F(Z)J80 v8 (1 Viewer)

[SNLC]

I wanted to wait to see how this one played out before I reported on it more. The FrontRunner grill kind of let me down on the trip. It came with a sharp edge all the way around the outside edge. I didn't take the time to grind it down before I left. This sharp edge started cutting the straps on the Howling Moon trash bag, to stop that we had to always keep a close eye on the trash bag and how it was mounted. The next thing was one of the legs busted off so we had to improvise with a rock. I sent FrontRunner an email explaining the issues. Well, they sent me a brand new grill, no questions asked and no cost to me. Now that is some excellent customer service! I am happy and will buy from them again.

Take note vendors, in a situation like this, you can lose or retain a customer.

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Gave the truck a good solid wash today, now just for the interior. Unfortunately the boiler in the shop is giving me some dramas and not firing so cold in the shop right now which means I am in no hurry to get out there and work. That should be fixed early next week though, tech showing up to service the boiler.


I will finish off my pics and info on the overland build. Picking this up where I left off before I went to Baja.


So the Cruiser is at 1.1* from level when basically not loaded. IE, no passenger, no dog, no water, no gear, no food, and no extra fuel. Just 1/2 tank in the fuel tank. Now if I can only get it to sit like this loaded!

Here is more on the platform in the back. Eventually I will carpet itbut not until I am 100% satisfied with it and don't want to make any mods to it.

Easy access and right now just some spare parts, tools, fluids and my high lift inside it.

I left access holes here and there on it on purpose. Works nice to stuff items in there or reach up in and grab something when things are stacked on top of it.

High lift is just how I like it and out of my way. I can also reach in from the back along side the high lift to stuff things in there or pull something out without needing to open the chest.

tailgate up

tailgate down

shelf pulled out, hardly used it in Baja. Braven bluetooth/iPod player on the shelf. I can run that off power ports or off my solar panel.

back of chest open, obviously it is split into two parts lid wise.

This simple piece of scrap wood is all I need to keep it open. Works perfect.

Cig lighter and USB power ports. Switch on right is for the Vision X camp light.

Baja Designs camp lighting, the mounts allow them to be swiveled around. For now I will leave them as is.

Vision X LED mounted on the Quickfist.

Works perfect in a variety of locations

The mass of wiring headed to the back of the truck where both batteries are located

TBC

 

[SNLC]

Yup this is a mess! I did it fast though before the trip. Will go through it all and clean up. Odyssey 1700 for main and 1200 for aux.

Wiring as it comes down from the engine bay, starter wire is on the right. I ran all these through the inner fender.

maybe doesn't look like it but it is all secure, you can see one of the wire clamps upper left of the picture securing the harness.

Where it enters the cab by the rear RHS seat. Silicone is crude but gets the job done.

Terminal box in the engine bay, ya the is my charcoal canister wire tied to it. I want ot re-do the terminal box and re-locate the charcoal canister.

I forgot to mention, I picked up some Weathertech floor mats before the trip. Here they are dirty, doing their job. I like them!

The UMP air box, all done and mounted up. Works really good. I havenot even checked it yet since the Baja trip where I found lot's of dust but I am betting it is hardly dirty at all.

I got the mount on a nice line with the hood, after a few tires!

My own plumbing set up which retains the MAF

Here is where I mounted the NL battery monitor and my Scangauge. Low Range Off-Road locker switches can also be seen.

From day one of getting this truck my RHS mirror was shaky. I used the wire tie method found on Mud to fix it. Works great and I could trim these back a bit if I cared.

Lame friggin' Advanced Adapters motor mount. This one is getting trashed. Which I think caused me another prob on the trip...

that being, I think the motor moved a bit under a big load on the trip and came into the shroud. I don't recall it missing this section on the RHS. My guess is motor moved a bit under a big torque load and chewed up the shroud. I will have to check some older pics to try and verify this. In case you don't have experience with the AA motor mounts. They are junk and don't last very long.

I don't even think you can tell where I cut & turned it. No signs whatsoever of cracked welds or weakness or failure. And trust me I tested it hard in Baja.

My mount on the frame side for the King damper. I slapped this together real fast but it works. Would probably be better flipped 90* like the stock mount is, may do just that in the future. For now this works fine and gives me zero probs.

Front end all done and happy. Very well tested now with 3500 miles on it after all my work. No worries at all for me and I am stoked on it.

That be it for now folks.

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Alrighty, more monolog time!

Build of 2014 on the truck done deal. Gear tested on 3-week trip to Baja. Bigger trips in mind in the future. What do I want to do to this truck in 2015?

-5.3L v8 or 6.0L or even a 6.2L! Not going to happen in 2015 unless I make a big pile of money or the 5.7L dies. Someday though...

