VTcruiser60's Spring Build--Much to do...

[Sporin]

looking good.

 

[vtcruiser60]

looking good.

Thanks Dave....slow but steady progress is what I seek.

I was able to cut out some rust on the passenger side this evening and tack in a new patch. I am using 16 gauge and making loads of use of a air powered reciprocating saw. I lost the lock nut/washer to my angle grinder and can't use my regular cut off wheels. I am sure it is under the pile of debris on the floor.

Not quite complete in the pics below...but getting there.

 

[vtcruiser60]

Eye glasses double poorly as safety glasses...which I know....and now understand very well.

Grinding wheel debris lodged in my eyeball last night...wiped half of it off at home...had to visit the ER for the rest of the corneal scraping this morning. Got my tetnus shop updated though...which I have been meaning to do. And the xray shows no additional metal in the eye socket...which would likely "travel" during any future MRI (didn't know that).

I am trying my best to keep that co-pay receipt out of the cruiser expense folder but surely will hear about it from the officer of the house.

Notice only 2 fillings....

 

[rabid]

good god. Glad you are ok.




You would look fetching with an eye patch, though.

 

[nat88toy]

good lord that will put a damper on your project. i know how that is one minute your get'in er done the next toyr throwing the grinder to the floor and running to a mirror or for a bunch of gauze. hope your eye come out all right

 

[vtcruiser60]

good god. Glad you are ok. You would look fetching with an eye patch, though.

all is well...no more headaches and slept like a baby last night. The eye is fine....and I am going to let that "fetching" comment slide....

Since I am healing nicely...I was able to work on the floor patch panels again this afternoon. I also got the alum tub loaded onto the trailer (with some help from the father in law). The tub needs a bit of work before installation.

I have a crack on the passenger side sill that needs to be rewelded. Here is the original thread with pictures and such: https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/260111-aqualu-aluminum-tub-crack.html

So, I contacted an autobody shop in Hinesburg, VT that also does a lot of aluminum fabrication for various dock construction companies on Lake Champlain. I am hoping they can lay down a 12 inch bead for me and not charge me an arm and a leg. This afternoon I cleaned up the crack in the sill, ground down the original s*** as weld, and prepped it for the garage to take care of this week.

 

[rabid]

easier to borrow my pickup for a few days to move that around?

I can rock the camry....

 

[vtcruiser60]

easier to borrow my pickup for a few days to move that around?

I can rock the camry....

Thanks for the offer. I will likely drop off the trailer/tub combo at the shop and leave it for them to fit it into their schedule. I can't imagine that it is more than 15 min of work with most of that getting the trailer into the aluminum welding bay. Course...now I am thinking that I am going to get ripped off...and lose my 416 and alum trailer.

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

First off...glad you sound OK...that kind of sh*t reminds you to take precautions! So no worse for wear ???

On a different note, now that I see your trailer again, I can't help but kick myself for not picking it up when I was there

 

[JJS]

Structural fab shops always charge a ton for small jobs like that. Do you have any small fab shops around?

 

[vtcruiser60]

Structural fab shops always charge a ton for small jobs like that. Do you have any small fab shops around?

I am sure they rounded up and nearly claimed an hour of work, but in fact I did the prep on the weld bead, drilled out the crack ends, etc. Just seems steep for a 12 inch bead....anyway....karma comes around.

 

[vtcruiser60]

Phew...this one took a while.

The drivers side front leaf spring hanger developed a small frame crack. I knew it had to be addressed and some scab plates welded in. Some of the frame areas in this section were paper thin. I cut those away and left areas that were 14 gauge or better. I then took a piece of 5/16ths angle iron and started cutting it down as a interior plate for the frame. After that was welded in place, I attached a triangular plate on the outside of the frame using 1/4 inch. Several gussets were added to the original leaf spring hanger for reinforcement.

I was also fighting my welder all the time...really sloppy welds today. Might have been the beer.

No eye damage though......just burns.

 

[vtcruiser60]

Picture of the outside frame...new gusseting.

 

[vtcruiser60]

Tackled a couple of minor projects today. I got some holes drilled for tail light wiring.

I also went after the rear main seal. I removed the oil pan, got it all cleaned up and inspected. Apparently the spot welds can create rust holes in the oil pan over time. This was not the case with mine. I degreased it and painted it up. I also tried an intermediate step using a diluted phospheric acid wash to as a rust converter. This worked well and likely killed a 3 x 4 section of grass.

To remove the main seal I followed the tech advice posted on this thread: https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/139889-h55-splitcase-into-02-79-40-series-2.html

I removed the rear main cap, removed the rear main seal and inspected the bearing. All looks fine to my eye.

I need to find some proper gasket sealant and will start reassembly shortly.

pics coming shortly

 

[vtcruiser60]

As good as mechanical progress on the FJ40 build...

"I would LOVE to attend some 4x4 rally with you and the kids!! You just let me know when you want me to go and I'll be there with smiles & mud on!" -Wife

 

[rabid]

my wife used to go with me. When we first ran Troy and Ma bell with the good rock inclines she stepped out, told me "that's it" and now I get to drive by myself.







disclaimer: When I used to drive a 40

 

[vtcruiser60]

I got the bearing and oil pan reinstalled this morning, then set about to do a prepaint cleaning on the frame. I pushed the 40 out to the yard and degreased the frame one last time with a phosphoric acid wash (concrete etcher). I rinsed it all off really well then left it in the sun. Pushing the truck back into the garage was a bitch....full 20 minutes of lonely hell.

This evening I got to paint up the frame...2 coats of SEM rust shield.

Next up....clutch, tranny, and tcase install....getting closer.

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

Looking really good K!!!

Sorry could not help you to push that back in the garage...I know what it's like I made a "push bar dolly thingy" with some 2"x4"s and an extra trailer hitch to be able to hook it up to the car, and move mine around the yard...looks odd, but works well

 

[vtcruiser60]

Looking really good K!!!

Sorry could not help you to push that back in the garage...I know what it's like I made a "push bar dolly thingy" with some 2"x4"s and an extra trailer hitch to be able to hook it up to the car, and move mine around the yard...looks odd, but works well

Thanks Dean....I thought about the push bar myself...but didn't want to make it any easier to push it around the yard absent its own power.

 

[vtcruiser60]

I am making solid progress now......the frame is done....painted with three coats of rust shield.

I installed the new flywheel, clutch disc, pressure plate, fork, pilot bearing, throwout bearing....all this afternoon. By late evening I had successfully stabbed the transmission back in. For me I made sure I had taken some emory paper to the pilot bearing shaft on the transmission, applied anti-seize, and also depressed the clutch fork using a compression strap. It was a bit frustrating to do it by myself, but the chubby I developed when it slipped in made it worthwhile.