LJ70 Build Thread!

[Chas]

Me too, after all those others struggling I thought right, now here's our Ben showing them the way.

 

[Marius De Kock]

Wonderful trip report Ben. Thanks

 

[Maverick]

I love this picture as it looks like you are driving matchbox 4x4's .... Those trees are therefore *very* tall !!

 

[Chris Green90]

Kind of reminds me of what table legs look like when I used to play with my hotwheels

 

[Paddler Ed]

Interesting with the no-knots on the trees; I'd not thought of doing that with a strap, it's a trick that I use when canoeing/kayaking as an easy way to tie a boat up/set up a rescue rig.

With the part where they were pulling the strap round the tree, the other option would have been to no-knot it onto the tree, and then do what's called a vector pull on the tensioned line; 1m of pull there gives much more pull horizontally as you're pulling at 90* to the conventional line, and it'll often make things move just enough.

Looks a good trip!

The little Zook doesn't surprise me, it probably floated over everything!

 

[Ben]

Thanks guys.

I so hoped you went straight to the top of that first climb! Next time.

I should have but I had been crawling everywhere at minimum throttle where others had been wheel spinning and sliding all over the place. So when it came to the climb I thought I would carry on crawling my way along. What I should have done was give it more right foot from the bottom and get some momentum up.

Once they winched me up and over that one water run off ditch/hump I managed to drive the rest.

I think if I'd had the front locker I would have got up from where I was.

Oh well next time!

Just about to start the trip report for the Telangi trip with the Suzuki club.

 

[AndyCook]

mudtastic!

thanks for sharing - amazing it took 4hrs to get the group up one hill

 

[Ben]

I met Mike the 80 owner on the Saturday trip. Talking to him on Saturday he was telling me hes also got a Suzuki Vitara that is his off road toy. I told him that I had 5 previous to my cruiser and that they were heavily modified.

Anyway.......................He invited me out with him and the Suzuki club the very next day to Telangi State Forest.

8am I arrived at his and we set off. We stopped at a bakery to buy lunch.

My ride for the day.



We drove to Telangi and waited for the others.

A beautiful Sierra turned up running 35" BFG Krawler tyres.

Followed by another chap in a stock standard white Sierra.



Another Vitara turned up.



We aired down and hit the tracks.

We passed a beautiful 40 series.



What amazed me was how much Telangi had changed! Last time the tracks were hard and dusty, but this time after a weeks rain they were slick, and muddy with plenty of water filled ruts!

We stopped at the bottom of one of the steep hill climbs to choose a line.



The guy with the beautiful original white Sierra left his truck at the forest carpark and jumped in the green beast.







The green Sierra picked a difficult line and after sitting there with all 4 wheels slowly turning (lockers and crawler gears), decided to try a different route up the hill.











The other Vit next, who also picked an easier but still tough line.







Mikes Vit next.



With the locked rear end and the front air locker engaged and loads of right foot he flew up.











When we got to the next section a Patrol had just been snatch recovered out of the water filled
ruts.

All the Zukes made it through without issue!









Next we headed up and down some crazily muddy and slippery hills. With the thick, greasy clay being as slippery as it was we were merely passengers for a lot of it. Great fun! but not something I would want to risk doing in an expensive truck.

At the top of one climb we spotted a stuck Disco trying to winch himself up.











I helped with rigging his winch line to different trees so he could get up the hill.













And finally up.



We stopped for lunch and I admired the green Sierra! The thing just screams FUN!



A nice 70 tray back drove past and stopped to help a mate out whos patrol was having engine problems.





He left his door open and I spotted an internal roll cage, so I went over and spoke to the guy about it and got a closer look. It doesnt actually take up as much room in the cab as I thought it might.
Definitely something I want for mine.

One thing I did notice was that his wasnt bolted to the chassis, something I thought was meant to be done. The guy said that because the body and chassis move separately, slightly, you cant bolt through the floor to the chassis.



The next hill descent was crazy!

We waited at the top for a while and then got the OK over the radio to come down.

Then we got a call over the radio to say stop! The other Vit has slipped off the track.







The owner (feel bad I cant remember anyones names.) Didn't feel confident in being able to safely move the Vit and get down the hill safely.

I dont blame him. It might not look bad in the pics but seriously the ground was so slippy it was difficult to walk on and stay upright. It was like ice!



