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Freddie Gets a Makeover

26K views 85 replies 24 participants last post by  Maxxmoto 
#1 · (Edited)
Well, it was a long winter, people. I'm back from another hitch on the Rock, the garage is so crammed full of "stuff" that I can barely turn around, but I am ready to start the real "Build."

I have posted bits of my plans before in other sections of the forum, but needed to start this page to be appropriate.

The jack stands, grinders, and the welder are ready to go! I begin as soon as I finish typing this intro.

Here's the list:

Body mount chop
4Crawler 1.25" body lift
Toytec Ultimate 3" coilover lift
All-Pro UCAs, spindle gussets & swaybar links
TC LCA skids, coilover bucket gussets & adjuster cam plates
All-Pro upper & lower rear links and FT lower link mount skids
Toytec panhard bar
Braided brake lines
Goodyear Wrangler 305/70R17 MT/Rs W/Kevlar
Moto Metal 17x9 black alloys
All-Pro Apex rock rails


I had the tires mounted on the rims yesterday, and they look even better than I thought they would! :rocker:

I will post build photos along they way as I am able to do it.

Wish me luck! I think it's gonna be really sweet when I'm done!

Peace Y'all! :wave:
 

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#2 ·
Can't wait to see the new Freddie Krueger build! That All Pro stuff is good stuff! :rocker:


Sent from AutoGuide.com App
 
#4 ·
I went aftermarket for strength and adjustability. I figure with more articulation, the ability to adjust the panhard length will allow centering of the rear end if needed. The spherical rod ends allow unrestricted movement over bushings, and it's gonna be stronger too.

I was going to go with the whole TC CroMo rear link and panhard setup, but decided to try to save a few bucks without compromising too much strength. All-Pro didn't have a panhard bar to go with their links (Which are very nice quality BTW) so I got one from Toytec.

Almost forgot to add your SCUBA mod to the list. Picked up the kit a while back, and that will be going on too! :bigthumb:

Work Update
Got the welder fired up and did a few passes to set it up. The Lincoln 180 MIG is very nice! More capacity than my older (stolen :mecry:) Miller. I welded up one of the LCA cam adjuster tabs/plates, and it performed well. As a side note, if any of you folks that weld out there don't have an auto-darkening helmet, you need to get one. I don't know how I ever got along without one in the past. It will greatly enhance your welding precision and lower the frustration level. At least it did for this amature welder!

More to come!
 
#5 ·
Okay, the Body Mount Chop and Body Lift Kit are completed. The work was accomplished on Thursday and Saturday. Friday was a down-day due to a bit too much indulgence on Thursday night. (I am on vacation ya know?!) :cheers:

I performed the body lift first in order to give me more room to work on the BMC. The 4Crawler 1.25' body lift kit is excellent and quite easy to install. I loosened all eight body mounts, then jacked up the body along the rockers using a floor jack and some 2x6 spacers to spread the load out and not damage the body. This method worked very well. I only had to use a drill to enlarge the holes in the stock front mounts to allow the new, heavy-duty bolts to go through them, the rest of the bolts went in with just a bit of help from a ball-peen persuader.

Once all the bolts were installed in all but the mounts directly behind the front wheels, I performed the BMC. I will say that the BMC was very straightforward as in other builds. Once the BMC was completed, I reinstalled the last two mounts and new spacers, then torqued down all the bolts.

I then installed the steering rag joint spacer and tightened all the bolts as instructed. (kind of like a puzzle getting the silly thing in there, but not too bad) Next was the radiator drop bracket install. Again, very simple and straightforward. It really helped to strip off the front skids, bumper and the grille prior to beginning any of the mods. I'm going to tear out the entire front suspension tomorrow, so the more stuff that is out of the way the better.
 

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#6 ·
I'm very happy with my new welder. After a few practice passes I was ready to do the BMC and it turned out well. I used a 120 grit flap wheel to hit the welds before painting the finished mounts, but I could have just painted them as-is.

