Builds GCRad1's 1992 ADV80 LAND CRUISER

[lt1fire]

yes yes yes, I know, I know... I need larger tires! I will be going to 33" on the next set. I know everyone is going to say to go at least 35" but I am staying more in the Overland-Spec which is around the 33". I drive it daily. I drive it on long trips and if I can't get there on 33's, I kinda' don't need to be there.

My big questions ahead after the 33" tires are:
1] What gear ratio? 4:88 or 4:56's? What gear company?
4.88 you will regret only getting 4.56's and will make it more driveable.
2] Get rear disk brakes with rear axle swap from SF to Full Floater - what year FF?
This one is entirely up to you, doesn't matter on the year there is no difference. You would get a bit better brake performance and the ability to drive home with a broken shaft. I did mine because I stand the chance of breaking a rear shaft. With what you do I think a SF will be fine.
3] Lockers while doing gears.
Yes by all means, you will have to pay bucko $$$ to have someone go in there twice.
4] If I can not get the FF rear axle now, but buy my gears+locker, will the gears+locker from SF axle fitment also fit into FF axle later down the road?
99 percent sure it will. I believe the 3rds are interchangeable.
5] Do I need 16" rims to fit over disk brakes?
Yes and no, with the proper back spacing 15's can fit with some grinding on the calipers
6] Do I need double cardigan driveshafts?
Cardigan I don't think you will need it with what you have

I have lots to figure out and decide upon!

 

[GCRad1]

Another maintinance to sort... But what is it?

What are these lines for? Where do they come from? Where do they go to? Another great adventure of the 80-Series Land Cruiser...

And what flows through them?

Is it something a serious condition that I need replace all the rubber on. There are a few hoses under here...

 

[94SRUNNER]

Those are your rear heater lines. They come from the passenger side firewall.

Easier to remove, but can be challenge to replace.

Give it a search...loads of solid info.!

 

[KS-Ryan]

Hey Rodney, I just bought a 91 FJ80. It already had BFG AT 33x10.50-15's on it and tomorrow it is going over to Yota Masters for a 4.88 regear with rear ARB air locker. When it's done, you are welcome to meet up with me somewhere and drive it.

As for 33's vs 35's, I'm sure 35's would fit on mine, I just don't see the need. This isn't a rock crawling rig. I don't need anymore ground clearance. Heck, it barely fits in the garage now!

 

[GCRad1]

CONGRATS & COOL!!! Let me know!

Hey Rodney, I just bought a 91 FJ80. It already had BFG AT 33x10.50-15's on it and tomorrow it is going over to Yota Masters for a 4.88 regear with rear ARB air locker. When it's done, you are welcome to meet up with me somewhere and drive it.

As for 33's vs 35's, I'm sure 35's would fit on mine, I just don't see the need. This isn't a rock crawling rig. I don't need anymore ground clearance. Heck, it barely fits in the garage now!

 

[GCRad1]

Thanks to 'Mud Member Lt1fire as he has a '92 80-Series that he did the swap to FF rear axle and riding on massive rubber; so I thought it he could thrash-and-bash it on big-wheels, then I could have have a lot more reliable rig with field-servicability. Check his thread out: https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/288587-rotf-lt1fire.html

So, I am going to make the commitment to take my '92 80-Series from the SF [simi-float] rear axle to a FF [full-floating] rear axle. With this, I will have to go with 16" rims. So I posted a couple of threads looking for the items I will need:

WANT TO BUY: [SoCal] 80-Series Full Float Rear Axle
I have a '92 80-Series with the SF rear axle and want to swap to the FF rear axle.
Please advise of any leads!
https://forum.ih8mud.com/wanted-parts/571491-socal-80-series-full-float-rear-axle.html


Want To Buy: [SoCal] 16" Steel Tacoma Rims for 80-Series
I have 15" '91-'92 factory aluminum rims and need 16" steel Tacoma rims. Doing FF rear axle swap and 33" tires so a lot of money is going out at once, so I am just looking for the most econo-way to keep the project moving forward.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/tires-wheels/571485-socal-16-steel-tacoma-rims-80-series.html

 

[GCRad1]

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Started another project on the ADV80. Removed the rear seats, center console and part of the carpet.
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[GCRad1]

Hatch Strut UpGrade

THANK YOU to our buddy & 'MUD-Member GabePari who came up with a great fix and upgrade at the same time! On top of that - at a very economical price too!
Check out his original post: https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/306413-my-fix-ever-elusive-hatch-struts.html

The culprit, factory gas-juice has left the tube! Dust traces the escapage path.

So I made the McMasterCarr order for both the struts and the thin nuts. Package arrived and my mission begins. This is going to be the shadetree-parking lot installation version.

I start by getting a stick and proping up the rear hatch.

A good place to place the stick up top in is in the rear-hatch handle slot to keep it from popping out and dropping the hatch on your head.

I get the right side strut removed. I don't have a vice and my workbench is working overtime holding too much crap to even work on it, so I figure out a way to just work on the tailgate.

I toss the gas strut-tab into the vice-grips so I can hacksaw off the press-in post.

Now onto the other side's mount and this time I figure out how to get a little more heigth out of the vice-grips by placing the mount in at a angle.

Now to drill out the pressed in shaft-pins:

The pins have a natural drill point.

Vice-Grips to hold the mount and drilling begins!

Mounts drilled and toss on some paint to prevent rust.

Mount up the new strut to the mounts. Note bolt/post is rather long with the thin-nut on.

So I rig up my vice...

Vice-Grips that is!

We are going to cut the excess bolt off.

I replace the stock grease with some Bel Ray waterproof grease. Yea, I ride motorcycles too.

