Builds The Iron Yak (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Catching Neutral

GOLD Star
Joined
Jul 19, 2011
Threads
49
Messages
1,619
Location
FL
After consulting with my 12 year old son and considering friends and family members I have decided to put this under a build thread.
I purchased a 1979 FJ 40 in 2010 and sold it in 2016. Always regretted it. My wife surprised me Christmas 2019 with a 78. Yes she ( my wife) is AWESOME. My brother (who is awesome also) was involved the whole time. He drove down from Birmingham and surprised me by driving it to our house. I quickly named it the Iron Yak, a name which comes from the book No Boundaries by Eric Weyhenmeyer which I read a few years ago. This book is about his solo kayak excursion on the Colorado river. Did I mention he is blind? He happens to be the first blind person to summit Mt Everest. The kids in Nepal referred to a Land Cruiser as the Iron Yak and I tucked it away in the back of my mind as a name that would belong to my next 40.
I will summarize what we have done to the Iron Yak and then mention our a short term, mid term and long term goals. Then continue to post progress. Suffice it to say most of what we have done falls under the short term goal column.
We have flushed and added new hydraulic fluid to the break and clutch master cylinders. We adjusted the valves, adjusted the carburetor and checked the timing. Added a new PCV valve. Got compression numbers. ( all good) Repaired the top of the center console. Replaced a drivers side defrost hose. Put in new weather stripping for all four doors. Grease the zerks. Tightened the steering box. Added new air and fuel filters. Changed the oil and oil filter. We changed gear oil in the front and rear axles. Replaced a broken side window latch. Polished and waxed the entire car and painted the bezel.

08B33333-52F1-4CDB-B2B4-F271B0D9DD94.jpeg


8CA83D48-9B04-4FE7-92A3-BB6A94E3DE34.jpeg


7C710A93-B74D-48FB-B588-708226CCFAA4.jpeg


19A65026-6455-4EB9-AAD1-0361BB1FDEC0.jpeg


0E0EB20C-D799-4751-8A32-74450B183A83.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Anyone know how to move this to Build threads?
 
Looking forward to seeing more pics!
 
Anyone know how to move this to Build threads?
IIRC, the actual BUILD section is closed to new posts. Ask the MOD for this forum that is listed in the top right to add the BUILD title to your posting.
 
Thank you Drake 2
 
Short term goals are to continue going through the 40 to ensure that it is mechanically sound. We are awaiting the arrival of a stainless spare tire carrier pin upgrade from SMG fabrications. I can not wait to quiet that rattling spare tire carrier down. We are also waiting for TREs from Kurt at Cruiser Outfitters. This will hopefully get rid of some of the clunking that I hear in the front end. We have tested the 4wd. It works. Heater works. We need to change gear oil in the transmission and transfer case. ( next weekend) I think at that point we will have our mechanical baseline. If anyone has something to add here please chime in.
Mid term goals include adding OEM bumperettes, a HFS front bumper, grey powder coated steelies with BFG KM3 15x10.5x33 tires, high lift mount and jack, LED headlights and a few items like new visors, emblems, dome light etc.
I would also like to add power steering.
Long term goals include Vintage Air and a full repaint. Now my son will be 16 in about 4 years at which time he will be begin driving my Tacoma. At this point I would like to have my 40 suitable to be a daily driver. My commute is a measly 12 miles per day.
 
My brother is a paint and body guy so this summer my son and I will go to his shop which is 4 hours away and paint the hood, bib and fender to match as closely as we can. New hood hooks and window latched will happen at that time.

E5FC807F-5B4C-4524-9BB9-ED04B5D94DD4.jpeg


5E4EE0DF-C424-41F7-BD19-2C4B945945D2.jpeg
 
Hang on I will. Should have never sold the first one. Owned it 5 years. No more regrets though as this one already has a much better story. I will soon have my friend/attorney put it in the will and trust for my son.
 
I really like the direction you are going with it! Great beginning👍
 
No luck getting the upper pin out so we switched gears and changed the transmission fluid and transfer case fluid.
All fluids have been replaced now.
Any ideas how to get this pin out?

C5CD6CE2-A7CA-4916-9D19-B4A9E409A30C.jpeg


1083BB8B-5076-4003-8A3C-68C450BD8E41.jpeg
 
After a few hiccups resolved by Awesome customer service I Installed SMGs spare tire carrier pin/bushing set.
Needless to say it is so satisfying to have the tire carrier snug with no rattle.

83921E0B-1065-4A47-ABE0-C6DCB56E15F5.jpeg


E238AC58-E6CB-4325-924D-B3C169B1ACB4.jpeg


09325A1F-9E3D-49F0-9D73-4BB9AD707391.jpeg
 
Looking at the above photo and it dawned on me that the tie rod end on the passenger side of the relay rod had significantly more threads showing than the tie rod end on the drivers side of the relay rod. So I removed it and 7 turns out on drivers side, 7 turns in on the passengers side balanced them out nicely. I think the relay rod will be stronger this way.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom