Build "Falcor" the 1984 FJ60

[77CruiserDog]

Installed the Trans/Xfer case bypass hose...
View attachment 2815762View attachment 2815763

Changed the fluid and switched over to the hex head drain plugs while I was at it.

This bypass hose that @shipmag offers here on Mud is a piece of art and far too nice for this turd bucket.

Also, just another bump on the amazing product and service from @shipmag. A few months ago I had my rig in an exhaust shop and the dude working on my rig thought he should tighten the bypass hose with the force of an ape, which of course ruined the sealing washer this piece of art uses. Shipmag went out of his way to send me two new washers as fast as he could. What a great experience! A huge shout out and thank you!!

 

[4runner2FJ60]

I replaced my clutch master and slave almost 2 years ago, the fluid never got as clear as yours, still dark. I put all new in but there must have been some left in the pipes. I also put a new hose on at the master. Any suggestions? Thanks for this thread and all the great pictures.

 

[77CruiserDog]

I replaced my clutch master and slave almost 2 years ago, the fluid never got as clear as yours, still dark. I put all new in but there must have been some left in the pipes. I also put a new hose on at the master. Any suggestions? Thanks for this thread and all the great pictures.

Hey 4runner2FJ60!

I just started at the top and worked my way to the bottom figuring that all of the old fluid would drain out and thus stay clean longer. I bench bled the master, removed the rubber hose which drained the metal tube coming from the master... then I installed the master, hose and the slave.

I considered using brake cleaner and compressed air to blow out the metal tube but thought that was overkill. I don't think dark fluid is a sign of any impending concern as long as the master and slave are not leaking and the hose is new, I'd say you're in good shape.

You could always either bleed the system again or simply use a turkey baster to remove the fluid from the master and refill it, drive and repeat a few times. Brake fluid is cheap enough to do that and not feel wasteful.

 

[77CruiserDog]

I had The Fit Garage here in Bend rebuild my knuckles, install some new calipers, pads, rotors and studs along with the wheel and trunnion bearings.

They did a wonderful job and I was very impressed with the shear number of cool Land Cruisers they had. The owner Alex walked me around the shop showing me what they were working on and when I picked it up it was nice to talk with the tech who actually worked on it.

I'm confident in having them do more work for me while I'm down here.

 

[77CruiserDog]

I had the tools to do this massive project while I was here though....

 

[77CruiserDog]

I also spun off and tossed the tiny little oil filter from my recent oil change at the dealer.

This one is considerably larger, therefore it must be better. I'll remember to request this filter in the future.

 

[MoaByte]

I also spun off and tossed the tiny little oil filter from my recent oil change at the dealer.

View attachment 2912488


This one is considerably larger, therefore it must be better. I'll remember to request this filter in the future.

I use the Napa Gold 5150 because it's big, and available here. It also fits the 20r in my pickup.

 

[77CruiserDog]

I use the Napa Gold 5150 because it's big, and available here. It also fits the 20r in my pickup.

Yeah I usually use the (edited) Wix 51515.... I'm curious what the differences are between the 5150. The 51515 is far larger than even this Toyota one above. However, there are unique features to the Toyota filter that the Napa (rebranded WIX if I'm not mistaken) doesn't have. I seem to remember @OGBeno wrote something many years ago about this. The Toyota filter, while smaller has some features that actually make it preferable compared to others.

However in that same thread I remember WIX being pointed out as an extremely high quality alternative to the OEM 90915-40002.

 

[77CruiserDog]

Found something cool on a quick excursion today.

 

[77CruiserDog]

If you take a moment to read the sign, it's evident this is a failure/swindling of grand proportions in the 1900's

I found a really cool video explaining it a bit better here.... W.A. Laidlaw and the Tumalo Dam - https://www.c-span.org/video/?318255-1/wa-laidlaw-tumalo-dam

I also bought beer for The Fit Garage as a thank you for the great work they did.

Beer and Land Cruisers make great pictures... so here you go.

 

[MoaByte]

Yeah I usually use the Napa Gold 1515.... I'm curious what the differences are between the 5150. The 1515 is far larger than even this Toyota one above. However, there are unique features to the Toyota filter that the Napa (rebranded WIX if I'm not mistaken) doesn't have. I seem to remember @OGBeno wrote something many years ago about this. The Toyota filter, while smaller has some features that actually make it preferable compared to others.

