Builds A simple Troopy build thread.... (2 Viewers)

[c2dfj45]

Man - that’s the cleanest 70-series dash I’ve ever seen. What’s the plan for the steering column/wheel ... Sem the clamshell and new wheel?

Tucker

I have new steering column plastics and a new wheel....the column covers take a beating and are really inexpensive to replace. All new plastics for the bezels too....we'll throw in a double DIN that I have on the shelf as well.

Column needs to come out and be cleaned up....I seem to recall a lower bushing or bearing that we need to replace. And of course a new turn signal assembly.

Going to be really nice when it's all back together!

 

[c2dfj45]

Focused on 2 areas today........both of which are looking like disasters. Ha.

Wiring. We knew we had some issues but when your lead guy can be heard from the office in the shop saying things like, "this is unbelievable" or "what a disaster" maybe even, "I have seen kids with their first Honda Civic wire things better than this" perhaps even, "go ahead and look for a wiring harness because I've never seen anything like this" followed by a "You're not going to like this". Ha. Fun.

We had a few gauge issues...not good when you only have a few gauges. No turns signals. No dash lights. No headlights(this could be a variety of things), 2 working warning lights....one of them being the seat belt light.....I find that funny. So we started by looking at the cluster. Full of dirt(had to wash in sink after disassembly)....the he fixed the ribbon where we were losing power. And replaced ALL the bulbs. The ground was some kind of wire wrapped around the bulbs to link them all together.

Pretty cool that you can buy almost every part of the cluster.....even the ribbon on the back. We fixed ours.

Fesh fesh everywhere...even IN THE BULBS OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. Ha.

It ain't pretty but it worked and by the end of the day, we had lights.

 

[c2dfj45]

We found this lovely mess......described as probably being hit by mortar fire at some point according to my tech.

This is the main harness behind the dash. It's been cooked....melted....fried.....repaired(I use this term reluctantly).....and basically just a giant mess. We'll try to sort thru it.

A bunch of yellow wires usually indicate something isn't right.

See all the wires twisted together? That's how connections are made in the Middle East I suppose.

 

[c2dfj45]

If there wasn't enough fun going on under the dash....there's a giant party of wiring issues going on under the hood. Funny thing is....most everything works. Simple truck. I do get the feeling this will be like my first FJ40....a constant wiring challenge.

I'm by no means a wiring master but I know enough that Nissan relays probably aren't required for a Toyota starter. This was our starter circuit. No idea why.....well....kind of an idea why.

 

[c2dfj45]

We kind of went in 2 directions today....wiring and steering. I wanted to take apart the column because I knew it was going to be absolutely destroyed.....and low and behold....it was. Everything was loose and worn. There was dirt everywhere. I mean EVERYWHERE. We took it all apart.....I had a spare 70 series tilt and telescoping column(Troopy has the same)....so we cannibalized that one for some much needed part. Hate to have torn up a nice column but sometimes these things happen.

 

[c2dfj45]

So we could never quite figure out why our headlights didn't work. Parking lights were fine but no headlights.....we poked around a little but didn't get into it too deep. Well we figured it all out today.

I have a new turn signal assembly....I aways put new ones in my trucks. I love having that new feel to the stalks....and how clean they look. This is what we found when we removed our original one....yes...that's wadded up paper.

Oh....and if you don't have a wire tie...just use some wiring. Ha.

Funny thing....there was a weird button(maybe a toggle switch) that was connected to the steering column harness....it was tapped into a ground and a green wire. Once we plugged in our new stalk assembly....we had lights. Pretty sure the added toggle was for the headlights. Also pretty sure the headlights shorted out at some point and probably fried/melted our harness. At least that's what I will assume. Or it was a mortar.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

I had some nice tape jobs on my Costa Rica BJ40. Found wires twisted with no tape. When they did use tape it was scotch or masking.
I really can’t complain because someone had to drive my Jeep Cherokee I had in high school after me. I did a sweet radio install. The kind that includes radio on all the time and the fader and balance doing the opposite. If only YouTube was around back then.

 

[c2dfj45]

I had some nice tape jobs on my Costa Rica BJ40. Found wires twisted with no tape. When they did use tape it was scotch or masking.
I really can’t complain because someone had to drive my Jeep Cherokee I had in high school after me. I did a sweet radio install. The kind that includes radio on all the time and the fader and balance doing the opposite. If only YouTube was around back then.

I made a harness for my first fj40 out of all red wire one time.

I still own the truck.

I do not want to ever work on the wiring. Most things are fixed by grabbing them until you reach the desired result.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

So we could never quite figure out why our headlights didn't work. Parking lights were fine but no headlights.....we poked around a little but didn't get into it too deep. Well we figured it all out today.

View attachment 2327096

I have a new turn signal assembly....I aways put new ones in my trucks. I love having that new felt to the stalks....and how clean they look. This is what we found when we removed our original one....yes...that's wadded up paper.

View attachment 2327093

Oh....and if you don't have a wire tie...just use some wiring. Ha.

View attachment 2327094
Funny thing....there was a weird button(maybe a toggle switch) that was connected to the steering column harness....it was tapped into a ground and a green wire. Once we plugged in our new stalk assembly....we had lights. Pretty sure the added toggle was for the headlights. Also pretty sure the headlights shorted out at some point and probably fried/melted our harness. At least that's what I will assume. Or it was a mortar.

You sure that Cruiser hasn't been "resurrected"?

 

[c2dfj45]

You sure that Cruiser hasn't been "resurrected"?

As far as I know it hasn't been to Colorado

 

[WarDamnEagle]

I have a new turn signal assembly....I aways put new ones in my trucks. I love having that new feel to the stalks....and how clean they look. This is what we found when we removed our original one....yes...that's wadded up paper.

Agree. I put new turn signal assemblies in my 55 and my FZJ75. Probably the most satisfaction bang for the buck you can get in a parts replacement.

 

[c2dfj45]

Agree. I put new turn signal assemblies in my 55 and my FZJ75. Probably the most satisfaction bang for the buck you can get in a parts replacement.

And here I thought I was the only one who appreciated the new stalks.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

As far as I know it hasn't been to Colorado

That wiring looks familiar.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

South Georgia turn signal.

 

[c2dfj45]

Middle east horn mod

 

[divemedic]

Nice. I’m doing the same but haven’t made it light up yet with the LEDs. I’ll be copying what I didn’t in my 80 and change all bulbs to red LEDs.

Where did you find red leds for the cluster. I looked for ages and figured I’d end up having to paint the diodes with a red sharpie

 

[c2dfj45]

Where did you find red leds for the cluster. I looked for ages and figured I’d end up having to paint the diodes with a red sharpie

Amazon product ASIN B01KY7GD0Y

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Where did you find red leds for the cluster. I looked for ages and figured I’d end up having to paint the diodes with a red sharpie

Amazon. Its been years but there are so many to choose now.

 

[c2dfj45]

Progress in the AV department.......we have 4 working speakers and a slick Sony headunit up and going.

Had to deal with some more of this nonsense

Good by fesh fesh stereo....still worked somehow.

Had this Sony AX200 sitting on the shelf...nice unit.

Kind of have our own mess happening.....

 

[Gun Runner 5]

Looks like my hair on a windy day.