Biscuit is (still) Keeping The FJ40 - Customization/Improvement Thread

[Biscuit]

For the first time in over a year took the 40 out to the desert. Spent the afternoon at Soggy Dry Lake.

Had a friend flying his quadcopter taking video of part of it.

The 40 ran well up there and back.

Possibly the next improvement will be something for the spare tire carrier. It kept coming unlatched when offroad from the bouncing.

 

[Biscuit]

I decided to finally tackle the problem of the rear side marker lights not illuminating. While not a big deal as I don't drive the truck at night often, it is something that needs to work.

The lens was cracked and chrome missing on the driver side marker light, so I replaced that with a new OEM assembly. With how shiny and chrome it is, it looks out of place on the truck.

Then I chased down why the lights were not getting enough voltage. After tracing back through the damned wiring harness mods the current owner did when he was in college, I reconnected everything and got the driver side light illuminated. The passenger side light had the grounding wire break off where it was welded to the housing.

Thankfully I had kept the original driver side housing from 1973. The driver side and passenger side metal housings are identical down to the part number. So I took the rubber gasket, lens and chrome trim from the passenger side assembly cleaned them and reinstalled the lamp. What do you know, the rear marker lights are now working.


But of course fixing one problem leads to the discovery of another. When the running lights are on and I activate the driver side turn signal (via the turn signal lever or the hazard switch) the driver side brake light blinked instead of the turn signal. So I pulled the lens off (and the original rubber gasket disintegrated) to see exactly what was happening. Looks like a bad ground as the turn signal is weakly illuminating, the rear marker light is brightening and the reverse light is weakly illuminating.

The way I see it I can either:
1) Add a grounding wire to the housing (likely using one of the two mounting screws) and ground to the frame. I'll need to get a new gasket. And since I can be a bit obsessive, probably a new lens since the original is fogged up. Which would lead to gaskets and lenses on both sides.
2) Replace the assembly with an OEM assembly. This would require changing the connector to a flat four trailer connector (because of that darn current owners mods from 14 years ago). This will likely require the addition of a grounding wire.
3) Or upgrade to these Model 42 - Products - Narva . But those are sealed units without replaceable LEDs.
4) Or none of the above (see next post)

I'll probably start with option 1 as I can implement that sooner than later, and delay the upgrade decision.


EDIT:
I tried a ground wire from several locations on the turn signal housing to several locations on the frame and the problem persisted. My guess is this is shorting somewhere in the harness...now the question is where.

 

[Biscuit]

Bench tested the combination light assembly from connector to housing with a 12V power supply (Goal0 Sherpa 50). Everything checked out, much brighter illumination than when installed on the truck.

This confirms my measurements that I have a somewhere voltage between the switches and the lights.

 

[Biscuit]

After going through the connections, the rear lights are almost all working. The exception is now the right rear turn signal. It will not illuminate with either the turn signal or hazard switch.

I checked the continuity all the way from the four pin connector to the firewall harness back to the light. Everything checks out. If I give it 12V directly from that point, it does illuminate.

Since neither the hazard nor the turn signal switch illuminate the left rear turn signal. And since both the hazard and turn signal switch illuminate the other three turn signals, I am start to suspect a broken wire rather than a switch problem.

I have a replacement turn signal switch for the next time I pull the steering wheel, and that switch has the same behavior when connected.

I can tell there is not the correct load on the tight turn signal circuit due to the more rapid switching of the flasher when the turn signal switch is set to right vs. when set to left. The hazards have enough load with the remaining three lights that the flasher works correctly.

 

[65swb45]

IH8electrical

 

[Biscuit]

This afternoon I managed to isolate the open circuit to the rear harness, which has been hacked by the current owner to have a 6 pin trailer connector before splitting into the tail lights and trailer wiring. I know the open circuit is between the four pin connector from the factory harness and the 6 pin trailer harness.

Hopefully tomorrow I can pull that part of the harness, unwrap it and see what the problem is.

And I agree with Mark 100%

IH8electrical

 

[Biscuit]

I found the broken wire. It was right where I thought it would be. I spliced in a new piece of wire and that solved the harness continuity problem.

All tail lights now have power.

But the turn signals don't work. The hazard lights do. I checked the hazard switch and I have continuity for the pass through to the turn signal switch. I'm starting to suspect the problem is the flasher unit. At one point I may not have had the battery disconnected, and could have taken out the flasher. All fuses checkout.


In other news, the carpet headliner has already begun to sag. Looks like I didn't use nearly enough glue. I'm going to need to figure out how to fix that in place now that the fiberglass cap is nicely sealed.

 

[Helipilot]

Get a hypodermic syringe and your glue. Shoot it between the carpet and roof in several spott and that might do the job. Good luck!

 

[Biscuit]

Finally...the turn signals work and lights are all operating as they should. Mostly. There is still some dimming of the headlights when the turn signals are on.

The blade connector that is on the power line from the hazard switch to the turn signal switch had oxidized over the years. After cleaning that connector power was delivered to the turn signal switch and everything worked.

