FJ40 I call Shipwreck

[SuperBuickGuy]

Continuing on with the same story

I didn't like how the driver's side looked like the first time, so I cut it back apart


and started again


last night got here


unfortunately, these had to come out


and only one runs... story of my life.. in case any of you wonder why I need 5 off-road vehicles... there it is

finally starting to put this part together


so at the end of tonight


and I bought a 14 bolt for parts... yeah, I bought a 14 bolt rear end for parts for a dana 60... I know it seems like robbing speed parts from a 911 to made VW bug faster... but there is method to the madness

[DanStokes]

And a madness to the method, no doubt. Waiting to see.........

Dan

[Loren]

.. anyway, boring, but to get a vehicle to drive straight down the street or dirt road.... all of this to figure out where the tube for #1 cylinder is going to live.... fun, no?

The fun comes at the end when it can handle all-types driving unlike many others', and looks right under the hood too. So far so good...

[SuperBuickGuy]

finished welding.... test fitted again. I may do some work about how much room the bolts have...


now I can start thinking about steering...


but first, back to the back
4.10 gear'd... almost worth not scrapping it - I am glad it wasn't a locker, I'm not sure I could resist the pull of a 14 bolt

[SuperBuickGuy]

oops, enter too soon
now I can sell the rest - I've removed what I needed.


and starting here


I'm not going to call him out, but the machinist dialed up.025 off - which actually means he took .050 off. As you might imagine, it's a tad loose. oh well, this too I can fix, and encourages me to simply get another lathe then them mistakes will be all mine.

anyway, that's tomorrow's task

[SuperBuickGuy]

My wife left me unsupervised tonight, so I spent a bit more time in the shop...
cut some shims


installed

I'll weld them to the spindle now that I knew they fit (those aren't the same shim stock, the first were too thick)

better picture of the header

[William Wilson]

You do phenomenal work.

I really appreciate your threads.

[SuperBuickGuy]

So the question... I'm 51% sure I'm going with a loc-rite or similar locker. E-locker would be nice, but, like any other diff-locking device, they aren't perfect - my biggest irritation with them is they're great for straight line work, not so much trying to keep from sliding into a tree well. ARB has the same issue. Detroit works, except I've had the thrill of having one lock up on a descent in a 74 Blazer... it was not something I really want to try twice. Loc-rites have the issue of snap understeer if you get on the throttle in a corner. Limited slips just don't work for real 4x4ing.... I like it in my truck, but it's a tow-rig, not a trail rig. I'm kind of considering the all-gear trac-lock (hmmm, maybe wrong name) like I had in my 06 GTO (not stock) because it doesn't come on as hard as the detroit, but still is a full lock once the tires get enough dissimilar revolutions.... but then, how different is it from a loc-rite? I loved it in my Buick, but I didn't like the unpredictable understeer nor did I like that it didn't always unlock on a corner....
so what to use?

[SuperBuickGuy]

Rear differential
shims




I punched holes in the tubes then plug welded them... then welded the outside seam


60" was the target, it's 60 3/8"


there's what's next...

[Deaf Bob]

Looks very good!
Is the jig you used anything special?

[SuperBuickGuy]

Not really, if anyone needs to use it, I've no problem loaning it out.

[Deaf Bob]

Dang, kid was in Oly today picking up a PI from Surplus..

[SuperBuickGuy]

I may go the NWDRA swap meet in Vancouver on Sunday... otherwise, how much could postage cost?

[Deaf Bob]

Talking with him, he reminded me of a very important item, he is narrowing an Eaton, doesn't have bearings in the center section of the housing (like a 9" drops out...)

[SuperBuickGuy]

trifling details ;)