Toyota FJ Cruiser Forum banner

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...
 
See less See more
9
#150 · (Edited)
Let's start off this post with another shot of the rear setup. Everything is now in place and fully welded. Needs a LOT of cleanup and paint... but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. :) The FJC should be a roller again very soon.



More progress on the interior shock tower covers. The cover will have a removeable top that will allow for easy maintenance of the coilovers. The will also have a couple of ports in them to allow the reservoir hose to pass through. The reservoir will be mounted inside the cabin in the rear somewhere. Current thinking is to mount them to the C pillar of the cage. Here are a few pics of the covers being built.

First we stripped the undercoating off the fender. This stuff tender to burn when you weld.



Here is the new sheetmetal slipped over the shock tower. The sheetmetal will be sandwiched between the tower and the cross brace. Also the coilover reservoir hose will be rotated 90* and will pass through the cover.



Here you can see the mounts for the cross brace that were added to the towers. Also getting them ready to be welded into place.





The interior plastic will eventually be trimmed to fit around the towers.



Last one... In this picture you can see the tower cover fits nice and tight to the shock tower.



More later...
 
#151 ·
Incredible sheet metal work as well as everything else from Don as usual. :bigthumb:
Question on the rear shock towers. I assume there's minimal relative movement between the shock tower sheet metal covers and the frame where the rear towers are tied to so Don can sandwich the covers between the towers and the cross brace. Otherwise, eventually I think the covers may buckle or the welds may crack from any twisting. Just curious. I do think it's necessary to have the rear cross brace to improve the upper rear suspension mounting points.
 
#152 ·
You are thinking about it correctly. Minimal movement with all the bracing that was added. The cross brace will stiffen things up substantial as well. There is a good 1/2" of clearance around the shock tower sides, so no issues there. The back side of the shock tower will have some rubber in between the tower and sheetmetal. With all that everything should be fine and last for years without cracking. He's also planning to apply healthy amounts of seam sealer to the weld joints. This is very similar to the way many of the factory joints are sealed.
 
#155 ·
Work on the shock tower covers continues... but my FJC is now back on it's own feet.

Here are a few pics of the rear setup...









Front axle back in place...









Setting on the new suspension...





New links, mounts, cross members, the works...





This is where the gas tank goes... looking from the rear axle forward.



Odd ball shot... :)



Front coilover mounts at the axle were pushed out as far as possible...



Last but not least... it's a roller again! Lots more work left to do, but it rolls. :D



more later...
 
#163 ·
more progress on the shock tower boxes... the base will be welded in place and the tops are removable for servicing the shocks and reservoirs. The shock reservoirs will be mounted inside the cab.

Here are a few of the boxes being fabricated... starting to work on the tops



Tops together... now to clean them up



All cleaned up... ready to cut the openings



Openings cut and all cleaned up...



Did the same process with the bases... here's the base



Top and base together... they will be sealed with a watertight rubber stripping, so no worries about water in the cab. Not to mention I'm not a fan of burying my FJC in 4' of water to cross a river. :)



Latches for the tops...



Than added a hole to the tops for the reservoir lines to pass...



Then welded the boxes in place...



Added some seam sealer inside and out to ensure no leaks...



Final product... the boxes will be sealed watertight after painting



I'm heading out to the shop tomorrow. I'm hoping to drive it... :) Not done yet, but it's at least driveable. I'll get a bunch more pictures as well.
 
#165 ·
I was wondering why he chose white caulk over maybe a black caulk? Isn't black caulk stronger?
 
#168 · (Edited)
I got to drive my FJC this afternoon. OMG! Completely blown away with how it drives. With and without the swaybar it handles amazing. No brake dive, no over or under steer, no roll steer, no wandering or boating. Absolutely driveable without the swaybar and turns into a slot car with the swaybar connected. The wider spring track front and rear makes a huge difference in stability. The coilovers in the rear just flat out work. Can't wait to get it in the dirt when I get it back. Have a little more work to do on the belly and the uhmw. Then it comes home.
 
#177 ·
Thats awesome Sol. I knew you would love the link system in the rear with coilovers. When I did mine it was night and day.

I'll never build another with leafs in the rear unless it's built to just haul stuff. They just flat out out perform leafs any day. The stability is unmatched and the ride is a 1000 times better.

So glad you got to experience it. So happy fo you man. :blueblob:
 
#169 ·
Already said it once Damn Sol ......

I have had your FJ at the top of my favorites list, since you did the first conversion.
I think it just elevated to a much higher list. I know you had fabricators each time, but I think the vision was expressed well . I can't wait to see this thing in person
carry on...
 
#171 ·
Thanks Don! I'm flattered that you think that much of something that I've worked hard on for many years. I'm hope you'll take care of it once it reaches AZ. :)

I'll take the less than perfect seam sealing application if it means Don gets to work on either of my trucks (his work looks better than the factory job on the FJ IMO). :) To say Don's work on your truck is impressive would be an understatement. :bigthumb: :bigthumb:
I cannot agree with you more. Anyone that has the chance to get Don's time is going to be pleased with the outcome.
 
#173 ·
I'll take the less than perfect seam sealing application if it means Don gets to work on either of my trucks...

For clarification, I wasn't really picking on the application of the product, just an opportunistic play on words.

Don's white caulk looks fine to me. :)

Don't want to jeopardize the chance of it being smeared all over any arse and of any of the vehicles I'd gladly send, because I wasn't really knocking the caulk job.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FJess
#172 ·
Installed the interior and pulled the axles and cleaned everything up and started painting everything. Then it gets put back together... :)

Rear seats and interior back in... fit nicely around the shock towers. The strut will have a bend in it that pushes it up against the rear seats. I was going for minimal loss of usable space. I'd say mission accomplished.





Then the painting started...



Trimmed the interior pieces to fit nice and tight...



Rear shock tower strut installed...



Tower caps painted and ready to be installed...



Had to make new brake lines for the rear...





They are nice and high... up out of harms way...



Then a little paint for the rear axle...







Still have to paint all the new frame and cross member work, pull the front axle and paint it, then exhaust and the belly pan. More later...
 
#174 ·
銀チタン;4759586 said:
For clarification, I wasn't really picking on the application of the product, just an opportunistic play on words.

Don's white caulk looks fine to me. :)

Don't want to jeopardize the chance of it being smeared all over any arse and of any of the vehicles I'd gladly send, because I wasn't really knocking the caulk job.
Just busting your chops, knowing how much you'd want to get some of Don's time. :grin Glad you took it the right way.
 
#182 ·
Wow, so clean. Great welds. Truly an epic build Sol. If you ever ned a trail wingman...
 
#190 ·
More progress on the paint and getting things back underneath the FJC for good!



Rear cross member and top link mount...



Panhard...



The backside of the frame notch...



Shock tower, air bump cans...



Swaybar and panhard bracket...



Rear end reassembled...



















Then moved on to tearing down the front in order to paint everything...



More later...
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top