1974 FJ40 through the Sahara and sand dunes!

[pb4ugo]

This is why it's recommended to run longer shackles when installing lift springs. Typically the main leaf spring is longer than stk with lift springs. A longer shackle allows the longer main leaf to flatten out. The shorter stk shackle limits the spring from flatting out and you could possibly bend the spring or damage the spring mounts. You really have 3 quick solutions. 1 is longer shackle, you should be increasing articulation because the shackle isn't maxed out against the frame. 2 lower the bumpstop while keeping the stk shackles. You won't be limiting articulation if the bumpstop hits just b4 the shackle maxes out and hits the frame. 3 is to do both. A shackle extended over a certain amount over stk(pin to pin) will net you 1/2 that amount of lift. So, a 2" over stk shackle will lift approx 1".

 

[locklaw]

Thanks for all the answers!

Definitively not willing to cut my hangers!

For the anti inversion shackle I'm missing them but I can't see how they would prevent what is happening here? My rear springs in compression are far from bringing the shackle over the horizontal position, could still move quite a lot.
Spacing the bump stop could be a solution to avoid the hard stop and bang but that would mean losing even more travel in the rear.
I think the rear should be able to move more, it's clearly not flexing as much as the front and when driving over bumps (off-road but also speed bumps) I have to go very slowly if I don't want to hit...
The rear springs have an extra support leaf that should activate when loaded or compressing and in the current situation it's not able to activate.
View attachment 3809566
View attachment 3809565
There is no reason for that rear wheel to not compress more inside the wheel well, there is space. In comparison front has no issue getting in the arch.
View attachment 3809567
View attachment 3809568

And at equal setup the front is able to fully compress to the original bump stop so I see no reason for it not being possible in the rear except for the hanger shape...
View attachment 3809564
(see how clean is where the bump stop contact the front axle, nicely working)

I'm not sure if it would be enough but the original bushing only being 25mm vs the OME 35mm means a smaller leaf eye that would have a little bit more clearance to the hanger.
Are all aftermarket leaves with big eye or does some use the original size for pre-1980 40s?

Longer shackle would probably be the easiest/cheaper fix here but I was not really looking to lift it more and I'm always a little bit afraid of messing the axle geometry :/

You can actually use the OEM (factory) main/top blade in conjunction with the rest of the OME (Emu) pack if you wanted to use the factory smaller rubber bushing. You do need to drill out the center pin hole in the factory main blade. I do this to keep the appearance and bushes stock on my restorations yet get mostly new blades for the suspension this way.

Ultimately, you need to get some clearance between the hanger and blade (more articulation) or lower the bump stop.

 

[flx]

This is why it's recommended to run longer shackles when installing lift springs. Typically the main leaf spring is longer than stk with lift springs. A longer shackle allows the longer main leaf to flatten out. The shorter stk shackle limits the spring from flatting out and you could possibly bend the spring or damage the spring mounts. You really have 3 quick solutions. 1 is longer shackle, you should be increasing articulation because the shackle isn't maxed out against the frame. 2 lower the bumpstop while keeping the stk shackles. You won't be limiting articulation if the bumpstop hits just b4 the shackle maxes out and hits the frame. 3 is to do both. A shackle extended over a certain amount over stk(pin to pin) will net you 1/2 that amount of lift. So, a 2" over stk shackle will lift approx 1".

You can actually use the OEM (factory) main/top blade in conjunction with the rest of the OME (Emu) pack if you wanted to use the factory smaller rubber bushing. You do need to drill out the center pin hole in the factory main blade. I do this to keep the appearance and bushes stock on my restorations yet get mostly new blades for the suspension this way.

Ultimately, you need to get some clearance between the hanger and blade (more articulation) or lower the bump stop.

That's a very good tip I wish I knew before! Sadly I didn't keep my original leaves that were completely flat

I think I'll try first a slightly longer shackle, I will try to measure and calculate the minimum extra length needed to avoid knocking the hanger while limiting the extra lift.

 

[flx]

Ok I think it is time to start the story! =)


Before to get back where I left the story before to enter the desert I'll provide some explanation and definitions.
Our target is to spend 9 consecutive days in the dunes and to reach the most famous dune of Tunisia, Sif Es Souane. Contrary to a common belief it's not the tallest of Tunisia but for sure the most impressive. It's quite south inside the erg and not easy to access, it's never guaranteed to succeed. Many groups have to go back before reaching it because they lost too much time getting stuck or with mechanical break done.
Dunes in Tunisia are considered the most technical ones of all North Africa, they are not the tallest ones (100-150m tall) but they are very tight letting very little space to maneuver or gain momentum.
They also have a particular shape forming circles around gassis, almost like dry lakes in the middle of the dunes.

Gassis are flat compacted sand at the bottom of the dunes.
Doors are low dunes in the periphery of the gassis, they allow to exit the gassis.
Ladders are path allowing to go from a door to a high dune and can be tricky to find.

