I'm impressed! That pop top is amazing and the fact that it can't be seen is unbelievable.
FJ40 long range use? (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter hairy_apple
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so i have made it across the amazon of brazil. i am currently around fortelaza, brazil. it about 6000km from lima. i took the br230, it is pretty much a dirt road the whole way across. i didn't get stuck, but the mud was like ice. i did pull another truck out. took me 15 days to get from peru border to the coast near atin, brasil. now i am driving down the coast, a lot of it right on the beach in the sand. they have small ferries to cross the rivers that empty into the ocean, it is cool.
the tent is holding up well, it has given me a chance to sleep right next to the ocean many nights.
i only had some minor things so far happen with the truck. the U bolts on 2 wheels vibrated loose, if you can believe that. the rear i found out because the leaf spring was flipping the wrong way, it was a nice hot trail fix in the amazon.
currently i have a front vibration from front drive shaft, it is not bad, but trouble is coming. also the driver side locking hub in the front gets stuck, i have to move the truck front and back in 4 high then back to neutral and it will loosen so i can put it back in 2x4. this wasn't like that before. but it still works. there is a slight pull sometimes to the driver side, i think these things are related.
where i fill the oil there is a blow back pipe heading down from the engine, i believe that is the name. well i have exhaust steadily coming out of it from under the engine, not a ton, but i can see it. after leaving the very high mountains in peru, which was very hard on my truck, i did some timing changes and adjusted the mixture on the carb. i'm wondering if there is exhaust because the timing is not quite right or if this is normal and i never noticed it before.
other then things vibrating loose and some electrical things "lucho" is holding up well. it is fun driving in the dunes with it and every person i see wants to talk about the truck or take a selfie with it. got to love the fj40
Oh the best part. gas is 5 reale per liter in brasil. there is 3.78 liters in a gallon, so that works our to about 5 DOLLARS PER GALLON. there is a ton of diesel toyota trucks here called Bandierante. they put bench seats in the pick up bed and are used to transport people, it is crazy and not comfortable. Bandierante - means roughly, the one who gets there first
i also has the exhaust gasket blow out because the bolt vibrated out. i spent a day going around looking for this gasket, it was not that easy because i needed to find a fire ring that fit the 2.5 exhaust and have a similar bolt pattern. when i found one after the local mechanic walked with me 2 many shops, i bought 2, just in case.
the tent is holding up well, it has given me a chance to sleep right next to the ocean many nights.
i only had some minor things so far happen with the truck. the U bolts on 2 wheels vibrated loose, if you can believe that. the rear i found out because the leaf spring was flipping the wrong way, it was a nice hot trail fix in the amazon.
currently i have a front vibration from front drive shaft, it is not bad, but trouble is coming. also the driver side locking hub in the front gets stuck, i have to move the truck front and back in 4 high then back to neutral and it will loosen so i can put it back in 2x4. this wasn't like that before. but it still works. there is a slight pull sometimes to the driver side, i think these things are related.
where i fill the oil there is a blow back pipe heading down from the engine, i believe that is the name. well i have exhaust steadily coming out of it from under the engine, not a ton, but i can see it. after leaving the very high mountains in peru, which was very hard on my truck, i did some timing changes and adjusted the mixture on the carb. i'm wondering if there is exhaust because the timing is not quite right or if this is normal and i never noticed it before.
other then things vibrating loose and some electrical things "lucho" is holding up well. it is fun driving in the dunes with it and every person i see wants to talk about the truck or take a selfie with it. got to love the fj40
Oh the best part. gas is 5 reale per liter in brasil. there is 3.78 liters in a gallon, so that works our to about 5 DOLLARS PER GALLON. there is a ton of diesel toyota trucks here called Bandierante. they put bench seats in the pick up bed and are used to transport people, it is crazy and not comfortable. Bandierante - means roughly, the one who gets there first
i also has the exhaust gasket blow out because the bolt vibrated out. i spent a day going around looking for this gasket, it was not that easy because i needed to find a fire ring that fit the 2.5 exhaust and have a similar bolt pattern. when i found one after the local mechanic walked with me 2 many shops, i bought 2, just in case.
That is so cool. Please do a build thread on building your roof tent. Need more details!
I used to overland in my '78 all the time. I build a rack for the back that enabled me to put a couple of large action packers up high in the back, near the roof. Then an ice chest below and things like tent, stove, water, etc. tied to the roll bar. That left enough room for the wife and a 100+ lb dog. Oh, a Confer gas tank under the back sure helped out.
15+ years later and now I use a '95 FZJ80. Has all the bells and whistles. But I do miss the 40 days when life was simpler (and so was the rig).
15+ years later and now I use a '95 FZJ80. Has all the bells and whistles. But I do miss the 40 days when life was simpler (and so was the rig).
My girlfriend made a Instagram page for lucho. (The name of my Fj40). I don’t know much about it but there are pictures of my truck along the way Right now we are in Urshia. We will be heading north in the next few days.
Someone on mud over the years must have a picture of your idea. A platform that comes out rear that you can sleep on.
So... I'm reviving this thread.
I have been thinking for a long time about how to create a simple sleeping platform inside my FJ40.
My idea was to use a front passenger bench to get the full length without the need to completely remove my passenger seat as other have done on this thread.
