Builds Schmutz FZJ80 build thread

[GeoRoss]

The exhaust note sounds pretty good at idle cut off like this. But I Noticed when I accelerate hard, that about 2200rpm it begins to whistle/squeal. Anyone else had this problem? Solutions?
View attachment 1469289

I have that whistle, but ignore it. I suspect putting the resonator back on would help.

 

[Schmutz]

Initial Bumper Review:

During the last 4 days wheeling, my family & I have rigorously Field Tested the new rear bumper's performance and functionality.

Given my objectives for choosing this bumper (stated on 5/18/16, on pg 5 in this thread) I am very pleased . Actually we all are. For the following reasons:

• The missus, even with her damaged back, was able to open/close it herself. Not once did she ask me to do it for her. Not once. In 4 days!
• I am impressed with how powerful the gas shocks are. They literally push the swing arm open, and hold it there even with 120+ pounds of tire and Hi-lift jack on that arm! I do wonder about their longevity. -Comments anyone?
• Latch: I asked Luke to sell me the heavy duty latch. (I believe it's rated at 7,000+ lbs of holding power). It has exceeded my expectations given the rough terrain we've just wheeled over. There has been no noticeable loss of tension.
• With both arms open the top bumper surface is ample for my size 10 feet to stand on to access items on the roof rack.

I am looking forward to adding the Jerry Can carrier though

 

[IBrider]

July 3, 2015: So, what does one do when one doesn’t really have funds to move ahead with the build, but one wants to do SOMETHING to the 80? Answer: one conducts inexpensive cosmetic experiments. In truth, I hate chrome. Everyone is different, and I think no less of people who like chrome. Personally, however, I have never liked chrome. And I don’t even know why. But there it is, hence I have never really liked the only piece of chrome on my 80, which is the front piece around the headlights and grille. This is what I’m talking about:

View attachment 1105830

My mate Brandon, who owns a body shop, gave me a nice recipe for painting chrome when I was prettying up the 4Runner. The method is this:

1. sand the chrome with a fine-grit sandpaper. I used 220 grit wet and dry
2. wipe off with cloth dampened with denatured alcohol or lacquer-thiner
3. spray 2 or 3 coats of self-etching primer (I got a can at Napa for less than $7)
4. apply 2-3 coats of the final color –I like black, in a satin finish

So today, I painted the chrome on my 80. It turned out like this:

View attachment 1105831

And for fun, without the emblem:

View attachment 1105832

Just for kicks and giggles, I covered the valance with masking tape, and sprayed it black too:

View attachment 1105833

I almost think that once the winch bar is on, this would really make the front of the 80 look beefy! But the transition on the sides below the headlights doesn't quite work for me. Therefore, for now the tape has been removed and the valance remains white

Love the look without the chrome. Now I have to do mine like this. Looks better for sure. Like you, not a big chrome fan. Thanks for the detail on how you did this. By the way, great build project story. You ever thought about writing for a living??

 

[Schmutz]

Love the look without the chrome...You ever thought about writing for a living??

thanks for the compliments. Honestly never thought of myself as a writer. Most of the time when I re-read what I've posted I just quietly shake my head...

FWIW we've done quite a bit of wheeling since I blacked out the chrome. Much of it through tight, overgrown mountain trails with plenty of protruding vegetation (sage brush, smaller branches and limbs...etc). I typically let the 80 bulldoze a path through, as long as it doesn't pose a damage risk. The occasional cosmetic blemish suffered in this way doesn't bother me too much on this 20 year old paint job. Like wrinkles on an old face, each one tells a story. Hopefully it says: "this rig is being used for what it was designed to do". Even with that kind of wheeling, and frequent caresses from the veges, the black paint is holding really well to the chrome. No flaking, peeling or even scratches -yet. It's an inexpensive touch, but so far I feel it has been worth it.

 

[Schmutz]

How many bags of chicken feed does it take to get an 80 into a garage?

So the 80 got a new home today. I'm sick of it being 2-1/2 hours away in Salmon while I'm working on this never-ending house remodel in Idaho Falls. Unfortunately, when we got to the new location we ran into a little snag...Even with 300 lbs of cargo, it's too tall to fit in the new garage (The picture doesn't show this very well, but because the floor in the center of the garage is higher than at the sides, the PS roof rack rear corner will actually not clear the header).

This is where the chicken feed came in handy. 250 lbs later (those are 50 lb bags), the roof rack barely cleared the header...

Interestingly, once unloaded, I did manage to get this far out:

Had to air down to 5 psi in the rear tires in order to exit. Now,I don't mind airing down on the trail, but in my driveway? This is rediculous!
So, if I really want to park it in the garage, then either I need to keep 500+ lbs of ballast laying around, or I have to air up and air down each time I use it...
Sadly, the wife and all three kids together weigh less than 300 lbs, so they won't be much help perched on the tailgate.
I think I need a new garage

 

[Outsane]

Just read your build great work! Keep it up

 

[Schmutz]

Made my most critical upgrade to date this weekend: Removed the zip tie holding my hi-lift jack handle snug, and replaced it with a polyurethane isolator

FWIW the zip tie has worked great for about a year and a half now, and only cost a couple of cents. Just saying...

