1983 FJ45 Troop Carrier Buildup
- Thread starter Hltoppr
- Start date
Hltoppr
El Gringo Spectacular!
Thaks targa88!
Turns out the springs are about 4" lift springs, as I'm taller than a fellow 45 owner's rig with a 2" OME kit and 35"s on it....
So...
Do I try to make a "silk purse" out of the sow's ear suspension by removing a couple of springs?...or do I just give Kurt at CruiserOutfitters a call and do an OME system?
Thoughts? Suggestions?
-H-
Turns out the springs are about 4" lift springs, as I'm taller than a fellow 45 owner's rig with a 2" OME kit and 35"s on it....
So...
Do I try to make a "silk purse" out of the sow's ear suspension by removing a couple of springs?...or do I just give Kurt at CruiserOutfitters a call and do an OME system?
Thoughts? Suggestions?
-H-
Hltoppr
El Gringo Spectacular!
....LOL....Actually....I'm gonna enlist your help with the timing...2Fs are weird...and advancing the timing a bit will be "interesting" to get it right...
Deavers would be nice..but my time schedule lends itself to buying a full OME kit....as it's been tested before and won't require me to run to the truck scale over and over....
-H-
(Just picked up a case that'll pay for the wheels, tires, lift and seats!)
Deavers would be nice..but my time schedule lends itself to buying a full OME kit....as it's been tested before and won't require me to run to the truck scale over and over....
-H-
(Just picked up a case that'll pay for the wheels, tires, lift and seats!)
MaddBaggins
Explorer
Very nice! Have fun with that sweet machine.:drool:
Hltoppr
El Gringo Spectacular!
I'm close to a suspension decision....
OME Light duty kit...which will allow 110 extra pounds on the front to GVW and 0 to GVW on the rear. Since the GVW of the Troopy is more than I'll be carrying, the lighter springs seem to be the ticket. Hopefully, the ride quality will be great, as usual, with OME stuff...and my family will like traveling in the finished product...
-H-
(I'm waiting for the title/registration stuff to go through before pulling the trigger on $$$ expenditures! :chowtime: )
OME Light duty kit...which will allow 110 extra pounds on the front to GVW and 0 to GVW on the rear. Since the GVW of the Troopy is more than I'll be carrying, the lighter springs seem to be the ticket. Hopefully, the ride quality will be great, as usual, with OME stuff...and my family will like traveling in the finished product...
-H-
(I'm waiting for the title/registration stuff to go through before pulling the trigger on $$$ expenditures! :chowtime: )
dieselcruiserhead
16 Years on ExPo. Whoa!!
If it were me I'd call Kurt on this too.. (not affiliated justa friend)... "Light" for me seems to be an immediate "probably not that good an idea" off the top of my head but I could have that wrong.. If you want nice and flexy typically you do medium... That said he does sell light and he knows those spring rates and load carrying capacity better than anyone I know... Hope it helps!
RE distributors, I have done a lot of messing around with 2F distributors... First before all else start the truck and make sure the oil pressure gauge is working... Assuming it is, if you remove the distributor at all, make sure you always check the oil pressure gauge first after you restart it. If no oil pressure then turn the engine off immediately as its not getting oil! The distributor turns the oil pump.. Ask me how I know, uh, I have seized *two* (imagine how stupid I felt after the first time) 2F engines with distributors becoming unseated or not all the way in even though they felt 100% seated...
The best distributors IMO are the commonly called "Non USA" which is basically a '69-70 F engine distributor with the octane adjuster. This setup with an electronic aftermarket kit like Pertronix seems to be the best. You can usually find them cheap besides the $300 cost from Specter. I don't think I ever paid more than $50 for one but this was a good deal every time... Perhaps check the classifieds section of mud... And the other was a '79 distributor that was originally designed for smog but I ran desmogged and closed the ports on the distributor. This setup already has an electronic setup instead of points. Key in my opinion is to get rid of the points. Not so much that points wear out but distributor shafts develop microscopic amounts of play and it becomes harder to dial points, and some aftermarket companies make crappy points. You need to use a late FJ40/FJ60 or even a mini truck sealed coil/ignitor combo but these two units all work together very well. I hope this all isn't too confusing...
