Builds "Scout" the 1977 FJ40

[77CruiserDog]

I received the @SMG hood hinge pins/bushings in my mail box this evening. They took 10 minutes or so to install after learning how amazing an air hammer can be. What can I say about these things that everyone else hasn't already said. They fix the big rattles these rigs have and they're awesome. If you have an FJ40 these should be on your wish list! A dab of red locktite and boom!

 

[TheHardWay]

Did you get your heater kit from SOR? I need to rebuild both of mine. Those hinge pins look heavy duty!

 

[77CruiserDog]

I think I did get them from SOR but it was a year ago and some of the less important things in my brain are clouded by layer of hops and bong resin.... some of the important things too mind you.

 

[77CruiserDog]

The @SMG pins and bushings are amazing. The plastic bushings that came from the factory on these rigs are worn out in short order.... the new pins have bronze bushings and nicely machined pins which are really easy to remove. They're super bad ass! Get some!

 

[77CruiserDog]

I just finished replacing my drivers and passenger door pins and bushings with the @SMG kits. Super easy to install and it will reduce some of the squeaks and rattles. The plastic bushings were super worn out! Both doors could be rocked on their hinges quite a bit. Now they're nice and tight!

I did a few things to facilitate the pin removal, because unlike some people's rigs, my door hinge pins were not easy to get out.

1) Sprayed some penetrating oil on them
2) Drilled a tiny hole in the top and bottom of the pin so I could put a nail set in the holes and use it as a punch. I pounded them a few times both up and down to get them to start moving.
3) Ground the top hinge pin on one side so I could remove it without lowering my windshield.

All in all it was super easy and made a big difference! No more rattling doors!

Also, I couldn't find the heater box rebuild kit so I picked up some adhesive backed foam at the hardware store. It should work just fine. I also spent some time cleaning and painting various parts of the heater unit. Looking forward to reassembly tomorrow so I can take it for a spin!

Just for the record, I did it the same way @GA Architect did and removed the heater box without removing the heater core. It's not hard and saves a ton of time. Thanks for showing us how to do that man!

 

[SMG]

Thanks for the nice compliments!! Your rig is awesome!

 

[pigmony]

Can someone post a link to where these door pins are sold? That sounds like an awesome improvement that I probably need.

 

[SMG]

Stainless Steel Windshield/Doors/Hood/Amby FJ40 Hinge Pins with Bronze Bushings.

Stainless Steel windshield hinge pins with oil impregnated bronze bushings. The pins are made from 304 Stainless Steel. 2 pin Windshield set with bushings , $70 shipped. 4 pin Door set with bushings , $140 shipped. Bronze Bushings are for sale too and will work with stock hinge pins. $3...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[77CruiserDog]

Can someone post a link to where these door pins are sold? That sounds like an awesome improvement that I probably need.

I'll be able to report back later today on the rattle reduction but I can immediately tell they're smoother and the doors and hood rock on the pins absolutely zero amount whereas with the plastic ones my hood and doors were super loose. Now when I shut my doors it sounds like a solid piece of metal, before it rattled quite a bit each time I opened and closed my doors. I think they make a huge improvement.

 

[Mean One]

I just finished replacing my drivers and passenger door pins and bushings with the @SMG kits. Super easy to install and it will reduce some of the squeaks and rattles. The plastic bushings were super worn out! Both doors could be rocked on their hinges quite a bit. Now they're nice and tight!

I did a few things to facilitate the pin removal, because unlike some people's rigs, my door hinge pins were not easy to get out.

1) Sprayed some penetrating oil on them
2) Drilled a tiny hole in the top and bottom of the pin so I could put a nail set in the holes and use it as a punch. I pounded them a few times both up and down to get them to start moving.
3) Ground the top hinge pin on one side so I could remove it without lowering my windshield.

All in all it was super easy and made a big difference! No more rattling doors!View attachment 2196971

View attachment 2196974

Also, I couldn't find the heater box rebuild kit so I picked up some adhesive backed foam at the hardware store. It should work just fine. I also spent some time cleaning and painting various parts of the heater unit. Looking forward to reassembly tomorrow so I can take it for a spin!

