Build TDI-J70 - LJ70 TDI Swap (Erika)

[DirtSniffer]

On a vehicle with a 13" wheelbase, I don't feel disc brakes bring much to the table.

What was the drum setup before? It didn't have the parking brake in the drum?

Or are you trying to setup cutting brakes as well?

Braking performance really had nothing to do with wanting disks, I just absolutely despise working on these drum brakes. And if I had gotten new backing plates, cost would have been about the same or more. Parking brake was in the drum. And, this new parking brake will actually work. And very well. No more seized up bell cranks or rear adjustment issues, stretched cables. And yes, cutting brakes. These calipers are almost new off a wrecked traverse, they were $50 each.

 

[sogncab]

Meh. To each their own. I like the reliability of drums. With that said, I'd never want them on the front of a vehicle either. My parking brake works fine on mine, should be the same setup that the 70 came with.

The trick is always to only take apart one side at a time to reference the assembled side when the inevitable "Wait.... where TF does this go?" arises.


None of which matters, cutting brakes would be sweet to have. I thought about air cylinders to actuate one side at a time. I don't have enough drive to actually do anything about it, just a thought I had.



Side note, one of my employees that I've spent the last 8 years brainwashing recently acquired a 1992 FJ80.
Brakes felt like crap.
Bled them out. No improvement.
Noticed the proportioning valve was leaking. Replaced that.
Bled it out. No improvement.
Vacuum bled the master, no improvement.
Bled it out again, ran the master dry.....
Filled it up, bled it out, no improvement.
Vacuum bled the master, again. No improvement.

Wait..... We're missing something here.... Something simple.... Something real retarded....
Popped the drums off. WAY TF out of adjustment. Adjusted the drums. Bingo, that rusty piece of minnesota shiz had firm brakes again.

 

[DirtSniffer]

New shiny pretty things were delivered from Valley Hybrids today. In the end, it's probably a good thing I was forced to buy new gears, and that Cruiser Outfitters was out of stock of the 3.1:1 set I initially impulse ordered, because I then found the overdrive option. And that's what I went with. With the overdrive input and high speed, along with the 46 tooth low speed, I will now have 2.997:1 low range, which is barely a decrease from the 3.09:1 without the overdrive, and in return I get a 0.9091:1 overdrive in high range. This will drop my highway cruising RPMs down to about 2650-2700 at 70 (depending on if I go with 32s or 33s), and a crawl ratio of 63:1. So I think I'll be happy keeping the stock 4.88s now. Still waiting on parts from Amayama, but I can put the output shaft together and start clearancing the rear case half. Need to pick up an new argon tank and get some aluminum practice first and build up some spots first before I start grinding.

Thanks for the call and hooking me up George! @orangefj45

Also just now took a look at the brakes again. Turns out the bolt head is a few sizes smaller than the nut for the radius arm bolt, 19mm vs 22mm. Flipped the bolt around and now just barely touches. May sand it down a little or just crank the bolts down and let 'er wobble. Either way, feeling good about the brake situation now. Just need to decide how I'm fixing the bump stops...

Oh, and pro tip: I used loctite on the bolt threads, not anti seize @fjdiesel

Engine adapter arrives tomorrow, too... Will have plenty to play with this weekend.

 

[sogncab]

and a crawl ratio of 63:1

Tiny Toyota final drive, 1st gear, lower range, low range, 4.10's.

174:1

 

[DirtSniffer]

Tiny Toyota final drive, 1st gear, lower range, low range, 4.10's.

174:1

Stop making me feel inadequate

 

[sogncab]

Stop making me feel inadequate

I've got 3.70's in the axles. So don't feel too bad

 

[orangefj45]

Thanks for reaching out and for your order. We try to keep these gear sets and rebuild kits in stock at all times.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need any tech-support for them. I’ve literally built hundreds of these transfer cases which included the prototype gears from sumo in one of my personal vehicles.

Georg @ Valley Hybrids
Shop 209-475-8808
Sales@valleyhybrids.com

 

[sogncab]

and a crawl ratio of 63:1

I was curious, my final ratio is 54.19:1 That's with 30.5" BFG's that are on there now.

