Builds The White Trash - Chopped 80 tube bed AKA Proper Cupholders for Starbucks

[richardlillard1]

The front end was due for a rebuild before this. Any spinning of the broken pieces was at <5mph and I was being careful about turning too far in one direction so I have my fingers crossed that nothing serious is messed up.

I'm curious to see how it failed. There was no noise indicating something had broken and I was barely using the throttle. The rest of the time on the obstacle I was going straight. could have just been its time. Just got down off the rock, tried to turn to full lock and felt the front end bind up a little bit. Every now and then you could here a clunk out of the left front knuckle.



A stock shaft would be ideal since this thing is a budget beater. But I figure If I put money into building the front axle I can always swap it into another 80 when the White Trash has it's card pulled.

The thing about 37s or 40s is I really don't need or want them. $400 for a tire? No thanks. In my mind they will probably make my east coast wheeling experience less enjoyable. Where is the fun in rolling over every obstacle I encounter. I just did 90% of the hardest public trail within 5 hours in 2wd.... 35s I could probably justify because I like the 80 series gearing with 35s on the highway. But for offroad around here? Meh. If I lived out west it would be a different story.

And being liberal with the gas is fun. Just to be clear, I go very slow and will use my lockers to avoid excessive speed, but I don't mind bouncing it off the rev limiter while sawing the wheel back and forth to heat up the tires either.

My guess is the cage failed, the bell might even be fine. As for tires, maybe swap them out and see how you like it?

Funny thing, you're putting the rig away for the winter when a few of my friends are starting to get theirs out over here.

 

[BlueCruiser84]

My guess is the cage failed, the bell might even be fine. As for tires, maybe swap them out and see how you like it?

Funny thing, you're putting the rig away for the winter when a few of my friends are starting to get theirs out over here.

Well putting it away for winter/ we are having our first baby in January and my wife seems to think babies and house work come before toys and wheeling. Whaaaaaat??

 

[richardlillard1]

Well putting it away for winter/ we are having our first baby in January and my wife seems to think babies and house work come before toys and wheeling. Whaaaaaat??

You need to get your priorities in line, pal.

 

[bkfj40]

get a driveway like mine and you can wheel everyday....

I'm sure you can fit in a little snow wheeling trip out my way if it is in december, right?

Lexus LX450 Birfield CV joint Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80 FJ80 1993-1997 Pair SET | eBay

 

[BlueCruiser84]

get a driveway like mine and you can wheel everyday....

I'm sure you can fit in a little snow wheeling trip out my way if it is in december, right?

Lexus LX450 Birfield CV joint Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80 FJ80 1993-1997 Pair SET | eBay

Absolutely. There's no way I can't drive the white trash the first time it snows.

I was looking at nitro gears replacement Birfs or their upgraded chromoly birfs. Unless I find some good condition used ones for a song.

What am I looking at in the link ^^ ? Are those Toyota birfields? I've never priced out OEM.

 

[Nay]

Like I said above. There might be 10 obstacles within 5 hours where 285s won't cut it and a little throttle is required. For the other 95% of the wheeling I do I'll happily save my tire money for maintenance and gas. I don't like fiddling around with my cruisers. I fix them, do maintenance, leave the mechanicals as stock as possible and drive them.

I know 35s are a great (maybe perfect?) size tire for an 80 because I have a set on another cruiser but these 285s have about 90% tread on them. They're going to last a while...

37's are perfect. 35's are for selling with 90% tread at 50% price

I wouldn't upgrade the front end outers - lot easier to drive out the way you did than after the R&P becomes the weak link.

 

[scottryana]

This guy has a good eBay rating, but it looks like he is saying those are Toyota new birfields. If so his price for a pair is about 1/2 what a new OEM joint was last time I priced them......

Absolutely. There's no way I can't drive the white trash the first time it snows.

I was looking at nitro gears replacement Birfs or their upgraded chromoly birfs. Unless I find some good condition used ones for a song.

What am I looking at in the link ^^ ? Are those Toyota birfields? I've never priced out OEM.

 

[BlueCruiser84]

This guy has a good eBay rating, but it looks like he is saying those are Toyota new birfields. If so his price for a pair is about 1/2 what a new OEM joint was last time I priced them......

'Swhat I was thinking. Although the free yeti mug is tempting.

I'll probably go full OEM style replacement set from Nitro. Throw on some 35s and see how strong a healthy 80 birfield really is...

