LJ70 Build Thread!

[froggy Steve]

Had me worried there for as long as it took for the photo's to load up! Nice pad I hope you both enjoy it

 

[Chas]

That looks fantastic Ben, did you consider trying to raise the garage door? it's what I had done so I could get the 80 in with the roof tent on. Wishing you and Bec all the best in your new home.

 

[Gary820]

Nice garage mate, house sounds nice too.

 

[clivehorridge]

You had me worried too, after all you and LJ have bee through.

Congrats on the new pad Ben & Becky, life is good when shared with the right other half

 

[Ben]

Thanks guys.

Looked at a few properties before we found this one and found some with amazing garages! 2 that stand out...............1 had a big garage which had its own pit and another one that had a huge garage that must have been about 8 x 10 meters and was more like an agricultural barn than a garage!

But they both had really shitty houses so we had to let them go!

I will have a look at raising the door Chas! Its got a roller door so I guess it will come down to if there is still enough sections on the roller to go to the floor if I raise it up.

I'm feeling pretty happy and content right now!

I believe the 3 most important things for a long happy life are:

1. Good health.
2. Having a job you really enjoy.
3. Having a good partner to enjoy the journey with.

And I've got all 3 at the moment!

 

[Chas]

Is the door one metal sheet that bends as it rolls up or is it slats? if it is one sheet I'm sure you Ben could weld an extension of suitable metal on.

 

[hairyguy4]

Congratulations on the new place, no point living in a poisonous environment, best thing to do moving out and get a fresh start, I say slam your LJ B) I reccon you could get the 37s on with a 2" lift and a healthy chop to the arches, would make it a lot more stable

 

[adrianr]

Congratulations Ben!

 

[Chris]

Screw the house Ben, that garage is freakin' awesome. It's not a garage it's a flamin' hanger! INCREDIBLE.

Well done. Now get to work.

 

[hairyguy4]

Found this video of a 70 running 37s on very little lift and chopped arches, looks very stable and still very capable

 

[Ben]

Thanks guys.

I'm really happy in the new house!

Is the door one metal sheet that bends as it rolls up or is it slats? if it is one sheet I'm sure you Ben could weld an extension of suitable metal on.

Its slats Chas and sadly looking at the height of the wall plates versus the height of the roller door I dont think I can easily raise it!

Congratulations on the new place, no point living in a poisonous environment, best thing to do moving out and get a fresh start, I say slam your LJ B) I reccon you could get the 37s on with a 2" lift and a healthy chop to the arches, would make it a lot more stable

Thanks mate, totally agree! If someone is toxic then I dont want them in my life and they have to go!

I'd love to but I'm committed with the bodylift as all the bar work has been built to suite the bodylift.

Wish I'd never fitted a bodylift TBH, but I dont really want to have to alter all the barwork in order to remove it.

The other thing is I did quite a bit of work on the tube arches and re-spray so I want to atleast get a few years out of the body as it is.

But ultimately, long term I will probably re-shell it and when I do I will just have a small suspension lift and cut the arches till the 37"s fit!

The other option would be to fit a 75/79 series 2 door cab onto my chassis and have a small tray on the back but obviously that wont be as practical for camping and big trips.

 

[Shayne]

Having a garage like that and not being able to get your truck into it must be torture , I would flog the roller shutter door to pay for an up and over door centered to the roofs apex that would probably give you a couple of foot extra height and the frame would support the roof no bother . Don't tell Ben though coz I would like to see the 40 body conversion

 

[Ben]

We acquired the last few things we needed for the house on Saturday!

I now feel like a true Aussie as I now own my own BBQ!

As its undercover with lights it will get a lot of use as its much better to cook the meat on the BBQ and have hardly any washing up to do and no cooking smells in the house.







Silly apron mandatory!



One of the other things we picked up is a nice new TV!

We went for a 55" LG 3D Smart TV. My plan is this will be my main computer for everything from facebook, emails, skype, youtube vids etc.



Its awesome being able to view and edit my pics on such a big screen!



OK enough of the new house..............................

Back to 4wd's!

I only managed a day and a half on the Jimny project as I had 2 project Vitara's to do first.

We got 2 Vitara's in very cheap, almost scrap value and we were going to strip them for parts, but on closer inspection they really wernt that rough.