I next tackled the job of preparing the TC Cam Adjuster Plates & Tabs for attachment to the frame. I set up an assembly line to clean the oil off them and wire brush the surface to be welded. Cleanliness is very important to achieving good welds. I certainly won't claim to be an expert welder, but I'm confident that my finished product will be structurally sound even if it ain't the prettiest. :rocker:
 

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#8 ·
Got the front suspension completely apart today. The front hubs are a PITA to get apart! I also found the inner knuckle seals to be damaged with a section of the seal lip missing and the tension spring damaged as did BellyDoc in his spindle gusset thread. I'll have to check with the dealer tomorrow to see if they have them.

Also, has anyone else had trouble with getting the stupid grease/dust cover off the hubs?? I practically had to destroy them to get them off. I'm going to grind small pry slots in the hub flange to facilitate easy removal in the future.

I made a noose cable tool out of 3/32 aircraft cable that I picked up at Ace Hardware today, but I was not able to pull the half-shafts with the wimpy slide hammer I have. I'm going to get a bigger one first thing tomorrow morning. :bigthumb:
 
#11 ·
i'm far from a welding expert, but from my vantage point you have some skill ... great job on the BMC ... I like body lift idea ... your truck is gonna look great with those wheels and tires ...
:cheers:
_______________


2007 FJ Cruiser – Voodoo Blue - C Pckge – AT
Toytec Ultimate 3” Lift / Total Chaos UCA
285/70R/17 Michelin LTX A/T
Clazzio Seat Covers

Install Pending - ECGS 3rd member 4.56 gears / ECGS Front Diff 4.56 gears / ARB Front Locker / ARB mini compressor

In the Mail – DeMello Hybrid Sliders
 
#12 ·
i'm far from a welding expert, but from my vantage point you have some skill ... great job on the BMC ... I like body lift idea ... your truck is gonna look great with those wheels and tires ...
Thanks! I have to give thanks to those who have posted their BMC mods for making the job easier to plan out. The new Lincoln I have is nice to work with. My welding is improving with more practice. It is a skill that needs to be applied regularly to stay sharp. :bigthumb:

I finished the Alignment Cam Plates/Tabs yesterday and shot some paint on them.

The LCA Skids are completed along with the new polyurethane LCA bushings, and the Coil Bucket Gussets are going in right now. (I'm taking a lunch break)

More photos coming tonight.
 
#13 ·
The TC Adjuster Cam Plates and Tabs were pretty straightforward to do. I found a 5/16" drill bit to be the best to drill out the stock spot welds. A couple of the tabs popped right off after just drilling them, and the others required minimal prying with the help of a hammer and chisel to release the spot weld.

After surfacing the area with a flap wheel, I lined the plates up with the existing slots, clamped them with Vise-grip pliers and tacked them in place. After checking for proper alignment, I finished welded them and shot them with some Krylon semi-flat black paint.

Overall, I'd say it was pretty easy. The smaller sized plates required a small radius to be ground on the inside corners to clear the radius on the frame and line up properly. That was just a quick zip with the grinder.
 

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#14 ·
I started on the stock lower control arms yesterday. The instructions for installation of the Polyurethane bushings from Energy Suspension say that you should use low heat on the stock rubber bushings to separate them from their shells and leave the stock metal shells in place. The instruction sheet says "At no time should flames come from the bushings" if so, you should back off the heat. :rofl:

Well, that ain't happenin' there people. I tried an industrial strength heat gun at first, and it didn't do squat to them, so out comes the propane torch and that did the trick. Yes, there were flames o'plenty, that's for sure! :rocker: If you do this, be sure to be very careful and use proper PPE. I managed to complete the firey removal of all four bushings without burning up the garage or hurting myself with stinky, molten rubber bits.

Once the LCA bushing shells were cleaned up, I lubed up the new poly bushings and inserted the center sleeves in them, then used the vise to press the bushings into the LCAs.

After all was said and done with the bushings, I test fit the control arms in the frame. All was good, so I moved on to the LCA Skids. starting this morning.

The LCA Skids are designed to be bolted on, with the option of welding them. I decided that I would weld mine to add structural integrity to the LCAs and eliminate the chance of broken bolts causing a problem out on the trail.

I applied several intermittent, multi-pass beads around each skid, using care not to heat up the areas near the bushings too much.

They turned out pretty nice and seem really beefy. I masked off the ball joint stems and the new bushings, then shot them with some grey Krylon. Lighter colors allow you to more readily see stress cracks or other problems that might arise.

