Best FJ40 Upgrade Ever

[zerotreedelta]

I kind of like the manual steering, it goes with the pleasantly notchy manual, but it does depend on your tires and typical driving.

I think my two upgrades would be:
* Sniper + Hyperspark combo - been a good setup for a daily driver
* oddly enough, cruise control - just makes those longer stretches easier on your throttle ankle, but I'm also 6'2.

 

[FloridaLife]

I kind of like the manual steering, it goes with the pleasantly notchy manual, but it does depend on your tires and typical driving.

I think my two upgrades would be:
* Sniper + Hyperspark combo - been a good setup for a daily driver
* oddly enough, cruise control - just makes those longer stretches easier on your throttle ankle, but I'm also 6'2.

I thought about the Sniper fuel injection, but I read somewhere that people had some issues with the Sniper, and those issues had been corrected and resolved with the Sniper 2. So I called and asked if they had a Sniper 2 that would fit on a 2F FJ40 and they told me no.

I'll have to Google the Hyperspark.

Cruise control - Did you pull that off a donor vehicle (and if so, what was it), or purchase one? How difficult was it to install?

 

[Michael B]

My best FJ40 upgrade was building an HJ45. The truck platform is much more conducive to what I use it for.

 

[Green Bean]

I'm not sure if it qualifies as "the best upgrade" but I recently installed a felt sound deadening and carpet kit for the front & rear along with a heat shield in the under-seat toolbox, DEI exhaust & muffler shields. I've noticed a huge improvement in the cabin noise level. I think that the migration of heat has also greatly improved.

 

[Shark56]

These are two pics showing the length I went with.
11 1/4 inches for the steering wheel end.
12 3/4 measured from top of Rag Joint "top" for lower end.
Keep in mind, the three I have done where all on later models than what you are dealing with. Newer style Manual box and newer style Manual steering column.
With you cutting the shaft and adding a rag joint I imagine that at least, the lower measurement would be different.
I remember somwhere on Mud a thread about adding the Electric Steering to a column shift and keeping the shifter. With you moving the 3/tree to a 4/floor it may be a little easier.
When I did the drive train swap in my 1970, I had everything dialed in, Drums, Manual steering, correct drive shafts, and the Engine running well. After a few years of running it that way I decided to add the Electric Steering, Front and rear lockers, and Disk Front brakes.

 

[FloridaLife]

I'm not sure if it qualifies as "the best upgrade" but I recently installed a felt sound deadening and carpet kit for the front & rear along with a heat shield in the under-seat toolbox, DEI exhaust & muffler shields. I've noticed a huge improvement in the cabin noise level. I think that the migration of heat has also greatly improved.

Sounds like good upgrades to me!

 

[FloridaLife]

View attachment 3723858View attachment 3723861
These are two pics showing the length I went with.
11 1/4 inches for the steering wheel end.
12 3/4 measured from top of Rag Joint "top" for lower end.
Keep in mind, the three I have done where all on later models than what you are dealing with. Newer style Manual box and newer style Manual steering column.
With you cutting the shaft and adding a rag joint I imagine that at least, the lower measurement would be different.
I remember somwhere on Mud a thread about adding the Electric Steering to a column shift and keeping the shifter. With you moving the 3/tree to a 4/floor it may be a little easier.
When I did the drive train swap in my 1970, I had everything dialed in, Drums, Manual steering, correct drive shafts, and the Engine running well. After a few years of running it that way I decided to add the Electric Steering, Front and rear lockers, and Disk Front brakes.

Thank you, that helps! I've seen some YouTube videos with guys installing the electric unit in the engine bay. Would you recommend putting it in the engine bay, or inside under the dash?

