Damn, how long do you expect to be wheeling at a stretch. I could eat for a couple of weeks out of that thing. Of course, I usually wheel alone.Couple small changes on the Cruiser over the past week. First, I sold my MSA fridge drop slide. I really like the MSA slide but it works best with 10" tall (or taller" drawers. My drawers are 8" tall so the drop slide couldn't drop completely so the handle arm that rotates upward as the fridge drops was not rotating out of the way fully and making it awkward to get into the fridge.
I heard similarly good things about the Clearview Easy Slide and decided to give it a try instead since it's equally well built, but has a ratcheting handle that rotates down instead of up as the fridge drops. This meant no handle in the way while getting into the fridge and the ratcheting design lets you stop it at a few different heights if you want.
Now the fun begins. I called a Clearview dealer here in the US that had them in stock and according to the website as well as speaking to the salesperson on the phone, the ES150Plus model was the correct slide for my Snomaster CL56D Fridge. Well, the slide platform is indeed the right dimensions to fit the fridge, BUT, the handle arm is too short for the Snomaster that is slightly taller than some other fridges like a Dometic or ARB. So that meant the handle wouldn't fully close and lock into place because it was hitting the fridge. The handle has a spring pin handle that releases the ratcheting mechanism so the handle can move and that complicated any modification to make it all work. In the end I cut the handle out leaving about 1" of the round handle still attached to the handle swing arm which is where the spring pin was located. I then added some handle extensions and welded the handle back into place on the extensions. I also reoriented and extended the ratchet release handle to a similar length so it would work like the unmodified handle.
Not the prettiest modification but it solved the problem and everything functions just as it would prior to the modification. Just be aware if you have a Snomaster, National Luna or another fridge that is taller, you might have some clearance issues with this slide.
Untitled by Adam Tolman, on Flickr
These things are HEAVY. Ok, not like lifting a piano but much heavier than you'd expect.
Untitled by Adam Tolman, on Flickr
Ratcheting mechanism
Untitled by Adam Tolman, on Flickr
You can see where the handle was originally (end of the red arms) and where I extended it to. You can also see the ratchet release handle just below the new handle on the left side.
Untitled by Adam Tolman, on Flickr
Untitled by Adam Tolman, on Flickr
Untitled by Adam Tolman, on Flickr
Untitled by Adam Tolman, on Flickr
What Did You Do with Your 80 This Weekend? (78 Viewers)
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great video!
Just in case you weren’t aware, your local metal recycler accepts swaybars.
Yes, I have recycled both my swaybars.
Installed a new set of rear Dobinsons 4” flexi coils. I was going to add 30mm spacers to my existing set, but I had bought a new pair some time ago and putting them side to side they are different. I’d lost a bit of ride height in the rear from the original install, so decided to just do the new coils. All four corners are dead level again.
Easy swap just dropping the whole axle as I went to the 6” lift Ironman foam cell pro shocks replacing the 4” version. I only swapped in the rear because I don’t want extra droop in the front when it can’t use the flex anyway.
The 6” are perfectly mated to travel with the new 38’s, I used 3” bump stop drops for a 4th Gen 4Runner that I had laying around from Metaltech so the tires stuff perfectly.
I do not have enough good things to say about these shocks and no messing around with gas charging. Kinda falling in love with my 80 again. The 4” shocks are for sale with about 1,500 miles on them. These things are huge.
Looks like no new trimming for the 38’s, just tuning. Now to finally fix my fender from the accident 3.5 years ago.
Installed a new set of rear Dobinsons 4” flexi coils. I was going to add 30mm spacers to my existing set, but I had bought a new pair some time ago and putting them side to side they are different. I’d lost a bit of ride height in the rear from the original install, so decided to just do the new coils. All four corners are dead level again.
Easy swap just dropping the whole axle as I went to the 6” lift Ironman foam cell pro shocks replacing the 4” version. I only swapped in the rear because I don’t want extra droop in the front when it can’t use the flex anyway.
The 6” are perfectly mated to travel with the new 38’s, I used 3” bump stop drops for a 4th Gen 4Runner that I had laying around from Metaltech so the tires stuff perfectly.