LocTite for the vibration sensation at woop city. I heard that Death Valley has a 27-mile road with 6" square ruts that will vibrate your teeth loose.

Re-install the top mount.

This shows you how much lift we are going to have! At this point I will need to remove the left factory strut so I can push the door up to.

The stick goes straight up and I need a little booster block to get it up enough to get the new longer strut in place. SWEEEET!

I add a couple of washers to the mounting bolts for a little clearance for the strut bolt and nut to clear the side of the body.
Duplicate process for the other side and now you are FINISHED!

New and improved!

 

[GCRad1]

Upgrade!!! Ff rear axle for adv80!!!

A little crusty - a little rusty, but LOOK WHAT I GOT!!!
FULL-FLOAT REAR AXLE WITH DISK BRAKES

say BYE BYE rear drum brakes... heck, I haven't had rear brakes for over 6/9 months, I can't even remember...

Hello Just Differentials / TJM locker / Nitro Gears dipped in fresh lube
Hello field-serviceability! What does this really mean!?!?!

THANK YOU WILL at LKQ Southern California
13642 Orden Dr.
Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
Phone: (855)308-5318
www.lkqcorp.com

going to be adding FFR-axle to this little line below soon!!!

 

[KS-Ryan]

Nice! Are you going to do 4.88's? Why the TJM love? Just to be different or do you have some affiliation with them?

 

[GCRad1]

Tjm tjm tjm tjm tjm tjm tjm tjm tjm tjm tjm tjm tjm

hey Ryan,

I think I will be going with the 4.88's. TJM: I do like to be different! I have liked their stuff for a lot of years even before I had a Land Cruiser so my timing was right with getting my 80-series and TJM getting more into the USA market. Same time, I don't like taking risky-risks just for the sake of "different" as TJM has a 30+ year history in Australia so they are not new to this Land Cruiser / Overland game - good stuff. Also, when shippig metal its all about proximity and TJM is here in Southern California.

 

[lt1fire]

Nice! Are you going to do 4.88's? Why the TJM love? Just to be different or do you have some affiliation with them?

TJM's are a bit more reliable in design than ARB's.... can't go wrong with either though.

 

[KS-Ryan]

You will love the 4.88's. I'm around most of this week should you want to take mine for a spin before you buy. For mine, I'm running 62 mph at 2400 RPM on the highway. It really seems to like to cruise at the 2200-2400 range. Can't tell you what my MPG is because I haven't finished the first tank yet.

 

[GCRad1]

CTRJ - THANK YOU for the demo offer! I've been crazy busy as we where out to Moab for the week of EJS. I'm going the 4:88 route! What size tires are you on at 62mph/2400rpm?

You will love the 4.88's. I'm around most of this week should you want to take mine for a spin before you buy. For mine, I'm running 62 mph at 2400 RPM on the highway. It really seems to like to cruise at the 2200-2400 range. Can't tell you what my MPG is because I haven't finished the first tank yet.

 

[GCRad1]

Leakey leakey leakey

With the carpet out of the rig, I finally found my leak! I noticed it dripping and seemed to be coming from the bottom of the dash!

Traced it up stream:

Drip drip drip, right there in the bottom of the windscreen seal on the passenger side.

 

[GCRad1]

A/C FIX - added to the "TO-DO" List

'MUDSearch Find!
A/C system - how to remove the cooling unit, evaporator, expansion valve

Ive been going way too long without A/C! With 98% of the interior out of the truck, I may as well get after it!

 

[KS-Ryan]

33x10.50-15 BFG AT's. There's no way I would want to go larger unless I had 5.29's.

CTRJ - THANK YOU for the demo offer! I've been crazy busy as we where out to Moab for the week of EJS. I'm going the 4:88 route! What size tires are you on at 62mph/2400rpm?

 

[GCRad1]

Thank you alia176 for the inspiration to tackle the A/C system!

I started in on my A/C system this weekend:

Now to split open this puppy and get after the cleaning and such, but that will come a little later.

I was worried that I was going to have a squirrel hoarding nuts up in hear! I need to do some more searching to see if anyone has created a solution to filter this puppy[?] My Subaru was good with the internal cabin filter you could replace or beat out from time to time.

I put some tape over the hole into the engine bay and secured the lines on the other side and wrapped the heads in a rag to protect them from the elements.
And attached the computer back up in the factory location as I will be driving it daily like this for a while.

Passengers have some massive legroom now!

I want to own a vehicle with real live working A/C!!!!

 

[jdsuther]

Wait, after removing the heater core did you block off the coolant hoses going to them? My Cruiser looks exactly like yours right now. Bought it off my wife's uncle and it need some cleaning. Removed all the seat and the carpet, reinstalled the front seats while the carpets dry out.
I found water under the passenger carpet. I think it's from the sunroof.
Her uncle said that the heater core might be leaking. So I need to get to that, but it's my dd as well.
Thanks
Jeremy

 

[GCRad1]

Hello JDSuther,

Congrats on getting after your rig!!!

My A/C has a crack condensor so all the fluid has leaked out so I did not have to block off the coolant hoses.

I chased my water leak for a while so pay real close attention to the front window on the bottom corners. My sunroof is tight, so it took me a while to find the source of my leak. Just so happened to find it after I removed the carpet! FINALLY!

I hear you on the daily driver!!!

Wait, after removing the heater core did you block off the coolant hoses going to them? My Cruiser looks exactly like yours right now. Bought it off my wife's uncle and it need some cleaning. Removed all the seat and the carpet, reinstalled the front seats while the carpets dry out.
I found water under the passenger carpet. I think it's from the sunroof.
Her uncle said that the heater core might be leaking. So I need to get to that, but it's my dd as well.
Thanks
Jeremy