Gossamer- '87 FJ60 aka "The Red Monster" (4 Viewers)

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The end extensions on your awning are a nice feature I've not seen before! The few times a bunch of us have slid under mine in rainstorms you always have to sit inside about a foot perimeter or wear Goretex

D, my dad found it and it looks pretty useful.

Here's a link to a video of the awning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwZtxgqUK1M

J

 

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Few more items arrived:

Twin stick kit (waiting on billet knobs from Georg's people)
Allen head drain plugs for diff, trans and TC
Rear rebuild kit and some seals
7100s 360/80 valving
Rage Ultra filler (best filler EVER IMO)

Hope to get my bushing kit, adapt the eyelets for bushings and get the shocks mounted SOON.


J

 

[Finnyfam60]

You have purtteee shocks...

 

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You have purtteee shocks...

Yes they are. Can't wait to see how the ride is after the install.

J

 

[gregnash]

J, Look at these for adapting your shocks if you havent already. I have been contemplating using these as I slowly rebuild my suspension..
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/exp-690001

 

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J, Look at these for adapting your shocks if you havent already. I have been contemplating using these as I slowly rebuild my suspension..
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/exp-690001

Great minds G.... I have to adapt and play with the shock eyes on the 7100s. Esh had a good write up on adding some 1" poly bushings to them. Probably copy that idea as his held up pretty well.

J

 

[gregnash]

So the adapters dont take a standard bushing for the shocks or is it just that the 7100s are different?
Oh and can you link Esh's write-up? I havent see that.

 

[SNLC]

Keep a close on on the adapters after you install. I had an adapter rip out on some 5100's on my FJ60.

Cheers

 

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So the adapters dont take a standard bushing for the shocks or is it just that the 7100s are different?
Oh and can you link Esh's write-up? I havent see that.

G, The PC adapters are made for a poly bushing style shock eye like an OME, Monroe, etc.. The 7100s have a metal shock eye and a set of metal bushing made into their housing.

So what Esh did was take the metal bushing out of the housing and adapted it to accept a poly bushing from a Dodge spring eye. Basically turning a solid mount into a dampened mount. I will either do the same as Esh or make a metal bushing to fit on each side of the shock eye to model the 7100 design to fit inside the PC adapters.. If I go this route I will have to cut off the 4 rear shock pins and the 2 front lower pins and fabricate new ones with the proper diameter to match the ID of the 7100s.

FYI, Bilstein makes a stud mount shock for the 5000series.. just not in a 7100 series..

I'll try and round up the link an post it in a bit.

Keep a close on on the adapters after you install. I had an adapter rip out on some 5100's on my FJ60.
Cheers

Thanks for the heads up I. I will weld a 3/16" or 1/4" shim to the top of the OEM mount to help prevent pull through.


G, Here are a few pics of the 7100 eye and the adapter for your reference. The 7100s come with 2 small (thin) cushion bushings, but as I said above, I will need to make them wider to fit properly in the PC adapter to reduce slop.

It's only a few hours worth of work either way.

J

 

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Had some time today so I stripped the doors I got from CY down to bare shells and started stripping, sanding and marking up a spare hood and the doors.

It was nice sanding in the back yard. Charlie was a little perturbed about the spot I put the parts... Its his normal sunbathing spot on a cold day....

Hope to get the front fenders stripped this weekend and then onto pulling the interior out of Goss and assessing whats hiding under the carpet... I can see some rust repair in my future from underneath.

And YES... De-chroming the entire rig just like Marley, except red and black.

J

 

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Oh and can you link Esh's write-up? I havent see that.

Here ya go G..

https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/378119-bilstein-7100-shocks-installed-62-a.html

J

 

[SNLC]

That is different than the 5100's, I don't think you will have any issues with that.

Looking good!

Cheers

 

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That is different than the 5100's, I don't think you will have any issues with that.

Looking good!

Cheers

Thanks I, regardless.... I usually over-engineer/design and hope to never have to look back.

Looks like we will be up next weekend if the weather is decent. I'll let ya know.

J

 

[Major Nelson]

Vinyl is for all the custom door and cargo panels..



J[/QUOTE]

Do you already have some sketches/plans for the panels? I"m about to tear my original ones apart to make the replacement templates out of ABS, then plan on covering in Vinyl as well...first try at this so hope I don't bugger it up. Would love to see a success story first.

 

[Trapper50cal]

So jealous...sanded doors and hood...

 

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Vinyl is for all the custom door and cargo panels..



J

Do you already have some sketches/plans for the panels? I"m about to tear my original ones apart to make the replacement templates out of ABS, then plan on covering in Vinyl as well...first try at this so hope I don't bugger it up. Would love to see a success story first.
[/QUOTE]

MN, yes the vinyl is for the door and cargo panels. I plan on mocking the 2010 FJC TT panels. Black on top red upper section and the black bottom. I might try to incorporate in a strip of black carpet at the bottom this go around as well. On my last build I took the upper metal piece off the door panels and just ran vinyl below. I use marine 4 way stretch vinyl and a 1/8" head liner material for my padding. It work really well. and 3/16" hardboard from Home Depot or Lowes for my door panels and 1/4" MDF for the cargo panels. I've built a few sets over the years and I build these as I go and use the OE panels as a template.

So jealous...sanded doors and hood...

JT, couldn't let the nice day get away from me... Felt good to actually do some type of work on Goss.. Hopefully I'll get the fenders done and the interior stripped out this weekend. BUT, I have to help get the rest of the primer on the new drywall first....

J

 

[spressomon]

J, I hope you have better experience with the spherical bearing's durability on your shock eyes. My Fox originally came with #8's...and I felt like I needed a PEZ dispenser for them . Just too small for the app.

Eventually moved over to poly bushing adapters in front...and had Glenn at Radflo build me custo rears with huge #12's...problem eliminated.

Just an FYI.

 

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D, Thanks for the info. I think that is why Esh pulled his and went poly from the beginning. I'm going to try the solid bushing with the spherical bushings first. Did you have any slop in your set up? I've read that any play between the mount, cushion bushings and spherical bushings will cause issues.

Per instructions:
The shock is supplied with (4) heim spacers, which must be placed on both sides of the spherical
bearing (top and bottom). The purpose of these spacers is to allow the spherical bearing to articulate
as the shock cycles through its travel. It is very important that the heim spacers
do not contact the end loop during operation. As well, it is very important that the end loops do not contact any part of the mount brackets, etc., during operation.

I'll see what it looks/feels like and go from there.

 

[spressomon]

No...there wasn't any slop/play in my shock mounts and the spacers were dialed. It was just the diminutive #8 spherical (for heavy rigs) bearings were way undersized given load, etc. I tried them all...Aurora, FK, etc., but in the end the bearing was just too small for the application.

In hindsight...isn't it always great looking in the rear view mirror ...when you have the #8's (even #10's really) in hand...you kinda see how they might work OK on a...skateboard

 

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No...there wasn't any slop/play in my shock mounts and the spacers were dialed. It was just the diminutive #8 spherical (for heavy rigs) bearings were way undersized given load, etc. I tried them all...Aurora, FK, etc., but in the end the bearing was just too small for the application.

In hindsight...isn't it always great looking in the rear view mirror ...when you have the #8's (even #10's really) in hand...you kinda see how they might work OK on a...skateboard

HA! sounds like I should go the poly route and save the headache.

J