However in that same thread I remember WIX being pointed out as an extremely high quality alternative to the OEM 90915-40002.

I may have made a mistake . I'll get back to you on this.

 

[Hokie LX]

How’re those new driving lights @77CruiserDog?

 

[77CruiserDog]

How’re those new driving lights @77CruiserDog?

Hey there Hokie!!

I think they are fantastic.

I've used them a handful of times and they're ridiculously bright. I added these covers because I felt like the white light would reflect back in snow or fog harshly.... Amazon product ASIN B01MR7FPK5 And, simply to protect from rocks.

The light is not focused like a driving light or a spot/pencil beam. Instead they're sort of a ridiculously bright flood, which I expected based on my prior set. They are super big.... but they don't look out of place.

The hardware and mounts are very solid. They came in a box that had the lights really well packaged. At just over $95 for the pair, they were an open box Amazon Warehouse special. I think they're an incredible value.

My wife and I drove up to Bachelor the other evening to bed in my new front pads/rotors and we used them a lot. At the speeds we were going (maybe as fast as 80mph) in pitch black night they would shine well ahead of anything we needed to be worried about. Next time I'm out and about at night I'll get some light pattern shots... but here are a few shots that might help show their value. One with the cover removed which I estimate reduces the light by about 20%.

 

[77CruiserDog]

More adventures today

The picture above is the earthen dam they built for the failed Tumalo Reservoir. We also found the lava tube that ultimately drained the reservoir and according to a geologist would drain this reservoir multiple times over, thus making this dam damn useless.

 

[77CruiserDog]

5 the hard way -

I'm putting in an h55 5spd soon. At the same time I'll also be replacing the clutch kit, resurfacing the flywheel, rear main seal, oil pan gasket and all of the other stuff that comes along with it. I'm completely committed at this point because I already have the 5spd sticker to go on my existing shift knob in my cart at CityRacer. HA! Plus, let's be honest... we all wake up at night thinking of new things to do to our rigs.... okay, just me?

I have 3 optional ways to do this:

1) Do it myself, definitely feasible. I've done harder things, I have time, tools and the know how. Least expensive option. the only cost is $250 for a trans jack and incidentals.

2) Have Fit Garage here in Bend to do it. Easiest way, but also boring as hell and probably the most expensive option $2500ish + driveshaft mods/rebuilds. Takes them 2 days they say. I trust these guys and know they'd do a great job... but honestly, what's the fun in that?? (So far this option is in the lead)

3) Lift the body off myself, pull chassis out, pull engine/trans out, remove axles and everything else on frame, tackle c-channel job, media blast/powder coat the frame, install 5spd, clutch and so forth, bolt it all back together. This option will take more time but will accomplish far more, probably cost about $2500 additional over option #1. The plus is I'd get my c-channels taken care of and blast/powder coat the entire frame. The problem with this option is that I don't have an easy way to remove the body. I seem to remember seeing a build where the guy blocked the body with wood and rolled the chassis out underneath... this seems like the easiest way for me.

What are your thoughts? Am I just over complicating this? I don't mind the extra work of #3, especially if it helps preserve the chassis and if I had all of my parts on hand I'd be able to complete this in about 3 weeks I think. 2-3 days to pull body, 1-2 day to clean/strip chassis, 1 week at blast/powder, 1 week to put it all back together plus 4-5 days tossed in there for extra time.

Here's 3 pictures to show off the worst parts of my frame, the c-channel area... and then the last 2 are the average condition of the rest of my frame.

I'd like your educated thoughts....

If you have any methods to remove the body easily, let me know. Rental car hoist? Small fork lift?

If you think simply doing the 5spd job and calling it good for a few years is smart... awesome!

 

[4runner2FJ60]

No real suggestions but I did see the build thread you were talking about. I would love to do all that as well as I bought a rust free from the west and brought to the salty east. I'm collecting parts to do all of the above right now with new oil pan. I am on the H55 fence, but just read if your removing the 4 speed you should go ahead and install the h55.....its just money they say. I am still researching the extra steps on the 5 speed with an early 84. I hope if you go for #3 you post the progress.

 

[77CruiserDog]

No real suggestions but I did see the build thread you were talking about. I would love to do all that as well as I bought a rust free from the west and brought to the salty east. I'm collecting parts to do all of the above right now with new oil pan. I am on the H55 fence, but just read if your removing the 4 speed you should go ahead and install the h55.....its just money they say. I am still researching the extra steps on the 5 speed with an early 84. I hope if you go for #3 you post the progress.