So Mr green Sierra jumped in and managed to back it up and spin it round beautifully.



I wish I'd got a video of the next bit because it looked insane! He edged slowly towards the edge then voooommmm he was off! He slid for maybe 50-60 meters with absolutely no traction bouncing up and over the bumpy terrain trying to steer the thing straight.

It looked mad!

Certainly the most insane bit of 4wding I've seen for a long time.

Our turn next!



It was equally as mad and I dont think I stopped smiling and laughing until the bottom of the hill. Watching Mike having to quickly steer lock to lock trying to correct the truck sliding all over the place and keep the thing straight was awesome to watch.

We stopped for a bit at the bottom and another group of 4wd's turned up and one of the guys attempted to drive up it and failed.





Mr green Sierra decided to have a go and I asked if I could jump in. It was so much fun being in the Sierra as it bounced, slid and clawed its was up this crazily steep, ice rink of a hill.

Next Mike wanted to have a go in his Vit, which was also incredible fun!

We managed to get up to where the Vit slid off the track, and then backed back down. Reaching that point proved we would be able to get to the top if we so wished, as the bottom section was the steepest.

Then Mike asked if I wanted a go and he would film it.

So I explained I would love to but what happens if I roll it, or hit a tree or break something.

He said mate dont worry about it. If you roll it or hit a tree it will give me an excuse to trayback it. And if it breaks dont worry, its just a toy thats what its for!

So flat out in 1st, 2nd and 3rd low, with both axles fully locked and the crawler gears working hard, I screamed my way up the hill. The needle was bouncing off the rev limiter at times as I tried my hardest to get up the hill.

Great fun!

Now I was driving it hard, but that was how Mike had been driving it, so I wasnt being too rough.

I got up and backed back down. When I reached the bottom I tried moving forward on full lock when there was an almighty BANG!!!

The Vit's weakest link is always the front CV's, and that was what I had just blown.





I backed down the track.



We then removed the broken piece of shaft to prevent it jumping out and jamming the steering.



Mike examining the broken CV.



I felt bad but he wasnt bothered and said he was waiting for that one to break. Hes having some custom made front shafts built which should be ready anyday now.

When we got back to his he showed me a few bits on his beautiful 80.

More LED self adhesive lighting strips under the bonnet, switched on by a little spring switch when you open the bonnet.



He had been telling me about his lline lockers. He was telling me how the handbrake is shit off road and to overcome this he has fitted line lockers.

So when hes off road and needs to winch someone else for example, he can lock all his brakes and be a considerable distance from his truck with his wireless winch remote winching.

On the Saturday tripi when he winched the stuck Patrol out of the bog hole people couldnt understand why he was out of his truck yet it wasnt being dragged towards the Patrol but instead was sat perfectly still pulling the Patrol towards it.

So its a little solenoid that sits in the brake lines.

You put your foot on the brake peddle and hold the peddle where you want it. You then flick a switch and the solenoid locks the brakes at that pressure.





Another mod I spotted and asked him about was his engine oil vapor breather tube, which I noticed had taps on it and extra hoses.

He explained that once he was out 4wding and after trying repeatedly to get up a steep hill, he switched the truck off and it kept running. It over ran.

It was running on the oil vapor which gets blown back into the air intake for cleaner emissions.

So hes fitted a a Y section to split the hose coming off the rocker cover in 2. After the hoses split theyve both got taps on them.

So normally the engine oil vapor just exits out of the new hose and gets blown out under the truck. Meaning his engine isnt running on dirty hot engine oil vapor.

But when he comes to do a deep, potentially bonnet deep river crossing he closes that tap and opens the other tap, so once again the vapor is being shot into his airbox.



He then showed me his water to air intercooler and explained how it works.

There is a small coolant bottle against the passenger side of the bulk head/fire wall. This feeds coolant to the radiator like structure inside the intercooler pipe on top of the engine.

The hot coolant is then pumped to a small radiator behind the front grill next to the drivers side headlight.



His 80 is blowing a bit of black smoke under heavy load so hes taking it to a specialist diesel tuner soon to have it dyno'd, the fuel pump rebuilt, new injectors and then the fueling and boost setup, and then finally it willl go back on the dyno to see how much more power has been gained.

I've mentioned to him that I want an 80 and he was telling me that 24valves fetch almost twice that of a 12valve.

