LJ70 Build Thread!

[clivehorridge]

Thanks guys.

Sorry still havent had chance for an update.

In sunny Portugal at the moment having an amazing holiday!

Off jet skiing today in the Mediterranean!

Here a few pics/trip report from last weekends 4wd trip to keep you going.

http://www.bits4vits.co.uk/store/shropshire-lanes-with-ben-from-oz-26/07/15/blog_316.html

Nice vids there Ben, thanks for sharing. Enjoy Portugal mate, not been to Portugal proper, but had a great time in the Algarve some years ago.

Lots of water skiing and freshly caught fish on a beach BBQ springs to mind, along with plenty of the "3S's"... happy days.

BTW, 38C here and rising... don't get fried mate

 

[Ben]

Thanks Clive. Having a great time mate!

I've seen lots of Suzuki 4wd's, a few old Patrols and a stunning black G Wagon, but not any LandCruisers, just a few prados!

Just got back to the marina from jet skiing and spotted a rare KZJ74 in the carpark! It was the square headlight coil sprung version with the FRP roof and internal roll cage!

I think one of those would be perfect! Still a resonantly short wheel base but a bit longer so more stable than LJ and being able to remove the roof and fold the screen down would be cool! [emoji41]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ben]

Aircon From Wales

OK I've finally found some time for an update!

I went to Iwan's in Wales to pick up a set of clocks and a few other bits and pieces and when I got there he asked if I still wanted to fit aircon to LJ as he didn't want it in his latest project.

Something completely unexpected but such an amazing opportunity to get these bits I jumped at the chance and I'm stoked I'm going home with them!

The condenser and pipe work would have been virtually impossible to find in OZ!

His latest project, using a Jap import shell had aircon fitted, something UK models never got.

So I got heaps of pics to remind me where everything goes.













The one thing I need to source back in OZ is a 1KZ-T aircon pump and mounting bracket which shouldn't be too hard to find given the fact that engine was fitted to the Hi-lux and 90 and 120 series Prado's.

These 2 pipes will hopefully bolt straight onto the pump.



We unbolted everything as carefully as possible.

It was actually really tricky to get some of the fittings undone where there is steel nuts on alluminium threads, but we managed and hopefully havent damaged anything.



This square box section fits up under the dash and replaces a section of ducting on models without aircon. I also grabbed a little electrical control unit and wiring and I'm hoping everything will plug into my loom.





I also picked up a small piece of felt trim which covers the A pillar as I was missing one since the new roof went on.







I also got a few other bits and pieces including the aircon/heater controller for inside the cab. An oil pressure gauge to hopefully finally get mine working and some anti roll bar mounts as I want to try putting an ARB back on LJ but couldn't find the chassis mounts.







Huge thanks to Ewan for letting me come over and spend a few hours with him talking and playing with LandCruisers and for selling me a few bits for LJ.

I just need to try and squeeze everything in our suitcases now. When I get back I will drop the bits off at my aircon guy and get everything pressure tested. Then I will fit everything and take LJ to him for him to fill it with gas and get it working.

Cant wait for icy cold con in LJ, something that will be used a lot when we make the big move up to Queensland!

 

[clivehorridge]

That was a lucky break Ben, but I've no idea how you're going to get it back to OZ safely! Anyway, it won't hurt to try.

I carried a Petrol lawn mower from the UK to Romania once, it was in its original box unopened, so there were plenty of stickers saying "no fuel" and "no oil" which helped, I think.

All in good order on arrival, but the box had suffered from the ground crew handlers.

Good luck matey

 

[Ben]

Shropshire Green Laning Trip.

I'm really not impressed with my new camera and sadly most of the pics from this trip didnt come out very good at all.

I've been using an Iphone 6 this week for my holiday in Portugal and have been getting some awesome pics. I think my cameras days are numbered and I will just use an Iphone.

OK pics...................































The Hi-lux did amazingly well even on all terrains and didnt get stuck once!

It did need a side step levering back slightly after an altercation with a rock step though.











































































Was a great day and was awesome to be out with my old Suzuki mates who I hadnt seen for 2.5 years!

Was also great to be out 4wding with Nelson again in a mighty Toyota!

 

[Ben]

That was a lucky break Ben, but I've no idea how you're going to get it back to OZ safely! Anyway, it won't hurt to try.

I carried a Petrol lawn mower from the UK to Romania once, it was in its original box unopened, so there were plenty of stickers saying "no fuel" and "no oil" which helped, I think.

