Builds ROTW II - Box Rocket (1 Viewer)

[Box Rocket]

I did a ROTW about a year ago, but I guess I'm up again with just a few changes since then. I hope everyone's ok with me sharing again. I'm probably overdoing it with pictures but I figure everyone likes pics so I'll include more than my share.;p

My truck is a 1993 FZJ80 that my wife and I purchased in the spring of 2001. We found it online for sale in Houston, Texas and talked to the seller several times to get answers to the questions we had. At the time it had 110K miles, OME mediums, RS9000 shocks, 1.5" spring spacers and Outback front control arms. It also had about $4k in stereo upgrades, some 35" Swamper SSRs and came with a modified ARB bumper. Fortunately my brother lived in Houston and was able to take a look at it for us. Everything checked out and we flew down to Houston and it was just how we had hoped. Everything looked great. We got a good deal on it and drove it the long 24 hours back to Utah. Since then it has been virtually trouble free and all we've really had to deal with has been regular maintenance items, except for a leaky rear axle seal that turned out to be because of a bent rear axle shaft. Oh well. We really haven't changed too much with the truck since we bought it. We've been through a few sets of tires, another 110K miles and added some things to help it work a bit better for how we use it. It gets far less wheeling opportunities than I would like just because life seems to get in the way, but it has been my wife's daily driver since we bought it and has been wonderfully reliable. Even though we don't wheel it as often as I would like we have been able to do some great trails over the years and seen some awesome places. It's been on trails in Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and Nevada. I'm hoping to get it out to the Rubicon soon.

Up until Cruise Moab this year it didn't have lockers and all the wheeling we had done was with open diffs and I was amazed at the places we were able to take the truck. Several of the more difficult trails in Moab and everything else. Seriously it's been a great wheeling truck even without the lockers and my advice for anyone looking at buying an 80 is if you find a nice truck without lockers, don't just blow it off because it doesn't have the famous dial on the dash.

Here are a couple of pics of the first wheeling trip we took to the Devils Racetrack in the San Rafael Swell in Utah right after we got it home from Texas.

As it sits right now:

220K miles
OME J springs
OME L shocks
1.5" spring spacers
Outback front control arms
Slee DC front driveshaft
Custom adjustable rear upper control arms (uninstalled)
Modified ARB front bumper
Trail-Gear 67" sliders
WildYoats homebuilt rear bumper and tire carrier
315/75 R16 BFGoodrich AT's, Mickey Thompson Baja Claw Radial (spare).
Thule load bars
Hella Black Magic lights
Eclipse CD/Radio deck
Custom door speaker panels with Infiniti speakers
Dual Rockford/Fosgate amps
iPod
Cobra CB
CO2 tank onboard air
Military surplus waterproof box for spare parts/fluids etc.
Autozone seat covers
Red top Optima Battery
K&N air filter
Rear Aussie Locker (open front diff)

That's about all that I can remember. Now on to the pics and some descriptions........

 

[Box Rocket]

Here are the Trail-Gear 67" sliders. They've been a bit controversial since some do not believe that they can hold up to the weight of an 80. I decided to weld these directly to the frame and also added gussets at the frame to stiffen things up a bit. I simply cut one of the tubes and added a plate under the cat. They have taken the full weight of the truck in Moab and have held up perfectly. So for the budget minded cruiser owner these are a great option IMO.

Driver side.

Passenger side

On to the WildYoats rear bumper. Johnny Lange (WildYoats) did all the leg work on this bumper and designed the whole thing and took care of getting the steel all cut and bent for almost a dozen bumpers for me and several other local guys. I gotta say it is an outstanding bumper and I think I am into the thing about $450 total including the tire carrier. Hard to beat that. You can read Johnny's excellent write up about building the bumper here.
80 Series Rear Bumper
I think mine has been thoroughly tested and has held up far better than I would have imagined since I did all the welding in my own garage and I'm nothing even close to an experienced welder. Thanks again Johnny for an awesome bumper.

I'm using an 80 series liftgate strut to keep it open and an Carr-Lane latch and safety pin to keep it closed. I'm working on a shovel mount for the tire carrier right now. But it currently holds my hilift and a work lamp.

Carr-Lane safety pin and latch

80 Series liftgate strut

 

[Box Rocket]

For my onboard air solution I have a simple 20 lb CO2 tank that has served as a beverage tank in a previous life. I picked up a handle from The Source, and an adjustable regulator from the local CO2 filling company. I also snagged a bracket from a local fire extinguisher supply place. I built a bracket for it using the stock third row seat bracket. Some have told me this wouldn't be a safe way to mount the tank but I've never understood why and it's been this way for over a year and through many trails and I haven't killed anyone with it yet.

Detail of the bracket welded to the seat bracket. I used some 1/2" solid round stock for this.

Detail of the handle and regulator.

I also have a Maglite mounted just inside the tailgate.

 

[Box Rocket]

As for the rest of what I have in the rear of the truck.....
I picked up this military surplus box from a local surplus place (I painted it silver) because it was a good size and was waterproof. I love the latches on it. I use this to hold my tow straps, extra fluids etc. I also have a spare birf, axle shaft, rear control arm, and some other spare parts in there.

