Also - I need your counsel regarding shocks.

I believe you said you put Bilsteins on your '95? I hear conflicting information on Billys so set me straight - did it lift the truck at all when you put them on? I don't have a lot of room getting in my garage so I can do perhaps a 1" lift, but I can't do the OME 2.5" lift. I'm eventually going to go BFG 33s + Bilstein, just trying to figure out how much (if any) that will raise it.

Toyota still sells the OEM parts (muffler and tailpipe/resonator). I buy most of my OEM parts from EB Toyota Parts out of MA or RI (somewhere up north). they have the best prices and the easiest catalog to navigate. Toyota parts zone used to be good but their prices have gone up.

As far as inside sound goes, Most of the noise in the 80 series IMO is from the doors. They didn't have enough insulation from the metal vibrations. I found that installing butyl rope along the side impact beams inside the doors and putting on 2 or 3 sheets of SDS (Sound Deadener Showdown) tiles helps reduce massive amounts of vibration and booming inside and actually allows you to have a conversation. I put one in there whole and took two more and cut them into strips and taped them around inside. The objective isnt for complete coverage, but rather to reduce the vibration. Read up on that dude's website. Lot of good resources for free, so I bought some of his stuff to support him. The other plus is that it also makes the doors sound and feel so much more solid when you close it.


As far as shocks, I bought the regular Bilstein 4600 (yellow/blue). Shocks dont lift a vehicle. Springs do. My 95 was bone stock suspension wise, but the rear shocks had some garbage gabriel that were rusted out. Fronts were OEM and still looked ok, but all 4 had no more pressure in them. That being said, your OEM springs may have sagged over time. So some new OEM ride height springs (either from Toyota or OME) may give you an inch of lift.

I havent looked under my 97 to see whats on there but I'll replace with billies if/when they/re worn.

Dude, you are a treasure trove of high quality information as always, thank you.

Roaming SDS now and placing his tiles on the Capital Projects list with a high priority.

I realize a spring is a mechanical component with the potential to wear over time, but what are the odds my springs are sagging, or how would I verify this? Previous owner probably rarely if ever took it off road, nearly all road miles.

KY AG said:

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Dude, you are a treasure trove of high quality information as always, thank you.

Roaming SDS now and placing his tiles on the Capital Projects list with a high priority.

I realize a spring is a mechanical component with the potential to wear over time, but what are the odds my springs are sagging, or how would I verify this? Previous owner probably rarely if ever took it off road, nearly all road miles.

---

Sadly the strange things I read up on (such as sound deadening your car) isnt real useful 'real world' info haha.

The springs I can tell you are for sure sagging after 20 years. Off Roaded or not, its had to hold up 2000 lbs of SUV body and people and gear and stuff. This is why people who put OME 2.5" lifts get more than 2.5", because the OEM springs have sagged.

My son is Fighting Texas Aggie Class of 2019 and drives a '96 LX450
http://i878.photobucket.com/albums/ab350/gbobo/FJ%20Cruiser/2016-08-05_013721000_C9E68_iOS.jpg

-Greg

Excellent, gbobo.

BTW: be careful with unprotected photobucket accounts. Everyone can freely see your (very nice) 60 series and FJ pics as well. Maybe you don't care, just a heads up.

gbobo said:

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My son is Fighting Texas Aggie Class of 2019 and drives a '96 LX450


-Greg

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Photo for the rook....nice ride!

Welcome to the fold.




I have a 40 and an 80, dad has a FJ Cruiser. I learned to drive in my dads FJ80.

Here is one seat for the 80

That looks fantastic.

Do you mind sharing the cost with us?

Great job on the gathered parts.

Not at all. Originally he wanted a little over 2k for both front seats, second row and arm rest. It's all leather. He does a lot of work for us and we ended at $1,800.

Originally we settled at $1,600, but once he saw all the gathered looks we ended at $1,800 haha.

Wow! Looks great!

You did leathered sides too? Dang man!

I'm waffling on mine. lseat.com has good prices.

That may be my april project.

Who did this work?

I need all new seats for mine.

Yep all leather 1ags.

I'm in the Valley, it's a gentleman that does all the upholstery work for us. If you are interested in getting work done let me know.

I'm up in Dallas, unfortunately.

