Builds My First Landcruiser: 78' Frame Off Resofication

[Hugh Heifer]

haha ill have to give it a try...

hey so im gonna ask this evey before I scour the FAQ for info....

Now that both my shoulders are bum, I am gonna have to swap out my sweet delux "armstrong" steering for power steering...given my build up what rout do ya think I should go...Im not sure with the 35's if the mini setup is enough...and I dont really know what the mini setup is...just heard it being mentioned (one again after I write this Ill hit up the FAQ)...So then that leavees the saginaw right? so If those are my only two options...what rout should I go...I am somewhat familiar (via pictures) of the welding involved to get the plate for mounting the saginaw...is it the same with the mini? cost comparison? time comparison?


Thanks guys any info is apretiated, also Im gonna have to find out where to get these parts becuase the junkyards around here are crap.

Here is the best explanation and install of the mini truck set up:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=65318

This is probably what you want. No welding! The amount of welding you have to do with the Sag will really F up your powder coating and it is a lot more $$ depending on where you get the parts.
Here are some links:

http://www.root45.com/PowerSteering/
http://www.off-road.com/tlc/tech/saginaw/
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/powersteering/index.html
http://medusa.ih8mud.com/cruiser/Saginaw.html
http://www.off-road.com/tlc/tech/psbracket/
http://www.fourwheeler.com/projectbuild/129_9906_1965_toyota_land_cruiser_fj_45_power_steering_swap/

Good luck! I have heard that 35s will just barely clear the mini truck set up. Barely.

 

[90 Weight]

Here is the best explanation and install of the mini truck set up:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=65318

This is probably what you want. No welding! The amount of welding you have to do with the Sag will really F up your powder coating and it is a lot more $$ depending on where you get the parts.
Here are some links:

http://www.root45.com/PowerSteering/
http://www.off-road.com/tlc/tech/saginaw/
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/powersteering/index.html
http://medusa.ih8mud.com/cruiser/Saginaw.html
http://www.off-road.com/tlc/tech/psbracket/
http://www.fourwheeler.com/projectbuild/129_9906_1965_toyota_land_cruiser_fj_45_power_steering_swap/

Good luck! I have heard that 35s will just barely clear the mini truck set up. Barely.

Thanks Hugh, when you say barely clear the mini setup, what do you mean? Im going to go through the links and see if I can figgure it out. Thanks again.

Eli

 

[Hugh Heifer]

Thanks Hugh, when you say barely clear the mini setup, what do you mean? Im going to go through the links and see if I can figgure it out. Thanks again.

Eli

Well, I am not sure. I think mudders ripped into the mount while A/Ts may have rubbed a bit? I am sure it depends on the lift and spring set up but the bottom line is it is less expensive and much easier than the Sag set up. If you do the Mini first and it rubs, yu can always take it out and go Sag. There are many folk here that would buy the mini set up from you if it did not fit your bill. I think early one we spoke abuot having to weld so much on your powder coated frame.

 

[90 Weight]

Anyone watching the buildup going to the Cruise Moab event?

 

[MDH33]

Yup!

 

[90 Weight]

Cool cya there!

 

[farinvail]

Anyone watching the buildup going to the Cruise Moab event?

Yep. Build up is looking great. Good luck with the shoulder. For just finishing HS you got it going on. Ditch those nasty rusty fenders, maybe not now but when you got everything else finished. checkout metaltechs tube fenders. Not sure if you've figured this out yet or not but no one is ever "finished" building their 40. Soon as you think you've got it all done.... You'll decide to go soa or link it, dual t-case, ect. It'll always be something. Again, sweet job. Get it moving under it's own power. My $.02 is saganaw 4 bolt. You're gonna f-up the powdercoated frame soon as you get it in the rocks anyway.

 

[MDH33]

I asked in your thread on RS, but I'll ask here too.

I noticed in the pic with the tub newly installed (your current avatar) that the rear tires look really close to the tub, not much clearance. I was wondering what you think about it. Seems like once you bolt everything back on and fill it up with gear and gas it's going to make contact, especially when flexing it on the trail. Or, it could just be the angle of the pic??

