Just got started with the money pit

mrjp

TJ Enthusiast
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2020
Messages
105
Location
Southern Nevada
I just picked this up a few weeks ago and thanks to the great resources on this forum I have been able to correct some of the PO`s issues. I`m sure there's much more to come. I have been working on my 69 Landcruiser for the past 30 years so this is a new path.
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As a former FJ40, FJ60 and FJ55 owner, the Jeep will be cheap compared to them! ;)
 
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I just picked this up a few weeks ago and thanks to the great resources on this forum I have been able to correct some of the PO`s issues. I`m sure there's much more to come. I have been working on my 69 Landcruiser for the past 30 years so this is a new path.
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Welcome to the forum. Beautiful rigs.

Tell us more about the landcruiser. It looks to be well cared for.
 
Tell us more about the landcruiser. It looks to be well cared for.

Thanks It's a 69 original F engine, 4 speed (74 w/low 1st gear), ARB's front & back, Power disk brakes front & back, power steering, Holley Sniper EFI, original Toyota PTO winch. My dad bought in 76 as the 3rd owner it had been stolen and striped down but still a runner I got it in 89 and have been driving it and putting it back together since. Its totally rust free been in southern Nevada all it's life. I've done everything but a body off Resto I did have it painted about 5 years ago. Wife calls it my POS. I still use it as a DD and that's why I got the TJ because the wife wanted A/C so now she says I got another POS but with A/C
 
I knew the TJ was going to need some work going in to it which did not bother me. It drove like shit wonder all over the road and bump steer, temp would be fine then spike to the red zone pull over and turn heater on with in a minute or two it would come back down, passenger airbag dash cover had a big dent in it, interior was bad very dirty. But the tires all 5 are 33x12.5 KM3 with 400 miles on them he gave me the receipt. PO said it has a rubicon express 4.5 lift with a 2" body lift with long arm kit. has a sye installed with double card drive shafts front and back. Has 4.56 gearing with a spartan lunch box locker in front and a auburn gear locker in rear. So what I've done so far was to replace the clutch fan, t state and cap, flush and refill with new G5 fluid. That problem is solved. had the alignment done so I knew what the caster was at it gave me a base line. it was at a 1. so I gave the front lower control arms a 1" adjustment. took it for a drive and wow drove much better and no noticeable vibration so I dropped it at the alignment shop I got lifetime adjustments, now I got 7.1 and 6.8 for the caster. Okay now to address the bump steer time to remove the drop pitman arm and go back to a stock arm that should align the track bar and drag link back to a parallel line that's this week end also going to pull a little of the caster adjustment bakery to get them the same around 6.5 then I might give the back a bit of an adjustment. I'm still debating on the back axels shafts (Dana 44) they Both leak a tad I did new seals and bearings but the groove was very slight but I may just bite the bullet and buy a new set of axels. My cheep ass is still thinking speedy sleeve but I'm not sure. I drove it to Vegas today it did fine got it up to 70 on the freeway it slowed down on the grads some the speed odometer is about 20% off but I'll correct that.
 
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I knew the TJ was going to need some work going in to it which did not bother me. It drove like shit wonder all over the road and bump steer, temp would be fine then spike to the red zone pull over and turn heater on with in a minute or two it would come back down, passenger airbag dash cover had a big dent in it, interior was bad very dirty. But the tires all 5 are 33x12.5 KM3 with 400 miles on them he gave me the receipt. PO said it has a rubicon express 4.5 lift with a 2" body lift with long arm kit. has a sye installed with double card drive shafts front and back. Has 4.56 gearing with a spartan lunch box locker in front and a auburn gear locker in rear. So what I've done so far was to replace the clutch fan, t state and cap, flush and refill with new G5 fluid. That problem is solved. had the alignment done so I knew what the caster was at it gave me a base line. it was at a 1. so I gave the front lower control arms a 1" adjustment. took it for a drive and wow drove much better and no noticeable vibration so I dropped it at the alignment shop I got lifetime adjustments, now I got 7.1 and 6.8 for the caster. Okay now to address the bump steer time to remove the drop pitman arm and go back to a stock arm that should align the track bar and drag link back to a parallel line that's this week end also going to pull a little of the caster adjustment bakery to get them the same around 6.5 then I might give the back a bit of an adjustment. I'm still debating on the back axels shafts (Dana 44) they Both leak a tad I did new seals and bearings but the groove was very slight but I may just bite the bullet and buy a new set of axels. My cheep ass is still thinking speedy sleeve but I'm not sure. I drove it to Vegas today it did fine got it up to 70 on the freeway it slowed down on the grads some the speed odometer is about 20% off but I'll correct that.
Nice rigs!

Thought I would mention - on my ‘03 4.0l@119k miles, I just replaced my whole exhaust system and O2 sensors and the grade slow-down has for the most part ceased. If you’ve ever been on I30 east of Dallas, heading east into Rockwell, there is a grade there that is similar to those you find in the western states.
Cats were not plugged, 3 of the O2 sensors looked to be original.
I’ve got a write up on this somewhere on this site, but the above is the jest of it. YMMV 😀
 
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