1985 FJ60 Build Thread - Call her Tina (1 Viewer)

[Forerunner]

June 2021, Tina is getting prepped for surgery. Sourced a set of FZJ80 locking axles and starting on the @TRAIL TAILOR 80 Series suspension swap.

When this is completed, she’ll have springs and shocks as well as StopTech rotors on all four corners.

Can’t wait to see this next step complete. She should ride like a Pig Cadillac after this!

 

[little foot]

I am enjoying your build, Minor question about your license plate. After installing an after market bumper on my 85 60. I noticed you can't see the license plate very well, I figured the police would stop me for a covered plate, so I located mine below my ladder on the bumper and rigged a light to it. What are your thoughts on this?

 

[Forerunner]

I am enjoying your build, Minor question about your license plate. After installing an after market bumper on my 85 60. I noticed you can't see the license plate very well, I figured the police would stop me for a covered plate, so I located mine below my ladder on the bumper and rigged a light to it. What are your thoughts on this?

I haven’t had any issues with local PD in Alabama. To the best of my knowledge, what I have is legal.

Tina has visited: AR, TN, NC, GA, FL, MS, and resides in Alabama. Zero issues.

 

[little foot]

I haven’t had any issues with local PD in Alabama. To the best of my knowledge, what I have is legal.

Tina has visited: AR, TN, NC, GA, FL, MS, and resides in Alabama. Zero issues.

Well crap I wasted a lot of time overthinking the situation. Thank You

 

[nmcquillan]

June 2021, Tina is getting prepped for surgery. Sourced a set of FZJ80 locking axles and starting on the @TRAIL TAILOR 80 Series suspension swap.

When this is completed, she’ll have springs and shocks as well as StopTech rotors on all four corners.

Can’t wait to see this next step complete. She should ride like a Pig Cadillac after this!
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June 2021, Tina is getting prepped for surgery. Sourced a set of FZJ80 locking axles and starting on the @TRAIL TAILOR 80 Series suspension swap.

When this is completed, she’ll have springs and shocks as well as StopTech rotors on all four corners.

Can’t wait to see this next step complete. She should ride like a Pig Cadillac after this!

Great Build Thread ...mine is all over the place and not as organized. Love all of the upgrades...Sharp truck!

 

[Forerunner]

June 2021, Tina is getting prepped for surgery. Sourced a set of FZJ80 locking axles and starting on the @TRAIL TAILOR 80 Series suspension swap.

Great Build Thread ...mine is all over the place and not as organized. Love all of the upgrades...Sharp truck!

Thanks! I realized that I had a dedicated album on my phone and had done a poor job sharing with the community that has been so incredibly helpful along the way.

On a go forward basis- I am going to try and keep this thread “current”.

 

[Forerunner]

August 2021 - making progress on the FZJ axle and suspension conversion.

StopTech brakes are all mounted. Need to work out the E-Brake to the rear, but not expecting that to be too much of an issue.

The @TRAIL TAILOR sliders were modified from slanted to step form for two reasons: 1) with the new 80-Series hardware, the original long u-bolts got in the way of the new frame attachment points 2) in mounting locking axles, the coil perch on the axle had to be made to sit above the locker actuator, which gave us a slightly higher than anticipated rear setup.

TLDR: sliders were modified to allow easier ingress and egress into a taller vehicle.

Axles are test fitted. We knew the 80 stance would be wider, the below picture gives a good perspective of how much. The likelihood is that I’ll be ordering a new set of wheels with the proper offset.

 

[Forerunner]

Updated pictures from the shop. Showing installation of the @TRAIL TAILOR conversion. My shop blasted and coated the frame and all the TT parts with Steel-It during this step as well.

 

[Forerunner]

A better picture showing the slider modification from angled to step form. The long u-bolts have been dropped in favor of gussets welded to the frame. This should provide added strength on the trails and will allow clearance from the new suspension parts.

 

[dbbowen]

What kind of offset are you thinkin on the wheels? I’m really liking the idea of +30 for when the time comes for mine, but am unsure if it’s too much

 

[FullyLitLED]

I think I like Tina

 

[Forerunner]

What kind of offset are you thinkin on the wheels? I’m really liking the idea of +30 for when the time comes for mine, but am unsure if it’s too much

TBD - the likelihood is we’ll get it buttoned up and I’ll put some miles on it first with the existing wheels. Current lead time from SCS is 8-12 weeks on a new set of wheels.

 

[dbbowen]

TBD - the likelihood is we’ll get it buttoned up and I’ll put some miles on it first with the existing wheels. Current lead time from SCS is 8-12 weeks on a new set of wheels.

dang that’s a long wait. Was looking at some +30 methods for mine but I didn’t know if that was too much on the offset haha

 

[Forerunner]

August 2021 - Tina is getting some new Nitto Trail Grappler 35x11.50x17’s. This will help fill out the wheel wells with the extra clearance provided by the axle and suspension swap.

 

[Forerunner]

September 2021 - Tina has the new axles and Dobinsons suspension installed, as well as new StopTech brakes at all four corners. Installed new re-man steering box.

It’s going to be a race to the finish line from here.

Punch list for Cruiser Crawl:
-New 80 Series E-Brake to be fitted
-OEM 80 Series locker switch install
-Measure and cut new drive shafts to accommodate new suspension and drivetrain geometry
-Run new brake lines
-Wire and test new Baja Design LP6 Pro’s on the front bumper
-Change Baja Squadron fog lens to amber
-asterisk for more random things I’m forgetting

 

[Forerunner]

This phase of the build is complete. The finishing touch is the factory 80 series locker switch wired up beside the choke. It looks like it came from the factory!

 

[WSOPgold2012]

Aweesome build + always great to read awesome @TRAIL TAILOR reviews!!

 

[Forerunner]

One more showing the stance with the new axles and suspension.

 

[Major Nelson]

After Cruiser Crawl 2019, Tina got some serious TLC. New H55 5spd conversion, new wheels and tires (33” Toyo Open Country R/T), a Brown-Davis 40GAL long range tank, converted all the electronics to an sPOD with the switches mounted in the Tuffy console, new Corbeau sport seats with seat heaters, and last but not least Baja Designs S1’s tucked under the Frontrunner rack on all four corners for setting up camp - or the occasional night ride. We also added Old Man EMU add-a-leaf to the HD pack to try and offset the weight of the added fuel.

Due to several logistic hiccups with parts all this didn’t get completed until July 2020.

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for the Corbeau seats what brackets did you use to install them? Did they change the height vs stock seats (and were you able to keep the rear heater under the passenger seat?

Gret looking rig BTW. I have the same wheels on mine (in black). Trail Tailor products are the bomb!

 

[dbbowen]

Nothing beats a 5 spoke on a Japanese vehicle