New FJ40 tear down and some questions

[ellesar04]

Hey guys, I lurked around here a few days, and then saw an FJ40 for sale on craigslist and picked it up a few weeks ago. This is a project build I'm doing for my mother, who just recently got divorced (I'm rewarding her for doing what she should have the year after she married the bastard). She lives down on the coast now, and she's taken up surfing. Knowing it will be down there, I've used these forums to research rust prevention. I just have a few problems....

Basically, anything associated with the hard top is rusted something fierce. One of the pole stabilizers for the side panels rusted right off. Is it better to try and have someone rebuild it, or just order new ones. I was thinking of going over to fiberglass for these. The weather seals are completely wasted, and the rain gutter was so rusted it broke apart in several places under its own weight when I removed it. The channel where the side panels bolt on to the body have rusted through in places, but the tub itself is in great shape.

Whats the best way to go about removing the channels and fabricating new ones? Also, one last question. I have the three speed on this 1970 FJ40, and the Hayne's manual I bought has no breakdown of the shifting assembly. I'm trying like hell to get the steering column removed, but there is a bolt I can turn forever and not remove on an arm where the shifter assembly meets the steering gear under the hood. Anyone else have this problem? The Haynes book I bought says it covers my model year but conveniently decided that the three speed wasnt worth their time, and the steering column isn't included anywhere.

The PO said the transmission would slip out of third going uphill if you didnt put a little downwards pressure on the shifter. Any ideas as to why? I will be posting pictures up soon, but I'm hoping to get this tub sent to be sandblasted this week. All that is holding me up in the steering column removal. If anyone could help, or even scan the page of the FSM that has the steering column breakdown instructions, I'd dance at their weddin'.

Oh, and I'm in Rockport, TX.

 

[Poser]

Welcome!


If you look around, you can probably find a couple side panels from another top that are not wasted with rust. Same is true about the tub channel you are talking about. There are many people out here that are parting/cutting up trucks and you could likely get them to ship you what you are looking for, if you could not find it locally.


Post something up in the WANTED section and see what happens.

 

[Texx]

I have decent hard top side panels and the rear channel piece you need here in Odessa, Tx. Let me know if you're interested.

 

[7mag]

Looks like KeyAllegro by the picture. I've got a'69 parts vehicle and come to RP atleast once a month. Let me know if you need anything.

 

[ellesar04]

Yes, I'm in Key Allegro. Good eye. What gave it away? The purple house next door that has the least functional floorplan in the world and has been on the market since 2005?

I'm interested in buying an all new hardtop. I'd prefer one that doesnt need a new rain gutter, as those seem to be priced awfully steep for a vehicle that will have the hardtop on 6 weeks out of the year. I mean come on, it's Rockport, TX.

 

[bsmith123]

steering

I found it easy to just disco the steering at the spline and leave the rod on.

A pickle fork BFH PB blaster and a propane torch did the trick

IIRC__remove the steering wheel disco the horn, turn signal, and the clamps and so on for the outer cover then pull the whole thing through from the engine side. here's a steering and shift column drawing from SOR
Specter Off-Road-Land Cruiser Parts - Page 056-3 Speed Transmission 1963-1973

Specter Off-Road-Land Cruiser Parts - Page 094-Front End



some pics in my build might help
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/204950-71-fj-build-ugly-betty.html
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/197121-uglybetty-71fj-rollin-front-out-hfs-lift.html



check out the link SOR has exploded view drawings of just about everything and that helps a lot
Specter Off-Road-Land Cruiser Parts - Index-On-Line Catalog

 

[ghostriders]

That is one hell of a bumper!!!!!

 

[ellesar04]

That is one hell of a bumper!!!!!

OH yes, I forgot to mention. Rockport is infested with dinosaurs. I intend to stand on that bumper and do some dinosaur wranglin'.

 

[mtweller]

You might have some F/A-18s landing on that thing if you put any lights on it.

Good luck w/ your project! Sounds like you've got a cool mom.

 

[ellesar04]

Yes, I do have a cool mom. We found another FJ40 listed in the Dallas area for only 2750 and the hardtop was in great condition. She said, "Why don't we just pick that one up, give me the hardtop, and we'll set one up for you that's a soft top.

