Black007's 1997 Triple Locked LX450

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black007

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Traveler I

98
Halifax, NS
Hey guys!

I got my LX after I was driving a Chevrolet Tracker (Grand Vitara/ Escudo in other parts) and I was desiring a upgrade. I have been looking for a FZJ80 for about 10 months now. This one was chosen because it is triple locked, and also only about 5 80 series chassis were for sale in my area in this time frame (all but 1 was more rotten than this one, the one that wasn't was a RHD diesel, and it was literally 10x the asking price). Also one of my best friends fathers was the tech for this particular LX from its 1997 selling date untill about 2013, when the original owner traded for a new GX so I know what has and hasnt been done, and I trust the work to that point. I've only had the vehicle about 4 days so far, and tomorrow is its shake down trail run. Regardless, most of my time for the first bit will be baseline maintenance. New fluids, all conventional for now, but all is new now, aside the power steering (needs a high preassure line) and the coolant (I want to replace the red hoses before I change coolant, opportune time to do it). The vehicle has been neglected for a bit, and thus needs some maintenence. Following is the plan for the next 6 to 10 months

Rear sway bar link - Ordered (Working for a company that owns a Toyota dealer is good for getting parts :) )
New air filter
Rebuild rear axle (whining, sounds like a pinion bearing, while I'm in there I may as well do all new stuff, rebuild kit isint that much more than just bearings)
Rebuild Knuckles - Never been done, and I would feel better if it was done
Sort out whats wrong with the center locker - light doesn't seem to be in the dash, shifter for the t-case moves and works in low - abet it does not seem to be locking - possible actuator
Fix up the body - Just rockers for now, frame is surprisingly decent.
fresh 33 inch KO2's
Possibly a set of wet Okle seat covers.

Future
OME medium duty 2 inch lift
Roof basket fabricated from square tube
Custom tail gate cutting board for dressing game while hunting
replace rear backing plates, because one is missing....
fabricate a winch bumper

Here is some pictures of the truck, I put the lights on the thing the other day, aside the Hella's it is bone stock

DSC_0272 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
2016-08-30_10-44-14 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
IMG_20160903_175524 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
20160903_174950 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
20160903_130514 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
20160903_140924 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
20160903_143131 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
20160903_143749 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
20160903_173434 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
20160903_182517 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
20160903_190714 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
 
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black007

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Traveler I

98
Halifax, NS
I fabed up a CB antenna mount today after the second trail run i did in the truck :)

20160905_185917 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
20160905_190547 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
I decided to cut out the curve for fear of the sharp part hitting the body when the antenna bends around as it does.
20160905_200501 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
20160905_200450 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
Sorry the pictures are not of great quality, it is starting to get darker early and you can start to feel fall creeping in.
 
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black007

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Traveler I

98
Halifax, NS
This week I repacked my front bearings with grease, and reset the preload. I also added some grease to the birfields through the access port. In this process I have decided that I will be doing a knuckle rebuild at the very least. Potentially also new birfs.
IMG_20160907_185847 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
I also went on a trip with my best friend today to scope out some deer hunting spots for our 4 day camping trip comming up in November.
20160910_132338 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
20160910_134658 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
20160910_140232 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
20160910_140630 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
20160910_145707 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
20160910_172027 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
He messed up a CV pretty bad, but we managed to limp it home
20160910_150209 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
 
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black007

Rank 0

Traveler I

98
Halifax, NS
Haven't updated in a while!

Installed new brake calipers a few weeks ago - 2 were siezed

2016-10-23_08-29-43 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr

Also, this was an exciting adventure... A friend in a local offroad club got a new Rubicon after his previous Wrangler burnt to the ground while parked. I decided to go with the small group for his first trail run in the new Jeep. I had just installed new brakes as previously mentioned and had not driven the truck much in the last month. All was going well, Pearl, my German Sheppard was enjoying her first run in the truck, then when going through a slightly off camber section, I hear a noise - and my truck is getting sporadic power. I get out to make sure nothing is leaking, all seems fine. I go to move again, and it just sounds like someone trying to drive a manual transmission with no knowledge of how to do so. My thought initially was birfield joint, but at this point I'm about 4 kms back into the woods and it is about 9:00 at night.
20161020_195533 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
Here she sits. Immobilized with only Jeeps to save my sorry ass. Time to swallow the pride and get some help from the fellow offroaders (there was many a joke to be had, but we all support eachother no mater what we drive! Its like being a brother - always have to give the other guys crap).
This Jeep is named the Cookie Monster - and it saved me. (click the picture to watch a short video of me being towed by the JKU)
Snapchat-8755206065447928851 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
Now back to the road, one of the other fellow offroaders lends me a free tow through CAA - as someone who has both a special interest car and a off-road rig - the off-road community always wins for camaraderie!
2016-10-23_08-08-55 byAndrew Turner, on Flickr
Next day I took apart the drivers birfield after diagnosing what part of the axle the noise was coming from. It was a pretty quick tear down - only took about an hour to get to a point where I could see what I needed for parts. I did not take any pictures - mainly because of how messy this job is. never the less, the culprit was a shattered cage in the birfield.
2016-10-23_08-09-15 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
Ended up scooping up a whole bunch of crap from here!

My fix for this is to buy 2 Longfield birfield joints and a knuckle rebuild kit from Low Range and hopefully have it all back together in the next 2 weeks!
 
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black007

Rank 0

Traveler I

98
Halifax, NS
pseebald said:
Wow that stinks! I just rebuilt my front axle let me know if you have any questions!
Click to expand...
It does stink! That said, I'm glad it happened before the snow flew, and before I spent all the money I spent on this on something else instead! Also thanks for the offer on sharing the knowledge! I'll for sure let you know if I need a hand!

I also decided to finally wire in these lights! They were also on my old tracker and I never wired them - It will be nice to have as we move into a season where I drive to work - and home from work in the dark!
IMG_20161023_164122 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr

also obligatory out of focus dog picture

20161022_164744 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
 
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black007

Rank 0

Traveler I

98
Halifax, NS
i put in new birfields and rebuilt the knuckles a few weekends ago (surprisingly easy job I thought) no progress pics because, as anyone who has ever done this knows it is a incredibly messy job! Did get a pic of my part spread though! :) I used Longfield Chromoly birfs in the stock shafts. Should be plenty for my needs.
2016-11-27_10-30-20 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
also did a paracord wrap on my steering wheel to cover up the tattered old leather. turned out well i think considering it is my first time working with paracord.
IMG_20161127_104849 by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
also put my wreath on!
20161127_125250(0) by Andrew Turner, on Flickr
 
SGT1215

SGT1215

Rank I
Launch Member

Contributor II

271
Texas
First Name
Shane
Last Name
Arnwine
Member #

1554

Sorry you had all the issues with the hubs. Paracord is really cool idea!
 
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