New, seeking help and advice

[AZ '83 fj-40]

Hey everyone,

I recently stumbled upon this link and have gotten really into it, well the idea of it. I was wondering what modifications would serve me best in this type of driving. The area being mostly traverst would be Arizona, So. Cal, Mexico, ect. could any one point me in the right direction. I have a late model fj-40 ('83) and was just interested in getting into this.Any help would be great. thanks in advance.

Brendan

 

[roscoFJ73]

Hey everyone,

I recently stumbled upon this link and have gotten really into it, well the idea of it. I was wondering what modifications would serve me best in this type of driving. The area being mostly traverst would be Arizona, So. Cal, Mexico, ect. could any one point me in the right direction. I have a late model fj-40 ('83) and was just interested in getting into this.Any help would be great. thanks in advance.

Brendan

I would leave the running gear fairly stock except for a 5 sp
Maybe look at some tyres which suit the terrain,I imagine it would be mainly rock and sand

I would be looking at how long these trips will be and how far you intend to stray from the nearest gas station.
So you might need some extra fuel ,water and somewhere to store it.

One thing I never have too many of is 12V outlets for fridge and lights.
A roof rack is a good thing to have on a SWB

I wouldnt get winches and difflocks unless you see a case where you will really need them..

I would probably recommend some communications and a GPS system loaded with local maps though.

 

[AZ '83 fj-40]

I would leave the running gear fairly stock except for a 5 sp
Maybe look at some tyres which suit the terrain,I imagine it would be mainly rock and sand

I would be looking at how long these trips will be and how far you intend to stray from the nearest gas station.
So you might need some extra fuel ,water and somewhere to store it.

One thing I never have too many of is 12V outlets for fridge and lights.
A roof rack is a good thing to have on a SWB

I wouldnt get winches and difflocks unless you see a case where you will really need them..

I would probably recommend some communications and a GPS system loaded with local maps though.

thanks,

at this point i am running 31x10.50's, i like them because its a pretty standard tire. I have a roof rack, winch, and gps. I was thinking about running a aux. fuel tank in the rear and just carring water on the roof rack. I am not sure how to hook up some 12V outlets but that seems like a good idea, a fridge would be nice. I was wondering how much a 5 sp swap would cost?

 

[roscoFJ73]

thanks,

at this point i am running 31x10.50's, i like them because its a pretty standard tire. I have a roof rack, winch, and gps. I was thinking about running a aux. fuel tank in the rear and just carring water on the roof rack. I am not sure how to hook up some 12V outlets but that seems like a good idea, a fridge would be nice. I was wondering how much a 5 sp swap would cost?

Carrying extra fuel in a tank is the safest and most space efficient way.
Maybe you could use the flat area in the rear of the 40 for 2 tanks,one fuel,one water.
On top of this you could build slide storage space for tools and recovery gear .

Use the roof for the lightest gear like cooking utensils and sleeping gear,tents etc.
Liquids are up top are not a great idea.Apart from the fact they are heavy ,they move to the wrong side when you are on steep slope side on.
For 12V power I have some good quality 12v cig lighter plugs installed around the tray.
I have them wired straight to the battery with an inline fuse. The 4mm or 6mm ?wires are tied to the chassis with ties and wrapped in flexible tubing.
I had to do it this way to get the required voltage to run my Waeco 50 ltr fridge.
I also have some piggybacks for light duty things like the 12V fluro lights.
When Im stopped I have 100 amp deep cyle sealed battery in a box with built in plugs and battery gauge.
Its plastic and too small I intend to build a better custom made box in the near future
This can run the fridge for 4 days under medium use or 7 days if you let the fridge turn it off when the voltage is too low.

I also use a set of 31x10.50x15 on my 73 series and their good for around the burbs and ok (and cheap) for offroad use.
On my 75 series I use split rims with 235x85x16,easy to replace and they come in all prices and treads.

