Introducing FOO, FZJ80 with Portal Volvo c303 topless
 

I was introduced to this site by a fellow IH8MUD member from Finland when I was searching for information on Volvo Portal Axle disc brake conversions. Really amazing work displayed here.

I am located about as close to the center of the United States as you can get in Kansas. This project, that we call FOO after the furious FOO FIGHTERS has been a project for about 5 years now.

here is the thread on MUD.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/wha...s-this.674113/

Here she is the day we picked her up in Chicago.

pictures
 

Sorry, having issues with pictures.

Here she is.

topless
 

Then, we started taking some weight off...

next
 

This is a family project, so my son and daughter helped much on the project. For the first year, FOO was sporting a FF hood and stripes thanks to the kids work and some rattle can love.

then
 

The test drive after doing all the work was out to the trailer; however, the trails proved that everything was working. This is a triple locked from the factory FZJ80, 1996 vintage.

then came
 

Up next year was to paint it in the older land cruiser paint scheme.

and next
 

Armor was added during the project, including custom front bumper.

around that time
 

Then we decided to make some half doors to stop water coming in during water crossings. So, off with the tube doors! Also added hydro assist steering for the big tires.

next up
 

both of my kids learned to drive on FOO. Here are a couple action shots.

oops pictures
 

pictures

help
 

We decided to swap the axles for portal axles that I got from a c303 volvo.

We are looking for help getting the parts needed for a disc brake swap.

@ukkonen7 was able to help my friend get some information, but pointed us to try and get more information from other members here.

current status
 

Here is where the axles are now.

I plan to use the toyota rotor, TOYOTA 4351260120

Does anyone have a source for the mounting ring for using a toyota caliper j6?

Offroadtarvike - 4x4 Maastoauton varaosat, vinssit, renkaat, vanteet, ajosillat, jouset, korotussarjat, lavakate, iskunvaimentimet

Nice FZJ! I don't remember seeing topless 80 series Cruiser before but that's seems to be pretty cool. There's various versions of the Volvo disk brakes around - maybe you could check with http://www.offroadtarvike.fi if they do have some. I don't remember anymore which brake caliper they used in conversions.

Volvo?
 

Where did you get those axles? Aren`t those pretty rare in States?

yes
 

Yes, very rare in the states to find these axles. They appear to have come from a batch that came in the early 2000's that were cut off of military vehicles in Europe, boxed up and shipped over. I say that as the bolts for the springs were clearly cut from torch and half was still there until a few weeks ago.

I found them after a long search in Grand Junction Colorado.

The rarity has definitely caused me to have to search for information from all over the world.

Here is pic when I got them, and some more pictures of FOO in the wild.

MOD Please help
 

How do I get the mod to activate my account so I can do things on this site?

Try now.

Alive
 

Thanks! :D:D:D:D

Thanks for the advice. I emailed offroadtarvike and they quickly replied that they can help me.

Awesome.

Hope to start burning some metal this weekend.

burning in
 

Got the lower and upper mount tacked in place.

help needed
 

Making slow progress. Not much time to work on this project.

I need help looking for disc conversion parts. I reached out to offroadtarvike; however, have not been able to communicate about buying the parts I need.

Any other source for the shims and brake bracket?

That upper link, or A arm, looks interesting :D You sure that it will hold? Maybe a big ball-joimt would be stronger, cause there will be damage if or when it explodes :D

Nice built by the way, keep on posting :cool:

Great point. The upper link has a Johhny-joint (a ball joint) at the point above the differential. You can see it better in the post above. actually, all three points on the axle are the same johnny joint.

Right now, the upper is mocked up in small tubing; however, will be 1.5" 1/4 wall DOM if everything looks good for full articulation. The lower will be 1.75 DOM. I hope it will not explode; however, if it does, we will do version 2.0.

brackets and calipers
 

I have purchased the toyota FZ rotors and now need a source for drawings or purchased parts of the bracket to hold a caliper.