So we chose to fix them and sell them on. In total I used a bonnet, grill 2 x bumpers a wing/gaurd and some tins of paint, oh and a fair bit of polish!

Sadly no before pics, but this is how they came up after a few days work.







I removed the wheels, masked the tyres and cleaned, primed and painted the wheels.



Once that was done I was back onto the Jimny project.



I needed to remove this cross member as it was in the way of the prop shaft.





But first I needed to add a cross member under the transferbox to add some strength back to the chassis.



I'd cut the original one out as it was in the wrong place.



I needed the new one to pick up the rubber mount.





I cut some 75mm x 50mm angle.



I needed to extend it slightly.



I left a gap to ensure full root penetration and strength.



TIG welded it together.







I wanted the cross-member to be bolt in like the original to make future removal of the gearbox easy.

So I cut and drilled some thick walled 50mm angle.





Tack welded it all together.





On full droop the front prop shaft has enough clearance.





I will reinforce the cross member when I strip everything down for the final weld up, but for now its done.



Next I could strip the old back axle out and cut the cross member out.













I will be using a shaved Vitara rear axle and I already had one that I'd cut the bottom off.





I bolted a diff in.



Cut the cross member and panhard rod mount off the chassis.





Positioned the axle in place.



I measured up for the bottom links.



Cut and notched some 50mm tube.





I didnt have any tube with the correct internal dimension for the bushes I wanted to use.





I pressed the bushes out of the old arms.





I then had some bush-less old vitara bottom links and my new ones.





I cut the ends off the old links and cleaned them up ready for welding.



I then TIG welded the ends onto my new bottom links.







I cut the old spring perches off the axle.





I pressed some bushes into the new links.



I could then bolt the bottom links and axle in place.







As Ive moved the rear axle back by about 150mm the cross member and old spring perches needed removing. I also wanted to bobtail the chassis slightly.





I bobtailed the chassis first.



Awesome departure angle now!



Cross-member next.



And spring perches.





I cut some 3mm steel on the guilitine and drilled a center hole in each.



Tacked and bent some 20mm flat around it.





Welded an M8 bolt in the center of each.



Tack welded them to the axle.







80 series bump stops next.



A bit of masking tape to keep the nut in the socket worked well.











I cut and tacked together some 75mm x 50mm box together with some pieces of tube for the rubber spring seats to slip over.









The chassis rails sprang in when I cut the cross member out so I got a high lift jack out of the show room to jack them back apart while I tacked the spring mount section on.











My next job needs to be to add the top 2 links for the rear axle as it will be a 4 link setup with no panhard rod.

I also got a bit of work done on LJ after work last week. One of the auto electricians is helping me get a couple of electrical things working which haven't been working since the new engine went in, such as the oil pressure gauge, low oil warning light and the 2 turbo lights.





The wiring diagrams in the factory service manuals have proven invaluable!

 

[Ben]

Having a garage like that and not being able to get your truck into it must be torture , I would flog the roller shutter door to pay for an up and over door centered to the roofs apex that would probably give you a couple of foot extra height and the frame would support the roof no bother . Don't tell Ben though coz I would like to see the 40 body conversion

Its actually quite nice having the garage empty and having room to work!

I'm going to make a metal work/welding bench over the next few weeks.

 

[Craigmorley]

Hey Ben just quick one is it a job to change the cv joints on the lj70 as mine is knocking real bad now also how would I no what ratio my rear diff is? Many thanks Craig

 

[Craigmorley]

And also what spline count are they? 30?? All new to me I'm ready to order rear locker but unsure which one...

 

[Craigmorley]

Also are the side bearings 50mm or 45mm ? Thanks

 

[Ben]

Hi Craig,

The actual CV's arnt too hard to change, but actually getting to them and then rebuilding it all afterwards is! If your going to do it I'd recommend doing a complete front end rebuild while your at it, so new Koyo wheel bearings, kingpin bearings, genuine inner and outer seals, and possibly new felt/rubbers on the swivel balls depending on their condition.

It will be a big job but if done properly and using decent parts it shouldnt need doing for a good few years.

That said my CV's have been clicking on full lock when in 4wd for years now and are still going strong, and you know the abuse I give LJ at times!