-Might have to do some fan shroud work if it likes to get hot now in the sand or whatever. I did get it hot once in Baja, guessing after fan ate some shroud, hit 224* running up the beach, soft sand, 8psi, fully loaded to 6750-7000lbs at 40mph. Saint Anthony will do that to it too is my guess, so if it does, shroud work needed.

-I got brand new AA motor mounts. It is the quick fix but nothing else. If the old 5.7L keeps running as good as it does now I may make new motor mounts late in the year. In the meantime I will toss in the new AA mounts.

-Have not had a cover on my bellhousing all along. Will source one soon, might know a buddy who has one sitting on the ground next to his 97 Tahoe, that = free!

-Fix and re-do some of the wring, in particular the terminal block.

-Possibly replace the King 8" damper with something in the 8.5-9" range. I think I am only getting 85-90% full lock one direction because of it. Can use the King (I think) on another project in the works.

-Re-work rear suspension. This may involve new coil springs (thinking HD Slee's at this point) maybe some King 2.5's and put in a panhard adjuster that has been laying around 6 months. Going to do everything I can to stay away from air bags. Might also change out my front springs at the same time as they are 10yrs old.

-Carpet my chest/sleeping platform. I am thinking about dumping the rear seat all together and making the truck a 2-seater. Just hate to do that on the odd chance I want to do a trip with 2 passengers in the next 5-10yrs. However, in my Taco I had what I called "the Buddy box", Buddy is my dogs name. It is an elevated spot for him to ride, which he likes and below that is a fair sized storage area. I sure would not mind having more storage in the truck. It would also help balance out the load as right now when fully loaded it is certainly heavier on the drivers side.

-New rear bumper. Nothing wrong with the one I got I am just after something special here. This I think I will have custom made by CBI Off-road in Idaho. They have done a lot for me in the past and I actually talked to them about doing a custom rear bumper on my Cruiser but at the time cost was to much for me. Again, after very specific stuff here and it will be one off.

-Modify or re-make the ARB awning mounts. As mentioned before, I need to flip it 90* to take advantage of the top support bars. Will do this before my next trip or before summer camping starts.

-re-work and re-do entire exhaust system. Only if I can do it cheap as this engine is not worth $1000+ to me in exhaust. I can get a 5.3L for nearly that much! Really not into the exhaust I have now though, if I can figure something out cheap style I am doing it.

-New better longer cord on my Vision X camp light. Want it to be able to reach the engine bay. I did it fast only hours before the trip so it is kind of temp.

-Shave pan on trans so I can run a DC front shaft. I had to have the front shaft rebuilt right before I left, had lot's of slop in it. The vibes now in 4wd at speed are much less but still there. DC the only real way to fix it. Don't want to spend much money here yet though since wanting to upgrade the v8 in the future. But it is on the list.

-Vinyl floor all the way around. I had it in my 60 and like the vinyl floor. My carpet is old too, 24yrs.

-Get a 2nd ProCar seat for the passenger. No rush though as it is just the passenger!

-Typical stuff that breaks during use and needs repair. Right now I got no low beams and need to fix that.

-New 17" wheels and 37" rubber. Over the years I have found very few 35's actually measure 35" once on the truck. I am sure the same applies for 37's. My current 35's are showing 33.5" which I do not like so much. So going up to 37's is in the plan. I went 15's and 35's due to cost before but all along have wanted 17's and 37's. With this comes a can of worms....

-re-gear and buff up axles as needed once the 37's go on. None of this is priority at all and may not happen this year. But with it will also come a de-flare. I need side protection though as rocks in my tires is a daily thing. If I go to 37's I may get myself a new front housing or even a custom housing like a RS and or do the C&T over again to suit the 37's. Currently have 3* bushing in the radius arms and would not mind going back to OEM bushings. Not sure it can be rotated that much though even with the y-link. Or perhaps I just need to raise the panhard axle side like mentioned pre-trip, that would allow for more rotation, blah blah blah. Oh ya the cans o 'worms!

-side bars with some cheapo garden edging type martial to form a "flare". Both front and rear wheel arches tieing into my step sliders. A bonus is it gives me a place to step when accessing the roof. 1.5" or 2" .25" wall DOM should do the trick. Rubber home made flare simply screwed to the top or bottom of it to stop the rocks o' flying.

-new struts for back lift gate and hood. Mine are all going down.

-Screens on my back sliding windows. To keep them from blowing out I may have to do something more.

-Gear loft in the back cargo area. Just a simple net stretched up in a clean smart fashion for light weight gear.

-Back up light switch. I got the kit just have not put it in yet. Need to customize the bracket a bit and then wire it up is all. I am also maybe going to add a few more lights but nothing crazy, just a spotty or two front and back. I have had front spot lights that point outwards and I like that for game on the road at night. So that is probably in the plan.

-Extend all my breathers. Only deep forded the truck once but did get water in my diffs from it. Rest need to come up too for the once in 10yr deep fording.

