LJ70 Build Thread!

[Ben]

Excellent work as always Ben.
I like how even though time is short, the quality and attention to detail stays the same

Thanks Gary.

Reckon most participants on the Simpson trip are going for the thrill and adventure, Ben's going for a rest. Amazing work rate as ever Ben, you doing any form of shakedown run after those changes before the trip?

I hadnt thought of it like that but your right!

TBH some of the things I've changed didn't necessarily need changing, but I really want to do the trip and have no/minimal mechanical issues.

Sadly no time for a shake down, so fingers crossed everything goes OK.

My boss has been really awesome and has said if I don't have LJ done by 9pm tomorrow night (which gives me 5hours of workshop time) he will let me stay back even later and if LJ isnt drivable let me borrow the 60.

He also said to me last week that while I'm young and free I should be getting out there traveling and exploring and that if I want to book 4 weeks off work and go do a trip I can!

Thats on top of the 10 weeks I will have had off work this year for trips!

 

[Gary820]

Any jobs going!!?

Your boss sounds great to work for.

 

[Ben]

He is!

Some of the stories I could tell you, hes crazy in a good way!

 

[Ben]

I'm completely exhausted!

Was out working on LJ at 6am this morning to get an hour in before work and then used the workshop at work 4pm till 9pm.

Fitted all new diff breathers, greased all the UJ's, made and fitted a brake line bracket, welded the rear axle where the shocks had worn it out and fitted the new EFS shocks.

Just dropped LJ off at the auto electricians and hes working on her tomorrow and Monday, then I get LJ back and I will then have a few days to fit the drawer system and put the rest of the interior back together and then load all the gear in for the trip.

Leave a week tomorrow!

Sadly a fault developed on the way to the auto electricians which I've not experienced before.

When pressing the brake pedal to slow down the pedal has started rising up and down under my foot. Was too dark tonight to have a proper look so I'm not sure what it could be. The brakes don't feel spongy and they work OK but something is obviously not right.

Any ideas?

I'm thinking front discs/pads.

 

[AndyCook]

Was the pedal movement rapid, like warped discs or a slow movement?
If slow I wonder if it could be due to the booster vacuum system ?


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[Ben]

Quite rapid I'd say Andy.

Its strange that its been fine all week then on the way home this evening it started doing it.

 

[AndyCook]

Any shaking in steering wheel at the same time? Warped discs normally cause that too


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[Gary820]

poss the friction lining has come detached from the pad. If been fine and nothing has changed I'd look at the pads first.
Usually front brakes give feedback through the steering as well, rears through the pedal.

Bit of welding splatter on a disc? Loose caliper? Pad retaining pin missing/broken?

 

[Trevor]

If you've had disks off, got any crud behind when refitting and that's giving you some run out on the disk?

 

[Ben]

Thanks guys.

No no shaking of the steering wheel, just the pedal.

I havent welded on the front axle which has disc brakes, just the rear which is drums.

Front brakes all went back together fine a week or 2 ago when they were off and since then I've been driving it to work and back everyday without issue.

I'm going to the auto lecs tonight to drop off some more parts and see how hes getting on so I will have a better look then.

 

[Gary820]

For it to just start happening I'd check all the linings including the shoes, caliper bolts and pins, sure it'll be something simple. I know just replaced them but the usual stuff like wheel bearing play etc. Springs holding the shoes in place if one has come off.

I'm personally thinking pedal feedback with drums would take a fair bit. (Forgot you were on drums )

Front end has the steering damper which would Prob absorb a lot of feedback if a front brake issue.

Don't have abs do you?

 

[Ben]

Thanks Gary. No no ABS mate.

Will have a look tonight and investigate further when I get it home.

I'm also thinking of replacing all the UJ's even though they seem fine as when I greased them I couldn't get grease to come out of all of them and I'd hate for one to fail and ruin my trip. Would also mean I wouldn't need to carry my spare prop shaft

I also need to mount my sand flag on the bull bar and a space case on the roof rack.

Still trying to decide whether my finances can stretch to a new OZ Tent RV4. I think I will get one as it will make the trip much more enjoyable having a decent tent and proper stretchers rather than being on the ground.

Then I need to start to think about food for the trip and plan some meals.

We will be in Adelaide a week tomorrow preparing to head North through the stunning Flinders Ranges!

 

[Shayne]

Air in the lines would be my guess , bleed them again before trying anything else .

 

[Gary820]

Lad who i used to work with lives in Adelaide now (lucky bugger) keeps sending me photos of how nice the scenery is, he's enjoying the job I wanted but wife said no!

 

[sae70]

Hi Ben

The chap that I bought Swampy off reported that he had had a similar fault to the one that you are reporting. After replacing the front discs, pads and the master cylinder it turned out to be a worn front wheel bearing that was causing fault! All replaced just 500 miles before I bought her, thank you.

 

[sae70]

Air in the lines would be my guess , bleed them again before trying anything else .

Good call there Shayne, but would more than likely cause spongy brakes, but water contamination of the brake fluid boiling off under breaking possibly.

 

[Ben]

Thanks guys.

Just got in from another 13 hour day.

The auto electrician has worked really hard on LJ today and got a lot of my list of jobs done and to a really high standard.

As he cant work on LJ tomorrow or Sunday I picked her up this evening so I can have a full day working on her tomorrow and hopefully get all the jobs done.

Apart from the brake issue (which I will get to in a minute) she drives absolutely lovely! Fitting the new EFS shocks all round, new OME springs all round, all new tie rod ends, new steering damper, all new trailing arms and radius arm bushes and having brand new tyres has made a huge difference!

Cruising at 60-70mph feels very smooth and stable.

The 8 hour cruise to Adelaide a week today is going to be a very enjoyable trip I'm sure.

OK back to the brake issue.......................

I had a look underneath and theres no noticeable damage/anything out of the ordinary!

No leaking pipes/hoses, brake proportioning valve and arm all look ok, fluid in the reservoir is good, etc.

But I noticed when I got home that theres a clear burning brake smell.

And the rear drums were very hot, certainly too hot to touch. Do they normally get that hot?

I don't actually use the brakes very much as I slow down using the gearbox.

So first job tomorrow is to pull the rear wheels and drums off and see whats happening in there.

Then theres the drawer system, fridge, and all the other interior bits to go back in.

Sand flag to mount on the bull bar.

And all the UJ's to change on the prop shafts.

I'm aiming for an early start as need to be done by 5 at the latest.

 

[Gary820]

Rear brake sticking on maybe? You've moved the brake hose, maybe damaged pipe/hose not allowing fluid to return when pedal released? Over adjusted?

Just trying think along lines of been fine up until the re located hose.

 

[Ben]

Yeah some good ideas, thanks Gary.

As I said previously thats all I did brake wise and it was fine before. So maybe when I bolted the hose to the bracket it has squished the pipe a bit.

Will know more in the morning when I get the wheels off. Fingers crossed its something simple.

Bed time now.

 

[Shayne]

My shout results from a vague recollection of similar feedback from the front brake lever on a bike , i had plenty of spares so just jammed a screwdriver between the calipers and swapped the whole wheel disc an all but the problem persisted , it was air in the line and a bugger to clear i ended up loosening the reservoir allowing it to leak to clear it .