LJ78 Build Thread

[graysworld]

I have the same problem but on the opposite side. A bodywork guy said it often happens after a new screen is fitted and they scratch the paint.

Graeme

 

[Jasper Kotze]

Great work on the rust repair! Nice to get some new updates!

 

[Jasper Kotze]

Well done! Really nice car port! You are incredibly fortunate to have so much space to build! The workshop turned out great!
I know the feeling, working alone, I serviced my gearbox this weekend(replaced all seals in the Tcase and Geabox, had an oil leak in my gearbox front bearing retainer) and it was a mission to put the gearbox back solo.

 

[AndyCook]

Mega dismantle job Ben !
Will be great to get the bigger engine in the Hilux
You’re like me, any excuse to use the winch around the garden

 

[clivehorridge]

You amaze me Ben, and put most of us to shame.

Thats a great looking car-port and the workshop ... and love that offset vice

I want to say take it easy, but I know you won’t unless you’re body forces you to.

So I can only congratulate you and ask you to take care, whatever that means these days...

cheers

 

[Ben]

Thanks guys.

Somehow I managed to post that update on the wrong thread.

That was meant to be in my LJ70 build thread, so I'm just trying to move it across now.

I do have an update for this thread though which I will try and get up soon.

 

[Ben]

Long time no update on this thread……..

So following on from the previous update, I painted the rust repair, refitted the screen and we took The 78 away for an amazing month long trip to Tasmania last Christmas.

Pics from that trip are on the page below:

LJ70 Build Thread!

Do you have to fill in the logbook for mileage with the club reg when you use them? I guess limited miles per year? IIRC the VIC scheme is days per year; the NSW scheme has followed the VIC one, and up here we can use them for x number of days a year + club events. So if you get it right, you...

www.landcruiserclub.net

After that trip The 78 developed a noise which to start with I thought was the gearbox, but it turned out to be the rear diff.

I was really annoyed it had failed because I’d had that diff expertly rebuilt with a new ring and pinion and solid pinion spacer and I hadn’t driven particularly aggressively or on big tyres.

After speaking to my diff guy he thinks the old diff went bang due to the weight the 78 was carrying (especially last Xmas) with all the power going through the little 8” diff.
He said if I wanted it to be absolutely bomb proof then I needed to use a 75 series housing with 100 series 9.5” diff centre.

I’d be loosing my factory locked rear diff sadly, but I’d be upgrading that 8” diff to a 9.5” and gaining fully floating axles (half shafts) at the same time.

Axle removed.





Damaged 8” diff.


I picked up a rolling FZJ75 chassis for $1050 (I went on to make $1300 selling the bits I didn’t need, as all I used was the housing and axles).







I also picked up a 100 series rear axle and I made $200 profit selling all the bits I didn’t need, such as the housing, axles (half shafts) and brake backing plates.

Cleaned up the 75 housing and removed the leaf spring mounts.







Carefully removed all the brackets from my old LJ78 housing ready to weld onto the 75 housing.





Stripped 78 housing.






The 2 housings together.

Both the same width, but the 78 is semi floating and the 75 is fully floating, which is a big advantage!



I took the 75 housing to work along with my spare KZJ78 housing, which I used to take measurements and angles from for the brackets.











Brackets all welded on.











The 100 series diff centre got fitted with a TJM Pro Locker (the best locker available) along with a solid pinion spacer and new 4:88 ring and pinion.









The diff guy also checked and adjusted the housing on his hydraulic press because the heat of welding the brackets on had distorted it slightly.

I then printed it with etch primer followed by 2K primer and 2K satin black.









Re-assembled it all.









Filled it with oil.





And refitted it to the vehicle.

Being the Pro Locker is air operated, I needed to hard mount a compressor. I’ve always just carried a portable 12v compressor in the 78 in the past, for tyre inflating, but those days were over.

I considered using an ARB twin cylinder compressor as we fit them a lot at work, as in Australia at least, they’re regarded as the best 12v compressors you can buy.

But to save some money I decided to use a 12v compressor I got free from work, years ago.

I made a mount to fit it under the passenger front seat.























And that was that job done.

Table and fuel can update coming next…..

 

[Ben]

I decided to extend the fuel range of the 78 by carrying a 20 litre jerry can on the little rear door.

The genuine fuel can holders available in the GCC market GRJ70’s is what inspired me.

What I didn’t like was the fact the can and can lid is unsecured from a theft/vandalism point of view and I also don’t like the number plate light or how low the number plate mounts.



I knew I could do better!

This is what I came up with………

Cut some 3mm thick aluminium sheet.



Folded it.





The half sheet of aluminium was enough to make 2 can holders, so I figured I might as well make 2.





Welded the 2 sections together.







I made up the steel brackets that get welded to the door hinges, on a spare door.

I actually changed from this first design, to a piece of flat on the top hinge and angle on the bottom.

This first one was flat top and bottom.



I bolted it onto LJ to see how it fitted and worked.





I didn’t like how square and boxey it looked so decided to trim it down.









I purchased a lock to secure the can.











I made some water drainage holes.



Trial fitted it onto The 78.









I painted the brackets rather than powder coating as I thought the powder coating would crack with the hinge moving.







Bolted them to the door.



