The FJ40 with No Name

[lilrdwgn]

Lift Gate Handle

Next came the lift gate handle, having already taken off the access panel on the inside I don't think this will be too hard, and over all wasn't.

Ran in to two issues doing this. First, as I almost always do, I dropped the washers, nuts, and bolts when I removed the remnants of the old arms. They feel down inside the lift gate. Was able to get everything fairly easily except for the nylon washer. No big deal, that can't be too important, right? Second, had a difficult time sliding the new handle through the slots for the arms. ended up taking a utility knife and shaving off a little of the old dried out rubber in the holes. Still tight, but as I'm thinking about getting some lubricant it slides in. Yeah!

Get it all back together (except for that nylon washer) and shut the gate for a test. It's stiff as can be. Play with it open as I watch from the access panel and it's rubbing where the nylon washer is supposed to go between the metal arm and the metal bracket it attaches to. Damn, now I need to dig that washer out and do it all over again. Spend a few minutes that I should have spent in the first place and dig the washer out from inside the lift gate. Put it all back together and it works.

All in all not too bad. Just have to stop dropping stuff all the time and take my time and do it right.

On a related not, the later model tire carry latch does not stay shut well without some aid (have a ziptie around it now) and is difficult to clear the bumper when I do open it. To fix the opening issue all I did was loosen the bolts on the bracket where the latch catches and slid it up, retightened the bolts, and now the tire carrier opens easier. Still have the ziptie on the latch (extras and cutters in the glove box) but am not too concerned by this minor inconvenience for the time being (in the long run plan on getter a bumper with the tire carrier mounted on it).

Below are the before and after pictures.

Enjoy

 

[DSRTRDR]

we rebuilt my driver side regulator - that's one of the polished turds on my truck

 

[lilrdwgn]

The Draft

The next one has been bugging me since it got cold outside. A massive draft has been coming through the dash no matter if the fresh is open or closed. Believe that it is coming through the top vent in front of the windshield. Stick my head under the dash and can see all the way through it. According to $OR there is supposed to be a vent damper there (discontinued of course). How does this work?

Anyways, with the wife wanting to go look at Christmas lights and with all the glass to look out of the 40 in this needed to be fixed for the time been. I dig up some old duct work, cut out a proper sized piece of metal, and bolt in in the vent hole. Wow, problem solved. A very minor draft left (probably coming through all the holes in the firewall that need to be addressed) but the heat can very easily overcome all those (this is a Toyota after all).

Below is a picture through the top vent of what I did.

Enjoy

 

[lilrdwgn]

Blown Fuse

The last issue for the day happened while the wife and I were out looking at/for Christmas lights. For starters, we live in the country, near the mountains, so this is probably going to take some driving.

We had been out for about 20 minutes and were on a typical two lane road (paved) twisting through the hills around here, speed limit 55 (not realistic to me in all the turns but means I can go as fast as a please). That is until I get behind some shmuck driving even slower than me (25-30 MPH), tourist I grumble (we leave near the biggest lake in Virginia). Follow this fellow for about 4 miles (with a train of other impatient vehicles following me) and as we come up a good grade the lights go out (headlights and dash is all I notice right off). Luckily we were next to an elementary school and pull into the lot.

A little investigation shows that the brake lights still work but all else is out. Take my handy keychain flashlight and look at the fuse box. No cover, no labels. Rewire by PO. Find a fuse (30A) that looks burned out, after a little investigation find another 30A fuse and swap them. Let there be light (unless of course they are brake lights, since that is the one I took out). Of course I hadn't put any spares in the glove box yet (they are there now) so off we go home without seeing many Christmas lights.

Haven't had the 40 out at night since then (actually haven't had it out all that much lately) so haven't seen if this was a fluke or not (on my previous 40, which I had for 3-4 years the headlight fuse blew on a cold night once and never again), but I now have all the fuses that I should need in the glove box.

 

[lilrdwgn]

Many have changed the side to side to help with knee clearance.

The windows should be the same ,

bikersmurf,

Would love the added knee clearance (since my bum knee is against the handle) but the window would not roll up all the way (stopped with an inch or so left). How can I get it to work if I swap them back?

 

[lilrdwgn]

we rebuilt my driver side regulator - that's one of the polished turds on my truck

DSRTRDR,

How do you rebuild the regulator? Looking at my old ones what would I need?

Anyone out there interested in my old, worn out regulators?

 

[lilrdwgn]

Fuel leaks and slave cylinder

Haven't had much time to post over the last couple of weeks but have been whittling away at little issues as they come up. First problem was the slave cylinder going, went to look at the slave cylinder and had gas dripping down from the line nearby. The rubber line had a hole from a split steel line it was connected too. Of course I had just filled the tank up and not enough empty gas cans so filled up a couple of other vehicles at the shop. Easy enough fix though.

Finally got a slave cylinder in and replaced that last weekend (had to double clutch all the way home to get it in and out of gear before that). Of course one of the bolts was round off, luckily the local Farm and Home store has JIS bolts, Sweet. Took my nearly empty 40 around the block and filled it up with gas, first tank since the fuel leak.

Well, the next day I swung by the house to pick up some tools and the garage smells, like gas. Slide under the Cruiser and find the culprit, one of the steel lines is seeping near the slave cylinder again. Have decided to replace the steel lines (and rubber lines that have been put in along the frame) in the near future, until then she has to sit outside.. Was holding off to see about getting two parts vehicles (my offer wasn't taken) for some odds and ends before I tackled that.

So, now it looks like I'm down to leaking front axle seals and rear main seal which I'm going to have a local shop fix, and the fuel lines as my main issues. Hope to have all of this addressed before summer.

In the mean time I picked up some sweet lift gate struts from a fellow Mudder that I'm looking forward to installing soon. Of course, with the top being from an ambulance door vintage cruiser I'm going to have to put some holes in it, oh well.

That's all I got for now, more to come as I get to it.

 

[coleman2347]

I'll probably get some grief over this but back in the day...60/70's in an emergency, we would take the foil from a cigarette pack or the foil from some chewing gum and wrap it around the fuse to get us where we were going......usually to the nearest gas station to get another fuse. Just don't leave it in...Lee

 

[lilrdwgn]

I'll probably get some grief over this but back in the day...60/70's in an emergency, we would take the foil from a cigarette pack or the foil from some chewing gum and wrap it around the fuse to get us where we were going......usually to the nearest gas station to get another fuse. Just don't leave it in...Lee

I remember sticking some foil in a set belt receiver not too long ago to get the buzzer from going off...for some reason it wouldn't make the connection without it.