 

[Schmutz]

My new Trasharoo arrived today. It had been challenging for me to pick the color. Black would have worked with the whole Stormtrooper effect that typically occurs with a white truck. Green matches my Jerry cans. The tan color resembles the classic khaki bags on safari rigs in those Camel trophy posters... In the end, the Amazon listing offered a used item in green, with a 'minor cosmetic imperfection' for $7 less. At the time I thought "this is a rubbish bag that will hang on the spare tire and get covered in dust. I'll never notice that minor cosmetic imperfection after the first outing". Well, I guess I don't fully understand the meaning of the word cosmetic. But I do know rubbish when I see it. Here's what it looked like straight out of the sealed plastic bag packaging:

Personally I would have described that as damage rather than 'minor cosmetic imperfection'. Next time I see someone with a broken limb and bone protruding I'll refer to it as a minor cosmetic imperfection...

I think I'll try returning it

 

[Schmutz]

Amazon refunded my purchase of the tragic Trasheroo, so I ordered a replacement immediately. Decided to try the tan this time:

 

[Schmutz]

Also stumbled across two NEW Powerslot rotors and some NEW extreme duty brake pads over the weekend, all for $20. One more project to add to the list...

 

[Schmutz]

Captains log... 3-Jerry can holder arrived today from 4x4Labs. Thanks Luke for letting me in on the GB! Unfortunately, I already know that this will be a midwinter project at best
Gives me something to look forward to

 

[Schmutz]

Had to address the roof rack versus garage door issue before leaving for Moab over the Thanksgiving break. After much thought, the remedy involved removing the center bracket, lowering the rack as much as possible on front and rear brackets, and then compensating with minor surgery on the center bracket. After some touch up with black satin spray paint, they were reinstalled.

Am now able to drive out of my garage with tires at 35psi, and have traded the bags of chicken feed for a couple of kids sitting on the tailgate instead

 

[Schmutz]

An upcoming overland expedition is always a great incentive to make some mods to one's Cruiser. Hard to believe my last post to this build thread was a whole year ago... I am ashamed
But this year we planned to take on the Kokopelli trail near Moab, UT. Given the 142 mile trail, plus side trips, this was finally the motivation I needed to get the jerry can carrier built and added onto my rear bumper. Purchased the can basket from 4x4 Labs back in September 2017.

Now installed and wheeled...

 

[Schmutz]

Preparation for the Kokopelli trip required some necessary PM: engine oil and filter change, replaced front brake pads, completely flushed and replaced the brake fluid, greased all the nipples, and installed a new OEM air filter, (would have done the plugs and plug leads too, but Teton Toyota doesn't stock any LC items anymore, and they wouldn't arrive before our departure date).

Purchased and installed an inexpensive Uniden CB radio and a 5' Firestick antenna, which was mounted on the front bar...

came in handy for inter-vehicular communications

 

[Schmutz]

And finally freed up some kitchen space by adding some full-extension glides so the cook stove wouldn't have to be used on the tailgate anymore. Wish I'd done this years ago! Made meal prep and cleanup so much more enjoyable for all

Hmmm, I should probably clean that stove...

 

[1973Guppie]

I really like your rear cargo setup. Functional and simple. Are you using the under bed rolling drawers? I use those as well for the back of my truck. My setup is all metal right now but trying to figure out a way to have a stored stove like yours. I may just make a slide mount for the top of my shelf.

 

[Schmutz]

Are you using the under bed rolling drawers? ... trying to figure out a way to have a stored stove like yours. I may just make a slide mount for the top of my shelf.

yep... those are the cheap plastic under-the-bed rolling draws you spotted. I have been using them for 6 years now, and I absolutely love them! They are lightweight, functional, and fairly rugged actually. They don't have so much as a crack in them. When the tail gate is up, they are basically immobilized, so despite the heavy weight they bear, they don't get a punishment. I struggled at first to employ them for aesthetic reasons. Lets face it, a metal or nice wood draw set looks so much better. However, weight and cost were my two main considerations. I'm so happy with their performance I just can't justify replacing them.

If you do proceed with some sort of slide for your cook stove, I recommend you consider a pair of slides which auto-lock when extended. Many others on MUD have recommended those for good reason. I completely forgot about that feature when I hurriedly ordered mine off Amazon to meet my trip deadline So I had to compensate by making a simple wood block which locks my stove tray when extended. For the 5 days of our trip I managed to park the truck level enough that I didn't even need it

 

[Schmutz]

Wheeling-wise it’s been a sad year . Bought a new house this spring. Moved in. Life seems to have revolved around that and the subsequent remodeling/renovating projects.

Finally in SEPTEMBER got to go wheeling in southeast ID and across the border into WY, where I met up with some friends at Granite Creek. The goal for this trip was to sleep INSIDE my truck, due to expected wet weather. Therefore, I made some simple alterations to the interior cargo area:
(1) removed the two metal support brackets for the plywood upper cargo deck, and relocated just one bracket in the center. This allows me to lay my sleeping pad in there.
(2) fashioned a crude platform from 1/4” plywood to support my torso and head. It lays on the rear seats when folded down...

 

[Schmutz]

Happy to report that I slept very comfortably with the aforementioned setup. The folded-down rear seats allowed my head to be elevated slightly. Furthermore there was no need to setup and disassemble a tent in the rain

 

[Schmutz]

OCTOBER 2019
The modifications to the sleeping arrangement received expanded field testing during our annual trip to Moab. Just my son came this year, due to health issues with my wife. The two of us slept comfortably with this setup.

It was definitely refreshing not having to deal with a tent this trip. Besides time saved with setup and disassembly, I find that as I age, sleeping OFF the ground results in a much warmer, more comfortable, and sound sleep. However, I am not ready for the weight of a RTT just yet. Will continue to utilize this setup for as long as I can fold my body in and out of the back doors