So I may look at importing one, possibly from the UK. Just need to do the maths and work it out.

Next trip is in a few weeks time. A full weekend 4x4ing and camping in the high country again.

But got loads of work to do on LJ before then!

 

[TonyS]

Just superb, Ben. So glad all is going well, weekends look fantastic.

 

[adrianr]

Great trip Ben, looks fab!!

 

[sae70]

 

[AndyCook]

brilliant!

ps only a disco would carry a gallon of engine oil with them!

i met a German chap - Karl Storm - last summer, high up on a trail in the alps in his 80-series. we were looking a his 80 and he showed us his air-water intercooler, similar to that one.

 

[Ben]

Thanks guys.

 

[spackrackman]

Ben, is that slim active sub you have any good? My 70 is lacking any bass what so ever

 

[Ben]

Hey Johnie,

yeah works well mate. Not as much as bass as a full size sub box with 12" sub, but easily enough for my little 70.

How you getting on with the red one?

I saw you had it at Lincomb. Is it back on the road or did you trailer it there?

The building work at your house is coming on well I see. Barns getting renovated and huge hole been dug.

How much dirt has been shifted? You hit rock yet?

 

[tonytoyota]

Hi Ben looking good day out good to play with the big boys and Simon Toyota call me to day and he said hi from tonytoyota

 

[spackrackman]

Hey Johnie,

yeah works well mate. Not as much as bass as a full size sub box with 12" sub, but easily enough for my little 70.

How you getting on with the red one?

I saw you had it at Lincomb. Is it back on the road or did you trailer it there?

The building work at your house is coming on well I see. Barns getting renovated and huge hole been dug.

How much dirt has been shifted? You hit rock yet?

The red one is great and now my daily driver. I am finding it a little small, the boot is non existant. All welded up and rust free pretty much. Quicker than I thought it would be, handling with the old tires from the 55 I imported is pretty random people must think I am drunk who are following me over 50. A problem i am having is if its parked on a hill nose up it does not start, must be air being drawn into the line, makes for a smokey startup in the morning. Need some bass and I will be happy. Running it on 60/40 cooking oil and its even cheaper at costco than when I was running my jeep on it. I am about 40% into the digging and yes I have hit rock.. lots.. it will be breaker time soon. if you type the hutts farm build into youtube there is a low quality video of about a week ago.

Good offroading right up. Sold my camping trailer to a land rover chap and the sharan is on ebay. My hot rod is finally in a container from California and I am off to South a
America next month Snowbording. So all good!
see you in OZ pal. keep an eye out for any toyota bargins.. still want a very early land cruiser.. Keep an eye out while I still have some money left

Jonnie

 

[Ben]

If everything goes to plan, which I really hope it does.

Will have some very very exciting news in a few weeks time.

Hi Ben looking good day out good to play with the big boys and Simon Toyota call me to day and he said hi from tonytoyota

Thanks Tony, was a great day.

Thats nice of him. I emailed him the other day because some of the part numbers from Toyodiy had been superseded but the system in the Toyota dealership here doesn't cover imports and doesn't show the new part numbers.

He was very helpful as always.

The red one is great and now my daily driver. I am finding it a little small, the boot is non existant. All welded up and rust free pretty much. Quicker than I thought it would be, handling with the old tires from the 55 I imported is pretty random people must think I am drunk who are following me over 50. A problem i am having is if its parked on a hill nose up it does not start, must be air being drawn into the line, makes for a smokey startup in the morning. Need some bass and I will be happy. Running it on 60/40 cooking oil and its even cheaper at costco than when I was running my jeep on it. I am about 40% into the digging and yes I have hit rock.. lots.. it will be breaker time soon. if you type the hutts farm build into youtube there is a low quality video of about a week ago.

Good offroading right up. Sold my camping trailer to a land rover chap and the sharan is on ebay. My hot rod is finally in a container from California and I am off to South a
America next month Snowbording. So all good!
see you in OZ pal. keep an eye out for any toyota bargins.. still want a very early land cruiser.. Keep an eye out while I still have some money left

Jonnie

Awesome!

 

[Paddler Ed]

If everything goes to plan, which I really hope it does.

Will have some very very exciting news in a few weeks time.

Good Luck!

The waiting part is the worst bit...

