Builds BNG Cruzr - Journey Back to Dirt (1 Viewer)

[jackhossross]

nice build, the thought crossed my mind to do wool for the seat comvers. After your rebuild how is it shifting through gears? what RPM are you running at down the highway?

I am pretty excited to get the seats reupholstered. Of course all of this is pushed back due to the damn transmission failing.

Right around 2500-3000 rpm, its so much better.

I still have quite a bit of vibration in the steering wheel (freshly balanced forged wheels and tires) but I think it might be caused by inexpensive spacers.

I haven't done any work to the steering rack and am reallllllly trying to avoid a rebuild. I need to replace the heater valve core (sitting in my garage) and I want to install an internal bike rack for the back.

And at some point I need to grind down the rusted part of the rear shock tube to replace it with a nice new 2" pipe.

 

[BMValentine]

I am pretty excited to get the seats reupholstered. Of course all of this is pushed back due to the damn transmission failing.

Right around 2500-3000 rpm, its so much better.

I still have quite a bit of vibration in the steering wheel (freshly balanced forged wheels and tires) but I think it might be caused by inexpensive spacers.

I haven't done any work to the steering rack and am reallllllly trying to avoid a rebuild. I need to replace the heater valve core (sitting in my garage) and I want to install an internal bike rack for the back.

And at some point I need to grind down the rusted part of the rear shock tube to replace it with a nice new 2" pipe.

There's a writeup somewhere on adjusting your steering box, so it may not need a total rebuild, yet. how is the steering stabilizer and tie rod ends?
I imagine the shifts are much smoother?

 

[jackhossross]

There's a writeup somewhere on adjusting your steering box, so it may not need a total rebuild, yet. how is the steering stabilizer and tie rod ends?
I imagine the shifts are much smoother?

Steering Stabilizer and Tie Rod Ends were replaced with OME set with the Heavy Duty 2.5" lift.

Shifts are silky compared to a nice thud before.

 

[BMValentine]

hmm, my transmission may be closer to its way out than I thought... bummer. I can't find the thread I was reading the steering adjustments on.

 

[BMValentine]

hmm, my transmission may be closer to its way out than I thought... bummer. I can't find the thread I was reading the steering adjustments on.

I found what I was looking for! it was a post by @EscapeWagon62 on this thread here is a picture of it

 

[jackhossross]

Thanks for the great replies.

Adding some more stuff to the truck. I put the rear tire carrier on and the basket. Grabbed my YETI 45 that the basket was custom tabbed for.

Got our first big snow fall of the year in Boulder, CO - grabbed a couple pics.

Truck is running fantastic. The engine is strong and feels revitalized after the rebuilt transmission. I haven't found myself needing any more power. Happily cruising between Boulder and Denver at 65 mph.

 

[jackhossross]

Update: received my leather hide from Relicate.

Haven’t opened it yet but damn, 55sf is a lot! Pretty pumped about it. Makes me want to do more leather on the seats and door cards.

Finished getting the BMW 3 series coupe seats into the truck. Fully wired and working fantastic! TorFab brackets made this a breeze. It’s amazing how nice it feels in the cockpit now.

Can’t wait to have this done. The interior is going to be beautiful once I get everything reupholstered and matching.

I need to go through and replace my vacuum hoses. I’m getting a stumble, sometimes worse than others.

My 4wd light is sticking on since getting stuck the other night in Gold Hill, CO. It was amazing, climbed out of the truck, locked the hubs - got back in threw it in 4wd and shot right out of 3 feet of snow drift.

I think it’s actually even stuck in 4wd. A quick cruise around mud and it looks like I should replace the solenoid.

My heater cable also is stuck, I replaced my heater valve core - but the cable still isn’t sliding all the way to the left on my heat. Moves freely to cold air, just gets stuck right in the middle.

 

[NearJetties]

Love the Pendleton and leather combo.

I assume you’re reupholstering the BMW seats? If so, I’d be interested in the seat covers in the last photo

 

[jackhossross]

Love the Pendleton and leather combo.

I assume you’re reupholstering the BMW seats? If so, I’d be interested in the seat covers in the last photo

I am excited to see the final product for sure!

