AA Ron's FJ40 refresh (1 Viewer)

[airon23]

Thank you @Honger! It really was a labor of love. I spent that last day about 12hrs working on the thing and I had a smile almost the whole time. I'm glad you can appreciate it as much work as I put in. I also feel like if I can do it then pretty much anyone else can. I

As for next projects, I did already replace much of the old vacuum lines that were old and cracked. Then like I stated I will need to redo the weatherstrip on the at least one of the back doors. I'm hoping shouldn't take too long.

I have ordered some bushings for the leaf springs, and then also replacement door latch assemblies to replace on the front doors.

I'm thinking of buying an old CB antenna just to mount it into those holes and keep it covered up. Any other thoughts? Not really ready to weld it closed. Maybe a decal or something to cover it up as well.

 

[Honger]

Thank you @Honger! It really was a labor of love. I spent that last day about 12hrs working on the thing and I had a smile almost the whole time. I'm glad you can appreciate it as much work as I put in. I also feel like if I can do it then pretty much anyone else can. I

As for next projects, I did already replace much of the old vacuum lines that were old and cracked. Then like I stated I will need to redo the weatherstrip on the at least one of the back doors. I'm hoping shouldn't take too long.

I have ordered some bushings for the leaf springs, and then also replacement door latch assemblies to replace on the front doors.

I'm thinking of buying an old CB antenna just to mount it into those holes and keep it covered up. Any other thoughts? Not really ready to weld it closed. Maybe a decal or something to cover it up as well.

I kind of like your idea of buying an old-looking CB antenna to fill the holes. Maybe put a nice rubber gasket between the antenna and the body to keep water out. It would add a little bit of flare to the look of your rig.

 

[RodrigzCrzr]

Great thread!
Awesome job on the refurbishing of your 40 series!
Great family photo!
Cruisers tend to put smiles on everyone’s face.

 

[airon23]

I know it's been a little while but a lot's been going on during this most recent lock down and working from home due to the COVID-19 virus.
So after being inspired by @BenjaminCA and @40FOX I decided to start in on my own knuckle rebuild. Along with videos from these guys, (if you're not watching their channels, go do it. 40 Channel and Project Wrong Way) there's been tons of videos and pictures, so I felt decently confident I could do it myself.

I figured I'd learned how to take it apart so that much I could hopefully do. Here are the results

So I went about ordering the things I thought I needed (along with just a couple other things I "needed"), btw thanks @65swb45 for the parts they're great.

 

[airon23]

More parts from Mark...

 

[airon23]

So now I'm going to get back at it and see if I, a very basic common sense type mechanic with no actual training in auto mechanics, think @BenjaminCA from his first episode, that's me, can put this thing back together.

In a way I feel like this is sort of a rite of passage for being a FJ40 owner, so I feel good about going through this.
Now to go clean some oily and greasy parts then start putting things back together.

 

[Honger]

So now I'm going to get back at it and see if I, a very basic common sense type mechanic with no actual training in auto mechanics, think @BenjaminCA from his first episode, that's me, can put this thing back together.

In a way I feel like this is sort of a rite of passage for being a FJ40 owner, so I feel good about going through this.
Now to go clean some oily and greasy parts then start putting things back together.

Definitely a rite of passage... and you've got this based on your capabilities so far.

 

[65swb45]

Thank you so much for your order Aaron. Sales like this, when the whole country seems to have hit the pause button, will help me stay afloat in uncertain waters. It was only a month ago I was happily organizing a celebration of 30 years in business for May. I never thought I would find myself in such a challenge so quickly. Then again, no one did.

Thanks again to you, and to everyone reading this, who continues to support Marks Off Road.

 

[BenjaminCA]

Awesome stuff man!

 

[tacocat]

Oh no! You went to wrong direction with the color.

 

[airon23]

Oh no! You went to wrong direction with the color.

View attachment 2256752

LOL I take it you're more of a mustard kinda guy? I used to be into the mustard color as well a while back but when I got this sky blue one, it started to grow on me more and more to where now I really like the sky blue.

 

[40FOX]

Great work mate, awesome to see you getting in and having a go at it yourself!

 

[airon23]

Great work mate, awesome to see you getting in and having a go at it yourself!

Thank you. And thank you for your helpful videos.

 

[airon23]

Today I removed the last piece of the 70s shag carpet that I found in the rear of this truck when I bought it.

Also I bought this set of Icon swivel wrenches from Harbor Freight. They're pretty dang good and a fraction of the cost of the SnapOn equivalent.

 

[mrboatman]

Your truck is looking good
JP

 

[airon23]

I forgot to post some other updates I've done in the last couple weeks so here they are. More work is in the making and yet to come.

I finished the knuckles and replaced the old dry rotting brake lines with these braided steel lines that I got from SOR. I think they turned out really good.

Now that I'm in a house with a taller garage, I wanted to throw the old Conferr roof rack that came with it up on the refinished hardtop.
So I cleaned it up and then just shot a little black rattle can spray on it along with the brackets.

 

[airon23]

 

[airon23]

Next on the list is going to be a new 2.5" HFS lift I ordered from CCOT. Not sure when it'll be here but I'm furloughed from work for a little while so I should have a little time to throw it on there.
I'll make sure to document the work and progress on here. I did do some research for lifts and felt like that was the one I wanted to use. Oddly enough there isn't a ton of HFS reviews on ih8mud, at least that I could find, I hope that's not a bad sign that I made a mistake . So my hope is to do a decently extensive write-up with pictures and progress for this lift for anyone who might be thinking of doing their own as well as height and ride, etc.
Stay tuned.

Question for anyone reading,
I have the lift, I have a engine gasket kit from Mark's Offroad @65swb45 (thanks Mark), I have some radiator hoses to replace, I have some motor mounts, and then if I keep going down the rabbit hole I would want to replace the clutch and possibly rebuild the transmission/tcase with new seals as well. In what order should I do these things that would make the most sense so I'm not taking off and putting things on over and over? Also is the engine/transmission/tcase a pretty huge job that I should get some expert help with or is my minimal learning skills good enough to dive into?

 

[65swb45]

Now I know why I don’t recognize the garage!

 

[cbmontgo]

I have been very happy with the HFS lift on my 1977.

Your 40 is looking great!