Builds RevISK’s ‘80 FJ40 - A Girl Named Norman

[RevISK]

Bloody Knuckles doing your knuckles...

Looks great - and inspiring me to do mine...

Tip for when you do your knuckles if you paint your housings, don’t use glossy paint, you’ll constantly think you’ve got a leak. I used satin on the ones I’ve done before but they were out and I grabbed gloss.

On the other hand, it does lead you to check for leaks like a crackhead so…

 

[RevISK]

In other news…
I recently read here someplace about using GL4 gear oil as opposed to GL5 in the transmission and transfer case. Something about that it’s better for the soft parts in there. While it’s fine to use GL5 in the diffs, GL4 should be used in the T’s.

This was confirmed by the dudes at A-Line auto parts (a real mechanics parts store I guess) when the guy checking me out looked out at my 40 and said this is what you should use in the T and T. Unprompted. Good enough for me.

I honestly don’t remember when I last changed that oil or what I put in there but was surprised to find both were low. Real low. So I drained both, and set about the arduous task of finding the best way to squeeze/pump/gravity feed the juice in. Once my neck was properly jacked and I was all topped off I closed everything up and was all happy with myself. I may have even put a tool or two away to celebrate.

Shifting seemed easier and all was good.

Then (you knew this was coming didn’t you?), while crawling around under her remeasuring my caster (steering is still not quite right, 4* shims made a huge difference but it’s not there yet) I noticed it is a soppy mess around the brothers T. It was gooey before, but nothing to brag about. This was Penthouse Forum level of wet, but in the wrong way. So, being the idiot I am start to “fix” things.
I pop off the transmission fill plug and out comes an obscene amount of precious GL4. Of course I wasn’t ready so instead of returning all the lube back into the earth, I get all responsible and grab one of ten oil pans I have (there like tape measures, right? Always lose them until you buy another.)

A good quart plus of my hard work drains out. Ugh.
But I read mud like my son plays vidiot games so I know my seal has failed between the T’s.

Bypass hose research ensues… find a post by @mattressking to diy my own (you rock dude). Order banjo bolts … wait…

Yay. They came in and I can bandaid the girl until I get the cajones up to rebuild my T-case.

So, undo the fill plug for the transmission and a bit more dribbles out, make up my new hose and figure, if the transmission was over filled, the T-case is way low. Start pumping sauce into the t-case and it’s almost already full? WTF?

Where did the extra fluid come from?
Seriously, from whence did it come? It’s definitely stinky ass gear oil.

If you made it this far, I’m amazed. Here’s a picture:

 

[RevISK]

In other other news…

Landed on a deal for the 1988 FJ62 that has been in my possession for about 7 months. It is/was a friends who didn’t know what to do with it except take it to run of the mill mechanics who miss-diagnosed and did shoddy repairs over the years.

My dumbass put about 10k in parts and labor getting her into decent shape but she may just be a rabbit hole with no bottom. Currently chasing driveshaft vibrations and a slew of other bs…
Lord I’m dumb.

Trying to find a pic without the hood up.
Mostly desmogged it today.

I really should be putting this energy into the hardtop repairs on Norman.

Have I told you how smart I is?

 

[OlYellr]

Smart is as smart does - hell - pointers before I go all in on this

 

[RevISK]

Well, something keeps us crawling around on gravel driveways at 10pm getting gunk in our eyes and grease under our fingernails…

 

[RevISK]

A quick 62 update as there are a few general lessons I learned here.

I located the cause of the low speed vibration.
As most of you more seasoned folk will likely have guessed, the driveshaft was out of phase. I just put it back in how it was when I pulled it as verified by photos and witness marks I made…

Lesson 1: ALWAYS TAKE PHOTOS!

It seemed that whoever was in this girl before just didn’t know what they were doing or thought they did.

Lesson 2: Never, ever trust anyone else’s work unless they’re a known expert like @aljollano or @CenTXFJ60 amongst the other greats.

