Best FJ40 Upgrade Ever (13 Viewers)

[knuckle47]

I have to weigh in on the best upgrade… just got my truck back this morning from Jesse , @Jdc1 from Rubber City Land Cruisers. Took it to the dentist today of all days: 94* and humid. My brakes are equal to my Chevy Silverado. I am so very impressed. Stops easily and with the given panic stops here in NJ, People will not allow a following distance gap without thinking you’re letting them cut in front of you. The quick stop ability is substantial…No drifting or pulling to one side…it’s beautifully straight. This is a big one . I have never driven an FJ40 with disk brakes…it is a night and day difference

I have a load of other changes that Jesse had done and I will give you the heads up shortly. The new windshield is another wonder. Not pitted up or scratched wiper blade arcs.

 

[Chungas Revenge]

I might have "look" that up!

However, that stuff was strictly "verboten" in our loft! (USFS back in the 80s)

I totally get it…

During your research, toss in a lime wedge or two. Looking forward to your peer reviewed analysis..

 

[FloridaLife]

I have to weigh in on the best upgrade… just got my truck back this morning from Jesse , @Jdc1 from Rubber City Land Cruisers. Took it to the dentist today of all days: 94* and humid. My brakes are equal to my Chevy Silverado. I am so very impressed. Stops easily and with the given panic stops here in NJ, People will not allow a following distance gap without thinking you’re letting them cut in front of you. The quick stop ability is substantial…No drifting or pulling to one side…it’s beautifully straight. This is a big one . I have never driven an FJ40 with disk brakes…it is a night and day difference

I have a load of other changes that Jesse had done and I will give you the heads up shortly. The new windshield is another wonder. Not pitted up or scratched wiper blade arcs.

That is great to hear! Did Jesse do front discs only, or 4 wheel disc brakes? Also, did he use parts from another Toyota year & model, or did he use a kit (or kits, front & year)? For the brake master cylinder does it have 2 separate plastic fluid reservoirs, or 1 larger fluid reservoir, or the old Chevy type cast metal reservoir with 2 'pots' (for lack of a better term) like my '69 Chevy pickup had (I should have kept that truck, dang it)? Sorry about all the questions, but since this is an upgrade that's definitely on my "To Do" list I would appreciate the info, and I'm sure others would too. Thanks!

 

[knuckle47]

I had purchased FJ60 front end parts so it not a kit. I also purchased a set for a friend who moved…so I am selling that set for him. As for the master, yes…it is the City Racer master. I also had purchased all of the new knuckle rebuild parts, seals and bearings so that is done throughout. The rears are drum…and also have all new seals and bearings.

PLEASE ask away…I had been planning this upgrade for over 2 years and as my physical abilities deteriorated I was THRILLED to have a guy like Jesse help me plan a way to get this done. If you have not seen the list of stuff @Jdc1 had completed….then check this out,
Builds - My Holley Sniper EFI kit install into my 1978 FJ40 - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/my-holley-sniper-efi-kit-install-into-my-1978-fj40.1124939/page-9
Start at post #167

I enjoy the hell out of my Land Cruiser and when I got home yesterday, I played with it all-day, bought a new Toyota True Start battery (@ToyotaMatt suggestion 3 yrs ago yet I could not lift into the battery tray but…I did. This morning I had a doctors appointment at 8:00 and cancelled it… the weather here is so damn nice after yesterday…I’m out in the garage starring at the truck…haha

It drives like a totally different cruiser
PM me if you have any other questions or post here…

 

[Jdc1]

That is great to hear! Did Jesse do front discs only, or 4 wheel disc brakes? Also, did he use parts from another Toyota year & model, or did he use a kit (or kits, front & year)? For the brake master cylinder does it have 2 separate plastic fluid reservoirs, or 1 larger fluid reservoir, or the old Chevy type cast metal reservoir with 2 'pots' (for lack of a better term) like my '69 Chevy pickup had (I should have kept that truck, dang it)? Sorry about all the questions, but since this is an upgrade that's definitely on my "To Do" list I would appreciate the info, and I'm sure others would too. Thanks!

They are FJ62 brakes from the knuckles(and birfs) out with stock rear drums. Master is a ‘76 era dual circuit with a prop valve plumbed into the rear line.

 

[knuckle47]

@Jdc1 beat me to it…. I came back to add those details….

 

[FloridaLife]

I had purchased FJ60 front end parts so it not a kit. I also purchased a set for a friend who moved…so I am selling that set for him. As for the master, yes…it is the City Racer master. I also had purchased all of the new knuckle rebuild parts, seals and bearings so that is done throughout. The rears are drum…and also have all new seals and bearings.

