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That is a beautiful sight and sound.
VMJ73 Resto-Not
- Thread starter Delancy
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- Thread starter
- #142
The lack of sound, in cab, is very impressive, as is the borderline "sporty" feel to the HZ.....well, save the lack of any suspension and 4.56s with the leetle tires.
For the time being, going to focus on a few key items and perish thoughts of anything future, a departure from the typical MO.
Need to get the alternator hooked up and new battery, then determine if the aged battery, albeit new 10/14, may be the cause of the low voltage condition that renders the fuel cutoff inoperable.
If that doesn't work, then a 12V cutoff will be in my future.
Also, need to get some kind of temperature and oil pressure gauges functioning, even if only temporary and before OCD kicks in and it's a complete harness/cluster swap to 12V HZJ73.
Still a lot to do before moving forward, in just getting it reliably operable. There was a very limited window of time to get the drivetrain swapped and it didn't leave any surplus for the tedious stuff, which I like consternating over, anyway.
On the drivetrain:
Have AA gears, TT rebuild kit supplied by Can Am, via Joe's retail arrangement with, machined case half from Georg, and the VAC to manual parts to convert, from beno.
Everything was looking good, then, as we all know CAN happen when working with 25 year old parts, disaster....
First, thought we'd swap the HZ input shaft into the known functioning F/H H55 (yes, the VM has a F/H BH and input shaft, no B about it.) but proved to be a greater challenge than time allowed. Joe temp welded the gear, and plans to source a good unit to replace on the next trip to Europe, swap it all out in September.
......which gives me TOO MUCH time to tweak things to my liking, one that's not completely defined, as of yet.
- Thread starter
- #144
Less talk, more action.....for once.
My output shaft is perfectly fine, but does suck about the H55s....
Nature of used parts, as we're all aware. I'd say "surprisingly" but I'm not really, considering Toyota's redundancy inherent to cruisers, but it doesn't feel like there's anything wrong with it, beyond a slight howl that sounds about half as loud as my H41.
Plenty to do, now, and resolution isn't that far off.
Hoping to have a little time to melt the stickers off, if I don't melt in the 96-97 degree temps after 12" of rain in a two week period, first.
- Thread starter
- #145
Following info from Chris Spaulding's thread, wired up the FZ alternator, today, and working like a charm.
Took a slightly different approach than he, as I utilized the OE power distribution box, for the sake of simplicity.
Pretty handy, if you ask me. Don't know Toyota's intention, but thankful for.
Wiring extension is a cobble-a-thon in my opinion, which is the only one that matters, but far too easy for temp purposes until the rest of the harness is figured out.
Took a slightly different approach than he, as I utilized the OE power distribution box, for the sake of simplicity.
Pretty handy, if you ask me. Don't know Toyota's intention, but thankful for.
Wiring extension is a cobble-a-thon in my opinion, which is the only one that matters, but far too easy for temp purposes until the rest of the harness is figured out.
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What do you have an H41 in? I love those transmissions.
- Thread starter
- #147
That thing is beautiful.....
Where's the fairlead and the winch cable?
Damn pretty for sure.
Damn pretty for sure.
What is that color?
Smurf blue in interesting lighting.
- Thread starter
- #152
Thanks.
Sky Blue 854
She's a driver, far from perfect, but a work in progress and one I can enjoy, now, not two years from now, like the pigs or this 73.
Needs lots of little things, like getting the winch working, and purchased with that knowledge, but looks good and only getting better.
Have a lengthy to do list, but damn hard to get motivated in this heat.
Sky Blue 854
She's a driver, far from perfect, but a work in progress and one I can enjoy, now, not two years from now, like the pigs or this 73.
Needs lots of little things, like getting the winch working, and purchased with that knowledge, but looks good and only getting better.
Have a lengthy to do list, but damn hard to get motivated in this heat.
- Thread starter
- #153
iPhone's aren't the best for pics, but, where they may make everything else look a thousand times better than it is, I still come out looking like a troll.