 

[Shark56]

Thank you, that helps! I've seen some YouTube videos with guys installing the electric unit in the engine bay. Would you recommend putting it in the engine bay, or inside under the dash

Mine were under the dash. No issues with leg, foot clearance. I did have to do a small amount of grinding on the brake pedal support on one. Maybe a 1/4 inch notch where it was hitting the back of the motor. I probably could have adjusted the brake throw but the brakes were working great and I did not want to risk re-adjusting the Master and Booster rods.
The one advantage of the way most, including myself, have done the conversion is there is hardly any mods to anything other than the column.
I have a spare shaft and a spare dash column bracket. I could easily pull out the E unit and go back to stock in a couple hours or less. I have also swapped the complete unit from one FJ40 to another.
That, in my opinion, is one benefit of the E steering unit.
I actually have all the components to do a Sag. conversion if I decide to go that route but I don't see that happening.

 

[knuckle47]

@FloridaLife go to YouTube and watch this . Additionally spend some time watching his ENTIRE SERIES. There are some revelations about re-assembling the FJ40 no matter which year, you’ll get your own insight about the process. It’s not a short series but damn…it is so f’ing complete. There are episode numbers so you can keep track of where you are in viewing it. It is enlightening and shows so many different components and parts. He reconditioned, rebuilt and repaired almost everything. On top of all that (as an older guy who tires easily) its inspiring and motivating… @zerotreedelta , how’s that for a sales pitch

 

[FloridaLife]

Mine were under the dash. No issues with leg, foot clearance. I did have to do a small amount of grinding on the brake pedal support on one. Maybe a 1/4 inch notch where it was hitting the back of the motor. I probably could have adjusted the brake throw but the brakes were working great and I did not want to risk re-adjusting the Master and Booster rods.
The one advantage of the way most, including myself, have done the conversion is there is hardly any mods to anything other than the column.
I have a spare shaft and a spare dash column bracket. I could easily pull out the E unit and go back to stock in a couple hours or less. I have also swapped the complete unit from one FJ40 to another.
That, in my opinion, is one benefit of the E steering unit.
I actually have all the components to do a Sag. conversion if I decide to go that route but I don't see that happening.

With the kit I'm getting from Ken at ePowerSteering.com I'm wondering if I could install it without even unbolting and/or removing the steering wheel and/or column. Just cut out the section where the electric motor goes, put the electric unit and couplers in place and weld them (the couplers), then mount and connect the control module, and then mount the adjustment knob. Simple as that?

 

[Living in the Past]

And, I'm almost thinking that I might be ahead of the game if I go ahead and graft in a rag joint for the future, even if not 'needed'.

Not sure this has been addressed since you posted this. On your 12/70 built FJ40 your steering shaft runs inside a tube that fits over the steering box and secured to the bottom of the dash. At the firewall it's just a gasket to make it weather tight. On the 9/72 plus the tube is connected to the bottom of the dash and has plate at the firewall the tube welded to. You would to that. Personally would use 9/72-7/80 box and steering column. 8/80 Toyota added a collapsible steering column in the US market. Going electric power steering would be more difficult using one of those. Collected parts for my 68 but found it was easier just getting a later model FJ40 when they could be bought for cheap. During the nineties a couple thousand dollars would buy a pretty nice FJ40 in Arizona.

 

[FloridaLife]

Not sure this has been addressed since you posted this. On your 12/70 built FJ40 your steering shaft runs inside a tube that fits over the steering box and secured to the bottom of the dash. At the firewall it's just a gasket to make it weather tight. On the 9/72 plus the tube is connected to the bottom of the dash and has plate at the firewall the tube welded to. You would to that. Personally would use 9/72-7/80 box and steering column. 8/80 Toyota added a collapsible steering column in the US market. Going electric power steering would be more difficult using one of those. Collected parts for my 68 but found it was easier just getting a later model FJ40 when they could be bought for cheap. During the nineties a couple thousand dollars would buy a pretty nice FJ40 in Arizona.

