Builds Doc's 1978 FJ40 Rebuild (1 Viewer)

[White Stripe]

Looks really good! I never heard of the the grease trick to remove bearings. Pretty cool trick I will have to remember! I learned a few things during my limited time working on heavy equipment. Those guys typically know some really cool methods to service stuff that I never thought of.

 

[dfclimber]

Great build. Just read from the start. Enough of the cat pics, show one of that power wagon

 

[TractorDoc]

I know cats are not for everybody. . . sometimes its nice to have someone else to talk to in the shop though (besides the voices in my head).

You must mean Ol' Blue on the Power Wagon:

If dogs are more your thing that is Earl in the picture with me; he was a heeler/beagle mix and I couldnt ask for a better dog.

It was a toss up whether to go through the FJ40 or the old Dodge this winter. . . I figured the Land Cruiser could get me a little farther down the road than a tractor pickup that does not do much over 35/40mph. I actually fit in the FJ40 a little better also -- not much leg room in that Dodge cab. I know the truck does not look too bad in the pictures but there are some dents that need corrected, I have a disc brake conversion kit to install, new tires needed (locking ring rims -- not split ring -- but still not a job I am looking forward to), and a number of other little things that all add up. I know its not Toyota so Ill keep it brief. A lot of similarities though. . . both have inline six industrial engines, four speed manual transmissions, offset axle housings, steering knuckles that will need a rebuild -- the pickup has a divorced transfer case though.

I was wondering if anyone would pick up on the hood script in the brake line picture -- sometimes I like to put little teasers out there to see who is watching ! Good Eye!

 

[TractorDoc]

Back to Business.
Soooo, remember when I wrote the transmission is ok, just needs a cleaning and we are good to go. . . . ? Well, that was the thought until I had a bunch of water drain out of it. I could not go on without knowing what was brewing under/in the bearings on the output shaft. The only thing to do was start taking things apart.
The top cover(s), bearing covers, snap rings, etc. are all straight forward -- take out the bolts and a cover is off. Remove a snap ring and your bearing is "exposed." I have all the necessary tools for that. What I do not have is the special puller needed to pull the main roller bearings from the counter, input, and output shaft. I managed to get the counter shaft bearings out easy enough by making my own puller -- I ground down a couple nuts just enough so they would fit thru the "mouse holes" on either side of the bearing. There was enough left on the nut to grab the back of the bearing and pull it out with a simple steering wheel puller.

The Haynes manual states if you do not have the special puller you can use screwdrivers to pry the bearing out. . . I do not know what kind of screwdrivers they have over in England (Haynes published there) -- but they are not the same ones I have in my toolbox. No screwdriver was going to separate the bearing from both the transmission case and counter shaft in this case.
I was able to use a set of little pry bars to move the input shaft bearing out to remove the entire assembly. The prying may have worked in this case as I was removing the bearing and input shaft together from the case as a unit.

The real challenge was removing the bearing at the back of the case supporting the output shaft. I tried a similar puller setup using some long pieces of all thread with a tooth cut into the end -- no luck. The problem is in the length of the output shaft -- it is longer than any bolt or puller arm I had handy to work with a puller setup. In the end I put the snap ring back on the bearing and I used the large brass cylinder as a buffer and hit the output shaft towards the front of the transmission case to separate it from the bearing.

That gave me just enough room to use the brass punches to tap the bearing out from the inside.

From there everything came out as it was supposed to, giving me a chance to look over all the internals.

All and all things do not look too bad. I could have probably flushed everything out and gone with my original plan (of just cleaning things up) but now I will sleep better at night knowing what is on the inside. A new bearing kit is on the way from @cruiseroutift -- there is a little wear on the output shaft splines but nothing worse than many of the others I have seen posted in the archives. Hope to have things cleaned up and going back together next week.
Overall I was somewhat surprised at how simple the transmission components are -- there are no bearing pre-load settings or shims to worry about. Taking the transmission apart for a rebuild/new bearings can be intimidating to think about but thus far it does not seem too bad. . . would have been a lot more enjoyable with the correct puller though .