- Thread starter
- #154
Red Wagon drab....
To ghetto fab....
Kinda tired of this whole 4x4/off road thing, so gonna rock the 32s on 18s, keep the axle on the bumps, and roll down the street, smokin' Indo, sippin on gin an' juice.
Truth be told, they're take offs from the poverty pack 80, but rubbers good, all I've got, and only because these wouldn't fit.
Amazingly, the rears do, with 2-2 1/2" of clearance from the axle housing to the bump, but the front riding on the bump can't be greased enough to get 'em in.
32s+HZ+4.56s is quite a bit more pleasant than 27s, but still renders 1st almost useless, yet 2nd isn't quite enough to carry the load, solo.
Know what 5.29s and 37s felt like behind the FZ, so wanted to butt dyno with the HZ and 4.56s to get a for depth (for lack of better term).
HZ still had all kinds of ass left, in fifth on a crosstown journey.
Don't see any other way to proceed, but get leafs swapped, mount the 37s and get out the sawzall....
To ghetto fab....
Kinda tired of this whole 4x4/off road thing, so gonna rock the 32s on 18s, keep the axle on the bumps, and roll down the street, smokin' Indo, sippin on gin an' juice.
Truth be told, they're take offs from the poverty pack 80, but rubbers good, all I've got, and only because these wouldn't fit.
Amazingly, the rears do, with 2-2 1/2" of clearance from the axle housing to the bump, but the front riding on the bump can't be greased enough to get 'em in.
32s+HZ+4.56s is quite a bit more pleasant than 27s, but still renders 1st almost useless, yet 2nd isn't quite enough to carry the load, solo.
Know what 5.29s and 37s felt like behind the FZ, so wanted to butt dyno with the HZ and 4.56s to get a for depth (for lack of better term).
HZ still had all kinds of ass left, in fifth on a crosstown journey.
Don't see any other way to proceed, but get leafs swapped, mount the 37s and get out the sawzall....
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with 4:56's 1st will be useless on the street until about 34" tires, after that its a necessity, as 2nd will be just a bit too tall. However that's my experience with the gas motor and the diesel might be happier at the low RPM, "almost stalling" range.
The 37's look sweet at stock height! Is your goal to have them work efficiently at stock height with lots of cutting or are you going to lift it up a bunch?
Also is 37 the biggest planned size or are you just using those for mockup?
The 37's look sweet at stock height! Is your goal to have them work efficiently at stock height with lots of cutting or are you going to lift it up a bunch?
Also is 37 the biggest planned size or are you just using those for mockup?
- Thread starter
- #157
Knowing nothing of the sweet spot for the HZ, but based on FZ, I kinda figured this would be similar and 4.56s would return to nearly stick ratio with a true 35.
Too bad that I can't use the gears on the 80, eh?
That said, 4.88s with 345/75/16s didn't feel right with the A343F, 5.29s with true 37s didn't either, as they're good for 39s, according to the calculator.
Really don't know how much the MT effects the gear feel, but know that the HZ/H55 has a whole lot more to give in 5th (as it is currently) than the LX's FZ/A343F/5.29s/37s.
At 85mph in the LX, I'd be running 3400-3500 RPMs, unnecessarily....not that I hung out at 85mph in it, because much above 70 was kinda scary if another vehicle or deer crossing sign were in sight.
This thing is sitting well below stock height, the front axle literally sitting on the bump stops and the rear 2" from.
At stock height, they very well may fit, circumference wise, but the width and wheel BS would create issue up front....until the 80 width axles go in.
Plan to run these 37s.
Can't get enough wheel base for any bigger to be advantageous, nor would anyone pay close to what I have invested in these nearly new wheels and tires.
Too bad that I can't use the gears on the 80, eh?
That said, 4.88s with 345/75/16s didn't feel right with the A343F, 5.29s with true 37s didn't either, as they're good for 39s, according to the calculator.
