80 build with Highschool budget. (1 Viewer)

[Jcbscout]

My dad and I bought our 96 fzj 80 in march. We went down to Moab over easter weekend and did Elephant Hill and on our way out did Hells revenge. The trailer hitch and front bumper dragged pretty badly on some of the obstacles, but other than that it did great. I want to lift it and I am trying to convince my dad to help me build some bumpers an sliders but I don't know where to start and what parts would be the best for me. Just looking for suggestions.

 

[Jcbscout]

Also bent up the running boards on Elephant hill

 

[retrofive]

1) Remove the front "damage" multiplier
2) Leave the rear hitch until you get around to building a rear bumper, yes it will drag, but all is a lot thicker than the plastic bumper above it. If removed and you start dragging the bumper instead, consider it gone.
3) SLIDERS, yes, first armor mod I would do then under belly skid, followed by rear bumper at last front.

Lift and tires will great depend on what you plan to wheel and location.

 

[retrofive]

Also bent up the running boards on Elephant hill View attachment 1083632

See!!! Sliders!!

 

[Jcbscout]

Remove The brush guard thing?

 

[retrofive]

Remove The brush guard thing?

Yes. They are flimsy and if anything looks at them they will fold into your nice quarter panels and hood. Just search here for "damage multiplier" and you will see.

 

[iwashmycar]

VERY nice truck. I agree with what is said above.

I will also always suggest spraying the entire undercarriage with Fluid Film...cheap (reasonably), easy, and a good way to protect your future investment of throwing money at this thing!

I laugh at the term "Highschool budget". In high school is when most have the most amount to blow on car parts. Not many bills, student loans, ect. ENJOY IT my friend.

 

[BILT4ME]

Welcome to the addiction!

If you treat it right, you can still be driving it when you're old, crusty, and bitter like the rest of us (@iwashmycar) (and me). This is NOT a cheap vehicle. It gets poor gas mileage (10-16 MPG), has high maintenance costs (if the PO didn't take care of it), and the parts to fix it aren't cheap (OEM).

That said, if you use OEM parts (don't skimp like you'll be tempted to do), add your armor, lift, tires, accessories, and do repairs, then you'll be poor like the majority of us. BUT you'll also be happy like most of us.

I daily drive my 96, and I brought it back from the dead (almost scrap heap) and I love it. I have not had the opportunity to truly wheel it to see what it's capable of, but I don't live where you do!

Good Luck! Learn to work on it, build your library of manuals (FSM) and HAVE FUN!

 

[Jcbscout]

Pulled the damage multiplier haha and the running boards. Now do i save for a lift or buy sliders? and should i get a CDL switch?

 

[Jcbscout]

*took off the *

 

[retrofive]

Already looks better. And yes, and yes, and yes

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr]

Pretty much a free mod, just requires a cutting wheel, would be to trim the massive front bumper. My brother and dad trimmed his, and it looks 10x better and won't be getting hit on stuff

 

[97 greenmonster]

I wouldn't buy a cdl switch go to a local junk yard or you pull it and look for older Toyota of similar year and pull out there hazard switch and use it as a cdl switch. It's very easy to do just search on here plenty of posts up on how to do it.

 

[LINUS]

Cherry looking FZJ, hope your armor makes it all on ahead of scuffs - paint/bodywork that sharp deserves the effort!

That looks like a solid example - hope it runs as nice as it looks (if so, that's a champ!)

 

[aae42]

I wouldn't buy a cdl switch go to a local junk yard or you pull it and look for older Toyota of similar year and pull out there hazard switch and use it as a cdl switch. It's very easy to do just search on here plenty of posts up on how to do it.

+1, this is what i did... even ebay will get you one for < $10

paying 90 bucks for that switch seems bonkers to me...

 

[SmokingRocks]

Will the hazard switch thing work on a pre-95 dash??

I know the cdl switch is different from the 91-94 vs the 95-97

 

[Cruzerman]

High school jobs must be paying way more these days! I would think it would be hard to even pay for gas on a part time high school job. Sliders, tires, lifts, skid plates, etc. are not cheap. Just "normal" maintenance / repair parts ain't cheap. Sorry, but reality sucks. Unless this is a dad / son project (where dad pays the bills).

 

[Corbet]

Sliders and 33's should take you most places in Moab.

 

[LandCruisinMy93]

Will the hazard switch thing work on a pre-95 dash??

I know the cdl switch is different from the 91-94 vs the 95-97

Hazard switch is the same plug and pins on my 93

 

[subzali]

sliders first! Protect those rocker panels!