Mr. Green Genes - A Build Thread (1 Viewer)

[KC masterpiece]

Well after lurking for the past five years and finally purchasing an 80 series in December 2018 I figured it is time for a build thread.

In September of 2013 I picked up a 2008 FJ Cruiser and spent the next few years modding it out and falling deep into the 4x4 rabbit hole. Eventually I ended up with a pretty well build rig capable of tackling most of the trails Colorado was able to throw at it. As much as I loved the FJC it was definitely a "bachelor" type rig and once I stopped undertaking most of my adventures solo, it was time to move on to something larger. Enter the 80. I had the opportunity to wheel with a moderately built LC on a climbing trip and after watching it drive circles around my FJC I knew it was time to make the switch.

Headed down Lake Como road behind an 80

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The hunt was on and being in the center of Colorado there was certainly no shortage in the 80 series market. Eventually I narrowed it down to two choices on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Option #1 was the same 80 I had been out with in the previous photo. By that point it was fully loaded with ARB's, 4.88s, 37s, the works. 220k on the odometer if I recall correctly.

Option #2 was a very clean example with 162k. New paint, new interior leather, and an engine bay clean enough to eat off.... Price was just about the same.

After lots of consideration I decided to go with option #2. Yes the first was certainly more capable, but I think building the vehicle yourself is one of the best parts of ownership. It helps develop a relationship with the rig, and the more I wrench the more I learn. I had taken care of all the maintenance and modifications of my FJC with the exception of a body mount chop I had done at Slee.

Thus I acquired my 1997 FZJ80 - Mr. Green Genes (formerly "Georgia")

(photos from day of purchase)

I was also lucky enough to pick up this little guy on the same day. Talisker is our new golden retriever and I am sure he will pop up many times in this thread. Looking back at photos over the last year its great seeing him grow along with the rig.

A new Cruiser and a puppy. Does life get any better?

 

[KC masterpiece]

First order of business was new tires. The 80 had a set of brand new Toyo Open Country ATII's mounted when I picked it up. A few months prior to the sale I had also purchased new rubber for the FJC. I had been running a 315/75/16 for a few years and really like that size. Great for the trails but not unreasonable for highway travel. I had a brief overlap period where both vehicles were in my possession, so I went ahead with the swap. I debated changing the wheels as well but I really like the look of the factory 80 alloys. I know that Duratracs usually elicit a love or hate reaction... they have always been great to me for what they are.

315/75/16 on factory suspension - it CAN be done - No rubbing on road.

I ran this setup for a few months and was very pleased with it. I am sure that the larger tires would have rubbed offroad but I knew a lift was in the near future. The 80 did very well with 315's on the stock suspension. The larger contact patch and low center of gravity made it a beast in the snow.

Knowing that the suspension would be my next modification I began researching. The FJC had a very custom suspension setup. By custom I mean whatever I could find cheap in the used market and slap on it. I wanted to take a more methodical approach to building the 80 and decided to head down to Slee for some advice. Christo sold me on a medium OME kit and told me to get the truck out on some trails and see how I felt. So far I have not been disappointed.


OME Medium Kit installed (and a fresh wax)

As soon as the kit was installed I was itching to hit the trails. A few weeks later the opportunity presented itself when we took a quick trip to Moab for some light camping. While we were there I decided to take a shot at the entrance / exit to Cliffhanger. Worth a shot right?

"I was planning on removing those mudflaps anyways"

Following that trip it was time for a little preventative maintenance. I was luck enough to find 2 owner truck that was well maintained, but there are always the few odds and ends to take care of. Here was the list of small projects I tackled next. (in no specific order)

• Sway bar bushings
• Brake pads
• Wood trim removal
• Engine bay rubber hoses
• PCV valve
• Distributor O ring
• Brake fluid
• "D" light (give it a smack method)
• MAF cleaning
• Transmission flush
• Transfercase fluid
• Rear diff fluid
• Cooling system
• Front Axle Rebuild

As soon as I got into the basic maintenance my suspicions were confirmed that the 80 was indeed a much easier vehicle to work on. More room, bigger parts, less complexity. The two bigger jobs that caught my attention were the axle rebuild and cooling system work. On one or two occasions I saw the engine temp starting to creep up into the low 200's on long hill climbs, so I felt that should take priority. Flushing out the system revealed quite a bit of gunk. Based on color and consistency I think this was caused from a prior mixing of red and green coolant. The flush took place over 4 days. First I simply ran water through the radiator and engine block to see how much of the gunk would just flow out. Not much. After three days of driving with distilled water and a cleaning compound things were looking better, but I still plan on another flush this summer for peace of mind. I decided to stick with green coolant since its always easier to find if I spring a leak somewhere.

