Builds Zed, the Ultimate Cruiser - A Build Thread (1 Viewer)

[Behemoth60]

Welcome. My name is Peter Straub, and this is my first ever build thread, but certainly not my first ever build! The vehicle in question is a 1988 BJ74 which I just agreed to buy a few hours ago. Technically, I don't even own it yet! I pick it up on Sunday.

It has 160MM on the odo, it's an Auto, no lockers. Reasonably straight body with the normal rusty bits.

the Name: Following a long lineage, this truck will be named Zed. Zed, the Ultimate Land Cruiser. Now, I am using the definition of Ultimate meaning "the last". This will be the last Land Cruiser Build I do. I am not intending the definition of Ultimate to mean The Best, as we can debate what the best is forever, and that's not the point.

the Plan:

The Ultimate Cruiser will be a hard core world expedition vehicle. It will be capable of trails like Rubicon, Fordyce, and Pritchet Canyon. It can drive down the freeway in comfort. It can spend a month on gravel roads without driver fatigue. I will take it across the arctic, through the deserts, and across reasonably sized continents.

Engine: 13BT, Polished and port-matched with G-Turbo, Water/Air inter cooled.

Transmissions: h55f to 4.7 Toybox to Split Case.

Front Axle: 80 series width axle, Ruff Stuff Housing, Hell Fire Knuckles, 80 series Longfields, Evolution hydro-tie rod steering, 4.88 gears, factory cable locker, full size Cruiser center.

Rear Axle: 80 series, Polyperformance shafts, 4.88's, Factory Cable Locker.

Front Suspension: 5 link, King Coil-over and King Bumps stops. Currie-Anti-rock.

Rear Suspension: 4 Link, double bellows air bags, King remote res. shocks. Currie Anti-rock.

Rollers: Michelin XL 12.5R20's (41"), Trail Ready 20x9's wheels. Inner Air Lock Beadlocks.

 

[Tapage]

I thought the last one ( last one you take in your USA trip ) was the last one ..

 

[Hulsty]

I like your plans!

 

[hzjoe]

good plan,show us pics

 

[cult45]

I like your plans!

Yeah, who wouldn't like those plans!

 

[bj70_guy]

I thought Zed was dead, baby...

I am looking forward to watching this truck come together. Very cool Peter.

 

[Malahki]

Subscribed and hope to steal lots of ideas, lol. Is it safe to assume you'll be removing the PTO winch from the front??

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Do you mean 3 link front?

Rob

 

[Behemoth60]

Those who know me will be familiar with Ziplock, which will be retired in the Zed building process, as some of the good bits are transplanted to Zed. Like the engine/tranny/Marlin/Splitcase. The wheels and tires lockers and gears. the roll cage. All the electronic goodies.... 24V inverter, 24V ARB twin compressor, ham, 30" LED light bar, Technitop RTT, foxwing awning, and so forth.

Currently sitting on the shelf include some exciting bits like and air/water intercooler, Gbetnic turbo, shower heat exchanger and 24V waterpump for shower.

To be acquired is the complete front axle and all associated bits, and all the suspension bits.

Ziplock already performs at the level I am designing around... super-capable expo rig. But, if you've seen Ziplock lately, you might shake your head and say something disparaging. The kind would describe it as 'Trail Weathered'.

This build is about getting rid of the spring over and installing a proper suspension for significantly increased on and off-road performance, and making a 'pretty' truck, which is something I've never done before.

Picture is of Ziplock, the truck about to be retired....

 

[Behemoth60]

Do you mean 3 link front?

Two parallel lower links. Two parallel upper links. One panhard bar. 5 links.

 

[crushers]

subscribed
i look forward to following your build Peter with great interest.

the Behemoth was an impressive rig but i was happy to see you shedded your 60 skin for a 74.

 

[AlbertoSD]

Subscribed!

 

[Traveller]

Sounds interesting!
Subscribed..

Mike

Sent from my iPad using IH8MUD... fun starts where the road ends

 

[Ratpuke]

So... does this mean you wouldn't be overly upset if I stole your glowscreen now?

Sub'd.

 

[Behemoth60]

I thought Zed was dead, baby...

It's a Chopper, Baby.

