Build Rocklander 77-series build

[SNLC]

I am calling this Cruiser my “Rocklander” which if you haven’t heard the term yet, means a rock crawling overlander!

I just joined the 70-series club!

It’s a 1995 HZJ77, it’s got 471,000kms and plenty of rust!! It was a bit of a compulsive buy, although I have wanted a 77 for awhile, especially to convert to a 76!

Here is my basic plan;
-swap in my fresh 1HDFT, it should push 300hp & 600ftlbs
-H152 5spd trans
-HF2A tcase converted to part time and with crawler gears.
-SoA with enough lift to run 37’s! Custom fitted Fox 2.5 remote resi shocks with adjusters.
-Traction bar on rear axle.
-37’s!!! Might actually go 38x11.5R17
-KMC beadlocks, 17" in either 8.5" or 9" wide.
-9.5” front axle.
-Front & rear Eaton e-lockers.
-Front & rear RCV axle shafts.
-FRO knuckles with high steer.
-Re-gear to 4.56, Yukon gears.
-Custom built sliders, built by us.
-LHD conversion. 79-series steering box.
-Fix all the rust/rot and body off paint job.
-Wide nose conversion, 50/50 at this point if I would do this, see pics in the build thread, wide nose gains 6.5” of engine bay width.
-Small storage drawers in the back with sleeping platform and fridge.
-Custom built rear bumper. Maybe eventually we will build a front too.
-Scheelmanns from my 80-series.
-Custom built console.

There will be plenty more but that is the basics for now. My time frame for a fully completed Cruiser is 1-5yrs so this won’t be built in six months that is for sure. I am doing axles, diffs/lockers, suspension & steering first. Swapping in my 1HDFT, H152 trans and 80-series tcase will be next. Sliders & rear bumper fit in there somewhere too. Probably not much more than that this year.

I have this fantastic 1HDFT I will be dropping in it. 37’s, SoA, lockers, front 9.5” axle. I got plans!!

End goal: 75-85mph down the highway comfortably, bang out 7-8 out of 10 difficulty trails here in the western part of our country. Effortlessly camp out of the back of the Cruiser for myself and my dog. Low, flexible suspension under all types of off-roading, stable off camber, wide without being stupid wide and comfortable for most types of off-reading and camping. More to come!

Cheers

 

[OGBeno]

Sick. Glad you picked this up, Ian.

 

[SNLC]

I literally have a new OEM black grill hanging on the shop wall for it. Put that on this afternoon I think!

It has some rust, next winter at the soonest I plan to fix the rust. Body off frame, all rust cut out and OEM panels replacing the rusty ones. I am also going to convert it to LHD at the same time. I have a brand new LHD 79-series (big sector shaft) steering box sitting here for that job. Also got a fairly beat down LHD dash frame, probably not use it because it is a bit rough but if I have trouble finding a better one I got this one.

I am going to build some sliders right away and get rid of the stock side steps. I am also going to install a rear locker at the minimum. Right away so I am good to go for wheeling season and this summer.

Eventually we will do custom front & rear bumpers. We may start producing those and the sliders. Belly skid too!

Alright back to work, more pics and all that this afternoon.

Cheers

 

[OGBeno]

Huge market for 70 series armor IMO.

 

[wardharris]

Congratulations on the adoption Ian!

 

[SNLC]

They sure come up with some funky suspension in Japan.

That’s going to have to go, it’s making it ride like ass.

My dog likes it!

Cheers

 

[cruisermatt]

Been really wanting to see someone do a good low SOA on one of these HZJ77’s, what springs are you thinking?

 

[bj70bc]

Very cool, lhd 1hdt-x 76/77 is probably tied at #1 with a lhd 1hdt-x 105 on my list for the next cruiser

 

[SNLC]

Been really wanting to see someone do a good low SOA on one of these HZJ77’s, what springs are you thinking?

Just not many options if we don’t cut the leaf hangers off the frame which I don’t really want to do. So I was thinking the Terrain Tamer parabolics. That or have Deaver custom build me leaves. I would use stock springs but I am not paying to import those. I don’t need super long springs for massive travel. This will be a “rocklander” but not a crawler.

I didn’t even drive this Cruiser before I bought it, the suspension is worse than I expected so suspension is priority. That and steering.

Cheers

 

[Tanner H]

glad to see this truck staying on here. i dig the chrome grille actually. goes with the paint job.

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

Now that is excitement.

Looking forward to seeing this build.





Juan

 

[SNLC]

Parabolics are out.