Old V.S. New Coolant

Buildup inside the cooling system

 

[KC masterpiece]

While I was spending weekends and evenings slowly baselining the vehicle I also wanted to focus on storage. I had always wanted a set of cargo drawers and at that point still had access to a full wood shop at work. After quite a bit of research I decided that I wanted a prebuilt metal option so I could carry quite a bit of weight in the drawers. That would give me a solid base with the option of tieing in additional storage or gear in the future. I went with the Dobinsons drawer system based on the price and included fridge slide. At the same time I laid my eyes on the Delta Vehicle Systems rear storage rack and really liked that option. Unfortunately my mod fund was dry after purchasing the drawers so I went the DIY route. Purchased a shelving unit from Lowes and cut it to fit with the grinder. Works pretty well ziptied to the rear grab handles. It has been nice storing our sleeping bags uncompressed in the

Drawers on arrival (I really miss having a shop and loading dock at work...)

Installed and loaded up.

I am a huge fan of the Dobinsons drawers. It is probably one of my favorite modifications so far. There is additional storage underneath the side wings for any equipment that is infrequently used. The drawer on the right holds enough tools to undertake some serious trail repairs. With the rear seats folded down I decided to try the "in vehicle" camping option. A queen sized inflatable mattress fits snugly and only takes a few minutes to setup after gear was removed.

Talisker taking a snooze.

Once the drawers were installed I needed to find a better storage solution for my spare. I considered modifying the factory mount to fit the 315 but decided against it. A large tire down there really hurts clearance and would be a pain to lower in some situations. For a few weekend trips the spare lived on the factory roof rack.... Big mistake. It's just not safe having a load that heavy on the roof without a solid aftermarket rack. Looking at some in vehicle options I decided to remove the rear passenger seat and found that the tire fit perfectly between the drawer system and the front seat. I created a simple tiedown system with some angle brackets and had a good working solution until I could afford a rear bumper.


DIY Interior Tire Storage

 

[KC masterpiece]

At this point I decided it was time to really get to know the 80 a bit better. My knuckles were showing a little grease and one of the birfs was occasionally clicking. Instead of swapping the birfs from side to side I opted to replace them and keep the OEM units for trail spares. Once all the parts arrived it was time to get greasy with a front axle rebuild. All in all not a hard job just messy. Ottram's youtube video was incredibly helpful as a reference. No birf soup on either side but I am glad I took care of it anyways.

I did order the Witts End offset seal driver and was happy I did. That tool makes setting the inner axle seals a piece of cake.

Getting ready.

Bearing Prep

Cool shot looking through the differential with both axles removed.

At this point I ended up quitting my job. I had been planning to leave for some time and and first was going to take a few months off for much needed rest while prepping to transition into a new career path. About a week later I received a call from a friend in Aspen for work and decided to take him up on it. The commute up there takes about 2hrs, so I decided this was a great opportunity to play with various camping / storage setups in the 80. Without my girlfriend and dog sleeping inside the vehicle became a quick and convenient option. By the end of August I had spent around 30 nights living out of the cruiser.

Working from the Road

As luck would have it as soon as my contract finished my girlfriend also happened to get a short term gig up in Aspen. Since we now had two people and the dog we converted back to a standard camping setup. I always monitor craigslist for used gear and stumbled upon a used CVT awning for $70. I would not have bought one with the LED strip myself but it actually turned out to be very useful.

Camping along Lincoln Creek Rd.

 

[KC masterpiece]

After working for 3 months when I had planned on being unemployed the modification fund had been replenished. I had grown very tired of storing our water cans and the spare inside the truck and knew it was time for a rear bumper. As much as I loved the Slee I just could not justify the price. A few friends spoke very highly of the 4x4 labs bumper and a few MUD members had organized a group buy. Lacking in welding skills I decided to go with a built bumper, but held off on the powder coating. I always hate when the coating starts to chip. For me it made much more sense to save the money, paint the bumper myself, and then have a rattle can in the garage for any needed touchups. For paint I used Rustolium high performance enamel. Good stuff and available at almost any hardware store.