I’d never so much touched a driveshaft except to grease a nipple. I now know a heck of a lot more about driveline geometry.

Lesson 3: Learn. It’s part of the fun working on these rigs. I’m sore as Shet from rolling around in the dirt but experiencing success is such a great reward.

Hood down for the time being…

 

[diesellibrarian]

That's a great-looking 62. It's in good hands now and will get the care it deserves. Congrats!

 

[RevISK]

That's a great-looking 62. It's in good hands now and will get the care it deserves. Congrats!

Awesome, thanks bud! It’s light years better than when I picked her up. Here’s my thread if you’re curious: BillyGoat - pretty much mine… - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/billygoat-pretty-much-mine.1312447/

 

[RevISK]

Well this sassafrassing, pimple popping, neck gator, fatherless son of a goat is really on there.

Heat, bang, bang, secret sauce, heat, more bang, secret sauce… I barely got it moving.

Fuel lines are above so I’m being gentle with fire. About to bust out the tinfoil and get serious.

 

[RevISK]

Who’s your daddy now Pin?

 

[RevISK]

Here’s a real time question/request for advice:

I had 4* caster shims on my old ass leaf springs but replaced TREs, bushings, shackles, shocks and was still at zero caster. I checked because I still didn’t feel like the steering was quite there yet.

I’ll admit I just half ass measured before but thought 4 would do it.

I am smack in the middle of a new leaf spring install
(Thanks @TRAIL TAILOR) and would like to avoid swapping shims while the springs are on the truck.

I have a set of 6* and these 4*.
Shackles are 3” pin to pin
Springs are Dobisons stock weight.
Running 33” rubber.

My gut says stick with the 4* but I really don’t want to change these again. Since I was at zero caster (unless I measured wrong, total possibility) before should I just add the 6* ones instead?

I know @wngrog usually goes with 4*

I also know the answer is to sack up, install whichever and measure again

But if someone has a thought, please tell me.

 

[MOTOV8R]

Here’s a real time question/request for advice:

I had 4* caster shims on my old ass leaf springs but replaced TREs, bushings, shackles, shocks and was still at zero caster. I checked because I still didn’t feel like the steering was quite there yet.

I’ll admit I just half ass measured before but thought 4 would do it.

I am smack in the middle of a new leaf spring install
(Thanks @TRAIL TAILOR) and would like to avoid swapping shims while the springs are on the truck.

I have a set of 6* and these 4*.
Shackles are 3” pin to pin
Springs are Dobisons stock weight.
Running 33” rubber.

My gut says stick with the 4* but I really don’t want to change these again. Since I was at zero camber (unless I measured wrong, total possibility) before should I just add the 6* ones instead?

I know @wngrog usually goes with 4*

I also know the answer is to sack up, install whichever and measure again

But if someone has a thought, please tell me.

I would try the 4. 3” is not that long a shackle and I assume Dobison’s gets you close to stock. Also Nolan has a few data points under his belt. You can probably trust what he’s done. The good news is, once you have the rusty crap out it’s not that hard to redo it if needed.

 

[aljollano]

I would do the 4*.

A.J

 

[RevISK]

I would do the 4*.

A.J

Good, because that’s what I put on the passenger side just now.

 

[RevISK]

I would try the 4. 3” is not that long a shackle and I assume Dobison’s gets you close to stock. Also Nolan has a few data points under his belt. You can probably trust what he’s done. The good news is, once you have the rusty crap out it’s not that hard to redo it if needed.

 

[RevISK]

I accidentally posted the above.

However, finished up the front last night with the 4* back in and while the steering is insanely better due to how much slop I had in the old springs, it still doesn’t want to return to center.

Toe in is at 3/16”, was less but I increased it slightly and that helped.

I’ll measure my caster again after morning stuff.

Even with just the front springs new, the ride is greatly improved. Amazingly so.