 

[fernandol]

I would fit a aux fuel tank between the frame rails on the back of the 40, plenty of space there for a good size tank, put a filler neck for it on one side and that way you keep all the gas fumes outside.
Using some type of drawer system is also a very good idea, as for the water tank, i think the best location is just behind the seats, that way you keep the weight low and in the middle of the vehicle. Many people rather use various water containers that can be taken out of the truck for filling, cleaning, etc. as opposed to a fixed tank, this can be pretty convenient and cheap, again I would put this containers behind the seats.
Another good idea in a 40 is to build some type of shelf on the back, that way you have your drawer system on the bottom for recovery gear, spares and heavy stuff then some more space on top of this for the fridge, cooking utensils, etc. and the top shelf for clothing, sleeping gear and the rest of the light stuff. With a well organized shelving and drawer system on the back you can fit all your gear and avoid the use of the roof rack which can be very expensive apart from robbing on gas mileage and creating a lot of wind noise on the road.
I also agree that the best mod to the drive train would be a 5 speed although i would try to upgrade the suspension as well.
If you want larger tires i would go with 255/85/16.
It might even be a good idea to go with a set of this tires (+- 33") as a first mod, that way you will get lower rpms at high way speeds without the 5 speed.

Regards

Fernando

 

[Ducks]

I would leave the running gear fairly stock except for a 5 sp
Maybe look at some tyres which suit the terrain,I imagine it would be mainly rock and sand

I would be looking at how long these trips will be and how far you intend to stray from the nearest gas station.
So you might need some extra fuel ,water and somewhere to store it.

One thing I never have too many of is 12V outlets for fridge and lights.
A roof rack is a good thing to have on a SWB

I wouldnt get winches and difflocks unless you see a case where you will really need them..

I would probably recommend some communications and a GPS system loaded with local maps though.

I have next to no experience but had a few questions. Why would you suggest a 5speed over difflocks? I was planning on the difflocks being my first major modification. The 4 speed seems to work fine for reasonable speed highway driving and some people have said that the 5sp doesn't give as much fuel economy as you would expect. The few times I have been out and got stuck, a difflock would have solved the problem.

None of this is personal experience just what I have read and from talking with experienced people. For the desert you need strong sidewalls. BFGoodrich is supposed to work very well. As far as traction goes, the times I have been stuck in the desert is when it has rained. That stuff turns in to the stickiest, slickest stuff known to man. When I get new tires, I plan to get BFG Mud-Terrain and have them siped. The siping will make them work well in snow and rain.

If you don't already have a GPS, make sure you get one that has the SiRF Star III chipset. It works remarkable better than previous technology. Anyhoo.

Chad

 

[roscoFJ73]

I have next to no experience but had a few questions. Why would you suggest a 5speed over difflocks?

Well I did mention get the difflocks if you really need them . Most people I know dont do hardcore trails requiring difflocks when they are a long way from home.
Using difflocks often means extreme angles and not always a good mix in a fully loaded vehicle.
However this is going to boil down to what you want to do

The 5sp I couldnt live without,my landcruiser is in its prime at 115 kph and doing 2800 rpm.
I have 4.11,so if you have 3.7 you may consider a 4sp ok.

 

[Ducks]

Yeah, I do have 3.7 diffs with 31s. Don't get me wrong, I would love to have the 5speed for both the overdrive and granny gear. I have gotten stuck on washed out roads. Were able to get out with a shovel and some well placed rocks but I think the difflocks would have either helped us to not get stuck or would have helped us get unstuck. Don't know that for sure, though. Anyone know what the diffs are in a 1983 fj40: 3.73 or 4.11?

 

[fernandol]

I'm pretty sure the diffs are 3.73, at least in Venezuela all Landcruisers had 3.73 in the diffs until the 3F came along in 1985 I think.
Anyway he has a winch so I wouldn't put lockers too high on the priority list.
I think extra fuel, a suspension upgrade, good tires, some sort of water container or tank, OBA or a good quality portable compressor, good battery or dual batteries, roofrack, storage drawers or whatever is needed to carry all the gear, a snorkel, a rooftop tent, a 5 speed transmission if long distances will be covered on highway, are all things I would put above lockers if the intended use of the vehicle is expedition type travel.

Regards

Fernando

 

[roscoFJ73]

Anyone know what the diffs are in a 1983 fj40: 3.73 or 4.11?

On the later models it is stamped in code on the plate on the firewall.
For eg my 4.11 LSD reads K085. KO82 is for 4.11 open diffs.

3.73 would read as K052.

