ABQ Dweller New to Cruisers

[gmog]

Recently picked up a nice '84 FJ60. Me and the kids have been bouncing around the mountains and the Gila in my old VW Busses for years, and have finally graduated to 4WD. I really like the Cruiser. I bought it after my '85 Hilux 4WD got smashed in an accident.

It would be great to connect with other local Toyota volks who are into getting out and exploring. It's been hard to find like-minded people in the VW scene out here, which puzzles me, as nice as it is to explore the outbacks of New Mexico.

I saw that there are some things coming up in June, like the June 5th meeting, and the Jemez run. Maybe I can tag along and get to meet some of you guys and gals?

How many of you have kids that like to come along? I've got a 15 and 13 year old, and they are both camping and hiking pros now.

I am also interested to see what all you volks have done with your Cruisers in the way of mods/enhancements. My '84 is pretty solid and runs pretty good, but I am thinking about a few projects to correct oil consumption (valve stem seals?), and some foibles present in how it runs (cracked manifold?). Desmog is a possibility too, and I have questions about it and would love to look at other rigs to which this has been done.

Thanks! Greg

 

[pappy]

Well, I just can't help myself. We really enjoy it when fresh meat posts up and is interested in our little tribe. It's quite traditional to welcome you with a kind little gesture ...

Now that the formality is out of the way. What you will find about our little group is we are a family friendly bunch. OK, I don't have any rats running 'round, but I put up with them well enough. Teenagers are a bit scarce as most of the kiddos are pre-highschool. It doesn't matter, bring them.

As somebody that currently owns an 85 4Runner, and historically a 85 xcab, hearing that yours suffered a fatal blow really hurts. These are fine, exceptional machines.

I am also interested to see what all you volks have done with your Cruisers in the way of mods/enhancements. My '84 is pretty solid and runs pretty good, but I am thinking about a few projects to correct oil consumption (valve stem seals?), and some foibles present in how it runs (cracked manifold?). Desmog is a possibility too, and I have questions about it and would love to look at other rigs to which this has been done.

Oh boy, oh boy. You should have not said that. We are really good at giving folks ideas on how to spend their money. We excel at it. That said, I would do nothing to your Sixty. This group will have you corrupted soon enough and you will be selling it for an Eighty. Trust me here. Just give in now. Fighting is futile. Even one of our long time, die-hard old schoolers recently succumbed to the FZJ80 sickness. That was a sad, sad day. What is this world coming to.

See ya on the trail. I'll be the only one NOT driving an 8dee.

 

[Daisy 53]

See ya on the trail. I'll be the only one NOT driving an 8dee.

Hmm
We shall see...

Greg,
Welcome to our group
Come to the meeting, bring your wallet and we would be happy to spend all of your savings!
Looking forward to meeting you

Daisy

 

[BionicCruiser]

Welcome!
as pappy said, we are family/kid friendly. feel free to come to any of the events and meet us. my boys are 8 and 10 and wheeling/hiking/camping like pros too.

I just saw a report my 10 yr old did in school. it was "How to fix up an old FJ60"(we have a 60 rolling chassis we are making into a FJ45). poor kids never had a chance, they are infected with the cruiser sickness.

 

[Bad Mojo]

Oh boy, oh boy. You should have not said that. We are really good at giving folks ideas on how to spend their money. We excel at it. That said, I would do nothing to your Sixty. This group will have you corrupted soon enough and you will be selling it for an Eighty. Trust me here. Just give in now. Fighting is futile. Even one of our long time, die-hard old schoolers recently succumbed to the FZJ80 sickness. That was a sad, sad day. What is this world coming to.

Or wait for Diesel Dan to read this and you will be wanting a 1HZ and a 5 speed.

Also we need pictures!

 

[Rudical]

Greg, welcome . yes this is really a welcome statement. Really a lot of great folks around here. There is only a few of us here that don't have kids, but we put up with all the bathrooms breaks, lunch breaks etc... for them little boogers (I think there is a rumour they are jealous). Don't worry about Jon (Pappy) calling you fresh meat, he has some wierd fettish, but just like everyone else I know, they are more than willing to give advice or help. Don't ask about his hate towards the 80's though. He can work on that through his own time. I actually think Jon forgot his comment about the insanity....

