Inexperienced noob about to tear my FZJ80 apart - Any tips to re-emphasize before rebuilding axles, brakes, steering, and suspension? (1 Viewer)

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How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

I would say "slow your roll" and take on one job at a time. Do the front axle birfield job first. It will take two days for a first timer with all the cleaning and first timer stuff. If you are going to replace the front rotors, do it now. The rest of the brakes won't require much disassembly time at all.
^^^ He's Right
At the End you will either be Obsessed or Mechanics are not for you. I find Toyota Repair Gratifying knowing I comprehend how it works, and can fix it as needed and not sacrifice my wallet.
 
Thanks for all the tips guys, they've been a big help!

Overall, I'm really happy with the way this project is progressing. Once I got the axles disassembled I got bit by the "while I'm in there" bug and ended up pulling the thirds to re-gear to 4.88's (just got a call from the gear shop and they're done). Yesterday I got the rest of the suspension pulled, today I'll be using a buddy's parts washer to clean everything up. Once I get everything painted I'll be ready to get it all put back together (scary part for me, I'm great at taking things apart!).

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Are you already triple locked? If so then great! If not, NOW's the time to do it.

ARB air lockers
Eaton Harrop E-locker
Lunchbox rear locker

Lucky bastid using a lift to work on your truck in a clean heated/cooled shop.......
 
Yep, already triple locked :)

I wish the shop was heated/cooled, it'll be 90* this week! I'm not complaining though, still better than most people have it.
 
I currently live in FL so I feel your pain. Working outside is fine until it's not. Looking forward to "winter" so it's not so freakin' hot.

Sorry if you already mentioned it but are you replacing your bushings? Curious about feedback because I have the same yellow control arm bushings but I think I need to swap them for castor plates.
 
Sorry if you already mentioned it but are you replacing your bushings? Curious about feedback because I have the same yellow control arm bushings but I think I need to swap them for castor plates.

Yep, replacing ALL suspension bushings with OEM. I'll be going with plates for caster correction.
 
@ZackR Yes it does!

Cool, let us know how that process goes and continue posting pictures if you don't mind. This is next in line for me after I fix my vacuum lines and rebuild my brakes.

I'm also rebuilding all four calipers with the OEM kit and installing a PowerStop pad/rotor kit. Hopefully that improves the terrible braking.
 
@ZackR Yes it does!



I'm also rebuilding all four calipers with the OEM kit and installing a PowerStop pad/rotor kit. Hopefully that improves the terrible braking.
I hope you're installing new brake hoses after pinching it with Vise Grips.........
 
Since you seem doing be doing this stuff the right way thus far, Ditch the castor plates and get some proper @Delta VS radius arms. You won’t regret it.
 
I hope you're installing new brake hoses after pinching it with Vise Grips.........

I am, but I appreciate you mentioning it in case I wasn't!

Since you seem doing be doing this stuff the right way thus far, Ditch the castor plates and get some proper @Delta VS radius arms. You won’t regret it.

I really wish I could swing em. Unfortunately I was laid off in March, so most of the nice stuff will have to wait.
 
@ZackR Yes it does!



I'm also rebuilding all four calipers with the OEM kit and installing a PowerStop pad/rotor kit. Hopefully that improves the terrible braking.
I'm planning on doing the same except I'm going back with Toyota rotors and pads. Everyone complains about the braking, and it isn't fantastic, but honestly my 80 probably easily 1000 lbs heavier than stock and it's never truly failed to stop. I equate it to driving a large truck. It won't stop on a dime but if you expect it to you're probably thinking about it wrong. Just my opinion.
 
I'm planning on doing the same except I'm going back with Toyota rotors and pads. Everyone complains about the braking, and it isn't fantastic, but honestly my 80 probably easily 1000 lbs heavier than stock and it's never truly failed to stop. I equate it to driving a large truck. It won't stop on a dime but if you expect it to you're probably thinking about it wrong. Just my opinion.

Nah I think you're right, they're never going to be fantastic when it comes to braking. I just want to make sure I'm doing what I can to make it as good as possible. I went with OEM last time and I still wasn't impressed, but to be fair I think my LSPV is out of adjustment and I may have had a bit of air in the system still. From what I've read on here the PowerStop kit is a big improvement, but I do wonder how much of that is just new brakes rather than new PowerStop vs new OEM.
 
I find it helps to use paper sandwich bags for all the fasteners for a specific part and all its brackets, clips etc, etc.
I label them with a sharpie and put them in a box from back to front. That way I already have the logical order to reassemble the components and all the parts are gathered. I don't like plastic bags because the marker wipes off and the bags get eaten by some of the oils and greases.
It sounds slow, but it sure beats a coffee can of mixed nuts and bolts.
Learned this trick decades ago when I was wrenching on motorcycles.
blue painters tape on the inside of a plastic bag is decent if you don’t have paper bags. i also cut a short triangular strip and point it at anything that was not finished on the actual vehicle. it stays on my motorcycle for months even after highway rides. it also saves me from having to write it down or remember it.
i also use colored torque marker paint from spruce aircraft after i torque bolts and have started to consider using it (i’ve got 4 different colors at the moment) to mark parts that mate together with one two or three dots or something if i think photos taken prior to disassembly will be hard to interpret or if it might just be a lot easier. haven’t tested that last one though.
on bing carbs that have a left right orientation i make a single punch on left hand side and double punch on right hand side and throw it all in the ultrasonic at once.
 
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This video is excellent for learning how to rebuild the knuckles. Explains and shows the tear down and install in detail.



i think OTRAMM should take screenshots of his videos and put numbered steps with text and arrows for each of his longer vids and sell them as paper or digital copies at $9.99 each or something.

i’m working though his engine repair vid and i’d buy any of them in paper format in a heartbeat.
 
The lspv is only good for so many miles/years. I installed a new one and I'm happy with my brakes.

Interesting. How much did you pay? I guess I should test mine (read it can be done with gauges).
 
Spent yesterday and today working on it, mostly cleaning, painting, and getting ready for re-assembly. Initially I wasn't going to pull the axles, but figured what the heck I'm already this far, and I've always wanted a set of those shiny 'just gone through' axles on one of my rigs. The ultrasonic has been a blessing for small parts.

I stopped today after I got the front axle out (long day, started at 7am). Tomorrow I'm hoping to finish cleaning up both axles and painting. I'm using Tacoma Screw high solids spray paint (which I've had excellent luck with). I've also used it for all the other stuff I've painted (a LOT of stuff). If you guys have any tips for prep/paint please let me know.

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Been making progress! More prepping and painting mostly. Finally finished cleaning up the axles and got the first coat of primer on tonight. Another solid day or two of work and things will be ready to go back together (the hard part) :)

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