They are now ready for installation. :bigthumb:
 

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#15 ·
Next it was on to the Coil Bucket Gussets. Total Chaos makes a nice set of gussets for the coil buckets that provide substantial reinforcement to this area. They are cut with a nice convenient slot to clear the brake lines as you install them, but the brake lines are smack-dab in the middle of your welding area and block any attempt to get the tip of your torch in there.

The best thing to do is unbolt all of the brake line and ABS wiring retainers in the area and gently move them out of harms way so that you can get in there to grind and weld. I got new braided stainless brake lines anyway, and have to crack the brake lines to install them, so it's no big deal to take them apart.

As it turns out, my FJ was undercoated on the frame rails in this area, and it makes for a very messy, pain in the A$$ to clean up and grind the frame in preparation for welding. :flame: Numerous rags saturated with paint thinner were required to cut through the crap, and trust me, it really gums-up a flap wheel!

While mocking up the gussets with the stock UCA bolt, and the new spacers and washers, I found a few places on the gussets that needed to be trimmed a bit for a proper fit on the frame. Once that was done, I tacked the gussets in a few places, then finish welded them.

As with the other areas previously welded, I wire brushed the welds and the frame area, then shot it with the semi-gloss black Krylon.

Next I will tackle the Spindle gussets and start putting it all back together! :clap:
 

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#16 ·
Got the Spindle Gussets done Thursday and started putting the front suspension back together.

My FJ lived the first part of it's life on Kodiak Island where there is a lot of volcanic silt and a corrosive, salt air atmosphere. As a result, a few portions of the undercarriage on my rig had/have a "Dredged-from-the-bottom-of-the-sea" look to them.:ugh: The spindles were one of the parts that had a lot of rust and scale on them that needed a lot of effort to prepare for welding. I used a 120 grit flap wheel to knock most of it off, and a wire brush to get into the tight spots. It was a lot of work to get them cleaned up!

Both inner knuckle seals were removed, and the seal and hub bearing bores were cleaned using some fine sandpaper and paint thinner to remove all the surface corrosion in the area and allow easier assembly of the seals and hubs back into the spindles.

I then used the stock UCA to bolt into the upper portion of the spindle in order to locate the gussets for welding. The gussets only required minor fitting to achieve a good fit and gap before welding them up.

The finish welding went without any complications. After cooling off, I hit them with the flap wheel again and a shot of brake cleaner to prep them for painting. I then masked off the seal and bearing bore areas, along with the ABS sensor area and the machined mating areas on the top and bottom of the spindles to keep out the paint.

While the paint on the spindles was drying, I began the reassembly of the front suspension. Everything went together with minimal effort. The new All-Pro UCAs went in a bit tight, but Toyota just happened to put a nice hole in the radiator core support on both sides to assist in helping the UCA pivot bolts in from the front.

I installed the new inner knuckle seals in the spindles, lubed up the bearing bores with a bit of red sticky grease, and applied some anti-seize to the splines for the stub axle. I used red Loctite on the hub bearing carrier bolts, the lower ball joint/spindle bracket bolts, and the UCA pivot bolts.

The half shafts go back in much easier than they came out, and I put some red grease around the seal contact area before slipping them back in. Also, I used the angle-head grinder to put three small notches in the hub where the grease cap goes on in order to facilitate removing them without wrecking them in the future.:thinkerg:

While working with the suspension on the passenger side, I went to jack up the LCA to better align things for assembly, and the whole rig came up off the jack-stand without compressing the coilover! This thing is gonna be stiff!:rocker:

Anyway, I hope to have the front all together today, and start on the back this afternoon. :bigthumb:
 

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#17 ·
nice ... looking forward to seeing it standing on those new shoes ... like the two eyes inside the Toyota O's ... cool ...
:cheers:
_______________



2007 FJ Cruiser – Voodoo Blue - C Pckge – AT
Toytec Ultimate 3” Lift / Total Chaos UCA
285/70R/17 Michelin LTX A/T
Clazzio Seat Covers

Install Pending - ECGS 3rd member 4.56 gears / ECGS Front Diff 4.56 gears / ARB Front Locker / ARB mini compressor

In the Mail – DeMello Hybrid Sliders
 
#18 ·
Looks great! :cheers:
 
#20 · (Edited)
After the front suspension was 95% completed, I installed the Front Differential Drop Spacers. This was quite easy. Just put the jack with a small length of 2x4 on it under the front diff, (the vehicle was already on jack stands with the front wheels removed) and remove the two front mounting bolts. Lower the jack slowly to allow the differential to drop a bit more than the spacer thickness, slip the spacers in place, put in the new hardware and torque it down.

