Builds Salt wagon My first fj40 (build) (15 Viewers)

[Roastchestnuts]

well I ended up making the later 69 - ? top gasket work and cutting the rear section out. I did use the little metal fasteners in the corners to hold it down too. (not shown in the photos) The top cap was a real pain in the A to line up. took me about an hour and a half to line up all the bolt holes. Finished just in time for more rain though haha. I took it for a drive and already miss having the top off. Makes me even more determined to get a soft top for the 40. I already bought a few parts for the soft top. Also wanted to mention: my early doors dont have that bend in them that everyone talks about being an issue with the soft top B pillars. My doors are strait as an arrow. from top to bottom.

I also have the other passenger seat out and about to start upholstering it.

 

[Roastchestnuts]

I got about half my parts in to go back to manual steering, along with a bonus: the linkage for the 3 on the tree. (I wont be able to use this until I switch back to some sort of inline 6 engine. I am hoping to get a 1f variant at some point before the end of the summer.

Some of the parts I am still waiting on but are ordered from @cruiseroutfit are the tie rod and relay rod, tie rod end kit, draglink rebuild and early center arm rebuild. I also ordered a dobinsons steering dampener as I dont even have a steering dampener on the 40 right now haha.

@Cruiser Cult I will be buying a part from you in the future too. Additionally anybody know how the shifter is attached to the shift column on the three on the tree? Is it a pin? I have this little metal thing but dont think its all of it. Not that I have to worry about it right now.

Non Fj40 related - I also started tryng to diagnose my dads Daihatsu fire truck no start issue. Its a lot like the fusible link issue the fj80 cruisers have. Crank Crank Crank crank but no start. We figured out the fuel pump was still good and the coil was getting spark still. Some suspect things are the cap and rotor. The coil wire terminal was stuck in the cap from corrosion and the rotor looked pretty dirty. The points under the cap looked a little corroded too. The distributer sits pretty low on these mini trucks too. I am crossing my fingers this was the issue. We ordered a basic tune up kit that includes the cap and rotor, plugs, and wires.

 

[middlecalf]

Is it a pin?

Two-piece pin with a spring that makes the pin-halves snap into the two holes on the column shifter which holds the lever in place and allows it to pivot as necessary - rubber boot (in one piece ) provides dampening on that joint. If you ever need to remove the lever be careful in pinching the pin halves together and pulling the lever out - the spring makes the pin halves projectiles, and often leads to another necessary rare part(s) acquisition .

 

[Roastchestnuts]

Two-piece pin with a spring that makes the pin-halves snap into the two holes on the column shifter which holds the lever in place and allows it to pivot as necessary - rubber boot (in one piece ) provides dampening on that joint. If you ever need to remove the lever be careful in pinching the pin halves together and pulling the lever out - the spring makes the pin halves projectiles, and often leads to another necessary rare part(s) acquisition .

Nice... I am pretty sure I am missing the spring and one of the pins. I may have not gotten it from the seller as well. Ill look around on the ground where I unpacked everything but I will be working on finding that I suppose.

 

[Cruiser Cult]

I recently made a video for a customer on the bushing install. You can see the pins in the video:

 

[Roastchestnuts]

I recently made a video for a customer on the bushing install. You can see the pins in the video:

Nice! and thank you. yeah I have one of the pins at least. Maybe I can make one. Not sure haha. Looks like I am going to need to find part G in this picture too. The spring is there at least witch is part i

 

[Roastchestnuts]

I recently made a video for a customer on the bushing install. You can see the pins in the video:

Purchased the bushing

 

[Cruiser Cult]

Purchased the bushing

Thank you! Should help with some of the shifting slop!

 

[Roastchestnuts]

Thank you! Should help with some of the shifting slop!

Hopfully before the year is out I can find a 1f or 2f and then I can swap in the column shift stuff!

 

[Roastchestnuts]

I am on the search for this part below. Labeled G in the diagram. Here is a link on mud. Help! Looking for 3 speed upper control shaft - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/help-looking-for-3-speed-upper-control-shaft.845723/

If anybody has this part and is willing to let it go, please let me know. it seems like a peice of unubtanium though. I may have to see if I can make this on a lath and also use sombodys lath haha. Id rather not do that though. Its labeld G in the diagram

Thanks for the help!

@CondeCruiser do you still have your shift linkage?

 

[Roastchestnuts]

Finally got some yakima bars for my 40 but I think the early fiberglass cap must be taller because my towers are too short. I have seen others with these same towers. I did buy some 2 inch risers that will hopefully bring it up enough to actually use these haha. I have missed having my doors on. the bug catcher windows are underrated.