I have found several different pictures of these. Can anyone help me find these parts?

another pic

Sorry, i thought it is normal rubber bushing :D

I should share the source if anyone is interested.

https://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com...g/RODENDS.html

shims
 

Is this how you adapt the hub to the disc with the use of shims?

There are multiple ways to do. Some people just machine the outer part of hub so that brake disk sits on it. This is not optimal but I haven't heard about broken bolts anyway. This additional plate you already linked looks like best option. Edit: Some kind of shims inside sounds like good compromise to me.

https://forums.offipalsta.com/attach...4&d=1520442122

I did my disc conversion like this:
https://forums.offipalsta.com/pictur...ctureid=211280
https://forums.offipalsta.com/pictur...ctureid=211281
https://forums.offipalsta.com/pictur...ctureid=211282
https://forums.offipalsta.com/pictur...ctureid=211283

great pictures!! thanks for the images and great option. after that machine work, how thick was the metal where the wheel stud sits?

Cant remember for sure, but i think around 8-10mm.

smell of burning flesh
 

Started making stuff. Made the lower control arms and started burning in the mounts on the axle.

parts
 

I am getting very excited about getting parts from Timo Lipponen <timo@offroadtarvike.fi>

Hopefully, I can get the order done quickly, so they are on the way.

rear axle in
 

Took longer than I wanted, but got the rear axle in.

Nice.

What bolt pattern for wheels you are planning, 6 x 139.7 ?

wheels
 

yes, planning on 6 lug toyota/chevy wheel bolt pattern.

I am getting ready to pull apart the portal to go through it. Is there a good thread or instructions on how to take apart and put back together?

Here are pics of the front axle starting to go in. Making brackets now for the new arms.

Another question, do you use adapters for the driveshafts? The pattern seems to be similar to a Suzuki; but different inner hub.

Thanks.

Help
 

What do you do for converting from Toyota transfer case to the volvo diff input?

Easiest way is make adapters between cardans and transfer case or diff input, with ”lathe” (odd word, i am not sure if it is right)

Like there: 4 th and 5 th picture:


https://forums.offipalsta.com/showpo...46&postcount=1

Perfect. Exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks.

Help
 

I keep asking for help.

I am trying to get this project done so my daughter and I can have a weekend camping and hitting trails on the 20th of this month.

I NEED PARTS!!

I had been talking with timo@offroadtarvike.fi and they were very helpful; however, I have not heard from them in almost a week and I need to get the parts shipping to the states.

Anyone know of another source?

I need the large seal and adapter

new boots

disc brake adapter for front. (I am going to make 2 caliper bracket for rear to do ebrake there also.)

I try wake Timo ...

servise manuals
 

Here you can find manuals for volvo c303.
http://www.volvo4x4.eu/manual/

thank you thank you
 

Many thanks for help.

And some spare parts from https://www.tatanka.nu/ if needed.

work
 

Work has been very busy, so only finding a few hours to work on the project; however, it is progressing.

working on welding in the brackets and the armor.

shock spring mount
 

The stock mounts needed to be about 1/2 from the inside flange, so no way to get the bolts out to pull the portal apart, so moved them about 1" away and mounted them there. Then I cut off the spring perch and raised it 3/8 inch and will weld it back in the correct spot. This should give enough area to unbolt; however, these bolts don't have enough room to come out.... CLOSE.

Can stud bold be used?

Very good point. Yes, that is the option if they ever get messed up.

On a side note, I am amazed that the bolts on this axle are not metric bolts. All standard thread bolts/nuts.

AFAIK, the axles are made by Salisbury/Dana, so that's why it has imperial bolts and nuts.

silly question
 

This may sound silly, but trying to understand what I need to rebuild these axles.

I know I need the large oil seal and adapter ring, pictured. I assume there are four of these???

I need the boot. are there four of these also?