 

[90 Weight]

yea its pretty close...worried me also. At the closest point, its 3.5" to the tire...but immediately jumps to 4.5 and then up and up. Im not sure if its gonna make much of a difference, but none of my shocks are on yet. Once I get everything set up and painted, if it seems too close fully loaded, then I'll probably get bigger shackle hangers.

 

[rabid]

As far as the mini truck setup goes:
The 35's are not the problem as much as the 12.5" width is. With the mini truck set up, it will grab your relay rod with the lugs if you do not turn your stops way out. I run 38x11 boggers with mine, and the mini truck box HATES it. It did fine with 34x9.5 TSL's, but still grabbed at lock until I turned them way out. I had 12.5 TSLs on it a while ago, did not turn out the stops, and broke the center arm itself from the downward stress on it when the lugs grabbed at lock.

Hope this helps.

 

[90 Weight]

what do you mean by turn your stops way out?

 

[MDH33]

yea its pretty close...worried me also. At the closest point, its 3.5" to the tire...but immediately jumps to 4.5 and then up and up. Im not sure if its gonna make much of a difference, but none of my shocks are on yet. Once I get everything set up and painted, if it seems too close fully loaded, then I'll probably get bigger shackle hangers.

What kind of lift are you running? I have a brand new set of HFS 2 1/2" over rear shackles if you decide to go that route. Maybe consider a smaller tire too like some 33's. That might make your steering choices easier as well.

 

[90 Weight]

Yea...right now im running whatever springs the PO had on...I believe he put on chevy springs....but it has a shackle reversal...so im not really sure. I posted up a thread a while back where I had others with 4" lifts measure the frame to ground hight in various places, and compared mine with theirs and it looks like mine measures out to be about a 4" or 4.5" lift equivolent.

 

[rabid]

what do you mean by turn your stops way out?

Your steering stops on the knuckle, they prevent your tire from turning too far in one direction or the other. They hit the little hoop shaped things right at the axle ends. You lose turning radius by doing this, and causing you to make 400 point turns in the woods. Better than leaving the truck overnight, which is what we had to do when mine broke.

 

[90 Weight]

Ok...thought it was time for a bit of an update...The last few days, my buddy and I have been designing and welding my custom seat mounts and brackets for my Crow harnesses. Origionally we were going to just have it set to a fixed hight, but then I realized it wouldnt take too much effort to make it adjustable, so now were gonna fab up some adjustable legs with removable pins/bolts.

Still struggling to get friends to make it over long enough to set in the tranny/transfercase, but if everything goes as planned sat night it should all happen, leaving only the brakelines to be run and bled, and then working out the leftover kinks and stuff.

Although the seat mounts arent finished, we set them in there to take measurements and they look badass. Ill take some pics as soon as the mounts are finished (sat)

Looks like CM07 is going to be possible!



Eli

 

[apeterson]

sounds great.... can not wait to see how you fabed those seats!

 

[90 Weight]

Seats are almost done.

I went and picked up my steering box in Pagosa from Jason, owner of San Juan Offroad, only have one high pressure line, anyone know if thats something I can just buy at NAPA or somehting?

Should be installing that this week/weekend.

Cheers

Eli

 

[Hugh Heifer]

The return line has low pressure (I think if it is like a sag) so you can just use tubing and hose clamps. I have some Auto Zone numbers for the lines for a Sag but that woun't help you. If you use a Sag pump you will notice it has a piece of tube hanging off the back for the low pressure return. Now I do not have one of these but am sure somebody can confirm this.

Check here: https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=65318&page=3

 

[90 Weight]

Yea your right. good thing he found the high pressure line. ill just go get some rubber hose and clamps. thanks.

 

[90 Weight]

Ok so I just realized that there arent an pics on this page, so heres an update of the cutting the tub situation.

A pic of the area to be cut out so that it can clear the t-case: