Builds Cruisermatt's FJ62 Build-up (3 Viewers)

[nvrfollow]

Put a bunch of weight on the tailgate to simulate the gas tank plus a little extra. Truck dropped an inch with this weight like this. Down fron 39” to 38” from ground to rear quarter lip . Tacked perches then pulled axle...

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SOA is really better because it gives you a place to put your coffee. The SUA cup holder would not work.

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Then it turned into a thousand degrees outside so rolled axle inside to work on it.

Bent up some brake lines (budget fake NiCu tube) and built some skids out of 3/8” for where the lines go under the springs. Didn’t want to run the lines over the springs.
I also moved the mount for the end of the caliper soft line from the brake backing plate to the tube. The ones on my backing plates are cut up, and this gives an overall much neater routing. And I have a few axles stacked up anyways so I pulled another pair of brackets from one of them.

Comparison of the original soft line mount and my new location:

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And overall lines with the skids installed. I still need to make some 2” block spacers to go between the skids and perchs to help prevent the skids from bending up and distorting the axle tube. You can’t really tell in the pic but the skids have 1” holes in them for the U-bolts to pass through.

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As it possible to tell from the pictures, I elected to keep m the pinion pretty flat (A few degrees up from 0, I prefer this) and continue to use a standard driveshaft, due to the offset of the 80 axle. Didn’t have any vibrations before when everything was in working order and the truck is really only 2-3” taller then it was on sagged out SUA.

Hey from page 63: Did you just weld nuts onto the top of he axle ot mount the brake line that way? Looks great

 

[cruisermatt]

Hey from page 63: Did you just weld nuts onto the top of he axle ot mount the brake line that way? Looks great

Yes I believe so if I remember right

 

[bluehawk]

You coming up to GSMTR this year Matt?

 

[cruisermatt]

You coming up to GSMTR this year Matt?

No unfortunately only the original dates worked for me

 

[cruisermatt]

I have been slacking on updates here. Not that I've really done a ton to the Cruiser other then drive it, a lot, but it's about to get some time in the shop for some love. Got a few small changes and some fixes planned.

 

[cruisermatt]

Dang I have gotten bad at updates here. I started my own Cruiser shop in March so time spent on my own Cruiser has been minimal, I'm sure some can relate. I'll try to remember all the small projects I've done over the last 8 months. It's mostly just been driving it though.

Lets see. One neat small project I did after killing another cheap reman LS pump was to figure out how to retrofit a steering pump from a late model Duramax/Camaro. I had to get a bit crafty and I'm not sure that this really made any huge improvement. I'm still not getting the assist I'd like, and it was squealing hard last time I had it in some rocks a few months ago. It may be time for hydroassist, different steering box, better pump, port the hydroboost, not really sure to be honest. I have a 60 box apart I'll finish rebuilding eventually and swap it on and see how it feels. You can read more about my pump adapting antics here: CBR Power Steering Pump options
Reading back through this I realize I actually swapped pumps twice this year.
Last week I also put a bigger cooler on so we'll see if that helps at all.

 

[cruisermatt]

My second attempt which is actually a lot more sketchy but for whatever reason doesn't leak like the the 1/2 NPT I tapped in the other pump

 

[cruisermatt]

Lets see... Back in February I completely rebuilt the exhaust. When I first did my engine swap I used some cheap block-hugger headers that fit really the engine bay really nicely, but i was always having issues burning plug wires on them , no matter what I'd do to prevent it. So I swapped those out for some LS3 manifolds and they fortunately fit everything without issue. I made a new Y-pipe that actually hugs everything tighter and I added a big muffler. It's a lot quieter now and runs perfectly. Haven't had another issue since. I even used OEM 60 series exhaust mount with the FJ62 bracket I still had leftover from when the truck was original.

 

[cruisermatt]

I also cut the mounts off both my rock sliders and redid them with 2x1/4" Sq tube and they are much stronger now. No pictures of this though.

So rewind back to maybe March. I had just quit my job, and started CruiserMatt's Offroad. I am still in college but didn't really need to take class this summer. Coronavirus was still something we were joking about because it was named after beer. I decided to not only register for GSMTR (the big STLCA wheeling event in Tennessee), but also for Rubithon, which was scheduled for the week after. Both events in the end of June. I would drive the Cruiser to Tennessee, wheel it for a week, and drive it cross country and run the Rubicon trail. The truck was somewhat ready for something like this, LS swap, overdrive, doubler, front and rear lockers, SOA, on board air, armor, the works. I just had to work on a few small projects like getting my new winch going, and some comfort and accessory type things. Well then Covid happened, both event's got delayed/cancelled, I got crazy busy working on local Cruisers, and didn't get a thing on my list done. I did go wheeling for the day once though

So rewind to about three weeks ago, work slowed down a bit, I have some time and money, and I decide to take a different big trip. And so I start getting to work on that list...