Really don't know how much the MT effects the gear feel, but know that the HZ/H55 has a whole lot more to give in 5th (as it is currently) than the LX's FZ/A343F/5.29s/37s.
At 85mph in the LX, I'd be running 3400-3500 RPMs, unnecessarily....not that I hung out at 85mph in it, because much above 70 was kinda scary if another vehicle or deer crossing sign were in sight.
This thing is sitting well below stock height, the front axle literally sitting on the bump stops and the rear 2" from.
At stock height, they very well may fit, circumference wise, but the width and wheel BS would create issue up front....until the 80 width axles go in.
Plan to run these 37s.
Can't get enough wheel base for any bigger to be advantageous, nor would anyone pay close to what I have invested in these nearly new wheels and tires.
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It's my understanding that an automatic can usually make up for any irregularities in diff/tire ratio, be it the torque converter can help a higher ratio feel lower, or the deep overdrives in most autos can help with a diff ration that is too low. Make sense?
I definitely feel that the manual transmission makes the diff/tire ratio much more apparent. With the auto you have more leeway I guess?
Just from my experience driving a 1HZ/H55f (around my block, twice) and driving a 3FE/H55f (around someone else's block, twice) I feel qualified (I slept at a Holiday Inn three weeks ago) to assume that for 37's 4.88's will be too tall and 5.29's will be too low, mathematically. In a practical (and actual) sense that's only .39 of a tire rotation, essentially the same difference as going from 4.11's to 4.56's so take it for what it's worth.
I bet if someone set up your diffs with either 4.88's or 5.29's without telling which you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
I definitely feel that the manual transmission makes the diff/tire ratio much more apparent. With the auto you have more leeway I guess?
Just from my experience driving a 1HZ/H55f (around my block, twice) and driving a 3FE/H55f (around someone else's block, twice) I feel qualified (I slept at a Holiday Inn three weeks ago) to assume that for 37's 4.88's will be too tall and 5.29's will be too low, mathematically. In a practical (and actual) sense that's only .39 of a tire rotation, essentially the same difference as going from 4.11's to 4.56's so take it for what it's worth.
I bet if someone set up your diffs with either 4.88's or 5.29's without telling which you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #159
I dunno....I've a pretty discriminating butt dynometer.
On the bench!
Coupla kits from the Can-Am crew (via retail partner's, of course) and input shaft from LCP&C, who feminized by fondling and manhandling it in a pink room...
and it's on like Donkey Kong.
Opted to run the H55/Split that came behind the VM (F/H input shaft, oddly) since there can't be too much carnage, considering the whopping 52HP the VM put out.
Hope to have it swapped later this month, then digging out the Ruff Stuff housings, getting cut down, and ready to prep to run.
Joe's on the trail of used leafs in Europe and if he bags them, I'm half assed tempted to throw the built 80 width axles under at the same time, just to get a feel for the stance.
Have spent too much time "pre-building" this in my head, and it continually morphs into a more dedicated wheeler that is street-able, which is what was planned from the beginning, SO
Time to get the sawzall out and get the fuel cell ordered!!
On the bench!
Coupla kits from the Can-Am crew (via retail partner's, of course) and input shaft from LCP&C, who feminized by fondling and manhandling it in a pink room...
and it's on like Donkey Kong.
Opted to run the H55/Split that came behind the VM (F/H input shaft, oddly) since there can't be too much carnage, considering the whopping 52HP the VM put out.
Hope to have it swapped later this month, then digging out the Ruff Stuff housings, getting cut down, and ready to prep to run.
Joe's on the trail of used leafs in Europe and if he bags them, I'm half assed tempted to throw the built 80 width axles under at the same time, just to get a feel for the stance.
Have spent too much time "pre-building" this in my head, and it continually morphs into a more dedicated wheeler that is street-able, which is what was planned from the beginning, SO
Time to get the sawzall out and get the fuel cell ordered!!