Although the spacers are not really that big, it does make a significant, positive change in the CV angles. A very effective and inexpensive Mod. :bigthumb:

It should be noted that my Differential Drop Spacers came as a part of the Toytec Ultimate 3" Lift Kit.
 

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#21 ·
The next thing to do in the front was to install the Braided Stainless Brake lines. Again, no big deal here mechanically, just remove the stock ones and replace them.

The new braided lines are about 1.5 to 2 inches longer than the stock ones. The stock lines appeared to be sufficiently long to work well with the 3" lift, but I wanted the extra length anyway, and the braided lines usually contribute to a slightly firmer pedal feel due to their resistance to expansion under pressure.

I found that the braided lines are much stiffer physically due to their construction. This required special attention as to how they are rotated in their clamps at each end to ensure that they stayed routed properly. You can spin each end of the line in it's fitting to orient the line's position as it leaves the caliper end, or the frame clamp end. sometimes it takes a bit of finesse to get them just right (swearing and threats) :rofl: After this is accomplished you just slide in the retainer bracket clips, and everything will stay put. :bigthumb:

Using a good quality 10mm Flare Nut Wrench will help make the job much easier and minimize the possibility of damage to the brake line fittings.

I bled the brakes with the help of a friend, and all was good. NOTE: if you turn on the ignition when bleeding the brakes, the ABS Pump really helps with the procedure! :thinkerg:

I also routed the ABS Sensor Wires around the UCA and because the new UCAs eliminate one of the stock wire clamp locations, I slid the protective wire sleeves along the wires to position them, and secured them to the UCAs with wire ties. :rocker:
 

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#22 ·
another step forward ...
:cheers:
 
#23 ·
The last thing on the list for the front suspension was the new All-Pro Sway Bar Links, Sway Bar Relocator Plates, and Polyurethane Bushings. This part was delayed a bit because I wanted to put grease fittings ("zerks") in the bushing brackets, and had to run out and get a new tap/drill bit and some different zerk fittings from the ones I already had.

I put the grease fittings for the front bushings at about 45 degrees to the rear, and used the 45 degree zerks pointed to the outside of the vehicle on either side respectively to allow access to them with a grease gun while the front skid plate is in place. I used a slightly smaller diameter bit to drill each polyurethane bushing under where the grease fittings are in the brackets.

Before re-installing the sway bar, I used a cut-off wheel in the angle head grinder to cut off the old aluminum anti-drift collars. I then cleaned up the sway bar a bit, as it was kinda grungy.

I bolted up the Sway Bar Relocator Plates that came with the Toytec Ultimate 3" Lift Kit using some blue Loctite, and after putting some initial lube on the bushings, I slid them over the sway bar and secured them to the relocator plates using my modified stock retainer brackets. I then centered up the bar on the frame and installed the new All-Pro Sway Bar Retainer Collars to the inside of the bushing retainer brackets as in the stock configuration, using some more blue Loctite on the allen head bolts.

Once this was done, I compared the length of the new spherical ball end links to the wimpy stock ones. By my best guess, the optimal length for the new links was pretty much screwed together about as short as they would go, and oriented with the ends 90 degrees to each other.

I secured the threads with a good amount of blue Loctite and used the vise to hold the links while I tightened them really well with a big wrench. Probably around 80 Ft-lbs as guestimated by my calibrated elbow. :lol:

I then installed the links on the spindles first, using the supplied misalignment spacers and hardware, then bolted up the sway bar connection.

After the links were in place, I turned the steering wheel from lock to lock, checking the clearance of the links to the new spindle gussets and the rest of the components in the vicinity at all points of the steering arc. The clearance was good on both sides, and I am happy with the way it all fits. :clap:

At this point, the front suspension was completed, and I put the stock tires back on it for the time being, and rolled the rig out of the garage to turn it around to start on the rear suspension. :rocker:
 

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#34 ·
Thanks! :bigthumb:

It was a lot of work to get it all done at once, but definitely worth it!! I am blessed with a good job that provides the means for me to purchase the Mods that I wanted. But that job also means I don't get a lot of time at home to work on stuff, so I have to git-r-dun when I can. Plus, I will use any excuse to buy more tools and equipment.

