Builds Rebuild of Trusty

[POPO AGIE]

It has been a while since I worked on the Land Cruiser with a busy work schedule this fall. I was in Switzerland for GE to Alstom cross over training for a month.

This week I had some successes and failures that will have to dealt with.

I put the Alcan rear springs on the axle on the floor with the tractor.

Will have to re rout the the brake lines on both ends.

The perches were welded in the same location on the FJ60 axle in the same location from the center line of the differential as on the FJ40 axle and did not account for the extra 3" is on the long side so the axle is off center.

So this axle will have to come back out and taken apart to relocate the perches.

 

[POPO AGIE]

Looks like the rear spring hangers will need to be moved to improve the shackle angle.

The shop I use has offered to let me bring the FJ40 to his shop and put it on a hoist and we can get more done with the right equipment that I do not have.

Now the success part. I bought a mag base drill with a Morris taper that came with the chuck and ordered a set of annular cutters and the Morris taper for the cutters. I started cutting the tops of the pistons to relive the rings but the cutters kept breaking an switched to drill bits. The issue with drilling was the vibration would allow the taper to release when it chattered. But after working on the 5 pistons that I could reach with the mag base I was able to turn the crank for the first time since 1991. Now I can harvest the flywheel and the bell housing.

Used a long 1/2" bit for two pistons that were at the bottom of the stroke.

 

[POPO AGIE]

Today I was able to turn the crank more then 360 degrees. Then sprayed the #6 piston with more Kroil.

I was going to remove the front rotors so that I could put the 15" rims on the front axle but they were seated and didn't want to just pull off.

So I went to the tire store and ordered a set of Hercules TIS offroad TT1 tires and will have them mounted Monday or Tuesday after they are delivered to the tire store. They are 35x12.50 R17. Once mounted I will put them on the front and rear axles. Then transfer the front axle from the axle dolly to the skates and install the new Alcan springs then proceed to reattach to the frame.

 

[POPO AGIE]

The new tires showed up from Denver today and had them mounted on the new rims.

Swapped out the the 15" wheels on the rear.

Got the springs installed with the U bolt flip kits.

 

[POPO AGIE]

Cleaned out the corner in front of the rig to get the axle rolled over and then into place

Lifted up and set the 6 ton jacks on timbers to get enough elevation to roll the axle under

Didn't take photos assembling and installed the in the same direction as the rears with the end with the decal toward the shackles and I did a shackle reversal when I was welding in college. I asked if I was still supposed to have the decal towards the rear and there is a 2 inch differential from the center pin and the eyes

The axle was rotated in the wrong direction and the pinion was angled down not level or up. The axle was also to far forward.

Picked up an angle finder to see how far the axle was tilted.

Took the springs back off and rotated them 180 so the the long end was to wards the front bumper if it had one.

Bolted the springs and u bolts up on the PS and put the angle finder back on the top plate and got a better reading, no shackles or pins in yet.

 

[POPO AGIE]

Used the tractor to dead man to hold the spring pack to get the shackle installed.

The DS I had to go around the tire and back to the frame to hold it to get the shackle installed.

Pin installed on the PS

Pin installed on the DS

Final shackle angle with weight on the wheels. Not perfect but may have to move the mount forward. I think the springs should have been longer.

 

[POPO AGIE]

The angle with weight on the front wheels. Much better then it was the first time and should be able to adjust with shims once the drive train is in and more weight is on the axles. Was not looking forward to tearing down the axle to cut and roll.

Now I can work on getting the flywheel out and the internal bell housing bolts. Then check the interference of the PS box.

 

[POPO AGIE]

Was checking the FJ80 PS steering box with the stock shock tower still in place. It looks like the tie rod will be below the sector shaft nut and may have to modify the tie rod so that it does not hit the sector shaft nut.

Removed the clutch pressure plate and disc today

Exposed the internal bolts and removed them

Assembled the engine hoist the shop loaned me

Staged for tomorrow

 

[POPO AGIE]

Picked up hardware from Toyota yesterday and today I pulled the 155F and removed the bell housing. Dropped the bell housing off at the shop to get it cleaned up.

Checked the distance from the face of the bell housing to the torque tube and it is the same as the distance from the front of the transmission and the back of the parking brake drum. So will have to cut and relocate.