I do not have enough good things to say about these shocks and no messing around with gas charging. Kinda falling in love with my 80 again. The 4” shocks are for sale with about 1,500 miles on them. These things are huge.
Looks like no new trimming for the 38’s, just tuning. Now to finally fix my fender from the accident 3.5 years ago.
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To another quarter million, hopefully by myself.
I'll give up a little articulation to reduce the chance of flopping on my lid any day. The last rig I pulled sway bars on I regretted it. I'd swap out to Rockjock Antirocks if I thought I could get them to fit on my crowded axles.
Just installed Spartan locker ggez, Now to get used to them. 1
job
jobYou can design out your swaybar(s) with dual rate coils, provided you haven’t added a half ton of weight.
@LandCruiserPhil sells front swaybar disconnects - I’d get those to avoid the no brakes problem if you don’t want to solve it with the no swaybar solution.
Box Rocket
SILVER Star
I’m with you. I still run with both swaybars. Still running the stock front swaybar but have changed the rear for a HD Blackhawk swaybar. Testing articulation on a ramp with and without the swaybars resulted in a difference of 2” farther up the ramp without swaybars. The actual difference in suspension travel was ~1”. Not enough to make me want to pull the swaybars. The performance on the road and on fast dirt roads is dramatically better with the swaybars, especially with the HD rear swaybar.
I love the setup.
alia176
SILVER Star
I've been hearing a bit of a whine from the drivetrain for the last six months and it's been getting louder so it was time to investigate. During this process, I noticed the rear DS slip yoke just had too much play, after 26 years of use so a new DS went in. One of the craziest/stupidest thing I've done to date is to jack up the rear wheels on jack stands, then drove in place at 60-70mph. Using a mech stethoscope, I tried to locate the source of the whine. I'm rear WD and parked the rig against a tree but still, those 315s rotating at 60-70mph was unnerving to say the least. The throttle control cable had to be used and it took a while for the transmission to upshift into OD. 
Since the noise could be heard inside the cabin, i started with picking points on the Tcase/transmission and heard nothing of interest. Smooth and quiet, granted this is an unloaded situation.
Moved on to the rear axle housing and did find one of the wheel bearings louder than the other one. So, that was one potential.
Moved on to the rear diff - carrier bearing area sounded normal-ish but the outer pinion bearing was WHOA. She's a noisy bugger, WTH?
So, the rear axle housing was stripped of everything. 3rd member came out and placed on the makeshift diff holder that I cobbled up together and used the engine stand. First sign of something was up, pinion bearing pre-load was ZERO.
So, the diff tear down began and the second scary moment was when the outer pinion bearing simply slid off vs getting pulled off. 
I pulled out the 4.10 pinion out of the shed and tried to slip on the outer pinion bearing on to it and she wouldn't slide on at all. Next thing was to compare both pinion shaft and it looked like the pinion bearing might've spun in place.
At this point, a master rebuild kit, wheeling bearing kit and a solid spacer were ordered from Cruiseroutfitters. After consulting Zuk @ www.gearinstalls.com, it was concluded that the pinion lost its pre-load maybe due to the crush sleeve losing it's ability to keep the two bearings apart and maybe this was due to age or maybe due to my amateur 4.56 gear install back in 2005, who knows. Zuk said that a sliding outer bearing is not a huge deal breaker as a new crush sleeve/solid spacer may prevent it from spinning with the application of the correct Loctite. However, he has changed his position on using Loctite on the pinion bearing. Zuk didn't like the gear marking paint pattern and suggested a new R&P oughta be used for the "correct" pattern. Ordered R&P from Cruiseroutfitter and sent everything off to Zuk using an awesome diff box that a local buddy had in his garage. I also included two near ARB O rings in this package but it turns out that my locker RD-33 is so old that the new O rings are too large anyway. Total weight of box including a master install kit was 92# and it cost around $90 to ship it to Zuk using UPS and the promo code EASY for a little discount.
So now she sits on the driveway, with a naked rear axle housing....
4.10 pinion on the left, bearing doesn't slide on
pinion bearing slid on/off too easily on the 4.56 pinion, possibly a spun bearing
Since the noise could be heard inside the cabin, i started with picking points on the Tcase/transmission and heard nothing of interest. Smooth and quiet, granted this is an unloaded situation.