 

[Biscuit]

In early May I am participating in a planetary geology field school. Since this will be visiting locations all over the southwest, I'm planning on also turning it into a FJ40 road trip since this may be by last chance for a big desert road trip in the truck for a long while. (Life happens.)

So the to-do list for the truck is changing a bit:

• Figure out how to carry more fuel. I have the CCOT poly tank (which somehow doesn't make the cab smell like gas), and it's 12.5 gallons is a major range limiter. I figure I have a few options:
  • Factory size fuel tank (16.4gal vs 12.5)
  • Aux tank
  • Bumper with fuel can carrier. (I have a passenger side plate carrier, but my rear sil is rotted where the lower hinge would go)
  • MFCs between the roll bar uprights where the jump seats would go, FastEddy style (There is already fuel inside the cab with the stock fuel tank location)
• Figure out a good jack for the trip. (I have a hi-lift but I would like to be able to change a tire solo.)
• Inspect brakes and steering linkages. After that ensue the steering wheel is centered.
• Install battery cutoff switch. (To mitigate a voltage leak somehwere)
• Relay headlight harness to power headlights directly to increase headlight brightness.
• Some sort of lockable interior storage. (And finally get keys to the door locks.)
• For the first time since I got the truck in '02, get the windshield washers working.
• Repiar/replace the heater with a focus on working defrost vents (as best a 40 can)
• Re-glue the headliner up (or pull it and spray it with lizardskin)

None of that happened. See next post three years later.

 

[Biscuit]

Resurrecting this thread three years later.

The 40 (and I) am now in Boulder, CO. I drove the truck the 1000 miles from L.A. to Boulder over two days. I didn't get to drive it for that field school in 2017, but I did get a long road trip in 2017.

Still getting things done on the 40:

• Replaced the washer fluid reservoir and pump. Mine was leaking badly and beyond saving.
• Replaced the voltage regulator. Which seems to have fixed most of my voltage leak, good for 1 month hibernations, 3 months not so much.
• Swapped out the 20W50 oil from CA with more appropriate for Colorado winter temps.
• Had to do some forced electrical work due to wires being severed on the ignition system last year. Severed the hot wire to the HEI, multiple spark plugs, and the carb cutoff solenoid.
• Finally installed the clutch secondary cylinder stabilizer bracket and put in a new push rod. The old push rod couldn't be adjsuted short enough and the secondary cylinder would tilt causing it to bind with the clutch just barely engaged.
• Got in on the ARB special edition 'catchers mask' bull bar order.
• Added a 5'x5.5' Con-Fer rack, installed it today. Picked it up when someone what cleaning out their garage after CO relaxed the COVID stay-a-home guidelines. $80 for for the rack.

New To-Do List. And these are all low priority with the 40 stopping, steering, and driving.

• Put the FarmTek chicken coop flooring in the Con-Fer basket.
• Polish the truck, it's pretty beat up from be out side for many years.
• Get a skid plate. Less for the armor and more to catch the small drips from the transfer/t-case before they hit my driveway.
• Re-build at least one of the two OEM jacks that I have and paint the rods.
• Re-build the factory heater and swap for the busted (louvers not the core) one I have.
  • Might as well put a petcock on the radiator while I'm at it. (Yes it is supposed to have one, no it doesn't have one)
• Eventually install a headliner. But I'm not inclined to pull the top any time soon.
• Rear sill will need to be done at some point. Will likely pay to have it done instead of DIY due to lack of a welding setup.
  • This might lead to a lot of rust remediation in the rear wheel wells. The support braces are pretty rusty too.
  • Would really like to go custom to put an OEM carrier on the passenger side as well. I have the plate/hinges off a 1975.

 

[tstepp920]

Resurrecting this thread three years later.

The 40 (and I) am now in Boulder, CO. I drove the truck the 1000 miles from L.A. to Boulder over two days. I didn't get to drive it for that field school in 2017, but I did get a long road trip in 2017.

Still getting things done on the 40:

• Replaced the washer fluid reservoir and pump. Mine was leaking badly and beyond saving.
• Replaced the voltage regulator. Which seems to have fixed most of my voltage leak, good for 1 month hibernations, 3 months not so much.
• Swapped out the 20W50 oil from CA with more appropriate for Colorado winter temps.
• Had to do some forced electrical work due to wires being severed on the ignition system last year. Severed the hot wire to the HEI, multiple spark plugs, and the carb cutoff solenoid.
• Finally installed the clutch secondary cylinder stabilizer bracket and put in a new push rod. The old push rod couldn't be adjsuted short enough and the secondary cylinder would tilt causing it to bind with the clutch just barely engaged.
• Got in on the ARB special edition 'catchers mask' bull bar order.
• Added a 5'x5.5' Con-Fer rack, installed it today. Picked it up when someone what cleaning out their garage after CO relaxed the COVID stay-a-home guidelines. $80 for for the rack.

New To-Do List. And these are all low priority with the 40 stopping, steering, and driving.