 

[TractorDoc]

While waiting for parts to arrive for the transmission rebuild I worked on engine aesthetics today.
I know Land Cruisers are tough, rugged, and reliable. . . but that does not mean they cannot look good. I picked up a small metal polishing kit from TP Tools; we have a bench mounted buffing wheel but I lost track of what buffing compounds we had (or where they were). I also needed the smaller buffs as I wanted to polish up the aluminum pieces on the engine.

As I started I noticed the intake manifold casting was fairly rough. . . so much so that just the buffing was not going to give much of a shine. I went over the manifold with some 80 grit and then 220 grit on the most visible areas. After that the polishing compounds brought out some sparkle. A little "overdone" in know, but what can I say. . . I like shiny things.

The valve cover was easier to work with as the aluminum was much smoother to begin with. I did go over some areas with the 220 grit just to get started but was metal soon started to brighten up (left side polished, right side not) with some beer to spare. Disclaimer: Your rate of beer consumption may vary.

Went thru the same routine with the thermostat housing, water pump, oil filter base, and as best I could fuel pump. Just for fun I test fitted everything on the engine to see how things looked.

I also blasted the exhaust manifold and gave it a couple coats of. . . wait for it. . . POR-15 High Temperature Paint, manifold gray color. Shock and awe, I know. I believe this is the last POR-15 variant of paint that I will be using so those tired of hearing about POR products can breathe easy from this point on.

I am pleased with the outcome. . . we will see how the finish(es) hold up. Still plenty of little things to work on including the clutch fork/install new throw out bearing, carburetor insulator, alternator and bracket, clutch inspection cover, starter, fan pulley and clutch, . . . you get the idea. I will try to cross some of those items off the list this weekend.

 

[Jdc1]

Looking great. There will be a bunch of OH 40s running around this summer. Stay Warm.

 

[TractorDoc]

Thanks Jdc1. Driving this summer is a goal at this point. . . the distance ventured out is another story though. My current plan is to have the truck mechanically operational (engine, trans, axles, brakes, etc.) by the summer and then try to get the fenders, bib, hood, windshield frame and tub painted/installed before the end of the year. One of the reasons I was so focused on getting the cowl done last year was to be able to install a lot of the little stuff (wiring, brake lines, brake booster, steering, etc.) yet this winter. Id like to give the truck a quick drive around the farm before even putting the tub on (I will have to come up with some sort of temporary seat arrangement) to make sure everything works, fits, and moves the way it is supposed to.
I doubt there will be any top installed until 2018, but if I am really lucky I might have an open top 40 that I can drive out to Akron on a warm day in October -- Ill buy you lunch and a beer at Melt or some other good eatin' place out that way if you want to meet up!

 

[Jdc1]

Thanks Jdc1. Driving this summer is a goal at this point. . . the distance ventured out is another story though. My current plan is to have the truck mechanically operational (engine, trans, axles, brakes, etc.) by the summer and then try to get the fenders, bib, hood, windshield frame and tub painted/installed before the end of the year. One of the reasons I was so focused on getting the cowl done last year was to be able to install a lot of the little stuff (wiring, brake lines, brake booster, steering, etc.) yet this winter. Id like to give the truck a quick drive around the farm before even putting the tub on (I will have to come up with some sort of temporary seat arrangement) to make sure everything works, fits, and moves the way it is supposed to.
I doubt there will be any top installed until 2018, but if I am really lucky I might have an open top 40 that I can drive out to Akron on a warm day in October -- Ill buy you lunch and a beer at Melt or some other good eatin' place out that way if you want to meet up!

Sounds pretty similar to our plan. We are trying to get the tub into color and then finish up mechanicals and wiring while the painters finish some of their other projects. I'd like to have most of the truck done by mid to late summer. We'll see how that goes.

 

[TractorDoc]

You will be there before you know it Jdc1. It looks like you have a lot of the foundation ready to go; you just need to finish up on some of the pretty stuff. I can see why a lot of folks lose interest after tearing everything apart and putting some of the drive train together. The FJ40 as a whole is a very simple design but all the little parts overwhelm you at times. Costs add up fast and just when you see daylight after getting your mechanical components figured out the rust monster/metal work come into play. . . its almost like starting all over again!

