Build Welcome home Matilda - faded like your favorite pair of jeans
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- Thread starter
- #703
I'll likely do that for now ... got a camping trip with light wheeling this weekend. Contacted Cruiser Outfitters but haven't heard back yet.
The steering hadn't started to feel super wonky prior to or at SAS. I could tell it was maybe 10% different, but it really started accelerating after I got home. Losing steering on a trail would not have been fun.
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You definitely have enough lift for high steer.
Sounds like you got a set of FROR keyed arms, that’s the best setup out there IMO. Definitely do not turn the pins down to the run the stock trunions, the 25mm bearings are way stronger/better. I broke a ton of the stock bearings over the years, even on 33” tires. I’m on my 3rd trip now on the 25mm stuff and holding up way better.
I should have the part number saved for the 25mm bearings if you need them, I probably have an extra set too. I can check tomorrow.
I would recommend you go to a 80 pitman arm and run all 80 TRE’s and custom tubes. You’ll be bulletproof for what you do and have really good geometry, and no more spring loaded parts
Sounds like you got a set of FROR keyed arms, that’s the best setup out there IMO. Definitely do not turn the pins down to the run the stock trunions, the 25mm bearings are way stronger/better. I broke a ton of the stock bearings over the years, even on 33” tires. I’m on my 3rd trip now on the 25mm stuff and holding up way better.
I should have the part number saved for the 25mm bearings if you need them, I probably have an extra set too. I can check tomorrow.
I would recommend you go to a 80 pitman arm and run all 80 TRE’s and custom tubes. You’ll be bulletproof for what you do and have really good geometry, and no more spring loaded parts
- Thread starter
- #705
Thanks Matt, all those thoughts have crossed my mind and your points are fair. The arms are the FROR keyed arms. I have looked at their (and others) DIY thick walled DOM steering link setups that use 80 ends specifically. Here's what keeps me away from doing the whole enchilada:
Remove and machine knuckles to accept 25mm trunnion bearing races, what a nightmare; I don't mind filing the top of the knuckle in place, by hand, for the keyed arms to fit but getting larger trunnion bearings in there is a whole different thing
My truck is 1982 so swapping to an 80 box with the 80 pitman arm is much more involved than a 1985+ 60; frame plates, drilling new holes, egging out existing holes, all the options are intrusive
I'm becoming increasingly of the mindset "don't replace or upgrade unless s*** is breaking - I've done some tougher trails this year and haven't broken any steering stuff; I think the drag link end failure is a result of simple geometry and not wheeling abuse
Expense - building the truck "bigger" becomes more expensive than replacing all components with factory, I create a machine that's more expensive to maintain
Downtime - the 60 is my daily and only operable vehicle right now (removing the knuckles and sending them off for machining is out of the question); the Tercel won't pass the damn smog test
Laziness - I just rebuilt the front end in April; it's not difficult but taking it all apart again to replace the entire knuckles makes me angry haha
Penny for your thoughts on all that.
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You don't have to machine anything for the 25mm bearings. The race has the same OD as stock. The difference is they have almost twice as many rollers as the stock which is why they are so much stronger.
Machining the knuckles for the arms is actually super fast for anyone with a mill, like under an hour for both knuckles. I just did my own last year for my FJ62. I would do them for you for free if you sent them to me. Doing by hand would take forever and you really want the precision fitment there.
Pitman arm - I meant JUST the arm - onto your existing box. Spline is the same. you can get them used very easily since so many 80 owners swap to 105 boxes. You actually might be ok or possibly better with the 60 pitman and shimming it down to the 80 TRE taper - would have to mock it up and see.
With high steer and a 80 pitman arm, you would have a almost completely flat drag link which would be incredible, and all 80 ends's which absolutely last longer then the stock 60 spring loaded stuff. You could use the 80 drag link ends and keep stock steering stabilizer function as well.
I would just start collecting parts and plan on it doing later. It would be a really sweet setup and absolutely worthwhile for your use. Everything would last longer as well.
Machining the knuckles for the arms is actually super fast for anyone with a mill, like under an hour for both knuckles. I just did my own last year for my FJ62. I would do them for you for free if you sent them to me. Doing by hand would take forever and you really want the precision fitment there.
Pitman arm - I meant JUST the arm - onto your existing box. Spline is the same. you can get them used very easily since so many 80 owners swap to 105 boxes. You actually might be ok or possibly better with the 60 pitman and shimming it down to the 80 TRE taper - would have to mock it up and see.
With high steer and a 80 pitman arm, you would have a almost completely flat drag link which would be incredible, and all 80 ends's which absolutely last longer then the stock 60 spring loaded stuff. You could use the 80 drag link ends and keep stock steering stabilizer function as well.
I would just start collecting parts and plan on it doing later. It would be a really sweet setup and absolutely worthwhile for your use. Everything would last longer as well.
I have a stock 80 pitman arm you can have
- Thread starter
- #708
Thanks y'all. I take it the 80 pitman arm drops further than the 60?
Matt, I didn't realize the 25mm bearings had the same OD as the stock bearings, that's good news. I can see that with higher stress loads the keying helps, but stock arms rely on cone washers, which the keyed arm also has.
