I'm prototyping a RAM mount to fit in the above a single DIN radio. I'll see how it works holding a phone and iPad. Eventually I'll put some gauges in there if it works. I am learning the basics of 3D printing making a cover plate. I may someday mill the coverlet out of aluminum.
Build What did you do to your Land Cruiser/Toyota/Lexus 4X4 this week?
- Thread starter murf
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Slee bumper, skid plates, and clear sidemarkers.
In winter the 80 becomes a surf wagon for northern Arizona winter surfing safaris.
Installed an actual Land Cruiser seat in my Land Cruiser thanks to @bigCatdiesel - Thanks 
My FJ40's front driver seat is the passenger seat from my Tacoma, my front passenger seat is the driver's seat from the Tacoma, and the one or two rear seats (depending on how many of us are going to Moab each year) are the front seats from my old Nissan Sentra.
Now I have an honest to gosh Land Cruiser seat in the rear - and leather to boot!
@bigCatdiesel gave me his third row seats from his 95, and with the help of a little bit of scrap metal I installed one as a single rear seat.
I made the seat frame fit the permanent framework I put in the FJ40 that I built for the Sentra seats. The Sentra seat frames are so bizarre that all four legs are at different heights and distances from each other. I built two different sets of leg supports that bolted directly to the floorboards, and neither of them worked very well. Eventually I came up with the idea to use 2" square tubing for the rear leg supports, and a 3" angle iron for the front legs. These two pieces are bolted permanently onto the floor, and I can install one or both Sentra seats without crawling under the cruiser to tighten bolts. The square tubing is also the rear support for my sleeping platform.
One '95 Land Cruiser seat was easy to install onto the tubing and angle iron - if I needed both seats I would have to de-upholster, narrow the seat frames, and re-upholster the seats. I might have to do that next year but since I only need one rear seat this year I took the easy route and just cobbled up the scrap metal frame for a single seat.
I still have room for my sleeping platform and my Engle fridge next to the new seat.
Scrap metal seat frames.
The '95 Land Cruiser 3rd row seat stripped of its original frame.
New frame pieces bolted up.
Just enough room to tighten original mounting bolts.
Carpet bottom still fits!
Sentra seat mounting system.
Plenty of room for one unmolested seat.
My FJ40's front driver seat is the passenger seat from my Tacoma, my front passenger seat is the driver's seat from the Tacoma, and the one or two rear seats (depending on how many of us are going to Moab each year) are the front seats from my old Nissan Sentra.
Now I have an honest to gosh Land Cruiser seat in the rear - and leather to boot!
@bigCatdiesel gave me his third row seats from his 95, and with the help of a little bit of scrap metal I installed one as a single rear seat.
I made the seat frame fit the permanent framework I put in the FJ40 that I built for the Sentra seats. The Sentra seat frames are so bizarre that all four legs are at different heights and distances from each other. I built two different sets of leg supports that bolted directly to the floorboards, and neither of them worked very well. Eventually I came up with the idea to use 2" square tubing for the rear leg supports, and a 3" angle iron for the front legs. These two pieces are bolted permanently onto the floor, and I can install one or both Sentra seats without crawling under the cruiser to tighten bolts. The square tubing is also the rear support for my sleeping platform.
One '95 Land Cruiser seat was easy to install onto the tubing and angle iron - if I needed both seats I would have to de-upholster, narrow the seat frames, and re-upholster the seats. I might have to do that next year but since I only need one rear seat this year I took the easy route and just cobbled up the scrap metal frame for a single seat.
I still have room for my sleeping platform and my Engle fridge next to the new seat.
Scrap metal seat frames.
The '95 Land Cruiser 3rd row seat stripped of its original frame.
New frame pieces bolted up.
Just enough room to tighten original mounting bolts.
Carpet bottom still fits!
Sentra seat mounting system.
Plenty of room for one unmolested seat.
