FJ4overland

[06 H3]

I was dead set on high steer and found it not worth it. Especially because I wanted low ride height...then I met a yota guy who was set on high steer also and followed through with it. Low ride height 3 link also he needed to notch the framerails because they would hit or he could lessen up travel. I found high steer more useful in leaf spring applications

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I have to notch for the panhard bar, so one more notch wouldn't be a deal breaker - however, the unequal length between the panhard and the cross arm inducing bump steer is a deal breaker. ah well, more parts in my bin for the next build... this FJ has lots of parts from other similar situations on other builds...

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

didn't get much accomplished today - the steering tie rod end I need won't be here until Wednesday... but I started scoping out where everything is going to land
a really cool bit I like on the FJ40s is the under-seat box. I'm going to make a new one (the old one didn't come with the purchase price) that locks for... uhhh.... well... things to throw lead, like a slingshot only cooler.


and I'd really consider restoring the original interior; but really, brown? ugh

I also want head rests and the ability to recline...
so far, it's going to be these - mostly because I have them. Though if something else were to drop into my lap (especially a heated, bucket seat), I'd change.


I worked on my CR500af... and entertained parents... so not much accomplished. If I can't sleep, though, I'm going to weld the rear corner - I finally finished hooking up my torch cooler and it works quite well..

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

body work


rust converter



patch welded and ground

everdur with mig.... siliconing with mig

actually, it's a good way of not putting too much heat into the weld and making the grinding down of the weld easier



time to figure out the seating in the front

problem is the steering column is now too low

fortunately, I can move it up, just have to reshape the hole

​All this to get steering...

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I love reworking... so the problem is I want the most turning radius possible

isn't the most
but first I got a TRE in so I could at least start the mocking of the steering...

but there's a slight problem, the cross bar hits the fancy cover. There are 2 fixes for the cover, and one other fix... two fixes would be to cut the center stripe off and weld in a new one at a lower altitude, or simply cut out the offending section and weld in a pipe or something... which is something they'd do on Pirate, as long as the weld are pretty; they'd be golden.... so I dunno.. or use the high-steer... the new TRE solves one of the problems of the high steer - so I still dunno.. I can't same I'm enthralled with the ice-breaking bow of that dana 44 cover.

back to steering.... the bolt is adjusted at whatever the "factory" was for a Ford HP 44, the fix I did halved the distance.... as I'm getting a different offset wheel anyway (so I can run poverty caps), I may just cure the rest with a 1" offset... but that's awhile down the road - perhaps something cleverer will arise before then

to do this require cutting.... why didn't I simply tack these? ugh


and welded back in place

​
you're remarkably quiet 4speed

 

[4speedfunk]

Sorry bro...I saw this coming. Its like I'm reliving a painful memory! Been there. Cramming ten pounds of stuff in a three-pound bag is a tall order. I had identical issues with the H3 3-link...pretty much in all the identical areas too. But your axle is even shorter than a full-size GM housing, so you're actually cramming the same ten pounds into a two-pound bag!

 

[06 H3]

If you need more diff to tie rod clearance you can run GM offset tie rods but you gotta ditch the y link steering. Ruffstuff sells em.

Tack tack tack I didn't weld anything fully until it was all done

Looks good though!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I'm still puzzled why the fabricated dana 44 cover is so deep... it doesn't need the extra depth. It's hard to see in the picture, but I'll dig out the stock cover and do a side-by-side picture/comparison...

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I work for myself, I told myself I had 5 minutes

here they are




I suspect that CU designed this for additional fluid capacity - especially given that the seals are on the side of the differential housing (as opposed to the ends like the dana 60 rear... but it does create issues.

 

[4speedfunk]

Holy butt-crack! That's never gonna work. Thats for a REAR Dana 44 axle. Send this guy an email...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dana-44-Heavy-Duty-Differential-Cover-/121150228025?hash=item1c351dc639

This is where I get mine, and he makes a shallow version for the front.

 

[4speedfunk]

He also makes one for the GM 8.6" rear axle of the H3 (hint to all those Hummer guys). Its not $300 either.

Normally his 10-bolt covers come with a drain plug and SAE bolts. This is because they are intended to be ran on old-school GM 10-bolts, and those had a fill plug on the side of the pumpkin but, no drain plug. But, around 2000 or so...the 10-bolt went metric on the threads, and they also added a much-needed drain plug to the bottom of the casting. GM also moved the fill plug from the side of the pumpkin, to the face of the cover...and that is the layout that the H3 has.

