Build My First Landcruiser: 78' Frame Off Resofication

[Hugh Heifer]

Some info on loctite:

Loctite Blue 242 is for screws that may need to be removed.
It's used for scope bases and rings, grip screws, etc.
It's purpose is to prevent screws from vibrating loose, yet still allow them to be easily removed with standard tools.

Loctite Red is a permanent bonder for screws that will not normally be removed.
This is used for 1911 grip screw bushings to prevent them from coming out with the grip screw, and anywhere else you want something to be firmly bonded in place, and you don't plan on removing it.
To remove parts bonded with Red, you need to use heat and heavy-duty tools.

Loctite Black, also called Loctite "Black MAX" is a "super glue" mixed with rubbery bonders.
This is used to bond ribs and sights on shotgun barrels, and is apparently some good stuff.
The rubbery bonders cushion vibration and prevent the parts from coming off.
It's primarily a bonder used to "glue" parts on something. It's used in the automotive industry to bond handles and knobs in cars.

Loctite Green is a very thin consistency and is used to secure screws that are already in place.
The thin consistency allows the agent to "wick" into the threads.

There are two types of Loc-Tite Green
Loc-Tite green thread retainer #29000 is used like Blue 242 but you can loosen and retighten screws without having to reapply the compound.

This stuff is good for screws such as grip panel screws that you may want to eventually take out for access to internal parts for cleaning etc.

Loc-Tite #609 is a retaining compound that is used for permanently anchoring press fit bushings or any componenet that is intended to be more or less permanently anchored in place.
It requires more heat and force to remove than Loc-Tite red.

All you could want on using threadlockers and retaining compounds.

Brands - Henkel

 

[apeterson]

I personally only use blue and red. blue for anything I might take out... red for anything I dont want to come out

 

[90 Weight]

I personally only use blue and red. blue for anything I might take out... red for anything I dont want to come out

bought both, blue for body parts fenders etc red for undercarriage parts. body tranny mounts etc.

Installed front window glass today. By the time it was over, I had (have) a nice collection of cuts and scrapes on both hands. Left my work gloves in a friends car. The upside- now i could take out and put back in the door glass without any questions....

PITA: OLD DRY WINDOW RUNS



ME: 1 RUNS: 0



WIRING QUESTIONS:

Anyone know where the wires are supposed to go?! Link to diagram or description?

 

[CruiserStuff]

Good read, man.....nice rig. I just left you a voicemail....

 

[90 Weight]

anyone know about the wiper motor wiring?

bought a new set of downey 4" springs
will be installing them tomorrow.


goodbye kidney bruises and compressed spine- hello daily driver. Listing my current daily as soon as the springs are in!

 

[90 Weight]

wiper motor wiring issue solved via external thread. thanks rock2una.

OK

new springs are in. with the rig in the air the springs hang 2.5" lower in the back and 2" lower up front.

LIFT HEIGHT:

I'm an idiot and forgot to measure the frame to ground prior to the spring change so I don't know how much it actually changed but it looks to be atleast an inch higher up front and two in the back....the rear tire clearance, (see ****ty iphone picture below) is way better now.


RIDE QUALITY:

better. quite a bit better, but still too stiff. I think at this point two things are going on 1) the springs need time to break in. 2) my shocks are too stiff (and rear's are potentially shot...?) I'm going to take the shocks off tomorrow at the shop and see how it rides without them- easy test, if it is much smoother w/o them then I need to re-valve the fronts and get new rears, if it is about the same then the shocks are fine and the springs need to be broken in. I'm tired of being bumped around.

 

[90 Weight]

never really thought about it, but unless I use a lift/dealer car ramp, there isnt really any place in the city to test flex... got a little creative in an alley in santa monica....quick before the neighbors notice or the wall collapses. will take it onto a ramp tomorrow at the shop and see what it can actually do.

also, i'm pretty sure the shocks shouldnt stay compressed like that.... or am I just imagining things....? but even if they were bad, that would only make things LESS stiff right?

 

[Christian]

Whoa! This is one evil thread!!!
Look at the replies...


Sorry, couldn't help it, great build!!!

 

[pc4400]

Lookin good, you won't be disapointed in the Downey springs.
After a month they'll settle in nicely. I put slightly taller shackles in the rear on my rig, mainly because I run hardtop. Did you shim the front? I believe I used 4° steel shims

 

[90 Weight]

Lookin good, you won't be disapointed in the Downey springs.
After a month they'll settle in nicely. I put slightly taller shackles in the rear on my rig, mainly because I run hardtop. Did you shim the front? I believe I used 4° steel shims

Thanks for the reasurrance pc. It was starting to frustruate me as I drove down the 405 today feelng like I was on a rollercoaster.

 

[90 Weight]

Made a HUGE discovery yesterday.

While it was up on the lift I was walking around, looking at the new spring angles etc trying to figure out if I had done anything wrong or if it was just a matter of time before the springs break in....

Well, turns out when I ordered my front 7100's they sent me the wrong, (VERY WRONG) valving. 400/100 Not sure how I didn't catch that when I was putting them in, but that would explain alot.

Called up bilstein and they said that with that stiff of a valving it would have the power to essentially lock up my front springs IE bumpy ass ride.

PHEW- atleast now I can relax about the ride quality. Ordered new 255/70 valving for $30...(though I think I may just sell the 7100's and swap them out for 5100's all the way around.) Then I will be able to let nature run its course and wait for the springs to truely break in a bit.

