Overlandinthesun - London 2 CapeTown HJ60 rebuild

[Gwynley]

Great thread.

Can you post soem more pics of the tank installed?

I need to take a few more pictures and I am not happy with the paint yet but this is where it is now... (also can see it on my website here; 4wd Systems Long Range fuel tank)


Installing the fuel tank was pretty easy really - some have complained about the "big name" tanks not lining up properly and generally being difficult to fit - not the case with this one!

The fuel tank is 195litres, or 42.9 UK gallons, or 51.2 little US gallons... It holes for a fuel return line - so is fine for both petrol and diesel landcruisers.
Fittings!

I decided to paint the tank before fitting - much easier off and the paint on it wasn't thick enough for UK conditions;

and then flushed it with some diesel (as per instructions)

They can't do this in the factory due to shipping (I assume fuel residue would be left)
As you can see by the magnetic drain plug it was worth swashing it out!

and then fitted all the fittings for the breather hoses and blocked off the return line (don't need that for diesel

I then fitted the mouting bracket (I did need to file the holes a little bigger..)

And then using the shpping palet and some tyres I jacked it into place!

 

[Coyote808]

Now that's really cool. Having support of the community in doing a build like that is probably the neatest thing you can get. Plus having solar power will give you an alternate method of keeping the electronic gizmos charged.


Joined your facebook group as well.

 

[jvazquez53]

This is "field maintenance" to the extreme!!! Impressive!!!

 

[Gwynley]

Joined your facebook group as well.

Thanks!

Yes the solar should be really helpful - it looks like it is going to be pretty advanced type of solar with some little high powered batteries - I will put up specs here when I get it all finalised.

 

[Coyote808]

Sounding good, Gwynley. I'm curious to know if you've thought about connecting at least some comm gear to the solar panels. I know I'd put a radio on each solar panel.

 

[Gwynley]

We will have some communications gear but a 2 way radio isn't going to be particularly useful in Africa - though I may take an old one. To be completely honest I have been 5 hours drive away from the nearest paved road and have perfect mobile (cell) phone reception in Africa - much better than my experience of the US! People don't really have land lines there - so mobiles have taken off in massive way.

We will also have satellite phones - and hopefully a satellite hub so we can link onto the web at all times. There are parts of Ethiopia (and potentially Sudan and Northern Kenya) where satellites are the only form of communications to the outside world - and may well be needed!

 

[MutleyFJ62]

G'day Gwynley,

Love what you've done so far, good luck with your suspension, fitted a few of their kits and the ride can be a bit harsh when empty, but you wont have that drama. I hope above all else you have new tyres planned for your trip, the mismatched BFG's and no names from your first pic in the post don't look like they are an accident waiting to happen.

Great progress and enjoy your trip. I reckon most of the fun will be building the cruiser, rather then the trip itself.

Keep the shiny side up!

 

[Gwynley]

G'day Gwynley,

Love what you've done so far, good luck with your suspension, fitted a few of their kits and the ride can be a bit harsh when empty, but you wont have that drama. I hope above all else you have new tyres planned for your trip, the mismatched BFG's and no names from your first pic in the post don't look like they are an accident waiting to happen.

Great progress and enjoy your trip. I reckon most of the fun will be building the cruiser, rather then the trip itself.

Keep the shiny side up!

Cool - thanks for the feedback on the suspension. The kit that was on it was already pretty harsh so kindo of used to it. Actually one of my female friends said on a number of occasions how she needed to wear a sports bra in it ..

I don't think I am going to have a problem with under weight though!

All the tyres are going to be replaced - I'm not sure how it passed a MOT (UK yearly road test) with those worn BFG's (and a load of other issues..). Not sure which tyres I am going to get - kind of depends of what I can get for free (in terms of sponsorship!)

Tyres need to be good on road (fuel consumption is important), sandy conditions and potentially mud as well - basically everything apart from snow!

Does anyone got any recommendations? - especially size? (rims are 16") - most other overlanders in Africa seem to use BFG ATs

 

[tcruiser60]

Hi

cruiser looks good for a UK version much better than mine at present.

If you change the rear bumpers I would be interested in buying the originals for mine I have a few odds and sod spare if you need anything drop me a line

 

[Coyote808]

Cool - thanks for the feedback on the suspension. The kit that was on it was already pretty harsh so kindo of used to it. Actually one of my female friends said on a number of occasions how she needed to wear a sports bra in it ..

I don't think I am going to have a problem with under weight though!

All the tyres are going to be replaced - I'm not sure how it passed a MOT (UK yearly road test) with those worn BFG's (and a load of other issues..). Not sure which tyres I am going to get - kind of depends of what I can get for free (in terms of sponsorship!)

Tyres need to be good on road (fuel consumption is important), sandy conditions and potentially mud as well - basically everything apart from snow!

Does anyone got any recommendations? - especially size? (rims are 16") - most other overlanders in Africa seem to use BFG ATs

BFG A/Ts are some great tires, but just about any set of All- Terrain tires in the 31x9.5 R15 should be good. I use 15 inch rims, but anything roughly the same size should be good for most places you can go. I don't know what the equal size would be fore a 16 inch rim.

