My '64 FJ40 Build - Cave Cricket

[Ramination]

Have had the 40 out three of the last four weekends and it has been doing great!!

Also took it on a 2 hour road trip and it did quite well overall! It handles the road pretty well considering it has just the one Currie sway bar in the rear, big soft coilovers and non-selectable lockers. I was eyeballing the temp gauges HARD for a while because it was 95 degrees out and I got stuck in some rush hour traffic jam but it did not over heat so that was sweet. Was smooth sailing after that, and far more enjoyable when it started cooling down. Managed 15 mpg over the trip which I was pleased with.

Here's a couple pics from the different outings at Rocks and Valleys as well as Bundy Hill for a group get together.

 

[rmckay1021]

Have had the 40 out three of the last four weekends and it has been doing great!!

Also took it on a 2 hour road trip and it did quite well overall! It handles the road pretty well considering it has just the one Currie sway bar in the rear, big soft coilovers and non-selectable lockers. I was eyeballing the temp gauges HARD for a while because it was 95 degrees out and I got stuck in some rush hour traffic jam but it did not over heat so that was sweet. Was smooth sailing after that, and far more enjoyable when it started cooling down. Managed 15 mpg over the trip which I was pleased with.

Here's a couple pics from the different outings at Rocks and Valleys as well as Bundy Hill for a group get together.

Wicked truck you have built!!!!!! Amazing!!!!

 

[Ramination]

Thanks a lot.

As I get closer to taking trips to bigger parks I feel the need to carry my spare tire with the FJ as opposed to leaving it back at the trailer. But, I don't have a tire carrier currently. I had bought the kit that uses a trailer spindle but got scared away after hearing some stories. I've been toying with the idea of removing the rear seat and mounting it back there until my boy is old enough to make it a family trip, but then I'd have to re-deal with this issue in a few years.

I considered a mount that was low and at a 45 degree angle like the U4 guys do but the tire just barely doesn't fit between the tailgate opening...wish I'd had the foresight for that a couple years ago. Plus that'd make it a real pain to get to the trap storage door where the tools and recovery gear live.

So, I think I'm going to give a "normal" spare mount location a go. However, no spindle. I'm thinking a tube going from the bumper to the roll cage, as seen in red below as the basis for the carrier.

This piece will have tube clamps on each end so it would be removable in the event that I want to run without the spare again or in case I need to pull the roll cage and/or tub at some point.

The rest of the mount will swing away using some standard bushings as the hinges.

 

[74fj40]

looks really good. Great idea on the tire carrier. Only suggestion I have is to use heim joints instead of bushings. Not only will they not wear out like a bushing would, it will offer some adjustability to line up the latch system you end up using.

 

[Ramination]

looks really good. Great idea on the tire carrier. Only suggestion I have is to use heim joints instead of bushings. Not only will they not wear out like a bushing would, it will offer some adjustability to line up the latch system you end up using.

I really like the idea of using heims over bushings, here's my problem though. I was planning to use 2" x 0.120 tube for this so that doesn't leave me with any tube adapter options, does it? You know of somewhere to get a 1.75" bung that takes a 5/8" heim, for example?

 

[Ramination]

Took the ol' cruiser out again this past weekend. My Dad went too, his first time wheeling in 30+ years and we had a good time, managed to scare him a few times too.

Got my first body damage from one of those stupid concrete rectangle things. :mad3: All cosmetic, but it did hurt!

Couple pics and a video of the end of Long Crawl and Lot trails

I did not end up making it off the pile at the end of the video and gave up after a couple tries since my front driveshaft was grinding away on the rock. But I'll be back for redemption!!!

 

[Ramination]

Group run over Labor day was a mess!

Got down in the woods where the mud was and it was awful! It was slot car like in the picture above for about 200 yards and at the end was a deepish mud hole with a tough exit. I was second in a line of eight. First Jeep couldn't make it up and out and ended up winching. Since there isn't a top on my junk I had no intention of trying more than once, and so I gave it all the beans. No video, I don't think anyone expected us to make it! After rig three failed the rest either backed all the way out or winched up and out of the ruts and found a way around...I was covered in mud and very jealous!

To add insult to injury, a short time later I caught the temp gauge creepin' up past 220. I only wired the fan for low speed, and because it had been sufficient never added high in. So I trail-hacked the wiring and got the fan on high, cooled it down a slight bit but still couldn't use the throttle and keep it under 220. So we nursed it back to the parking lot to take a peek

After TWO trips to the powerwash station to blast mud out of the radiator fins we were back in business and running at 180 again.

How gross, what terrible stuff this mud s*** is! I think next time I'm just going to winch through the mud!

 

[Ramination]

Then this past weekend I met up with some old and some new friends down at the Badlands. Was a really great time (and no mud!!) dragging that boat anchor, I mean D70 around the rocks.

Should have a couple videos to post from the trip in a couple of days too.

 

[Ramination]

And in between those last two trips I built the tire carrier I showed a few posts ago.

I started by making my own tube clamps.

2.25" 0.120 wall with 1" long 0.5" 0.095 wall for the bolts (5/16" bolts)

I ended up cutting up the long one to make all three the same size.

Then bent the main support which clamps to the cage C pillar and bumper tube.

The Notchmaster is SO GOOD!!!

Fast forward a bit

Back side of the mount plate from Ruffstuff

 

[Ramination]

For the locking end I ultimately decided to keep it extra super simple after many ideas and alternate plans.

I used a 1" dia bolt and nut welded into a tube.

The rod on top was necessary to give enough of something to grab onto to adequately tighten and loosen without tools. So far so good.

Not TOO bad of a departure I feel. It didn't touch once this past weekend which I was happy about.

Overall I'm pretty happy to have it, but also very glad I made it easily and completely removable. One step closer to heading west.