LuX450 Build: 97 LX450 (FZJ80 Cruiser)

[Spyduh]

Remove old lx450 console, sub, brackets and amp. You want to see bare floor.

Enlarge shifter dash cup holder area with dremel cutoff wheel. Test fit

Make bracket using 1 inch square tube

Drill holes to mount onto square tube

Finished and painted to match the tan interior of the fj80

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[TheBarefootFamily]

This looks awesome been using an under dash locker for a long time but this article makes me think...

 

[Spyduh]

next mod.... Wheelskins leather wheel cover. Bought it from amzn and will be here tomorrow.

 

[Spyduh]

Been too busy lately but I did install the steering wheel wrap. Bought used sliders for 300 and installed them myself. Then installed my used ARB safari snorkel.

 

[Spyduh]

4x4Labs.com Front and Rear Swing out bumpers ordered. ARB bumper will be sold once I get the new bumpers installed.

Next in queue for the LuX450 was the Front and Rear ARB lockers and 4.88 regear. But this may have to wait now because I have an offer from my buddy for a fully built 93 Toy pickup rock crawler. 36 Swapers, dual cases with marlin adapter, twin sticks, Elocker front and Detroit lockers, 5.29 geared, flat bed with roll bar, rebuilt motor, bumpers and sliders. Considering buying it since it's a decent deal and it's already been to Rubicon and back plenty of times. The 4runner and LuX450 have been built for overlanding and can do Rubicon but will sustain body damage I don't want on these clean chaises. Pickup will become the beater and will be played with till I'm bored with it.

 

[Spyduh]

Been slow on the progress of the LuX450 as I've been devoting time on my 93 Crawler to get ready for Rubicon. I did finally install my badge on the LuX450 and my Gobi Ladder.

 

[pseebald]

Great looking truck! Pm'd you about bumper

 

[Spyduh]

 

[Spyduh]

Radiator went out on the Cruiser. Luckily I caught it 2 blocks away from home and not in the middle of no where. Otherwise I would have overheated and blew a head gasket and been stranded.

While I was in there, I replaced it with an all metal radiator it was $315 vs the plastic $150. The original plastic one lasted EDIT: 5 years and 22k ** WRONG 20 years (174,000 miles)** and busted at the plastic seams like all plastic radiators. Changing it to the metal one should last a lifetime now. While I was in there I also did the fan clutch, water pump, thermostat and all the heater hoses to silicone. The dreaded pesky heater hose was the worse one. At least I'll never have to do it again because it's now silicone. I also did routine maintenance and replaced the front, center and rear differential fluids with fresh gear oil, changed out the automatic transmission fluid and the power steering fluid. I haven't did jack to this and just drove it since I bought it a year ago. I figured the owner took decent shape of it. That was a bad assumption and it looked like the fluids never been changed or at least haven't been in over 100k or more. Thick black sludge and one of the diffs was foamy! I'm running distilled water in the new radiator right now to circulate through the system. Will flush it completely to remove the green coolant and switch back to factory Toyota Red (long life) coolant which is rated for up to 100k miles. 4 jugs at $15 each aint cheap but it's a hella of a lot cheaper than paying the dealer $25-30 per gallon jug.

Part Numbers:
CSF ALL Metal Radiator 3 Row #2517 $315
HPS Silicone Host Kit HPS-57-14441-BLK + 90 degree gates heater hose to firewall and a 3" straight heater hose to firewall. Pesky Heater Hose (PHH) replaced with the HPS Silicone hose. PHH was as bad as they say it is.
Aisin Water Pump WPT023
Aisin Fan Clutch FCT004
Toyota OEM V-Drive Belts 90913-02353-83
Gates Green Strip AC Belt

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[Spyduh]

Been lagging on the posts too. Here's a pic of Pismo Oceana Dunes during the Land Cruiser Turf and Surf 2016 Event and overlandbound off the grid 2 @ bald mountain.

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[Spyduh]

I've done a ton of work on it and haven't posted in awhile. Been lazy. Here's some pics of recent stuff I did.

DIY drawer system $200 on parts from HomeDepot . Bolted my ARB fridge slide and ARB elements fridge to it.

$200 DIY beats $1800 ARB drawers.

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[Spyduh]

Switched out OME 2.5” heavy 863 springs for the OME 863J 3" springs. Helps when loaded down with sag.

Also had the welds break pre cat on the trail. Loud ride home. Welded it up at home and added 2 additional exhaust hangers. Good as new.

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[Spyduh]

Let's see... Fab'd my own hilift mounts to go onto the Gobi rack. Also fab mounts for the other side for the shovel. No pics for that (must have forgotten). Fab'd up a inverter and always on 12v sockets to go with my dual battery setup (pics in next post). Welded some 1/4 plate together to make my own ARB warn mounting plates. Yeah I'm too cheap to buy plates I can make for almost nothing.

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[Spyduh]

Tjmax dual battery kit. Installed. Wiring 2ga wire from front to rear sucked big time. Decent kit. I even bought a 2nd kit for my crawler I'm going to install this weekend.

I also installed a slee rear elocker armor. Next post with pics with my buddies pulling 2 nighters helping me do a factory locked front and rear axle swap from a donor salvaged factory locked cruiser.

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[Spyduh]

Part 2 of donor factory locked axle swap. The bulbs, wiring and finishing touches. Next post with part 1

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[Spyduh]

Sorry I'm going backwards with pics scrolling down through older pics in the phone.

Part 1 of donor factory locked swap.

Me and my buddies pulled 2 nighters helping me do a factory locerd front and rear axle swap from a donor salvaged factory locked cruiser. It was brutal. We have a story we'll never forget. One buddy also got killed with a swinging axle (complete axle). Scarry stuff.

Last pic shows my 4x4labs bumper installed. That was really interesting cutting it off with a plasma torch. My very first time cutting stuff off with a torch. Not so sure after the first 10 seconds. Then it was like cool I need one at home now. This pic also has my donor axle for part 2.

[emoji3]

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[Spyduh]

Front full knuckle rebuild

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[Spyduh]

I pulled some spare Land cruiser drive shafts for Cruise Moab event next weekend. Working under a factory tire non lifted cruiser sucked. It had low miles (130k) miles tho [emoji3].

Bought some spare used birfs and front inners axle shafts and rear axle shafts. Should be here next week.

I even degreased the drive shafts and wrapped them up. Keeps the carpet clean inside the rig.

I know this isn't the spot for pics of my 93 since it's for my cruiser build thread. But here's a peak at what we fab'd late last night. Rear tire carrier with a chopped axle shaft on my upper cage.

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[Scott Haworth]

Been too busy lately but I did install the steering wheel wrap. Bought used sliders for 300 and installed them myself. Then installed my used ARB safari snorkel.

How is that the Autozone antenna working for you? My antenna on my LC is busted and was thinking of going with one of those universal ones from Autozone too but I have to get my CFO (wife) approval

 

[Boort]

next mod.... Wheelskins leather wheel cover. Bought it from amzn and will be here tomorrow.

@Spyduh

I'd love to know how the steering wheel cover goes in. I've been thinking about recovering my Tacoma's wheel as it is getting sticky in places and cleaning it only makes it worse.

Boort