Bean! My FJ60 build and adventure (1 Viewer)

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Rellick said:
Hey Theron, Thanks for all the work on documenting this!

It looks like you ditched the BFG KO2's.
What are you running now and what do you think of both sets of tires?
Click to expand...

Firestone hit me up to shoot some images of their Destination M/T tires and I figured I'd just leave them on my truck and wear 'em out. They are 285/70 R17's. They are way louder on the road but preform way better in the mud than the K02's....they clear out a lot easier and don't clog like the K02's.

I can't say how they preform next to the BFG M/T's cause I've never run a set of those. But these Firestone tires are E load range which is good for the weight I carry. But I doubt if I'll have another set of full-time M/T's after this....K02's are better for most of the stuff I get into year round

 
I just saw you in Park City!! I wanted to try and get a photo, but we turned up to the Canyons and you were going straight. My wife thinks I'm nuts because I was wanted her to turn around and chase you down and say hi and get a photo of the cruiser. It's a thing of beauty!!! Safe travels.
 
So I have to ask. What the the whole V-8 swap cost?

I loved all 15 pages of your thread thus far.
 
It's been a few moons since I've posted but I wanted to swing back through with another James Baroud / OK 4WD update....and I wish it was good news.

We've been to some rad places (like Big Bend below!) but back in June I submitted a warranty claim with my 2nd James Baroud roof top tent. This time the fabric is wearing out in various places on the tent....on the corners on the inside/outside as well as in the middle sections of the fabric is wearing thin. Nothing is ever closed shut inside the tent but rather the fabric simply seems to be wearing against itself and the shell.

So I submitted this warranty issue back in June and now we are into October it's still not resolved. OK 4WD did say they would take care of this but it's going to be over 5 months on them "waiting for a shipment from Portugal to arrive"....in my book that isn't a great warranty. But take it how you will!

I use my James Baroud tent a lot but I still think it's a pass on paying out $3000 for the quality and warranty responsiveness.





Outside corner of the tent experiencing wear when it's closed:



Holes forming through the fabric on the corners and middle of the tent when it's closed (at all corners/sides):





 
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Thats total BS in my opinion.

Autohome US would have taken care of you in a jiffy.

I spoke to @TepuiTents at the OR show in Salt Lake and they hinted they have a rugged clamshell hardtop tent coming out shortly. With a great support network I think this is the direction I'm headed.

All the best on your travels!

PS
Congrats on purchasing some dirt in Nashville!
 
Dang dude that really sucks....

Thanks for posting all this info..
 
And for some more upbeat news! A few recent updates to the rig:

New Seats:

Tor found me some nicer ~2008 BMW X series seats...these are amazing! The old pair were an improvement but these are fantastic. They also have leg extenders that can slide out from the front of the seat. Both driver and passenger are full power.







Better rear sway bar setup:

One of the downsides to the FJ80 rear axle with the sway bar was that it hung a touch lower than the rear diff....last time I was up at Tor's shop he had the idea to flip the sway bar to the front of the axel. Such a better solution! This way it gives you that last 1" of ground clearance over rocks. Simple solution







4:1 Lo range gears:

And the biggest change (without exciting photos) are the Advanced Adapter 4:1 low range gears in the transfer case. I don't have install photos of the process but for my skill set it's def a pro job...a good bit of modification is required. The gears totally transformed my FJ off-road, it's hard to imagine it without them now. Going downhill in 4LO is a pleasure and I don't have to kill my brakes and going uphill is way more intentional too. If you have a V8 swap with the 4L65E I think this mod should be high on the list. Before my 4LO would easily 'push through' and I could hit 30mph and 5k RPM's....in other words I'd be riding my brakes all the time downhill.

Slight downside is the gears do 'whine' a good bit more than the stock setup...but I've gotten use to it and it's a fair trade. I haven't noticed much of a ding to highway gas milage either.




The new 4:1 gears were awesome at Wheeler Lake, CO last week...for my heavy rig I needed both lockers and my winch at times on this trail:



 
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LOVE this thread. Read all 15 pages today.
Glad that I stumbled on this extraordinary build. Am building a 60 as well that I brought up from the LA area.
Rust free and lots of work and mods done to it. Your build has given me lots of good ideas.
Have ATEB installing an HDT-1 with a 5 Speed, long range tank. and a few other goodies.
Love the X5 seats, gauges, etc etc.


Have a James Baroud Tent and haven't had any issues yet (fingers crossed).
But I haven't got the miles on it like yours. We have about 2K miles.

If your ever up this way send me a PM.
Thanks for sharing and take care.
 
Like many others, love the thread. I've been following you on social media for a while and it's fun to see the Maddie, but now glad to see more of Bean.
 
Love the updates @theron. 2 questions if you have a second. I think we are both running Chevy auto transmissions with lokar shifters. Looks like you have the factory boot mounted up instead of the one that comes with the lokar. Any chance to get a picture of that, were you able to incorporate the shift light indicators on the floor, or maybe somewhere else? Also the gear whine you mention with the new gears, is it only in low range? Is hi range still stock? Even with 4.88 gears I still need a lower low range for sure.


Sent from my iPhone
 
Theron,

Question for you regarding your roof rack and bolts. I have a JB tent also but on a 3 pole rack from Yakima on my other truck. I'm thinking about switching the tent to the Fj62 with a full rack. Which rack are you using and are you able to use the original bolt kit with it or did you use something custom?

Thanks in advance!
 
Shebamacalla said:
Love the updates @theron. 2 questions if you have a second. I think we are both running Chevy auto transmissions with lokar shifters. Looks like you have the factory boot mounted up instead of the one that comes with the lokar. Any chance to get a picture of that, were you able to incorporate the shift light indicators on the floor, or maybe somewhere else? Also the gear whine you mention with the new gears, is it only in low range? Is hi range still stock? Even with 4.88 gears I still need a lower low range for sure.
Click to expand...

I'm still using the Toyota shifter boot, I'll snap a photo for you soon. And I don't use a shift light, I've just gotten good at feeling my way into the right gear and haven't had too much trouble...although a shift light does sound neat!

The 4:1 lo-range gears 'whine' all the time now, even when you're in 2hi but when I turn on the radio I can't hear them. And the gear swap does affect your Hi-range, Advance Adapter says 10%...but I put on a lot of highway miles and in the end it was a fair trade. The gears are so good off road
 
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