Priming and Painting

Frame prep

For anyone worried about cutting off the factory crossmember, here is a good comparison how how beefy the replacement is.

Ready for Action

 

[Rifleman]

Very, very clean looking truck, whoever owned it before you took very good care of it, and it shows his pride of ownership in your photos.

 

[KC masterpiece]

Very, very clean looking truck, whoever owned it before you took very good care of it, and it shows his pride of ownership in your photos.

He certainly did. I have bought quite a few used cars over the years and you can always tell when an owner is actually sad to see one go. It spent most of its life in FL so very minimal rust to worry about. The PO kept it in good shape and had already completed quite a bit of preventative maintenance before I picked her up. Not sure if @2thdriller is still lurking on MUD.

 

[Atomic City]

Nice rig! I grew up not too far from Silverthorne in Kremmling.

 

[KC masterpiece]

Nice rig! I grew up not too far from Silverthorne in Kremmling.

Small world. We occasionally talk about moving out of Silverthorne and up to Kremmling, or even out to Leadville. It is getting so expensive to live here.

Long term we may end up in NM like you. Colorado is unfortunately becoming the California of the Rockies.

 

[Atomic City]

Small world. We occasionally talk about moving out of Silverthorne and up to Kremmling, or even out to Leadville. It is getting so expensive to live here.

Long term we may end up in NM like you. Colorado is unfortunately becoming the California of the Rockies.

Very true. I still have family and visit up near Kremmling and Fort Collins frequently. The amount of traffic and people is pretty insane. That said, I still have a soft spot for southwestern Colorado. We are keeping our eye out for a nice chunk of land down there to possibly build on for retirement.

 

[Rifleman]

Colorado is unfortunately becoming the California of the Rockies.

Boy O boy what a sad but true statement, not only have transplants from California screwed up Colorado, Oregon, and Washington state. But they are starting to seriously screw up my beloved states of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and even Arizona.

 

[KC masterpiece]

Boy O boy what a sad but true statement, not only have transplants from California screwed up Colorado, Oregon, and Washington state. But they are starting to seriously screw up my beloved states of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and even Arizona.

That's bad news for me! Those 3 are all on my list of places to end up one day...

 

[Cruzilla]

Yeah.. its becoming an issue here in Idaho.
People need to vote and not sit on there butt thinking it wont make a difference..

 

[LandLocked93]

Boy O boy what a sad but true statement, not only have transplants from California screwed up Colorado, Oregon, and Washington state. But they are starting to seriously screw up my beloved states of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and even Arizona.

Don't think for one second that this *ISN'T* intentional.
stay on topic stay on topic
Check your nuts!
One day I'll get a rear bumper. Yours looks great!

 

[GA Trevor]

Don't think for one second that this *ISN'T* intentional.
They are being funded to relocate to red states to perform anti-American culture and tradition activism in the pursuit of "extermination of the enemy" - American citizens - primarily white, middle-age, without college indoctrination - but really anyone with a love for the nation, it's founders, its principles, its freedoms, and its liberties (what's left of them), its traditions, its heritage, its global standing, its economic strength, and its MEANING.
But most of all, they are after ANYONE WHO SUPPORTS THIS PRESIDENT. PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP.

When CWII goes hot, we will realize that the voting lever we've had the *luxury* of pulling in ignorant indifference has become the trigger of the gun we're now forced to pull in tragic defense of God-given human rights and freedom.

THIS is why I check my nuts!


Please excuse my political outburst. It's hard to control in the face of reality.
Now back to our regularly scheduled programming....

Hmmmm

 

[Sonofaskipper]

It’s a goddamned conspiracy, I tell ya!

 

[flintknapper]

Boy O boy what a sad but true statement, not only have transplants from California screwed up Colorado, Oregon, and Washington state. But they are starting to seriously screw up my beloved states of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and even Arizona.

Don't forget Texas, they are 'pouring in' here.

 

[KC masterpiece]

Well I appreciate all the comments but I was not trying to poke a hornets nest with that dig on Cali. Great PSA but now lets get back to our scheduled programming with additional LC porn.

