the third quarter, pick the last month of any other quarter, and March is the best.
Let me know.

 

[ScratchCoin]

Warning: Do not ever try to open up your AFM sensor attached to the air box. Everybody does it thinking it is like a MAF sensor for cleaning. Don't do it. If you remove the two screws holding the plug in, you will destroy it. Toyota doesn't make them anymore for replacement and finding a used one is extremely hard to find.

So I am also a newb to the LC world (new owner for about 3 months)…can you elaborate on your comment about the AFM sensor? As in why might someone try to clean it and does it ever go out on its own? If it goes out, what is the result, A check engine light or the end of man kind?

 

[FMC80]

So I am also a newb to the LC world (new owner for about 3 months)…can you elaborate on your comment about the AFM sensor? As in why might someone try to clean it and does it ever go out on its own? If it goes out, what is the result, A check engine light or the end of man kind?

Some new to cruiser people tend to want to remove the two screws to clean inside the sensor and when they remove the two screws and remove the assembly, it pulls apart the contacts inside. This requires a very pricey and difficult repair because they’re no longer available for purchase unless you find one used.
Bottom line, don’t take it apart. If you need to clean anything just simply clean the plug and the mating orifice. Does that make sense? Leave the two screws in the red circles alone

 

[MrMikeyG]

Good advice and heads up in the above post. My advice would be to leave that thing alone unless you have trouble shot your way to a dead end at that specific sensor.
As to the wacky steering: It's completely toe-in and needing a few more parts swapped before another alignment thing.
Pell, did you know that Wits End sells the pre-modified water pipe for the Koso? You're past that point now, but if that glow shift part and the "extra" splice should prove problematic, there's an off the shelf solution.

 

[FMC80]

Good advice and heads up in the above post. My advice would be to leave that thing alone unless you have trouble shot your way to a dead end at that specific sensor.
As to the wacky steering: It's completely toe-in and needing a few more parts swapped before another alignment thing.
Pell, did you know that Wits End sells the pre-modified water pipe for the Koso? You're past that point now, but if that glow shift part and the "extra" splice should prove problematic, there's an off the shelf solution.

Mike, I had no idea wits end carried that. I’ll definitely check it out just for gee-whiz. Thanks for the craniums up!

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Pell, did you get any farther with the small leak at the rear of the engine? Upper pan arch vs. ???

I was also gonna mention the wit’s end water pipe solution to you, but @MrMikeyG is on top of it!

Keep up the great work man! Glad your rig is getting you out to those awesome Oahu spots! Your photos make me nostalgic for a trip my wife and I did there 15 years ago. We had an old house mate who lived there and she took us to a bakery out on the way up to the north shore. That is where I had my first slice of chocolate haupia pie. Anyhow your photos inspired me to make my own damn pie as you can’t find it over here. It’s not the same as heading to the beach and looking for whales, but it was a fun way to reminisce on some good times. Anyhow it’s all your fault!

 

[FMC80]

Pell, did you get any farther with the small leak at the rear of the engine? Upper pan arch vs. ???

I was also gonna mention the wit’s end water pipe solution to you, but @MrMikeyG is on top of it!

Keep up the great work man! Glad your rig is getting you out to those awesome Oahu spots! Your photos make me nostalgic for a trip my wife and I did there 15 years ago. We had an old house mate who lived there and she took us to a bakery out on the way up to the north shore. That is where I had my first slice of chocolate haupia pie. Anyhow your photos inspired me to make my own damn pie as you can’t find it over here. It’s not the same as heading to the beach and looking for whales, but it was a fun way to reminisce on some good times. Anyhow it’s all your fault!View attachment 2716062

Greg, not sure how I missed this post. I didn’t get a notification and since work has been surging I haven’t had too much time to work on my cruiser.

I haven’t isolated the oil leak issue yet. I switched from Shell Rotella 5w-40 to Delvac 15-40 just to see if there’s any difference in operation. So far my cruiser doesn’t seem to like the 15w-40 because I’m consuming more oil than previously. I went about 800 miles and consumed more than a quart. I switched back to 5W-40 a couple of days ago and am very closely monitoring.
I don’t drive the cruiser except on weekends so it takes me a while to rack up enough miles to monitor. I still have no drips on the ground but I do have some slow seeping that I can’t find the source for yet.
Btw, the pie looks great. Send some to me in an envelope. Thanks

 

[FMC80]

Small update, as mentioned previously work has been kicking my arse so haven’t had a lot of time for anything else.
I finally got my DC shaft installed and as expected, I no longer have vibes.

Got my new battery cables, grounds, terminals R2 to suit my new battery. I got an Odyssey Performance 94R-850 model. Not 100% pleased with the battery cable routing. The cables are so stout it is a little bit of a pain to get them just right. I may have to open up the battery box holes to alleviate some of the stress on my fusible links

The cruiser took my family to see a nice sunset atop a small hiking trail.

My little dudes crushing some shaved ice in the back of the cruiser. The cruiser’s tailgate and hatch offers them cover…

My youngest vacuumed the cruiser after a beach day.

I’m on leave this week so plan to hit some different, more technical trails I’ve never done before. More disjointed posts to come. See ya!