I had another free day today but Dad decided one of the coldest days of the year was a good day to cut/stock up on more firewood. We still have a good pile at this point for the outdoor wood burner. . . but one of rules of firewood is when you think you have enough you better go out and get more. Id rather be out when the ground is somewhat frozen like today even though its cold -- supposed to warm up into the 40's next week and everything will be mud.

I did manage to clean up the transmission parts and have them ready for when the new bearings/synchros arrive. Some gear teeth are less than perfect but they should be more than functional for my needs. If you look at the output shaft you can see the shiny area where the transfer case gear rides. . . I've read thru the archives how they normally wear there. There is still plenty of tooth on the shaft and it will probably out last me.

I know I am probably putting the cart before the horse but I could not resist installing some new parts on the back. New taillights on cleaned/painted brackets, new bumperettes, and a chance to use more of @davework 's stainless hardware. While I like the look of the round tail lights I was not really a fan of the smaller reflectors installed next to them on the 1972 models. Instead I put a couple of small clear lamps that I will hook up to the backing light wiring. The PO drilled a bunch of holes in these areas and the clear lamps fit nicely -- I also like the fact that they are circular and have a chrome trim ring -- similar enough to "match" the tail lights.

I still need to pickup and add a receiver hitch and possibly a rear step; I probably also need to add a reinforcement plate on the inside where the hitch will bolt up to add a little more strength.

A long way from the finish line but its nice to see parts that will be visible on the outside of the truck when it is done. It will also be easier to install @Coolerman 's rear wiring harness without the tub on anyway.
I have a large pile of parts to clean up in the blasting cabinet. . . that will take up a lot of time going forward into next week. . . at least we have plenty of wood to keep things warm!

 

[TractorDoc]

I have been reading a lot of posts in the archives and on the discussion board about clutch installation and whether or not the disc was put in correctly. I remember looking at the pictures in the service manual. . . checked and double checked as I made the install. . . but after reading all the other posts I wanted to make sure I had it right. The clutch kit came with the small plastic alignment tool; once I had the pressure place tightened down I was still able to install/remove the installation tool but it was a snug fit into the pilot bearing. I tried using the input shaft as the alignment tool (with the pressure plate already tightened down after pulling the kit provided tool) while I had it out of the transmission. . . it fit in the splines of the clutch disc fine but did not want to slide into the pilot bearing easily.
I fine tuned everything by installing the clutch fork and throw out bearing and then used a ratchet strap as my clutch pedal to release the pressure plate and free the clutch disc. At that point I was able to easily install the input shaft and spin my clutch disc. . . confirming that the disc had been installed correctly (the disc should not spin if it was installed backwards). I released the strap with the input shaft in place having re-centered the clutch disc slightly so now the input shaft slides in easily.

With that peace of mind I focused on a couple other engine components: the starter and alternator. Took some before pictures -- salt, rust, and weather have taken their toll over the years.

Temperatures today were in the low 50's so I used my little soda blaster outside to clean up both components. I also used wire brushes, electrical cleaner, some disassembly, tape, and paint to clean them up and make them worthy to be reinstalled.

The "silver" is Seymour's Alumi-Blast rattle cans. Tried my best to mask off/save the ID labels. The gold on the alternator is a far cry from plating but it is what I had available in the paint cabinet. I still need to clean up the terminal nuts on the starter and I installed the rear cover nuts incorrectly on the back of the alternator when the picture was taken but that is easily corrected.

Parts cleaning and preparation is ongoing. I am working on a number of the little pieces while I wait for the transmission pieces to arrive. I have the transfer case rebuild kit but I want to finish the transmission before I tear the transfer apart so I do not mix all the pieces together. I also gathered up pieces of the old fuel line, heater hose, vacuum hose, belt, etc. to take to the auto parts store to acquire new versions of each. Good progress today. . . hopefully I will be as productive thru the weekend.

 

[tucker74]

Looking great man, I'm interested to see how the POR15 high temp paint works out for you. I love the regular stuff on the frame etc, but when I used the header paint it burned off quickly I went back to just hi-temp engine paint after that ....

Tucker

 

[TractorDoc]

Thanks Tucker.
Trying the POR-15 High Temp for the first time so we will see what happens. Worst case scenario it burns off and looks like most in-use exhaust manifolds. I have had some tractor manifolds porcelain coated in the past but was not sure if that could/should be done to the 2F manifold due to the multiple piece design and alignment issues that need addressed with the intake manifold.
I'm ok with it either way. . . sometimes you just do not know how things will work until you try them. It looks decent now so I will try to take a bunch of "before" pictures!