That cost over half the purchase price of my 80

Another example of his work, not to hijack thread. It's 1050 Cordura.

Very nice.

Bringing this thread back up to document my first calendar year of 80 ownership.

In April I sold my 2013 F-150 and bought 1ags' 1997 LX450. (Pro tip: It's usually a good idea to check in with him while he's back in the states to see what vehicles he is cycling through and looking to get rid of. )

Existing work prior to receiving title:

• OME suspension
• Bull bar
• Esky backup camera
• Pioneer AVH-X3800BHS head unit
• A few new belts, hoses, and fluids

Since then, I have done the following:

• New tires - BFG AT KO2's 285 x 75 x R16
• Reinstall the OME suspension. Driver's side on an Australian suspension is passenger side on a US rig.
• Clear drains for a leaky sunroof
• Replace front door speakers. Pioneer TS-G1645R are a perfect fit and an immediate upgrade over the existing speakers.
• New Wheelskins steering wheel cover
• Install cupholders. It's still amazing that a vehicle that stickered for > 50,000 1997 dollars only came with two square holders capable of holding 12 oz cans. Oh how far we've come, America...
• New Koyo radiator hoses, and coolant
• Replace pitted stock rims with Mickey Thompson Classic Baja Locks
• New battery
• Repair rear windshield wiper motor (Step 1: Remove rear tailgate interior. Step 2: Hit motor with screwdriver handle. Step 3: Reinstall rear tailgate interior.)
• Replace brake pads, brake hoses, and some bits of brake line (Be sure to order pads and hoses ahead of time as they are not going to be in stock at your local auto parts store)
• New ventilation hoses
• Regular maintenance (oil changes, grease, tire rotation, etc.)

Current plans for 2017:

• Continue chasing down a reappearing P0401 code
• Repair radio antenna
• Regular maintenance and fixing whatever else decides to throw in the towel after 20 years

To 99% of America, none of this sounds logical or desirable - but it is by far the most favorite vehicle that I have owned. I've learned more about vehicle mechanics and maintenance in the past year with this slow, lumbering battle-axe than I did in my previous 30.

Post pics if you haven't already.

All I got to do this time was start my 80 up and listen to that 4.5L I6 hum away.


Too many cars, too little time....

I paid to have a front knuckle rebuild a front main seal oil gasket replaced, suddenly my cheap 80 has turned into something eating up money. But I love the truck and want to take care of it - like a pet or something. Front knuckle and axle reseal was a bit too much for me to try, but many owners do it successfully.

GOAT

Just put new tires on our son's '97 LX450 before he heads back to Aggieland for the Spring semester. We've added the ARB bumper but desperately need to recover the front seats.

I drive an '11 LC and have priced out the ARB front bumper replacement. The cheapest quote I got was ~$3k with labor. I'm in Midland. Anyone have any leads around the state where I can get this cheaper?

autoanything.com
ARB Deluxe Front Bumper Bull Bars for a 2011.

(75)

• $1,936.10

I think you can get it installed for less than a G.

That price I believe is free shipping and probably no tax.

The problems start arising...

Took the '96 to work last week and, about 10 minutes into the commute, I start hearing a slight metal-to-metal grinding noise. It appears, then goes away. Appears again (even greater), then goes away. When I pull into the parking lot at work (5 minutes later), the thing is a perpetual loud grinding noise, all coming from the front passenger side.

10 hours later, start it back up and the first 5 minutes don't hear anything. Then the grinding appears again and increases intensity. By this time I'm just praying that I make it home, which thankfully I do.

So, I'm thinking it could be:

• Brakes
• Bearings
• Something Birfield joint related?

I popped the right front wheel off and examined the brakes - everything looks normal, nothing out of the ordinary, plenty of pad left, no metal on metal.





So...help me texags. What am I missing before doing a complete front end rebuild?

these eat rotors start there

Not opposed to that, but just to get to the rotor is a job. I might as well replace the trunnion bearings if I do that.

Front pads have squeakers on each one.

Have a look at both inside and outside pads first.

Both sides still have lots of pad before the squeaker.

Honestly, it sounds like something deeper in the axle if I tried to pinpoint the source.

Are you sure it's a squeak & not a grind?

Not sure what you mean.