7000ft
SILVER Star
Not unusual. We can have snow here as late as Memorial Day.
Lived there in the 70s and 80s, seen it snow three different times on Memorial Day. It is N AZ. Don't expect nice weather until June, it can unexpectedly get very nasty quickly.
Yep. I've seen snow in every month except July and August.
In my opinion, it's still spring until Monsoon onset. Until the "Monsoon high pressure" moves north into the U.S. SW, the northern end of the Mogollon Rim country remains cold at night (lows in the 30s often), frequently windy and prone to late spring storms that have the potential to deliver mixed frozen precip or shots of snow, even in June.
Taken May 16th 2015. Drove from the valley to Happy Jack the night before. I purposely waited until May to avoid towing in the snow.
Same think happen the year before when I towed another one up.
Same think happen the year before when I towed another one up.
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I installed some seat blocks for more legroom tonight. Its like the difference in economy and an upgrade to premium economy. You can see the difference in seat position.
It was a big last 1.5 weeks in Cruiser Land:
-Front axle rebuild, new R1 rotors and pads, all bearings and seals, pull third and reseal.
-rear axle rebuild: new Spartan locker, bearings, seals, OEM pads
-VC120 (AC Delco) charcoal canister
-Oil change: M1 10W40
-Front driveshaft U joints replaced (Matsuba)
-TC pulled with the help/expertise of @peacesells63 , and Hi/low TC gears were replaced for better high and low range performance running 35’s.
Within 12 hours of finishing, it was off to 4 days of camping in southern Utah. Everything worked perfectly, and the improved power on the highway and low range control were welcomed.
-Front axle rebuild, new R1 rotors and pads, all bearings and seals, pull third and reseal.
-rear axle rebuild: new Spartan locker, bearings, seals, OEM pads
-VC120 (AC Delco) charcoal canister
-Oil change: M1 10W40
-Front driveshaft U joints replaced (Matsuba)
-TC pulled with the help/expertise of @peacesells63 , and Hi/low TC gears were replaced for better high and low range performance running 35’s.
Within 12 hours of finishing, it was off to 4 days of camping in southern Utah. Everything worked perfectly, and the improved power on the highway and low range control were welcomed.
What sold you on the Spartan locker? I'm planning for my re-gear and TC gears and am torn on if I want to go with an electronic vs. ARB lockers while I'm in there.
@Just Diddly , I had used an Aussie previously in another 80, and was a big fan for the price. The Spartan is very similar, and I got a great deal on it. I was sold!
Eric, what gears did you use in the tcase? I have a set of .9 HR gears for my Cummins swap and am thinking to do some 3.12 LR gears too.
Awesome, good to hear then!
Not my Cruiser, but the battery was originally in my 80.
DieHard Platinum Group 34/78DT date code 8-14.
Just pulled it out of my wife's Subaru Outback, where it's been since May 2015. Hasn't quit yet, but it's getting sluggish. Amazed it lasted this long. Replaced with Costco interstate.
DieHard Platinum Group 34/78DT date code 8-14.
Just pulled it out of my wife's Subaru Outback, where it's been since May 2015. Hasn't quit yet, but it's getting sluggish. Amazed it lasted this long. Replaced with Costco interstate.
Sumo 10% Underdrive and 3:1 Low Range gears from Cruiser Outfitters. This “compounds”the low range to nearly 3.5:1. Sounds like the same gears that you have, Jason.
The difference was subtle on the highway, but made the truck even more of a pleasure to drive. Meanwhile, low range felt perfect with 35’s, but it shifts out of 1st very quickly.
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Yeah i am debating the low range gears. My swap is gunna run an NV4500 with a 5.61 first gear. I need all the high end i van get to keep revs low on the road, but i may have all the reduction i need offroad. Would be nice to have a crazy low crawl ratio with the manual
My DieHard platinum went 11 years. Then I bought an O`reillys that only lasted 2 years. Talk about disappointing!