Builds A Troopy Finds Its Owner (1 Viewer)

[61Mk+]

Hello SamT,

Sorry it took a while to reply, i've been on the road for a bit and net connections were, um, less than consistent.
The suspension is from Dobinson, an Ausralian outfit. The kit installed on my car is the medium weight one, in other words there is a heavier set available. Does that answer your query? I've not yet had the opportunity to try them out with serious weight on board, but after about 45,000 km and only a little off-roading, i've no complaints. And i haven't yet fiddled with the shocks' settings. But i've never found the ride difficult. For whatever it's worth, my builder has informed me that it is about the best one can get. I'll never know for certain unless i try all the different types out there. My car weighs about 3200kg empty, so that does say something. Hope this is useful.

 

[61Mk+]

SamT, the shocks are not from Dobinson, they have nothing to do with the leaves. I'll get the shock manufacturer's name if you want (i think they are Rancho).

 

[SamT]

SamT, the shocks are not from Dobinson, they have nothing to do with the leaves. I'll get the shock manufacturer's name if you want (i think they are Rancho).

Thanks for the reply 61Mk+, no worries.
I bought my BJ75 with same looking rear 10 pc leafsprings, but wasn't sure about who made them.
This weekend I removed rear suspension and found Dobinson stickers along with some yellow paint part numbers.
3200 kg empty is quite a lot Mine is much lighter, so I removed one leaf (forth from the bottom) Now I got some flex!
Before that I needed to load like 350 kg to see some articulation.

As for the shocks: yours could be Tough dog oras, you saidRancho, both often use silver paints.
I run Tough Dog Ralph's, all 4. A bit stiff compared to Foamcell Toughdogs, but I like how car drives now.

 

[61Mk+]

Well, that worked out alright, huh!

 

[61Mk+]

Hello Mudders,

I had my rear brakes changed out. When removing the right side rear brake, a couple of small bits fell out; not something to inspire confidence. One must have reliable brakes, and i didn't want what went in there, so i got all new bits. I got them from 4Wheel Auto in Edmonton. With the non-original brakes (because i wanted discs in the rear), i had to find out what brakes i should get. On some other thread on Mud, somebody said that the rear discs are the same as the ones on 4Runners; this was confirmed by my mechanic pal in Ontario, who had just done the brakes on a 4Runner, so good info there. The pictures i've posted are there for parts numbers; most of the replacement components i got are from Terrain Tamer (Australia). Two significant differences are the quality: the tapped holes into which one twists in two bolts to remove the disc/drum combo stripped in two of the holes (of the four in both sets), so this was a cheaper quality unit that was initially installed in my car; as well (although i cannot assume the origin of the problem) two small items fell out of the drum on the left side when removed. On top of that, the right side drum was not round on the inside, and that says the drums had been machined, but not enough to make the inside round. Stupid. I didn't want anything to do with that (one must have brakes) so, even though i cannot really afford it at the moment, i got new parts. That includes callipers; the ones i got were Toyota items, rebuilt by Cardone.
Another indication of the quality of the items initially installed is that the drum/disc combo did not have the hole in them that allows one to adjust the drum brakes, that little access that allows one to twist the star wheel. Stupid. Again. I was surprised: i just went through the entire build thread, and it looked like the rear brakes were all new parts, although the pictures were not taken such that the parts numbers on the packaging could be discerned; as well, i did not see the disc/drum bits in the build thread, so it is easy to assume that leftovers were installed.
More pictures coming.

 

[61Mk+]

More replacement rear brake parts numbers; that covers all the brake parts numbers i have for this installation.
If anyone wants to replace the axles for their 70 Cruiser, it may be a good idea to use 80 series axles, just to simplify the parts acquisition process (on the assumption one wants wider axles). Hope this is of some use.
I did have the rear axle housing replaced, but cannot, so far, tell if the front axle housing was replaced. As i said, i just went through the build thread for my car, and if i missed it, i'd be glad for anyone to tell me so.

 

[61Mk+]

More pictures: the first one shows the bracket that holds the brake proportioning valve to the rear axle, and its deformity. I believe it hits the winch driveshaft (the factory mechanical winch that i had modified to be led out the rear, and the valve's top bolt hits that shaft when the axle articulates). It got hammered back straight, but currently it is back to its bent-down position; a detail i will have to sort out.
In the second picture is the new brake disc/drum, and i include it to show the rubber cover over the star-wheel adjustment hole, covered by a factory rubber fitting. Yes the extension does have to be removed to do that adjustment.
The next picture is just to show the new set-up, and yeah i could've cleaned the extension for better modelling. Kick me when you get a chance for that fail.
The following shot is there to show one pair of the new springs next to the existing springs (blue is new). And the last shot is there to show the access hole for the star wheel which, as previously mentioned, was not there on the old drums. Stupid: how in hell does one adjust the parking brakes then? I assumed all-new brakes were installed during the initial build (stupid me), so nice to get that fixed. Harrrumphhh...