All in good order on arrival, but the box had suffered from the ground crew handlers.

Good luck matey

Thanks mate.

I looked into posting it but the prices were ridiculous!

Non of it is particularly heavy and we have a 30kg limit each on our suitcases.

So the plan is to have the condenser and pipe work in the center of one case, wrapped in clothes and the other big square box in the other.

Luckily Bec hasnt bought too much on this trip so we will get it all in our 2 cases hopefully.

 

[Craigmorley]

I've just sold air con pump and pulley and mounting bracket with bolts... Also I've got the anti roll bar bolts ur missing?? How long u in wales for?

 

[Beau]

Be sure to change the seals in the air con system when putting it back in. Once those seals are out they never really seal back too well.

If I was in England, I would have sorted you out with the Aircon Pump, I believe I have two laying about somewhere...

 

[Ben]

Bugger missed out twice!

Thanks anyway guys.

It wont be hard to find one in OZ though, hopefully.

I've got the bolts for the anti roll bar Craig, it was the 2 brackets that bolt to the chassis that I couldn't find at home, so picked some up off Ewan.

I took the anti roll bar off as soon as I got LJ, but now I'm using LJ more for touring and camping trips (or at least I'm hoping to when I get some time) I was thinking of putting it back on to improve the road manners.

I've got 2 anti roll bars so I'm thinking of modifying one to make it a quick disconnect one, maybe similar to how the Suzuki guys do the Jimny ones.

 

[Craigmorley]

Ok Ben so uve got all anti roll bar bits u need yeah??

have u got ur turbo lights working yet?? Are they on the 2.4 boost sensor in the passenger inner wing where there's a vacuum pipe coming from??

 

[Ben]

Yes got all the ARB bits now thanks Craig.

At the airport now waiting to fly home. Bec and I ended up buying another 3 suitcases in order to get everything back! [emoji54]

The aircon pipes were much longer than I thought so I needed the largest case I could get!

No still haven't got the turbo lights working.

I've not seen anything on mine on the passenger side inner wing, apart from the 4wd solenoids which do have vacuum pipes coming from them. [emoji3]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Craigmorley]

Hmm u cnt see the sensors I've just t'd that vacuum pipe in to the inlet vacuum pipes if u want I'll try and trace the wires to see where they pug in to on the loom

there should be I squarish hole cut out on passenger inner wing, there's an earth lead bolted to the body next to that hole by a 10mm bolt undo that and there's also a 12mm bolt next to it in bolt that aswel then inside that hole there'll be two sensors on the bracket which is held on by them two bolts that's the turbo sensors hopefully urs is the same and it's a k reg too lol

 

[Iwan]

Yo Ben.. just got back from my excellent 9 day trip wild camping and trying out some pretty extreme mountain tracks

Really pleased to have helped you out with the bits you needed. Suprised that you needed 3 more cases!!

I received your pics of Nelson s d4d pipe.. Pretty sure it's here somewhere. Also will sort the white lj's glove box lid for you.

All the best mate

 

[Ben]

Hmm u cnt see the sensors I've just t'd that vacuum pipe in to the inlet vacuum pipes if u want I'll try and trace the wires to see where they pug in to on the loom

there should be I squarish hole cut out on passenger inner wing, there's an earth lead bolted to the body next to that hole by a 10mm bolt undo that and there's also a 12mm bolt next to it in bolt that aswel then inside that hole there'll be two sensors on the bracket which is held on by them two bolts that's the turbo sensors hopefully urs is the same and it's a k reg too lol

Sorry mate, just realised I got the passenger and driver side mixed up when I mentioned the 4WD solenoid.

Very interesting................

Yes if you could trace the wires that would be great!

I will have a look in my inner wing and see if theres an obvious reason why my turbo lights arnt lighting up with boost.

Yo Ben.. just got back from my excellent 9 day trip wild camping and trying out some pretty extreme mountain tracks

Really pleased to have helped you out with the bits you needed. Suprised that you needed 3 more cases!!

I received your pics of Nelson s d4d pipe.. Pretty sure it's here somewhere. Also will sort the white lj's glove box lid for you.

All the best mate

Awesome!

Will you be putting some pics up?

Thanks mate, I'm made up with all the aircon bits!

The square box that goes under the dash only just fitted in my suitcase, then the condenser went in Bec's case wrapped in clothes.

The trouble was with the air con pipes as they were just too long.

Thankfully this suitcase was just big enough for the pipes to fit diagonally.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4044529.htm

Great thanks mate.

 

[Ben]

LJ Aircon & Future Work.

I got the 70 series parts home safely.



I will take the aircon bits to my aircon guy when I'm back at work and get him to pressure test everything and pick up some new O rings from him for all the joints I've un-done.





I've got an intact oil pressure gauge for my auto electrician to fit into my instrument cluster.



I've got a huge amount of work to do on LJ now.

I need to:

Aux Fuel Tank.

-Mount the fuel pump and filter.
-Mount the fuel gauge, switch for the pump and wire it all up.
-Make and fit side panels each side of the fuel tank behind the front seats.

Aircon Install.

-Pressure test all the parts and fit them. In order to do this I need to re-route the power steering pipes and the power cables to the winch.
-Source a 1KZ-T aircon pump, mounting bracket and belt.
-Fit the control unit into the dash and wire everything up (fingers crossed everything plugs into my loom, and hopefully I can work out which wires go to the aircon pump on the engine.)
-Take LJ to my aircon guy and get him to fill it with gas and get it all working.

Brakes.

-Upgrading the front brakes to bigger, vented discs and bigger calipers.

While in Wales at Iwan's, I spotted an LJ70 front axle with much bigger calipers and vented discs.

I then learned from Iwan that later Hi-lux brake calipers bolt straight onto the LJ hubs with a slight trimming of the backing plates/dust guards and KZJ70 vented discs bolt on and work with the calipers.

Then I remembered I have some virtually brand new calipers from the 4-Runner I bought for the engine all those years ago. The previous owner bought them from Milners and they weren't cheap. I've moved house with them 4 times and brought them half way round the world believing they would one day come in.



The pads are much further apart to account for the vented discs.



Than the standard LJ calipers.



A bit of searching on Toyodiy using their awesome reverse search function I discovered that KZJ70 front discs are the same discs as fitted to the 75 series which is obviously quite common down here meaning the discs can be picked up very cheaply.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/FRONT-DI...BJ75R-FJ75R-/251705131551?hash=item3a9acb821f

-Rear disc brake conversion, hopefully using Trooper/Jackaroo rear calipers as discussed earlier in this thread.

-Change all the rubber brake hoses for braided stainless steel ones which should help improve braking efficiency.

-I may need to upgrade the master cylinder?

Leaks.

-Pull rear diff center out and fix the air leak in the rear diff lock.
-Replace leaking rear half shaft seal and leaking transfercase seal.

Anti Roll Bar.

-Modify and fit an ARB to hopefully improve road manners but so that it can easily be disconnected for off road fun.

I also need to source a replacement 35" KM2.

So lots of work to get done over the next 6 months.

 

[Iwan]

Good to see all arrived safely Ben.

Thats a good bit of luck having the callipers. They're the same ones that I was showing you on the axle still on the chassis when you came over. So you're well setup for the front brake upgrade. Also those callipers fit straight onto a 60 series.

 

[Ben]

Thanks mate.

Despite suffering from the worst jetlag I've ever experienced I got out and did some work on LJ today.

I started stripping the dash board to see if my loom had the spare connections for the aircon.





With the glove box removed I found the correct connecter hanging perfectly in position.





I could then plug the new aircon control box in ready to connect to the aircon cooler box.



I then removed the heater control unit to check if my loom had the extra wires going to the connecter block for the aircon switch.





The extra wires were in the connecter!



So I fitted the new heater control which has the aircon switch built in to it.





Next I decided to remove the dash pod ready to fit the new aux fuel tank gauge.





Removed the top.



Took plenty of pics of which wires go where.





I removed the alluminium fascia ready to drill a 52mm hole where the Piranha sticker is for the gauge.



Back at work tomorrow and I'm hoping to get the alluminium drilled after work. I'm also hoping to call in at the aircon place to get all the aircon bits pressure tested.

 

[Craigmorley]

I see how it is lol jet lag cudnt keep u away from lj haha good on ya
glad all the plugs are already there Ben makes it that little but easier for you

 

[Ben]

Thanks mate.

I'm just hoping I can find the connector/wires in the engine bay that go to the aircon pump.

 

[Firewout]

hey Ben,
It will be there. It's just one wire with a round grey connector. I also found it in my HZJ75.