Love these latches.

I use the factory rear tie downs and a couple of turnbuckles to keep it secured in the back. Yeah I know, this probably ruined the waterproof aspect of it. Oh well.

 

[Box Rocket]

Up front there is just the modified ARB bumper. The previous owner did these mods. He picked up this bumper from a cruiser that had been in a wreck and the bumper had been bent. It began as a winch bumper but for some reason he decided he wasn't going to ever need a winch so all the winch brackets were removed. Also the bottom of the bumper was shaved and the clearance is drastically improved. That's where I mounted my firestick CB antennae and the Black Magic Hellas. The top of the bumper is open between the frame rails so it will be a simple project to add a winch mount and cut a new hole for a fairlead when I finally save up enough pennies for a winch. Soon I hope.

On to the interior of the truck, it's pretty much your run-o-the-mill '93 interior with the exception of the custom door panels for the infiniti speakers. I think these look pretty darn good.

Here's my sweet early dash. It's got a CDL switch, the Eclipse deck, Cobra CB, iPod, and partial woodgrain overlays.

Eclipse deck and CB

Odometer

Here's my not-so-sweet but very functional Autozone seat covers. These are cheap but really durable. They are a denim type material that wears really well. The main thing I like about them is all the rear pockets. We keep maps and all kinds of stuff in them. Also, my two boys that ride in the back seat love those pockets to carry all their stuff on roadtrips and trail rides.

(you can also see my fire extinguisher under the front seat)

Rear pockets

As for the drivetrain it's totally stock with stock gearing. It even has the funky transition year semifloat rear end. Full float would be nice but oh well. The only changes are the Slee DC front driveshaft and the rear Aussie locker. I love the Aussie locker and for my wife who drives the truck every day it is hardly noticeable. On the trail it has been awesome. No pics of the actual install other than this pic of it up on the lift getting ready to tear it apart. (Photo used with permission by Man-Turkey Photography)

So I guess that's it other than some stickers.

And a parting shot before I show some wheeling pics. Adios

 

[Box Rocket]

Now for a few pics on the trails.......


Doing donuts on Mud Lake near Wendover, Nevada.

Coming out of Cliff Hanger in Moab, Utah.

Bottom of HighDive on the Behind the Rocks trail in Moab, Utah

Testing the bumper on Behind the Rocks, Moab, Utah

Hells Revenge, Moab, Utah

Forest Lake, near American Fork, Utah

Near Dead Horse Point, Moab Utah

White Knuckle on the Behind the Rocks trail, Moab, Utah

Going up and down the Devil's Crack, Moab Rim trail, Moab, Utah

up

down

Blackbear Pass, near Telluride, Colorado.

Guess that'll do. Hope you enjoyed it.

 

[PromontoryCruiser80]

Nice rig, It is the right color.
I am sure I have seen you on 40 a couple times.

 

[89s rule]

Very nice! If I dont build or have our club help me build some sliders I will check out the TG's.

 

[Romer]

Excellent write-up

Thanks for contributing

 

[NLXTACY]

Nice Canon EOS shots. Currently rocking the Nikon D70s upgrading to the D300 soon. Love to see the great photography with the truck. Up til now for what I've done I haven't bothered making pretty photos. You've inspired me. Great truck!

 

[thestallionq8]

Great write up!

 

[Box Rocket]

Very nice! If I dont build or have our club help me build some sliders I will check out the TG's.

You can also get essentially the same sliders from Marlin Crawler. I would have preferred getting them from Marlin but I won these in a drawing from Trail-Gear. Still good product from either place.

 

[TX80Fan]

that was great 15 min. entertainment reading your posts...thanks

Also, what roof rack system do you have that mounts to drip rails and extends above factory rack? Me likey...

 

[Box Rocket]

that was great 15 min. entertainment reading your posts...thanks

Also, what roof rack system do you have that mounts to drip rails and extends above factory rack? Me likey...

Those be some Thule bars and towers. I plan on building a J-Moose style roof rack very soon too. I have two more load bars but need to buy two more towers to go with them for a little more support for the rack than just the two I have now.

 

[pint]

Sweet rig and nice writeup!

 

[CID 96]

Adam,

Great write-up. Some of the best photography on MUD, I have always enjoyed your pictures.

Sid

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Nice pics and write-up. I'm thinking about going with the BFG AT's on mine. I'm assuming they are doing o.k. for you?

 

[TX80Fan]

Those be some Thule bars and towers. I plan on building a J-Moose style roof rack very soon too. I have two more load bars but need to buy two more towers to go with them for a little more support for the rack than just the two I have now.

Adam...I'm about to purchase a Thule rack system and have a question for ya. Do I need the model# 387 high gutter foot system (I believe 8" of clearance) to clear my factory roof rack OR can I still clear the factory roof rack with the model# 300 system? What model is your towers and what length are your bars? Basically, I want your exact setup. Any / all help is really appreciated...

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Funny how the fisheye in the last pic makes your rear axle look busted. Oh, and you missed putting your sig in a few pics.

 

[dmc]

now i miss all my stickers. nice to see you found a field for a photoshoot.