Unfortunately the passenger seat is the only one in good shape. The driver is as many are - destroyed.

If I do sell just the covers, I’ll let you know, but I think I can probably unload the full seats locally on CL.

 

[NearJetties]

Sounds good, I’d take the passenger if no one bites on the full seats.

 

[jackhossross]

The wife wanted to do Christmas photos and I agreed under one condition - we use the FJ in the photos!

She went for it and a couple of them came out pretty cool.

Cool stuff - love having the dirt roads in the Front Range of Colorado 2 minutes from my garage door. We are lucky, that is for sure.

 

[jackhossross]

On my way home last night from Denver to Boulder my windshield wiper fluid stopped working. I took apart the reservoir and pump, cleaned out the screen and it works like new. Was a really easy fix, 10mm socket was all that was needed. Only remove the top nut, the other two only need to be loosened so that the reservoir can slide up and out.

Pull the pump away from the center of the reservoir and it will pop out.

Sorry, don't have any pictures - it was pretty darn easy.

 

[jackhossross]

I'll be purchasing some plywood to start laying out the rear side panels in the rear of my truck.

I will first start on the passenger side, where I have run wiring for a subwoofer from my mono amp underneath my passenger seat. I plan to build out an enclosed box that will fit between the panel and my exterior body panel. In a perfect world it would be about 34 cubic inches large.

I will be sure to post updated pictures sometime tonight with the layout.

 

[jackhossross]

Finally started working on the cargo side boards/cards/whatever you want to call them.

Only thing I didn’t plan for was the rear wiper fluid container, but I think I can carefully cut a circular hole there with the fabric in place .. time will tell.

Came out nice for my first attempt. I need to do a couple trial runs of adding leather to the bottom fifth ... but the leather I have is so damn expensive I’m nervous to screw it up.

Only finished one side as I need to think about the hole for the rear windshield wiper fluid. Will probably cut a small hole with a circle bit and then dremel out slots so the same twisting cap works in these. No need for the jack cover - as I have a large exterior one that I’ll be using.

In fact I hope to install a sub there in its place .. but that’s for another time.

 

[jackhossross]

Alrighty - back from the dead.

Thanks to @dpr64 getting me back on the wagon here with me getting his rear carpet to him (Sorry man I know my lackluster service has blown - its on its way).

I ordered 25' of 3.5mm vacuum hose and 10' of 6mm vacuum hose to tackle my system. I am experiencing some stumbles and having trouble getting the truck in and out of 4WD. So time to attack the vacuum system.

 

[89BIGBLUE]

Check the steel vacuum lines for the transfercase near the pass side of frame, and firewall. This where I found a vacuum leak that gave me issues with 4wd.

 

[jackhossross]

^ Great tip thank you. Mine shifts in fine when the car is still super cold (this morning the lady fired up at -8 degrees) and switched right into 4wd Hi. Last night I waited way too long until the truck was warm and couldn't get it to switch. Makes me think moisture is freezing and sealing up some potential leaking areas and then when it warms up it affects it more.

Truck runs better when its frozen as well. No stumbles, windshield washer jets, everything. When it is warm, rougher idle, heat/hvac power affected by throttle and other items as well.

I need to replace all of my lines and I will be sure to check this piece here. Any idea where to get replacements?

JR

 

[89BIGBLUE]

I cut out the cancer, and used vacuum tubing in place of the hard lines until I found used replacements. I WAS ready to bend up some new/replacements with steel brake line.
Note: the rusty lines were fine until I went under “exploring” while bolting on some WKOR sliders, I must have tweaked things just enough to open up a hole in the rust.

 

[jackhossross]

I received my vacuum lines last night .. leaving work early today to clean up the garage and pull in the truck.

People that have done this already, can we trust the lengths provided from the vacuum line diagram? I would like to pre-cut the lines all at once then go into the truck and swap them with that workflow. Any advice?

 

[jackhossross]

Should I replace anything else while I am in there swapping out the old lines for the new?

I've already swapped out my heater control valve .. have a new 4wd solenoid on its way .. due to arrive Thursday.