 

[TractorDoc]

@tucker74 -- I forgot to add in my last post that if the Heat Resistant POR-15 on the Exhaust Manifold fails I might try some Calyx Manifold Dressing. Again, something I have not used before but supposedly you can apply it to the manifold on the engine (suggested with a gloved finger or toothbrush) and at operating temperature the natural cast iron look "comes back." Maybe too good to be true, but would be worth a shot without taking everything back apart.

On a side note, is there anything better than clean, blasted parts?

To answer my own question, Yes. Clean, blasted, and painted parts are better.

Only to perhaps be surpassed by clean, new OEM Parts!

I was near enough to the town with my closest Toyota dealer that I stopped in to see about ordering some parts. Now in general I know most places I walk into are not going to be thrilled about me wanting to order parts for a 40ish year old vehicle. . . especially when the fella behind the counter is 20ish. When ordering 50 year old tractor parts I found the counter man/woman was much more receptive to me when I came in with a list of part numbers that I knew were current and in the system. After a year or so I was able to work up a good enough relationship with the Deere counter man that he recognized me when I called and was more than happy to take my order.
I used the same approach with the Toyota parts -- I spent some time here on the archives and online looking up the numbers for several parts I needed/wanted that were best bought thru the dealer. I took my list to the counter man only to hear "we probably wont have any of those parts available" when I told him they were for a 1978 FJ40. (The list I gave him had the radiator, transmission synchros, cowl mounts, and clutch fork boot/plug on it -- all the other pieces came from @Racer65 and @cruiseroutfit , so the picture is staged a little!)
In my best upbeat attitude I bet the counterman that I would buy him lunch if any of my numbers were not in his system, but he would have to give me a discount if all were available. Apparently he was hungry as he accepted my challenge only to find out what I already knew -- all the parts were available. I was able to get a good discount on the five items I wanted -- well below Toyota suggested price but above Toyota cost enough that they will hopefully take my order again the next time I come back. I also tipped the counter man an extra $20 for humoring me and he already knew me by name when I went to pick the parts up today. He looked into what an FJ40 was/is and was asking me all kinds of questions about it. . . perhaps another new convert for the future.

Anyway, with the synchros in hand and the new bearings in I should be able to reassemble the transmission as time permits this weekend. I am sure I will have many more pictures to follow.

 

[Racer65]

Doc, your starter looks mint, but I suggest you switch to a gear reduction starter. Here's a relevant thread.

 

[TractorDoc]

Just when I think I have acquired most of the new parts I need. . . something gooder that I want is brought to my attention ! The gear reduction starter will get a close look as I move along; as soon as the transmission and transfer case are back together I may be bolting one of those up to the engine. Luckily the starter is an easy in/out exchange -- they will probably wonder why I sent them such a nice core! Thanks for the suggestion @Racer65 -- need to order a few more things from you as well so Ill be sending you some business soon .

 

[FJ40Jim]

Being in northern Ohio, it might be better to keep the '78 starter which still has the ballast bypass terminal for cold weather starting.

 

[TractorDoc]

Yet another great point about a topic that is outside my realm of experience/knowledge. Thanks @FJ40Jim At this time the original starter will stay due to the fact that it works fine, it looks good, and it will help with the budget (if there really are such things when rebuilding a 40).

Right now I am spending more time in front of the computer vs. being at the shop on my day off because I have some carry over from yesterday -- waiting to see if I have to take a dog to surgery that ate some inappropriate material that will not come out the old fashioned way!

 

[TractorDoc]

Another good day for firewood today. . . cold enough that the ground is frozen but no snow to cover the wood you are trying to cut and pickup. Firewood is a young man's game -- the novelty of cutting and burning wood from your own property quickly wears out when your stockpile constantly runs low.
For the record I did not get anything in the shop done yesterday -- ended up having to stay for the dog surgery. It ate some kind of string toy -- string is some of the worst stuff to get stuck in the gastrointestinal tract. A lot of times the majority of "stuff" stays in the stomach but sometimes small portions get passed to the intestines. Individual pieces of string connect the parts that have passed to the pieces remaining in the stomach and act like a saw to cut thru the bowel from the inside. Long story short after a couple hours we were able to get all the foreign pieces out and the pup is looking good this morning.