• Put the FarmTek chicken coop flooring in the Con-Fer basket.
• Polish the truck, it's pretty beat up from be out side for many years.
• Get a skid plate. Less for the armor and more to catch the small drips from the transfer/t-case before they hit my driveway.
• Re-build at least one of the two OEM jacks that I have and paint the rods.
• Re-build the factory heater and swap for the busted (louvers not the core) one I have.
  • Might as well put a petcock on the radiator while I'm at it. (Yes it is supposed to have one, no it doesn't have one)
• Eventually install a headliner. But I'm not inclined to pull the top any time soon.

View attachment 2331579

I would be interested in seeing the installation of the FarmTek flooring.

 

[65swb45]

Well I know it moved at least once last year!

Curious if the weight of that ARB bar changed the shackle angle on the Ironman springs at all?

 

[Biscuit]

Curious if the weight of that ARB bar changed the shackle angle on the Ironman springs at all?

No change that I can see. But it has softened up the ride very slightly. I still like the ride quality.

 

[65swb45]

Stay tuned for some pics of modified shackle hangers

 

[Biscuit]

Spent yesterday cutting and assembling the FarmTek chicken coop flooring for the roof rack floor. Installed the flooring today.

Using 1-1/2" OD fender washers for primary anchoring. UV stabilized heavy duty zip ties for secondary (rattle reduction) anchoring. I had to drill some new mounting holes and trim out a few bits of the grid on the floor to bolt it down.

 

[65swb45]

Stay tuned for some pics of modified shackle hangers

Oops. Forgot about this. Relocated shackle hangers on @HKforte front end before re-doing his Saginaw conversion. Pic shows the right hanger relocated, with a longer, Mark’s Off Road shackle, now sporting a more compliant ride and 2” more of articulation.

 

[Biscuit]

Oops. Forgot about this. Relocated shackle hangers on @HKforte front end before re-doing his Saginaw conversion. Pic shows the right hanger relocated, with a longer, Mark’s Off Road shackle, now sporting a more compliant ride and 2” more of articulation.

That looks much better. @65swb45, Did you grind off the rivets and then just shift the hanger back so that the front hole on the hangar lines up with the rear hole on the frame? And of course drill a new hole for the rear hanger mount hole.

Any reason to not just rotate the hangar so the eye is on the back side and save drilling a hole in the frame? The rear hangers are oriented with the eye towards the front.

 

[Biscuit]

Five years later...

Over the winter I was back to wondering if I should get rid of my 40. I hadn't been driving it. My wife refuses to ride in it. (She has no issues with me driving it, she just wants front air bags and anti-lock breaks.) And the brakes had started to come out of adjustment.

I had started to look at other vehicle options: 80-series. 90-series two door Prados, even the new 250-series. Options that would meet my wife's safety requirements, be "less" maintenance (or so I tried to convince myself), and have air conditioning and better heating.

But figuring out my budget for any of those vehicles to get them where I would dream of wanting them, I decided to do two things
1) Start driving the 40 regularly again. My commute involves a 55mph divided four lane highway, so not a 65mph interstate with on-ramps where I need to accelerate hard. For slightly more time I can take county roads.
2) Decide how much money I am willing to put into the 40 this year and Identify a list of project that need to be done with the 40 to make it more regularly driveable (safety and comfort) and make a WAG of their cost.

If I enjoyed driving the 40 regularly, and the high-priority project costs weren't going to exceed the number I came up with, then I would keep the 40.


I did still enjoy driving the 40, so I (again) decided to keep it. On the upside, if I'm going to have a mid-life crisis car, at least I already own it and it runs.

 

[Biscuit]

Make it stop (better)

First up on the project list was brakes. As @65swb45 told me many years ago the correct order for fixing thing is: stop, steer, go.

Braking issues became worse this spring. Despite adjusting the brakes and replacing non-functioning wheel cylinders (and adjusting again), the truck would pull to the left. I decided I had enough of manually adjusted brakes. So it was time for an upgrade to discs on the front.

The OEM wheels I had bought for the 40 way back in 2002 were drum brake wheels. To run discs I would need to update/upgrade to something that would clear the discs. My old 33x9.50 tires were from 2009, which meant new tires were also needed.

I settled on 235/85R16 Falken Rubitrek tires. They are more pavement oriented than the Wildpeaks, but so is most of my driving. For wheels I went with the Fifteen52 Analog wheels in grey. At 7.5" wide and 0 offset, they required a 1/4" spacer to clear the tie rod ends. The City Racer 16" wheels with hubcaps were tempting, but cost and the grey version not being available at the time led me to go with the Fifteen52s.

Time is my most limited resource right now and the front disc upgrade is more involved than I wanted to take on, so I got on the schedule with Classic Cruisers in Salida, CO to upgrade my front brakes to FJ60 discs.

Brandon and Eric did a great job. Wow what a difference. The drive back to Boulder was much easier than the drive to Salida. I have gone from needing to plan out my braking to being able to reliably stop straight and in a much shorter distance.

The wheel spacers on the front still needed to be run to clear the tie rods. While I would prefer no spacers, I think I can live with the 1/4" spacers for now.