New to an FJ60

[Cruiserdrew]

I'm going to give you some strange advice. Forget the front locker for now. Given that you don't have sliders or much of a lift, or rear bumper, the type of 4wheeling you'll be doing in the immediate future will not require a front locker. Instead, I would save the money, hassle and time. Locking the rear is a good move, but I like doing things right the first time and an ARB would be the way to go. Being able to turn a locker off protects your axles and birfs from breakage when you do get bound up.

It would be worth your while to spend this year wheeling the truck as is. You will be suprised where it will take you. After a year you will have a much better idea of your real needs. When you do get the urge for a front locker-go ARB ONLY. Anything else is a compromise, and much more dangerous to your birfs.

The very first thing I would do is get sliders to protect those nice, unbashed, unrusted rockers. Ken Hanna makes really great ones for the 60 but so do a number of others. If you have fab skills, build your own. Next, an OME lift will improve the ride and give you some room for 33s. After that spend $ on new gears for the diffs and lockers.

You have a great looking 60, don't try to build it up on the cheap. Do things right the first time. Take your time and have some fun. Welcome aboard.

 

[peepers]

As far as the front, yes a locker means you'll be way more likely to blow a birfield (or 7). It helps that front end if you can turn that locker off when you want/need to.

TB

with 31s or 33s and a stock motor your birfs will be fine IMHO.

this is also a great place:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=13183

 

[SDFJ60]

peepers, yes, I LOVE that thread.

Cruiserdrew, your advice is VERY sound and not strange at all, but a couple lockers just adds to piece of mind, I know I'm still limited by stock suspension and 31" tires, so I won't be going over my head. ARB would be great but the cost factor is just a little too massive for my mind, considering that's a full OME suspension (which is soon on the list). I plan on wheeling this year as much as possible to explore exactly what those limits are.

Order of upgrades:
Lockers
Sliders
Lift
33's with 4.10 gears

then she'll be ready for anything.

 

[ChuckB]

SDFJ60,

Where do you live? I'm in the San Carlos/Lake Murray area.

Nice 60!! I agree with everyone else, I would wait on lockers. I think you should go sliders, lift , tires, then lockers. But that's just my $.01.

Chuck

 

[peepers]

SDFJ60,

Where do you live? I'm in the San Carlos/Lake Murray area.

Nice 60!! I agree with everyone else, I would wait on lockers. I think you should go sliders, lift , tires, then lockers. But that's just my $.01.

Chuck

ditto... best to learn how to handle the truck without the lockers anyway. you will learn more about driving it off road. i still am...

 

[SDFJ60]

I live in Alpine, out east on the 8. I was just in San Carlos last night at a house party.

yeah the thing is, the lockers are sitting on a stool in my kitchen. I'm a quick learner, might as well practice with the finished product.

Any recommendations on sliders that don't cost 800 dollars? or a reputable fabrication shop in SD Chuck?