If I had your parts stash, or lived close enough to bribe your wife into letting me into your parts stash, I would just swap it out. Parts like that are getting harder to find these days, and I'm on a super tight budget, so I'll have to try using the one I've got. I know those old pre-rag joint columns are supposed to be dangerous, but I've had doctors tell my family to start making arrangements because I wouldn't live through the night, multiple times, and I've decided I'm not going anywhere until it is my time. LOL!

So with it just being a gasket at the firewall, that should make it even easier. Use a cutoff wheel or hacksaw and cut through the tube and column, cut out / remove a section equal to the length of the electric unit, cut the tube back a little to have enough room to work on the shaft and add the couplers, slide the replacement tube pieces in the kit over, put the electric unit in place, and tighten everything down. "Seems" easier than removing everything to me. If I cut and do it with everything still in place, then I don't even have to worry about getting my length or angles wrong. Just line them up.

 

[FloridaLife]

Mine were under the dash. No issues with leg, foot clearance. I did have to do a small amount of grinding on the brake pedal support on one. Maybe a 1/4 inch notch where it was hitting the back of the motor. I probably could have adjusted the brake throw but the brakes were working great and I did not want to risk re-adjusting the Master and Booster rods.
The one advantage of the way most, including myself, have done the conversion is there is hardly any mods to anything other than the column.
I have a spare shaft and a spare dash column bracket. I could easily pull out the E unit and go back to stock in a couple hours or less. I have also swapped the complete unit from one FJ40 to another.
That, in my opinion, is one benefit of the E steering unit.
I actually have all the components to do a Sag. conversion if I decide to go that route but I don't see that happening.

Looking at a couple of photos of each of my boys sitting behind the steering wheel the day it arrived (was towed off the next day for paint & body), I just noticed another challenge. It looks like the turn signal is connected to a rod that runs down parallel to the steering shaft / tube. How big of a pain was dealing with that? What did you have to do?

 

[FloridaLife]

Mine were under the dash. No issues with leg, foot clearance. I did have to do a small amount of grinding on the brake pedal support on one. Maybe a 1/4 inch notch where it was hitting the back of the motor. I probably could have adjusted the brake throw but the brakes were working great and I did not want to risk re-adjusting the Master and Booster rods.
The one advantage of the way most, including myself, have done the conversion is there is hardly any mods to anything other than the column.
I have a spare shaft and a spare dash column bracket. I could easily pull out the E unit and go back to stock in a couple hours or less. I have also swapped the complete unit from one FJ40 to another.
That, in my opinion, is one benefit of the E steering unit.
I actually have all the components to do a Sag. conversion if I decide to go that route but I don't see that happening.

Did you have to upgrade your alternator to a higher amperage or anything when you added the electric steering?

 

[Shark56]

On the later columns you don't have the turn signal rod to contend with.

I did not upgrade the Alternator. Just make sure you have a couple extra of the 40 or 60 amp fuses.
I wired directly to the battery and included the inline fuse holder.

 

[firemanj92]

Looking at a couple of photos of each of my boys sitting behind the steering wheel the day it arrived (was towed off the next day for paint & body), I just noticed another challenge. It looks like the turn signal is connected to a rod that runs down parallel to the steering shaft / tube. How big of a pain was dealing with that? What did you have to do?

View attachment 3724037

That's the column shifter. It's really easy to remove.

Disconnect Battery 1st!!!
The shifter handle is removed by squeezing the indent pins (#b# below in pic) then just pull out. Be careful since the indent pin is spring loaded. Remove steering wheel. (horn just pry up-underneath there is a 17mm pull steering wheel and related parts. (horn plate, contactor).
The signal clamp is just that and it's held in place with a flat head on the bottom-loosen that and that assembly pulls straight out-disconnecting wires/plug. The horn wire goes thru the middle and runs out the bottom right hand side of column-you can see it under the dash. Really no special tools needed-maybe a steering wheel puller.