You want a vaccum advance distributor, not a vacuum retard, which almost all 70's era distributors are (vaccuum retard). Only the very early ('69 and earlier) and '79 and later are vacuum advance. A FJ60 distributor also works but the head on them is very large so you need a 2F side cover from a FJ60 too otherwise they don't fit. They are basically a '79 era distirbutor (curve, performance, etc) but with a larger head. The '79 and later also seal up nicely with a little silicone so can be used for water corssings/etc...
Also, it is not so much the strength of the spark but the timing of the spark. I'm not sure if Jim Chenowith is still in business(?) but he was someone who came up with new spark curves and can recurve factory Toyota distributors to optimum timing. This is what I would recommend, and it seems to be a noticable difference in power and efficiency... Or if you can find a performance engine shop locallt that does distributor work I think this goes a long way. Even the factory curve is off from where it should be. Hope it helps...
This is all how to "throw small things at an engine." It is sort of like building a bike light, costs a lot of money and in the end you have to wonder if its worth the cost for minimal gains but sometimes it is, assuming you start with a good base. In the end a 2F with a grand or two of goodies can feeled dialed and stronger and "plenty of power" so it can be worth it... The combo of a good strong carb, dist setup/ignition, and possibly even headers together can yield a good strong engine.... A truly solid/dialed 2F goes a long way in my opinion and is definetely a good candidate for a lifelong engine for a cruiser. Even though they are old school and usually guzzle...
Or do little cheap things for now if you are happy with it and perhaps plan for a swap later...
Cheers,
Andre
RE distributors, I have done a lot of messing around with 2F distributors... First before all else start the truck and make sure the oil pressure gauge is working... Assuming it is, if you remove the distributor at all, make sure you always check the oil pressure gauge first after you restart it. If no oil pressure then turn the engine off immediately as its not getting oil! The distributor turns the oil pump.. Ask me how I know, uh, I have seized *two* (imagine how stupid I felt after the first time) 2F engines with distributors becoming unseated or not all the way in even though they felt 100% seated...
The best distributors IMO are the commonly called "Non USA" which is basically a '69-70 F engine distributor with the octane adjuster. This setup with an electronic aftermarket kit like Pertronix seems to be the best. You can usually find them cheap besides the $300 cost from Specter. I don't think I ever paid more than $50 for one but this was a good deal every time... Perhaps check the classifieds section of mud... And the other was a '79 distributor that was originally designed for smog but I ran desmogged and closed the ports on the distributor. This setup already has an electronic setup instead of points. Key in my opinion is to get rid of the points. Not so much that points wear out but distributor shafts develop microscopic amounts of play and it becomes harder to dial points, and some aftermarket companies make crappy points. You need to use a late FJ40/FJ60 or even a mini truck sealed coil/ignitor combo but these two units all work together very well. I hope this all isn't too confusing...
You want a vaccum advance distributor, not a vacuum retard, which almost all 70's era distributors are (vaccuum retard). Only the very early ('69 and earlier) and '79 and later are vacuum advance. A FJ60 distributor also works but the head on them is very large so you need a 2F side cover from a FJ60 too otherwise they don't fit. They are basically a '79 era distirbutor (curve, performance, etc) but with a larger head. The '79 and later also seal up nicely with a little silicone so can be used for water corssings/etc...
Also, it is not so much the strength of the spark but the timing of the spark. I'm not sure if Jim Chenowith is still in business(?) but he was someone who came up with new spark curves and can recurve factory Toyota distributors to optimum timing. This is what I would recommend, and it seems to be a noticable difference in power and efficiency... Or if you can find a performance engine shop locallt that does distributor work I think this goes a long way. Even the factory curve is off from where it should be. Hope it helps...
This is all how to "throw small things at an engine." It is sort of like building a bike light, costs a lot of money and in the end you have to wonder if its worth the cost for minimal gains but sometimes it is, assuming you start with a good base. In the end a 2F with a grand or two of goodies can feeled dialed and stronger and "plenty of power" so it can be worth it... The combo of a good strong carb, dist setup/ignition, and possibly even headers together can yield a good strong engine.... A truly solid/dialed 2F goes a long way in my opinion and is definetely a good candidate for a lifelong engine for a cruiser. Even though they are old school and usually guzzle...
Or do little cheap things for now if you are happy with it and perhaps plan for a swap later...
Cheers,
Andre
Last edited:
Hltoppr
El Gringo Spectacular!
