Tow Hooks
FloridaLife
SILVER Star
New to FJ40 Scene (9 Viewers)
- Thread starter FloridaLife
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Lets see them installed!
FloridaLife
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #423
Yep, once these guys that are moving like turtles finish the paint & body work, I'll bolt them on. I reminded them they originally told me about 3 weeks, and then told them if we weren't too old, my wife and I could have conceived and had a baby by now.
I am just getting caught up reading your posts from April. If you have not solved your solo hardtop removal here is what I have used for several years now. It is an inexpensive solution but that is all relative when it comes down to it.
I use a 110v Harbor Freight winch that sells for about $139.00 and is on sale occasionally for $109. I have the winch sliding left to right (in my case) on a 1 1/2” 11 gauge box tubing. The 10’ box tube rests between two trusses in my ceiling that are 8’ apart. Total cost of this setup was about $400 including the t-bird/jeep bar, pulley and straps, winch and box tube.
Using it I can single handedly remove and replace the tops on my ‘56 T-bird and FJ40 by just pressing a button on the wired remote….
AND keep it stored up in the ceiling. The T-bird roof has been up there for a few years now
I use a 110v Harbor Freight winch that sells for about $139.00 and is on sale occasionally for $109. I have the winch sliding left to right (in my case) on a 1 1/2” 11 gauge box tubing. The 10’ box tube rests between two trusses in my ceiling that are 8’ apart. Total cost of this setup was about $400 including the t-bird/jeep bar, pulley and straps, winch and box tube.
Using it I can single handedly remove and replace the tops on my ‘56 T-bird and FJ40 by just pressing a button on the wired remote….
AND keep it stored up in the ceiling. The T-bird roof has been up there for a few years now
FloridaLife
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #425
That is fantastic! I have made up my mind that I am definitely going to setup something like this (and some of the others like it too) in my garage for the hard top. I don't have open rafters in my garage, but that shouldn't be a big deal. I (or my handyman) should be able to find the rafters with a stud finder, and if I need to add some extra support in the attic between the rafters / trusses I can have a handyman come get in the attic and do that for me since I am not allowed to navigate stairs anymore, and if I could get in the attic and then got low enough to install rafter supports I would not be able to get back up afterwards. LOL! Getting old sucks, but I guess it beats the alternative. I just got old at a fairly young age. Rough mileage. LOL. I grew up before cable TV or satellite TV or X-boxes or Playstations, so our form of entertainment (in Texas) was daring each other to ride that bull or that wild horse, or trying to recreate Evel Knievel stunts on our bicycles. All that seemed like a good fun idea at the time, but I'm paying for it all now.
The good thing is that there is a Harbor Freight store about 3 or 4 miles from the house. 
Last edited:
Hardtop
FloridaLife
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #426
How much does the hardtop weigh? Harbor Freight has an electric hoist for $99 rated to lift 440 pounds. Then again, if I get the one that @knuckle47 got it would lift 1,300 pounds and could be used for lots of stuff I guess, as long as I had plenty of joist reinforcements put in.
I don’t know what the top weighs but 440lb lift works. If you use the included pulley, it doubles to 880lbs. If you mount your box tube to slide front to back, you can just pull under the hardtop and then be really close to the target area. This winch has a 1 1/2” square mounting loop so it fits the box tube perfectly. This makes hardtop handling really quick. You will need to initially set the balance points for the hardtop by adjusting the straps. You can do it while the top is on the floor, lift it a few inches and see that it’s level. If not just shorten or lengthen the front or rear straps as needed. Once it is adjusted… you’re done with it forever. Hoist it up
FloridaLife
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #428
Perfect! That's what I am going to do. Thanks again, Don.
New Skins
New
FloridaLife
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #429
These will be an improvement.
Advice On Brake Lines
New
FloridaLife
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #430
When I bought my FJ40 almost a year ago, the seller said it had been sitting about 10 years. The cap was missing from the larger brake fluid reservoir and what used to be brake fluid had turned solid so I bought a new master cylinder, and I'll be converting to disc brakes both front & back. I'd like some advice on the solid brake lines. Should I just try to get some solvent in them and blow air through them, or would I be better off replacing them? Thanks.
brian
SILVER Star
That's not even a question, and you already know the answer.
FloridaLife
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #432
I can always count on you, Brian.
Steering Wheel & Horn Button
New
FloridaLife
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #433
Does anyone have a good steering wheel & horn button they can let go of? Mine is cracked really bad, and the button doesn't even push. I was about to start trying to repair the steering wheel but thought I would check on replacing it. I did a search in the classifieds but it didn't pull anything up.
Thanks
Thanks
You might contact @Birdhead
Not sure what year you need but I do have a late model FJ40 wheel…very good condition too
FloridaLife
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #436
I have a 1971 FJ40 with a build date of December 1970. With that said, I am not building a 100% correct to be judged rig. So if I can turn with it and honk the horn, I'm good. Send me a PM with what you have and how much you want for it.
FloridaLife
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #437
Thanks. I sent him a message.
I love your user name by the way! I say that all the time when one of my wife's 2 dogs are barking.
Last edited:
Thank you @pb4ugo
New
FloridaLife
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #438
Thank you to @pb4ugo ! He showed me this and I think it is exactly what I need. If any of you have the same problem this might be your solution. Mine no longer has rubber on it (didn't know it ever did) and the spring part is not connected to the plate, so this is probably exactly what I need:
63-72 FJ40 FJ45 horn contact ring and brush
More on the way! Chances are your horn contact seat, brush and isolator are rusted and broken at this point in history! We are very pleased to offer a reproduction FJ40 FJ45 Land Cruiser horn contact "seat" , brush and rubber isolator! We designed and made these in house with pride. These are...
cruiser-cult.myshopify.com
1978 2F Question
New
FloridaLife
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #439
Hey all you experts out there, does a 1978 2F have the correct bolt on the front of the crank to use a hand crank if the battery is dead and there is nobody around to give a jump? I can't check because it is over at the mechanic's. It might also come in handy to turn the engine to adjust the valves. Let me know, thanks.
No clue. I just grab the metal fan blade to rotate the engine - piece of cake with the plugs out.
I usually try and park on a grade, so I can push a little, jump in and pop the clutch. I keep a small fuel bottle of gasoline for instant boy scout duties, small parts cleaning and to dump some down the carb for prime. Also the reason to invest in a one wire alternator - self exciting.
I usually try and park on a grade, so I can push a little, jump in and pop the clutch. I keep a small fuel bottle of gasoline for instant boy scout duties, small parts cleaning and to dump some down the carb for prime. Also the reason to invest in a one wire alternator - self exciting.