 

[Roastchestnuts]

Not super land cruiser related other than a picture of a land cruiser drawn on it. but I got my "wedding guest book" back. Its a surfboard my buddy Rich made and then glassed over the signatures from people who were at our wedding! @Shyrock and familiy drew a little fj40 on it! it was really cool to see all the signitures and heart felt messages!

 

[Roastchestnuts]

A miracle happend today. The Drag link front end came off with out a fight today. Just a little bit of pb blaster and a vice grip (cant find my pipe wrench) and my bench vice holding it and it actually unscrewed! These have always been a bear to get off for me. Some how not this one.

I do have a question about the drag link end. how do you know if its time to rebuild it? I bought one of the rebuild kits from @cruiseroutfit is it just reccomended to do it while I got if off? I might as well right?

also the glorious early fj40 steering box! it does work and I filled it with 90 weight gear oil and really does not leak. The bottom of the shaft is from spraying it with pb blaster to get the steering column tube off to paint it.

 

[Green Bean]

I think the question at this point is: Why would you NOT rebuild the draglink since you have it all apart and already have the kit. It will never be easier. It is nice to baseline your vehicle so you know the history of the various components, especially steering.

 

[Roastchestnuts]

I think the question at this point is: Why would you NOT rebuild the draglink since you have it all apart and already have the kit. It will never be easier. It is nice to baseline your vehicle so you know the history of the various components, especially steering.

Pretty much how I feel. I just wanted to hear it from somebody else. I am not sure that I will take the drag link end off to rebuild though. I am going to rebuilding the center arm anyway too.

I am just happy I have found the parts I need to put this back to stock steering. the only nice component of the power steering set up is the geerbox. everything else was kinda sketchy put together.

I think my only thing left to figure out is what to do with the power steering pump. Ideally I would take it out and get a smaller belt. But I am not sure what size belt I will need. I need to do some measuring.

All this aside I did find a lead on a 2f engine really close by. Crossing my fingers on that. its 150$ probibly needs to be rebuilt but seller said its free and not locked up.

 

[Cruiser Cult]

Pretty much how I feel. I just wanted to hear it from somebody else. I am not sure that I will take the drag link end off to rebuild though. I am going to rebuilding the center arm anyway too.

I am just happy I have found the parts I need to put this back to stock steering. the only nice component of the power steering set up is the geerbox. everything else was kinda sketchy put together.

I think my only thing left to figure out is what to do with the power steering pump. Ideally I would take it out and get a smaller belt. But I am not sure what size belt I will need. I need to do some measuring.

All this aside I did find a lead on a 2f engine really close by. Crossing my fingers on that. its 150$ probibly needs to be rebuilt but seller said its free and not locked up.

2F would be nice for the parts availability and better design. You can slap a F135 valve cover on it to make it feel like the OG engine.

 

[Roastchestnuts]

2F would be nice for the parts availability and better design. You can slap a F135 valve cover on it to make it feel like the OG engine.

yeah I do like the look of the valve cover of the f135 engine. Any specific mods you have to do for that to work? I know I have seen that on mud before.

 

[Cruiser Cult]

yeah I do like the look of the valve cover of the f135 engine. Any specific mods you have to do for that to work? I know I have seen that on mud before.

I don’t know off the top of my head. I have both types of valve covers on hand. I can measure.

 

[smooth]

@Roastchestnuts - nice meeting you this week in Ocracoke. I was cruising the streets and just couldn't help myself, had to stop by when I see someone working on a 40. Appreciate you taking time to talk LandCruisers and to show me your ride, The Salt Wagon looks even better in person. Gotta love the LandCruiser community.

Impressed by your knowledge and commitment to "make things right". Part of the fun is researching, learning, resourcing and finding parts to put them back together. Stay in touch, let me know if I can be of any assistance. Until we meet again............Bill

 

[Roastchestnuts]

@Roastchestnuts - nice meeting you this week in Ocracoke. I was cruising the streets and just couldn't help myself, had to stop by when I see someone working on a 40. Appreciate you taking time to talk LandCruisers and to show me your ride, The Salt Wagon looks even better in person. Gotta love the LandCruiser community.

Impressed by your knowledge and commitment to "make things right". Part of the fun is researching, learning, resourcing and finding parts to put them back together. Stay in touch, let me know if I can be of any assistance. Until we meet again............Bill

Hey Bill,

@smooth Thanks for spending the time talking to me on your vacation! Always love meeting and talking Land Cruiser. Its a great community full of cool honest nice people like yourself and your family. I cant wait to see you next time you are down here. these things are like big puzzles. I love doing the reaserch and finding the parts and figuring out how to put them back together. I will Probably have even more done on the Salt wagon to show and talk about next time I see you. Crossing my fingers on the engine stuff and three on the tree stuff. Also you need to bring that fj55 back down here. Those are my favorite. Look forward to the next time we meet!

Thanks! stay in touch for sure
Robert