Don't be discouraged to plan out the mods for your rig as you would like them to be as it fits your budget and time. There are lots of ways to make the FJ more capable than the fine machine it already is. Set a goal for yourself and go for it!! :bigthumb:

My Mods were pretty involved, and I did a lot of planning and waiting before I could jump in head first. I finally have the rig I have wanted for years, and I give Glory to God for that! :king:
 
#25 ·
The rear suspension was very straightforward. I put the rig up on jack stands and placed the floor jack under the rear differential to support it while the Panhard bar, shocks, sway bar,lower links, springs and upper links were removed.

You need to use care as to not put too much tension on the brake lines when the differential is lowered all the way. Other than that, the disassembly is a breeze.

The first thing I did after all of the stock parts were out was to wire brush and clean up the rear end housing and some of the other areas in the rear of the vehicle. As I mentioned before, this FJ spent it's first 18K miles on Kodiak Island, and it was really crusty underneath. Once it was cleaned up a bit, I shot some satin black Krylon on it.

Next, I fit the All-Pro Lower Link Skids to the frame using the new lower links to mock up the exact location and bolt hole alignment. After I was satisfied with the fit, I ground the area on the frame with the flap wheel and tacked the skid in place. Once the skid was tacked, I removed the bolt and the link, replaced the bolt in the hole, and finish welded the skid. After the skid had cooled, I hit it with a wire brush and shot some of the satin black Krylon on the area.

Both sides were done the same way, the only difference being that the fuel tank blocks you from completely welding the inside seam of the driver's side skid. I was able to hit the front and rear of the inside, and am not worried that it will be a problem at all. It will still be much stronger than the stock configuration with no armor.

The best time to do the rear brake lines is when you have the rest of it all apart and have a bunch more room to work under the back of the rig. I changed them out exactly as I did the front ones, taking care to orient/rotate the fittings to ensure the lines will be out of harms way through the range of articulation of the rear end. The new braided stainless rear lines are a bit more than 2" longer than stock, and will give more than enough stretch for the lift added.

The new springs are definitely longer than stock, and I needed to push down on each side of the rear end individually to get them in. After that, I installed the upper and lower links after adjusting them to the stock length and securing the threads with red Loctite.

Next, I checked the length of the new Toytec Panhard bar against the stock one and adjusted it accordingly. I then put some red Loctite on the threads and clamped the bar in the vise to tighten the jam nuts with a big ol' crescent wrench. The Panhard bar fit perfectly, and was installed with no problems.

On to the rear sway bar. I prepared the sway bar bushing clamps the same way as the front ones. I drilled the holes for the zerks right in the center, along with the bushings, tapped the holes, inserted the grease fittings, and they were ready to go. I then installed the sway bar end link polyurethane bushings while the bar was hanging free with no tension on it. After that, I jacked up the rear differential, placed the pre-lubed bushings on the sway bar, then hooked the retainer brackets under the mounting area on both sides and tightened up the four mounting bolts.

Last was the new Bilstein Shocks. I compressed them to remove the factory retainer strap, slipped a new washer and bushing over the top stud, then slid the lower shock eye onto the lower mounting stud. I then compressed them and guided the top stud through the upper mounting hole in the frame, put on another bushing and washer, and torqued down the nuts until the bushings compress out to the diameter of the washers.

Once the rear suspension was fully assembled, I bled the brakes, put the stock tires back on it and pulled it out of the garage. :clap:

I was very curious as to how much clearance I would have between my roof rack and the garage door opening after all of the mods were completed. With the stock tires and wheels, there was about a half an inch clearance coming out of the garage. :bigthumb:
 

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#27 ·
Thanks! :bigthumb:

Yeah, there's no way it will fit with the new tires, but He usually stays outside anyway. I share my garage with one of my other house mates. My Harleys live on one side of the garage, I use the other side for mechanical work in the summer, and she parks on the other side in the winter.

