Build Let's Baseline my new to me 1993 Land Cruiser

[Feldrian]

I run a single NorthStar 27 w/ 2ga wire running to my QPM. I seriously thought about a dual, but don't want the weight. Ended up buying a Jackery solar generator for any power needs around camp, so my start battery is left fresh.

Happy so far, but I also don't run a fridge. Apart from the annoying sound of icy water sloshing around in my cooler on the trail I'm pretty happy. (Ice does come in handy for icing jerry cans of fuel ... )

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

I run a single NorthStar 27 w/ 2ga wire running to my QPM. I seriously thought about a dual, but don't want the weight. Ended up buying a Jackery solar generator for any power needs around camp, so my start battery is left fresh.

Happy so far, but I also don't run a fridge. Apart from the annoying sound of icy water sloshing around in my cooler on the trail I'm pretty happy. (Ice does come in handy for icing jerry cans of fuel ... )

I think I’m headed here. Going to run the current battery, but upgrade to a single beefy AGM later. My little Toyota pickup might like my Cruiser battery….

 

[FMC80]

I run a single NorthStar 27 w/ 2ga wire running to my QPM. I seriously thought about a dual, but don't want the weight. Ended up buying a Jackery solar generator for any power needs around camp, so my start battery is left fresh.

Happy so far, but I also don't run a fridge. Apart from the annoying sound of icy water sloshing around in my cooler on the trail I'm pretty happy. (Ice does come in handy for icing jerry cans of fuel ... )

I think I’m headed here. Going to run the current battery, but upgrade to a single beefy AGM later. My little Toyota pickup might like my Cruiser battery….

This is the route I would go too. As bourgeois as @Feldrian is, if he is going that route, it must be a solid setup.

 

[Feldrian]

This is the route I would go too. As bourgeois as @Feldrian is, if he is going that route, it must be a solid setup.

Or lazy. Never discount lazy.

Works though. I can't think of anything I feel I'm lacking with the current set up.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

I’m good at lazy too.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Speaking of Lazy...Wheels are off and the rig is on stands. Tomorrow if there isn't snow day I'll start removing stuff and hopefully get the thirds off without too much drama. More horrible photos of my shop to follow soon.

 

[MrMikeyG]

The qpm can also be used for "hidden" subwoofers. There's no need for all of that Blue Sea, weboost, Renogy, etc nonsense. Unless there is? Crap.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

The qpm can also be used for "hidden" subwoofers. There's no need for all of that Blue Sea, weboost, Renogy, etc nonsense. Unless there is? Crap.

No we boost for me. But the arb twin, and my kenwood dual band plus an aux fuse block.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Ok, tonight I pulled the driveshafts, and drained the diffs. New hardware from the ujoint replacement made it easy-er.

Rear diff fluid looked brand new.

Front- looked like it had mixed with the knuckle grease.

It was very brown when it first poured. I’m not a great photographer on the creeper with gear oil splashing around…

More tomorrow

 

[Feldrian]

Light brown (or white-ish) will be some moisture intrusion with the rest of the gear oil floating on top. If it was grease contamination the color would be more uniform for all of the gear oil in that diff.

 

[jht3]

But honestly it was because I have this QPM and was feeling like if I'm doing all this electrical work to bring power back to the rear of the cruiser then I should figure out my future

why not run 4AWG from the drivers side batt, across the radiator, then back through the firewall to the rear quarter. if you EVER decide to drop in a 2nd battery, you can shorten and re-terminate that wire and connect it to the "house" battery.

at least that's my over-thoughts on this same subject

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

why not run 4AWG from the drivers side batt, across the radiator, then back through the firewall to the rear quarter. if you EVER decide to drop in a 2nd battery, you can shorten and re-terminate that wire and connect it to the "house" battery.

at least that's my over-thoughts on this same subject

This is the plan.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Light brown (or white-ish) will be some moisture intrusion with the rest of the gear oil floating on top. If it was grease contamination the color would be more uniform for all of the gear oil in that diff.

I will know when I can open up the knuckles, but late night lighting makes it hard to tell of things were different at the beginning of the drain or not. Moisture would have really only been from pressure washing….rainy roads. It’s all com apart anyways. Maybe I’ll extend those breathers while I’m in there.

 

[FMC80]

Ok, tonight I pulled the driveshafts, and drained the diffs. New hardware from the ujoint replacement made it easy-er.

Rear diff fluid looked brand new.
View attachment 3182601
Front- looked like it had mixed with the knuckle grease.
View attachment 3182602
It was very brown when it first poured. I’m not a great photographer on the creeper with gear oil splashing around…

More tomorrow

It's good to see you turning wrenches again. It does look like gear oil mixed with moly. You're lucky the driveshafts came out easily. I fought mine for an hour and change for the front one. The rear one was not as bad.
Do you play tic-tac-toe on that wooden cube when you're frustrated or stuck?

 

[roflbox]

why not run 4AWG from the drivers side batt, across the radiator, then back through the firewall to the rear quarter. if you EVER decide to drop in a 2nd battery, you can shorten and re-terminate that wire and connect it to the "house" battery.

at least that's my over-thoughts on this same subject

huh, I like this idea, let me add it to my list

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

It's good to see you turning wrenches again. It does look like gear oil mixed with moly. You're lucky the driveshafts came out easily. I fought mine for an hour and change for the front one. The rear one was not as bad.
Do you play tic-tac-toe on that wooden cube when you're frustrated or stuck?

If I figure out the puzzles then I get a prize…it was an attempted hand me down…rejected. So I’m incorporating into my QPM for sub adult entertainment. After all no second batter means no iPads or music kids…

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

I’ve wanting to pull these since last spring. I dropped them off at the shop with my pile o parts. Feeling pretty excited.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Birfields both seemed to have leaking inner seals.

the Birfields are soaking in a bucket of super clean. I’m going to clean up all the knuckle components soonish. But I’m flying to MN to oversee a house inspection for our place we just put an offer in on. Sadly no mega shop style garage, but I’ll get by.

 

[Feldrian]

Birfields both seemed to have leaking inner seals. View attachment 3183956
View attachment 3183958
the Birfields are soaking in a bucket of super clean. I’m going to clean up all the knuckle components soonish. But I’m flying to MN to oversee a house inspection for our place we just put an offer in on. Sadly no mega shop style garage, but I’ll get by.

Mmmm. Birf soup.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Mmmm. Birf soup.

Rite of passage….and so messy.