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#1
08-05-2007, 08:33 PM
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Subzali aka Matt Miller and Brahma
Let's start at the beginning: My parents had a '79 4wd minitruck (20R etc.) longbed before my sister and I were born. Loved that truck, but got a 6.2 Suburban for the family. Loved that truck too, but not a Cruiser. My aunts and uncles (outdoors types I kinda take after) owned Toyota 4x4s (4runners, Tacos, pickups etc.) and my dad talked about how he had looked at a 40 at one point.
Even when I was young I knew I wanted a cool truck. Taking the top off etc. was appealing, but my dad warned me early that Jeeps were junk, so for a while (when I was 8 or so) I would look at Suzukis/Geos etc. that had the softtops or whatever but it just wasn't right. Then my dad got his '96 turbo'd FZJ80 from a friend of ours, and had me check out what kinds of issues we needed to look at for that truck. So I looked around the internet and found cruizers.net - did not find MUD first or LCML or whatever. There I "met" nakman, 60wag and CardinalFJ60 and had some meet 'n greets at the Dark Horse bar and that's where I learned about Rising Sun. I had my 2wd truck at the time, and we were making the switch over to all Toyotas in our family (only have the Suburban left) so I was pretty much hooked, the FJ40 was exactly what I had been looking for. But it wasn't practical and I couldn't afford one, so I hitched a couple rides and came to meetings a little bit just to get to know some of the faces I had seen online like Matt Farr, Jeff Zepp etc. I played with our Tacoma (had to get towed out of a water hole), Suburban (had to fix the hitch/trailer wiring) off-road, but that was just "honing my skilz  ." I went up Slaughterhouse and got a ride from Justin (Squishy) Morgan (Fall '03), somewhere along during that time I also went with Robbie, Brendan Lally and a couple others in 80s and a 4runner up to Yankee Hill on a snowrun, and also went on a snow run to Switzerland Trail and got a ride from Nathaniel (Groucho) Miller (Spring '04), so met a lot of people on those runs too.So I resigned myself that after college would be when I would get my first Cruiser; in the meantime I would learn how to wrench on my '66 Chevy pickup, stepside longbed 327. I rebuilt the Q-jet, did a tuneup, and fixed the brakes, so I was learning a lot. Then my dad started taking interest in test-driving Cruisers. I don't know why, but I was excited. We weren't really serious about buying one, but my mom had given the okay in case the right one did show up. One day Ige posted up a couple Cruisers for sale in Grand Junction that a friend of hers was selling. Somehow I convinced my dad to drive out there to check them out. -Oh back up a second - senior year of high school there was a '78 FJ40 for sale in Iowa with a factory half-cab. It had something lilke 30,000 miles on it and had sat for years in the showroom of a dealership. It was a gorgeous truck and for $7000 was pretty much a steal. My parents were going to fly out to Omaha the next week anyway and my dad was pretty set on buying it, but we called the guy and it was already sold. Though that would have been a sweet truck and I still wish to find it again some day, I don't think I would have learned what I have learned if I had had a perfect truck already.- Anyway we drove out to GJ and checked out the '77 non-project - for the price it wasn't bad. It would give me an opportunity to work on it and it would be pretty much what I wanted - something to take offroad and have fun with. So we bought it for a good price and drove it back home Jan 30, 2005. The drive home is a story in itself, but let me say this: I broke the heater and it was stuck on "vent" for the whole drive home; the windshield washer assembly was missing and it snowed from Vail to Conifer; it had an exhaust leak and the fuel tank vent was leaking to the inside of the cab so I had to have the windows open at least a little; and it was my first time driving with manual steering in a shorty 40. What can I say; I was hooked, even though I almost rolled it that day (due to being high on gas fumes etc.). Here is a post soon after getting it back home: http://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series...ions-long.html Another: http://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series...tions-lol.html http://forum.ih8mud.com/chit-chat-se...ight-snow.html (I've come a long way since then...I think  )Got it home and sold the Chevy and started working on little things that needed fixing and of course taking it to the mountains. First trip I did was with Kevin (Uncle Ben) Ehrlick up Castle Gulch with bald tires, no locker, and first time I had taken that truck off road. We were both impressed with how the little truck did, so I kept going. The quarters had been replaced and covered with diamond plate, with about an inch trimmed off, the rockers have been cut about 3.5 inches off, and everything else is pretty much stock. Lots of play in the manual steering, front axle service needed to be done, but the engine had had a quick rebuild a few years earlier and ran fairly strong. I really wanted to hone my skilz so I took the advice of more experienced members of the club and have stayed fairly stock and have changed very little to help me get down the trail easier. In fact didn't do anything really major (just repairing