I'm keeping the rack, and there is a light bar that will have six KC Daylighters on it under construction right now. :rocker:
 
#28 ·
Next I started on my new All-Pro Apex Sliders.

These puppies are Heavy Duty!! :rocker:

I got mine raw with no powder coat, so they will need paint of course. I used the flap wheel to knock off a few sharp edges on the top plates. NOTE: The sliders are extremely well constructed, and the build quality is first-rate. They can be installed exactly as received. :bigthumb:
I'm just anal about microscopic details sometimes, that's why I felt the need to do some touch-ups on the rails. :lol:

Next, I test fit one rail on the passenger side. It lined up perfectly, but I found that ALL of the bolt holes in the frame were full of Kodiak silt and corrosion. :rawr: So it was off to find an 8mm x 1.25 tap to chase the threads and clean the buggers out.

It was getting late on Sunday, and Ace hardware was out of them, so it was on to NAPA. Score!! :rocker: (I'm doing all of this running around on my motorcycle BTW)

After returning to the garage, I used WD-40 to douche out the bolt holes, then ran the tap through all sixteen mounting holes to clean the threads, then gave them a shot of brake cleaner to rinse out any remaining dirt, goo or chips.

I then used some paint thinner on the rails to clean off the factory oils that are usually present on new steel. I wiped them down, dried them off, then shot them with Rustoleum Hammer Finish Dark Bronze paint. I used one can of paint per rail, and they look really nice! :bigthumb:

I got the idea of the hammer finish paint from one of the other members here on the forum, but I can't remember who it was. So thanks for that tip! :bigthumb:

Once the rails were dry, I used jack stands to support them in place for mounting. Again everything lined up perfectly, and with a shot of blue Loctite on each of the bolts, I torqued down all of the hardware.

After all was tight, I used the flap wheel to clean off the lower corner areas on all the mounting plates, then put a 3/4" bead of weld on them. The welds are very strong, but they can be easily ground off in the event that the rail needs to be removed. The Apex Rails are now part of the frame!! :rocker:
 

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#29 ·
I had drained the front differential during the front suspension build-up so that gear oil wouldn't leak all over the place when I pulled the half shafts out, so I needed to refill it with the new Lucas 75w90 Gear Oil that I bought to do the 25K mile service.

Some folks have had troubles and have expressed their dismay at refilling the front differential without having a bottle or pail pump.

I don't have one either, and after looking at the area under the rig I came up with a simple and effective solution.

I used a small funnel that I already had to use with my motorcycles, and slid about a three foot section of transmission cooler hose over the end of it. There is a hole in the left front bump-stop mount on the frame that allows the hose to come from the top at the perfect angle to the front differential filler hole. I routed the hose through this hole and into the front Diff.

From there, all I had to do was pour the gear oil into the funnel from above and it went right in, no problem!

I put around two quarts into it, and when I removed the hose, there was only a small portion of excess fluid that ran back out. I replaced the filler plug and tightened it up.

Very simple, and very effective! :clap:
 

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#30 · (Edited)
It was finally time to put on the new tires and wheels. :clap:

I was able to mount the front ones while the front of the rig was in the garage. The rear ones needed to be done outside due to no clearance in the garage door opening.

The new Moto Metal wheels have tapered lug seats, and with the stubby little, short lug studs on the FJ wheel hubs, I used Extended thread (ET) style lug nuts all around to ensure maximum thread engagement of the lugs. I test fit them in the wheel before installation, and the inner end of the nut will engage all the way to almost the base of the lug stud.

I put Anti-Seize on all of the lug nut threads and torqued them down by hand. I also put a small dab of the anti-seize on the allen-head hub cover screws.

The tires and wheels look really beefy and I am very happy with the whole project. It was a lot of work, but my goal was to "Do it once, and do it right!" :rocker:

Now it's off to shake it down and settle the suspension before I get the front end aligned. WooHoo! :clap:
 

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#32 · (Edited)
Oh, and they are under $100. I've wasted my time with some cheap auto hoods, and I don't have time to treat them like porcelain dolls, and the battery packs would slide out without me knowing, so I would get flashed left and right. And when I was using them for TIG welding, I was doing handrails, and have to turn upside down and weld in weird positions, and if my arm happened to block one of the sensors, I would get flashed. I was cussing a lot with them
 
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