Your bearings will be 45mm and so will need changing to 50mm to fit a front locker.


Cant remember what spline count the shafts/axles are but I'm sure one of the other guys on here will.

Regarding diff ratios, do you use Toyodiy?

If you put your chassis number in on there, select your car when it comes up then go to the diff section and find the ring
and pinion (diff gears) and click on it it will come up with the ratio and part number.

If you cant do that PM me your chassis number and I will check for you.

 

[Craigmorley]

Ok thanks for your reply mate I'll send you the chassis number tomorrow
Ive never done front axle service before but I'll have a go lol
also if I put a rear locker in is the bearing 45mm as the same as the front??
Thanks

 

[Ben]

Update time guys..........................

My first job on the project was to add the top links/A arm.



I decided to make it bolt on to the diff as per the original Vitara setup.



This is what the standard Vitara setup looks like which incorporates a ball joint.





Wanting maximum articulation on this build I wanted to use a rose joint.



I decided that the one I picked up was no where near big enough so I got 2 bigger ones.



Cut a piece of cardboard to the shape and size of the plate that I would need to make to mount to the diff.



Used some punches to push through and mark the bolt holes.





Cut a piece of 10mm thick steel.



Decided to use the biggest rose joint I had picked up.





But this had a 30mm hole in it and obviously I wouldn't be using a bolt that big to mount it.

So I picked up an M30 bolt.







Roughly cut the head off.



I could then put it in the Brobo saw and cut it to length with nice square cuts on each end.





I then put it in the lathe and put a 16mm hole through the center.



I cut some tube to use as misalignment spacers, these would ensure I would get maximum movement out of the joint.



So the machined M30 bolt section goes in first, then the tube spacers on each side, with the an M16 mounting bolt through the middle.









Bolted the 10mm plate onto the diff.



I went for allen key headed bolts as space was very limited for the big rose joint.





I cut some 8mm thick steel for the sides of the rose joint mount and clamped it all together to check I would indeed get full movement out of the joint with the misalignment spacers and that the whole lot would fit between the allen key headed bolts on top of the diff.





So with the misalignment spacers installed the joint reaches its maximum movement before it hits the sides of the mounting bracket.



Cut and drilled the sides.



I ground down the 8mm steel to ensure maximum root penetration to ensure a very strong weld.





Joint bolted in place and ready to be tack welded onto the plate.









I chose to TIG it of course.



And set the amps nice and high.



















I tried not to put too much weld around where the bolts go as space was tight.



Sadly I did get a little bit of distortion from the shear amount of heat I put into it when welding.

But I was able to use the press to straighten it quite easily while it was still hot.





Cooled and bolted in place.





Bolts just cleared!







I could then work out the design of my A arm and I decided the easiest way to do this would be to mark it out on the bench.







Notched some tube.



Tacked it all together.













I pushed the bushes out of some old standard Vitara bottom links.



Cut the ends off and cleaned them up ready for welding.



Used a plumb bob to get the chassis and axle properly aligned, so I could accurately measure the length of my A frame.





Notched the ends at the correct length.









I clamped the A frame to a piece of nice thick angle to ensure I welded the ends on perfectly straight.





I welded the ends on and then fully TIG welded the whole A frame.







I cleaned the paint off the chassis where the A frame mounts will need to be.





Cut and bent some 3mm reinforcing plates which will be welded to the chassis.



They will have some nice big holes put in them with a hole saw to ensure I can get them fully welded to the chassis.



Pressed the old bushes back in the A frame. (new bushes have been ordered and will be fitted on the final assembly after its all been stripped down for fully welding and powder-coating)



Bolted the A frame in place.









To get the plates further forward I shaped the end to fit the existing chassis reinforcing plates.









Next job was to look at mounting the ends of the A frame to the chassis.





Mocked up some mounts in cardboard.









And that was as far as I got.

I told my boss that I'm going to need the seats for this project before I can design and build the roll cage. As my plan is to drawer it all out on the floor to scale in chalk.

So we went shopping to a factory where they import fast Japanese cars and strip them for parts. So all Fast and the Furious type cars such as Skylines, S2000's, FTO's, Celicas, 350Z's etc.

We picked up a set of seats out of a Mitsubishi FTO for a very reasonable price and we might get them re-trimmed in a nice waterproof material at our local boat re-upholstery place.





