Builds fj60 going to EV FJ45 (2 Viewers)

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More thoughts on spring rates.

So, I have 9" of squat to get to ride height. I'm at about 600 lbs per tire front and rear. if I add 250 lbs for gear and 250 lbs for me, then I'm at 730 lbs per tire. Remember there are two springs, the total squat of both has to total 9" to get to my ride height. A 150 lb spring squats 4.9" at 730 lbs. So 2 150's would squat almost 9.75" - too much. A 150 and a 175, total squat is 9", exact.

Right now I'm running 250's top and bottom front and back. To get the rig to right height with the 250's, there's several inches in which the springs are loose at full droop. And, it rides very firm. Great for on the road, but not what I want off road. I have a pair of 12"'s on front, which leaves several inches of coil over exposed, and a 12" and a 14" in back, which fits nice at right height with about an inch of shock to spare. Since my final shocks will squat to the same point, 1 12" and 1 14" should be good.

So, I'm thinking about ordering the 150 and the 175's now, get them on, and if they end up being too light, because the rig ends up weighing more than I think, I can always change the 150 to a 200 if needed to bring the ride height back up.

The big variable here is the weight of the flatbed.

The only thing I really don't know anything about is spring length. with 12" and 14" springs, I have zero preload. So I want some. Should I be running 2 14" springs and an inch or 2 of preload? and, what does the preload do to my calculations. I assume it just takes inches right out of my squat that I have to add back by using softer springs.
 
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Okay, I measured the current squat and backed into wheel weights. I think I did it right. Not that complicated, just had to remember to divide by 2 for the total since there are two springs. This shows 765 lbs per side front compared to the 600 per side with scale. which I think is due to the fact I was weighing on the frame horns which is in front of the coilover locations almost 2 feet. The back shows 523lbs per side, which is less than the 600 the scale showed. But close enough.

rear squat calculations
passengerrateextendedcompressed.squatweight
upper
250​
11 7/8​
9 3/8​
2 5/8​
640 5/8​
lower
250​
14 1/8​
12 4/8​
1 5/8​
406 2/8​
4 2/8​
1046 7/8​
driver
upper
250​
11 7/8​
9 3/8​
2 5/8​
640 5/8​
lower
250​
14 1/8​
12 4/8​
1 5/8​
406 2/8​
total
4 2/8​
523 4/8​
front squat calculations
passengerrateextendedcompressed.squatweight
upper
250​
12​
8 7/8​
3 1/8​
781 2/8​
lower
250​
12​
9​
3​
750​
6 1/8​
1531 2/8​
driver
upper
250​
12​
8 7/8​
3 1/8​
781 2/8​
lower
250​
12​
9​
3​
750​
total
6 1/8​
765 5/8​
 
Waiting on springs, working on doors.
I ordered half doors when I ordered the tub. I now wish I hadn't. I'd be happy with metaltech half doors with a quick skin over them. But, they are here and I'm trying to put them on and for the life of me, I can't figure out how to mount the hinge to the tub/cowl. Do I have to actually cut the slot for the hinge in the pillar? Why wouldn't it come that way? I've emailed Aqualu. Also, I think they would have included the cowl side of the hinge as well. If I have to do, what I think I have to do, I'll get the

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So, heard from from Acqualu - Rene is no longer there. They supply these (which they did not send me) to mount doors.
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It's angle with tub that mimics the stock hinges and bolts on the outside of the cowl. Kind of a kludge. I can build these faster than Aqualu can get them to me.

Here's the door with the weather stripping on and the bottom gapped.

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Those angles with the pin holes mount in the door jamp??? I agree...seems pretty sketchy. bummer. I have the Aqualu tub, but I did use the stock cowl.
 
Doors are done. the hinge thing arrived from Aqualu and once I got the hang of it, it wasn't that hard to install.

Starting to look like a rig.

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I'm hoping this chassis will flex than stock, but it still might happen.
 
Got the windshield and fiberglass part of the top on. Where we had the seats naturally, the back of the seat was already hitting the top. And this is with 6" stretch tub. Really wish there had been a way to go with the 12" stretch. Windshield still has no glass, I think I found a guy who can do it. Top is going on because it needs to be on when the cage gets fabricated.

