A/C Delete

[FJ60 ET]

Hey, everyone! We are the second owners of a 1983 FJ60. The first owners did something really neanderthal and put on an aftermarket a/c compressor and bracket rather than using an oem a/c install method. This has caused all sorts of problems, one being unable to find the right size belt in an easy manner. I think the first owners were too lazy to get a new harmonic balancer pulley with three grooves instead of two, and they were too lazy to do the oem install because they wanted to save money in the short term but didn't think about time costs in the long run.

Long story short, we've decided to nix the air conditioning system as a whole since it's never worked anyway. Does anyone have any advice/experience with removing the air conditioning system as a whole from an FJ60? What should we look out for with dealing with freon and such? Any adjustments or removals within the cabin?

 

[gregnash]

Take the truck to an AC shop and have them PROPERLY evacuate the system. Let them know that you are removing and do not need it recharged. After that should be pretty straight forward removal of all the components.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Eh or you could simply loosen the hoses and let it slowly hiss out like I did here in my driveway. So far I seem to be working with all my marbles...
I pulled all mine AC parts and left the two threaded ends open that go into the firewall. Hang onto them too... lots of folks are interested in getting them. I believe the hard lines are discontinued.

 

[3_puppies]

your 1983 may not have come with a/c originally. I remember looking at a 60 many years ago, don't remember the exact year, but it did not have any a/c stuff. It didn't have the blue a/c push button. 2 groove balancer.
Long story short, it may have been born that way.
If it is an old aftermarket system that hasn't run in a while, there's a good chance it may not have any charge left in it.

got any pics?

 

[FJ60 ET]

Thanks for your replies. It's not currently running right now so I can't take it to a shop.

@3_puppies this 83 definitely did not come with a/c originally. Here's a pic of the strange set up. A/C compressor on top and alternator on bottom with custom bracket:

 

[g-man]

On a positive note...you can easily access the short heater hoses on your water pump that would normally be hidden behind the alternator bracket.

 

[OSS]

Most of the millions of 35 year old cars that had air conditioning systems that were neglected and never serviced leaked out their freon to the atmosphere long ago...creating a more gigantor ozone hole over Antarctica that continues to get bigger to this day...even though the world phased out R12 over 23 years ago.

So put it all into perspective and do what you feel is best.
Once the freon has been taken care of, removing the rest of the AC parts is easy. But keep your compressor installed in your truck. Properly converted with an oiler and separator, your AC compressor makes the best, fastest and most reliable air compressor for your tires on the face of this earth. Nothing is faster. Nothing is better. That's what I did.