There are multiple path options toward Sif Es Souane, the dumbest being to try to go straight toward the coordinate... will get you in a lot of difficulties (but a commonly chosen option...).
The easiest would be to go from gassi to gassi through connecting doors, may force to do some detours but would be the fastest. Obviously no one is coming there to drive in the gassis if it's not an emergency...
The last option, ours, is to ride the top of the dunes around the gassis. Only getting down to camp at the end of the day, and for lunch if it's windy (which is often the case). Every morning finding a door and then a ladder to the top and then doing the best to progress in the correct direction while not getting down. Obviously you need a good guide for this.

Do you feel safe as a foreigner?

Yes, very safe!
No one will dare touching you in this country or stealing something from you, particularly as a tourist. Worst that can happen to you is people selling you useless things/services for too much money.

 

[flx]

So back to the 24/12, our departure for the desert.

We first go toward lake Erreched, it's a very common place, lots of 3 days tours are offered going to the lake. So the path toward there is often refered as the "highway of traces" for the number of traces you can encounter on this path.
We plan to camp before the lake, first because temperature are colder around the "lake" and also because it's often a party site.... We will go to the lake the next morning and we will then continue south, after that we don't expect to encounter anyone or any traces in sand.

All four vehicles ready to leave the camping in Douz.

Meeting with 2 pickups that will accompany us, both GRJ79. One for our guide and one for our 2 cooks, the food, and the gear (and an extra driver/guide to drive the 2nd pickup). They are also carrying my fuel

Tunisia is generally a Diesel country as far of 4x4 but my understanding is that those GRJ79 (and some FZJ79) are sold in public auctions by Tunisian customs and they come from trucks seized to smugglers.


Obviously today is the longest distance as we start with an access road toward the desert

and then a piste

We finally arrive to the first soft sand and all deflate our tires.
Most directly start at 0.8bar but for mine the guides are not really happy about the tubes and think I should not deflate too much... So I start at 1.3b... But I can already tell you that I will progressively deflate those tires every half day until I get much much lower and I really think those the pressure really didn't help me on the first days.

 

[MatthewMcD]

So back to the 24/12, our departure for the desert.

We first go toward lake Erreched, it's a very common place, lots of 3 days tours are offered going to the lake. So the path toward there is often refered as the "highway of traces" for the number of traces you can encounter on this path.
We plan to camp before the lake, first because temperature are colder around the "lake" and also because it's often a party site.... We will go to the lake the next morning and we will then continue south, after that we don't expect to encounter anyone or any traces in sand.

All four vehicles ready to leave the camping in Douz.
View attachment 3817278

Meeting with 2 pickups that will accompany us, both GRJ79. One for our guide and one for our 2 cooks, the food, and the gear (and an extra driver/guide to drive the 2nd pickup). They are also carrying my fuel
View attachment 3817302View attachment 3817303
Tunisia is generally a Diesel country as far of 4x4 but my understanding is that those GRJ79 (and some FZJ79) are sold in public auctions by Tunisian customs and they come from trucks seized to smugglers.


Obviously today is the longest distance as we start with an access road toward the desert
View attachment 3817306

and then a piste
View attachment 3817310

View attachment 3817312

We finally arrive to the first soft sand and all deflate our tires.
Most directly start at 0.8bar but for mine the guides are not really happy about the tubes and think I should not deflate too much... So I start at 1.3b... But I can already tell you that I will progressively deflate those tires every half day until I get much much lower and I really think those the pressure really didn't help me on the first days.

Amazing! Two questions.

When you say "trace" is that "tracks" of other vehicles, or something else?
How did your air filter arrangement work out? Did you have to use the vacuum?

 

[flx]

Amazing! Two questions.

When you say "trace" is that "tracks" of other vehicles, or something else?
How did your air filter arrangement work out? Did you have to use the vacuum?

Yes tracks of other vehicles!

The cyclonic pre-filter worked amazingly, I only opened the air box the first day and at the end, I got no sand in the air box and nothing fell off the filter when shaking it! Almost clean!

Cleaned the cyclonic almost daily, amount of sand was very variable, depending of wind. Last day amount.

My friend with the HZJ78 is the one that loaned it to me. He used to run it on his 78 for a long time and also had amazing results with it, he only removed it because he had to install a snorkel for a trip to Iceland but since then he tested everything, ram intake on top of the snorkel, the Toyota factory small cyclonic (like they have on the GRJ79 here), and the big transparent cyclonic as you see on the 78 and the 120. He is adamant that none ever worked close as good as this MANN cyclonic made for a harvester (and no need to install a ugly snorkel).

 

[flx]

In the distance 2 German trucks, red one look stuck and is connected to the white one with a tensioned strap...

No one seemed to be around when we drove nearby at the head of our convoy but end of convoy saw 1 person not wanting help.

A little further we encountered a 3rd truck that was driving back toward them (no picture of it) and stopped to understand. They didn't have an official guide (even if it's mandatory), the red truck broke its front driveshaft... they wanted to pick it up with the 3rd truck and try to drive back to Douz to fix it and bring it back... Our guide offered to call a pickup to come solve the issue but they did not wanted to pay for that.

 

[RevISK]

So good.
Some of these look like they are on C41?

 

[flx]

For lunch we targeted to stop in a desert café (as we are still in the peripherical part of the desert and on the way to the most frequented spot) because wind was very strong that day and we wanted a shelter to not eat too much sand...

