What did you do to your truck today?

Added hella fog lights, 12” light bar, dual 48” Cb antennas

 

Looks like an insect.

 

Just needs the round headlights!

 

I like it! Clean truck!!

 

Anyone got some ham radio action in their truck?

 

Haven't yet, but if i become proficient at cw, i'm going to buy a mountain topper and give it a whirl.

 

Not yet. It's a lower priority than the other stuff on The List. I'm trying to decide how to ham up my Hijet.

1. Small and inexpensive (theft resistant) 2m or 2m/70cm transceiver.
2. Antenna mounted and a 2m amplifier hidden, with a cable I can pull out and connect a cheap Baofeng radio that I store in the glove box, that I can also use as a handy talkie.
3. The cheap Baofeng 8W handy talkie with a mag mount antenna that stores upside down on the rear of the cab roof, between the seats. Pop the antenna on the roof when needed.
4. Just the cheap Baofeng handy talkie stored in the glove box when not needed, along with a backpacking J pole antenna for hilltop emergency communications.

There is enough headroom that I'm considering a shelf above the windshield, and a mobile radio and mic could be tucked in there. I'd like a nice all band transceiver like my Yaesu FT-857D, but there's not much space in the little Hijet, and I park on the street and I don't want my stuff stolen. I suppose I could mount the base unit way up under the dash or behind the seats, and hide the head unit until it's needed, but I don't play radio much while driving. Mostly, I want emergency communications if I'm broken down out of cell range. I'd be tempted to make a tiny HF rig using a tiny digital mode 40m radio (QDX from QRP Labs, etc.) and the Evolve netbook to communicate with JS8Call using a portable end fed antenna. That could be good for emergencies or Parks/Summits On The Air.

Back on topic... What did I do to my truck today? I picked it up at the mechanic's shop. It arrived three months after I purchased it and needed a clutch. It took six weeks to receive all of the parts I needed from Japan and another two weeks to schedule a slot with the mechanic. Almost seven months after I bought it, I can finally drive my Hijet. Driving it home, one mile from the shop, was a blast. Tomorrow, I'm getting the state inspection (VIN matches paperwork), paying the taxes and getting the license plate so I can start driving the Hijet for real. LOTS of minor fixes and upgrades this spring and summer!

 

After the new clutch was finally installed, yesterday I drove to the county clerk's office and got a new title for the mini truck. They had never done that and had to read the book from the state Department of Transportation. I paid the state and county taxes ($59.90 total - $5 sheriff's inspection fee, $11 title fee, $33 registration fee, $15.90 state taxes through October of 2024 based on the $264 auction price). I got a license plate so I'm legal for road use.

Today - I drove my 91 year old Mom to the park to feed the ducks and geese. We do that every Saturday and usually one weekday per week, but it was special today because we took the mini truck.



After a couple of days of driving the Hijet, I'm loving it. It's fun to drive. It starts easily and the engine seems to be in very good shape. The heater is very hot. It's fun to drive and I see a lot of people smiling when they see it. It's bringing a little bit of joy to people's lives.

I'm eager to continue the upgrades. I'll be particularly happy to have it painted so it doesn't look like an old Japanese farm truck anymore. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

I swapped in some OEM Suzuki DD51T truck springs to the front of the van, replacing the DownSus lowering pregressives it had on there. Huge difference in the ride. It also raised the ride height about an inch or so. Thanks you to @Uncle Eddie for the OEM springs, it only took me a year to get them mounted up. Will be ordering some similar springs to replace the rears as well. Should be much smoother riding once thats done. Whoever installed the DownSus springs in Japan didn't bother to cut the bump stops which also aggravated things because in the rear there was only 1/2" of travel before the stop was hit and the front strut stops where so abused I didn't put them back in because they would not be doing any stopping.

 

I got an email today from my county tax department. The lady who looked at my tax listing was trying to figure out what a Suzuki MT was. A motorcycle? A car? I called and cleared it up for her. MT is the NCDMV code for Mini Truck. My truck is titled but not registered since it doesn't travel the public roads. North Carolina requires such vehicles to be listed as personal property. Registered vehicles are taxed through a different system. Either way, the state gets your money.
Kevin in NC

 

Replaced a tire yesterday. I need to get a harbor freight small tire changer but I made due with what I had at home. Old tire was sitting flat when I bought truck so sidewalls were very cracked.