Thanks Andre!
I've been in touch with Kurt, and he's suggesting the light kit, based upon GVW...If I need to go with a higher spring rate, I can add the leaf in the rear for "medium".
I need to really dig into the electronics of this 2F....it's weird...
The aircleaner assembly is F motor...paper filter, while the ignition has the external ballast resister....no smog stuff...so I'm assuming it's a "non-USA" setup...
I was thinking EFI kit from Man a Fre....but $2,500+ is a bit of swag....
-H-
I've been in touch with Kurt, and he's suggesting the light kit, based upon GVW...If I need to go with a higher spring rate, I can add the leaf in the rear for "medium".
I need to really dig into the electronics of this 2F....it's weird...
The aircleaner assembly is F motor...paper filter, while the ignition has the external ballast resister....no smog stuff...so I'm assuming it's a "non-USA" setup...
I was thinking EFI kit from Man a Fre....but $2,500+ is a bit of swag....
-H-
cruiseroutfit
Well-known member
Hltoppr,
Re: Distributors, check out this lineage chart of them:
http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/tech_dizzy.html
My favorite is the 79'-80': Dual diaphragm advance. It has the waterproof cap (o-ring sealed and vented into the air cleaner housing) which is HUGE for me... I want to be 100 watertight. In addition it is all electric (basically and HEI and used an ignitor/coil setup which IMO is far more reliable than the older coil/ballast sytems. The Pertronix electronic ignition setups are a great way to go if you can't find the 79/80' but I'm still not 100% sold on their reliablility (after having a handful fail, though all older model units).
Re: Suspension.
I'll tell you that 90% of 40 Series owners start with the Light/Medium, and never change... some do and some start with the heavy/heavy, there are no medium fronts nor light rears, thus the naming. That being said, if you plan to have front accessories above 100lbs (ie. a winchbar & heavy winch) then go with the heavy fronts. Likewise on the rear, if you plan to put more than say 200lbs of constant weight (ie. RTT, racks, spare tire carriers, etc) then go with the heavy, otherwise I honestly think you will be happy with the light/medium. I gathered during our conversation that you don't plan to add items as such? Did I mis-understand? You are correct about the additional leafs... a CS001F + a D3XL turns it into a CS002F, likewise for the rear. Again though, it is cheaper to buy the CS002F now, then it is to build it later (takes a couple of hours for the swap). Hope that helps
Re: Distributors, check out this lineage chart of them:
http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/tech_dizzy.html
My favorite is the 79'-80': Dual diaphragm advance. It has the waterproof cap (o-ring sealed and vented into the air cleaner housing) which is HUGE for me... I want to be 100 watertight. In addition it is all electric (basically and HEI and used an ignitor/coil setup which IMO is far more reliable than the older coil/ballast sytems. The Pertronix electronic ignition setups are a great way to go if you can't find the 79/80' but I'm still not 100% sold on their reliablility (after having a handful fail, though all older model units).
Re: Suspension.
I'll tell you that 90% of 40 Series owners start with the Light/Medium, and never change... some do and some start with the heavy/heavy, there are no medium fronts nor light rears, thus the naming. That being said, if you plan to have front accessories above 100lbs (ie. a winchbar & heavy winch) then go with the heavy fronts. Likewise on the rear, if you plan to put more than say 200lbs of constant weight (ie. RTT, racks, spare tire carriers, etc) then go with the heavy, otherwise I honestly think you will be happy with the light/medium. I gathered during our conversation that you don't plan to add items as such? Did I mis-understand? You are correct about the additional leafs... a CS001F + a D3XL turns it into a CS002F, likewise for the rear. Again though, it is cheaper to buy the CS002F now, then it is to build it later (takes a couple of hours for the swap). Hope that helps
ntsqd
Heretic Car Camper
FWIW I have a fair amount of experience in converting non magnetic trigger dizzys to later configurations. My first was putting a Toyota 22R reluctor & pick-up coil in a VW 009 and then in a VW 010 dizzy. In about 1988 or so. (I've since found that Subaru's fit easier.) I've since done many such conversions, several of them fairly odd (i.e. Ford D-S II into an I-H Prestolite or Sube parts into a Jeep F head dizzy), so if this is the sort of thing that needs to happen shoot me a PM. I'll be glad to offer what assistance that I can.