RodrigzCrzr
SILVER Star
Great thread! nice conversion!
Bean! My FJ60 build and adventure
- Thread starter theron
- Start date
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Very nice build. Awesome photographs.
I'm thinking about a James Baroud RTT for my '60 as well, although I'd have to reconfigure the roof and change the roof rack to do it. The roof is the only place our tandem MTB can live so the RTT and the tandem would have to share the space up there.
Two observations, interesting to me, based on my experiences I thought I'd share:
Airbags: I ran airbags on my rig for several years but decided to pull them because of their effect on suspension travel. I didn't think they would be a problem initially, not being much of a rock crawler, but I realized that the '60s suspension is far from a long travel setup and it needs all the travel it can get. This was most annoying when the bags were minimally pressurized with minimal load. The leaves would move upward and cause the airbag assembly to slam into the airbag brackets which have replaced the bumpstops with a loud bang. Very annoying. Conditions were often as extreme as driving through a dip going into a parking lot. I decided that if I start towing my trailer more with the '60 I would go for dual stage Dakar leaves or go custom (such as Alcan). I'm currently running OME Mediums. If you run with bags aired up you may get less banging yet it obviously would limit suspension travel. It seems strange that you are maxing out your OME Heavies. Your loadout doesn't seem that extreme.
Fuel Pump: My Vortec Conversion, done by TLC4x4, had a frame mounted fuel pump. At least where I live, with intermittent high temps and high elevations, the high pressure frame mounted pump would pretty reliably cause cavitation in the fuel line around the pump and loss of fuel pressure when the conditions were right (ascending mountains at speed when ambient temps were around 100 degrees F or higher). After various workarounds including a very cool Rube Goldberg dashboard switchable dual fuel pump setup failed, we bit the bullet and put the pump in the fuel tank, which is apparently how GM intended Vortecs to be setup. Problem solved. I know many on IH8Mud run rail pumps, and TLC has done scores of conversions largely without issue, but even TLC has gone to in tank pumps in their conversions. I noted numerous Vortec conversions on IH8Mud living in the region with similar issues solved by in tank pumps. You may be fine based on your locale and chosen stomping grounds, but I think its still good to know.
Cheers.
I'm thinking about a James Baroud RTT for my '60 as well, although I'd have to reconfigure the roof and change the roof rack to do it. The roof is the only place our tandem MTB can live so the RTT and the tandem would have to share the space up there.
Two observations, interesting to me, based on my experiences I thought I'd share:
Airbags: I ran airbags on my rig for several years but decided to pull them because of their effect on suspension travel. I didn't think they would be a problem initially, not being much of a rock crawler, but I realized that the '60s suspension is far from a long travel setup and it needs all the travel it can get. This was most annoying when the bags were minimally pressurized with minimal load. The leaves would move upward and cause the airbag assembly to slam into the airbag brackets which have replaced the bumpstops with a loud bang. Very annoying. Conditions were often as extreme as driving through a dip going into a parking lot. I decided that if I start towing my trailer more with the '60 I would go for dual stage Dakar leaves or go custom (such as Alcan). I'm currently running OME Mediums. If you run with bags aired up you may get less banging yet it obviously would limit suspension travel. It seems strange that you are maxing out your OME Heavies. Your loadout doesn't seem that extreme.
Fuel Pump: My Vortec Conversion, done by TLC4x4, had a frame mounted fuel pump. At least where I live, with intermittent high temps and high elevations, the high pressure frame mounted pump would pretty reliably cause cavitation in the fuel line around the pump and loss of fuel pressure when the conditions were right (ascending mountains at speed when ambient temps were around 100 degrees F or higher). After various workarounds including a very cool Rube Goldberg dashboard switchable dual fuel pump setup failed, we bit the bullet and put the pump in the fuel tank, which is apparently how GM intended Vortecs to be setup. Problem solved. I know many on IH8Mud run rail pumps, and TLC has done scores of conversions largely without issue, but even TLC has gone to in tank pumps in their conversions. I noted numerous Vortec conversions on IH8Mud living in the region with similar issues solved by in tank pumps. You may be fine based on your locale and chosen stomping grounds, but I think its still good to know.