 

I was missing a center cap, and while looking for a used stock one, came across these on ebay. They were under $15 for a set of four. The ad stated they had a 54mm diameter, but fit a bit loose in the wheel. I put a little silicone on each tab and trimmed them with a razor blade. Fit nice and tight now and spiffed up the stock wheels...

 

Installed heater pads in the driver seat (would have done both but only ordered one pair) and got my fog and flood lights wired up. I’ll share some images of the wiring when I eventually pull the dash to clean everything up

 

I got similar ones for my van wheels from Amazon but they were silver on silver. Even though they are just plastic, seem to work just fine for my wheels (Suzuki 13in of unknown origin).

 

My friendly neighborhood mechanic visited my garage this morning and pulled the left CV axle off the truck. I shipped it off to G&R for rebuilding. Truck will be in my garage, doing double-duty as a workbench in the meantime.

 

Finally replaced the rear springs on the van which completes my transformation from hard as rocks and no suspension travel due the as delivered with the DownSus springs installed in Japan to a more compliant and comfortable ride with a restored ride height. It may even be a slight lift, have to do some measurements and compare to OEM. I'll get some after pics to show the difference in height. Just have to wait for the weather to cooperate.

Thanks you again to @Uncle Eddie for the front stock springs. I have a package to send back to you in return.

 

Tested out my hitch install. Little over 100 gallons on the trailer, low range was needed. Planted 20 apple trees and the little guy was quite a workhorse hauling all the needed supplies.

 

That is quite the wagon. Love seeing people working their Kei!

 

I designed and 3D printed a large cup holder for my 1996 Hijet. Details are here:
https://minitrucktalk.com/threads/hijet-renovation-upgrade-project.22332/page-2#post-131855

Here's my 32 ounce thermos in the cup holder, to the left of the gear shift.

 

Gave it some seafoam and finally used the bed!

 

Double bad truck news for me today. Got the CV axle back and installed, stopped by the alignment shop due to a weird noise, and they told me my CV axle is broken. Augh!

Also, they let me know the wheels and tires I spent way too much money on when the truck was (briefly) lifted, will in no way work on the truck now that the lift is removed.

 

Wow that sounds fishy

 

Spring is here stripped off the box cover oiled everything I could and started up little foot up and run him around the shop parking lot in low range happy to say he loved it... yes this truck is the little foot which was once in Moncton N.B. canada..he now resides in Grande Prairie Alberta.. where he stomps around town and to the bush as my daily drive. He is not fast 118 km on the flat but you may see him turn up in the strangest places.. for example on the flat of the wapiti River is his favorite place to play. With2 inches of lift and 23 inch tires he will stretch out and over most things.. I am working on a teardrop camper and possibly a sleeper for the back... everybody enjoy your day in a mini truck way.

 

This morning I washed my truck, went to a local Cars & Coffee and THEN went to the more important event... a JDM Brunch @ The Shop in Seattle. Met a lot of cool people!

 

Broke a door handle, modeled a door handle, printed it! model link

https://i.imgur.com/9iIQBU1.mp4

 

Used my dump to haul off a few loads of scalped bermuda grass

 

I cut down two small trees in my backyard last night and loaded them into my Hijet. I drove them to the landfill today. They chop the limbs into mulch.



The limbs in the mini truck reminded me of the album cover on Led Zeppelin IV.

I backed my mini truck down the steep side yard so I could load the limbs last night. It's a tight fit and I don't think the Tacoma I had would fit after building my shed, but the mini truck wasn't a problem. After loading the two small trees, the Hijet crawled right up out of there like a little billy goat. I put it in 4WD and drove in first gear but didn't even use the low range on the transfer case. Once it's lifted 2" and has good off road tires, this wee beastie will be an off road monster.

The weight didn't seem to bother it at all, but the limbs caused enough aerodynamic drag that the Hijet was struggling to make 60 MPH.

 

Finally! Got the rebuilt CV axle back in my Carry, and drove it around town today. Feels like it's been sitting in my garage broken for months! Oh wait...it has. Nice to be reminded how it brings the smiles.

 

After being super frustrated that I can't just go to an auto part or hardware store and get GL-4 gear oil... today I put new gear oil (Sta-Lube Gear Oil 85W90) in the front diff and transmission. I also didn't have enough jack stands so don't judge me for my scrap wood platforms up front.

 

Changed all the fluids