things that were broken/mssing, and did front axle service August '05) until spring '06. Got new 31 x 10.50 MT/Rs and a Lockright for the rear just in time for the Father's Day Spring Creek run '06, which was the first run my dad and I went on together! I had done snow runs and had learned the usefulness of chains and knew 33s wouldn't fit with chains so that's one reason I decided to stay with 31s, but they got us through that trail without too much trouble and have been all I've needed for all the trails I've done so far, so I'm happy with the choice. Fall of '05 a friend of mine told me about splicing together your own tire chains from pieces of broken trucker chains - so I went and got some and we did it! Highly advocate it, though it takes a long time, but chains have made all the difference for me in the snow! The Triple Bypass 2006, I think I can say was probably the best weekend of my life, due to the scenery, the people, and atmosphere, and the timeliness and the chance to get out and be submerged in God's Creation for a whole weekend. That's really what I bought the truck for and I usually enjoy the chance to do an expedition-style trip over really technical trails, though those are fun too. In February '07 my engine swallowed a hose clamp that took out 3 cylinders and pretty soon after a 4th was so dirty from running poorly that my truck actually got me home on 2 cylinders!  So that gave me an opportunity to tear the upper part of the engine apart and learn how all that works, and along with having to replace the timing chain on my dd red truck I've had enough of major engine repairs for a little while, I just want to drive what I have. I got it back together just in time for CM07, which was the first time my truck had 'wheeled in Moab since I've owned it, and it was a blast! I was happy to have finally gotten my truck to the point where I was comfortable taking it past the town I bought it in and beyond! The other run that I really enjoy every year is the Annual Ghost Town Run - 2006, 2008 and 2009 were very very fun years! Oh and I just joined Rising Sun August '07  , after all that time. In the fall of '07 I got a MAF 4+ front bumper with the hoop and a Warn 8274 mount, because just prior I had become the proud owner of an early-80s Warn 8274 for around $300!  So then I thought that that gave me an excuse to try Cliffhanger over Thanksgiving in Moab, and I broke my rear pinion.  After 6 hours of wrenching 3 of us got it back together enough to drive home (pulled the front driveshaft, front axles, and replaced the rear 3rd member with the front 3rd member and drove home with all the parts thrown in the back). It took me another two months to get it all put back together, so I'm hoping I don't break any more parts or have major service work to do anytime soon.As of summer '08 I have my Amateur Radio General License, KDØDHJ, and a Yaesu FT-7800 mobile in my Tuffy console with an FT-60R HT for backpacking etc. Homebrew Ham antenna from the Rising Sun Ham Antenna Building Party is mounted on the front bumper, along with my CB antenna. Seems to work as well as anywhere on a vehicle with so little ground plane surface like an FJ40. I felt like my headlights needed upgrading, if for no other reason than to improve the beam pattern (I think they are bright enough, just need them pointed better), so I got some Roundeyes lights and threw those on in December 2008. In the spring and summer of 2009 I added FJ60 power steering (since I broke my thumb on Chinaman's in the summer of '06 due to the manual steering (and carelessness on my part)) with F-250 shock towers. I was hoping to complete On-Board-Air at the same time but other circumstances required me to finish the project early and the On-Board-Air is waiting in the wings for when I have some time again. Eventually I have plans for dual batteries, an aux. fuel tank, a MetalTech Jackson Cage, a new rear bumper (I have replaced the bumper that was one it with OEM bumperettes and a 15 ton pintle hook, but I'd like to have a new tire/jerry can carrier bumper someday), replacing the angle iron "sliders" with real sliders, and a custom-made storage system that I've been thinking about but just need to get a welder and play with. And I think that's the way it will sit until at least I wear out the MT/Rs, at which point it will be time for 33s and a 4" SUA lift. I am also thinking that some day my clutch will need to be replaced. While I have it out I would like to see the transmission get rebuilt, and I would also like to not see the stock t-case go back in the truck either if I'm going to have it out to do the clutch/tranny rebuild/replace. Hoping a 4:1 Orion will be in my future. Finally, I think it would be really cool to have FJ60 axles underneath for some extra stability for the 33s and 4" lift, but get a cable-locked set from an overseas truck. Then we'll see...things are continually changing... In the mean time I am slowly working on getting everything working properly, dialed in, and repaired for long service life in mind. During the winter I am also a participant of FEAT so that's another way I get to justify keeping and spending money on the 40, since I haven't been doing as many trails as I used to (esp. since I broke my pinion on Cliffhanger). ...but I also love the diesel Cruisers so maybe someday I can get something like Ross Miller's BJ74, which I first saw on the Triple Bypass in the fall of '06.