Matt, I didn't realize the 25mm bearings had the same OD as the stock bearings, that's good news. I can see that with higher stress loads the keying helps, but stock arms rely on cone washers, which the keyed arm also has.
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The 80 pitman arm is actually taller then the 60 one, but has the correct taper for the 80 TRE's which is the benefit.
That's just so you don't have to buy any special fasteners - the keying takes 100% of the shear forces off the studs. Not a huge deal for more stock type Cruisers, but once I put the ram-assist on my 62 I started breaking the knuckle studs every wheeling trip
RevISK
SILVER Star
Jim, I have an 80 pitman arm you can have. It came on the replacement box I swapped at SAS.
You’ve got my number, let me know.
You’ve got my number, let me know.
- Thread starter
- #711
Took a few days and went camping with @overhanger and @Fyffer last weekend. Probably the last one before the snow flies. Not without drama though!
On the way I finally found the source of my weird rear end clunk: the front hanger bushing of the right rear leaf spring was roached. The spring eye had swallowed the flange on one side and the other half bushing was hanging out.
We were passing through Poncha Springs so I made a phone call and was able to swing through Classic Cruisers for a dry place to work. Got the bushings changed out and the problem was gone. Mike, Steve, & Suzie were patient enough to wait up at the meeting spot while I struggled getting things back together, but we were back on the road around noon.
Interesting and gorgeous area, and a very peaceful time. It got me thinking that the Utes must have been all through here. I wonder if they ever used the rock shelter hundreds of years ago. Lots of bones all over everywhere we went. Whether that means there are a lot of predators or the drought last winter made life hard on critters - or both - I don't know. I did see about 1 second of a bobcat running across the road, so definitely some predators around.
Really nice driving and hiking trails. It was good to get out on foot one of the days, we don't do that enough.
Next up is replacing all of the front leaf spring bushings. These dobinsons bushings lasted four years and the fronts are starting to clunk too. Winter projects might be high steering and exhaust. Gotta make time for the 40 too.
On the way I finally found the source of my weird rear end clunk: the front hanger bushing of the right rear leaf spring was roached. The spring eye had swallowed the flange on one side and the other half bushing was hanging out.
We were passing through Poncha Springs so I made a phone call and was able to swing through Classic Cruisers for a dry place to work. Got the bushings changed out and the problem was gone. Mike, Steve, & Suzie were patient enough to wait up at the meeting spot while I struggled getting things back together, but we were back on the road around noon.
Interesting and gorgeous area, and a very peaceful time. It got me thinking that the Utes must have been all through here. I wonder if they ever used the rock shelter hundreds of years ago. Lots of bones all over everywhere we went. Whether that means there are a lot of predators or the drought last winter made life hard on critters - or both - I don't know. I did see about 1 second of a bobcat running across the road, so definitely some predators around.
Really nice driving and hiking trails. It was good to get out on foot one of the days, we don't do that enough.
Next up is replacing all of the front leaf spring bushings. These dobinsons bushings lasted four years and the fronts are starting to clunk too. Winter projects might be high steering and exhaust. Gotta make time for the 40 too.
- Thread starter
- #713
Great shots Mike. The sunrise photos with the frosty ground are fantastic.
Thanks, cold night and AM for sure. Pissed we didn't get the Beaver dam blocking the Trail.
RevISK
SILVER Star
Sure looks nice.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing.
- Thread starter
- #716
Ok, well my rear end is back to being clunky. New bushing is repeating the same thing the old bushing was doing: inside is being smashed against the hanger, outside is coming out of the spring eye. Took a look from behind and the shackle hanger is at an angle, which is canting the entire leaf pack, which drives the fixed eye towards the inside. Why? Inner c-channel rust is finally catching up to me.
I just ordered the @TRAIL TAILOR inner c-channels. They were decent when I bought the truck and I put it off as long as I possibly could. I'm not looking forward to the job. I've also been wanting to move my rear shackle hangers forward for a while, so now will be the time. I pinged @cruisermatt about his hangers, we'll see if those will work. @ToyotaTechnical and I chatted about extra crossmember support as well, so it's gonna be a whole big thing. I might even make a crossmember that can hold a water tank - a long standing dream of mine.
No worries driving the truck as it is, but it'll come out of winter work beefier than before.
I just ordered the @TRAIL TAILOR inner c-channels. They were decent when I bought the truck and I put it off as long as I possibly could. I'm not looking forward to the job. I've also been wanting to move my rear shackle hangers forward for a while, so now will be the time. I pinged @cruisermatt about his hangers, we'll see if those will work. @ToyotaTechnical and I chatted about extra crossmember support as well, so it's gonna be a whole big thing. I might even make a crossmember that can hold a water tank - a long standing dream of mine.
No worries driving the truck as it is, but it'll come out of winter work beefier than before.
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J,
Thanks for the order will ship out tomorrow or Monday. An air chisel will be your best friend and make quick work of rivets.
J
x2 on the air chisel. I cut a X in the rivet head, as close to the frame as you can get without cutting into the frame. Then air chisel the rest of the head off. They pop right off pretty easy.