 

[Gwynley]

Hi

cruiser looks good for a UK version much better than mine at present.

If you change the rear bumpers I would be interested in buying the originals for mine I have a few odds and sod spare if you need anything drop me a line

Hello! Yes its pretty good now after all the welding. Where abouts are you based? I'm actually after a spring base (the bit that you mount the shock to and that you bolt the U bolts through at the rear)

Part number 480460 in this picture;
http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/diag_AE6B2j.png

The rear bumper is in a pretty sorry state all the rubbers have gone and it is quite scratched. I also plan to use it as a basis for a checker plate covering. My rear wheel carriers also bolt through it.

 

[Sixty's Guy]

Just joined your facebook group!

 

[Gwynley]

Just joined your facebook group!

Cool!

Few more pictures of the fuel tank.. It will come off again as it needs more paint!

From the rear, showing how much it hangs down

Showing there is plenty of room for the suspension mountings

And the plate at the back, which made mounting easy!

 

[jaxonm]

Cool!

Few more pictures of the fuel tank.. It will come off again as it needs more paint!

From the rear, showing how much it hangs down

Gwenley,
Do you have any concerns about having the tank being the lowest part of an already long overhang? Obviously this is an expedition cruiser and not a rock crawler, but it seems to me I would be concerned with substantially reducing your tank capacity, or worse ripping it open by dropping it on a rock. Is there a skidplate option or a way to better protect it from sharp rocks etc? Or am I missing something, like the bottom plate is made of 1/4"?

Thanks - Great rig BTW

Jaxon

 

[Gwynley]

Gwenley,
Do you have any concerns about having the tank being the lowest part of an already long overhang? Obviously this is an expedition cruiser and not a rock crawler, but it seems to me I would be concerned with substantially reducing your tank capacity, or worse ripping it open by dropping it on a rock. Is there a skidplate option or a way to better protect it from sharp rocks etc? Or am I missing something, like the bottom plate is made of 1/4"?

Thanks - Great rig BTW

Jaxon

Yes - I must say, this has crossed my mind! The suspension will give it a lift - so I will see what it looks like. But I think I will probably give it a 1-2" body lift. The tank is bolted to the body - so lifting the body will mean the tank dissapeers behind the frame. I don't want to go any further than 2" with a body lift due the issues with that.

The bottom plate does seem to be thicker, but will check specs at some point. I am also considering some kind of bash plate - potentially bolted to the frame, so separate from the tank.

Another option would be to mount a thick rubber pads to the bottom of the tank, not sure how much this will protect though!

 

[Gwynley]

Here is my install of my 4wdrivestsems differential lokkas; (This is the rear one for a semi floating rear axle. Front / fully floating rear axles are pretty similar but without the pins)

I'm pretty sure they are the same thing as Lockrite and Aussie lockers.

Open up the differential cover (mine was nice and rusty..) and this is what it should look like - you can see the small gears in the middle. Undo the centre bolt and remove the centre bar and spacer.

After removing the brake drums, push the drive shafts in and remove the little "C" shaped pins in the middle of the gears on the differential. The drive shafts should now just pull out.

Remove everything in the middle and should get all of this; (note the drilled spacers)

and an empty hole like this!

Here is the Lokka -

All separated out;

There are instructions that come with the lokka - so please refer to them for exact measurements

Put the spacers on the back of the drivers and install them on the drive shafts - like this -

Put grease on the gears (so they stick together) and put the small round spacers in - then measure the clearance to the centre bar. Take the small spacers out install the couplers and measure the clearance. If all the measurements are correct - finish the assembly. If not, you will have to adjust the thickness of the drilled spacers.

Once all the measurements are correct - put the springs in and it should look like this;

Once it is all together - all you need to do is test it!

So as you can see in the video (Here), when it is locked together - both wheel should turn together.

Giving the wheel a little nude unlocks it - enabling the right (or left) wheel to turn independently - you should be able to hear it click.

 

[Hendrik]

I researched the "best diff locking mechanism" question for quite a while and also came up with the "Lock-right" answer.

We are already following your adventures closely !!

Thanks, and best wishes for the journey ahead -

Henry & Co.

 

[Hendrik]

Maybe I missed it in the earlier part of this thread - Do you have a winch ??

 

[Gwynley]

Maybe I missed it in the earlier part of this thread - Do you have a winch ??

Thanks for the comments!

I'm not planning to have a automated winch - just a hand winch. Generally speaking the cost of installing a winch / new front bumper would by far out way its usefulness. More often than not there will be little to winch against, apart from perhaps a ground anchor (and these have positives / negatives).

This is why i decided money was better spent on lockers - to attempt to not get into situations where a winch is needed.

We will be taking a hand winch for "total emergencies" but reading about other similar African overland trips even these are not that useful.

 

[Gwynley]

I researched the "best diff locking mechanism" question for quite a while and also came up with the "Lock-right" answer.

If you decide to get it from 4wdsystem in just outside Adelaide - mention Gwyn and overlandinthesun to Tom - cheers!