Best FJ40 Upgrade Ever (8 Viewers)

[FloridaLife]

skip that garbage. you'd be better off buying a new OEM 2F carb for less which would install in 10 minutes and will run perfectly for 15-20 years.

Hey Hey... haven't heard from @cruisermatt in a while. I have been to his shop and he knows what he is talking about.

 

[mtn biker]

I have 2 mods that have been done 1 is obvious and a lot of people have already talked about it but front disk brake conversion from drums. Night and day difference. Better braking, no brake fade, safer, all of that and more benefits that people have mentioned. #2 is a bit out of the box but i took the chrome hatch struts that you had to manually tighten down and replaced them with a 10mm ball socket and gas strut system. I would raise the hatch with the chrome struts and tighten them down and they would stay up all day until i would put my head in the back to look for something then it would give out and fall on the back of my head. The gas struts that I got are 100 lb. struts. I originally bought 2 to hold that hatch up but soon realized that was over kill and one would be sufficient

 

[FloridaLife]

I have 2 mods that have been done 1 is obvious and a lot of people have already talked about it but front disk brake conversion from drums. Night and day difference. Better braking, no brake fade, safer, all of that and more benefits that people have mentioned. #2 is a bit out of the box but i took the chrome hatch struts that you had to manually tighten down and replaced them with a 10mm ball socket and gas strut system. I would raise the hatch with the chrome struts and tighten them down and they would stay up all day until i would put my head in the back to look for something then it would give out and fall on the back of my head. The gas struts that I got are 100 lb. struts. I originally bought 2 to hold that hatch up but soon realized that was over kill and one would be sufficient

I saw here on mud where someone took the original chrome hatch struts apart and put gas struts inside them and put them back together. So they looked original, but were gas. Pretty slick. I'm going gas struts on mine too, but keeping the originals in case I get bored one day and decide I want to take them apart and hide the gas struts inside them.

 

[Aloha Jen]

I got in touch with Howell and even though I didn't find it when I used their search function they do in fact have one. If anyone else is interested here is the link to it:

#K247T - Toyota Land Cruiser TBI Conversion Kit

Marine City, MI – March 10, 2015 – For fans of the classic ’55-’91 Toyota Landcruiser, replacing the troublesome carburetion system with state of the art electronic fuel injection required a custom build that could end with questionable results. Enter Howell EFI who has come to the rescue with a...

howellefi.com

Are there adapters so you can still run the stock air cleaner?

 

[knuckle47]

@Aloha Jen Not that you’re asking but I have the Holley EFI from Mosley… I run the stock air cleaner in my 1975 2F. Great little adapter included in the package and every question I had was met with a near immediate reply. Of course,, there’s always @wngrog

 

[zerotreedelta]

There's always a way. I made my Sniper-to-factory-air-cleaner adapter from a thrift shop cooking pot...intakes by Rachel Ray.

 

[sogncab]

what would you say is The Best Upgrade you have ever done (or had done) to your FJ40?

Got divorced now the dog rides shotgun.

 

[FloridaLife]

Are there adapters so you can still run the stock air cleaner?

Good question. I have an adapter to run a factory air cleaner on a Weber carb, so I'm sure there is an adapter out there somewhere.

 

[FloridaLife]

There's always a way. I made my Sniper-to-factory-air-cleaner adapter from a thrift shop cooking pot...intakes by Rachel Ray.

View attachment 3865775

THAT is awesome!

 

[FloridaLife]

Based on some of the great feedback in this thread I have already done the power steering conversion, and I'm planning on several others like A/C, Fuel Injection, and more.

For all of you that said Disc Brakes, I have a question for you. I'm wondering how many of you did just the Front Disc Brake Conversion, and how many of you went all the way and did both Front & Back disc brake conversion?

Thank you in advance for the info and feedback.

 

[pb4ugo]

I did discs in the frt in the early to mid 80's and then did the rear discs in the 90's. FJ40 drum brakes are old and antiquated and sucked. I seemed to always be working on them. I was really happy when I fell into a later model 77 FJ40 and swapped in the disc brake frt end and stk 4 speed. Later in the 90's folks started making rear disc kits and others were making and selling just the caliper brackets with instructions describing the parts needed and how to alter them for rear discs. Back then I was constantly adjusting the rears and rebuilding rear wheel cylinders, because I was wheeling a lot. If your doing a lot of street driving rear discs are probably not as much as a priority. You will have to adjust them periodically. You should compare $$ on how much to rehab rear drums and how much rear discs will cost. Discs are pretty much maintenance free.

 

[knuckle47]

As we speak, my FJ40 is getting the front only disc brake conversion today in fact….the long post and pictures on this is coming shortly. But since you asked, yes

 

[FloridaLife]

I did discs in the frt in the early to mid 80's and then did the rear discs in the 90's. FJ40 drum brakes are old and antiquated and sucked. I seemed to always be working on them. I was really happy when I fell into a later model 77 FJ40 and swapped in the disc brake frt end and stk 4 speed. Later in the 90's folks started making rear disc kits and others were making and selling just the caliper brackets with instructions describing the parts needed and how to alter them for rear discs. Back then I was constantly adjusting the rears and rebuilding rear wheel cylinders, because I was wheeling a lot. If your doing a lot of street driving rear discs are probably not as much as a priority. You will have to adjust them periodically. You should compare $$ on how much to rehab rear drums and how much rear discs will cost. Discs are pretty much maintenance free.

That's great information. Thank you!

 

[hobbes]

I did fronts only. I figure the fronts are a safety issue. Additionally, converting the fronts is a "bolt on" exercise. The rears require welding. I do find my rear drums annoying because of the adjustments but I still run them (for now).

 

[wngrog]

I did fronts only. I figure the fronts are a safety issue. Additionally, converting the fronts is a "bolt on" exercise. The rears require welding. I do find my rear drums annoying because of the adjustments but I still run them (for now).

Rears don't require welding.

 

[JohnnyC]

The rears require welding.

X2 No welding on the rears

 

[sogncab]

I'm wondering how many of you did just the Front Disc Brake Conversion, and how many of you went all the way and did both Front & Back disc brake conversion?

I didn't convert my front since it's a 76.
I did convert the rear to better drums though. I've got newer drums like the 70 series.

I personally don't see the reason to do disc in the rear. They lock up easily with drums.

My only complaint with the 40 drums is the dumbass dual wheel cylinders. Other than that, they work fine

 

[pb4ugo]

My only complaint with the 40 drums is the dumbass dual wheel cylinders. Other than that, they work fine

Exactly! And adjusting 2 individual shoes on each drum. When trail riding in the midwest the water and mud acts like sand paper on the brake shoes, so I'd have to loosen the sticky wheel cylinders and then adjust them quite often. I love my disc's.

 

[FloridaLife]

Exactly! And adjusting 2 shoes on each drum. When trail riding in the midwest the water and mud acts like sand paper on the brake shoes, so I'd have to loosen the sticky wheel cylinders and then adjust them quite often. I love my disc's.

Yeah, I'm leaning towards front & rear discs, especially if it's going to be my son's some day. The only problem is I have 2 sons, so I'll need to get a 2nd one some day. LOL!

 

[hobbes]

X2 No welding on the rears

Doesnt Posers? Maybe I’m recalling the parking brake cable.