 

[BlueCruiser84]

Finally got to tear the front end apart. It was the internal cage of the birfield that broke. Star and bell were in good shape. Inner axle shaft splines were fine too. I'll post up some pictures later.

I noticed that inside the axle housing there is a ring that has come free - probably from driving around on a busted shaft for 4 hours. I think it's just a guide for when you are sliding the front shaft in and out? Is the ring necessary? Or can I mangle it and pull it out through the end of the axle housing? If it's necessary, how the f**k do I reseat it?

 

[2fpower]

Finally got to tear the front end apart. It was the internal cage of the birfield that broke. Star and bell were in good shape. Inner axle shaft splines were fine too. I'll post up some pictures later.

I noticed that inside the axle housing there is a ring that has come free - probably from driving around on a busted shaft for 4 hours. I think it's just a guide for when you are sliding the front shaft in and out? Is the ring necessary? Or can I mangle it and pull it out through the end of the axle housing? If it's necessary, how the f**k do I reseat it?

Not needed. get some needle nose and rip it out. Always told that was some sort of oil baffle.

 

[BlueCruiser84]

Going to town on the front end again. Pretty resale on this old girl is as low as it's going to get so removing a bit more sheet metal can't hurt .

I'm basically shooting for a similar chop to @Apounder and @PKP80 (I think it was his?) and then some kind of high and tight bumper up front.

I was debating what to do with the turn signals, but turns out the bulb portion fits inside the marker light housing. All I need to do is screw some trailer marker light to the fender and I'm legal!.... well, my lights are legal.

Teaser with the lower valence removed.

 

[2fpower]

ohhhhh..... this is awesome.

The crazy squirrell that runs circles in my brain has a plan for front bumper on Boost.... it is to cut the fenders basically 1" higher than headlights and rework the fender mounts, then take bumper up to that point. Taking some cue's from the new Taco front ends.

 

[BlueCruiser84]

ohhhhh..... this is awesome.

The crazy squirrell that runs circles in my brain has a plan for front bumper on Boost.... it is to cut the fenders basically 1" higher than headlights and rework the fender mounts, then take bumper up to that point. Taking some cue's from the new Taco front ends.

THere is a lot of space to move things up once the front valence is off. I think I'll pull that AC condensor out and move the ATF cooler in towards the radiator if possible. That should give me plenty of space to tuck the winch back and up.

I blame this picture of @PKP80 for this recent desire to further destroy the White Trash.

 

[PKP80]

@BlueCruiser84 I'd love to reply with "Thank you, send me the bill" but we all know that's a bad idea, lol. Anytime I can get the cutting wheel/sawzall train of thought working I'm glad to do so. To expand on the front end mod a little further; the frame rail has been cut back to the front of the second tow point mounting bolt (believe it was 7"?). Winch is mounted on top of the frame rails and recessed about 2 inches into the grill area, which had to be partially cut out. You mentioned @Apounder rig in your previous post and I think his center mount only setup killed it.

THere is a lot of space to move things up once the front valence is off. I think I'll pull that AC condensor out and move the ATF cooler in towards the radiator if possible. That should give me plenty of space to tuck the winch back and up.

I blame this picture of @PKP80 for this recent desire to further destroy the White Trash.

View attachment 1346225

 

[BlueCruiser84]

Chop chop.

 

[BlueCruiser84]

That's OME heavy front spring and 35s. The 35s fit fine before but I love chopped fenders.

 

[scottryana]

Get lots of practice so I can send you my LX. Haha.

That's OME heavy front spring and 35s. The 35s fit fine before but I love chopped fenders.

 

[bajaphile]

Wow, I never clicked on this thread because of the title.... Then after seeing it going 10 pages long, I wanted to see what on earth people could be debating over still with cupholders... Pleasantly surprised about what was really going on in here!

 

[BlueCruiser84]

That's OME heavy front spring and 35s. The 35s fit fine before but I love chopped fenders.

You don't want your beautiful LX anywhere near my fab skillz. If it can't be accomplished with a cutoff wheel, hammer, welder I'm not interested.

 

[BlueCruiser84]

Wow, I never clicked on this thread because of the title.... Then after seeing it going 10 pages long, I wanted to see what on earth people could be debating over still with cupholders... Pleasantly surprised about what was really going on in here!

Yea, the title is probably keeping most folks that would appreciate the thread from clicking on it. I guess there are a couple folks out there that appreciate Starbucks coffee AND sh**ty ghetto-fab rigs.