Moved on to the rear axle housing and did find one of the wheel bearings louder than the other one. So, that was one potential.
Moved on to the rear diff - carrier bearing area sounded normal-ish but the outer pinion bearing was WHOA. She's a noisy bugger, WTH?
So, the rear axle housing was stripped of everything. 3rd member came out and placed on the makeshift diff holder that I cobbled up together and used the engine stand. First sign of something was up, pinion bearing pre-load was ZERO.
So, the diff tear down began and the second scary moment was when the outer pinion bearing simply slid off vs getting pulled off. I pulled out the 4.10 pinion out of the shed and tried to slip on the outer pinion bearing on to it and she wouldn't slide on at all. Next thing was to compare both pinion shaft and it looked like the pinion bearing might've spun in place. At this point, a master rebuild kit, wheeling bearing kit and a solid spacer were ordered from Cruiseroutfitters. After consulting Zuk @ www.gearinstalls.com, it was concluded that the pinion lost its pre-load maybe due to the crush sleeve losing it's ability to keep the two bearings apart and maybe this was due to age or maybe due to my amateur 4.56 gear install back in 2005, who knows. Zuk said that a sliding outer bearing is not a huge deal breaker as a new crush sleeve/solid spacer may prevent it from spinning with the application of the correct Loctite. However, he has changed his position on using Loctite on the pinion bearing. Zuk didn't like the gear marking paint pattern and suggested a new R&P oughta be used for the "correct" pattern. Ordered R&P from Cruiseroutfitter and sent everything off to Zuk using an awesome diff box that a local buddy had in his garage. I also included two near ARB O rings in this package but it turns out that my locker RD-33 is so old that the new O rings are too large anyway. Total weight of box including a master install kit was 92# and it cost around $90 to ship it to Zuk using UPS and the promo code EASY for a little discount.
So now she sits on the driveway, with a naked rear axle housing....
4.10 pinion on the left, bearing doesn't slide on
pinion bearing slid on/off too easily on the 4.56 pinion, possibly a spun bearing
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Ready for a head.
Cheers
Cheers
Replaced my old OME shocks with Dobinsons, big thanks to Mike at Exit Offroad and his mud discount. Shocks feel great! Fwiw, I replaced OME N73 with Dobinsons GS59-683 and GS59-682 (0-3” lift). I’m running OME 2.5 850/860 springs. Also installed sway bar drop brackets and Land Cruiser Products (Land Cruiser Phil) front sway bar disconnect kit.
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Got a chance to check pre- lift (3.5") stuff and rub on the 37's Hope to find a much bigger dock drop post lift(thinking 4.5"??). First take is 37's took away quite a bit of travel before rear rub vs. 35's. Front didn't even come close to full compression or rub before the rear upper center hit pretty solid. Tons of room up front minus the inner rear rub, rear- not so much. Intent is a solid all around 80 so not sweating it yet but home to see quite a bit more travel once I have the springs, bump stops and arms in place. Front approach didn't get quite as far before solid rub.
More focus on rub and if proper bumpstops were in it obviously could have gone much further. didn't feel like it even started to flex, baby steps, again...
Also got a chance to pull a bead lock after hitting a huge snow caused pothole paying in the storm. Hit so hard, knocked tire out of center. Need to remember to check torque quite a bit and add thread lock soon. Felt like new after test drive after and was super simple.
More focus on rub and if proper bumpstops were in it obviously could have gone much further. didn't feel like it even started to flex, baby steps, again...
Also got a chance to pull a bead lock after hitting a huge snow caused pothole paying in the storm. Hit so hard, knocked tire out of center. Need to remember to check torque quite a bit and add thread lock soon. Felt like new after test drive after and was super simple.
Landtank or Landcruiserphil front sway bar disconnect?
Lube-Shuttle kit came from Amazon today so I went out in the rain and greased my axles. Front was thirsty! I don't think it's been lubed in a very long time.
Sounds better, clunk has gone, but still getting a metallic rattle on the overrun. I suspect the front UJ spider needs swapped out
Sounds better, clunk has gone, but still getting a metallic rattle on the overrun. I suspect the front UJ spider needs swapped out
sorry for the error, Yes LandCruiserPhil’s (LCP) front sway discos
