tahoe40/45
SILVER Star
Yes it unscrews., Probably 50+ years of the mystery thread lock holding it on.
Builds Clifford is home again- a 1965 FJ40 FST
- Thread starter red66toy
- Start date
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tahoe40/45
SILVER Star
I have been having good luck soaking stuff in vinegar. I was able to loosen two frozen fuel sender units and get the knob off of bug catcher window lock recently.Cool! Thank you. I was thinking of getting the lever arm re-chromed with some other parts. Don’t want to crack it though.
I always thought the sensor is a variable ground. Wouldn't the gauge need to have power to do this? But should not have power with key off?
red66toy
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- Thread starter
- #349
Success!! Thanks @aztoyman for backing up my thought.
It was a case of after 59 years, many owners, a conversion from a generator to an alternator and using a newer fuse block that doesn’t match the old OG block layout, and not having a wiring diagram for a 1965 FJ40 (I have a 1963 and 1971 diagram).… things were on circuits they should not have been (switches and non-switched) . The switched and non-switched sides of the fuse block got swapped somehow along the way. So the meter circuit had power on all the time.
I would love to blame the PO… but seeing as how I was the PO some years back, it could have been high school me. Hahaha.
Glad you got it. Nice troubleshooting. 
red66toy
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- Thread starter
- #351
Well I went to take Clifford out on a drive the other day and during the pre-flight check I noticed the brake master cylinder was empty. 
Hunted around and finally found the leak... front left wheel caliper. Argh. The front calipers were one thing I didn't refresh when I did all that other brake work. Oh well, I guess I deserved that. hahaha.
This is a 60 series setup so on the hunt for parts.
I was aware that Toyota decided to discontinue the 60 series calipers (new and reman) here in the US and opted to only sell them through their heritage parts program in Japan for twice the price. Bummer indeed. Even the Aisin "aftermarket" units are all dried up. I decided to go with NAPA auto parts reman units. They still have the mountain stampings on them and I trust NAPA, they are a good outfit so I went that route. I was also able to get them the same day and for 1/10th of the new OEM cost.
I did allllmost go with the 4runner calipers but didn't want to go about hacking up the backing plates.
I am waiting on some new caliper hard lines (47343-60021 and 47341-60031) and fresh caliper mounting bolts (90101-12060) before I am good to go again. Hoping to get this buttoned up soon. The days are getting short here in Seattle, not many good weather days left.
Hunted around and finally found the leak... front left wheel caliper. Argh. The front calipers were one thing I didn't refresh when I did all that other brake work. Oh well, I guess I deserved that. hahaha. This is a 60 series setup so on the hunt for parts.
I was aware that Toyota decided to discontinue the 60 series calipers (new and reman) here in the US and opted to only sell them through their heritage parts program in Japan for twice the price. Bummer indeed. Even the Aisin "aftermarket" units are all dried up. I decided to go with NAPA auto parts reman units. They still have the mountain stampings on them and I trust NAPA, they are a good outfit so I went that route. I was also able to get them the same day and for 1/10th of the new OEM cost.
I did allllmost go with the 4runner calipers but didn't want to go about hacking up the backing plates.I am waiting on some new caliper hard lines (47343-60021 and 47341-60031) and fresh caliper mounting bolts (90101-12060) before I am good to go again. Hoping to get this buttoned up soon. The days are getting short here in Seattle, not many good weather days left.
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red66toy
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- Thread starter
- #352
These awesome reproduction shorty side steps arrived from Australia! Excited to finally have side steps.
Noticed that the front fenders will need to be bent back down a little to bolt up. Anyone have tips to bend the fender and not totally ruin the paint?
Noticed that the front fenders will need to be bent back down a little to bolt up. Anyone have tips to bend the fender and not totally ruin the paint?
red66toy
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- Thread starter
- #353
Well I couldn’t find any OEM tire carrier nuts for the old 40 so I went on the hunt. I found these stainless steel units that are dimensionally very close to the originals. Just have some tapering on the edges. No big deal and happy they are stainless steel. . Need to get some fat washers still but almost there. The nuts came in a 4 pack, if anyone needs a pair, happy to send you them for the cost of a padded envelope. 
. Need to get some fat washers still but almost there. The nuts came in a 4 pack, if anyone needs a pair, happy to send you them for the cost of a padded envelope. 
Noticed that the front fenders will need to be bent back down a little to bolt up. Anyone have tips to bend the fender and not totally ruin the paint?
I would take some steel or aluminum tubing and grind it down and make a custom spacer between the fender and running board, and maybe paint it red. You will mangle that fender trying to get it bent to match the shortie step. This spacer will be flat on the board end, and match the fender angle on the other end.
I would take some steel or aluminum tubing and grind it down and make a custom spacer between the fender and running board, and maybe paint it red. You will mangle that fender trying to get it bent to match the shortie step. This spacer will be flat on the board end, and match the fender angle on the other end.
red66toy
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- Thread starter
- #355
Yeah I thought about that one. I would go that route but since the fender is pushed out a bit, all the body side mounting holes do not line up. So I will definitely need to bend the fender in. I am going to try and make wood form based on an OEM fender and slowly bend the fender in with force and some light heat. Paint touch up is in my future.
If memory serves there are 3 sizes of shims ranging from 5mm to 15mm to make up for tolerances. Most I have seen are about 10mm thick at least.
I had these on my fst and it was one of my favorite features of early rigs. Well done!
Don’t mess with the fenders…oval out the mount holes on the steps. If you can?