 

[61Mk+]

In the first picture are the new return springs; on the old set-up, their equivalents were not there. Rather bothersome. The last picture shows two of the old springs. I can only guess why my rear brakes were in such poor condition.
The middle shot shows something i consider silly: a brake line T installed by a hole drilled and tapped in the axle housing. There were and are existing items right next to that T, such that punching a hole in the housing was downright stupid. And it leaks, even after some Locktite and a rubber washer were put on (none were there before).

 

[61Mk+]

I think i mentioned earlier that the rear universal joint was installed backwards, such that the grease nipple was facing the rear, making it awkward to grease (unless you have one of those needle greasing attachments, or disconnected the mating plate). I found the correct replacement part at 4WheelAuto (Edmonton), not a Toyota part but made in Japan. I replaced that item as the old one was significantly worn, due to lack of grease.
I got a little surprise at 4WheelAuto:i'd sold my 61 to someone who wanted the factory cable-operated diff lock axles, as well as other stuff and, once he'd removed what he wanted, he sold it to 4WA. I rather wanted a picture of that, probably the last time i'll ever see it.
I never liked the 9.95 pricing philosophy, but this was my odometer about two weeks ago. The next day i turned 400,000, and the timing belt light went on; not an issue, the belt had been replaced at 362,000 and the T-belt light was not re-set. That's now sorted.

 

[61Mk+]

Total non-tech, however some towns have entertaining names. Uren is in south Saskatchewan, Bowell south Alberta (i'm not unhappy i'm not from there), and Swastika is in north-eastern Ontario. It got its name well before the Nazis made that a negative symbol, in other words the origin is India. I don't think i've ever seen the following name bettered, although i've never been: there is a place called Dildo in Newfoundland.

 

[61Mk+]

I mentioned about three months ago that i got 10.45l/100km, a fuel consumption figure so good for a Troopie that it was hard to believe. I finally had a chance to double check that, and i got 10.47l/100km (those numbers equate to between 22 and 23 miles per US gallon). As i said before, those numbers are in ideal conditions, highway cruising at 100km/h (call it 60 mph), on the flat, tires at 60psi, no stress on the mechanicals. I'll keep checking when i can, but if they're for real, Jesus H. Christ on a bicycle that's good for such a car.

 

[61Mk+]

I recently got my car stuck in mud, on the right side, and had to get towed out (pals were nearby), and i'd noticed, as my pals did, that the right front wheel was not turning, even as i had the diffs locked; that tells me that all four wheels should have been turning (the front diff lock light was not on, even as the switch was, um, switched). Am i wrong with that? Anybody have an idea? All i've checked so far is the fuse for the diffs, and it's fine; mechanical stuff i need help with, but in case i'm wrong, do please chime in.

 

[sadam_husain]

if they are e-lockers and I think they are its usually the actuators on the diff that seizes up or fails they don't like sitting for long periods not getting used..... a bit like the front arb in my fj40 that starts leaking internally if it sits in the shed for too long


your trucks starting to look a bit weathered and rusty underneath I guess you get salted roads where you are

 

[61Mk+]

Thank you, Sadam. Yes they are electric lockers.
My car just needed a wash at the time of the picture.

 

[61Mk+]

Useless info and pictures for fun: i cut a dead tree down today, using my car (and the front winch) as a brace so it would fall in the direction i wanted it to. It didn't quite get there, but close enough such that nothing got contacted or damaged (the tree was maybe 40' tall). I do want my Cruiser to be a tool. And now there's free firewood too!

 

[Gun Runner 5]

Where were you last week when I spent days picking up limbs courtesy of our latest hurricane.

 

[61Mk+]

1978HJ45, i didn't receive the invitation. Too bad, would've been fun, hey.

 

[61Mk+]

In case some on Mud don't know, i found a half decent site for parts, with Ozzie and Euro models included: www.japan-parts.eu . Hope it's useful.

 

[61Mk+]

Did the yearly coolant drain, power flushed the rad, Webasto, and heater core all separately (three times each), and put in new coolant; once again no pictures, apologies, as i had my hands in the mess. No big deal, but still a fair bit of rust dust coming out, mostly from the rad's bottom tank, and the bottom of the overflow had a fairly thick layer of that gak in the bottom it too. Glad it's out of there; sooner or later there'll be no more.

 

[DamoPeru]

the first one shows the bracket that holds the brake proportioning valve to the rear axle, and its deformity. I believe it hits the winch driveshaft (the factory mechanical winch that i had modified to be led out the rear, and the valve's top bolt hits that shaft when the axle articulates). It got hammered back straight, but currently it is back to its bent-down position; a detail i will have to sort out.

If you are at 3.2 ton constantly, dissconnect that silly valve and leave it in the 100% position, your braking should improve.

Nasty tap into the axle! How hard would it have been to weld a few nuts in place?

Which brand of lockers do you have?