Unfortunately, the dang thing was already sold. And if whoever bought it is reading this, you go to hell. You go to hell and you die.

 

[okie]

I think thats really cool you doing that for your mom.

 

[Texx]

One just sold on ebay in Sandia, Tx for 1350 with a decent hardtop....you're gonna have to keep your ear to the ground and be ready to move fast....it was a running 72

 

[ellesar04]

Alright, I got the steering wheel off, the shifter and outer steering column off, and now I'm left with nothing but the steering control rod that goes through the cowl and into the steering box. Again, this is the 1970 model. The diagrams i find have the control rod having a plate at the end where it meets the steering box. My control rod has no such plate, it just goes directly in. How do I remove this? I removed every bolt on the steering box but that didn't seem to have any effect.

 

[ellesar04]

Well, I'm down to the frame now. Got the transmission and transfer case off. I have no use for the power-take off since the assembly linkage for the winch was cut off by the PO. Anybody want to trade their cover plate for my PTO? I got a new clutch kit from CCOT in the other day, and I had a question. Where do these two bearings go? The Haynes guide I have only shows one, that I put in with the spacer. Also, when I took the lower cover off of the flywheel housing, the whole thing looks greasy as hell. I was under the impression there shouldn't be hardly any grease anywhere near the friction plate. I mean the whole area around the fork was just covered in greasy grit. I havent removed the motor yet so I haven't taken the main flywheel cover off yet, but if its as bad as the rest there is little doubt in my mind that the reason it was slipping out of third on an incline was because the surface was contaminated. So grease or no grease?

 

[tlc_4play]

How about posting some pics of the tear down so far

 

[nspctr1]

The clutch/flywheel area should be clean. It sounds like the rear main has been leaking for a while. If I were you, and I'm not but, If your going to tear the rig down and rebuild it, I would do a mini PS swap, mini disc swap, swap the 3 on the tree to the floor and get rid of the vaccum actuated xfer case setup. This way it will be easier to control for your mom while she's driving the beach in Port A. , easier maintenance with better power assisted everything. These rigs are not the easiest to drive for a woman especially in sand let alone paved roads not to mention adjusting the brakes, loose steering etc. There was a guy on the San Antonio CL that listed a newer frame, hard top doors and a few other parts. Not sure what he's got left. As mentioned earlier, post up in the wanted section and see whats out there. Just curious, if your not going to ride with the hard top on but for only 2 months out of the year why bother? THey are a PITA to take on and off , then ya gotta store them etc etc. If you need a top buy a used soft top and keep the hard doors that way you can cover as needed... just my h.o.
Lastly, on the top of the page in the last forum to the right is the TLCA section, check out which club is local to you, Houston, San Antonio etc. and post up in there for used parts or even help. There are several clubs that do beach runs a few times a year and may be able to help a brutha out.....

Good luck and if you want to post more pics you can buy a star or go to photobucket or other hosting sites and set them up. That way we can see what it is your actually referring to....

 

[Maui Cruiser]

If you're serious about getting rid of the PTO, I could really use the long drive shaft from it. Might even be able to scare up a cover plate for you, though they're only about $20-30 used.

 

[jimhendrixx]

Good luck my friend with your project. Have fun and ride even harder.

 

[ellesar04]

She actually managed to drive it just fine before I started this teardown. She's native american and a former tennis pro and she's been driving rigs similar to this since she was 14 on my grandad's ranch. I will take more pictures, I just hauled the chassis to Fulshear because I couldnt find a sandblaster locally here, and I brought my camera but forgot the memory card for it....duurrrrr.

She actually wants to keep the 3 on the tree. By the way, the feed scale at the local mill weighed the rack on the front at 417 pounds. WHAT?

 

[Coolerman]

Alright, I got the steering wheel off, the shifter and outer steering column off, and now I'm left with nothing but the steering control rod that goes through the cowl and into the steering box. Again, this is the 1970 model. The diagrams i find have the control rod having a plate at the end where it meets the steering box. My control rod has no such plate, it just goes directly in. How do I remove this? I removed every bolt on the steering box but that didn't seem to have any effect.

Check out this link: Steering Column Rebuild

The box is all one piece, and comes out through the engine bay.

Good luck with the truck!