- Thread starter
- #461
We were looking for you!
Build Abandoned 84 FJ60 gets some love, and a 4bt!
- Thread starter Thechief86
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #462
Finally made it back home! Moab to Middle TN is a long drive!
Friday morning, we rolled into town to have breakfast at the Canyon Steak and Waffle House, which was fantastic, and reasonably priced. After that we stopped by @MoaByte house one last time to exchange some neat rocks and say our goodbyes. This guy and his family are super nice and my new favorite thing about Southern Utah. Once we had sufficiently pestered our new friends, we headed east across the desert back toward Colorado, stopping in a couple of spots to look for some more neat rocks for our flower beds, and then onward from there.
As we started toward Durango, we got a warning that a winter storm was rolling in, with a predicted 18" of snow coming. My wife, who is terrified of heights did NOT want to go back over the Million Dollar Highway in the snow, but it is the only way I know to get to Durango from Montrose without going a long way out of route, so with some encouraging words, we plodded onwards as the sun went down and the snow began to fall.
I kept my speed down, and drove carefully, and we made good progress, encountering only maybe 4" before we had made it over the San Juans and back down into Durango. Mallory kept her nose in a book most of the way, to avoid seeing the sheer dropoffs into the snowy abyss, with a complete lack of guardrails on the roads, lol.
I'm not sure if they eventually got all the snow predicted, but I was glad we made it out of the mountains before things got too hairy.
Once we made it through Durango, I turned my trusty pile towards Albuquerque, and we followed Hwy 550 the rest of the way to a cheap hotel for the night. We got some rest, and a continental breakfast the following morning, then continued the last leg of our journey across New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, and finally across the bridge into Memphis, and into my home state. Around 6:30am, after driving 19 hours straight from Albuquerque, stopping only for fuel, we finally rolled into my driveway, walked into the house and crashed for a couple hours.
Whew! What a ride!
Friday morning, we rolled into town to have breakfast at the Canyon Steak and Waffle House, which was fantastic, and reasonably priced. After that we stopped by @MoaByte house one last time to exchange some neat rocks and say our goodbyes. This guy and his family are super nice and my new favorite thing about Southern Utah. Once we had sufficiently pestered our new friends, we headed east across the desert back toward Colorado, stopping in a couple of spots to look for some more neat rocks for our flower beds, and then onward from there.
As we started toward Durango, we got a warning that a winter storm was rolling in, with a predicted 18" of snow coming. My wife, who is terrified of heights did NOT want to go back over the Million Dollar Highway in the snow, but it is the only way I know to get to Durango from Montrose without going a long way out of route, so with some encouraging words, we plodded onwards as the sun went down and the snow began to fall.
I kept my speed down, and drove carefully, and we made good progress, encountering only maybe 4" before we had made it over the San Juans and back down into Durango. Mallory kept her nose in a book most of the way, to avoid seeing the sheer dropoffs into the snowy abyss, with a complete lack of guardrails on the roads, lol.
I'm not sure if they eventually got all the snow predicted, but I was glad we made it out of the mountains before things got too hairy.
Once we made it through Durango, I turned my trusty pile towards Albuquerque, and we followed Hwy 550 the rest of the way to a cheap hotel for the night. We got some rest, and a continental breakfast the following morning, then continued the last leg of our journey across New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, and finally across the bridge into Memphis, and into my home state. Around 6:30am, after driving 19 hours straight from Albuquerque, stopping only for fuel, we finally rolled into my driveway, walked into the house and crashed for a couple hours.
Whew! What a ride!
Hojack
♠️Project Snowball❄️
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What a memorable trip for your family mister!
- Thread starter
- #464
Merry Christmas!!!
Santa didn't bring him a bike, but rather a bike "kit".
Junior had as much fun putting it together as he will riding it...
Santa didn't bring him a bike, but rather a bike "kit".
Junior had as much fun putting it together as he will riding it...
Nice dog!
Your kid's going to be a chip off the old block.
Glad you are home.
Your kid's going to be a chip off the old block.
Glad you are home.
- Thread starter
- #467
Finally took a cold start video. It was 11° at my house this morning. Didn't plug in the block heater, no glow plugs, no ether, and no fuel additive. I was happy it started at all, haha.
I'll probably plug it in tonight so I can get to work. It's supposed to get even colder tonight.
What weight oil are you running in there? I always change from 15w40 to a lighter weight 5w40. Seems to start easier with a slightly thinner oil when it’s cold. I’m in Northern BC for comparison and we see -20c (-4f) often enough. Nice job on the truck btw.
- Thread starter
- #469
Thanks!
It's got 15w40 Rotella dino oil, because a buddy who works on heavy equipment gets it cheap, lol. I've got it plugged in, now, and after sitting at least 6 hours it started like it's summertime, lol.
It doesn't get cold enough for long enough to run thinner stuff in the winter here. We will get a month or so where it sometimes dips below 20°F, then it'll start warming on up. I have a Subaru that I'll drive when the roads are bad, mainly to keep this thing out of the salt.
