Builds Hard Ways - Rigger's 1969 FJ40

[Rigger]

OK.

Life is always busy, lots to do at the office, and plenty of family time, too. Nonetheless, I've been in and out of the garage a bit lately.

Cleaned up the interior floor. Got some bad paint, and some rust, and some more bad paint. I'm sticking with my "no paint" approach. Just clean things as good as I can, and keep on keeping on. Purists, please don't flame me - this rig is Hard Ways.

My wife wanted a ride last week. Without the transmission tunnel cover, the truck blows hot air all over our feet. No good. I want to get my transmission tunnel cover reinstalled. There are a dozen or more bolts that hold it on, each bolt with its own captive nut. Five of my captive nuts are inop; some have broken bolts in them, some have the nut missing. I cleaned out the good ones today, and chased the threads. Where I'm missing the captive nuts, I'll add nut/bolt sets where I can reach the bottom side, and do the best I can. Gonna get some solvent and clean the gasket surfaces. I have the SOR gasket kit, and am planning to get that installed. Ran out of time this evening.

I added a carb return spring bracket that @brew8 gave me. It had an extra doohickey on it that I didn't need, so I ground it off. Drilled a new hole for the return spring and got it working. So, there's that. @RAGINGMATT I appreciate the help you have offered on the carb spring bracket, but I'm good for now. I will PM you in ref to battery clamp.

Pics are on my phone - I'll try and load some later.

 

[Rigger]

 

[Rigger]

I don't really know how this gasket set works. It's on release paper. I assume you stick it to either the hump or the floor.

 

[Living in the Past]

On the hump will be cleaner as you can use the lip on the end as a guide. Put on the floor would be harder to get it just right. Haven't pull a hump on a long time but think the gasket stuck to the house better than the floor.

 

[65swb45]

Gasket to hump

 

[Living in the Past]

Worked a bit on cleaning up the tranny & transfer, and bell housing. Baked on 50 years old gumpta. It’s like epoxy.

View attachment 2047058View attachment 2047059View attachment 2047060

I know skid plates are needed but think of all the clean up that could be avoided if you use one. Certainly not one of my favorite tasks.

 

[Jdc1]

I don't really know how this gasket set works. It's on release paper. I assume you stick it to either the hump or the floor.

I just did mine. Carefully separate from the main shape and then line up the pieces where they should go. Don’t peel all the paper at once and work your way around until you are happy with where it falls and then press it home all the way around.

 

[Rigger]

I put my tranny hump back on. No closeup pics.

 

[Rigger]

This thing now starts and runs pretty danged good. I drove it around a bit more.

I like it.

 

[Rigger]

 

[Rigger]

My boys had a few friends over this afternoon. Hobie says, “Dad, take us for a ride in the 40.” We loaded up, me, , and five boys. A mile down the highway is a country store. Headed there for cold drinks and a few gallons of gas. This was the first time I’ve ever driven Hard Ways at anything approaching highway speeds. She wanders just a bit. I think my toe-in needs to be tightened. In other words, I think it needs to be toed in a bit more.

The front axle was all rebuilt. All new bearings. It has new tires, new spring bushings, new shackles, new tie rod ends, and Mark tightened the center arm when he was here. What else could I look at to stop it from wandering?

A man at the gas pump was asking me about the truck. He really liked it.

 

[65swb45]

So you fixed the taillights?

I want to see a picture of the rig at the bank, parked next to Lord Valdemort’s collection!

I don’t remember if I checked your steering box. How many inches can you wiggle the wheel back and forth from center before the pitman arm starts moving?

 

[Rigger]

So you fixed the taillights?

No. They work.

 

[Rigger]

I don’t remember if I checked your steering box. How many inches can you wiggle the wheel back and forth from center before the pitman arm starts moving?

I’ll check on this.

About 2” to 3” measured on the steering wheel.

 

[65swb45]

I’ll check on this.

About 2” to 3” measured on the steering wheel.

You can double check the toe in, but chances are it’s the steering box.

 

[Rigger]

You can double check the toe in, but chances are it’s the steering box.

Chances are good that I'd need a rebuild of the steering box then?

Or is it an adjustment?

 

[65swb45]

Chances are good that I'd need a rebuild of the steering box then?

Or is it an adjustment?

The early steering boxes must be disassembled to be adjusted. The limiter screw only ends the adjustment. First, shims must be removed from between the sector shaft and the steering box housing. The notion of the set screw being an 'adjuster' is a common misconception.

And I wouldn't attempt re-shimming the box without a full teardown. It is a 50 year old part, and replacement components are very scarce.

 

[Rigger]

Okay, here's a couple things:

The truck sat for about 6 weeks. I went to start it on a nice warm afternoon. It was very slow to start. It did eventually start, though. And, once started, ran fine. I'm wondering what happens to make it slow starting. Does the fuel bowl empty out or drain back or something? Any way to make it start quicker after it's been sitting? For example, pump the skinny pedal a dozen times?

Reference the above post, sounds like I need to pull the steering box and send it @65swb45 for a rebuild? Or buy a rebuild? What are the options?

There's snow here now, and winter staring me in the face.

 

[Rigger]

 

[thebigredrocker]

Hand prime fuel pump from Mark's Off Road