A few other vehicles were already there.

The small café itself was full but we found an abandoned structure to shelter ourselves.

It has only been half a day in the desert... but the FJ40 is already full of sand with all this wind, this is crazy!

Any surface sand could collect, it did!

 

[flx]

So good.
Some of these look like they are on C41?

You are right
Some Ektar pics on the 4 first days of the trip and then it will be Ortho+ for the end. Still captured with a Leica IIIg but with a new to me lens, a Summaron 3.5cm of which I had to guess estimate the framing so pardon the film pictures weirdly framed!

In proportion still a lot more pictures took with my Ricoh GRII and even more phones (and soon drone).

 

[flx]

Some more films... I took while waiting for the rest of the group.

A little bit after departing from our lunch break the KDJ150 got hang up on top of a dune, the HZJ78 positioned itself to pull him (which we will do dozen of time for every vehicles during this trip) and in the process unbeaded one of its tire...

They tried all the tricks in the book to try to re-bead it but none worked.

They finally decided to change the wheel but obviously the spare under the chassis was complicated to pull in this position...

And during all that time I was waiting a good bit ahead and all I could see was that x)

 

[flx]

Easily lost an hour with this, we go on again.

But soon it is time to make camp, obviously we progressed less than planned and we are not as close dot the lake that we initially wanted but that no big deal, tomorrow we will get lunch at the lake instead of breakfast.

Of course first thing we tried to fix this tire but nothing will do... A damage on inside bead is discovered and probably the reason the tire lost its air once low on pressure and why we don't succeed to rebead it properly now.

 

[flx]

And our first camp in the desert of the trip!
The 2 big tents come with the cooks option, 1 for kitchen and for dinner room. And we get a nice dinner, served in real plates and cutlery, local meals cooked from fresh products, soup, starter, main course and dessert every day.
The morning we get breakfast and we also have fresh desert bread every morning and evening, that real luxury!

 

[MatthewMcD]

For lunch we targeted to stop in a desert café (as we are still in the peripherical part of the desert and on the way to the most frequented spot) because wind was very strong that day and we wanted a shelter to not eat too much sand...

A few other vehicles were already there.View attachment 3817962

The small café itself was full but we found an abandoned structure to shelter ourselves.
View attachment 3817966

View attachment 3817969


View attachment 3817971


It has only been half a day in the desert... but the FJ40 is already full of sand with all this wind, this is crazy!
View attachment 3817974
View attachment 3817975
View attachment 3817976
View attachment 3817978
View attachment 3817980
View attachment 3817981
Any surface sand could collect, it did!

My wife and I agree, after this we'd never want to see sand again.

 

[charliemeyer007]

Sand, snow, ice, mud... its all the same unless people are shooting at you

 

[MatthewMcD]

Sand, snow, ice, mud... its all the same unless people are shooting at you

...or you are drinking your favorite beverage with good company.

 

[flx]

New day start... with refueling the FJ.
35l in!

Camouflage special

I didn't take that many pictures that day... (and most showed here are not from me)
It was really the beginning of the serious dunes and the hard learning from me.
Yesterday was already hard on my hands, palms were all red and my phalanx close to bleeding. Driving a vehicle without power steering in the dunes is a bit crazy... It's very hard to follow the tight and quick maneuver needed in some bowls, but even worst the steering wheel regularly gets its own mine and will abruptly turn to a lock at the speed of light... And some time start again turning the other way just after while I'm trying to grab it back.
I generally like the notches in the back of the 40 steering wheel but here they transform in a machine gun for fingers... It hurts!

Today adds a lot of cant, instable sand, deep bowl, precise tracks to follow... It's a lot of stress for a dune beginner, particularly in a FJ40.
Not helped by my tires that are still a bit high in pressure even I continue to regularly keep deflating them.

 

[flx]

It's the first bowl I couldn't climb (in forward direction), KDJ150 succeeded in a few trial because it had the turbo instant power and the sand was not too mixed (first after the guide) but after him it was impossible. Because of the tree/turn in the middle it was impossible to have momentum, and because the sand was transformed into soup I couldn't get traction.

Other side view

Rest of the group we had to find another path.

Same place trying another exit but didn't work either, too steep, too high.

The arrival on lake Erreched

It's not really a lake. In the 70's I believe, they searched for petrol and drilled here, since then pressurized hot water is getting out of the ground and making some kind of a pond were you can bathe (which is a real treat even if the water movement somehow fill up any swimsuit with tons of sand).

A few café are around and as mentioned a lot of tourist tour bring people up to here but this is the last piece of civilization we will encounter. The last time we will actually encounter anyone outside of our group for the next 8 days.

 

[flx]

The afternoon starts with my first real fright, driving on a edge the sand started to erode and the 40 to dangerously shift to the left. When it was too far gone to get back on the track I turned it to the left and stopped in place, finally I was able to self recover going in the hole and maneuvering at the bottom.

The 40 with its narrow track, narrow tires, SWB, no stab bar is definitively a lot less stable than the others vehicles.

And my first big descent! Very stressful at first but what a view you get!

And many many more are to come!