For new column shifter bushings check out Chase's store aka @red66toy Cruisercult.com

Horn pic: Horn Assembly - Specter Off-Road - https://www.sor.com/cat/190#tab2

signal pic #15: FJ40, FJ45 and FJ55 Land Cruiser Switches, Relays and Flashers - 1968-7/80 - Specter Off-Road - https://www.sor.com/cat/182

column shifter: Land Cruiser 3 Speed Transmission 1963-1973 - Specter Off-Road - https://www.sor.com/cat/056#tab4

 

[FloridaLife]

@FloridaLife go to YouTube and watch this . Additionally spend some time watching his ENTIRE SERIES. There are some revelations about re-assembling the FJ40 no matter which year, you’ll get your own insight about the process. It’s not a short series but damn…it is so f’ing complete. There are episode numbers so you can keep track of where you are in viewing it. It is enlightening and shows so many different components and parts. He reconditioned, rebuilt and repaired almost everything. On top of all that (as an older guy who tires easily) its inspiring and motivating… @zerotreedelta , how’s that for a sales pitch

WOW! Where did that young man learn to do all that?! He looks very young, but sure knew what he was doing.

 

[FloridaLife]

On the later columns you don't have the turn signal rod to contend with.

I did not upgrade the Alternator. Just make sure you have a couple extra of the 40 or 60 amp fuses.
I wired directly to the battery and included the inline fuse holder.

Directly to the battery, rather than to the ignition spot on the fuse box? I would think it would stay on all the time, and drain the battery.

 

[FloridaLife]

That's the column shifter. It's really easy to remove.

Disconnect Battery 1st!!!
The shifter handle is removed by squeezing the indent pins (#b# below in pic) then just pull out. Be careful since the indent pin is spring loaded. Remove steering wheel. (horn just pry up-underneath there is a 17mm or 19mm can't remember to remove and pull steering wheel and related parts. (horn plate, contactor).
The signal clamp is just that and it's held in place with a flat head on the bottom-loosen that and that assembly pulls straight out-disconnecting wires/plug. The horn wire goes thru the middle and runs out the bottom right hand side of column-you can see it under the dash. Really no special tools needed-maybe a steering wheel puller.

For new column shifter bushings check out Chase's store aka @red66toy Cruisercult.com

Horn pic: Horn Assembly - Specter Off-Road - https://www.sor.com/cat/190#tab2

signal pic #15: FJ40, FJ45 and FJ55 Land Cruiser Switches, Relays and Flashers - 1968-7/80 - Specter Off-Road - https://www.sor.com/cat/182

column shifter: Land Cruiser 3 Speed Transmission 1963-1973 - Specter Off-Road - https://www.sor.com/cat/056#tab4

Thank you, but actually if you look back at that photo again, and zoom in on it, the column shifter is (from that angle) above the steering column and running down parallel to the steering column. But if you look closely on the left side of the column (slowest to you in the pic) there is another rod, outside of the steering column tube, that runs from the turn signal lever all the way down the length of the column as far as I can see in the pic. So I've got to figure out what to do about that. The column shifter linkage I'm just going to remove since I am changing to a 4 on the floor.

 

[firemanj92]

Thank you, but actually if you look back at that photo again, and zoom in on it, the column shifter is (from that angle) above the steering column and running down parallel to the steering column. But if you look closely on the left side of the column (slowest to you in the pic) there is another rod, outside of the steering column tube, that runs from the turn signal lever all the way down the length of the column as far as I can see in the pic. So I've got to figure out what to do about that. The column shifter linkage I'm just going to remove since I am changing to a 4 on the floor.

That is the mechanical part of the turn signal. Look at the turn signal in the links provided. It is just that-a long solid rod that sits in a keyway in a lower clamp. Wires don't run in it. As stated. The turn signal is held in place by the upper portion and a lower clamp-both are just clamps. Loosen upper & lower then pull up (after steering wheel is removed and dash clamp are removed). NO wires run in either tube. The column on has the 1 horn wire running through it along with steering shaft.

https://www.sor.com/sorimages/product/84310-60022-big.jpg