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I think I've figured out a paint scheme for the EV. I want to do each door, fender, bib, cowl, sides and tub a different original fj40 color. I have the colors picked out (I think). I'm looking for some software I can use to color some pictures of the EV so I can figure out what color goes where. Any suggestions?

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Okay, I finally have a hood!!! Thanks to @lherna I have a lovely 'olive' colored steel hood.

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I have to move the holes in the cowl back a little bit, but it looks good.
 
I bought some LED headlights that should have been easy, but they were not. The Aqualu bib comes with 1/2" aluminum spacers for the bezel, because the Aqualu bib is flat and apparently even the stock headlights need a little stand off. I'm going to come back to it - in a while - and either change the headlights or inset the lights so the bezel can sit flat.
 
So, lots of thinking going, which is always dangerous. I have a plan for painting the rig which I'm finally happy with and I'm going to start painting the fiberglass sides of the top and the doors and get my process set up.

I think I'm also going to build the cage myself. Been watching youtube and got inspired and ordered a decent tube bender and I'm going to give it a try.

Also, I'm not happy with the steering. I have visions of breaking the sector shaft on the manual box. So, here are my options

1. Leave it: Pros - no more work. Cons - it probably won't turn well in rocks and the system is not very strong

2. Conventional hydraulic power steering box and hydro-assist. Requires mounting an electric power steering pump - probably the Jeep unit I have, and swapping out the manual steering box for a real power steering box. It will steer well, it will steer anywhere, and it's stout. However, I still have a drag link and a panhard bar.

3. Full hydro and eliminate panhard going full 4 link. This is the sexiest - but it's hard to find an electric hydraulic pump that's big enough. Almost impossible to do with 12v. But I have 180 volt and there's probably an option out there that will work. Total load is close to 200 amp. (I think the ESP max load is 50 amps). So, lots and and lots of engineering. And, the entire axle has to come out and get redone as part of converting to true 4 link with parallel uppers outside the frame and triangulated lowers under the front driveshaft back to the trans cross member. (I'd get CHP to pass the rig with the existing EPS system to get street legal.)
 
What bender did you order? I have the Affordable Bender and it works pretty well for the price. It will only do a 7” radius bend on 1-3/4” so we’ll see how that looks on the cage. It might not be tight enough for my preference.
 
JB2 - it will be here next week.
 
Okay, been off the project for a while. Had to focus on the house and the fj40 for a while. Hoping to take the 40 in for Rubithon next week. But, now I can get back to the EV. Plus, it gave me time to digest. So, first thing on the list is to convert the steering over to hydraulic (from EPS). I got a box from RedHead. And I have parts of a column. What I need now is the rest of the parts to make this complete. And there are so many versions, I need some help making sure I spec it right.

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On the right is the EPS system I just removed. On the left is what I have. I was thinking of leaving the 'bucket?' and bearing on the bottom of the EPS shaft for the next user, but now that I look at it, I should take it off and put it on my column (and lose the brass bushing). So, I think that means I just need the strap that holds the column in place to the dash. On my '67 40, that strap is very simple. On the EPS, it's more elaborate.

On the SOR page, it looks like the aqualu body has an '80 to '84 setup, in which that strap is welded to the tube. On the previous years, I can't even the strap.

Suggestions??? Just take a piece of 1.5" wide, about 10" long strap with a little bend in it?
 
Okay, RedHead PS box going in. I really want to get this right this time. This is the 4th mount for a steering box. I want it to be the last. Drop pitman on the way, correct bearing for the column on the way. New universal joints for the shafts already here. This is about as forward as I can get the box. It's not like a regular 40 mount because the front cross member is different. I was hoping to put a new support over the top of the box on the cross member, but the hoses connect right there and I don't see how I can do it. I may even have to clearance the bib a little - we'll see.

When the pitman gets here, and I confirm the draglink is good, I'll drill the frame and put sleeves in the bottom two bolts - and hope I don't hit the two sleeves from the first time we mounted a box.

Also going to built a mount for the hydraulic pump off the coilover tower. found a bunch of connectors and hose ends in a box for the Volvo PS pump - so that's a plus - don't have to re-engineer all that.

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