This time in 2 weeks I will be wading my way through Aussie customs with 2 big 100L kit bags and a bike box... cleaned everything with Jeyes' fluid that might be a quarantine problem.

 

[Ben]

Thanks Ed.

Update time!

I've been in touch with Chris recently from FNB (hes the guy who has been helping Tony with Betsy and Scott with his 105.)

The reason I've been speaking with Chris is about my suspension which really needs changing. Chris wanted some measurements and pics to confirm what Westcoast supplied, as the receipt didn't have the information we needed on it.

The first job was to get all the mud from Bunyip Forest washed off LJ.

So early one morning before work last week I got LJ round to the workshop ready to be cleaned.





The drivers side rear mud flap was torn and hanging off, but more on that later.





Halfway through the wash the pressure wash stopped working.



When I walked into the workshop I found black smoke billowing from the pressure washer.

I unplugged it and dragged it outside and emptied half a fire extinguisher over it. After lifting the cover off it was clear which bit had been on fire.







Melted the cover a bit.



My boss wasnt too impressed, but he understood it could have just as easily have happened to him.

So that night I made a start. The plan was to change all the tyres and put the 35"s back on and while changing the tyres I'd get the pics and measurements for Chris.

I brought the tyres in with the forklift.





I took a pic of the springs to show what there like when the truck is sat on the ground.







Not wanting to mess around with trolley jacks and axle stands I thought it would be much easier to use the forklift.





A few pics I took to show Chris what the suspension setup looks like.





I decided as the springs were now loose I may aswell take them out to measure and inspect them.





LJ has been leaning more towards the drivers side for some time. On closer inspection of the springs, the spring removed from the drivers side stood 5mm lower than the other side. Not a huge amount I know but obviously not helping the lean.





Another thing that I noticed was that the rubber shoe that fits on the axle below the spring was missing on the drivers side. Again not a huge thickness, maybe another 5mm. So that means the drivers side spring and lack of rubber meant that side was 10mm lower.





Measurements taken I put the 35"s back on.



I have had springs pop out when flexing off road before, and they never seem to re-seat them selves properly after the suspension articulates even if the spring doesnt pop out completely.



In fact they proved tricky to get the springs back in properly and the truck lowered back to the ground.









Another problem was getting the little rubber bits to stay on top of the spring properly. In the end I cable tied them on.



I'm thinking of bolting the top of the spring to the chassis like they do on landrovers, so that the spring can dislocate when the truck articulates, but obviously the spring wont fall out and when the chassis and axle move back together the spring seats properly. I was also thinking of making some spring spacers for the back as a temporary option to give me a little bit of lift back and also to stop the spring falling out as easily.

Front next.



Westcoast supplied 4 shock absorbers all the same. This was wrong!

The front ones should have been a different width at the top to fit the chassis mounts. As a consequence and to keep the bushes in the top shock mounts I had to use some big washers and bits of tube to keep them in place.



Took the tyres back out.



Sunday morning I made a start on replacing the destroyed mud flap.

The reason it failed was because I hadnt added any chain to keep it away from the tyres. So the tyre wore a hole through it and then off road it got torn off.

It also broke the weld on my bracket. So the first job was to re-weld the bracket.

Bracket welded, painted and re-fitted.



I cut some more rubber and bolted it on.







I wasnt very happy with all the creases and ripples in the rubber.







I cut, drilled and painted some 20mm x 5mm steel bar and bought some chain from Bunnings. The idea being the steel would help weigh and hopefully pull down the rubber and also stop the chain from pulling through.



Drilled and bolted in place.





Lifted the back end up to make it easier to weld the hooks on.











Decided not to cut the chain to length just yet as I think I may change the mud flaps yet, so for now I've just cable tied the extra chain out of the way.





This is where they will sit for normal road driving.



Then when I go off road I will hook them up higher so there out of the way.











The chain idea with the mud flaps is exactly what Michael has done on his white 80 series cruiser.

I'm going to see how they go, not sure how long they will last.

Another idea I've seen was what the chap with the green Suzuki Sierra (SJ) had done. On his hed got big rear mud flaps that had a garden gate sliding bolt welded to a bracket on the top of them. So they locked firmly in place for when on the road, then when going off road he just removes them completely.

Its important to have mud flaps and flares/arches as thats something the police pick up on over here and obviously I dont want any hassle with them.