And I finally found a complete set of front bench correct for a 73-78 FJ40.
At this time I only installed the passenger part :
The advantage of the factory 3-seater configuration up to 1978 is that the seats recline completely flat (while 2-seater configuration or 3-seater starting in 1979 only recline at around 45°) :
Up to that I already knew but I was hoping is the reclined back of the front seat to align with the rear bench.
And it's almost the case, the front seat is just slightly lower:
And luck my it aligns quite well with a wolf pack hi-lid. Have to get a 2nd one and they will be the right length from the back of the front seat to the rear of the rear bench.
I may have to find something to level the front bench bench part with the rear, also have a hole between the front and rear bench. I have to try how it is with a self inflating mattress.
Worst case scenario I'll have to build a micro-structure with some plywood but if I could go with a setup that only requires 2 boxes to transform it that would be great.
I have been thinking for a long time about how to create a simple sleeping platform inside my FJ40.
My idea was to use a front passenger bench to get the full length without the need to completely remove my passenger seat as other have done on this thread.
And I finally found a complete set of front bench correct for a 73-78 FJ40.
At this time I only installed the passenger part :
The advantage of the factory 3-seater configuration up to 1978 is that the seats recline completely flat (while 2-seater configuration or 3-seater starting in 1979 only recline at around 45°) :
Up to that I already knew but I was hoping is the reclined back of the front seat to align with the rear bench.
And it's almost the case, the front seat is just slightly lower:
And luck my it aligns quite well with a wolf pack hi-lid. Have to get a 2nd one and they will be the right length from the back of the front seat to the rear of the rear bench.
I may have to find something to level the front bench bench part with the rear, also have a hole between the front and rear bench. I have to try how it is with a self inflating mattress.
Worst case scenario I'll have to build a micro-structure with some plywood but if I could go with a setup that only requires 2 boxes to transform it that would be great.
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Thanks I'll try that!
Hey. I did that for awhile. Just a piece of plywood basically from the back over the front seat. The nice part was I made it at windows height. So I could open the curtains in the morning and that was cool. The part that sucked was storing the boards and having to move all the gear around to go from sleep mode to drive mode. Anyways. You’ll learn what you like and go from there. Doesn’t cost much
If I was planning to use it for weeks I would probably build a small plywood platform with a hinge or a slide to cover the front seat but I'll start trying the most simple solution.
I should receive my 2nd hi-lid for wolf pack soon and be able to test how (not) confortable it is xD
On the window height I'll see after a few nights but I was thinking that keeping a maximum of headroom and having some privacy from the windows could positive.
For the curtains here what I ordered for a first test, small curtains and hooks to hang them on the inside gutter, doors sunshade to work as mosquitoes net on the windows if it's hot:
I have a 4 days trip planned early May, that will be a good occasion to test the setup (still have a tent packed just in case xD).
Also I found those ARB bags that fit very nicely under the jump seats, could be both for long range use or regular use.
Fits also nicely on the lower part of the back against the front bench.
I had the hope to be able to squeeze 2 in length under 1 jump seat but it's a hair too long for that.
Nicely tuged under the jump seat:
Even with the foot:
Handle at the end make them easy to pull a bit like a drawer. Or otherwise lifting the jump seat to access the content.
Fits also nicely on the lower part of the back against the front bench.
I had the hope to be able to squeeze 2 in length under 1 jump seat but it's a hair too long for that.
Nicely tuged under the jump seat:
Even with the foot:
Handle at the end make them easy to pull a bit like a drawer. Or otherwise lifting the jump seat to access the content.
I sewed Velcro to the top of the curtains then glued pieces to the top of the window. This worked really well. Off and on each night for a year and no problems
As is it's ok-ish because my waist is resting on the high part on the boxes (head toward the back) and then my feet are ok with the difference in height. But still need to put something on the back of the front bench to fix the height difference and make it nice.
The gap between jumpseat and the front bench is ok, can't feel it.
Bench back goes completely horizontal once you put weight over it.
Otherwise that seems great, can fit seated also and have space to remove/put shoes, etc.
Would be easier without a grease pump on the floor yes...
I may also remove the left jump seat for the time of the trip so I can have stuff over rear left wheel easy to access when seated (I'm still debating between clothes or coffee kit
).To pack it's very easy, I open the out valve of my self-inflating mattress and put back up the front bench, the mattress fold in half by itself.
Also, still have to find something to wedge under the box where the floor is lower so it's not tipping.
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Postman just dropped some goodies for a good night sleep 
Did not find longer in short height format so I have 8 of them to cover all the windows. Obviously with the hooks I use I could have used any piece of fabric.
Not sure yet if I will bother to retract them like that or simply remove them and store them somewhere
Did not find longer in short height format so I have 8 of them to cover all the windows. Obviously with the hooks I use I could have used any piece of fabric.
Not sure yet if I will bother to retract them like that or simply remove them and store them somewhere
I am toying with the idea of a lighter rooftop tent up top. Here in AZ too many critters on the ground that I would like to avoid. Or maybe a light Offroad type trailer? What can a 40 pull? Lots of good stuff in this thread
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A couple of pics from my current adventure:
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The blanket on top of my foodbox matches the height of my seat cushion exactly.