 

[gmog]

What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

Oh Man, what have I gotten myself into?

Thanks a bunch for the welcome!

I will resist any machine that has a computer in it, so be warned all you 80 fans. I kinda like old and funky! I was hot for a 55, but found this really sweet 60.

Did the attachment work? My 60 is from Arizona. It belonged to a dentist. Never smashed. Original paint. 165K miles. Nice interior. Even the AC works.

I've put a new radiator in it, all new fluids and filters. I've greased up all the fittings. I've fixed two power steering leaks, and a few coolant leaks.

It eats a little oil, more so when bouncing around off-road. It idles rough at times. And I need tires for it.

But off road this thing kicks ass! Do any of you know the road that goes up from the locked gates at Bland Canyon to Hwy 4 near the south end of the Caldera? I thought I was going to put the 60 on its side a couple times when I went up there two weeks ago. The danged thing kept chugging along as if nothing was unusual.

Too bad about the '85 Hilux. It was a rescue project I picked up on Craig's List last August for $850. I did a lot of work to that truck, and it was a tough and reliable beast, if not ugly. But what I really wanted was a Cruiser Station Wagon . . .

Thanks again. Looking forward to meeting you guys!

Greg

 

[pappy]

Hmm
We shall see...

Daisy

I have yet to cave in. I've said it once, I'll say it again ... while I qualify on one count I don't fit the other ... 80's are for sissies and old men.

Or wait for Diesel Dan to read this and you will be wanting a 1HZ and a 5 speed.

OOOOOOOO, AAAHHHHHHH. HJ60!

Don't worry about Jon (Pappy) calling you fresh meat, he has some wierd fettish, ... Don't ask about his hate towards the 80's though. He can work on that through his own time. I actually think Jon forgot his comment about the insanity....

Like I've said ... I have yet to cave in (though I did drive Evans and might have said something I now regret).

 

[Source3]

Welcome Greg:

Kids...hmmm...Aren't we all?

Where in NM are you?

To jump start the modifications...2.5" Old Man Emu (OME) Lift. Cruiser Outfitters.

CruiserDan at American Toyota in Albuquerque is the goto guy for new parts.

Since I have an FJ40, I do not know other vendors who specialize in FJ60 parts aside from Cruiser Outfitters.

 

[Bad Mojo]

OOOOOOOO, AAAHHHHHHH. HJ60!

Just what I was thinking.

A lot of the group very runs BFG AT because they are a good off road tire, but you can still daily drive those tires no problem. If you are really considering a lift, you may want to put that on first then new tires.

BTW your 60 looks real clean.

 

[gmog]

Plans

Soure3: I'm in ABQ. Used to be in Corrales. I still come up there regularly for kids and Tae Kwon Do.

Thanks for the tips on local resources.

Bad Mojo: I am not planning a lift, at least not for a while. And if I do lift it it would be mild. I have no intention of changing the gears, so that limits me to smaller tires anyway.

I would like to do something about rear end sag under a load, which it certainly is when I am on an expedition. What's a good solution? Air Shocks? I like the idea of being able to adjust it per load.

As for tires, I have been thinking about a set of 30 X 9.5s for the beast. It's currently resting on 31s. I am leery of changing gearing around too much, and would like to get the most torque and best fuel economy possible, so something closer to original size makes sense to me.

I'm really quite tame off-road, and I think a more-or-less stock vehicle will suit my needs. Besides, I want to get all the little bugs worked out in the engine before moving on to other things.

One thing I would like to find are some heavy duty bumpers. I've already bent the originals tagging rocks (no sheet metal damage)! Nothing a come-along and utility pole wasn't able to fix.

BTW: An old VW Bus roof rack fits the Cruiser fairly well!

Thanks Again! Greg

 

[Source3]

One thing I would like to find are some heavy duty bumpers.

Check out ARB or 4+plus (MAF 4+Plus Products).

Lots of options out there. Search the 60 section on IH8MUD for photos of other 60 bumper setups.

 

[evanz80]

Welcome Greg! You should be used to that welcome sign by now.

Nice looking 60 you've got. We had an '87 FJ-60, and have now graduated to an 80, but it's a trail truck through and through.