If I ever move somewhere with harsher winters, I'll remember thinner oil, though!
- Thread starter
- #470
Over the last few weekends, I've been traveling locally to good places to camp and ride dirtbikes with my kid every chance I get, as the weather improves. We went to Land Between the Lakes for a while and rode a couple weeks ago, and this past weekend we went near Chattanooga to go play in the mountains, but didn't bring bikes this time because the kid wanted to bring a couple of buddies instead. We had a great time around the campfire and did some wheeling, and everything was great, until my brakes lost all pressure. In the hilly areas I popped a rear wheel cylinder, and later the hard line going from the master cylinder to the front brakes got a hole rubbed in it by my braided turbo oil line, which caused me to lose ALL brake function. That kinda sucked being an hour from the nearest paved road and 3 more hours home from there. But we were able to carefully limp it home safely, and I guess when I get off work today I'll start digging in to that repair. I guess the first step will be to remove my roof basket so the thing can fit in the garage, lol.
Until I get it fixed, I guess I'll be riding my motorcycle.
Ive got the parts to replace the rear brakes, but haven't decided what to do for the hard line from the master. Does anyone sell one already made up?
Until I get it fixed, I guess I'll be riding my motorcycle.
Ive got the parts to replace the rear brakes, but haven't decided what to do for the hard line from the master. Does anyone sell one already made up?
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Looks like a great time. Sorry about brake issues, but you got home safely.
- Thread starter
- #472
A few photos I pirated from SuckCreekPhotos.com
They were taking pics as I drove by on Saturday.
Pretty neat looking pile of junk if I say so myself
They were taking pics as I drove by on Saturday.
Pretty neat looking pile of junk if I say so myself
that pile of junk would look right at home beside my pile of $h!tA few photos I pirated from SuckCreekPhotos.com
They were taking pics as I drove by on Saturday.
Pretty neat looking pile of junk if I say so myself
- Thread starter
- #474
Over the past week I did repairs on my house while waiting for brake parts to arrive, and then Friday and Saturday I spent the day replacing the rear shoes, springs, hardware, and adjusters, as well as the ruptured hard line under the hood. My brake line bending skills are lacking, so it isn't as clean of an installation as it was from factory, and a few of the retainer straps on the firewall didn't line up to be reused, but after proper bleeding, adjustment, and bedding in the rear shoes, my 60 stops better than any 4x4 I've ever owned, including modern stuff with ABS and 4 wheel discs. Pedal feels is better than it's ever been, and my overall confidence driving has vastly improved. The 60 is back to daily driver status again!
- Thread starter
- #475
This week I noticed that my rear diff was getting louder, so I looked a little closer and found that my diff oil was low and milky, and the pinion seal was a little leakier than before. When I grabbed the yoke and wiggled it, my fear was confirmed. My pinion bearings have failed. So I've ordered new bearings, races, and a pinion seal, and will probably order a lunchbox locker when I get paid again. This failure will mean the cruiser has to sit for a little while, but it won't be terribly long.
As each 40 year old part fails one by one, the truck gets a little better every few weeks.
As each 40 year old part fails one by one, the truck gets a little better every few weeks.
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- Thread starter
- #476
Last week I dropped the 60 off to a friend to let him rebuild my rear axle and add a locker, so I've been without my big noisy wagon for a little while. It'll be better than ever when I get it back. In the meantime, I bought a cheap pickup to daily drive, which will give me some breathing room to continue improving the 60, as well as doing some much needed repairs and maintenance on my old Subaru.
So far I'm really happy with my purchase of an older Tacoma. I think it'll be a good tool for a long time. We've already used it to bring home some cool slabs of sedimentary rock with a ton of crinoid fossils embedded in it.
So far I'm really happy with my purchase of an older Tacoma. I think it'll be a good tool for a long time. We've already used it to bring home some cool slabs of sedimentary rock with a ton of crinoid fossils embedded in it.
- Thread starter
- #477
Woohoo! Got my 60 back just now and it is quieter and smoother than it has ever been since the diesel swap, and has a rear locker! I can't wait to get into some 4lo shenanigans with this thing...
- Thread starter
- #478
My wife loaned her Hyundai to her mom for the week, and took over my pickup. Good thing my 60 is up to the task for more daily commuting!
Nice thing is I can actually hear the radio now without the rearend singing the song of its people lol...
Nice thing is I can actually hear the radio now without the rearend singing the song of its people lol...
How do you like the lunchbox locker?
Auto lockers are love or hate affairs.
I'm particularly fond of the price
Auto lockers are love or hate affairs.
I'm particularly fond of the price
- Thread starter
- #480
I don't mind the weirdness of auto lockers, especially for the price. If this were a rig with a cheaper and more plentiful parts supply, I'd just weld the spiders and send it.How do you like the lunchbox locker?
Auto lockers are love or hate affairs.
I'm particularly fond of the price