Fj60 road trips

[4david]

I was wondering if anyone would regale us with stories of long distances travels with the 2f/4sp.

Mine gets to highway speed after a time - no real issues. Seems cruising at 65 is a real thing in these, not as bad as I would have thought considering the remarks people make...

BUT

Driving 65 or even 55 is still making the truck work, the whines and apparent effort are noticeable though it's not like I'm pushing the gas very hard. Seems as long as you don't mind taking your time getting to speed you are ok.

My question is, is it good for it to sit at 2500-3000 Rpms for long periods of time?

 

[GeologistFelix]

Long story short, it'll do just fine if it's got coolant and oil (and the pumps for both will give you plenty of warning before they go bad). When it comes right down to it, the 2F has a ton of extra cooling capacity. It can handle 3000 rpms for the whole day.

That said, if you go up to 31-33 inch tires with the stock gearing, or get an H55, it'll get a lot quieter at those speeds and save you some gas. I went from about ~12 mpg on 235s and no lift (at 60mph and 2700 rpms) to around 14-15 with a lift (running 2300 rpm with 33" tires). I still get >13 mpg doing 70. (All of those numbers are corrected for tire size).

That said, I'm also going 40-50 up mountain passes in 3rd gear, which sucks, and I'm using low-range a lot more offroad than I did with the stock sized tires.

 

[Output Shaft]

Also calibrate the cab speedometer. It's infamously inaccurate.

31" tires are a good compromise for overdrive on the freeway with the 4 speed. 2700 rpm is a upper sweet spot. While 3000 rpm isn't very pleasant be around for long periods of time it won't harm the engine.

 

[landcrusher909]

My wife and I just did almost 2500 Miles from southern California to Texas. Great trip. Ran the 60 at 2500 rpm and had a Great time.

 

[Shacklewhacker]

I have run mine for hours down the highway in the 2700 rpm range. Corrected for tire size percentage difference (running 235/85/16s so about 32.5 inches) that puts me right near 65 mph. Run 6-8 hours at a time, and pull grades - if steep, in 3rd of course.
As stated above, with the over engineered cooling and oil capacities, it's happy to do so. I'll get 14-15 mpg on the highway at 2700 rpm and about 500 pounds of gear and extra fuel and such. And a lot of that is on the roof rack so not very aero either.
I think, in general, these motors prefer constant rpms and loads. They are essentially industrial motors (2F originally used in fire trucks and fork lifts), and as such, like any other motors (diesels in particular) like constant rpm and constant loads.
As a side note, for around town driving, I never rev above 3000 rpm when rowing gears. Typically, if your not on too steep a hill, shifting around 2500 drops you into the torque range just fine when grabbing the next gear up.

 

[2mountainfish]

I'm running 33s with a stock 4 speed and 4:11 gears. On flat land, I cruise at 2500-3000 rpm which is roughly 65-70 mph and it has never given any sign of not liking it. Mileage on the other hand is 12-13 mpg. My tires are 12.50s, so I never expected to get great mileage anyhow.

 

[slacker24-7]

I always have big plans to go west in mine, meaning Utah or Colorado, but haven't made it yet, but honestly think you will be fine , I've done several 200 mile trips and was very happy with the 60. like a couple above posters said. You just need to run your own pace, and don't let everyone else push you. Reminds me of a guy I saw on I-40 here in Ar. In a early vw bus a couple years ago. He was from California , looked like a old hippie, had a dog in he pass seat and was running about 60mph. I slowed down and gave him a big thumbs up, he was without a/c and doing his own thing, very cool and reminds me that folks were doing this a lot of years ago every day.

 

[Shacklewhacker]

I always have big plans to go west in mine, meaning Utah or Colorado, but haven't made it yet, but honestly think you will be fine , I've done several 200 mile trips and was very happy with the 60. like a couple above posters said. You just need to run your own pace, and don't let everyone else push you. Reminds me of a guy I saw on I-40 here in Ar. In a early vw bus a couple years ago. He was from California , looked like a old hippie, had a dog in he pass seat and was running about 60mph. I slowed down and gave him a big thumbs up, he was without a/c and doing his own thing, very cool and reminds me that folks were doing this a lot of years ago every day.