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Matt Miller -.- -.. ----- -.. .... .--- TLCA# 13684 Rising Sun Bio 1977 FJ40 2F "Brahma" + Lockright, tach, Warn 8274 and Power Steering!  2000 Tundra Limited TRD 2UZ-FE 2008 KTM 250 XCF-W  http://www.daveramsey.com Quote:
Last edited by subzali; 08-03-2010 at 08:16 PM. 
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#2
08-05-2007, 09:01 PM
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Thought it would be fun to have a running before/after shot: so here it is before:
Crystal/Moody August 2005 Crystal/Moody August 2005 Fall 2005 (trimmed old front bumper to keep out of headlight pattern, added emblems) Fall 2005 And Currently: Kane Creek, Moab November 2007 (I have since moved the CB antenna and have added a ham antenna to the front bumper) Kane Creek, Moab November 2007 (I have since replaced the rear bumper with OEM bumperettes and a 15 ton pintle, for now) Above Georgetown CO in February 2008 (again, I have antennae mounted on the front bumper now) At the base of Rose Garden Hill near Moab, Cruise Moab 2008 (with Ham and CB antennas on front bumper)  Trail Reports: My first trip was with Uncle Ben, must have been before the server crashed, maybe in March of 2005, and we went up Castle Gulch in Left Hand Canyon. It was icy, but I learned about airing down tires for not only traction but for comfort. Also started learning what banging noises on the underside of my truck meant and how to work the truck through different lines to get it to climb. My second trip, again must have been before the server crashed, maybe in April of 2005, was with Robbie, CJ7Matt, and nakman. We went to Bill Moore Lake and opened up the trail through the snow. I didn't make it though; with bald tires and no locker or chains I just lost traction. On 5/30/2005 I went up to Slaughterhouse Gulch for the first time with my own truck. Me and CJ7 Matt had a lot of fun. In the summer of 2005 I partook in an Argentine Pass Cleanup Run, which apparently we've lost pictures of as well. However, here are some pictures that I uploaded that show the trip: Argentine Pass Cleanup Run 2005 Boy some of the Land Cruisers and other trucks in the club look a lot different! Moody/Crystal 8/14/2005 - bald Sears special tires (32 x 11.50), no locker. mid-October Mosquito Pass exploration run - I still cringe when I remember this run and how bad the windows were rattling! Spooky Night Run 10/29/2005 - Jones Pass - bald tires + no locker + steep snow-covered hill = spinning tires + ice which had us going backward at up to 10-15 mph at times, and the people following us had a heck of a time getting up the hill after we created all the ice! Sorry!Lamartine 12/28/2005 - same as above but with chains (I'm getting smarter)! Buddy of mine and I tried a side road up near Barbour Fork, which turned to ice. I got a run at a little rise and quickly lost momentum and soon started sliding backwards! We picked up a bunch of speed and I ended up sliding partly sideways to the side of the trail into a depression for a small creek! I ended up with two wheels basically off the ground, but somehow even without a locker I was able to drive out of it! A little shaken, we decided to continue on to check out the Lamartine area. Slaughterhouse 1/2/2006 with CJ7 Matt - same as above 2006 Snow and Pizza Run 1/8/2006 - Yankee Hill - my first, and even with bald tires and no locker having chains on all fours really helped me keep up with the big dogs! Wish someone would have gotten a video of Dean almost tearing his truck in half while trying to extract a deeply buried 80! Here's a photo album from the trip:Snow and Pizza Run 2006 On 5/12/2006 I put in my Lockright locker and ran Hidden Valley trail near my parent's house off Jackson Creek Road. Here are some more pictures from that outing! Hidden Valley Road 5/12/2006 On 5/13/2006 my dad and I took the Brahma up on Dakan Road for a little afternoon jaunt. Here are some pictures of that little outing as well: Dakan Road 5/13/2006 Spring Creek Father's Day Run 6/18/2006 - Lockright, MT/Rs (29/05 - June 20-24) On 7/10/2006 I ran Devil's Canyon with an ex-coworker. It was a good afternoon of low-speed cruising with the top off, doors off, and windshield down! Ghost Town Run 7/22-7/23/2006 - Mosquito Pass, Turquoise Lake, Hagerman Pass, Camp Hale, McAllister Gulch, Lime Creek, Ptarmigan Pass, Shrine Pass - same Here's a link to a photo album for the trip: Ghost Town Run 2006 Sometime around here I did Barbour Fork on a whim - and it was fun  Chinaman's Gulch 7/30/2006 - same, broken thumb - I needed a new rear driveshaft and a new exhaust after this trail (which was fine because the exhaust that was on it went UNDER the skid plate)Rising Sun Rally 8/20/2006 Here's an album from the Rally: Rising Sun Rally August 2006 And pictures from the Gallery: Rising Sun Gallery pics Triple Bypass 9/9/2006 - Italian Creek Road, Pearl Pass, Taylor Pass - a 60 hour weekend and I totalled 30 hours behind the wheel! - same   Double Triple Bypass and more 9/10/2006 - Schofield Pass, Lead King Basin, Marble/Crystal Mill, Paradise Basin, Kebler Pass, McClure Pass - icing on the cake!   