After firewood I did get into the shop to start on some transmission assembly. Started by laying out everything on the bench so I would not be looking for lost parts.

I started putting pieces back on the output shaft -- following the instructions in the service manual. There are a lot of times where I just try to wing it and put things back the way I took them apart but I wanted to make sure I did it by the book this time. Does anyone see anything wrong with this first picture?

Continued with assembly of the output shaft but found that things were not fitting quite as they should when installing the first gear/reverse synchro.

I went back to the Toyota manual to make sure I had placed everything on the shaft correctly. The manual simply says install parts in numerical order. . . the orientation of gear "#2" matches the orientation I have on the output shaft, right?

When I checked the Haynes manual though gear "#27" is flipped around in the opposite direction. That was my problem. Took everything back off and put the gear on in the correct orientation. Good thing I had both manuals to compare to each other or Id be scratching my head for quite awhile longer.

Another post coming . . . as usual out of picture room.

 

[TractorDoc]

Picture of the output shaft with the gears in the proper position. Also put the new bearing on the input shaft and have the counter shaft ready to go.

Set the countershaft down in the bottom of the transmission case. I did not remove the reverse gear as it slid fine on the shaft with no signs of wear to the bushings and I did not want to go thru the trouble of reestablishing the correct position of the gear slider.

Then inserted the output shaft. . . only a tiny bit tricky to maneuver it down into the case while preventing all the gears from sliding back off.

To install the counter shaft bearing I flipped the transmission case up on the front face while using a socket wrench (3/8" drive Craftsman for reference) to act as a barrier to keep the output shaft from dropping down into the input shaft hole. I used a long piece of pipe and some gentle tapping with a brass hammer to install the bearing both on the output shaft and in the transmission case at the same time.

The result is the output shaft installed in the transmission. It was a lot easier to put in than it was to take out!

One more post to come. . .

 

[Jdc1]

Another good day for firewood today. . . cold enough that the ground is frozen but no snow to cover the wood you are trying to cut and pickup. Firewood is a young man's game -- the novelty of cutting and burning wood from your own property quickly wears out when your stockpile constantly runs low.
For the record I did not get anything in the shop done yesterday -- ended up having to stay for the dog surgery. It ate some kind of string toy -- string is some of the worst stuff to get stuck in the gastrointestinal tract. A lot of times the majority of "stuff" stays in the stomach but sometimes small portions get passed to the intestines. Individual pieces of string connect the parts that have passed to the pieces remaining in the stomach and act like a saw to cut thru the bowel from the inside. Long story short after a couple hours we were able to get all the foreign pieces out and the pup is looking good this morning.

After firewood I did get into the shop to start on some transmission assembly. Started by laying out everything on the bench so I would not be looking for lost parts.
View attachment 1382206
I started putting pieces back on the output shaft -- following the instructions in the service manual. There are a lot of times where I just try to wing it and put things back the way I took them apart but I wanted to make sure I did it by the book this time. Does anyone see anything wrong with this first picture?
View attachment 1382207
Continued with assembly of the output shaft but found that things were not fitting quite as they should when installing the first gear/reverse synchro.
View attachment 1382209
I went back to the Toyota manual to make sure I had placed everything on the shaft correctly. The manual simply says install parts in numerical order. . . the orientation of gear "#2" matches the orientation I have on the output shaft, right?
View attachment 1382210
When I checked the Haynes manual though gear "#27" is flipped around in the opposite direction. That was my problem. Took everything back off and put the gear on in the correct orientation. Good thing I had both manuals to compare to each other or Id be scratching my head for quite awhile longer.
View attachment 1382211
Another post coming . . . as usual out of picture room.

It was a great day for firewood. I split for about an hour. We had one of our furnaces replaced last year and I don't burn like I used to. At one point i had 20 full (real) cords cut, split and stacked. I have a forced air wood furnace in the basement and a regular woodstove on the first floor. I can heat about 3k sq. ft. with 100% wood if needed no matter how cold.

The 40s looking great.