Spot on Slacker. Hanging in the right lane with the trucks is just fine. That was life on summer road trips from CA to CO and back to CA for me in the early to mid '70s as a kid in a VW bus my parents owned. Not hippies - not even close, but road trippers.
As 60 owners, and LCs in general, we get to see the world and land that we typically ignore as we pass by. There's a lot out there - hawks, other animals, crops, mountains, streams, etc.
If any of you are a person who sits in the window seat on a plane as you have to travel, and look down to all the country you fly over, and wonder, "Hmm - I could someday see that from down there instead of up here." yet still wonder at it all, then owning a 60 or any LC and lumbering down the road will fit just fine.

 

[Graniteone]

Not a problem. Rolled 1100+ Miles at roughly 3,000 RPM the whole way home after buying her. I wouldn't sweat it. Keep her lubed and cooled and you should be fine.

 

[slacker24-7]

Very well said shacklewhacker .

 

[Nesquik]

I've run 1200 miles in one weekend on a 250cc dirt bike running who knows what RPM down for the highway

I've only put 600-700 miles on my 60, all highway. I just kick back and cruise whatever feels right, but a lot of it was at 3000+ RPM on 31s

Lots of people say they aren't comfy on the highway

I bought this truck to drive it, so that's what I'll do

 

[Michael Hanson]

Hi, We drive these daily. We like to run these just under 3,000 rpms on highway. 31 inch tires.ome suspension. After 3 decades and over 1,000,000 total miles on the cruisers they have held up very well. We keep a log book in each cruiser on maintaince . Everything that gets done gets recorded, I want no surprises on the highway. So far so good. Mike

 

[jakerudy]

My wife and I just did almost 2500 Miles from southern California to Texas. Great trip. Ran the 60 at 2500 rpm and had a Great time.

View attachment 1443542

Nice looking rig. Where did you get the front bumper?

 

[landcrusher909]

Honestly I'm not sure who made it I did some parts trading and got it from another Cruiser Brother

 

[jakerudy]

Honestly I'm not sure who made it I did some parts trading and got it from another Cruiser Brother

OK thanks. Mine is the same color and I'm looking for running boards and a cattle guard bumper to prevent damage from deer.

 

[umpqua]

I always have big plans to go west in mine, meaning Utah or Colorado, but haven't made it yet, but honestly think you will be fine , I've done several 200 mile trips and was very happy with the 60. like a couple above posters said. You just need to run your own pace, and don't let everyone else push you. Reminds me of a guy I saw on I-40 here in Ar. In a early vw bus a couple years ago. He was from California , looked like a old hippie, had a dog in he pass seat and was running about 60mph. I slowed down and gave him a big thumbs up, he was without a/c and doing his own thing, very cool and reminds me that folks were doing this a lot of years ago every day.

Why stop in CO or UT? We can always use another hillbilly or two in Oregon.

 

[gen2600]

I've driven mine from Portland, Oregon to Fairbanks or Homer, Alaska and back probably 6 times. Now I live in Homer. Usually stick around 2800-2900 miles. Often I go exploring and you can throw a couple hundred extra on there.

I generally cruise between 55-65 depending on grade . No problem. Loaded to the gills with gear, saws, and tools. I still have the 4 speed and my truck is close to bone stock other than OME suspension and wheels/tires.

 

[albert110]

I'm a lot more concerned about the wear I'm putting on the engine with my 3-mile commute than I would be on a 300 mile drive.

 

[NMfjCruiser]

I'm a lot more concerned about the wear I'm putting on the engine with my 3-mile commute than I would be on a 300 mile drive.

This is so true.
My longest trip to date is 1100 miles through the Rockies. It's not the easy cruising at 2700-3000 rpm that concerned me as much as the occasional pushes to redline trying to accelerate (a relative term, I know) on the grades. I have 220k and wouldn't hesitate to take a road trip, in fact planning another Rockies trip in June.

 

[jakerudy]

The only problem I had on a long road trip in my 1985 60 with the 2F was not long after I bought it 20 years ago. I changed all the hoses and replaced the radiator cap with an aftermarket one. At 70 mph it started to overheat but if I slowed down it was fine. Finally figured out I had cavitation in the water pump at the higher rpm. Bought a Toyota cap in Santa Fe and drove across OK in 102 degree heat with the AC blasting without an issue.