Got the hoist hooked up to the block and noticed that the isolator on the front DS was separating, the isolator had failed sometime in the last 45 years.

Pulled out the block

Removed the bell housing

Chipped away the grease and dirt from around the steering box nuts and bolts and removed them

 

[POPO AGIE]

Removed the original steering box

Took the rivet heads off of the shock towers then drilled them out on the top and then was able to knock them out. The took a chisel and separated them from the top of the frame and pulled them off of the side rivets.

PS shock tower removed. The DS shock tower is also removed.

 

[POPO AGIE]

Was removing the motor mounts after grinding the heads off of the rivets and then separated them from the frame with a chisel and 3 lb hammer.

PS motor mount removed

Separating the DS motor mount

Removed the DS motor mount

Ground off the rivets on the steering box pedestal

 

[POPO AGIE]

Separating the pedestal from the frame

Removed the pedestal

View from the front

Checked the clearance lock to lock, plenty of clearance just need to tweak the steering stops.

Cut the torque tube out for moving back behind the low section of the floor of the tub under the gas tank

 

[POPO AGIE]

Removed the rotten running boards

Test fitting the FJ80 PS Box and checked the clearance above the axle for flex and looks like it will be fine. I lined up the match marks on the pitman arm and the housing.

 

[POPO AGIE]

Today I worked on getting the transmission and bell housing attached to the block adapter plate with out the flywheel and clutch.

I don't have a new clutch yet and the flywheel has not been resurfaced. But after all the work I wish I had them so I would not have to do it again.

First I removed the 3F bell housing from the H55F and then set up the 2F bell housing on the fab table and set the 3F on it to locate where the grinding needed to be done to fit the bearing cover on the H55F.

I scribed lines to grind too

After grinding one side and the other side has the scribe line

Test fit of the bell housing to the H55F

Installed the motor mounts on the R2.8

 

[POPO AGIE]

Found the bolt holes in the frame for the motor mounts and put a bolt in each side, I also put a c-clamp on the opposite end from the bolts for each side

Installed the bell housing on the adapter plate. The machinist taped all 6 holes M12x1.25 but the 2 sets of Toyota bolts I had were M12x1.5. But NAPA had the right bolts in stock so was able to keep moving. Torqued all 6 bolts to 70 ft lbs.

Mounted the H55F to the bell housing. Getting the block level side to side took some time but once the hoist has all the weight the transfer case causes the whole assembly to roll so it will be interesting getting it lifted and stabbed.

 

[POPO AGIE]

I may be going to Casper, WY to get a HD high lift transmission jack and get more chain to be able to compensate for the transfer case rolling the assembly.

Once the assembly is lifted off of the blocks it starts to roll. But is pretty level front to back.

 

[POPO AGIE]

I got the motor mounts and crossmember mounts tacked and then after pulling the drive train back out got them welded out.

I removed the shipping oil filter and installed the parts for attaching hoses for the remote filter. The shipping oil filter was between the frame and the oil pan behind the front axle and was comfortable with the exposure of the filter that low.

The block heater I ordered from Cummins and Rossi sent me a photo where it goes in the block under the intake manifold. I had to borrow a 12mm Allen socket to remove the plug in the block. I installed the block heater and got it torqued.

Block heater installed waiting for the cord

 

[POPO AGIE]

Removed the Allen plug in the side of the oil cooler above the filtration module.

Installed the fitting

Installed the braided steel line and the mounting bracket

Once I get the DD gauge set and terminal box I will mount the sending unit.

 

[POPO AGIE]

Reinstalled the motor mounts after painting

DS motor mount installed

Unbolted the transmission from the bell housing to get ready to install the flywheel and the clutch. The flywheel is still in the lath getting surfaced and the clutch arrived today from Australia. Took the clutch up to the shop to press the TO bearing off and press the new one on.

Installed a pivot ball for the clutch lever and bolt

 

[POPO AGIE]

Yesterday my flywheel resurface was complete so I brought it home and put in the parts cleaner overnight. These morning got it cleaned up for installing. Dressed the marks from removal of the dowels and installed.

Seated the 3 dowels

Then mounted the flywheel with 2 old bolts and will replace when the new set arrives tomorrow

Started mocking up the location of the shock towers and PS box