 

[OlYellr]

Wonder if your steering gear box has a bias as to why it won’t center. (Or something in that area.)

Not that I want you to do more work, ok that’s a lie, when was your center link last rebuilt etc?

Editing my post to add - radial direction pull of tires??? . If you rotate them, same thing?

 

[RevISK]

Wonder if your steering gear box has a bias as to why it won’t center. (Or something in that area.)

Not that I want you to do more work, ok that’s a lie, when was your center link last rebuilt etc?

Editing my post to add - radial direction pull of tires??? . If you rotate them, same thing?

Well,
I have a Saginaw PS that is a 3.5 turn box.
It had a 4.5 turn and after two reman units (leaks) I ended up with this unit which was labeled as a 4.5 turn. I didn’t check at the store and by the time I discovered it it was installed and leak free so .

All that said, it’ll track straight as an arrow going straight, but it’ll hold in the direction you turn as well. It just doesn’t “return to center” like my 62.

I haven’t been in my center link, wanted to get all the other components downstairs buttoned up then move upstairs.

I can certainly rotate my tires and see, but I’m unclear how that would effect my lack of RTC.

I just took it on a decent drive to get all the nuts and stuff worked in so I can retorque everything.
Definitely feels more confident yet a tad squirly.

Going to my flat spot in my neighborhood to remeasure caster here in a bit. I do that by bringing a length of square tube that spans front to back tire contact, place my Clinometer on that for a baseline, then measure the angle of the trunion caps with a straight edge and said Clinometer.

 

[RevISK]

A couple notes from my install:

I had ordered greaseable shackles and pins from @cruiseroutfit naturally, and in mid install, I was really struggling with the fixed pin fitting correctly. Thinking it was something jacked on my mount, I checked two of the other pins I have and they fit perfectly. After a review of the offending pin I realized it was the culprit.
A quick call to CruiserTEQ resolved that. A new one is in the mail and they are investigating the issue.
Such an awesome vendor with amazing customer service.

I show this as a cautionary tale and to reiterate how great @cruiseroutfit is.

While on this subject, Kurt, while not a huge issue, these paper sticker tags y’all put on here feel like you’re messing with us. They suck.

You’ll still get the money I should be spending on my kids shoes though.

Don’t have pictures of this really, but @OlYellr, this’ll apply to your install as well. The bushings on the fixed side need a thinner should/top whatever. The set I got from $OR were all the same thickness but they accidentally sent my 1 of the thinner top ones when I ordered them. They were good about shipping me out the “correct” one, but it clued me in that there was a difference last night. I ground down the tops of four to properly fit the fixed side. The rest fit perfectly on the front.

Pointing to the thin top one for the fixed side.

Finally, and this disturbs me a bit… when pulling one of the spring pins to install the caster shims, one was completely stripped out and barely holding by a thread or two. The other was fine but I’ll be disassembling the rear two springs to confirm those are good.

Sketchy.

 

[pb4ugo]

I accidentally posted the above.

However, finished up the front last night with the 4* back in and while the steering is insanely better due to how much slop I had in the old springs, it still doesn’t want to return to center.

Toe in is at 3/16”, was less but I increased it slightly and that helped.

I’ll measure my caster again after morning stuff.

Even with just the front springs new, the ride is greatly improved. Amazingly so.

I wouldn't waist my time measuring caster until the complete suspension has been installed. You should set the suspension to ride height with the suspension loaded on level ground then measure. The difference in height frt to rear is going to skew your #'s. I would probably try the 6* shims. A little more caster helps in tracking and rtc. I'm running 4" skyjackers with 4* shims, and I've shorten my shackles slightly to get to about 1* positive caster. It currently drives and handles great, but I'll be adding 6* shims. I think it will handle and rtc better. Right now the wheel is a little sluggish coming back to center. I also plan to rebuild the knuckles. Once your shims are installed, droop the frt suspension and make sure the driveshaft rotates freely. Sometimes the U joint yolks can interfere with each other.