4 Wheel Drives

[GlennM]

Well, since we're talkin hobbies, I guess I'll share mine. Not much of a secret, but I enjoy it.

I guess I better because I've never made a nickel from the shop (I'm on paper as something, but that's for biz and survivorship).

I've been into wheeling since I was a kid. Actually, cars and such in general get me going. But 4WD with a real low range is my all time favorite.

Don't have any pics to share, as I'm on my phone, but you can find some around on here and my Facebook page, or that of the shop.

I'm one of those folks that could do very well in the industry if I had the money, health, and cajones to go a few years broke as a church mouse.

Either way, I'm always looking to help out folks. 95% of us here have a 4x of some sort. Just let me know.

[David Wiseman]

Have an 86 Toyota 4x4 2.4 motor with the IFS,it used to have a turbo engine.Anyway,a clutch kit was put in it(Sacks) and I get hard shifting into first gear and very hard into reverse.But then again sometimes it'll shift like butter into first.The shop has bled it twice and adjusted pedal height and MC cylinder rod and that lasts a month or so and back to the same on/off shifting issue.If the shop guy has time next week I asked him to check the slave cyl hose for ballooning and the clutch pedal bracket for flexing and cracks.The master clutch and slave cylinders were replaced before the clutch kit was installed.Do you think it still has air in the line,MC being internally bypassed?Clutch pedal needing further adjustment?The mechanic did say when installing the clutch kit that the wrong midplate was between the engine and tranny with the wrong bolts,but he made it work.I'm not mechanical at all and pretty well crippled up anyways so my doing any work on it is out of the scenario.Any thoughts?Have been on all the Toyota forums online....thanks,Dave.

[Hoser John]

These are my girls Big Red and MASS(meth am sodium spill-long story) and I coveth them both. Lil' mass fits in between the tree,swims rivers and luv that 22re longbed longtrans 86 above all. Now Red is a mite dangerous as FAST and tows like a dream,both of which gets me in trouble. I have pics of red pulling out fast freddies cummings turbo diesel buried up to it's axels in sand and putting in monster dredges in muddy quicksand,as a 04 gettn' a little long in the tooth but haven't broken 60,000 yet hahahaha so good for at least a 250,000 mo-luv my 4 x 4 toyz-John

[Bedrock Bob]

Hey Glen!

I have a 1976 Toyota Landcruiser that I just bought from my son. I have had several of these and I always restored them "stock"...They were really nice vehicles with no rust and well taken care of so it made sense to keep it classy. This one is solid but has no doors, top, tailgate, etc.etc. and it burns some oil.

I was tinkering with the idea of putting a small, fuel injected v-6 or v-8 in the thing. I figure just buying a late model wreck with an engine/transmission/transfer case that is suitable would be the best bet.

If you had an old FJ-40 that needed a little more than the 115 stock horses, what would you suggest? I just want something quiet and reliable and not so much badass big tire off road stuff. I used to have an old CJ5 with a 283 Chevy and it was as sweet a little truck as you could get. I am thinking there must be some vehicle out there that would be perfect to cannibalize and use to make the FJ breathe a little fire going down the road?

[heybeerman]

I've been into wheeling since I was old enough to steel my dad's truck and bomb it around the hills In Simi Valley.

I bought this red Jeep bone stock in 1991. All that is still "original Jeep" is part of the frame, the cowl, tailgate & hood.

Here is a shot of my wife driving it on the Rubicon Trail.

She finally let me drive on that trip:

Here is my rockbuggy. My girl's drive it mostly. Here is shot of us in Moab:

I've had many others but these two are my current ones.

[Goldfinger]

I've been into wheeling since I was old enough to steel my dad's truck and bomb it around the hills In Simi Valley.

I bought this red Jeep bone stock in 1991. All that is still "original Jeep" is part of the frame, the cowl, tailgate & hood.

Here is a shot of my wife driving it on the Rubicon Trail.

IMG_0664.JPG

She finally let me drive on that trip:

6142715770_0fb742f26b_o.jpg

Here is my rockbuggy. My girl's drive it mostly. Here is shot of us in Moab:

DSCN0276.JPG

I've had many others but these two are my current ones.

Holy Crap!!! I'd be afraid to get in something like that, much less drive one.

Steve

[El Dorado]

Blake, next time you do the Rubicon, let me know. I live real close

[Steel Pan]

Here's a 52 Chevy delivery, ( the "Gold Digger"), my son in law is building for my daughter. She and I are having a dispute as to who will end up with it when he's done.

Undercarrage is from a '77 Blazer with a 400 hp, 350 cid.

If I remember right, the body has been shortened 14".

Here's the one he is building for himself.

Edited January 22, 2013 by Steel Pan

[El Dorado]

You should have it for at least a year to test and make sure it is OK for her to drive

[Steel Pan]

You should have it for at least a year to test and make sure it is OK for her to drive

Ah yes, a father's concern for his little girl's safety, that would be the fatherly thing to do.

Thanks!

[heybeerman]

Steel Pan, Those will sure be unique when that are done. Cool!

[Steel Pan]

Here's two more of my son-in-law's projects. Built on a motor home frame and used two cabs for the "Extended Cab".

It has a 500 hp 454 cid set midsection just behind the cab. A removable tire rack sets over the engine compartment.

The normal engine compartment is the trunk.

He puts two Harleys on the very back when he takes it to shows.

Built this "Rat Rod" too.

That's a Desoto Hemi.

O.K., I'm done highjackin' this thread. Just had to brag on the boy. Love his work!

He's put 4x4 under a 69 Malibu, and a 69 and 72 El Caminos

Has a ton of trophies.

[garimpo]

Man the kid is good.....

[heybeerman]

Here is a shot of my youngest daughter crushing some cars in her old Jeep.

It was street legal. None of the boys would talk $hit when they drove it to school.

[garimpo]

Blake is "rock crawlin" a required course in Morristown High?

[GlennM]

Just getting back to this post. Wasn't aware I had some questions to answer.

David-

If it bleeds air again, replace all hoses including hard lines as air is getting somewhere. I wouldn't expect air to be getting in the system from master or slave cylinder. Hose swell will not only change pedal feel, but also change where the clutch engages, however, it should be the same for all gears.

If not, it could be the synchros in the transmission or the incorrect flywheel (mid plate). First and reverse are hit when slow RPMs are seen, and the weights on a pressure plate won't aid the clutch feel and clamping force. Does the shift do any better if you put a tad more throttle on the engine? If you're sitting still and have been having the hard shift, have you tried sitting still and going from Reverse to something like 3rd? Do the same, but give the engine about 300-400 extra RPM when in reverse and hold that engine speed shifting to other gears.

Let me know what happens from these tests. Best to PM, as I've obviously not seen this post in a while.

Bob, I would throw a mild, fuel injected 350 in there. Places like Advance Adapters or Novak and many aftermarket companies (like trail gear or Marlin Crawler) will have everything to hook up and fire up just about any combo you could imagine. I say a 350 because they are abundant and have parts available anywhere for cheap.

You'll want to do pre-1996 to stay away from OBD 2. If you do grab a later setup you'll have to deal with a lot more including speed sensors and such, unless you get a custom ECM tune to delete unwanted sensors.