Just for the record, I did it the same way @GA Architect did and removed the heater box without removing the heater core. It's not hard and saves a ton of time. Thanks for showing us how to do that man!

Could you point out the box removal steps GA Architect did? I looked through his thread but couldn’t find the procedure.

 

[77CruiserDog]

Could you point out the box removal steps GA Architect did? I looked through his thread but couldn’t find the procedure.

Post #21 on his build shows pictures. Builds - The Architect's '77 FJ40

It's pretty easy with the exception of getting the two back screws out which holds the plastic top to the metal lower.

Step 1 remove the large plastic rectangular tube which connects the blower motor to the heater core box.
Step 2 remove 4 bolts holding box to firewall
Step 3 remove the 4 screws holding the top of the box to the bottom, the back two are a pain in the ass.
Step 4 carefully remove the top of the heater box then carefully lift up on the heater core while sneaking the lower part of the box out.
Step 5 support heater core with something so it's not dangling in space. I used a roll of paper towels turned sideways.

 

[77CruiserDog]

Today I hopped in Scout and drove up to Index, WA for a little shakedown to see if that loud clunking noise is gone. About 90 miles. I'm super happy to say, it is! I believe the hood pins/bushings fixed the noise.

Also, the doors are not rattling around as much and they close with a solid CLUNK once again. The side mirrors even shake less at freeway speeds, so they're actually usable now! If you have a rig with noises or worn out bushings or you don't know how your bushings are, I recommend replacing the pins and bushings. It makes a big difference!

Some things I noticed on my drive:

1) Exhaust wafts in to the intake for the blower motor. I ordered a turn down for the exhaust that I'm going to try. If that doesn't work I'll bring it back to the muffler shop and see if they can help.

2) Water is leaking at the bottom of the windshield in between the glass and rubber windshield seal of all places. I've never seen that happen before. It's not leaking between the windshield frame and the rubber seal, it's the glass and rubber seal. I wonder if the glass is cut too small? I'll post pics if I can't figure it out. I'll probably swing it by a glass shop just to see if they know of a fix.

Other than that, I topped off the tank with some ethanol free fuel and drove home. Very uneventful and FAR quieter than before.

 

[77CruiserDog]

Found this and I'm going to give it a rip!

HOW TO: Fix your leaky windshield

UPDATE: This fix is still working, it's bone dry 3+ years later. I had water leaking into the cab from the windshield. It was a replacement windshield that was in the truck when I bought it. It didn't have the sealant/adhexsive as specified in the FSM. I noticed the carpet in the driver...

forum.ih8mud.com

I ordered some Poly roof and flashing sealant from Amazon a moment ago. Fingers are crossed!

 

[Slapshot]

Great build thread. I was up til 1am reading it!

I’m currently looking for a truck. Last summer we were up in Bend, at Crux, when I saw a sweet FJ40 in the parking lot. It was red, so not yours! But it got me thinking I needed one.

 

[77CruiserDog]

Great build thread. I was up til 1am reading it!

I’m currently looking for a truck. Last summer we were up in Bend, at Crux, when I saw a sweet FJ40 in the parking lot. It was red, so not yours! But it got me thinking I needed one.

Thanks man! I'm honored you'd spend your time reading this. I have had a ton of vehicles and I've never felt the way I do about my 40. I think much of it has to do with the community here on MUD and elsewhere. People I've met who own Cruisers are awesome.

Crux is amazing! The beer is great, the atmosphere is awesome and tacos from El Sancho... what more could you ask for!?

 

[Mean One]

Post #21 on his build shows pictures. Builds - The Architect's '77 FJ40

It's pretty easy with the exception of getting the two back screws out which holds the plastic top to the metal lower.

Step 1 remove the large plastic rectangular tube which connects the blower motor to the heater core box.
Step 2 remove 4 bolts holding box to firewall
Step 3 remove the 4 screws holding the top of the box to the bottom, the back two are a pain in the ass.
Step 4 carefully remove the top of the heater box then carefully lift up on the heater core while sneaking the lower part of the box out.
Step 5 support heater core with something so it's not dangling in space. I used a roll of paper towels turned sideways.