Yankee Hill 10/26/2006 - same with chains. Pretty much unstoppable, though later in the winter and the following spring it was a different story. I had thoughts of springover, power steering, lockers front and rear, winch, etc. In November of 2006 (11/18/2006) I went up to Leadville and drove around Turquoise Lake. It was covered in snow and packed down by snowmobiles - I don't think they expect trucks up there in the winter, but I slapped the chains on and went anyway  Snow and Pizza Run 1/7/2007 - Yankee Hill - snow was so deep we hardly got anywhere, maybe 200 yards up the ROAD from the parking lot. Brought a friend who found out his Dana 44 front wasn't enough for his V8 and IROKs on his Jeep, so he's building it up to a Dana 60 Early spring snow run 4/15/2007 - Yankee Hill area Here are some pics from Cruise Moab 5/2-5/6/2007, which was the first time my truck had driven back past where we bought it - Grand Junction - since we owned it! It was amazing! I rode along with Uncle Ben on Cliffhanger, then went up with nakman and did Hells Revenge and caught up with the rest of the group that was running it that day! Then Friday I tagged along with the Wipeout Hill Run and then headed up to Fins and Things to check things out that way! Then on the way home Sunday Martin and Daniel and Perry and I did a backcountry excursion to some old mine sites and we finally hit the Dewey Bridge in the early afternoon! I had good weather on the way out (by the way this is the weekend before my senior year finals at the School of Mines), but because I tempted fate and didn't have the hardtop, only the bikini top and the soft half doors we got snowed on huge on the way back! It was the most miserable 2-3 hours of driving I have ever done! But it was worth it! Jenny Creek 7/22/2007 Somewhere in here I ran up to the Santiago Mine on Argentine Pass, which was a good time. On 7/29/2007 my buddies and I did a Spring Creek Run, but was having overheating issues so it didn't amount to much but just getting through the trail. My 31" tires are ALMOST too small to keep working as this trail keeps getting tougher over time - got stuck on the bypass for the rock garden - that wasn't fun. On 8/18/07 I did Red Cone, Radical Hill and Webster Pass with some friends from church - and it was fun Here is an album from that trip:Red Cone 2007 Sometime around here I went up and did Red Elephant Hill just for fun - and it was fun Ouray Trip over Labor Day (9/1-9/3) 2007 - Black Bear Pass, Imogene Pass, Poughkeepsie Gulch, Corkscrew Gulch, California Gulch, Hurricane Pass, Engineer Pass, Cinnamon Pass, Old Monarch Pass - debut of repaired and repainted (white) hard top! Here is a photo album from that trip: Ouray 2007 1st Annual 40s Only Run - 9/16/2007! - Kingston Peak (I don't know why I took my hard top back off after coming back from the Ouray Trip - but I did and I dealt with it)  Spooky Night Run 10/27/2007 - had a lot of fun digging out of the deep snow and trying to bust through the big drifts on Kingston Peak! Then Uncle Ben and I ran around Yankee Hill in the middle of the night for a while! Metberry Gulch Run 11/17/2007 with Colorado Land Cruisers in November of 2007 - trail is finally open again after being closed from the Hayman Fire in 2002! This was my first trip with my new-to-me Warn 8274 and MAF 4+ front bumper!  Moab Over Thanksgiving (11/21-11/25) 2007, which resulted in a broken pinion, see below in Projects. Trip included hiking in Arches National Park, Kane Creek Road, and the entrance ledges of Cliffhanger Snow Run Investigation 2/17/2008 - tried out some barefoot snow bashing near Georgetown! Tried to get up Argentine Pass, but most of the day was on the Saxon Mountain Road! Rescued a beat-up, abused, and then neglected FJ40 2/24/2008. Too bad there was not much left that was worth anything... maybe for a buggy build or something, but not worth trying to take back to any semblance of being original...On 3/16/2008 a few of us Rising Sun members helped a fellow Rising Sun member install a 2F into his FJ40. Learned a lot from this experience... Ricardo's pictures from day...    