New to off-road builds- a little help?

[Corbet]

Not sure if you tried Bill (Bill’s toy shop) in Farmington. He was out of town on a trip but messaged me he got back yesterday. So give him a ring. He did say he has a pretty full schedule so I doubt he can work on anything immediately. Time is the price you pay for someone in high demand.

Home - Bills Toy Shop, Toyota, Lexus, Scion, Farmington, NM

You could also try Justin at High Country Cruisers in Pagosa Springs.

 

[Corbet]

The ARB bumper is not heavy at all. One of my sliders weighs more that that thing. IMHO, it is not designed for wheeling. And being so thin, I doubt it would come out unscathed in a confrontation with a deer.

Is it heavy to lift? Not really. Is it heavier than say a Slee Short Bus, yes. Would I expect it to be unscathed from a deer at HWY speeds probably not. But should it protect the front end better than any number of bumpers out there without upper hoops yes. It’s all relative. Do I wish I would have bought the Slee short bus now that I’ve never hit a deer in 10 years but have bent both ARB bumper corners in the rock, Yes. And I agree while I’ve never directly compared weight of my ARB to my Sliders. The sliders definitely are more of a bitch to put on solo than the bumper.

 

[ColoradoBoy]

Hey, all-
Been a while, so I figured I'd give the update. Since picking up the LC (wife has named it Sheila- didn't like it at first but since it now sports OME and ARB parts, I guess it fits!)

Since purchasing, I have done the following:

Sony stereo and Kicker speakers (4) doors
Front seat covers from CoverKing
Valve adjustment
New fuel pump & filter
Fix radiator core leaks
New gas shocks at trunk and hood
Fixed electrical Gremlin at EFI relay- hot power feed wire/bad connection
Purchased and installed ARB bumper- Thanks, Slee! (my wife loves the fact that other traffic is giving her more space while on the road!)
Purchased and partially installed OME 2.5" suspension upgrade- Thanks, Slee! The ride is an amazing difference on the crappy county road that we live on. Can't wait to enjoy the full package once I get the rear end replaced and the castor bushings replaced! Looking forward to replacing the exhaust system (possibly diving into de-smog projects), adding 16" wheels/33" tires, and possibly (hopefully getting a rear bumper from Slee next spring. Other projects will include upgraded headlights, bushing replacements, driver side mirror fix, and door hinge repair for the sagging driver door.

I am having a lot of fun- winter is fast approaching, so work will slow down to as-weather-allows pace, as I have no garage. I also have a '95 4Runner project that needs time/attention/$$.
Many thanks to all of the Mudders that have helped me through their posts and communications with me as a newbie.
Cheers!

 

[wyota41]

Hey, all-
Been a while, so I figured I'd give the update. Since picking up the LC (wife has named it Sheila- didn't like it at first but since it now sports OME and ARB parts, I guess it fits!)

Since purchasing, I have done the following:

Sony stereo and Kicker speakers (4) doors
Front seat covers from CoverKing
Valve adjustment
New fuel pump & filter
Fix radiator core leaks
New gas shocks at trunk and hood
Fixed electrical Gremlin at EFI relay- hot power feed wire/bad connection
Purchased and installed ARB bumper- Thanks, Slee! (my wife loves the fact that other traffic is giving her more space while on the road!)
Purchased and partially installed OME 2.5" suspension upgrade- Thanks, Slee! The ride is an amazing difference on the crappy county road that we live on. Can't wait to enjoy the full package once I get the rear end replaced and the castor bushings replaced! Looking forward to replacing the exhaust system (possibly diving into de-smog projects), adding 16" wheels/33" tires, and possibly (hopefully getting a rear bumper from Slee next spring. Other projects will include upgraded headlights, bushing replacements, driver side mirror fix, and door hinge repair for the sagging driver door.

I am having a lot of fun- winter is fast approaching, so work will slow down to as-weather-allows pace, as I have no garage. I also have a '95 4Runner project that needs time/attention/$$.
Many thanks to all of the Mudders that have helped me through their posts and communications with me as a newbie.
Cheers!