After playing around with the OME setup for a while I found myself wanting a bit more flex. I did some digging on the forum to see what minor adjustments could be made without an upgrade to a more serious suspension (Slinky may happen one day in the far future). I stumbled across the LCP swaybar disconnects and ordered a set that same day. As you can see in the photo below. I had gotten my FJ Cruiser to flex very well for an IFS rig, and wanted to at least match that with the 80.

IFS can flex well.... if you push it.

The "flexi" FJ Cruiser was running Icon extended travel shocks up front and a set of UCA's from All Pro. I ran this setup for over a year with no swaybar and the body roll while driving on road was controllable. Due to the design of the swaybar disconnects are not a viable solution.

With the 80 it seems that the front sway is necessary for a safe on road experience. I was pleased with the parts quality of the LCP kit and the install only took a few minutes. Unfortunately I immediately had issues with the disconnect pins. I installed them in every orientation one could imagine and even picked up a few spares in different sizes. I was loosing a pin at least once a week and was trying to figure out why... No one else seemed to be having the same issue with the LCP kit. After a bit of head scratching I realized it was due to worn swaybar bushings. Once I had a new set installed (including replacement of the internal metal sleeve) the LCP disconnects became rock solid. I have not lost one since even though I now check them neurotically.

Stretching Out

Happy dog knows its time for some trail running.

All in all I think I am pretty close to what my old rig was capable of. With about 2.5k less spent on suspension modifications.

I am also not concerned about my engine bay crumple points cracking due to spirited driving. Slow and steady wins the race.

 

[KC masterpiece]

Don't think for one second that this *ISN'T* intentional.
stay on topic stay on topic
Check your nuts!
One day I'll get a rear bumper. Yours looks great!

I am definitely a big fan. I still need to pick up a gas can for the rear carrier. Very happy to no longer have that spare taking up so much real estate inside the truck.

For anyone curious about the tow capacity I did pull a 4000lb trailer around with no issues, unless you include living in 1st gear on every hill.

 

[Azca]

Well I appreciate all the comments but I was not trying to poke a hornets nest with that dig on Cali. Great PSA but now lets get back to our scheduled programming with additional LC porn.

After playing around with the OME setup for a while I found myself wanting a bit more flex. I did some digging on the forum to see what minor adjustments could be made without an upgrade to a more serious suspension (Slinky may happen one day in the far future). I stumbled across the LCP swaybar disconnects and ordered a set that same day. As you can see in the photo below. I had gotten my FJ Cruiser to flex very well for an IFS rig, and wanted to at least match that with the 80.

IFS can flex well.... if you push it.
View attachment 2197377

The "flexi" FJ Cruiser was running Icon extended travel shocks up front and a set of UCA's from All Pro. I ran this setup for over a year with no swaybar and the body roll while driving on road was controllable. Due to the design of the swaybar disconnects are not a viable solution.

With the 80 it seems that the front sway is necessary for a safe on road experience. I was pleased with the parts quality of the LCP kit and the install only took a few minutes. Unfortunately I immediately had issues with the disconnect pins. I installed them in every orientation one could imagine and even picked up a few spares in different sizes. I was loosing a pin at least once a week and was trying to figure out why... No one else seemed to be having the same issue with the LCP kit. After a bit of head scratching I realized it was due to worn swaybar bushings. Once I had a new set installed (including replacement of the internal metal sleeve) the LCP disconnects became rock solid. I have not lost one since even though I now check them neurotically.

Stretching Out
View attachment 2197394
View attachment 2197396

Happy dog knows its time for some trail running.
View attachment 2197397

All in all I think I am pretty close to what my old rig was capable of. With about 2.5k less spent on suspension modifications.

I am also not concerned about my engine bay crumple points cracking due to spirited driving. Slow and steady wins the race.

I too am losing the pins. I have ordered the bushes to replace. I also drilled a new hole and used a different cotter pin which appears to have resolved the issue anyway.

For more articulation, and improved drive-ability with a lift, get the Delta radius arms. Had min on a week ago and after 150 highway miles I can say it has been one of the best additions to the cruiser. Have not had them in the dirt yet but others are stating that since they are narrower, the front will flex more as the radius arm has a little more movement available at the bushes.