-Aux. fuel tank where the stock spare mounts. At least 10 gallon but maybe as large as 15-20gal. This will take my truck to the range I desire without the need to carry cans.

-tint on front windows. I like tint. Don't like it only on half of the truck. No laws on tint here in Wyoming. Had dark tint on my Taco, drove it to Panama x2 and all over the west coast. never got pulled over in it once for tint. So I am getting the front windows tinted, fairly dark.

That is most of it. And that is likely not even going to all happen this year, more like a longer term list. How I want the truck before I call it a done deal, in other words. See what I can get done this year though.

More than anything, I just want to take it out on trips and use it plus enjoy the hell out it! Plan to do the Morrison Jeep trail late summer. Would like to hit Moab once this year and a buddy has a trip to a trail called Hole in the Wall planned in a few months. Not to mention as many local trips as I can cram in.

Cheers

 

[Krazytoy]

More than anything, I just want to take it out on trips and use it plus enjoy the hell out it! Would like to hit Moab once this year and a buddy has a trip to a trail called Hole in the Wall planned in a few months. Not to mention as many local trips as I can cram in.

This is the only thing I read in that novel...

 

[SNLC]

This is the only thing I read in that novel...

Because we are bros......

 

[SNLC]

Just sold my 88 FJ62 today. Buying some Slee coils later this afternoon. Stoked!

Cheers

 

[jeffro109]

So what's the issue with your current V8 as you say it is running good? Just want (need??) more power?


whatever happened to that tricked out Nissan diesel?

 

[SNLC]

So what's the issue with your current V8 as you say it is running good? Just want (need??) more power?


whatever happened to that tricked out Nissan diesel?

Only issues with the 5.7L vortec is the exhaust is super lame and leaks. Ya know, probably $1000 to fix it. Being this is an old 97 vortec doesn't seem worth the $1000 when a 5.3L can be had for not much more.

The super pimp diesel is soon to roar again! I did think about putting it in my 80 but only for a hot minute. Going to put it where it belongs, in my 83 Patrol. Recently got the last pieces of the puzzle for it. That being a Scout diesel (SD33T) engine plate, flywheel and bell housing. Just test fit it the other day to the NV4500 and the Patrol SD33T. I bought an adapter kit for it back in like 2009, finally got the chance to test fit it all. I am golden! Super stoked, all I need is a clutch and it can all be mated together. Dropping it all in my 83 Patrol and making that truck live again.

Cheers

 

[GW Nugget]

Will you give us a link to your patrol build thread? I saw it awhile back but can't find it.

 

[SNLC]

Will you give us a link to your patrol build thread? I saw it awhile back but can't find it.

Ya, don't think I have a good up to date thread going, most are lacking pics. Pic album on FB is public though and the best thread is probably on Patrol4x4. Some pics of it wheeling in Arizona on the Patrol4x4 forum, old thread started 7yrs ago. Few videos of it on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/user/PortalPatrol/videos?view_as=public
https://www.facebook.com/westmoreland.ian/media_set?set=a.1336986682670.34299.1771228273&type=1
http://www.patrol4x4.com/forum/members-rides-19/usa-1983-mq-patrol-18297/

It is a mean machine and one of very few 160-series Patrols in the states. I am very excited to make it live again.

Cheers

 

[GW Nugget]

I don't want to derail this thread, but you guys have to watch the youtube vid.
Freaking amazing.
Now I know why you don't wheel the 80.

 

[SNLC]

Have not had a good chance to check things out clearance wise since I did all the work to the front end, new shocks, steering, ect. So yesterday a backyard flex test was in order.

Took measurements and made sure everything is good. Next week the Slee coils are going in and I will flex it up again after wards and check it again. Mostly this all has to do with shocks.
Cheers

 

[SNLC]

I don't want to derail this thread, but you guys have to watch the youtube vid.
Freaking amazing.
Now I know why you don't wheel the 80.

Thanks man. I do wheel the 80 though just not places it will get smashed. The Patrol is sick but it is a trailer queen. Have not had it above 50mph since the last round of build. Can't even imagine driving it the 8hrs from me to Moab, hell that would take 20hrs in the Patrol! I have had the truck 12yrs so far and it looks like it will be 15yrs by the time it is 100% done and how I want it. Out of all my projects (4 of them) the PortalPatrol is definitely my redheaded step child!

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Just bought a 2nd hand 80 housing. I have been debating for awhile now on what I want to do to my front end. Caster is already solved and so is steering. However, I want to try and solve my pinion angle issues, the best I can anyways. If you have followed the thread you know I can't run a front DC shaft. To run a DC shaft I would either have to shave the trans pan which may or may not work or change the trans out entirerly to say a 4L80e. Really do not care to do either and since I am part time 4wd pinion angle and vibes is not 24/7. On top of this with 4" of lift it does rotate the axle a bit. Like all 4" lifted Cruisers this makes my coil springs sit in there a bit bowed. There is some other things about the front end I would like to improve too like panhard mount.