You guys have any experience with different valvings? The guys at bilstein said that the stock FJ40 valving is 255/70 and that is what they recommend all the way around. Also is the valving that the 5100's come with.
_____________________

Part two-

Took off the valve covers and redid the valving. Engine is running much better now. Just need to get a normal quiet exhaust and life will be good in the engine department.


Part three-

I have been feeling that the drive train (tranny tcase and diff area) has been making way too much noise to be normal. I knew my pinion needed to be tightened because it clanks into gear and when I get off and on of the gas it makes the same clanking noise.... when you put it in drive while off and turn the rear drive shaft, it has about 1-2IN of play :whoops:. I think that could be the source of the whining- though Mark from marks offroad seems to think more drastic matters are at hand down there (which leads me to part four)

Part four-

Though I had a pleasant experience with mark of marks offroad over the phone when I was first doing my build and needed to order an ebrake assembly, I will never, and I mean NEVER be doing business with mark again. I don't want to make a big stink about it here, as I know many will strongly disagree and all have a right to judge for themselves, but I had a very negative experience and left offended and enraged.

I'm going to try and get my diff situation figured out before Sunday and while down there make sure my T-case is still doing allright. Trying to make a camping trip/equiptment test happen sunday through tuesday up in lake arrowhead.

Thats it for now.

Cheers,
Eli

 

[apeterson]

Part three-


Though I had a pleasant experience with mark of marks offroad over the phone when I was first doing my build and needed to order an ebrake assembly, I will never, and I mean NEVER be doing business with mark again. I don't want to make a big stink about it here, as I know many will strongly disagree and all have a right to judge for themselves, but I had a very negative experience and left offended and enraged.


Eli

haha....


mark is a good guy... just different... very different....

 

[pc4400]

Part four-

Though I had a pleasant experience with mark of marks offroad over the phone when I was first doing my build and needed to order an ebrake assembly, I will never, and I mean NEVER be doing business with mark again. I don't want to make a big stink about it here, as I know many will strongly disagree and all have a right to judge for themselves, but I had a very negative experience and left offended and enraged.

You're not alone.
I tried to get work done from him recently, but he sounded like he didn't give a F about me or my rig. I did nothing but compliment him on his knowledge and got bad rudeness. Very strange.

 

[90 Weight]

You're not alone.
I tried to get work done from him recently, but he sounded like he didn't give a F about me or my rig. I did nothing but compliment him on his knowledge and got bad rudeness. Very strange.

precisely.

 

[UNO_RACING]

Eli,

So you still have the cruiser, eh. Things appear to be going well now that your back on track. Once again, I commend you on following thru.

Funny how projects that one is completely tired of and one just wants to give up; you give it a break and then the energy rushes back in. Glad to see that your energized. Look forward to the updates.

Take care,

Jeff

 

[Hugh Heifer]

never really thought about it, but unless I use a lift/dealer car ramp, there isnt really any place in the city to test flex... got a little creative in an alley in santa monica....quick before the neighbors notice or the wall collapses. will take it onto a ramp tomorrow at the shop and see what it can actually do.

also, i'm pretty sure the shocks shouldnt stay compressed like that.... or am I just imagining things....? but even if they were bad, that would only make things LESS stiff right?

Shocks will remain compressed like that. Remember, when they came in the box you had to pull them apart to mount them. Basically all they do is dampen the bumps thru vavling - like a transfer of liquid between chambers. Unless they are coil over, they don't do any pushing back of their own (like a straight guy in prison - he doesn't push back)

If they are bad, you can manually compress them or decompress them more easily (when they are off the truck of course). They can make your ride bad though. If you do not have the appropriate travel (including length or valving), they will not move back and forth enough to dampen the ride and all you will feel is spring bounce. I had a set that was way too long on a VW Baja with very stiff valving and it was like riding on rails.

If that all makes sense. Given that your valving on the Bilsteins was funky, I think you will discover a much better ride with the new ones installed. Bigger is not always better.

 

[90 Weight]

quick cell phone post ( computer is still eff'd)

rebuilt tcase last night with the help and guidance of Harley. big thanks to steve>georg>rob>brian> and ultimately harley for helping me connect with some great knowledgeable cruiser guys in my area.

no more loud crazy noises from down below. ( just a bit left from some minor slop in diff but that can wait for now.

working out some cosmetic/comfort stuff at the moment (between shifts) and will post up a bunch of photos and the promised video as soon as my computer comes back to life.

cheers,
eli

 

[90 Weight]

well....I did it again.

dislocated my shoulder. tore up old surgery, fml.

life roadbump...


cant use my left arm (dominant hand) at the moment but will be enlisting the help of some great local guys and do my best to make things happen before our trip deadline. Luckily I have a few weeks to heal before hand.

Once I get my life back together (next few days) I'll post up some new tech stuff. Until then I'll be posted up on my couch nursing the bottle of Vicodin.

Cheers,
Eli

 

[90 Weight]

Allright- had to leave my local day job b/c of the arm, so now I have a spot of time for the cruiser before leaving the country for another job on the 25th.


Ordered the visor piece to connect the cap to the windshield frame- as soon as I have that, I will be driving out to a friends shop to tighten up the rear diff slop, and tie up some other loose ends...

Purchased some all power BMW 328i seats so that there is a shot at some comfort for our expedition... they were a steal, and fit perfectly- will just have to weld up some new brackets.

Now that I have all the time in the world, I will make sure to post pictures with new progress.

Cheers

 

[antFJ]

somehow i beat you to the driving phase of building a truck.. trust me once you get there you'll be happy you did!


also.. i thought you used to take pictures? that must be one heavy camera!!!

lets see some pics