so I know next to nothing about Landcruisers even after being around this club for almost 15 years.
Talked to a buddy of mine (who has always had 4runners, minis and zukis, etc) who is building an expo rig for him and his wife to travel to AK next summer.
I found the AK Expo thread on here and got to thinking about some things that Matt and I discussed. Below are some notes that we had, please correct errors or make suggestions.
------------------------------------
Weaknesses:
Factory wheelbase is only about 90" which sucks for larger tires as well as approach and departure angles.
Not much room in the rear compared to 60/80 or Tacoma (Matt is 6-6 and 280 pounds)
Not much power compared to newer trucks like 80 or 100, carb'd
Can be expensive to find in good condition (?)
===========================
Strengths:
Tons of aftermarket support
About anything we could think of has probably already been done to a 40
Much lighter than a 60 or an 80 in stock form, by 1000 pounds or more.
Beefier axles compared to a mini or 4runner, may not be an issue for expo.
============
this is not meant to be a, "build the ultimate expo rig" or "40 vs the rest of the world" thread, just kicking around some ideas since I know so little about these trucks. So here is what we have so far.
Stretch wheelbase, SOA to fit a wide 35-37" tire, mainly for boggy/conditions found up there. Breakover and belly clearance are not a huge concern in an expo rig. Axles can easily be upgraded, lockers installed, bumpers built, etc., as Matt has access to a full fab shop with plasma, welder, etc.
What are the weak points or what are things to look for or fix in these trucks? Are the certain models that are better than others for certain reasons, etc? Offroading in AK, 20-50 miles from civilization, you want simple, cheap, easy to diagnose and fix, IMO.
He will most likely be driving this truck from SC to AK, camping and staying with friends and family along the way. So it only has to carry him and his wife and their gear in the back.
I think a roof rack would be preferred to a hitch rack. CoG should not be an issue in AK, but a hitch rack hurts with things like river crossings, etc.
He has almost a year to do this, so obviously just in the early stages, still gone on this summer's adventure to Idaho and the PNW actually.
The alternatives are 60/80 wagon or a mini truck/Tacoma, probably an Xtra cab with a bed cover, flat bed or camper shell. They are almost as heavy as a 40 with lighter duty running gear, so not sure if that is a good option or not.
Let the flames begin
Talked to a buddy of mine (who has always had 4runners, minis and zukis, etc) who is building an expo rig for him and his wife to travel to AK next summer.
I found the AK Expo thread on here and got to thinking about some things that Matt and I discussed. Below are some notes that we had, please correct errors or make suggestions.
------------------------------------
Weaknesses:
Factory wheelbase is only about 90" which sucks for larger tires as well as approach and departure angles.
Not much room in the rear compared to 60/80 or Tacoma (Matt is 6-6 and 280 pounds)
Not much power compared to newer trucks like 80 or 100, carb'd
Can be expensive to find in good condition (?)
===========================
Strengths:
Tons of aftermarket support
About anything we could think of has probably already been done to a 40
Much lighter than a 60 or an 80 in stock form, by 1000 pounds or more.
Beefier axles compared to a mini or 4runner, may not be an issue for expo.
============
this is not meant to be a, "build the ultimate expo rig" or "40 vs the rest of the world" thread, just kicking around some ideas since I know so little about these trucks. So here is what we have so far.
Stretch wheelbase, SOA to fit a wide 35-37" tire, mainly for boggy/conditions found up there. Breakover and belly clearance are not a huge concern in an expo rig. Axles can easily be upgraded, lockers installed, bumpers built, etc., as Matt has access to a full fab shop with plasma, welder, etc.
What are the weak points or what are things to look for or fix in these trucks? Are the certain models that are better than others for certain reasons, etc? Offroading in AK, 20-50 miles from civilization, you want simple, cheap, easy to diagnose and fix, IMO.
He will most likely be driving this truck from SC to AK, camping and staying with friends and family along the way. So it only has to carry him and his wife and their gear in the back.
I think a roof rack would be preferred to a hitch rack. CoG should not be an issue in AK, but a hitch rack hurts with things like river crossings, etc.
He has almost a year to do this, so obviously just in the early stages, still gone on this summer's adventure to Idaho and the PNW actually.
The alternatives are 60/80 wagon or a mini truck/Tacoma, probably an Xtra cab with a bed cover, flat bed or camper shell. They are almost as heavy as a 40 with lighter duty running gear, so not sure if that is a good option or not.
Let the flames begin