I been debating on going to a 9.5" front diff, I was thinking rear e-locker from an 80. After a good conversation this after noon with a buddy who knows more than me, I decided to stick with the 8" front. I simply do not think I need the strength of the 9.5" and I certainly don't need the expense of buying either an e-locker 3rd or going with ARB's plus all the other junk I would need.

So now with a solid direction in mind here is what I will do to the front end. RuffStuff housing, re-use my 8" HP 3rd with e-locker. Cut knuckle balls off 2nd hand housing, weld them on the RS housing. While doing that set pinion angle and caster. New coil buckets on the axle, with coil retainers. Change the shock mounts to an eye on the axle side. Raise panhard mount on axle side. Keep radius arms but make new mounts axle side that are burely strong. I think I am also going to look at getting the shock mount frame side to an eye. I just do not like pin shocks, having an eye opens up more options for shocks to me and will eliminate binding on the shock due to pin mounts. Don't plan to change anything else, do not feel the need for different gears right now or better axle shafts. May do ARP studs and hub guts though.

Just need to buy the RS housing, rest of the stuff is all here already, IE fab brackets. Probably looking at a few months before housing in hand and I am setting it all up.

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Slee 4" coils went in last night. Wow these are awesome springs!


OME 863J on the left and Slee 4HDP on the right

Stock, OME, Slee

fronts, OME vs Slee

I gained nearly 1.5" in the rear over the relatively new OME 863J. In the front the truck remained about the same but I removed the 2" MT spacers. I retained the 1" Slee spacers in the rear. Truck now has a bit of stink bug. I may remove the 1" spacer in the rear or add a 1" spacer to the front to level it out a bit. Putting the 2" spacer back in the front looks like to much up front, taking tons of measurement sin the last 24hrs. Now where it really helped is to level the truck side to side. Seems I had some Cruiser lean going on. Kind of knew I had it but didn't know how bad. Well it was pretty bad. 1.5* from level side to side. Over 1" difference side to side, it was more pronounced in the front. Now with the new Slee coils, the truck is pretty level side to side. Only off by .2* and less than 1/4".

So I left out the sway bars and took it for a drive after putting in the new coils, last night. Wow these are sweet coils, love them already! The truck is better in front, even with the sway bar out. It was pretty mushy in front before with the old OME. The rear feels about the same albeit a bit firmer. Very curious to see how the truck sits, rides and handles loaded up with lot's of weight.

So I am stoked! Should have bought these Slee coils awhile ago. And I am now sold on them, no more OME for me!

Just drove the truck more today. Love it! My old OME fronts were very mushy, like driving on slinky's. Way happy with these Slee coils. Probably put the sway bars back in but for at least a little while going to run around without them. Rear is certainly stiff, more so than with the 863's. Going to have to toss a bunch of weight in the truck and test it out before I decide if I will lower the rear or raise the front or leave it alone.

The Slee coils are right up there with best things I have done to the truck to date.

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Well, motor blew up in one of my work trucks yesterday. I shouldn't say blew up, it just has a very bad knock. It is the old 350tbi in the work truck. Last night I start looking around for a replacement or what it will cost to rebuild. Get a long block GM 350 crate motor for about $1800. Then just like an hour ago I am talking to a bro of mine and he says, why not put the 5.7L in the work truck from the Cruiser and buy yourself that 5.3L you been wanting. All I could say was, ya that is a good idea, I should have thought of that, think I will do just that!



Cheers

 

[GW Nugget]

Sounds like a plan to me...

 

[SNLC]

Busy these days. Not a lot of time for the Cruiser. Took it out a few weeks ago though for a fun Sunday drive. Our trails here don't open up until May 1st, we were the first truck on these trails for the year. Trails super muddy from snow melt and we have had lot's of rain this spring. I am not a fan of mud but I needed a day off pavement.

Today is rainy too. Think I will head out into the shop and wax the Cruiser!

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Playing hard is a risk. When you go to the limits sooner or later something may happen.

Bad bad turn of events last night at the sand dunes in Saint Anthony, Idaho. What I consider to be the most difficult line out there that I have run got me last night. Rolled my truck 1 1/4 times. The body is totaled, wasted beyond repair. Mechanically it is still good. I drove it home this morning 70 miles with no windshield pulling a trailer up over the rockies. No real issues mechanically, the chassis didn't take a hit. But the body is totally gone.

Have not made up my mind what to do, I may scrap/harvest it for parts or I may try to find a good body to swap on it. Undecided right now....


The good news is nobody was hurt, we had the truck back on it's wheels and running in a couple hours. I drove it out of the dunes.

Cheers