Keep it coming Mike, I"m enjoying this story book layout of yours.
ROTW - clownmidget 1997 FZJ-80 40th (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter clownmidget
- Start date
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This is like a strip tease.
Wow so suweeeeeet, super cool rig, super cool mods, and super cool that the turbo REPLACED the supercharger!!! I love it! Great work!
- Thread starter
- #24
Ongoing
Due to the larger lift and really wanting to get as much out of the suspension as possible I needed to make some changes.
These were kindly "beta tested" for me by someone
If you're unfamiliar with them, these are the Outback front control arms that have the threaded coupling back near the rear mount allowing them to rotate on their long axis - PROVIDED THE BETA TESTER LIVED SOMEWHERE THAT DOESN'T SALT THE CRAP OUT OF THE ROADS EVERYTIME IT RAINS IN THE WINTER.
It took about 1000 ft lbs of torque to break these free. Once free, and after checking what could be "improved" the following was decided. The threaded portion had come really close to being hit with rocks and the rubber shock bootie was trashed. I wanted to protect the threads but also to hold as much grease around the joint as possible. A short section of 2.25" tubing that has in ID just about 2.1". The control arms have an OD of 2". The short section of the control arm that mounts to the frame is solid and has the male threads. So the short protective tube was tacked onto it from above and below. A zirk was fitted to let me push new grease in. I'll most likely use a marine grade grease. I had thought about o-rings or just silicone to seal the ends but they are really tight.
These allow for over an inch greater length than the stock arms in their current set up with the OME bushings so I think I'll be able to really dial in handling in terms of caster, axle position, etc.
I didn't mount these up yet because I wanted to re-paint them and we wanted to try and empirically test the travel of the front with both setups. This may happen this week.
Due to the larger lift and really wanting to get as much out of the suspension as possible I needed to make some changes.
These were kindly "beta tested" for me by someone
If you're unfamiliar with them, these are the Outback front control arms that have the threaded coupling back near the rear mount allowing them to rotate on their long axis - PROVIDED THE BETA TESTER LIVED SOMEWHERE THAT DOESN'T SALT THE CRAP OUT OF THE ROADS EVERYTIME IT RAINS IN THE WINTER.
It took about 1000 ft lbs of torque to break these free. Once free, and after checking what could be "improved" the following was decided. The threaded portion had come really close to being hit with rocks and the rubber shock bootie was trashed. I wanted to protect the threads but also to hold as much grease around the joint as possible. A short section of 2.25" tubing that has in ID just about 2.1". The control arms have an OD of 2". The short section of the control arm that mounts to the frame is solid and has the male threads. So the short protective tube was tacked onto it from above and below. A zirk was fitted to let me push new grease in. I'll most likely use a marine grade grease. I had thought about o-rings or just silicone to seal the ends but they are really tight.
These allow for over an inch greater length than the stock arms in their current set up with the OME bushings so I think I'll be able to really dial in handling in terms of caster, axle position, etc.
I didn't mount these up yet because I wanted to re-paint them and we wanted to try and empirically test the travel of the front with both setups. This may happen this week.
Nice write-up. Have you gotten permission for the bumper yet?
Your wife--she still talks to you?
Clown, those arms are trick as hell. I had mentioned them back in a thread about why the 80 can't flex and i believe i remember christo talking about they had attempted to make those arms but the cost was too high. I had thought of fabbing some up. If i get the equipment to make some of those we may have to talk.
So how much .lb boost you runnin now?
- Thread starter
- #29
Romer said:
Thanks Ken. The concession agreement was that I can only put on a front and/or rear bumper if I make it. So, I've been learning how to weld and hopefully can purchase the welder in the very near future. I'll most likely follow I4C4LO's (Amando) approach and design something with cardboard templates and then have it cut to spec and have at it.
- Thread starter
- #30
mason said:
yeah, we both think we're gonna "win"
Don't catch her alone and with the keys because she'll sell it immediatley for best offer...
- Thread starter
- #31
LX_TREME said:
Still baby steps (under 4 lbs). I swapped in the Supra TT fuel pump but still have the BEGI rising rate regulator sitting on the workbench. I'm in the process of re-doing the intercooler plumbing as I did a rush job using the 105 stuff just to get it on the road again. It's an odd metric size that is essentially 2". I'm going to go to a full 2.5" tubing (I think the 3" is just overkill) and get the angles a bit tighter. The one good part about it now is that it lets me keep the air filter in the normal place and the second battery tray and the windshield wiper fluid bottle (Scolaro Corolla relocation version). So it dind't make me compromise on those things. Once I have that cleared up and I can get it on a dyno I may take Darren McRae's advice and plumb those throttle body injectors with boost regulated H2O/methanol.
Here is the boost and egt gauge pod, both Autometer with green backlight so it comes pretty close to matching the stock dash stuff.
clownmidget said:
LOL!!! I thought I was the only one that had that problem. I slept on the couch for a week after I got my lockers. I would hate to see what I would get if I ever install a super charger.