On 4/7/2008 we had the Rising Sun 5/8 wave Ham antenna building party  Here are some pictures from the weekend before Cruise Moab 2008 (4/25-4/26/2008) - I was out there for a church group camping trip. Having gotten my Ham technician and general licenses and my radio installed, I left Denver on Thursday night, we did a series of trails on Friday that ended up in the Bartlett Wash area. On Saturday we drove to the north entrance of Arches NP and did a nice hike to a big arch, and then I split off and did part of Gold Bar Rim, up to Butt Scratcher, where I decided it was best to turn around since I was by myself. Then on Sunday 4/27/2008 I hooked up with Ige and Bill and Justin Morgan to do Porcupine Rim, where we talked to guys 40 miles away in the Dollhouse area on 5W! Monday 4/28/2008 was Fins and Things with Romer, Hatfield and the others, followed by an evening run of part of Hells Revenge with Cheeseman. Here are some pictures from those 2 days. On Tuesday 4/29/2008 I went with Farnham and Oscar Florez to do Hells Revenge, where I got my revenge on a bathtub that I couldn't get out of in 2007, plus I did Tipover Challenge! Then I got stuff ready and headed down on the Overnight Run to do Hotel Rock and Arch Canyon with the Wasatch Cruisers 4/30-5/1/2008! On Friday 5/2/2008 I led Porcupine Rim, then Saturday 5/3/2008 I went on the Elephant Hill run! Finally on Sunday 5/4/2008 Martin and I decided to run Onion Creek and Rose Garden Hill on our way home from Moab! Here are pictures from the remaining part of Cruise Moab 2008. I have pretty much have done the full circuit of Moab trails that I'm interested in, excepting maybe a couple, so might focus a little more on mtb and climbing in that area for a while. Gas is $$ Coney Flats Run 6/28/2008 that was a ton of fun - deepest water I've been in yet and I learned why you NEVER use your clutch while it's submerged under water... Argentine Pass Cleanup Run 6/29/08 - heading up the effort to keep people on the trail in the Argentine area, and build a good repertoire with the Forest Service!  Somewhere in here I took another little day trip up Argentine Pass and ended up hiking to an old tramway. Pretty cool. Old tramway pictures Old tramway writeup Blow Off Work and Go Wheeling Run 7/9/2008 - Slaughterhouse Gulch - the first time I've been able to do this and it was great!  Ghost Town Run 7/18-7/20/2008 - What can I say, a great run led by Nathaniel, over Hancock Pass, Waunita Pass, Black Sage, Tomichi Pass (where there is an abandoned tub of an FJ40), Alpine Tunnel, Cumberland Pass, and Tincup Pass (including Old Tincup)! ATV Investigation/Cleanup 8/31/2008 - We went up with Brant from the Clear Creek Ranger District of the Arapaho National Forest to locate and try to clean out as much as we could of an ATV that had been rolled off a high ridge and abandoned some years ago. Still some left that will need to be carried out. Spooky Night Run 10/18/2008 - Kingston Peak/Yankee Hill Switzerland Trail Snow Run 2/1/2009 - One day I got a burr in my saddle to do a snow run, and a pretty good sized group came together to go help me attack the snow drifts above Boulder!   My only 'wheeling at Cruise Moab 2009 (mountain bike trip) - Cruiser has been sitting and hasn't touched dirt in a long time! Argentine Cleanup Run 6/28/2009 - first trip with FJ60 power steering!  Ghost Town Run 7/25-7/26/2009 - Hancock Pass, Tomichi Pass, Waunita Pass, Alpine Tunnel, then back over Hancock Pass - got some electrical issues figured out, buttoned up another couple things from the power steering conversion, and I'm back to enjoying a very well-running Cruiser to take out on the trails! Really wishing I had OBA though and my auxiliary fuel tank installed (to save space for food and camping gear); that's hopefully coming up soon enough. Perry's pics from GTR 2009 Argentine Pass Run 8/29/2009 - did a lot of exploring on road that I've wanted to check out for a while, plus had a surprise visitor meet me on the trail about the time I was ready to leave! I was trying out the soft doors, but have since had to sell them...Spooky Night Run 10/24/2009 - Got home at 3:53 AM because we had to do a trail fix on a broken pinion (not mine) - my winch etc. worked flawlessly, we had the tools we needed, and everybody was in a pretty good mood! This trip, however, brought to light the fact that I have had the stupid tube rear bumper for WAY too long, and it really ain't that great of a recovery point. This realization was finally strong enough to prompt me to buy a 15 ton pintle hook and replace the bumper with OEM bumperettes; that'll do for now until I can afford a fancy schmancy everything included rear bumper! Here are some more pictures from the Spooky Night Run 2009 Projects: From January 2005 to summer 2006, I was trying to concentrate on school as much as I could, and since I didn't really have any money there