FJ 45 Extended Cab Custom Vehicle Build Finally Begins

[fj40forlife]

ya. cant seem to lower the rear down? and use stock up front. i plan on running stock springs with 42s low. oh btw it makes your tow truck seem small and that thing is big.

[D'Animal]

Originally Posted by orangefj45

maybe i should bring my toyota forklift to the 'fj45 run" this year?! i think that'll be the only way to get the camping gear off the roof rack!

I could probably park in the Mud Pit and just flip out the top RTT and not use the ladder.

Watermelon George would probably be pissed though.

['74 UA FJ]

Originally Posted by D'Animal

63" Chevy springs in the rear and 2.5" lift springs in the front to level it out.

Take a leaf or two out of all the springs...that should lower it a bit.

[orangefj45]

Originally Posted by '74 UA FJ

Take a leaf or two out of all the springs...that should lower it a bit.

that could be a very bad idea considering the weight of this rig and the fact that the rears only have 3 leaves to start with. LOL

['74 UA FJ]

Originally Posted by orangefj45

that could be a very bad idea considering the weight of this rig and the fact that the rears only have 3 leaves to start with. LOL

Yeah. I didn't know that the rears only have 3 leaves. The rear may sit down a good bit once the full weight goes on it. I would see how low it sits after the weight is on it and then maybe take a leaf out of the fronts to level it up.

Outside of that, you are looking at raising the spring hangers, etc.

[Tapage]

swap those for some flat springs and it should go lower ..

[kling-on]

WOW super sweet

[D'Animal]

I am getting everything bolted down and ready to run. I am going to take this wheeling this weekend and see how it performs on my 36acre Rock park.


My 4:88's and lockers are in at the shop but not installed.

If it will not do what my built 76 FJ40 will do with ease, it is going under the knife and going to get modified to look like.........





















Well I don't know.










It is too damn tall right now, that is what I do know.

[chappysfj40]

THE KNIFE, TOO TALL, WHAT ITS NOT TOO TALL, JUST NEED TO GO WIDER, HAHAHA. cant wait to see pics of you i action on the rocks this weekend.
on a good note though, you will have a metric butt ton of weight low, like all the fuel for one, and heck you have no real body really, i mean just a cab and some tubing out back. You maybe pretty good. anyway awaiting pics and details
cheers bro

chappy

[MDH33]

Cool Project!

I would lose the rack though, too tall. Why not build a tray back bed of some sort and keep all the gear/tents lower?

[D'Animal]

Originally Posted by MDH33

Cool Project!

I would lose the rack though, too tall. Why not build a tray back bed of some sort and keep all the gear/tents lower?

Rack should be gone this evening.

[D'Animal]

The rack is off the rig and it is back in the fabrication bay of my shop. I'm pretty much done fabricating on the Tow rig.

I'm looking for a place to mount the battery so removed the fender mount hoop in the passenger side. It was not working out anyway.

How does this look for a batttery mount location?


You are looking straight over the tire, directly at the engine.

[D'Animal]

Here is a look straight down from the top.

I can flip the tray and get about 3/4" of more clearance on the tire side.

[D'Animal]

Here are some front-on views looking back towards the body.

[liljlandon]

Looks like it should work, but I cant really tell without seeing a tire mounted.

Sweet rig man, love it!

[D'Animal]

The 38" tire is mounted.

Originally Posted by liljlandon

Looks like it should work, but I cant really tell without seeing a tire mounted.

Sweet rig man, love it!

I tried jacking up one side of the axle but the springs are brand new and the rig is so light that I could not get any flex to see if it was going to hit. I ran out of Jack.

[D'Animal]

Well it is up and running!

The battery tray is mounted, thanks for all of your alternate suggestions.


It is hardwired and starts with the key everytime.


I'm off to add fluids or top it with fluids and take it for a test drive.

I should have a U-Tube of it later today.


No exhaust system yet, but that means no Glitter! LOL!

[D'Animal]

LOL!


Well that did not quite go as planned.

I forgott to tighten the brake bleeder valves before I went off on my journey. I had no brakes.

I don't have the fuel tank in yet that will be permanetly installed so I used a 5gal Blitz can to syphon from. Make sure your hose go all the way down in the fuel. Not just get wet with fuel about an inch or so. You kinda stall out while cornering.

Wife came home and caught me powersliding throught the neighbors field. I had no brakes and I had to get stopped.

She said I was acting like a big kid and to stop it.

It died and that is when I found out the fuel hose was not long enough. When I went to restart it i discovvered a wiring problem. I had to hotwire it to start it.

Off to do more work.


Wahoo!

[OpTimuS]

Bahahahaha

It is good to see that I am not alone in the feild of 'not getting it right first time!!'

keep up the good work, and the pics.

how did the beast handle on your short drive with alll of the addd height?

[D'Animal]

I hit 4th WOT in 4wd Low so I'm guessing the way I'm set up I was doing about 30mph.

The tires just soaked the bumps up. Those who have been on my driveway know what I'm talking about. It was so smooth with the 122 wheel base. I still don't have any shocks on it. The width is about perfect for the height.

I'm going to work on the wiring and try to figure that out and then take if for another spin.

Originally Posted by OpTimuS

Bahahahaha

It is good to see that I am not alone in the feild of 'not getting it right first time!!'

keep up the good work, and the pics.

how did the beast handle on your short drive with alll of the addd height?

[orangefj45]

i got a call from dan right after the test-drive. fucking priceless!

anyways, mount the battery under the bed. you have tons of room and it'll keep the weight where you need it; low and further back.


proceed sir!

[bull]

That is amazing!

[D'Animal]

The two rigs side by side.


(Wife broke her lawn mower again, don't ask)

[orangefj45]

Originally Posted by D'Animal

(Wife broke her lawn mower again, don't ask)

put the governor back on so she can't pull wheelies on it anymore, ya big dummay!

[D'Animal]

Originally Posted by orangefj45

put the governor back on so she can't pull wheelies on it anymore, ya big dummay!

She wanted to go riding, I told her not until the grass was mowed. She said the mower was broke. I reminded her that I fixed it. She went to the shop and grabbed a razor knife and cut the fuel line. She said "it's broke now" and went riding. WTF?

This was right after she caught me playing in the FJ45EC.