LJ70 Build Thread!

[clivehorridge]

Thanks Clive.

The little suzuki is hilarious to drive, but certainly not quick! It takes a while to warm up and backfires and bangs quite a bit until its hot.

I will get a couple more pics later, the engine is of particular interest. Suzuki were way ahead of there time and indeed the 4wd world with a few of the clever innovations they did.

Will get some pics and show you what I mean.

I'm not sure what pressure the compressor was set to when I pressure tested the rock sliders, but its a big 1000 litre one and runs the whole factory and workshop and when they were air tight it held the pressure fine for the hour I left it connected.

It took a bit of work to get them pressure tight as after flap wheeling the welds down there were a few tiny pin holes which then needed welding, and then flap wheeling back down.

It took a few attempts but eventually I could stand the ends of the sliders in a bucket of water with no bubbles coming up.

Whenever we fit air tanks to customers cars our auto electricians and mechanics like to have 2 connections on the bottle, one for in and one for out.

It would be easy enough to drill and tap another hole in an empty cylinder though.

I think an old fire extinguisher might work better than a propane bottle because it would be a better shape for mounting under a 4wd.

Cheers Ben,

I'll give that some thought. I'd be interested in the Suzie stuff as a matter of interest.

 

[roundhouse]

Thanks Nigel.



Thanks Andy.

The thing that gets me is the gorilla style tactics that the park authorities are using to close tracks. There is no public consultation AFAIK and no proper signs/gates/bollards put up. They just put logs, boulders and piles of earth in the way and dig huge trenches. The one with the road closed sign was the only sign we saw and even that wasn't fixed down.

I'm not sure technically where one would stand if caught driving these tracks.

I have heard of people who go out with the sole intention of opening up tracks that have been closed. So winching logs and boulders out of the way and driving them.



Thanks Clive.

I think the front locker on LJ is more important than on a longer wheel base vehicle like an 80, because of how often front wheels get lifted in the air. Obviously when I lift a front wheel I'm then relying solely on the rear axle to provide drive and keep me moving forwards.

Front locker is getting sorted. Just about to update the thread.



Thanks.

Power yes, huge difference!

Although I think we might have turned the pump slightly too much as its now smoking quite a bit which was very noticeable at the weekend on all the steep climbs as there was a black cloud behind me.

I'm not sure about fuel yet. At the weekend I used 70 litres of fuel, which was roughly what Michael used in his 80, but the engine on that is pretty tricked up, so maybe not a fair comparison.

I will clock the fuel usage and miles driven on the next trip and post back with the results.



Thanks Monti.



Thanks.

From what I remember the tacho plugged straight on to the loom.

There were a few electrical connectors that were the same on both engines, the tacho being one of them.

Have you looked at the electrical diagrams in the Factory Service Manuals?

Ive looked at the diagrams,
I think perhaps the device that generates the tach signal on the pump is not working.

I understand one wire on the signal generator on the back of the injector pump is supposed to be 12v from the ign switch and the other wire goes out to the tach.

but when connect 12v to one wire I dont get any signal at all from the other wire.

This engine is in a 1995 4Runner that had a 3.0 petrol engine from the factory.

 

[Ben]

Sorry I cant be of more help Roundhouse. Auto electrics arnt my strong point.

 

[Ben]

Well guys today I have been living in Australia for 6 months.

Its gone super quick, it really has!

Thought today would be a good time to give you a quick update on how everything is going.

I'm really enjoying my new life down here and I'm so glad I had the balls to actually do it.

I don't think going through all the hassle and expense of getting a visa, packing everything into a container, flying to the other side of the world where you have no family and only a handful of friends. On your own, and then having to find work and some where to live has been easy. But it certainly hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be.

Obviously I miss my friends and family who I've left behind in the UK, but that is pretty much all I do miss.

Well apart from the gorgeous weather the UK has been having lately.