wasn't much I could do as far as mods were concerned. I did a tuneup, basic maintenance, and started learning about how the Land Cruiser was designed and what it needed to keep it running. Turns out mine was missing some parts here and there and needed some upkeep, so that was a good starting point for me! Things I've replaced/issues I've dealt with: -new heater core (I broke the lever on the one that was in it, the day I bought it) -new apron emblems (missing) -new 4wd and Toyota emblems on rear (missing) -new mirrors (missing) -new windshield hooks (missing) -new defroster vents (missing) -new sunvisors (missing) -painted Toyota emblem in grille (painted over when truck was painted silver) -painted bezel white (it was painted black) -painted some miscellaneous plates and brackets -painted shifter levers and instrument cluster bezel/glove box/ash tray from purple to silver (close approximation to stock color) -radiator boiled/brazed -tie rod ends replaced (trying to search for steering slop) -center arm rebuilt (trying to search for steering slop) - turns out it was the steering box - power steering is on the way! -new corner window glass (broke out one day for no apparent reason) -remove grab bar that had been installed, two new dashboard pads were bought and installed (they were missing) -added roll bar light (original light didn't work - I might wire it up some day and get it working) -replaced a bunch of hardware with JIS hardware -new voltage regulator (had the bouncing needle syndrome) -new battery -new speedometer cable (broke) -secure Tuffy console so it doesn't move as much -install CB radio -new seat belts (to replace scary driver side seat belt and aftermarket passenger side seat belt) -installed stainless steel brake lines to replace the scary cracked rubber hoses! -new brake booster (leaking, upgraded to FJ60 booster) -new brake master cylinder (pitted) -new fuel pump (old one leaked) -new fuel lines from fuel pump (had soft hoses with insulation on them - must have had a vapor lock issue that I no longer have) -fixed a lot of wiring -new windshield washer reservoir (missing) -new rear heater (missing) -new weatherstrip at top of windshield (so it doesn't snow in the cab) In the summer of 2005 I did my first front axle service - pretty major exercise for me at that point in my life, but it really is easy now that I'm past the first one (done it 3 times since then)! Now I have all the tools to make it very easy (seal puller, 1 1/2" Sch. 40 pipe, TRE puller - not the pickle fork type)! Turn Signal Problems in the fall of 2005 More turn signal problems in the spring of 2006 Trying to kick the turn signal problem in April of 2006 Plans for the summer of 2006 for things to be done! Interior Paint summer 2006 vs. this ugly interior - I had forgotten about this! Brake booster replacement May of 2006 Brake issues June 2006 Lockright install and poser pics from summer 2006 My summer internship for 2006 gave me enough money in one paycheck so that I could buy new tires to replace the bald Sears specials that were on it - I had gotten a set of matching rims from Ige previously. The wheels that were on the truck were black, which I didn't like, and they were non-matching, which I really didn't like. New Shoes for the Brahma Stainless Steel brake hoses July 2006 Beginning of my instrument cluster problems July 2006 Had to replace the exhaust from the muffler back after Chinaman's, now it has a good tone and sits up above the frame rail rather than under the skid plate!  Trying to figure out my charcoal canister More turn signal stuff January 2007 - just the bulbs this time! Head problems from the Brake Booster replacement above (in May, this happened in February) - good learning experience (yeah, right - that's looking at the glass half full), finished in mid-April 2007 just in time for Moab! Oil pan and carb questions - and pictures of valves during the teardown process! The day before going to Moab I had my alternator rebuilt and put a new belt on. Summer 2007 - Tried to rebuild my transfer case e-brake, but it still doesn't hold like it should. de-diamond plate and paint project summer/fall 2007 Questions about stripping paint off of fiberglass Starting the fiberglass repair/painting project - see my writeup in Toyota Trails for what I did and how it turned out! Engine dies problem - cleaning the carb fixed it all![/url] Brake light stays on problems September 2007 finding out about winch bumpers found a new winch bumper to fit my new winch, just in time for Moab! Some random questions just before the ill-fated Thanksgiving Run to Moab! Some more questions - and a prophecy! Pinion Breakage from Cliffhanger - back together as of early February 2008! I think I also installed new wheel cylinders in the rear brakes and replaced the rear axle seals at this time.     