Project Blind Confidence (1 Viewer)

[bfBird]

I'm sure there's something better than JB as it spreads horribly and super uneven. Initial coats looked like the bark of a tree. It took me 3 coats around the wheel to get a good shape. Sanding with 100 grit to form it. I'm pretty happy with the outer ring. It's a little bit thicker than stock, but one of the things I didn't like about the 40 originally was how the wheel felt. It was all bumpy and sharp but also pretty thin.

I then moved on to the structure and edges of the back of the supports(? what do you call the parts that connect the outer to inner wheel ?) Finally I tackled the area around the plastic horn inserts. It had some major gaps along the middle of the inserts.

I did cover up the screw hole at the far edges of the supports. I'll redrill them, but it was easier to just cover them up for now.

 

[bfBird]

After making sure the inserts fit well, I've been basically casting them into the wheel one by one. Catching the JB at around the 7-8 hr mark give about the right stiffness to work them out without too much effort. I of course waited too long on a couple. Luckily no major damage to the plastic insert.

At this point i have the three cast, and now its time to sand it all into shape. My approach has changed a bit. I had to do the first one twice because the amount of JB weld buildup required to fill the gap. It's tough to stack a liquid without some structure. I then started building a little trough to hold the JB in place. In the last pic, you can see the nice straight line on the edge to support the insert. We'll see how the sanding goes, but I'm overall happy with how it turned out.

BTW, I found the big JB weld at Northern tool. They don't carry them at home depot, lowes, or ace. I bought some a while back for this project, and I couldn't remember where I got it. At this point I'm through 1.5 of the big tubes and 3 of the smaller ones. I'm not saying I've been the most efficient with it, but it takes a lot.

 

[bfBird]

I've gotten one of the supports rough sanded. Overall it came out pretty well. I had trouble getting into the corners at the outer edge where they curve. I grabbed the dremel and told myself to go slow....but I took it a bit too far. The plastic insert bows up in the middle so it looks uneven. I think it will move down some when its screwed down, but I think there will still be a bump in the middle. Maybe it won't be noticeable when everything is painted black.

 

[bfBird]

Still working on this dumb wheel. I didn't realize how rough it was. Finished the back back ridges and cleaned up around the inserts. I've really not worked with bondo before so there's been a little learning curve. It's a bit of a fj40 tribute wheel at this point but close enough.

 

[bfBird]

I got to a place where I am happy with the shape so it's onto primer. I ordered a 2k epoxy primer in a spray can. Overall comment on the paint was that it sprayed well then, but it stopped flowing during the second coat. I had to move the spray adjustment back and forth to get it to flow again. I had to start moving it back and forth between sections to keep it from coming out splotchy.

Pro tip: I waited till humidity was low so I didn't have a repeat of the axle housing.

I also did a repair on one of the plastic inserts that was cracked. I should have just tried a heat weld from the backside to start, but I ground out the crack and added epoxy. It was more work than it should have been.

 

[bfBird]

The pic above was after the first coat. The spray max lasted for 3 coats. I added the inserts and cap for a glamour shot this morning after it dried.

 

[nerdalert]

Brilliant work. your patients is impressive.

 

[bfBird]

I spent yesterday finish sanding with 400 then hit it with 600. I only went through the primer at a few high spots around the finger grips. Coverage of the primer was really good. First pic is after sanding.

I decided to cover with plastidip to give it a nice rubber feel. Spraying it was fun. I was worried it was going to be super splotchy but it leveled out and dried smooth. Second pic is after plastidip.

Final assembly with horn buttons and wiring back in.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

What's your shipping address - I'll have my steering wheel in the mail to you today.

Really nice work.

 

[bfBird]

What's your shipping address - I'll have my steering wheel in the mail to you today.

Really nice work.

Thanks! It was a learning process. I'm sure I can get the second one done in under 200 hrs LOL, but I think I'll have to find another workspace other than the kitchen table. My wife refers to the wheel as part of the family since it's had so many meals with us.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Thanks! It was a learning process. I'm sure I can get the second one done in under 200 hrs LOL, but I think I'll have to find another workspace other than the kitchen table. My wife refers to the wheel as part of the family since it's had so many meals with us.