I cant wait to get the suspension finished and see how well it flexes with the forklift!

With Frankenzuke I was able to get a rear wheel on top of a 44 gallon oil drum and have all 3 wheels still on the ground. Well that was with a near standard setup with no real chassis modifications.

Where as this has got a longer wheel base and with the way I've designed the rear suspension and length of the links I'm hoping for really awesome articulation!

I did also have to do some work for customers this week.

I had to fit an oil catch can to my old house mates 80 series. Because hes running a ridiculous amount of boost (25psi) he keeps blowing hoses and belts and now hes found the engine breather tube is filling the air filter full of oil!

Just what you want in a vehicle built as an overlanding/ big distance tourer for remote travel!

The 80.



This was the oil catch can.





I designed and made a bracket out of 3mm steel, TIG welded it together and then got it electro-plated.





Space was pretty tight in the crowded engine bay and the only real place it could go was off the shock turret.





I got the top bolt in easy enough after removing the air box and drilling through a bracket.



But I had to unbolt the top of the shock and ratchet strap it down out of the way to get the other one in.







I could then mount the can and cut and attach the hose(s).







I also designed and built a load barrier for the rear and had it powder coated.







So that he can store things above the fridge and 30 second kitchen.









I also designed and started building a few other things but as they wont be finished till Monday I will post the pics next time as they will make more sense seeing the finished product.

I did make a start making the new metal work/mechanic bench for my garage!

This will be a bench for life and I want it to be very very strong!

I selected some really thick walled 50mm box and cut it to length on the Brobo saw and ground the primer off ready for welding.







I prepared the joints to ensure maximum root penetration and strength.



I chose to TIG weld the whole thing. Now TIG isnt really the right type of welding for this application, MIG is. But as time isnt really an issue and I want to get practice in on my TIG I decided to TIG it. It would also mean I would end up with every weld being beautiful, neat, super strong and no splatter to clean off.



With the square frame welded I could weld the legs on.



I actually found it more difficult to do it with TIG in terms of distortion from the heat of welding than I would have with MIG. With MIG I can weld it the side I need it to pull over/towards first and the metal will beautifully move in that direction but with TIG this didnt seem to be the case so I had to do a bit of welding then use a hammer to make the leg square in both direction before doing some more welding.



Legs done.



As this bench will have my big Record vice bolted to it I want to be able to bolt it down to the ground so I can really hammer and lever stuff in the vice when the need arises.

So I cut and drilled some metal for the feet.



I allowed 5mm all the way for weld and wanted the hole to still be centered.









I wanted to keep the bench open underneath so that I can sit on a stool and TIG weld and also to make it easier to clean underneath/around it. So I decided to just add rails on the 2 short sides to add some more strength.





I ordered a piece of 10mm thick steel for the top and picked it up in the 60 series.

I went for 10mm so that I hopefully dont get any distortion when welding on it with all the heat. It will also be nice and strong.



I laid the steel on a hop up.



And marked 75mm in on all the corners.

When I designed and built my big workbench in my welding bay at work I decided to have a 50mm overhang, but I've since realised this isnt always enough for clamping stuff in place.

So on my bench I've gone for a 75mm overhang and as my bench will be in the middle of the room/garage, I've gone for a 75mm overhang all the way around.



I then sat the upside down bench frame on the top and clamped it in place.



As I'm obviously going to have to move it a few times over the next few years before I eventually build my dream house with massive workshop, I want the top to be bolt on.

So I cut and drilled 4 pieces of 50mm flat.



Clamped them in place.



Drilled through and then put some rivnuts into the bench frame.



And bolted the pieces of flat in position.



The next job will be to weld the flat to the bench top and then separate the bench top from its frame.

The frame will then go for powder coating.

And that was my week at work!

I'm planning some more work on LJ soon. While sorting through all of LJ's spares and putting them in the shed I found a spare rear panhard rod.

So I'm thinking I will cut and modify it to be an adjustable one. Will probably sleeve it and make it much stronger at the same time. I can then get the rear axle properly centered and replace the badly worn trailing arm bushes.

I also need to design and make some proper rear spring mounts/adapters.

I'm also toying with the idea of dropping the suspension down a bit.