More discussion about what to do while I was broken - Good advice in this thread! Low Gearing options - almost off the deep end! Brake adjustment questions Centering the Front Axle Sometime before Cruise Moab 2008 I re-installed my CB and mounted my antenna, along with a new Ham radio and antenna. I also had acquired (for free) some OEM seats and some extra springs along with an early FJ40 front axle that had a 4.11 diff to help me fix my broken pinion, so in the spring of 2008 I put those in (the seats to replace the Corolla seats on funky brackets that had been installed, and the springs to replace the flattened stock springs I was dealing with and worrying about breaking (actually one was S-shaped). At the same time I put new seat belts in, because the ones I had been using were hard to deal with. Also my gas tank started leaking at CM '08 so I bought a new gas tank and installed that. I had tried to use POR-15 on the old tank, and it worked for a little while but then it just leaked through so it was time for a new one. At some point along in through here I decided that my windshield wipers needed some updating, so I got some new ones and had to modify the arms a little bit to accept the new blades. Wipers work great now! some charging problems that led to me finding some wonderful corroded FJ40 wiring during the summer/fall of 2008. I think I ended up replacing the alternator and battery as a result of this as well, before I found the wiring. These problems killed both anyway. I had to get a new voltage regulator around this time too, because I was charging at somewhere around 17V going down the highway The summer/fall of 2008 I began a project to repaint my doors and put new weatherstripping on - my driver's door is pretty rusty, but I figured the experience would be beneficial. I also needed to get my passenger door to latch properly, so I wouldn't keep breaking door handles! Also getting new felts in the windows should keep the rattling  down! I finished my driver door in 2008, and the felts and weatherstripping helped a lot though my door has other issues that keep me from doing a permanent fix to the problem until I get a welder or something and weld some new metal in where the bolt that holds the lower part of the track pulled through the door skin.some issues with the engine temp. and heater in preparation for winter 2008 Felt like my headlights needed upgrading, so in December 2008 I put in some Roundeyes On 4/26/09 I began my Saginaw/FJ60 power steering/Sanden OBA project - "finished" the power steering as of 5/24/09 (meaning it was safe to drive).  In August '09 I decided that I would freshen up my dash knobs which was then followed by hooking up the dash knob illumination light and installing LED bulbs from superbrightleds.com in my instrument cluster, as well as the backlight for my light switch. Voila - I now have two new lights that I never had before. I also acquired a heater control illumination light to help me complete my interior lighting. I still have the dome/courtesy light and maybe someday I'll be able to find an OEM 12V glove box light. A couple weeks before getting married in September of 2009, I started the process of doing a light refinish on my passenger side door to match my driver's side door. New weatherstrip, window felts, inside paint and door handle. Finished that project in October 2009. First time in 4 1/2 years that I've been able to use the passenger side door from the outside! I did, however, in October 2009, get a pair of OEM bumperettes and a 15 ton pintle hook to replace my rear bumper for the long short-term...happy with that decision so far, though I haven't had the chance to give it a good tug yet At some point I bought an OEM bottle jack that was green, and after doing some research got some rattle can paint from NAPA that's a dead match to the OEM yellow and repainted it. Finally got that done in the spring/summer of 2010. Now I just have to find some OEM mounting brackets (for the jack) and I will be good to go. The OBA will have to wait for another season. I had to get rid of the auxiliary fuel tank that I had, but someday I would like to install one of the same or similar design to increase my range on some of the longer trips. Always some new project to do, something new to learn...
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Matt Miller -.- -.. ----- -.. .... .--- TLCA# 13684 Rising Sun Bio 1977 FJ40 2F "Brahma" + Lockright, tach, Warn 8274 and Power Steering! 2000 Tundra Limited TRD 2UZ-FE 2008 KTM 250 XCF-W http://www.daveramsey.com Quote:
Last edited by subzali; 08-03-2010 at 08:20 PM.