Cheers.
- Thread starter
- #165
Small wheel update.....for awhile now I've been wanting to move to a 16" rim from 15" I've had. Couple common reasons for wanting to swap y'all prob already know about:
1) Higher load capacity tires, 16" tires come in E load range which will eliminate the tire bulge I had + be happier around corners
2) 16" tires are way more common in North and South America
My wheel criteria:
16x8 rims, Alloy, Black in color, no spacers needed....turns out this is a tall order and really difficult to find. Stock 1987 FJ60 rims are 6x5.5 bolt pattern with 3.5" backspacing. The wheel that came closest to this in my extensive search was the Mickey Thompson Classic Baja Lock but I hated that fake silver bead lock and the non-fake bead lock wheel version isn't offered in 16x8 with the correct backspacing. I also was willing to settle on these ProComp steel Rock Crawler 51 series, on paper they are perfect specs, but turns out there're not for sale in USA unless someone orders 2000 at once!
Another option was ordering custom sized steel Explorer wheels from Stockton, but after powder coating black + shipping they run $225 each...I also considered getting newer Toyota rims...
In the end I called up calling Discount Tire and struck gold! I'd heard rumors along the way that Les Schwab sells a decent looking steel wheel that fits but I wanted to see if they knew of any Alloys....boom they have one! It's a 16x8.5 black alloy with 3.7" backspacing that works perfect without spacers and no rubbing on my rig! The brand is called Level 8 and seems just as nice as any ProComp wheel I've come across....prob the same factory? They were $110/each delivered to Discount Tire listed as Level 8 Tracker Classic 16 X8.5 6-139.70 -25 BKMTXX
On the new rims I'm running 285/75/R16 Goodyear Duratrac tries...I paid $208 each for the tires locally (they matched Tire Racks price before shipping for me). If I was doing this a month later I might have considered the new BFG KO2's (they also are gonna sell that KO2 in 305 R16 size if someone wants in between 33 and 35" tire), they ship Nov 1
1) Higher load capacity tires, 16" tires come in E load range which will eliminate the tire bulge I had + be happier around corners
2) 16" tires are way more common in North and South America
My wheel criteria:
16x8 rims, Alloy, Black in color, no spacers needed....turns out this is a tall order and really difficult to find. Stock 1987 FJ60 rims are 6x5.5 bolt pattern with 3.5" backspacing. The wheel that came closest to this in my extensive search was the Mickey Thompson Classic Baja Lock but I hated that fake silver bead lock and the non-fake bead lock wheel version isn't offered in 16x8 with the correct backspacing. I also was willing to settle on these ProComp steel Rock Crawler 51 series, on paper they are perfect specs, but turns out there're not for sale in USA unless someone orders 2000 at once!
Another option was ordering custom sized steel Explorer wheels from Stockton, but after powder coating black + shipping they run $225 each...I also considered getting newer Toyota rims...
In the end I called up calling Discount Tire and struck gold! I'd heard rumors along the way that Les Schwab sells a decent looking steel wheel that fits but I wanted to see if they knew of any Alloys....boom they have one! It's a 16x8.5 black alloy with 3.7" backspacing that works perfect without spacers and no rubbing on my rig! The brand is called Level 8 and seems just as nice as any ProComp wheel I've come across....prob the same factory? They were $110/each delivered to Discount Tire listed as Level 8 Tracker Classic 16 X8.5 6-139.70 -25 BKMTXX
On the new rims I'm running 285/75/R16 Goodyear Duratrac tries...I paid $208 each for the tires locally (they matched Tire Racks price before shipping for me). If I was doing this a month later I might have considered the new BFG KO2's (they also are gonna sell that KO2 in 305 R16 size if someone wants in between 33 and 35" tire), they ship Nov 1
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- Thread starter
- #167
I do, kinda of, they are listed as Level 8 Tracker Class in 16X8.5 6-139.70 -25
I spray painted the rear center cab all black to cover the fake carbon fiber sticker
I was looking for a similar 16" alloy rim. I ended up with Eagle Alloys 100 Series Black Wheels 1002-7866 the center cap is just a nice solid black. 16 in. x 8 in., 6 x 5.5 in., 3.625 in. Backspace. Kinda looks like a steely.