So if you have an H3, you need to specify that you want a FILL hole, up high on the face, rather than a drain hole at the bottom. And also get the correct metric bolts. Clear as mud.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

It would have been nice of CU had mentioned that on their website... oh well.. more parts for the next build or for the swap meet (or my wife's JK, I guess).

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

how to choose between the coil-over manufacturers... I dunno... thoughts?

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Tonights update - headache time again, so I had to do things quietly

this, is a steering column


this, is a bracket


this, is a steering column on a bracket


the lower bracket was found... and no need to make the upper bracket - oh well


steering shaft build


finished



​

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

we now have steering!
just required a bit a honing


on the right bolt hole


then onto a bracket



since I needed my lift, I rolled it outside

 

[Cyouincourt007]

Wow, that is going to be sweet when it's done, heck looks sweet now!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

thanks
tonight's fun
differential cover. I suppose I could have bought another one, and the accusation by some is I really need to learn to weld... no easier way than on thick metal




I now have a dipping bowl for those times when I have the guys over


and it now clears nicely




a weld or two later and voila


sad part is I'm going to grind them smooth, but I figured I'd go with the ? mark pattern


​

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

so now the slow, boring part... building brackets, clean up... etc. etc....


strangely, the original fj40 fan shroud would work fine.... with a bit of expansion or using a smaller fan


cleaned up the front rails, made permanent brackets for the radiator....
​

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

wheelbase is 95 1/2


I bought this at the most productive garage sale I've ever stopped at (a couple years ago)


I'm going to try to incorporate it into this to hold my tools

I keep having to remind myself that this is the vertical seating of the early 70s... but boy is is this tall and getting in will be a pain. Which, could be solved in the next couple days when I attend the swap meet in Portland


unfortunately, the toolbox won't fit under the seat...


but I am planning a box once I finalize what seats I'm using
I also measured so that should I find a bucket/bench seat I'll know what width is maximum (51")


anyway.... ttfn
​

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I'm back, did ya miss me?
swap meet buy,

air shocks I won't use under the '40 (but use for test fitting and trading purposes)... they were too cheap to pass up

back stock


headlights with integral signals


I bought two EFI
one is a commander 950



it came with a throttle body... seems like overkill, for this system, but for the price (less than the wiring harness cost).. how could I go wrong? came with 2 fuel pumps too


the other system was less than the price of a fuel pump (which it came with a new one)

the sensors alone made this a good deal

and I have another small project... this is for the '40... on-board air. I helped a friend install one in the mid-80s, and I loved how much air it put out.... anyway, this was $10.


in other news, brackets arrived

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

yupdate

ride height

here's where things started... note the spring is upside down

after a bunch of cutting and changing, here's where it ended


I still have to put a plate under the bottom of the spring, but that adjusts/fine tunes ride height, and until the front is completely done... I don't know exactly what that is.

and I tacked the brakes on

flex

now to the front


for about 10 reasons, these brackets don't work


so time to build some hoops



kind of sort of where it needs to be


this is round 2


mounting tubes


round 3 (note the kick in on the bottoms)




tight, yet plenty of clearance




I have a friend who works at a laser cutting shop - I had him cut these out for me


an entire sheet of them.... quite handy


there we go, using the air shock as mockup


and someone needs to mention to the seller that 8" is not 12" .... they're 8" air shocks (which I figured when I bought them, but for the price, why argue?)

 

[RamRod]

holy! you have got to have 100+ of those tabs!

Thats alot of FJ 40 projects!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

100 tabs per sheet... I think it worked out to 25 cents a tab, it'd be even cheaper now because they just have to pull up the file and push play on their laser machine

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

so some thought process must occur... I'm not sure how, or if I'm going to attach the fender to the new shock mount
the Toyota design is quite clever in that it allows for keeping a light or two on your motor

in actuality, it's a lot easier to vise grip it in place this way to start fitting


I'm not sure I'm going to attach the fenders to the uprights.... maybe simply move the bracket towards the back...


no, they're not the same distance from each fender, they will be when I'm done...

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

it never ceases to amaze me the steps required for each thing... the reality of these pictures? I want to put the seats in, but where they go is determined by where the shifter is...


which requires you to cut off a tab


which requires you to cut the floor


which makes you realize that the arm won't move


which led me to a screw it and a reversal of the shifter


and I don't like it... but I'm not feeling clever tonight so I finished with an awfukit.