BJ74 off the boat

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B

bulaste

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Sep 8, 2007
Threads
4
Messages
11
Hi, I just brought in & drove home a JDM BJ74.

1987, auto, cable lockers

I'm pretty happy with the shape it arrived in it ran flawlessly home from the city & passed inspection easily, a few small rust spots just beginning to appear & bit of faded paint.

I have some questions re: the correct use of the machine, I'll start with the more pressing issues.

The diff fluids were changed in the city but I'm not sure what was put in, axel code is K084 does it need LSD fluid?

Also it's pretty snowy around here & I'll be in & out of 4X4 a lot for the next while, what do people think of leaving the manual hubs locked & going in & out of 4X4 with the Hi4 switch? Does it hurt to drive in 2wd with the hubs locked?

thanks,
B
IMG_0728.webp
 
I had the same color 87 BJ73. Nice truck, miles?

Yes you can leave the hubs in around town and push the button to engage.

Shane
 
Thanks, next question is about the diff locks, never had them before & wondering how often & when people use them. I figure it must put some strain on the system to run locked, so just use them when you'll otherwise not make it through?
I've used them twice already in my 3 days of driving the rig. Once to pull a van out of the ditch on the highway coming home from Van. Big difference, tried in regular 4X4 & wasn't even close, locked them up & it felt like I could have pulled double the weight out of there.
The second time was to get the cruiser out of the snowbank that my buddy pounded into when I let him drive the truck. I couldn't believe it, I'd only had the thing registered for two days & he didn't even make it 3 blocks! no damage done through & a good excuse to make fun of him afterwards.
 
leave the lockers off. Only use them in extreme offroad max traction times. They are hard on the birfields in the front axle. You need slippage when fully locked. It won't steer easy.

Best to only engage the locks when you need them. Like pulling a truck out of the ditch.
 
i'm carious...

where is the "turbo" lettering which should be on your grill mesh...

edit, i see your grill is different to my 74, umm probably does not have one from factory.....
 
Last edited:
:D
brownbear said:
Best to only engage the locks when you need them. Like pulling a truck out of the ditch.
Click to expand...

:D :lol:

Ya, dont worry BB - I haven't ditched the plow since.

:beer:
 
Nice looking rig. Congrats :cheers:
 
Russell

Leaving your hubs locked in the winter ensures that you are ready for 4wd when you need it - Even though I have electric hubs, I locked them in November, and will not unlock them until the roads are clear of ice and compact snow - unless I do a drive on a dry clear highway. Typically, I will shift in and out of 4wd 4 or 5 times on my way to and from work, depending on how clear the roads are.

Just don't run it in 4wd on dry/clear pavement, and don't hit the magic button if the back tires are slipping - if you do, you will know it!

Jim.
 
Jim_Hbar said:
Russell

Leaving your hubs locked in the winter ensures that you are ready for 4wd when you need it - Even though I have electric hubs, I locked them in November, and will not unlock them until the roads are clear of ice and compact snow - unless I do a drive on a dry clear highway. Typically, I will shift in and out of 4wd 4 or 5 times on my way to and from work, depending on how clear the roads are.

Just don't run it in 4wd on dry/clear pavement, and don't hit the magic button if the back tires are slipping - if you do, you will know it!

Jim.
Click to expand...

Jim,

I keep my hubs locked for weeks at a time in icy weather. However, I have noticed more of a light grinding noise when the hubs are locked. Do you get a similar noise?

Todd
 
Russel - a few points to ponder
1) The electric hubs do not engage when you are moving, and it is a bad idea to do so anyway - being that the axle shafts and front drive shaft will not be turning when the hub engages.
2) If the hubs are not locked, you cannot engage 4wd for a short distance, like leaving a stop light, or maneuvering around a stuck car, due to #1 above.
3) If they are locked, you are sure they are locked - electric hubs can be somewhat temperamental, whether they engage first time of not, so hitting the hub lock button doesn't mean the hubs are engaged, and it takes 10 seconds or so for them to engage, if they do.
4) Having them locked ensures that the birfields turn and do not take a set and brinell their races.
5) If you read an owners manual from a hub equipped vehicle, you will find that the manufacturers recommend that the hubs be locked for something like 20 miles out of 500 IIRC, to ensure that the U-joints/birfields are lubricated and did not brinell.
6) In the past 34 years of driving 4wds, it hasn't hurt anything, other than a little reduced fuel economy. But it's saved my butt many times.. You will notice that the vehicle will have a greater tendency to wander with the hubs locked, particularly at highway speeds - but that depends on the toe in/out setting.
7) Modern 4WDs with IFSs have CV joints and axle shafts, and do not have hubs.

Carrot - If your front end growls with the hubs engaged, something is not quite right - could be the Birfields, or a bearing in the diff. going south, perhaps too much backlash in the gear set.
 
Headlight washers??
 
Yes, headlight washers, cool eh?

Anyhow thanks for the replies, there seems to be no debate about manual hubs anyways so mine are staying locked in for the time being.

My next question is about fuel additives, I think I've seen some mention of adding diesel lubricant somewhere in this board. I would love to hear some peoples thoughts on this stuff, how often it should be used ect.

thanks again,

B
 
I use Power Service brand available at crappy tire, there are other brands Howes , Stanadyne etc... I use Power Service now , in every tank, I have personally noticed a slight gain in mileage, and I know the injector pump is happy because of the lubricant in the fuel conditioner.
Aaron Kuit

only the 89 BJ 74s came with headlight washers, it looks like the front clip is off a 90/92 HZJ 73 because that is not a regular BJ 74 grill
 
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