Yep, I'll post pics of the process if I go that route. It's pretty much bolt in from what I understand. Georg from Valley Hybrids @orangefj45 talked with me for a while about the two big items that require some attention/modification. As I understand/remember it.....

1) There are two spots that need to be ground down in the bell housing to fit the 5spd. @wngrog recently points them out in post #29 from C Brown. Maybe he can chime in on anything else that needs to be modified.

2) Both driveshafts need to be modified. The rear needs to be shortened about 3" and the front needs to be lengthened about 3". The earlier front driveshaft out of an FJ40 without the double cardan joint is preferred due to the clearance between the cross member and the shaft after the 5spd is installed.

The transfer case shift linkage and the input gear also needs to be addressed. However, both of these will be addressed in what I order from Georg.

I may have some of this wrong... basing it off a conversation I had with Georg 4 months ago, but I'm pretty sure it's accurate.

One thing I definately remember from that conversation is that this rather involved mod is a game changer in terms of driveabilty. Everyone who has done it, wishes they'd done it long ago.

I'm doing it for 4 reasons. 1) My clutch needs to be replaced. 2) My RMS is leaking pretty bad. 3) My transfer case output bearing seems pretty loud on decel in 4wd. 4) 5th gear would be really nice and a lower 1st gear would be really nice.

 

[4runner2FJ60]

All great info, thank you. I have a pretty good rear main leak also, and known issue with the xcase-trans seal, been running the bipass hose about two years now. A lift in the garage would be nice!
I would love to get it from Georg , but have a feeling the shipping across the country would be insane right now.

 

[77CruiserDog]

All great info, thank you. I have a pretty good rear main leak also, and known issue with the xcase-trans seal, been running the bipass hose about two years now. A lift in the garage would be nice!
I would love to get it from Georg , but have a feeling the shipping across the country would be insane right now.

Yeah the shipping could be expensive but I wonder... maybe not. Never hurts to ask, right?

I'm planning on hitting the easy button and having them include a xfer case that's already been rebuilt so I can just plop it all in as one unit. Especially if I'm doing the frame. One less thing to mess with.

 

[LazarusTaxa]

3) Lift the body off myself, pull chassis out, pull engine/trans out, remove axles and everything else on frame, tackle c-channel job, media blast/powder coat the frame, install 5spd, clutch and so forth, bolt it all back together. This option will take more time but will accomplish far more, probably cost about $2500 additional over option #1. The plus is I'd get my c-channels taken care of and blast/powder coat the entire frame. The problem with this option is that I don't have an easy way to remove the body. I seem to remember seeing a build where the guy blocked the body with wood and rolled the chassis out underneath... this seems like the easiest way for me.

What are your thoughts? Am I just over complicating this? I don't mind the extra work of #3, especially if it helps preserve the chassis and if I had all of my parts on hand I'd be able to complete this in about 3 weeks I think. 2-3 days to pull body, 1-2 day to clean/strip chassis, 1 week at blast/powder, 1 week to put it all back together plus 4-5 days tossed in there for extra time.

I just chose option three and am finishing up the disassembly part of the process. See here. You're timeline seems a bit short, but I suppose limiting what components you disassemble, paint, and rebuild can have a big effect. I'm stripping EVERYTHING, powder coating everything, and replacing pretty much every bearing, seal, etc that's down there. I'm also stripping/refinishing the bottom of the body while I've got it off (hopefully), and re-gearing to 4.11s.

A couple of things to think about: 1) I ordered an H55F in NOV and was told that there was a huge backlog and that it would take 2+ months to get one.. It ended up only taking one month, but that's something to consider. 2) Are you doing this in Bend? Bc Commercial Powder is 2-3 weeks turnaround on a frame. Mine is there getting just blasted for now and they've had it for 2 weeks already.

I used an engine hoist to pull my body off and it worked OK.. Definitely not ideal, but it worked and didn't damage anything. You'll need to pull everything off the front (fenders, rad, etc) and need another set of hands to steady the body as you raise it and move the chassis out from under it. Oh, and of course, having room to do all of this is key. you need at LEAST two car spaces to do all this (one for body, one for chassis, and more to maneuver the chassis around).

LMK if you have any specific questions. Happy to help.