It also dovetails into a great Ham Call sign. VE6 IMZ or the Yoda/Dr. Suess Variant: VE6 ZIM. I could not figure out a call sign that riffed on Zed is Ded, because "Is" and "Ded" are not the names of letters, I've since discovered.

So here is something that I want to do on this build, and I may need some help. You know the 'TOYOTA' badge that mounts on the front grill... where can I get one of those made that says 'ZED'. And the metal emblems that go on the front fenders that say "Toyota Land Cruiser"... where could I get some built that say 'Ultimate Land Cruiser' instead?

 

[lumpy70]

Narcissists 'R Us ?

 

[Behemoth60]

The Winch Debate

Is it safe to assume you'll be removing the PTO winch from the front??

The PTO will definitely go from the front. I don't get stuck in the mud anymore these days, and if I do, I get pulled out backwards, and never through.... A change in my style since I've become involved in the politics of trails and trail stewardship... but that's another thread.

Last 2 times I used the PTO, the PTO was a serious liability. 2 weekends ago, I was one trail just a bit too narrow, and the rear tire was hanging over the soft ledge, and the ledge started to let go... it was a long way down. PTO was used to pull the truck back onto the trail... however, every time I put the cluch in to shift a transfer case into neutral the truck would rock, shift, and slide further down the hill... it was a real liability working the PTO. The time before that, I was stuck in some nasty rocks down at Black Hills... the inability to match wheel speed to PTO with the various transmissions was very inconvenient.

We all agree that engine-drive hydraulic is the right thing to do. The challenge is getting adequate hydraulic power. I went through this on the TippyR build, where I had full hydro steering, hydro-boost brakes, and full hydro winch. What I learned was that a single belt cannot drive enough power into a high volume gear pump without ALWAYS squealing. A gear driven hydro pump would be best, but I think most realistically you will see a 13BT with a serpentine belt driving all the accessories. Zed will have hydro boost brakes and hydro assist steering, and of course the Hydro winch... perhaps two with one on the back.

The other option is an electric winch up front. Crushers is taunting me with a 24V Toyota low profile unit. I have dubious opinions of electric winches, and have seen drivers frequently left winchless because of any number of electrical foibles, from bad connectors on the controller, controllers forgotten at home, dead batteries, fried solenoids, corroded connections, submerged motors that have rusted away.... I so rarely use a winch, I am concerned about how highly exposed electrical bits in an extremely harsh environment will remain reliable between uses....

Debate...

 

[crushers]

8274 is the only winch to have ... stay on top of the maintenance and you will have a winch that is still working fine in 30 years from now.
that 24V low profile that came off my JDM is a good winch but compared to the 8274 it is slow (as is all the low profile winches i have seen in action).
PTO - you know my opinion of them. should be call POS, not PTO.

the low profile is a nice application for the rear winch setup, if you don't take this one soon i will probably end up installing it on the back of my PZJ70 just for s***s and giggles.

<it seems the Stateboys love the factory PTO so you will probably find a to buy it.>

 

[Traveller]

.

We all agree that engine-drive hydraulic is the right thing to do. The challenge is getting adequate hydraulic power. I went through this on the TippyR build, where I had full hydro steering, hydro-boost brakes, and full hydro winch. What I learned was that a single belt cannot drive enough power into a high volume gear pump without ALWAYS squealing. A gear driven hydro pump would be best, but I think most realistically you will see a 13BT with a serpentine belt driving all the accessories.
]

There are 13 bt engines with a steering pump mounted on the distribution cover, i beleive its on a coaster, perhaps if you can find this kind of cover you can mount your pump on the distribution cover. If your interested im even offer to find out the part number...

Regards,
Mike

Sent from my iPad using IH8MUD... fun starts where the road ends

 

[Tapage]

there are few points that we are over those days about Electrical winch .. one of those and the worse, solenoids ..

Get an albraight controller box and be happy .. that will let you with the other parts of the electrical fun .. but that one of the biggest just left behind ..

TJM it's offering their new winch line with kind of Albraight ( they claim to have better one ) .. SuperWinch used to have Albraight on some models ..

BTW no affiliation with none of both winch CO. despite I have Superwinch in Tencha which came with Albraight ..

Just my .0002 cents ..