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#3
08-05-2007, 09:44 PM
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Oh my handle! It's from a John Wayne movie, Hatari!, I picked it up because I kept choosing handles that were "already in use" in the forums, so I wanted something unique. If you happen to watch Hatari! (which is both a good guy and girl movie) keep an eye out for it and you'll understand why it's kinda appropriate for use with Land Cruisers.
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Matt Miller -.- -.. ----- -.. .... .--- TLCA# 13684 Rising Sun Bio 1977 FJ40 2F "Brahma" + Lockright, tach, Warn 8274 and Power Steering! 2000 Tundra Limited TRD 2UZ-FE 2008 KTM 250 XCF-W http://www.daveramsey.com Quote:
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#4
08-05-2007, 10:38 PM
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KØUBN Kevin TLCA #3007 Way North of Centennial, CO Stay on the Trail! '64 FJ-40 (Wildrice) - Everything works!   '97 40th Anniversary FZJ80 (Ricecake) - Everything!  Quote:
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#5
08-06-2007, 05:56 AM
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That's it
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Matt Miller -.- -.. ----- -.. .... .--- TLCA# 13684 Rising Sun Bio 1977 FJ40 2F "Brahma" + Lockright, tach, Warn 8274 and Power Steering! 2000 Tundra Limited TRD 2UZ-FE 2008 KTM 250 XCF-W http://www.daveramsey.com Quote:
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#6
09-23-2007, 08:12 PM
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Not really anything to add, but here's the one that got away in high school:
Dealer bought it new in '78 - FROM THE FACTORY WITH THE HALF-CAB - or at least that's the way the story's told - and it sat in the dealer showroom for 15 years. Then the dealer's son bought it and drove it about 15,000 miles and the garaged it for a number of years. Then this guy in Iowa buys it up, has it for about 5 years, puts another 15,000 miles on it, adds Pontiac seats, wheels and tires, replaces all the engine seals, clutch - everything (I don't know if the paint is factory or not) - and then decided to sell it. It was for sale for 13 days when I saw it and it had already been sold . If anybody EVER sees this truck again please let me know. As I said before, it was probably good that I didn't get it when I knew nothing about cars, but since I've had my Cruiser initiation with the Brahma I would so want to get a hold of this beauty.
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Matt Miller -.- -.. ----- -.. .... .--- TLCA# 13684 Rising Sun Bio 1977 FJ40 2F "Brahma" + Lockright, tach, Warn 8274 and Power Steering! 2000 Tundra Limited TRD 2UZ-FE 2008 KTM 250 XCF-W http://www.daveramsey.com Quote:
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#7
09-23-2007, 10:21 PM
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Quote:
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ige tlca #1431 uncle ben is blown away by synthetic pee
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#8
09-24-2007, 07:05 AM
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I can't remember the guy's name, my dad talked with him.
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Matt Miller -.- -.. ----- -.. .... .--- TLCA# 13684 Rising Sun Bio 1977 FJ40 2F "Brahma" + Lockright, tach, Warn 8274 and Power Steering! 2000 Tundra Limited TRD 2UZ-FE 2008 KTM 250 XCF-W http://www.daveramsey.com Quote:
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#10
07-02-2008, 03:23 PM
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In addition to the Cruiser, I also drove a 1991 2wd Toyota pickup through high school and college.
We got the truck from my grandfather for something of a 16th birthday present. It had something like 80,000 on it at the time (2000), and it's been a great high school/college transport for the past few years, and took up daily driver duty to and from work for a couple years. It's all stock and I'm trying to keep it that way. As it passes 200,000 miles, it still gets 26-29 mpg on the road, summer '07 I replaced the timing chain, summer '08 I replaced the head gasket, new windshield, new cat-back exhaust. We had the transmission rebuilt in the winter of '06-'07, and my dad's currently using it as his DD - I couldn't trust it as a primary vehicle any more so I relinquished it back to my dad. He's enjoying getting almost 30mpg rather than 12mpg in the Suburban, going to and from work. Head Gasket Replacement at 200,000 miles
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Matt Miller -.- -.. ----- -.. .... .--- TLCA# 13684 Rising Sun Bio 1977 FJ40 2F "Brahma" + Lockright, tach, Warn 8274 and Power Steering! 2000 Tundra Limited TRD 2UZ-FE 2008 KTM 250 XCF-W http://www.daveramsey.com Quote:
Last edited by subzali; 10-22-2009 at 08:18 AM.
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