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

[jackhossross]

Nice progress so far!
If you haven’t taken the rear springs off yet, one thing I have learned to do with leaf springs is to tackle them one side at a time - don’t remove them both at once. This way the axle stays “relatively” in the right spot due to one spring holding it up and you can move the “free” side around with jacks, etc. as necessary to line up the new leaf.

Keep up the good work, there are answers here enough to get you through about anything so long as you’re willing to work at it!

Thanks Kleatus - it is great to receive such incredible support from the online community immediately. It is nice to have this resource as I begin battling a new platform. The Haynes Repair Manual has been super useful as well.

Now I need to grow a pair large enough to tackle the big things.

Test fitting the wheels this evening now that I have the front suspension there. Fingers crossed the end links don't hit the inside barrels

Cheers & Beers

 

[Comet]

Those wheels look sharp. The Haynes manual is good to work you through an oil change but other than that, it's a crap shoot. I don't think I saw any signs you were properly welcomed to the MUD community? Welcome noob!!

@NeverGiveUpYota has a link to Troll Holes down load of the Factory Service Manual. THis is the bee's knee's when it comes to understanding how things work and go together in perfect harmony. Beno has a japanese word for this but it escapes me at the moment.

Keep up the good work and welcome to the family. THis can quickly become an addiction if left unchecked.

 

[Kleatus]

I like the wheels!

It’s been said many times that rebuilding the knuckles is the Cruiser “rite of passage” but I disagree. I think that’s just a fallacy spread by the coil spring 80 series crowd who’s never had to get medieval on a set of rusty old leaf spring hardware . You will soon have one of the most frustrating and physically demanding jobs behind you!

 

[Comet]

@Kleatus , I disagree with you vehemently!! The birfield's just get you started, wait until the head gasket on the 1FZ-FE. There's a rite of passage!! I went down that road and ended up pulling the engine. Definately a job.

 

[Kleatus]

@Comet I’ve never done a head gasket on a 1FZ. Plenty of others on various engines though.
I was kinda joking there, but I will completely agree that there are more tedious jobs out there than leaf springs, that take longer, require more careful work, more specialized tools, and have the potential to cost much more if you screw them up. Few of them however require you to drag out as many curse words, bandages, torches, large hammers, drills, grinders, etc.

Now that I’m thinking along those lines I would hazard a guess that way more inexperienced people are more comfortable diving into a knuckle rebuild or suspension install than a top end rebuild on an engine. I’m not entirely sure this is a good thing though, because I have seen way too many examples of unsafe/half-assed work on brakes and suspension (not really cruiser specific, just cars in general over the years - and especially on domestic lifted 4x4’s) that could easily lead to an accident. “Oh it’s just a brake job, just a couple of bolts right?” I certainly don’t mean to discourage anyone from diving into any particular project saying that, but just intend to keep things in perspective.

Engine won’t run?, keep fixing it till it works, not much harm in that. Brakes fall off during a panic stop, and that’s real trouble... the “complexity” of the work isn’t always correlated to the potential outcome of screwing it up.

So in short, don’t be afraid of engine work, and don’t underestimate “simple” stuff!

 

[Comet]

Totally taken as intended @Kleatus

The 60 has been a joy to work on thanks to the FSM and this community. I got my bones on the 80 series though.

 

[jackhossross]

@Comet I’ve never done a head gasket on a 1FZ. Plenty of others on various engines though.
I was kinda joking there, but I will completely agree that there are more tedious jobs out there than leaf springs, that take longer, require more careful work, more specialized tools, and have the potential to cost much more if you screw them up. Few of them however require you to drag out as many curse words, bandages, torches, large hammers, drills, grinders, etc.

Now that I’m thinking along those lines I would hazard a guess that way more inexperienced people are more comfortable diving into a knuckle rebuild or suspension install than a top end rebuild on an engine. I’m not entirely sure this is a good thing though, because I have seen way too many examples of unsafe/half-assed work on brakes and suspension (not really cruiser specific, just cars in general over the years - and especially on domestic lifted 4x4’s) that could easily lead to an accident. “Oh it’s just a brake job, just a couple of bolts right?” I certainly don’t mean to discourage anyone from diving into any particular project saying that, but just intend to keep things in perspective.

Engine won’t run?, keep fixing it till it works, not much harm in that. Brakes fall off during a panic stop, and that’s real trouble... the “complexity” of the work isn’t always correlated to the potential outcome of screwing it up.

So in short, don’t be afraid of engine work, and don’t underestimate “simple” stuff!

I pulled Porsche Cayenne Turbo S brakes and calculated the metrics and put them on my VW Golf R - that was a hell of a project.

I did everything up to getting the system bled all the way, I had an incredibly difficult time getting all the air out of the system.

I eventually will buck up and start working on engine items. I need to find a comprehensive list on MUD of "tune-up" items that I can perform myself and start knocking them off one by one.

