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Project SAC'D FJC - "The Rebuild" and then some...

107K views 521 replies 76 participants last post by  MotioncontrolMike 
#1 ·
Finally getting around to starting a new thread. :nerd Some of you may have seen my other build threads, but if not click on the links below and have a ball reading for the next couple of hours...

Phase 1 - The original SAS build thread... that covers the initial build up, some additional post build changes, offroad expo coverage and a bunch of the wheeling trips.

Phase 2 - The post SAS thread that includes everything from the DIY beadlocks, reaer tire carrier, tube doors, shock tuning, lots of wheeling pictures and a bunch of helpful posts on the electronics and how to disable them.

In this installment :wink I'll cover the rebuild of the front end and the rear 3-link with 14" Fox 2.5" coilovers plus a bunch of other things as we go...

First... the original solid axle swap was completed almost 7 years ago and my FJC has performed amazing over the years. Over the last few years I've seen a number of successful rear 3-link setups on late model Toyota's and that made me believe it was time to do the rear 3-link on my FJC.

The parts list goes like this...

- 14" Fox 2.5" body coil overs with remote reservoirs
- Eibach coilover springs 300/350 spring rate as a starting point
- RuffStuff antiways (this thing is crazy stiff - same diameter as a Dana 60 axle shaft)
- Branik 2.25" solid aluminum links (all the way around)
- Currie's new chromoly narrow johnny joints (all the way around)
- FK heims on the panhards
- Fox air bumps (reusing the ones I had in there, but relocating)
- Polyperformance limit straps
- FJ-80 High pinion third member with an ARB for the front (moving away from the elocker third)
- and a bunch of pretty welds from the fabricator...

So enough with the words and on to the pictures.

Here is what I started with...



A few pics of the parts... new johnny joints



Fox coilovers



Started off by putting the FJC on the scales... let's just say it needs to go on a diet. PIGLET!





The first thing we started with was swapping out the front diff. When I originally built the front axle I chose to use an FJ80 high pinion third with an elocker. This go around I'm switching to the same FJ80, but with an ARB locker instead. This involved adding some steel to the face of the housing in order to make the ARB third fit. With elockers there is a large chunk of steel missing where the elocker shift fork passes through the diff and connects to the locking shift fork. We welded in a piece of 1/2" plate, drilled and tapped it and then installed the new diff.

Sorry for the crappy pic... this is post adding the steel to the face.



Post diff install...



At this point... things change direction and I decide to rebuild both the front and rear. After 7 years of hard wheeling the link mounts at the frame had taken a beating as had the front axle mounts. So...

Off came everything... :surprise and we started completely over. We kept the shock towers, steering and frame side panhard mount, but stripped the front axle and belly bare and started over.





The plan going forward it to rebuild the front axle mounts, new front and rear cross members with integrated link mounts, fully belly pan, 3-link in the rear with coilovers up into the rear cargo area, sway bar and a bunch of other cool things.

I will post more as we make progress...
 
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#3 ·
those johnny joints are huge ... looking forward to following your progress ... :cheers:
 
#5 ·
This will be the "get up on a Saturday-Sunday morning, fill coffee cup, open this thread and review the progress . Important note would be the drool towel next to the computer.

After the seven years of using this, you will get the opportunity to rethink, not just the large hard parts, but the geometry . Plus remove some of the quirks, you probably have unearth, in the last phase.

Thanks for starting this update on the forum. :cheers:
 
#7 ·
Just, Wow! I've been reading through your other thread and all I have to say is I'm jealous. Did you ever say your overall height?

-Harrison
 
#11 ·
Some progress... sorry about the cell phone pics. I will get better pics with my camera later. There were a few things I wanted to address during this build. The first was to address some very minor brake drive under very hard braking. most folks would be fine with the way it was, but... why not try and perfect the suspension? Increasing the separation between the lower link mounts and the top link mount will help. We added about 2" of separation.

The new top link bracket. This is about 2" taller than the original bracket.


Nothing but super stout brackets...


The bracket is wrapped 360 degrees around the axle housing. This bracket isn't going anywhere.


Next will come the panhard bracket and the rest of the front axle link mounts... more later. :smile
 
#16 ·
Another view of the panhard bracket.





Nice and parallel panhard and drag link...



Lower link mounts and air bump strike plates...



Lower link mounts and new coilover mounts...



Bare belly... getting ready for some incredibly cool link mounts, cross member and belly pan! Super jazzed about this part...



Updates might slow down a little (sorry Don) as I'm a little distracted with a new project I just started. :grin
 
#19 ·
Curious about you wrap around comments- Did the previous mounts shift or flex too much, prompting the wrap around design or is this to make it sell higher to Don ? :lol:
 
#24 ·
Ya, thats uhm, wow, beautifull welds! The kind of overkill I like.
 
#26 ·
Wow, as if this rig wasn't the sickest Fj ever already. This rig makes mine look stock. Just let me know when this thing goes up for sale. Seriously!


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App
 
#29 ·
Some more progress...

This was in the way, so off it came. :grin Anyone need a flowmaster... LOL!



All the front axle mounts are complete and the axle is back under the front.





Another shot of the lower link mounts and bump stop pads. The lowers at the axle are pushed as far outboard as possible. Later you'll see the uppers in-boarded slightly.



The new ARB FJ80 high pinion in it's rightful place. Set at 5* pinion angle.



In this picture you can see the lower coilover mount. We push the lower mounts out about 2" from where they were originally.



Enough room to still be able to remove the steering arm, but outward of the original location.





The taller top link mount. We raised the height of the top link mount by just a hair under 2". Trying to increase the separation between the top link mount and the lower link mounts. We were worried about clearance at the motot mount of the passenger side, but at full bump it should clear. If not we'll remove the motor mount and build a new one.



Plenty of clearance at the panhard and the top link.



Also plenty of clearance at the cute little oil pan Toyota put on our FJC.



Next up will be air bumps, limit strap mounts, aluminum links and some creative fab work on the link mounts at the frame for both the front and rear links.
 
#32 ·
Starting to work on the front cross member...

Lefty looking a like naked and dirty. The front cross member will incorporate upper link mounts, tcase mount and will drop out so if needed I can pull the trans and tcase. Will also have a fully integrated belly pan that will cover from the oil pan to the back of the gas tank.



Starting to make the link mount pockets...



The front cross member starting as well...

 
#34 ·
Oh how i wish I could get a steering system like that on an IFS… That is awesome!
 
#37 ·
More progress on the front cross member link mount...

Cool little pockets bent and welded for the upper links.



Left and right link pockets bent up, welded, bungs install and ready to mount them to the cross member.



Another view from the bottom side of the cross member... at some point this piece will get cut into 3 pieces... wait for it! :)





The little piece setting on top gets welded inside the link mounts. These are bolt through holes that will hold the center pieces in place.



Starting to burn everything together...









In this last picture you can see the separate pieces of steel. The center section will be cut out, so that I can drop the tcase and tranny if needed.



More later....
 
#38 ·
I probably missed it, but who's doing all this work? Those bends are awesome…you should post some pictures of whatever machine you are doing that with. Mainly curious about some of the larger diameter bends like the wrap-around parts on some of the link mounts.
 
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#41 · (Edited)
FC187 is doing the work. He's a pure artist when it comes to steel. He did my cage, tube doors, tire carrier and a bunch of other work for me.

Not to disappoint, but most of the plate bends were done with a simple brake similar to this one. Nothing "fancy pants" about it... just pure talent on Don's part.



...and the 360 wraps are done with a dead blow after partially welding on the flat areas. He likes the manual tooling, so that he can control how things come out.
 
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