I got the can holder powder coated textured black.





Wired up the number plate light.





Picked up a new fuel can with locking cap and screw on spout.





















I also got another can for my internal jerry can holder.

So the can now has 40 litre in jerry cans plus the 90 litre main tank.

That will be enough for the trips I plan on doing.

 

[Ben]

The original 30 year old door card on the back of The 78 was looking a bit tatty and I decided a table would be handy for food preparation when camping.



I removed the door card and drew around it onto some aluminium checker plate sheet I had spare.



Cut and drilled it.



Cut and folded the 2 table tops.



Bolted it all together and fitted it to the car.













I picked up a twist lock aluminium pole.



And some of these from Bunnings:

(I wish Europe got Bunnings, it’s such an amazing store!)



Cut it to length.





Fitted the threaded insert.







Tested the leg.





Stripped it down ready for powder coating.



Got them powder coated textured black.



Stainless steel hinge and stainless steel M3 countersunk bolts and nylock nuts.



Assembled it.



Plastic coated stainless steel braided wire supports the main table.



Fitted it to the vehicle along with the 12v LED light and the table leg aluminium pole mounted to the door above it.





















It works really well and means I have a nice triangle between the Engel fridge, 12v oven and the new table where the gas stove will go (on the rare occasions I’m not cooking on the camp fire).

 

[Victor]

I've broken about 3 or 4 Crown & pinions in my rear 8"rd now Ben, so you're not exclusive there However mine is 5.29 instead of the stock 4.88, so one less tooth on the Pinion i believe..

Word on the internet is that crown/pinion is the weak spot in these axles, and that seems to be true, never had a driveshaft go out! And presumably the 9,5" suffers of the same things, Crown & Pinion goes wtfboom first..
2021-06-13 13.34.48 by Vc1r, on Flickr

So that's why i've just cut up a Hj60 9,5" front axle and mounting in the rear for 4ws Gotta Flip that pumpkin for right side offset
2021-12-19 13.04.54 by Vc1r, on Flickr

 

[StarCruiser]

Great to see an update Ben. Looks like you’ve been busy.

We did get Bunnings here in the UK. We had one in Chichester. They had loads of great stuff. However they pulled out within a year. Something weird there. Their tools section was kiddie in a sweet shop stuff.

 

[Ben]

I've broken about 3 or 4 Crown & pinions in my rear 8"rd now Ben, so you're not exclusive there However mine is 5.29 instead of the stock 4.88, so one less tooth on the Pinion i believe..

Word on the internet is that crown/pinion is the weak spot in these axles, and that seems to be true, never had a driveshaft go out! And presumably the 9,5" suffers of the same things, Crown & Pinion goes wtfboom first..
2021-06-13 13.34.48 by Vc1r, on Flickr

So that's why i've just cut up a Hj60 9,5" front axle and mounting in the rear for 4ws Gotta Flip that pumpkin for right side offset
2021-12-19 13.04.54 by Vc1r, on Flickr

Yeah it’s definitely the weak point and the lower the ratio the weaker the gear set, so 5:29’s are even weaker than 4:8’s.

A solid pinion spacer definitely helps though and makes the diff a lot stronger!

4 wheel steer will be cool!

Great to see an update Ben. Looks like you’ve been busy.

We did get Bunnings here in the UK. We had one in Chichester. They had loads of great stuff. However they pulled out within a year. Something weird there. Their tools section was kiddie in a sweet shop stuff.

Thanks.

Interesting……..

Such a shame they pulled out so soon. Bunnings is an institution down here!

People go to Bunnings just for an outing sometimes and their sausage sizzles are legendary.

Not that I usually indulge as virtually all sausages sold in Australia are beef and quite often they’re a disgusting bright orange colour!

Thankfully there’s a British sausage company in WA making proper English bangers so I can still make pigs in blankets when we have a roast dinner!

 

[Ash Awbery]

A HD rear is definitely on my to do list!

Slightly off topic, I have been reading back through your 1kz installs, which radiator did you use in this build? Did you manage to get a KZJ78 one? I noticed the the LJ70 thread you used the 4Runner radiator with some spacers, which I will probably end up doing.

 

[Ben]

A HD rear is definitely on my to do list!

Slightly off topic, I have been reading back through your 1kz installs, which radiator did you use in this build? Did you manage to get a KZJ78 one? I noticed the the LJ70 thread you used the 4Runner radiator with some spacers, which I will probably end up doing.

Hi Ash, apologies for the slow reply……..

So I initially used the radiator from the engine donor 4-Runner and then I managed to find an aftermarket KZJ70 radiator which is better than the genuine KZJ70 ones as it has a copper core and brass top and bottom tanks.

The beauty of these radiators is they can always be repaired and have new cores soldered in.

 

[Ash Awbery]

That’s ok, we all have busy lives!

It looked like a kzj7 radiator, unfortunately decent aftermarket radiators are hard to come by, most of the one available are the aluminium one and to be honest I’m not a big fan!

 

[yota_lj]

Hi ben!
how are you?2 years your are not writing.
I Really miss you posts!!
Hoping you & your family all going well.

Bye

 

[Tractionman]

Yep, very much missed on here.

There was another thread on here recently about Ben, IIRC, another member said Ben is active on Facebook?