Nut & Bolt Frame-Off 1978 FJ40 Restoration

[MScruiser]

Did you actually expect anything different?

 

[MScruiser]

Took @wngrog 's advice, and switched pumpkins. Man, that sounds a lot easier than it actually is. What a pain taking both diffs apart...

Switched

Switched to the rear axle, and Prepping the cover for OE FIPG.

 

[wngrog]

bitch be heavy for sure.

 

[MScruiser]

For real.

Good news is, is that both diffs were spotless. No chattering in the gears at all; as a matter of fact, they look almost new.

Now that the pumpkins are switched, I'll blast again and get ready for paint. Once paint is down, I'll get to replacing the outside hardware with stainless steel. Then I can focus on rebuilding the front axle again.

 

[MScruiser]

Finished blasting the front axle, then invested in a $12 HVLV paint gun from Harbor Frieght. Best $12 I ever spent.

After reading a lot of good things about it on MUD, I bought a gallon of Rustoleum's Professional (industrial) line of gloss black enamel. Thinned it out with acetone. Went down beautifully.

First coat done:

 

[wngrog]

Awesome

 

[SHUSH]

Purdy truck @Bodean better look out.

 

[FJ60Cam]

Finished blasting the front axle, then invested in a $12 HVLV paint gun from Harbor Frieght. Best $12 I ever spent.

After reading a lot of good things about it on MUD, I bought a gallon of Rustoleum's Professional (industrial) line of gloss black enamel. Thinned it out with acetone. Went down beautifully.

First coat done:
View attachment 1329015

View attachment 1329016

Awesome indeed. The Rustoleum Professional is badass in a spray can. Should be even better in a gun. IMO the semi-gloss looks the most factory. When fully cured it looks like powder coat.

Aluminum foil is great for masking off wires & knuckle balls, btw.

 

[MScruiser]

No place I could find semi gloss in town @FJ60Cam .

EDIT: of course, as soon as I type that, I find some at lowes. Oh well, I guess I'll buy it, and just use the gloss black as a base coat.

New stainless hardware. Expensive.

Also blasted, polished, and zinc coated drain and fill bolts.

 

[BMThiker]

Tell me those aren't 13mm / 1/2" nuts

 

[MScruiser]

17mm stainless

Look fine to me

 

[wngrog]

17mm stainless

Look fine to me

I too like big bolt-ons.

 

[MScruiser]

I too like big bolt-ons.

How long have you been waiting to use that one?

 

[under_psi]

looks great

 

[wngrog]

How long have you been waiting to use that one?

Ever since you put extra large shiny bolts on your axle

 

[MScruiser]

Blasted and prepped knuckles for paint.

Bought a can of SEMI-GLOSS this time, and repainted the front axle. Thanks, @FJ60Cam , it does look much better. And before anyone says something about me painting the flanges: yes, that was intentional. I'll be disassembling them in the future and replacing the seals, along with shiny new OE deflectors (already purchased).

Finished painting the knuckles and associated parts. (Still need to blast and paint disk brake shields, though I may get them powdercoated.

 

[FJ60Cam]

Tight

 

[MScruiser]

Blasted and painted

 

[Bodean]

Purdy truck @Bodean better look out.

He can have it. It would take me years to swap out all of the ace hardware nuts and bolt that I used to put mine back together years ago. lol

 

[wngrog]

You scratched it