Great, thanks. Don’t need heat a whole lot here in Tucson but when I do, hardly getting any.

 

[77CruiserDog]

Now I have a race motor!!

Okay, not quite, but it's noticeably stronger and runs smoother. Here's what I found...

After yesterday's nearly 90 mile jaunt I figured it's been maybe a thousand miles since I looked at the plugs. I was curious to see if there was any oil fouling, pre-ignition signs or whatever. So I figured while I was in there I'd also check the gap because I couldn't remember what I gaped them at when I had the head rebuilt and installed the new Denso W14EXR-U plugs.

As it turns out each plug I pulled was nice and clean, light tan and gaped at .030. I did a bit of research here on MUD and found that most feel .039 is correct, but that it's a tractor engine and it shouldn't make much of a difference. Well, I don't know that I could get as precise as .039 but what I did was gap them so the center of the electrode landed on the .040 mark of one of those round plug gaping tools.

I took it for a spin and I could IMMEDIATELY tell a difference!!

First off it started cold much faster. I figured that was maybe because I drove it yesterday. When I pulled away from my house up a slight incline, I noticed zero stumbling for the first time since I've owned this rig, the choke was still about 1/4 of the way out.

I pulled out on to the main street and accelerated. I could tell that it was running way smoother, had a noticeable power increase and pulled way further up in the RPMs than it ever did before.

The next road I turned on has a steep hill and yesterday (plus every time before that) it was all I could do to maintain speed in 3rd gear. This time I found I was accelerating up the hill all the way to the top in 3rd.

Lastly I took it out on the freeway and easily hit 70mph going up a pretty good incline (where there is even a slow truck lane). When it flattened out I pulled up to about 80mph and then I was reminded that Scout is as aerodynamic as a barn. Foot off the gas but with a huge smile on my face.

To say I'm happy/surprised/shocked is an understatement. I'm ecstatic that I finally have the power I felt Scout should have had all along. The only ignition system tweak I have is a Pertronix module instead of points. Other than that, the coil is stock and the distributor is a new OEM from CityRacer.com.

I know getting more power out of a 2f is like trying not to shart 2 hours after a big Taco Bell lunch... but I seem to have found enough to make me happy!

 

[77CruiserDog]

It's always motivating to get a win under your belt right?

On my drive today it was grey, dark and rainy. I was paying special attention to the temp gauge as I was flooring it up the freeway for my break neck speed run of somewhere in the realm of 80MPH. Shocking I know. Anyone who's driven a 40 at that speed knows what I'm talking about.

I noticed my gauges were super dim and I seemed to remember a post somewhere here on MUD where the poster said he removed the light blocking baffles in the gauge cluster. So I decided that would be my next project. 20 minutes later and a huge double thumbs up!

Steps I took:

1) disconnect battery then remove two screws holding gauge cluster in
2) provide slack in speedo cable by pushing it a few inches from engine compartment in to cabin
3) unhook speedo cable and wire harness plus the two wires to the amp meter
4) bring gauge cluster to desk and remove all small screws on back of perimeter of gauge cluster
5) carefully remove gauges from housing, this was a pain in the ass because it was super tight, take your time
6) locate both round metal gauge light bulb covers seen below and remove corresponding bulbs below them, then use flat head screw driver to carefully remove the metal covers from their 2 spot welds
7) locate both flat metal covers above the amp meter gauge and oil pressure gauge, then use flat head screw driver to carefully remove them from their two spot welds.

8) reassemble and admire handy work

This is at minimum a 500% increase in light, it makes a huge difference! I know I'm the last person with a Land Cruiser to have done this but I figured I'd record the process and results for posterity.

Cheers!

 

[Masonblackmon]

Thats awesome! My dash lights don’t currently work and haven’t tackled that problem yet, but when I take out my dash to fix it I’m gonna do this!

 

[Rooster47]

Same here. It's completely dark at night. This is on my list when I get around to it. Thanks for the info