How has your 3FE been running at altitude there? I just got into a 92 and am living at 7400'. Lots of good info about the 3FE hog, but not much on high altitude maximization. Maybe none is needed as this engine has been used in other places in the world at higher altitudes. My 60 series (now for sale) has 33s w/ 4:88s flies up the mountains, but can't go 70mph without screaming the engine. I'm also thinking 4.56 and 33s for the 80.

For altitude 3FE life, I'm thinking de-smog, kick down cable adjust, and good maintenance is all we can do. I do enjoy the reliability and certainly don't worry about mpg outside of calculating it from time to time to i.d. underlying issues cropping up.

Any input from other high altitude 3FE owners would be great!

 

[ColoradoBoy]

How has your 3FE been running at altitude there? I just got into a 92 and am living at 7400'. Lots of good info about the 3FE hog, but not much on high altitude maximization. Maybe none is needed as this engine has been used in other places in the world at higher altitudes. My 60 series (now for sale) has 33s w/ 4:88s flies up the mountains, but can't go 70mph without screaming the engine. I'm also thinking 4.56 and 33s for the 80.

For altitude 3FE life, I'm thinking de-smog, kick down cable adjust, and good maintenance is all we can do. I do enjoy the reliability and certainly don't worry about mpg outside of calculating it from time to time to i.d. underlying issues cropping up.

Any input from other high altitude 3FE owners would be great!

 

[ColoradoBoy]

How has your 3FE been running at altitude there? I just got into a 92 and am living at 7400'. Lots of good info about the 3FE hog, but not much on high altitude maximization. Maybe none is needed as this engine has been used in other places in the world at higher altitudes. My 60 series (now for sale) has 33s w/ 4:88s flies up the mountains, but can't go 70mph without screaming the engine. I'm also thinking 4.56 and 33s for the 80.

For altitude 3FE life, I'm thinking de-smog, kick down cable adjust, and good maintenance is all we can do. I do enjoy the reliability and certainly don't worry about mpg outside of calculating it from time to time to i.d. underlying issues cropping up.

Any input from other high altitude 3FE owners would be great!

I have decided that this rig is not going anywhere fast, and I don't care! It's power to weight ratio is slightly less (on the highway) than my '89 truck with the 3.slow...(altitude DEFINITELY makes a difference). I think the desmog is the direction I'm going, just to get rid of as bunch of unnecessary crap under the hood! I believe that the 3FE simply has to be driven at higher RPM's than most are used to these days in order to have a bit of 'get-up-and-go'.
Cheers!

 

[cody c]

I like the build choices you've made so far. Nothing wrong with any of that though there are many alternatives. Many folks will say to just invest in preventative maintenance and replace with OEM parts to maintain its reliability, but I have my hesitations with investing money into a 3FE, I don't have a lot of love for it.

some folks think it is a great engine though too, but many of those with a Diesel engine swap feel the 80 series was meant to have it, one day you may find yourself drawn to a different engine, a 4.7 or 5.7 may appeal as well for drives through those high mountain passes.

 

[ColoradoBoy]

UPDATE...
Got the rest of the shocks and springs installed in the back of poor old Sheila's saggy ass... What an improvement! The couunty road crew can suck it! My wife is going to fall in love with her rig again after a winter of the back end feeling like it was going to throw her into the ditch at any moment...
New tires, exhaust system, and A/C fix on the list this summer, as well as finishing wiring the turn signals in the bumper.
The sucker that I am; I purchased a '95 4Runner for a song... currently working on this for my alpine adventures as well.

 

[ColoradoBoy]

UPDATE...
Got the rest of the shocks and springs installed in the back of poor old Sheila's saggy ass... What an improvement! The couunty road crew can suck it! My wife is going to fall in love with her rig again after a winter of the back end feeling like it was going to throw her into the ditch at any moment...
New tires, exhaust system, and A/C fix on the list this summer, as well as finishing wiring the turn signals in the bumper.
The sucker that I am; I purchased a '95 4Runner for a song... currently working on this for my alpine adventures as well.

A big thanks to this Mud Community for all of the great info sharing!