- Thread starter
- #169
I did run across those on my search, didn't fit my bill aesthetically with all the holes BUT they do look way better with a tire mounted, nice to see 'em. Def agree the stock center cap on the Level 8 wheels are cheesy, but with a dash of spray paint can't even tell on the rear.
Agreed there are about 4 holes too many. They where on sale when I got them so I couldn't turn them down.
New wheels & tires look good.
Curious of your mileage figures after the engine swap and change to automatic.
Curious of your mileage figures after the engine swap and change to automatic.
- Thread starter
- #172
Fully loaded in expedition mode starting with 40 gallons of gas I average 15mpg @ 70mph highway, before I was getting 10mpg with the 2F engine. It's pretty rad having a 600 mile range highway now! And now off road / on the trail in 4x4 I get 12mpg
I'm thinking I'll do even better now since my new tires run @ 65psi (80 max) vs 35psi max on the old 15" tires + I went from a 12.5" wide tire to ~11" wide
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- Thread starter
- #174
On the highway and loaded? You bet! That's running them at 80% of their max psi and gives the tire full contact with the road
- Thread starter
- #176
Yes sir, I do believe 80 psi connotes also E rating? But regardless it's a 10ply E rated....Here's the spec sheet for all the Duratrac tire sizes
When I weighed my truck last year at ARB in Renton I had 2300-2400 lbs on each wheel in the rear, which is like now 65% of the tires capacity, so 55-60psi could be better
- Thread starter
- #178
Out on a little adventure into mainland Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and return back home northbound through Baja! This year I picked up a Delmore InReach Communicator, it has GPS tracking/mapping/routing/topo maps that you use in conjunction with your iPhone and you can also send text messages via satellite. So far I've loved it. If you wanna take a peep at my tracks so far: https://share.delorme.com/ThisWildIdea
This year I entered through Reynosa, had no troubles at all. They didn't even ask for passports and searched my truck for maybe 30 seconds
Roadside lunch headed South towards Monetary, goal for the first day was to get a fair bit South of the border and find a safe and free camp site
In conjunction with the Delmore InReach I'm using E32 Maps on my Garmin GPS. E32 def has the best maps of Mexico I've found and they include a ton of 4x4 routes. Our goal this year was to stay off pavement as much as we could
Near Elotepec, Mexico....around 6,000ft
The weather for the first 6 days was rainy and cloudy, so after a few nights in the rain we deiced to head towards Tulum faster than planned
Rain and rain and lots of mud in rural Mexico...def wasn't interested in getting stuck out here.
This year I entered through Reynosa, had no troubles at all. They didn't even ask for passports and searched my truck for maybe 30 seconds
Roadside lunch headed South towards Monetary, goal for the first day was to get a fair bit South of the border and find a safe and free camp site
In conjunction with the Delmore InReach I'm using E32 Maps on my Garmin GPS. E32 def has the best maps of Mexico I've found and they include a ton of 4x4 routes. Our goal this year was to stay off pavement as much as we could
Near Elotepec, Mexico....around 6,000ft
The weather for the first 6 days was rainy and cloudy, so after a few nights in the rain we deiced to head towards Tulum faster than planned
Rain and rain and lots of mud in rural Mexico...def wasn't interested in getting stuck out here.
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- Thread starter
- #179
Stopped quickly in a little beach side town called Chachalacas. It was so windy we kept on driving after seeing the ocean. This is what happens when you get lazy and don't even lock your hubs....or airdown....thanks MaxTrax!
Finally found some sun once we got closer to Tulum!
Camping on the beach in the Biosfera Sian Ka'an, the entry fee is 28 Pesos/person ($2 USD) but you can stay for many days in a row.
Finally found some sun once we got closer to Tulum!
Camping on the beach in the Biosfera Sian Ka'an, the entry fee is 28 Pesos/person ($2 USD) but you can stay for many days in a row.
Man, I love Freeborn Red FJ60's.
Great work.
Great work.