Looking at some Deavers now. Only other options are OME or Dobinsons where I would tear the pack down and build my own from it. I just remembered too I have some Fox very basic remote resi 12” shocks laying around.

Need to weigh it front and rear axles plus total weight. Measure approximate stock lengths and get with Deaver. Cutting hangers off the frame may be back on the menu! Not sure why I hesitate when I plan to cut the front shock towers off the frame anyways.

So if any of you guys are pursuits and don’t like big rubber or all that, well don’t follow along! I am most certainly deviating A LOT from stock in this build.

Cheers

 

[Guyute]

Love ladies of all sizes... especially during cold winters. Carry-on!

 

[OGBeno]

Parabolics are out.

Looking at some Deavers now. Only other options are OME or Dobinsons where I would tear the pack down and build my own from it. I just remembered too I have some Fox very basic remote resi 12” shocks laying around.

Need to weigh it front and rear axles plus total weight. Measure approximate stock lengths and get with Deaver. Cutting hangers off the frame may be back on the menu! Not sure why I hesitate when I plan to cut the front shock towers off the frame anyways.

So if any of you guys are pursuits and don’t like big rubber or all that, well don’t follow along! I am most certainly deviating A LOT from stock in this build.

Cheers

What was the decision process for no parabolics, Ian?

 

[SNLC]

What was the decision process for no parabolics, Ian?

Georg said no go for SoA, will give to much axle wrap.

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Alrighty, I just made a couple decisions and am buying some parts.

I am going to go with 80-series axles. The 77’s are 56” wms to wms (wheel mounting surface) and the 80 are 63”. So I gain 3.5” per side. Right now the 77 has some version on Toyota steelies in 17” variety, they are somewhere around 4.5 or 5” back spacing. It has 2” wheel spacers for this reason too. On a 60/70-series you can not run more than 3.75” of backspacing. On an 80 you can run 4.75”. Anyways by my calculations I gain width but it is not stupid wide.

I am going to run a RuffStuff front 9.5” housing, with 80-series knuckle balls. So low pinion 9.5” diff with the big 80-series birfields. Hellfire knuckles too. For rear I have a good 80-series housing I can cut off the brackets and convert to leaf springs. I have most all the rest of the parts in hand to build both axles, less e-lockers and gears.

Probably not going Deaver springs just will get some aftermarket low lift packs, tear them down and build my own packs from that. I think I also decided I am going with leaf springs sliders vs shackles!

So that’s it, I ordered knuckle balls from Trail Tailor, I am ordering the rest from RuffStuff. I told you it wasn’t going to be very stock!!

Cheers

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Knuckle balls are packed and ship out tomorrow. Thank you for the order.

 

[SNLC]

The black later style grill, I am going to leave it on the wall for awhile!

Faded lens, replacements in route.

Not much else in the plans for the next 30-60 days. Axles, suspension, steering and perhaps some sliders. These axles are real nice for a nearly direct swap into a 40-series. The rear being full float and disk brakes in this era is slightly rare.

Cheers

 

[EngineBlockEggs]

Alrighty, I just made a couple decisions and am buying some parts.

I am going to go with 80-series axles. The 77’s are 56” wms to wms (wheel mounting surface) and the 80 are 63”. So I gain 3.5” per side. Right now the 77 has some version on Toyota steelies in 17” variety, they are somewhere around 4.5 or 5” back spacing. It has 2” wheel spacers for this reason too. On a 60/70-series you can not run more than 3.75” of backspacing. On an 80 you can run 4.75”. Anyways by my calculations I gain width but it is not stupid wide.

I am going to run a RuffStuff front 9.5” housing, with 80-series knuckle balls. So low pinion 9.5” diff with the big 80-series birfields. Hellfire knuckles too. For rear I have a good 80-series housing I can cut off the brackets and convert to leaf springs. I have most all the rest of the parts in hand to build both axles, less e-lockers and gears.

Probably not going Deaver springs just will get some aftermarket low lift packs, tear them down and build my own packs from that. I think I also decided I am going with leaf springs sliders vs shackles!

So that’s it, I ordered knuckle balls from Trail Tailor, I am ordering the rest from RuffStuff. I told you it wasn’t going to be very stock!!

Cheers

If you decide to sell those steelies, let me know. I have an HZJ77 up in Colorado that those would look great on!

Love the build-out plan so far!

 

[SNLC]

To wide nose or not!? 6.5” is something.

I actually really want to keep it narrow nose but the first big problem is going to be I plan to put a large shock tower and shock where these two batteries reside.



Cheers