Builds BNG Cruzr - Journey Back to Dirt

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Don’t pre cut. Pull a line then cut new and replace then move to the next. You’ll set yourself up for a mistake or a missed hose doing it the other way.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Just saying.... maybe you can do it but others have tried and admitted it’s better to go the one at a time route.

 

[jackhossross]

The truck is shifting in and out of 4wd lo and hi really well now. No mishaps at all.

However, now I am convinced that the light bulb of the 4wd is burned out. Where can I get a replacement?

Still need to swap all vacuum hoses, haven't had a chance to do that yet.

 

[jackhossross]

Driving through this crazy snow storm - first time I’m taking the truck up into the mountains.

She is doing really well in 4WD Low, but for whatever reason - won’t go into 4WD Hi. Making for dicey highway driving.

Any tips?

 

[NearJetties]

Have you tried swapping the vacuum lines on the front of the actuators on the fire wall? The red VSV often fails leaving you stuck in 4 hi but you could have the opposite problem. You should be able to manually shift it by swapping them if that’s the issue. Not 100% sure the problem works the same in reverse but it’s easy to try

 

[jackhossross]

Have you tried swapping the vacuum lines on the front of the actuators on the fire wall? The red VSV often fails leaving you stuck in 4 hi but you could have the opposite problem. You should be able to manually shift it by swapping them if that’s the issue. Not 100% sure the problem works the same in reverse but it’s easy to try

I just replaced the solenoid - however I could’ve put it on backwards right? I’ll run out and see what happens if I swap lines.

It has snowed a bit today.

 

[Skniper]

I think you shaved the dog too soon.

 

[jackhossross]

I think you shaved the dog too soon.

Poor thing had dreads and mats — so we had no choice!

Swapping the lines of the red solenoid worked - I had them backwards.

Took 10 hours to get back to Boulder from Vail today. Drove a crazy road in insane snow from Minturn to Leadville with plans of going to Buena Vista .. changed our mind when I70 reopened then sat for 3 1/2 hours at Eisenhower tunnels. It was ****ing miserable - but the truck crushed it. Never been prouder.

 

[jackhossross]

I tried to switch back to 2WD and I am pretty sure the truck is now running 2WD but the 4WD light on the dash is remaining on. Any thoughts where the communication is going wrong here between the solenoid - tcase and dashboard?

 

[NearJetties]

To check if it is actually in 2 wheel you should be able to spin the front driveshaft by hand with the truck parked and hubs unlocked.

Beyond the VSVs on top of the firewall I’m not too familiar but I think there is a solenoid that controls the light that can go bad.

 

[tmxmotorsports]

Poor thing had dreads and mats — so we had no choice!

Swapping the lines of the red solenoid worked - I had them backwards.

Took 10 hours to get back to Boulder from Vail today. Drove a crazy road in insane snow from Minturn to Leadville with plans of going to Buena Vista .. changed our mind when I70 reopened then sat for 3 1/2 hours at Eisenhower tunnels. It was f***ing miserable - but the truck crushed it. Never been prouder.

I drove out to Breckenridge a couple years in my 89 fj62 from obx nc stayed out there 3 weeks did drive from Breckenridge to vail it wasn't snowing or anything i can see it getting a little hairy drove from Fairplay to Breckenridge for about a week and a half over the Hoosier pass twice a day was fun didn't snow a whole lot tho still had fun snowboarding and driving mt landcruiser

 

[89BIGBLUE]

Did you try putting the vacuum lines back the way you found them before you switched them, to see if the light turns off?

 

[jackhossross]

Did you try putting the vacuum lines back the way you found them before you switched them, to see if the light turns off?

I haven't - but I am guessing that will do the trick. However, instead of getting out and needing to do this every time - I would rather find the long-term solution.

 

[89BIGBLUE]

Totally!
Just thinking of how to narrow down where to look.
I bought new solenoids for mine as wel, but it was just a vacuum leak in the hard lines after all was investigated. So now I’ve got spare solenoids..

 

[jackhossross]

I am experiencing a decent amount of vibration in my steering wheel. Two weekends ago I took the wheels off and rotated them while cranking down my spacers. This corrected the problem but only temporarily until I think they loosened up again.

Anyone have a spacers (1.25") they can recommend?

 

[jackhossross]

Truck has been running great, time for an oil change and I need to start taking the time to redo the interior door cards.

Someone took out my driver side mirror, so I ordered some black replica ones off of CruiserCorps. I will be giving up the powered mirrors when switching to something so inexpensive, but with the black front and eventually a black bumper - this will look better and costs a third of the OEM Powered ones.

I am having a hard time with heating/cooling inside the truck. My temperature gauge is stuck and won't move past about midway. Anyone have any experience with this?

Cheers and beers,

 

[jackhossross]

Alrighty,

So next on the docket is to get the frame repaired in the rear (rear shock tube) and replace the C channels.

I am towing the truck from Denver, CO to Doug at Well Sorted Automobiles in Buena Vista, CO. They have performed quite a few classic restorations, including our Land Cruisers. Will be nice to have the rear sorted out again and be able to take the truck off-road again without fear of the frame/body flexing too much.

 

[jackhossross]

Alright! So some good news.

My wife has been living in LA since March and will be coming home sometime near the end of September. The project I am on is due to finish nearly a month early thanks to good performance on the job, giving my team about 2-3 weeks to enjoy time off with the family.

With the truck down at Well Sorted under Doug's care - I plan to start looking for a RTT set up and Dual Battery set up. I received a quote from a Denver shop and I am working through the details of it all. They quoted me some incredibly well performing specified parts and pieces but damn the Dual Battery set up is proving to be expensive. I am planning on running an inverter as well so I can charge household items with the dual battery set up.

I also received my 4+Products front bumper but didn't have time to install it before shipping it off to Doug. Getting excited, will definitely need some help planning a route from Denver to Oregon coast down to Mexico and back.

 

[Comet]

Dual battery set up from RED ARC has worked flawlessly for me. $210 for the 12 volt version and all the wiring is included. Did in an afternoon while at GSMTR 2019. YMMV. As a bonus, they called me to inquire how the install went. Cool Australian accent to boot.

 

[jackhossross]

Dual battery set up from RED ARC has worked flawlessly for me. $210 for the 12 volt version and all the wiring is included. Did in an afternoon while at GSMTR 2019. YMMV. As a bonus, they called me to inquire how the install went. Cool Australian accent to boot.

The shop in Denver quoted me $550 for a RED Arc set up with solar controls and all needed mats, not including another battery - which they quoted an Odyssey at $295 a pop.

On top of that, the labor was 6 hours at a pretty expensive rate. ill probably buy all the pieces through them and set it up myself.

The inverter specified seems like a pretty robust inverter - Xantrax PROWatt 2000, also expensive but seems like a hell of a unit.

Idk I’m just starting the research phase of all this, the shop may be quoting me an expensive set up because I’m buying the Alu-Cab Gen III RTT, which I’m splurging on - but I’ve got a wife who has fine taste. Can’t skimp on our sleeping quarters.