 

[jaymar]

For bullbar protection I would try and get an AOE or an old Cruisin Off Road. Way more stout than the ARB and will help deflect Bambi under the tires vice up in the windshield.

AOE?

 

[jaymar]

My two cents. The ARB really isn’t that heavy, and you’re not cruising interstates in that part of the state anyway. I would do without a rear bumper until you tear into your OEM one and then upgrade. On an 80 I really think you need sliders first.

Same with the air filter, don’t judge it harshly until you’ve given it time. You might be surprised on how long you can go between changes. See how often the filter needs changing first, heck even try a filter minder. Unless you just want a snorkel anyway.

I’ve been told that the air coming through a snorkel is 15 degrees cooler in hot environments. So there’s that as well...

As to the ARB, mine’s fended off a few cars just fine.

 

[jaymar]

I bought a rig that came with an ARB bumper. I took it off to mount my winch. The ARB bumper is not heavy at all. One of my sliders weighs more that that thing. IMHO, it is not designed for wheeling. And being so thin, I doubt it would come out unscathed in a confrontation with a deer.

For me, if you're going to wheel your rig, sliders are #1 item and a skid plate is #2. JMHO.

I’ve seen some hellacious high-speed wrecks here, ARB holding up pretty well in all but one. What alternatives are stronger with same coverage? I have zero interest in low-profile short bus style; I want side-to-side and up to hood level. (No Mad Max pix, please. )

 

[leonard_nemoy]

The park ranger who patrols the backcountry of the Grand Canyon has a snorkel on his truck, and I don't think its because he is driving across the Colorado river lol. He told me he had it so that his air filter wouldn't get clogged so quickly. He also said he averaged 500 miles of dirt roads every week.

 

[Heckraiser]

ahem... Can you Turbo a 3FE?

 

[Cruzerman]

The park ranger who patrols the backcountry of the Grand Canyon has a snorkel on his truck, and I don't think its because he is driving across the Colorado river lol. He told me he had it so that his air filter wouldn't get clogged so quickly. He also said he averaged 500 miles of dirt roads every week.

I doubt the park ranger was in an FZJ80. Toyota did an excellent job designing an air filtration system. No need for a snorkel.

 

[Cruzerman]

I’ve been told that the air coming through a snorkel is 15 degrees cooler in hot environments. So there’s that as well...

I've been told lots of things, doesn't necessarily make it true. But even if it was true, so what? Are you claiming that 15 degrees difference in intake air temperature makes the engine run cooler or gives you significantly more horsepower?

 

[Cruzerman]

I’ve seen some hellacious high-speed wrecks here, ARB holding up pretty well in all but one. What alternatives are stronger with same coverage? I have zero interest in low-profile short bus style; I want side-to-side and up to hood level. (No Mad Max pix, please. )

I can't speak of what else is available. I can only speak of my experience with ARBs. And ARB bumpers are well made and look good. Just not what I am looking for in a bumper.

There are lots of other bumpers out there, some with grill protection (if that's what you are looking for). I'd be looking at one of those or something custom myself.

 

[jaymar]

I can't speak of what else is available. I can only speak of my experience with ARBs. And ARB bumpers are well made and look good. Just not what I am looking for in a bumper.

There are lots of other bumpers out there, some with grill protection (if that's what you are looking for). I'd be looking at one of those or something custom myself.

Sure, ddn’t mean to be contentious. If there’s something stronger out there that fits my coverage criteria, I’d love to know about it...

 

[jaymar]

I've been told lots of things, doesn't necessarily make it true. But even if it was true, so what? Are you claiming that 15 degrees difference in intake air temperature makes the engine run cooler or gives you significantly more horsepower?

This was from Andrew Saint Pierre White in South Africa. I measured the air just over my driveway at 130° a year or two ago, and I am in LA. It occurs to me that cooler air is most likely a good thing. Just one more reason to snork it.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

I doubt the park ranger was in an FZJ80. Toyota did an excellent job designing an air filtration system. No need for a snorkel.

Actually he was driving a nicely built first gen tundra. And I could be wrong on this but I thought that Toyota only installed oem snorkels on vehicles in the desert ( Africa and the middle East ) for getting cleaner cooler air more than for water crossing.