 

[fj40z]

Hey everyone,

I recently stumbled upon this link and have gotten really into it, well the idea of it. I was wondering what modifications would serve me best in this type of driving. The area being mostly traverst would be Arizona, So. Cal, Mexico, ect. could any one point me in the right direction. I have a late model fj-40 ('83) and was just interested in getting into this.Any help would be great. thanks in advance.

Brendan

Im glad you asked this question, Ive been wandering about some good expedition mods for 40's. It seems like everything for them is more geared to rock crawler type stuff ( for obvious reasons I know ) but I have been thinking of setting my 40 up for more of this route. Im thinking about building some cargo boxes for the back. Anybody have any pics of boxes in their 40?

 

[AZ '83 fj-40]

http://www.wideopenwest.com/~rballard2820/tonneau cover.htm

 

[FLFJ40]

How about a cargo trailer for a 40? Are trailers a real hindrence on an expidition rig? Of course we are talking about one built fot the trails, not your average Northern Tools kit model.

 

[blupaddler]

First make sure everything is in good running/operating shape. You want to minimalize the chances for any last minute or unexpected surprises.

Second, for Baja, So Cal, and many other places 31" tires will work just fine. Just make sure they are good tires, like the BFG a/t's, and carry a good spare along with tire plugs. If you find yourself needed bigger tires, then upgrade. Also make sure your suspension can handle the added weight of all the gear you will be carrying.

Storage is a big issue, especially with a 40. Find good boxes or crates that hold stuff securely and can be strapped down. The auxillary outlets are a good idea, along with the second/dual battery. This works really well, and is almost a necessity if you have a fridge (a word about that, fridges rock! once you've experienced one it will be difficult to imagine life without).

Then travel...You will figure out what you need and what you don't. Spend less money on "extra" mods and more on trips!

 

[AZ '83 fj-40]

I think that I am going to go with a small lift 2.5". Make some sort of boxes/ drawers with a fridge mounted on top of that on one side and a space of something on the other, maybe scuba tanks. Make a space on the front of the box that can hold a second battery to run the fridge and other things probably have some outlets. I was thinking about a snorkle but its only purpose would be to keep dirt out. In mexico there can be some bad flooding, but I dont think that it would be an issue. Mount a aux. fuel tank in between the frame.
maybe a rear locker, there aren't any trees so the winch is only effective when I am with someone else.

any other ideas?

Brendan

 

[fernandol]

Well if you can get the locker that would be great but, since you already have the winch maybe you should consider a winch anchor. Never used one but it's supposed to be very efective.

www.pullpal.com


Fernando

 

[roscoFJ73]

How about a cargo trailer for a 40? Are trailers a real hindrence on an expidition rig? Of course we are talking about one built fot the trails, not your average Northern Tools kit model.

Trailers are a touchy subject,sometimes you cant do without them,then curse yourself from start to finish for bringing the trailer along.

I was talking to an 87 yo wheeler with a BJ73 in Toyota spare parts and he says as soon as you take a trailer you know whats going to let you down 1st

I suppose you have to seriously consider your limitations. One reason I bought my 75 series is so I would have sleeping room and space without a trailer.

I would never take one into sand dunes or steep rugged areas.
If they dont overheat your engine,they are likely to tip you over

If you have to take one,air the tyres down so they don't bounce

 

[Roberto]

Good questions I am starting to read the expedition threads now and about to order the overland journal. I have an 83 BJ42 from OZ with FF axles, 5 speed, PS, A/C , and 4.11's and just bought my new 16" split rims and plan on putting 33 x 9.5 tires, want to go with ARB air lockers, I have a CDN m101 trailer that I plan on building up as well with a RTT, extra fuel and water cans, plan on doing the hot water shower setup from my engine, am thinking about some kind of a drawer system, I like the suggestion about keeping the heavy items lower for center of gravity (makes sense), I went with the split rims with the understanding of safety involved with them but like the option of being able to repair if needed, I am researching tires now wondering what would be best? I wanted Dunlop roadtrak majors? or hankook military type tires? I will be following this thread for I think it will be good to reseach since there are alot of FJ/BJ 40's out there. Keep going forward with it brother!!

Roberto

 

[AZ '83 fj-40]

I know that the ARB air lockers are probably the best choice. But are luchbox lockers (aussie, lock rite) a reasonable idea for expeditions, they seem to be geared towards rock crawling but they are very cost effective. I dont know if they would be reasonable on a daily driver.