- Thread starter
- #34
Gps
I also added a Garmin GPS76CS that I have mounted down by the shifter and patched into a laptop that currently just sits in the passenger seat. I mounted the external antenna on top of the snorkel head like shown on Slee's site. The one change I did was to silicone a base plate to the snorkle and then attach the antenna "pod" to it using the magnet. This allows me to pop it off if needed like if I use the pre-filter head for the snorkel or needed to service the snorkel or GPS or if I just hit it hard against some branches. It does stay on at high speeds though.
I also added a Garmin GPS76CS that I have mounted down by the shifter and patched into a laptop that currently just sits in the passenger seat. I mounted the external antenna on top of the snorkel head like shown on Slee's site. The one change I did was to silicone a base plate to the snorkle and then attach the antenna "pod" to it using the magnet. This allows me to pop it off if needed like if I use the pre-filter head for the snorkel or needed to service the snorkel or GPS or if I just hit it hard against some branches. It does stay on at high speeds though.
clownmidget said:
- Thread starter
- #36
Junk said:
yeah, imagine a 5 ft section of 2"x2"x0.25" steel stock welded to the frame mount end, the axle mount end wedged into the weight stack of a 4K lb forklift, and my fat a$$ hanging off the end of the bar...
then it moved about a millimeter. This was after having the threads soaked in PB Blaster for two weeks. IH8NaCl.
Hey, those cheesy photos are from Lockwood/Miller Jeep trail in Gorman. That's one of the regular places we used to test Toyota P/Us, 4Runners and yes, the mighty 80. I still get there about every 4 years on a SoCal business trip where I can justify driving. The old lower part along the creek bed was much more fun, but now the upper part of Miller Jeep trail has gotten more fun again as well. Good memories of bending the frame (badly) on a competitive Chevy S pickup up there. We drove it home with the bed rattling against the cab and the tailgate would only close if we crossed it up again on some rocks. I think it had 70 miles on it before we left. Ooops.
Ever get to Anza Borrego? I always wondered when they were going to shut that beautiful wheeling area down like they did Coyote Canyon. Asked my wife to marry me while camping at Font's Point - now a manicured overlook you can't wheel away from. We used to be able to wheel along the lip and put a tent 10 feet from the edge and watch spectacular sunsets. Now it's "better" I guess.......
Some of you younger fellers probably never knew that we used to be able to go all the way through Coyote Canyon. As beautiful a trip as existed anywhere in SoCal. We used to also use this as a test bed.
Anyhow, thanks for the memories of Gorman.
DougM
Ever get to Anza Borrego? I always wondered when they were going to shut that beautiful wheeling area down like they did Coyote Canyon. Asked my wife to marry me while camping at Font's Point - now a manicured overlook you can't wheel away from. We used to be able to wheel along the lip and put a tent 10 feet from the edge and watch spectacular sunsets. Now it's "better" I guess.......
Some of you younger fellers probably never knew that we used to be able to go all the way through Coyote Canyon. As beautiful a trip as existed anywhere in SoCal. We used to also use this as a test bed.
Anyhow, thanks for the memories of Gorman.
DougM
Mike's wife is beyond understanding, those of us that know him haven't figured out why she puts up with him!
Scott (Who has driven the length of Coyote!)
Mike and Cruiserdrew in Death Valley 2005
How fast would that be Mike?clownmidget said:
Oh Doug, everything was always better in the old days--you can still hike the middle section of Coyote Canyon!IdahoDoug said:
Scott (Who has driven the length of Coyote!)
Mike and Cruiserdrew in Death Valley 2005
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I think I need to catch your wife with the keys and 10 grand in my pocket...So far I am in love with your truck the most. You've done just what I wish to, lift, tires, power, and minimal protection (although that wasn't your choice). I'm assuming you're still running the modded stock arms, or did you say you got Slee's? How does it handle highway speeds with lane changing? I know that it is sketchy in my '91 with the hack job lift (custom crap), and you're seems much higher, but you haven't done too much to help with things like that either.
- Thread starter
- #40
Still running the modified stock arms but as I mentioned, I have the slotted adjustment up front and I've added adjustabel front and rear panhards, adjustable rear uppers and longer, thicker rear lowers. So it's a bit more than "haven't done too much".
The truck will hit speeds 100+ mph no problem as it is now. It just isn't as tight as I'd like it or as much as I know it can be.
More workbench items in progress:
This is the BEGI rising rate regulator that needs to be plumbed in.
I also had these front locking hubs on but wanted them to match the Sequoia wheels so I'm busy cutting out the center of the plastic center cap so these look "stock". At least out here in southern CA I can do this and not worry too much about corrosion.
Also, here is the swap in of the Supra TT fuel pump. This is really a straight forward swap in with just a little bit of work involved.
The truck will hit speeds 100+ mph no problem as it is now. It just isn't as tight as I'd like it or as much as I know it can be.
More workbench items in progress:
This is the BEGI rising rate regulator that needs to be plumbed in.
I also had these front locking hubs on but wanted them to match the Sequoia wheels so I'm busy cutting out the center of the plastic center cap so these look "stock". At least out here in southern CA I can do this and not worry too much about corrosion.
Also, here is the swap in of the Supra TT fuel pump. This is really a straight forward swap in with just a little bit of work involved.