JR

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

I pulled Porsche Cayenne Turbo S brakes and calculated the metrics and put them on my VW Golf R - that was a hell of a project.

I did everything up to getting the system bled all the way, I had an incredibly difficult time getting all the air out of the system.

I eventually will buck up and start working on engine items. I need to find a comprehensive list on MUD of "tune-up" items that I can perform myself and start knocking them off one by one.

JR

Nah. Just drive it for awhile and get the feel of it. Then you’ll have something to compare to later. Take it from me, stuff will come up and the next thing you know half the engine will be in pieces in your garage.

 

[jackhossross]

Nah. Just drive it for awhile and get the feel of it. Then you’ll have something to compare to later. Take it from me, stuff will come up and the next thing you know half the engine will be in pieces in your garage.

I need to have the vehicle sound enough to take it on a 1500 mile round trip from Boulder CO to Park City UT for July 4th. That is the only time constraint I have right now.

There is a big piece of me that wants to rip out all the carpeting and seats and redo them .. but nervous to do that until I know I have taken care of all mechanical issues.

I found a couple 2x4's holding the fuel line tight in the rear quarter panel .. I'll post a picture. It is hilarious.

 

[89BIGBLUE]

Get a transmission cooler before you embark on that trip! Lots of elevation changes will work that tranny good! Search Mud for details, and it’s a great time to do it when you are servicing the leaking transmission fluid lines!

 

[RodrigzCrzr]

That is a must to do.
Keep that tranny cool.

 

[jackhossross]

Get a transmission cooler before you embark on that trip! Lots of elevation changes will work that tranny good! Search Mud for details, and it’s a great time to do it when you are servicing the leaking transmission fluid lines!

I have read a ton about the shortcomings of the cooling system of the 60 series, caused me to order a mishimoto radiator and oil cooler.

 

[89BIGBLUE]

That’s a great move!
New trans cooler IN ADDITION to new radiator=cool runnings!

 

[jackhossross]

That’s a great move!
New trans cooler IN ADDITION to new radiator=cool runnings!

I’m just dying to get this truck on the road and not needing to worry about the simple things. First night camping in the truck in the Colorado backcountry at 12k feet will be the best.

 

[jackhossross]

Some more progress to report - picked up the wheels on my way home and got to work. I've wanted a pair of RAYS since my Subaru days .. well it happened, never thought it would be on a 30 year old truck! They weigh 16.8 lbs each.

But before taking the wheels out of the box and eventually doing a test fit (which they are small about about 3cm, however I will go with a 10cm spacer due to flex), I finished the front leaf springs and installed the rest of the setup.

I will attack the rears tomorrow night. I also need to try to stop this leak on the transmission fluid line that runs from the cooler to the transmission.

Cheers and Beers MUD.

 

[89BIGBLUE]

Get the plumbers torch handy for the rear pins.
Even if all you end up doing is threatening the pin with it...it certainally helped me!

 

[jackhossross]

Pulled the truck out of the garage after tightening the transmission fluid hose that is leaking and prior to tightening everything down to spec on the front suspension to let it settle a bit and straighten itself out with a lap around the neighborhood.

It was the best the truck has felt since I got back from my drive across Kansas until the hose started to leak again. It is definitely only coming from the front of the hose and I think is allowing air into the system as it REALLY affected the idle of the engine once it started to come loose again.

I backed the truck in to get the rear of the truck closer to my lights, will jack it up tonight - wife wanted to do dinner out so I couldn't do anything real last night. I took stock of a few items under the hood though. Need to address some electrical items there.

I'll probably replace the battery and battery tray - I would like to install a dual battery system while doing that but not sure I will put money into that quite yet.

I think there is something aftermarket going on here - not sure what to make of this:

My DIAG box (I think thats what this is) is completely trashed. Looks like it has been open for the last 100k miles or so.

General engine picture:

Also - there is a pretty substantial hole from a loose rubber grommet in the firewall. I need to grab my repair manual and figure out what this is, it was nice of one of the prior owners to put a zip-tie there to keep things together. "High and tight!"

 

[Prairie Swamp]

1. Stainless Steel Battery Trays for TOYOTA LANDCRUISER

2. Wiring looks factory to me - maybe not.

3. Toyota should have put the wire tie on at the factory because I believe most do that. I would like to find a clean workable solution for AC line sag.

 

[jackhossross]

1. Stainless Steel Battery Trays for TOYOTA LANDCRUISER

2. Wiring looks factory to me - maybe not.


3. Toyota should have put the wire tie on at the factory because I believe most do that. I would like to find a clean workable solution for AC line sag.

Thank you for that link - I will purchase immediately. What battery do MUDDERS like?

The extra wires coming from the battery are stock?

Thank you - I guess I will build a bracket to hold that tight. My A/C does not work - will need to address that at some point.

 

[Prairie Swamp]

What battery do MUDDERS like?

Synthetic lol