FZJ80 upgrade plan

[TiredIronGRB]

All these 80s are really starting to look the same. Is everyone a sheep or do a few folks like landtank, robbie, cdan actually come up with some innovative ideas?

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[ed97fzj80]

I'm not sure what you are referring to but if you think you can't tow with your FZJ80 just because you go to 35" tyres and regear (either 4.56 or 4.88 gears), then I would not agree with that statement. I wouldn't worry about any increase in torque causing any problems with a well set up regear.

-B-

This may be somewhat of an ignorant question, but that's kind of the point of asking questions . . . wouldn't a proper regear mean there is no additional torque stress compared to the stock setup? I mean, isn't returning the gear ratio of the entire drivetrain to stock (or near to it) the whole point of that kind of regear?

 

[tech_dog]

This may be somewhat of an ignorant question, but that's kind of the point of asking questions . . . wouldn't a proper regear mean there is no additional torque stress compared to the stock setup? I mean, isn't returning the gear ratio of the entire drivetrain to stock (or near to it) the whole point of that kind of regear?

A regear will negate the torque increase from the point of the regear to the engine.

The brakes, hubs, axles, and everything in the diffs on the wheel side of the regear will have the torque increased by 35/31, or about 13%. That means the strain on these parts would be the same as if I were towing about 650 lbs over the rated capacity.

To be honest, the boat probably weighs more than 5000 lbs because I've added accessories over the years, so I'd be even more above the rated max tow capacity.

 

[alvarorb]

Personally I'd go sliders even before gears or bumpers and I'm on a 4.88 kick right now for gears. I haven't done it but it is in the works. I've only had my Toyo MTs for a short time but I love them so far.

I'm with Eric. Protection should come before any other mod. If you lift before you protect, you'll be wanting to take your rig off-road and may damage the body/tranny.

Alvaro

 

[NorCalDoug]

I'm with Eric. Protection should come before any other mod. If you lift before you protect, you'll be wanting to take your rig off-road and may damage the body/tranny.

Alvaro

Ditto. Protect it first...unless you have absolutely NO plans to take it over anything larger than a curb or a speed bump.

 

[T Y L E R]

Remember it ain't all about function ..


If someone just wanted a fast car there are plenty of ricemobiles he could pimp, but most will buy something that gets their juices flowin just by glancing at it! So why is an LC any different?

If you want to lift, or build a more aggressive stance go for it .. it's your call. Don't feel compelled to immediately take it off some wicked jumps


Find a few rigs you like for their form and function, and emmulate them. Make them your own along the way .. I started this way, and after a few years and much $$ I think I'm going to be ok after all ..


TY


PS: And a big fat to all the flamers ..

 

[Nay]

Use the '06 LX470 for towing the bling. That way the two together will be bling-bling

Keep the 80 light if you plan to wheel it. Nothing worse than buying a bunch of expensive and heavy stuff you might well want to take off later. For example, why do you need a Slee rear bumper if you aren't going to use it for a spare tire mount? Why do you need the front? To winch up the boat ramp ?

I'm not really hearing that you need a 4-5" lift...OME medium and 33's will keep things simpler and probably more in the realm of being used regularly for towing...although I just can't see buying a nice new V8 and towing with the 80.

Nay

 

[tech_dog]

Use the '06 LX470 for towing the bling. That way the two together will be bling-bling

Keep the 80 light if you plan to wheel it. Nothing worse than buying a bunch of expensive and heavy stuff you might well want to take off later. For example, why do you need a Slee rear bumper if you aren't going to use it for a spare tire mount? Why do you need the front? To winch up the boat ramp ?

I'm not really hearing that you need a 4-5" lift...OME medium and 33's will keep things simpler and probably more in the realm of being used regularly for towing...although I just can't see buying a nice new V8 and towing with the 80.

Nay

I'd like to do the towing with the LC so that I can throw in all my fishing gear, SCUBA gear, wakeboards, or anything else, without worrying about messing up the 06 LX. It's prettier than I expected, and I'm still getting used to it. Yeah, I know that's what it's for, but I can't help myself.

I plan on adding a solid front bumper, sliders, rails, etc, in order to avoid damage. Right now, I'm now leaning towards the OME 2.5 heavy instead of the 4". After looking at more pix, 2.5 seems better matched to the 33's, and will likely be easier to tow with. I don't want to go 2.5 medium and then have a redo job when I add armor.

I'll use the tire carrier when I go on a real offroad trek, but I don't want to have to use it every day. Even now, I throw the spare in the back and take off the tow hitch when I go wheeling.

Between boating, biking, SCUBA, skiing, wakeboarding, fishing, etc, I really use the rear hatch and tow hitch, so I want to be able to move the spare between under and behind, depending on what I'm doing.

I wish I'd done the bumper a week earlier, as I just smashed the sheet out of my front bumper while messing around out by Ramona. I got an estimate of $2500 to fix things, but that money sure as heck isn't going towards a new stock bumper.

 

[alvarorb]

I wish I'd done the bumper a week earlier, as I just smashed the sheet out of my front bumper while messing around out by Ramona. I got an estimate of $2500 to fix things, but that money sure as heck isn't going towards a new stock bumper.

That's exactly what I mean by armor first. Lift and accessoires later.
Once you see your rig with the 2.5 lift, you'll go "Dude, this thing can make it anywhere!". Followed by $%^#!@, I should have listened.

Alvaro

 

[Nay]

Definitely don't do the Slee 4" for 33's. They will look tiny. They look small enough on OME. 35's would look good on OME.

FWIW, I run the OME medium with 33's, and my trips involve a family of six. I am constantly posting how I am against all of this heavy armor, having built a Jeep (Cherokee) in the past with the big front winch bumper and tire carrier and all that stuff, and then taking it all off once I finally figured out how much it was degrading performance on and offroad. If you want all of that stuff, add the AVO turbo to your list.

I have Slee sliders. I put my spare on the roof rack (no, you aren't going to tip over now). I am keeping the stock rear bumper, which isn't really a bumper but rather the rear crossmember with some caps (see my thread below on the Slee 2" receiver with stock bumper). If I make that mod, I am going to be taking off the rear of the frame and building a tube bumper for clearance up against the body, plus relocating the crossmember forward for extra strength.

For the front, I will eventually do a preunner (tube) bumper. Not any heavier than stock and best strength to weight performance. I have no plans for a winch on a 2.5" lifted rig, I will not be traveling to the Outback next summer, and as far as I know there aren't any kangaroos in my neighborhood that I am at great risk of hitting.

I only post this to show an alternative. This forum is in the middle of the long term design cycle, which is usually the heaviest and most overly accessorized cycle where people run the tallest lifts (because they drive like stock!) and the tires are choosen to avoid trimming plastic flares (see 35's on a 6" lift for a good example). This is the cycle that precedes a focus on reducing weight, choosing the least possible lift for a certain tire size and trimming for clearance, and a willingness to look beyond bolt on solutions.

So a search may not yield the best answers, but it all depends on what you want. Your list will produce a nice looking and functional rig without thinking any further than your wallet

Nay

 

[T Y L E R]

This is the cycle that precedes a focus on reducing weight, choosing the least possible lift for a certain tire size and trimming for clearance, and a willingness to look beyond bolt on solutions.

Nay

A, a?


TY

 

[Beowulf]

This forum is in the middle of the long term design cycle,

Ahhh, a clairvoyant. We haven't had one of those join the forum lately.

Welcome Naysayer.

-B-