If I had the 4.11 gears, it'd be 59.71:1

As a side note, first gear, low range, 60mph, the engine is only turning 35,835rpm

 

[DirtSniffer]

I was curious, my final ratio is 54.19:1 That's with 30.5" BFG's that are on there now.

If I had the 4.11 gears, it'd be 59.71:1

As a side note, first gear, low range, 60mph, the engine is only turning 35,835rpm


View attachment 4153460

Your tcase is actually 3.09:1, big difference I know but every bit counts...

 

[DirtSniffer]

Another expensive sticker order has arrived. Let the fun begin...

 

[sogncab]

You done yet?

77 days

 

[DirtSniffer]

My garage is a disaster. Bolted the adapter and trans up and got the motor mount plates bolted on. Would have been nice to have the tcase on for test fitting to weld up the motor mounts, but I think it'll be fine. Just need to clean up the remnants of the original mounts then I can drop this in and tack up the new ones.

 

[DirtSniffer]

Mounts are tacked, now to rip it out again to burn them in and gusset.

 

[DirtSniffer]

I will need to cut out part of this splash guard for the steering, this idler is right up on it.

 

[AirheadNut]

Looking over those photos again I would strongly recommend installing the power steering pump on the engine and the inner fender and battery tray into the LC to check for interference. On mine with a 15º mounting angle I had plenty of clearance, but my friend's LJ73 got pretty close at 10º.

It's also worth considering if you can move the engine at all to make future service on the alternator easier, looks like it might be very difficult to remove with the steering shaft so close. That is one of the things I never really took into account on my first swap and it really came back to bite me; this time around I'm giving much more consideration to overall serviceability and using off the shelf parts wherever possible.

 

[DirtSniffer]

Looking over those photos again I would strongly recommend installing the power steering pump on the engine and the inner fender and battery tray into the LC to check for interference. On mine with a 15º mounting angle I had plenty of clearance, but my friend's LJ73 got pretty close at 10º.

It's also worth considering if you can move the engine at all to make future service on the alternator easier, looks like it might be very difficult to remove with the steering shaft so close. That is one of the things I never really took into account on my first swap and it really came back to bite me; this time around I'm giving much more consideration to overall serviceability and using off the shelf parts wherever possible.

I liked how things looked at 10* so I went with that. I am going to be completely removing that lower idler and AC bracket and do an idler like this:

I imagine not having the AC compressor there would make changing the alternator easier. If I need to modify the inner fender for the PS pump that's not a big deal, they are already Frankenstein'd.

 

[DirtSniffer]

Got the mounts all burned in and all I can say is wow, check your welding mask people. I was struggling to get warmed up to 0.030 wire again, and even after dialing in the machine was still not making consistent, decent looking welds. After the first few on the mounts, I decided it was time to put on a new mask shield. It's amazing what a difference it makes being able to actually see. I had no idea how bad it had gotten.

 

[DirtSniffer]

Trans adapter is fully installed. Unfortunately, in my effort to torque some of the bolts down, I was holding the crank in place with a socket on the pump pulley nut, which seemed fine to me as I was only torquing to about 60 ft lbs. But, the timing belt slipped a tooth or two at the crank.

So, now need to time the crank, cam and pump separately. No flywheel mark to go off of, but there is one on the harmonic balancer for TDC. For the pump, it seems like there is only one option for the locking pin for TDC, so should be fine there. And this looks to be TDC for the cam from what I have found, locked in with lockout plate.

Going to do some more research before I call it good and button this timing belt job up, but if any TDI gurus want to chime in that would be awesome. But I think this should be correct.

 

[AirheadNut]

It’s a terrible sinking feeling when the TB slips like that! Looking good on the cam and IP, I don’t remember about the harmonic balancer mark off the top of my head. I made a crankshaft counterhold tool out of a piece of 1-1/2” angle iron for that job, but it does work much better with two people.

 

[DirtSniffer]

It’s a terrible sinking feeling when the TB slips like that! Looking good on the cam and IP, I don’t remember about the harmonic balancer mark off the top of my head. I made a crankshaft counterhold tool out of a piece of 1-1/2” angle iron for that job, but it does work much better with two people.

Kit i got from cascade German came with a crank hold tool... And a bag skittles lol. I think I'm good for now.