PLEASE ask away…I had been planning this upgrade for over 2 years and as my physical abilities deteriorated I was THRILLED to have a guy like Jesse help me plan a way to get this done. If you have not seen the list of stuff @Jdc1 had completed….then check this out,
Builds - My Holley Sniper EFI kit install into my 1978 FJ40 - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/my-holley-sniper-efi-kit-install-into-my-1978-fj40.1124939/page-9
Start at post #167

I enjoy the hell out of my Land Cruiser and when I got home yesterday, I played with it all-day, bought a new Toyota True Start battery (@ToyotaMatt suggestion 3 yrs ago yet I could not lift into the battery tray but…I did. This morning I had a doctors appointment at 8:00 and cancelled it… the weather here is so damn nice after yesterday…I’m out in the garage starring at the truck…haha

It drives like a totally different cruiser
PM me if you have any other questions or post here…

That is fantastic, and I am jealous! I would love to be able to drive mine before I'm too old to drive, but it is still sitting at the paint & body shop. As mentioned before, it is a guy that does it on the side when not at his primary job. He had another young man "helping" (it looked to me like the young man was doing all the work) and that young fella is currently sitting in the county jail for driving with a suspended license. And our County Sheriff doesn't play around. Some of you may have seen him on YouTube, Sheriff Grady Judd of Polk County Florida who when asked by a reporter why a suspect was shot by his deputies 68 times he quickly responded "Because we ran out of bullets." LOL! Not joking!

So even just a front disc conversion made a world of difference for you. That's great to know. I am definitely going to do a front disc conversion, and still trying to decide if I want to do the rear brakes too or not. Also on my "To Do" list is A/C (my wife is 100% on board with that because it is so hot & humid here), and fuel injection. I do not miss the old days of my carb leaking gas, or flooding, or having to choke it, and all that stuff. I've already done most of the power steering conversion myself, just a couple of things to finish & tidy up on that.

 

[knuckle47]

@FloridaLife …
Well, we need to talk!

My power steering conversion was barely acceptable and had a few shorts cuts made during the conversion..simple corrections but not the kind of thing I would do had I done this. The spacer in the steering column was a 3/4” sprinkler hose barb split in two to fill the column gap. The entire shaft shook loosely and the radiator strut was rubbing the steering shaft to the gearbox….the guys here on mud told me to swap the shaft was well with a collapsing shaft to eliminate the ‘spear” potential in crash…did that too


Regardless, I enjoyed the ease of steering the vehicle at slower speeds but above 30mph, it’s a thrill ride. At my age , 60% of my drive is NJ paved highways and here in NJ, if you’re not doing 65, they’ll run you over. @Jdc1 took the system apart, reconfigured the drag link and the pitman arm and coupled with the 4* caster shims… my steering a AS GOOD AS my Chevy Silverado… I can’t tell you how much I love the way it tracks. My steering wheel is dead centered and does not drift where it requires light adjustments to keep it straight when driving. If you watch some BAT auction videos you can see several FJ40’s requiring light adjustments to the steering wheel positions while driving a straight line.

Jesse and myself both agree this is as near perfect as it can be. Yesterday in Ocean County it was 94* at my house and , like Florida, very high humidity.
We already are making plans for a/c install this coming winter. There is a new Gen V kit and Jesse is installing one currently. It tucks up nicely under the dash without killing as much space under the passengers dash area. An then there is @Chungas Revenge install which I love. It’s a hybrid combination

 

[FloridaLife]

@FloridaLife …
Well, we need to talk!

My power steering conversion was barely acceptable and had a few shorts cuts made during the conversion..simple corrections but not the kind of thing I would do had I done this. The spacer in the steering column was a 3/4” sprinkler hose barb split in two to fill the column gap. The entire shaft shook loosely and the radiator strut was rubbing the steering shaft to the gearbox….the guys here on mud told me to swap the shaft was well with a collapsing shaft to eliminate the ‘spear” potential in crash…did that too


Regardless, I enjoyed the ease of steering the vehicle at slower speeds but above 30mph, it’s a thrill ride. At my age , 60% of my drive is NJ paved highways and here in NJ, if you’re not doing 65, they’ll run you over. @Jdc1 took the system apart, reconfigured the drag link and the pitman arm and coupled with the 4* caster shims… my steering a AS GOOD AS my Chevy Silverado… I can’t tell you how much I love the way it tracks. My steering wheel is dead centered and does not drift where it requires light adjustments to keep it straight when driving. If you watch some BAT auction videos you can see several FJ40’s requiring light adjustments to the steering wheel positions while driving a straight line.

Jesse and myself both agree this is as near perfect as it can be. Yesterday in Ocean County it was 94* at my house and , like Florida, very high humidity.
We already are making plans for a/c install this coming winter. There is a new Gen V kit and Jesse is installing one currently. It tucks up nicely under the dash without killing as much space under the passengers dash area. An then there is @Chungas Revenge install which I love. It’s a hybrid combination




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WOW! It sounds like you've knocked it out of the park on upgrades and the resulting driveability! I'll send you a PM in a few minutes.

 

[Chungas Revenge]

They are FJ62 brakes from the knuckles(and birfs) out with stock rear drums. Master is a ‘76 era dual circuit with a prop valve plumbed into the rear line.

Nice work..!!!