Here is what I have bought already, 4 different bearings and only two seals (only two each.??)


Drive gear (upper/small gear) _ I have four of each of these…..

SKF/FAG 6210 (single row radial ball, open) - dims: 50x90x20
INA BK4520 (drawn cup closed needle bearing) - dims: 45x52x20

Driven gear (lower/large gear)

Timken JLM104948 (tapered roller/cone) same as LC
Timken JLM104910 (tapered race/cup) same as LC
Timken JLM508748 (tapered roller/cone)
Timken JLM508710 (tapered race/cup)

Seals, - I only have 2 of each of these…. Do I need four????

CR 23451 (STEFA, BB - dims:60x85x8), upper portal/axle tube oil seal
CR 19687 (STEFA, BB - dims:50x90x10), inner hub grease/oil seal

front axle is in
 

Front axle installed.

learn by image
 

Read the manual several times, still don't quite understand how to take out the main part to turn on the lathe. Anyone have pictures or description of how to take this apart?

What part you are talking? Pinion flange, wheel hub or something else?

I don't know if I am using the right term. Trying to get the part that has the lug studs, that I need to turn down on the lathe.

Is this the Hub?

On the diagram, is the arrows pointing to the bolts to remove?

Not sure if the whole attached diagram is the wheel hub or if part number 33 is the hub. First remove the whole package from the axle tube by removing those arrow marked bolts. Here's video how to do that on the field -> https://youtu.be/1J_suVNM9BQ?t=6m13s ;) Then pull the portal gear away (photos at the end of the same video) and finally press 33 + others out from 40.

I never done it myself, but that shouldn't be too difficult task if you have (hydraulic) press available.

making progress
 

Well, there they were, about 8 bolts behind the drum brakes. Took those off, then had to run the the store to find the M8 - 1.0 thread bolt to press out the hub, but it worked really easy.

then got it on the lathe
 

Started getting it turned down.

Well good news and bad news.

Timo shipped off the parts a few weeks ago; however, they came back to him.

He is unsure what happened or why, so looking for other shipping options like DHL.

Anyone have a great way to ship parts to the US?

Thanks,

This is just an idea, I don't know is it possible...but how about this: http://www.falcont.com/rahti__ja_huolintapalvelut/
They bring cars, motorcycles and parts from USA to Finland all the time. Maybe you could ask do they work to the opposite direction, and bring your parts from Finland to USA?

pause
 

My sister was traveling around Finland/Sweden so she arranged to pick up the parts, so they are headed back to the US.

Otherwise, not much has been done.

Hah, I visited couple of weeks ago in Seattle and West Coast. Brought back to Finland 2 x rear axle shafts, rear drive shaft, front fender flares, hydro assit goods and plenty of smaller parts all in the luggage. I couldn't imagine somebody is dragging car parts in the opposite direction. :D

So, Offroaders just keeps planet in balance :D

That is funny. Need to start a help you ship parts thread.

progress
 

Made a bunch of progress on the lathe, then went and used a friends mill. If anyone wants to do this work, I tried my best to post up how to do it on my thread on IH8MUD.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/wha...#post-11866760

but, here is where it stands now.

more progress
 

more progress.....

sandblasted axles and put 3 coats of epoxy primer and then 3 more coats of john deere blitz black paint.

I had to put two small screw to keep the brake disk on correct place while the wheel nuts are loose. It worked without in garage but on real life the disk was able to move when I changed the tires. After a while the disk was vibrating and it led to soft brake pedal.

Thanks for the info. Easy to do, as I had to drill hole for alignment when I drilled the lug stud holes.

sad day
 

I finally got to the point to put this all together, and the brake brackets are not the correct size. Don't know if I got the wrong disc, but the holes for the caliper needed to be out about 1/4 more and there is not enough material to drill new holes. I could turn down the rotor; however, decided to throw these brackets out and start over with my own parts.