I know it's last minute, but we're planning a run for tomorrow morning to the Rio Puerco basin west of Rio Rancho. See the other thread titled Gordy Hill for Saturday, May 22. You're welcome to join us if you have a chance. We'll be meeting out there at 9:00 AM. If you're going, please post up on here with a cell phone number, so we don't leave 5 minutes before you get there. Hope to see you there!

Evan

 

[evanz80]

Like I've said ... I have yet to cave in (though I did drive Evans and might have said something I now regret).

What was that, Jon? We couldn't quite hear you.

 

[1911]

Check out ... 4+plus (MAF 4+Plus Products).

+1, they are expensive and heavy but built to withstand nuclear holocaust. I have their bumpers on both ends of my 40 and they've taken some abuse without a hitch.

 

[gmog]

Saturday

Thanks for the invite Evanz80. I've got plans this Saturday already, but would like to join in on the fun next time. So keep us posted as to when and where to meet!

Later!

 

[evanz80]

Thanks for the invite Evanz80. I've got plans this Saturday already, but would like to join in on the fun next time. So keep us posted as to when and where to meet!

Later!

Will do, and be sure to watch the threads for the next meeting. We have monthly meetings, usually around the first weekend of the month. We get together and have pot-luck dinners and talk about trucks!

 

[marcfj60]

Check out ARB or 4+plus (MAF 4+Plus Products).

Lots of options out there. Search the 60 section on IH8MUD for photos of other 60 bumper setups.

If you can cut steel and weld, you could also consider making your own bumpers.

I'm a recovering 60-owner as well. I had and '87 for 6 years until my wife finally motivated me to get something newer that was not such a harsh ride and she felt comfortable driving. I refused to follow the crowd so I jumped right over the 80-series and went for a 100-series ('98 - '07) More engine and comfort, less articulation up front with IFS. But wife is happy.

I'm too cheap to spend thousands of dollars on lifts and armor so I just do mild wheeling with a stock suspension and slightly oversized All-Terrain tires.

We're another family with kids as well, son is 8 and daughter is 7. The kids love camping, fishing and wheeling so they are always with us for any club activity. I wouldn't be involved if my family couldn't be included.

Oh yeah, welcome .

-Marc

 

[gmog]

Cut-n-Weld

Marc,

Yep, I can cut and weld. I can even spray a little paint, too.

I am planning on being at the June 5th meeting in Rio Rancho, and hope to meet you volks there.

Off for a day of manual labor . . . . Seems like I need weeks to rest up from the weekends . . .

Greg

 

[Cruisergreg]

Recently picked up a nice '84 FJ60...

Greg, first of all don't let this bunch start poking and prodding about mods (or other vehicles) at first introduction (some really bad habits have developed in this group in the last 10+ years I've been involved ). Enjoy your new toy for what it is.

As someone who started with a bone stock FJ60 and have gone from new-owner tuning, to suspension mods, to an engine transplant, I can offer some advice. For your mechanical issues, first find all the myriad leaks in the 1000 miles of vaccum lines on the 2F emissions system. What happens a lot is that very tiny leaks add up to enough to cause poor running problems. A cracked manifold below the carb is not uncommon but I would look at simpler problems first. Check that your manifold bolts/nuts are tight. A desmog is an option (there is a diagram here that I used for my desmog: High Desert Cruisers: Tech) but can cause it's own set of problems. You didn't mention the mileage on your 60 but with 8 qts in the crankcase and a slow running motor valve seals are lower on the list of noticeable oil consumption problems on that motor. A bad PCV can cause oil usage.

Beyond an actual spring lift, addressing a sagging rear-end has limited options. The cheapest option is probably to put a lift shackle on the rear springs. You can get as much as an inch lift without things getting too wonky. There's always the add-a-leaf option, but then the ride gets harsh. Having a good set of gas shocks on the back never hurts but don't expect too much new height.

If you can cut and weld, then make your own bumpers - you'll save litterally $1000s.

That road up Bland Canyon (which then goes up Medio Dia Cyn if it's the one I'm thinking of) can definately test the flex of a long wagon with all the washouts but I doubt you were in jeopardy to putting the thing on it's side - that's where the stock 60 shines, damage to tin-foil bumpers nothwithstanding...