 

[SNLC]

Good to see proper motor mounts in there.

Cheers

 

[cruisermatt]

Good to see proper motor mounts in there.

Cheers

Thanks. They're 80 series RLCA bushings. They work great however I think they may be due for a replacement soon, the engine is looking like it's kind of sagged forwards/down in the engine bay. Need to investigate. They were unknown miles when I put them in, probably 250k, and probably not the correct rubber to withstand heat. My previous headers put the collector's right next to them

 

[SNLC]

You used old RLCA bushings? If so just change them, they do last a long time.

I usually used a vulcanized Chevy leaf spring bushing for it but I like you kept it Toyota.

Cheers

 

[cruisermatt]

like you kept it Toyota.

Only because they were rotting away in the back yard

I actually initially was going to use the whole axle upper link brackets from the 80 axle but it didn’t work out

 

[Bama4door]

So rewind to about three weeks ago, work slowed down a bit, I have some time and money, and I decide to take a different big trip. And so I start getting to work on that list...

Tease...

 

[cruisermatt]

So that list.
The big one was AC. I actually got my whole AC system completely done this time last year, got it charged, it worked for a day, and then blew out the o-ring in the expansion valve that I put in there by mistake. I got that fixed up and then me being the way I am never got it charged with R134 again. Well, I actually got it done last week, and it's working great so far! I also added a condenser fan, I think it's a radiator fan from a Hyundai Elantra, at the junkyard it looked like it mounted in front and was a pusher fan in the original placation but when i got to my shop and test I was wrong. So I just wired it backwards. It's a pusher fan now. You can also see my upgraded steering cooler (an old engine oil cooler off my dad's Jaguar that he discarded) hanging by zipties. I am tight on time. I am really happy with the AC working now. I should have done that last year.

You can also see the non-working M8000 I bought three years ago and only just now got around to installing an new motor and wiring. The winch line is actually the expensive Warn Spydura that a friend gave me so that's nice! I have been going to the junkyard a lot recently for a different project vehicle, all my heavy winch leads are battery cables from European cars with rear mounted batteries. A great source for high quality cheap heavy gauge wire.
The winch motor is the higher HP 9.5XP motor (Warn 68608). I got it new on Amazon for $150 under their "used" section because the packaging was dented. This was always my plan for this winch but I just never had the cash around for a new motor which is normally about $300. So I am into this entire winch for about $300.

 

[cruisermatt]

The next project was some insulation. I ordered 72 sqft of Killmat and Noico and did the middle and front floor, and all the doors and both rear 1/4's. I had done the cargo area a long time ago so I have some material left over. 72sqft should be a good amount if you are starting with nothing.
I haven't driven the truck more then 5 minutes yet with this so I am looking forwards to the difference. The doors have a much more solid thunk when closing.

I really like the way both products come in small sections instead of big rolls like the big name products I have used in the past on other vehicles. Much easier to work with in my opinion.

 

[cruisermatt]

Next up was some window tint. These trucks really are greenhouses. I had Xpel XR Prime put on, 88% heat rejection apparently. Looking forwards to the combination of tint, AC, and insulation contributing to a quieter and cooler ride. The AC shop and tint shop are both 5 minutes away from my shop and I haven't actually driven the 62 anywhere other then those places yet with the new additions.

You may also notice I actually have two intake tail lights for the first time in... in awhile. A rare sight.

 

[White Stripe]

Seems like you've got it to the point where it can just be driven for a while. What happened to your steel wheels?

 

[cruisermatt]

Seems like you've got it to the point where it can just be driven for a while. What happened to your steel wheels?

That's the idea!other then the exhaust I haven't actually done a thing to this truck other then drive it since January. My steel wheels have my mud terrains mounted on them and I just throw them on before I go wheeling so I don't tear them up daily driving. Earlier this year I was driving 5-600 miles a week in this truck, these days it's only maybe 20 miles a week though

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Notice a big difference with the floor sound deadening?