I'm not sure I will live in Melbourne permanently because frankly its too bloody cold! July was the warmest for 30 years, but it has been very cold at times, certainly too cold here to wear shorts all year round which is one of my goals.

The new job is going really really well. Some days I enjoy it so much I would happily work for free.

I never even considered a career working in the 4wd industry before I came here, but now I love it so much its a path I might choose.

Its funny how a chance meeting on a 4wd trip with Michael could be so life changing. He told me that the company I now work for was looking for a welder fabricator/mechanic. After going for an interview, doing a trial day and landing the job, I told him I would need to find some where to live. He then offered me his spare room, and so here I am living with him and his fiance Jessie. There both great people and I love living here with them. Especially as its rent free in return for renovating his house in my spare time when I'm not working on LJ, or away on 4wd trips etc.

I get on really well with Michael and I can see us being good friends for the rest of our lives.

I'm also now friends with a lot the people in his huge circle of friends which is nice.

I went and got my Australian driving license on Monday, as I am only allowed to drive on my UK license for the first 6 months. So I'm feeling slightly more like an Aussie now.

The gym is going really well. I go 3 times a week at 6am and run 5k and then do 30mins of weight training.

Today I have been to the local technical college and I looked around the welding workshop. I'm going to be re-training and basically doing an apprenticeship in engineering which consist mainly of metal fabrication and welding.

My boss has agreed to let me have a day off each week to go to college, and in return I will make back the hours by working till 5pm instead of 4pm and working till 9pm on a Thursday.

Its not going to be cheap and I'm going to be paying for it all myself, but I see it as an investment in myself and my future.

Once qualified I will be able to go and work in the mines as a welder and earn a fortune.

I want to buy some land and build my own house, what I don't want is a mortgage. So the plan is to go and work in the mines for a few years and then I will be mortgage free.

Sorry if I've bored you all to death with my ramblings.

I promise my next post will be cruiser related.

Oh and remember.........................



Right off to the city now with Michael. Its one of the guys birthdays so were going to a steak house.

 

[tonytoyota]

Hi Ben keep up the good life I wood love to be in your bootes good to see it is the good life for you keep it up tonytoyota

 

[Leopard]

Great update mate! Your personal story and touch is the most valuable part of this thread! Feels like we're right there along side you sometimes!

Good on you for following your dreams and getting it done! Well done!

 

[ModelMakerMan]

Hurry up and build this house so we can all come and visit!

Really pleased for you mate, glad its all going well.

 

[clivehorridge]

No cruiser? No worries Ben, like the post, it means its real!

The motto at the end is stolen/borrowed from me. Up sticks, somewhere new .... No regrets!

Live your dream!

 

[AndycruiserguyLomas]

Good on yer Ben, keep the posts coming thick and fast!!!

Andy

 

[Ben]

Thanks guys.

Had a super busy weekend trying to get LJ repaired and back together ready for next weekends High Country trip.

Things havnt quite gone to plan in that none of the TrailGear bits would fit.

I wrongly presumed that LJ/KZJ70 axles and diffs were the same as those found on the hi-lux, but the ball swivels, hubs and inner oil seals are totally different.

So I now need to source a load more parts.

Oh.............I also ended up taking a 9" angle grinder to the body work on LJ.

Will get the pics up when I've got more time.

My weekend is now virtually over and still got loads to do before work in the morning.

 

[Victor]

Trayback time? =P

 

[clivehorridge]

Trayback time? =P

Sounds like a good idea for some fun (as long as you get an 80 to accompany it)

 

[hairyguy4]

I reckon chopped the arches out to accommodate the tyres?

 

[Ben]

Neither of those....................Keep guessing.

 

[clivehorridge]

New body mount plates in the rear floor...

 

[Ben]

Nope!

 

[Rob]

Intercooler scope?

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[Ben]

Nope.

 

[clivehorridge]

Roll cage...?

 

[Chas]

Cosmetic surgery to make it look like an 80.