SNORKEL A-PILLAR MOUNT UPGRADE
Finally, (how many years later?) I did something about the tiny hardware holding the snorkel on the A-pillar. It was supplied with a tiny M5/6 straight blade bolt! Not even a Phillips, but either option is unrealistic, as you can not get a screwdriver into that area very well! I kept a small straight blade "carb" screwdriver in the door as the screws would come loose often.
Oh yeah, the tiny hardware supplied was not stainless. Rusty straight blade bold is useless, and when it started turning the riv-nut inside the A-pillar, I knew it was time! Straight to M12 riv-nut and hardware!
Before and after!
NOW WE ARE TALKIN!!!! This is how it should have come or been modified at the time of installation.
The two bolts that mount into the snorkel are actually stock. Those are 10M. I would have used 10M on the A-pillar side, but we did not have 10M in the shop at the after-hours time of installation. 12M it is!
THAT WAS A CHORE!!! Getting the snorkel off and back in is not a fun job. If you are getting your 80-Series and adding a snorkel, just do it right the first time and MODIFY IT with larger rivnuts in the A-pillar!
ALTITUDE ATTITUDE The altitude at which the ADV80 now lives is hard on the UNderpowered 3FE in the fat-sassy FJ80 chassis. This rig is used to the cool condensed air of once residing next to the ocean with lots of time spent in the deserts of Southern California. These days (since 2022), the ADV80 lives at 7,200 ft. and commutes to work down to 6,269 feet of Colorado Springs, CO. But if we play in the woods, it is up-up-up! We can be sitting at 11,500 ft. within 25 miles of the house or work.
What conditions does this provide? Isn't it much cooler at higher elevations? Luckily yes! BUT, the air is thinner and less moisture! The mountains here are steep, like REAL STEEP! The 3FE is working the hardest it has ever worked! Think of it like this: here in Colorado, all the roads, even paved ones, are steep climbs! Steep means the rig is climbing! Climbing means 3,2000 rpm and going slow. HIGH RPM while GOING SLOW means little air is coming through the radiator. If your fan clutch is worn out, even less air is coming through when it is of utmost critical importance to have ALL THE AIR coming through the radiator. Then, add in the fact that the air here is "thin," so there is less air to move through the radiator. Additionally, the air is super dry (especially in winter); thus, there is no additional cooling that moisture provides.
A lot of SoCal desert in this fan clutch!
Upon starting work at Red Line Land Cruisers, and before our wheeling trip, Justin grabs my fan clutch and gives it the sprint test, and yes, it's toast! But it did have 300,000 miles on it! We installed the3FE FAN CLUTCH “GREEN” With TEMP MOD for 1991 – 1992 FJ80Toyota Land Cruiser. Like the 1FZ-FE guys with the Blue Fan Clutch Mod. This is the same mod but for us 3FE brethren!
With the fan clutch installed, I noticed a better temp while climbing, and I feel that any advantage I can get to keep this 300,000-mile 3FE on the road is worthwhile!
IT'S TIME!!!
It's finally time, (PAST DUE) to update my ICON suspension. I've technically been running "prototype" shocks on the ADV80 all these years that were technically leftover parts from another project that ICON was doing that had simular size/length/fitments. Dylan scabbed together these used parts to simply see what would/could work.
Juice and seals ordered and we are ready for rebuild!
Now that I am in Colorado Springs (not Southern California), I can't just pop over to ICON afterhours and have special friends privileges! BOO!
And when you are living out in such areas that I live now, resources are way more scarce. Luckily via Red Line Land Cruisers (where I work) the owner has a friend that has serviced a whole lot of race shocks! @Boing has worked with Wayne Demonja ( < hit that link ) for quite some time and has spun his fair share of wrenches there and especially on shocks! So I am now in good hands!
A couple of evenings after work at @Boing's place and we are getting these Icon shocks ADV80 ready! I SO EXCITED!!!
