New to me 1979 FJ40 - have several questions on drivability.

[B y r o n]

Already have a drill press in the shop, so that is good.

Can I use a cap head screw and not drill them out? I am going on a parts run tomorrow so I dont mind getting any bolts I need.

Thanks

A cap head (Allen) bolt may work. You want to check that the head is close to the size hole in the spring perch, a slip fit. If not the springs can shift and change alignment during use. When I bought OME springs the pins were to small and I made bushings that kept the springs properly located on the perch pads.

Toe in wise, usually 1/8" works at least it does for me. You want the least amount of toe-in that keeps it running straight. Excessive toe-in speeds up tire wear.

 

[Code54]

I have 35x13.5 tire on 3.5" backspacing wheels and they dont rub the spring .
Just unscrew the stopper till it clear the spring

View attachment 4152678

I will take care of that later today. Thanks for the tip!

Also, I will try some cap heads and see if they will work,

Appriciate all the help from everyone.

 

[Pighead]

Is there a certain way to check and set the toe on the FJ's.

There are several ways to measure your toe-in. I use the simplest and easiest way with just a tape measure and chalk...
I make a mark on both tires inner sidewall, approximately opposite each other level with the midline of the axle and stretch the tape measure between the marks and remember the number. Than roll the vehicle 1/2 of a tire rotation and measure again. Compare numbers and adjust whichever tie rod it is that you need to adjust to make front marks the 1/8 th or 1/4" closer than the rear.
There are probably more accurate ways but this works for me. Be aware that as tire size increases, your measured toe-in will probably also increase.

 

[Code54]

Thank you.

 

[Code54]

The transmissioin and transfer case is out and the flywheel is at the shop getting resurfaced. Found a transmission seal leaking so once that arrives everything will be ready to install.

The 4 degree shims also arrived so that is next on the list after the clutch is back in!

Updates will follow

 

[Code54]

Quick follow-up:


The flywheel had a few small heat cracks, and the step was slightly off. However, all the glazing was pretty good. The machine shop corrected everything.

The throwout bearing had a bump, and you could feel one spot where it would catch and drag.

The clutch looked good and wasn’t worn much at all.

I installed the new pilot bearing, clutch, throwout bearing, and other components. The difference was significant. It was smooth and easy to press. There was no noise, and it worked great!

While the car was out, I also replaced all the new U joints in the rear driveshaft. They weren’t bad, but I didn’t know how old they were, so I decided to replace them.

I was going to install the wedges, but I realized I needed longer U bolts, so I’ll have to wait on that. They might go in as a temporary fix, but I ordered the OME full suspension lift kit today to replace everything and do it properly. All my shackles are bending, the bushings are squeezing out, and as you know, the ride and handling are terrible. I believe this will fix several problems.

We went through the front end and found everything was tight (the former owner said almost everything had been replaced).

I noticed that the rear brakes caught a bit earlier than the front brakes. However, if you lift the rear, there is no drag on the wheel, which seemed very odd. I would have guessed the rear would engage late, not early, since there is no drag. I was thinking about the proportioning valve, but I need to research this (or if anyone has a suggestion, I would love to hear it).

I also noticed a leak in the front end. The bottom of the knuckles had oil on them, which I thought was coming from the front axle. It looks like there is a seal at the end of the axle tube, which is if the leaks will flow down and possibly leak out of there. The former owner did mention that the knuckles were rebuilt, but I don’t know about the seal.

 

[pb4ugo]

If the knuckles were rebuilt the inner seal would've been replaced. They may not have centered the knuckles. Rebuilding the knuckles isn't difficult but it is real messy and time consuming. Part of a rebuild can include centering the knuckles to the axle housing. This aligns the inner axle to the seal. The rear drums are an old design and antiquated. They need to be manually adjusted periodically if the adjusters are free. You might consider adapting rear discs.

You can search here on the internet for knuckle rebuild. Click on threads that reference this site. Most everything has covered and is someplace in this site. Download or find a hard copy of a factory service manual(FSM). Also check out FAQ's and tech links at the top of this section. It's a good place to start.