I feel your pain - we’ve currently got a couple of old hand planes I’m restoring (ie: sanding/grinding) in my kitchen and there have been some stern words from the wife. This immediately follows the changing table topper I built for our soon-to-be born second kid that lived on our dining room table for a couple months in between glue-ups and sandings.

 

[bfBird]

I feel your pain - we’ve currently got a couple of old hand planes I’m restoring (ie: sanding/grinding) in my kitchen and there have been some stern words from the wife. This immediately follows the changing table topper I built for our soon-to-be born second kid that lived on our dining room table for a couple months in between glue-ups and sandings.

You can see in some of the pics the holiday/birthday table covers the wheel has made it through.

 

[bfBird]

Ok, last wheel pics. It already got dirty. I don't know what kind of devil dust is on the center cap, but I washed it twice and it still has a dust film.

 

[bfBird]

Since I've now completed my excuse for not driving, I looked at some further mechanical maintenance. I borrowed a compression tester for another project, and decided to check compression. Before I started the front end and wheel projects, I had some loss of power when driving. It was based on the master cylinder sticking, but I had it in my mind to check compression as well.

I tried it a couple of days ago and got some poor numbers between 95 to 120. A wide range and lower than expected. I also noticed some valve noise and dirty plugs in the cylinders with low compression. I hadn't had dirty plugs previously so I did another valve adjustment. I also didn't follow the right process with the throttle open.

Valves adjusted and I redid the compression check with the throttle open I'm 132ish across the board. Valve noise is gone as well.

I'm also showing just north of 140 wet. I think this puts me the the "good" region for original 2fs.

 

[bfBird]

I haven't had the 40 out of the garage since I went through the front end. Test drive was a success for the parts that I've touched. Checkout my flex. Lol

I'm still having some cooling issues. I took it for around a 15 minute drive and it showed cool until I let it idle for a minute after the drive. It was on a incline so I don't know if a bubble popped out or what. Radiator was bubbling after I turned it off.

I plan to start it with the cap off and see if I can get any more air out.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Cruisers don’t flex - the leaaannnn

 

[bfBird]

I've made a mess out of the driveway, but I think I've gotten the air out of the cooling system. Lots of bubbles.

I had a nice drive to pickup some diner. The next task sounds like the rattles in the back doors.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

I've made a mess out of the driveway, but I think I've gotten the air out of the cooling system. Lots of bubbles.

I had a nice drive to pickup some diner. The next task sounds like the rattles in the back doors.

Frankly, if the rattling bothers you just sell it - between my windows, the back doors, the suspension, the tire carrier (before I replaced it with a 4 Plus) and everything in between, I've just learned to living with it. There's some videos of me wheeling taken from inside the truck where you can't even hear the engine over the rattling... As an aside, there's a "Top Gear" episode where Richard Hammond is driving a FJ40 across Bolivia. At one point there's a scene where he's just screaming "STOP RATTLING!"

Realistically, I have no weather stripping on any of my doors so fitment is "loose" at best, so I'm sure the rattling issues can be improved, but I don't think it's curable.

Glad to hear that mine isn't the only one that puked coolant while I was burping it. Unfortunately mine was in the garage - that was fun to clean up...

 

[bfBird]

The rattle work would also just be to make sure my rear doors don't fly open. I'm pretty sure the wire in the drivers side, rear door is broken and just bouncing around inside the door. Also, the latch on the top keeps popping off so the top is rattling/unsecured as well. I I bought a new catch, but i need to take some things off and figure out the wire scenario. I think the next jobs will be door related/water proofing. I still have this thing to tackle...

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

The rattle work would also just be to make sure my rear doors don't fly open. I'm pretty sure the wire in the drivers side, rear door is broken and just bouncing around inside the door. Also, the latch on the top keeps popping off so the top is rattling/unsecured as well. I I bought a new catch, but i need to take some things off and figure out the wire scenario. I think the next jobs will be door related/water proofing. I still have this thing to tackle...

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I have door patch panels since that's high on my list as well. The rear inside latch is just held in with a small pin. Mine was missing too when I got the truck. I think it's been held in with a piece of random electrical wire I had in the back for 6 years now. My back doors do periodically fly open when offroad but they stay pretty tight when I'm around town.