Builds Splurge Overkill - FJ60 build

[isbj60]

Hello all. I am isbj60 (Kevin) and it's finally time to start my build. My poor cruiser has been sitting in the yard for the last 7 years, patiently awaiting while I change directions again and again and again, and finally build a garage to work out of.

A little background: It's a 1982 FJ60, poo brown, and my dad bought it new off the showroom floor. I still have that original key... It's life began with a road trip up the Alcan highway, before it was really a highway. More like a strip of less-harsh British Columbia. It's lived in Alaska, California, Oregon, and Washington. I practically grew up in it, going fishing, hunting, camping, and going on really long family outings (She's touching me! Are we there yet? I have to go to the bathroom...). Way too many memories to ever get rid of it. Even if it bankrupts me, which it just might.

The 2f blew up when I was in high school, something about driving on the freeway at 3500 rpm for hours, and towing a 5000 lb trailer (not at the same time. not enough power for that!). My dad and I decided to put in a 400m ford, because nobody else did that. We would find out later why... We made the adaptation to stock cruiser drivetrain using an Advanced Adapters Ranger III overdrive, and I took the opportunity to fabricate a 2 inch lift for it. That scary hillbilly lift got replaced later by OME heavy springs and a Man-A-Fre shackle reversal kit when I finally got a job of my own. After much abuse/love, that is how it currently sits, slowly collecting moss and lichen and dreaming of better pastures.

My plan for it's rebirth, and why you are reading this in the hardcore section, is as follows:

-front axle - Dana 70u2a/rockwell hybrid. Rockwell outers off of a M35A3 (complete with CTIS) 3.07 gears. 40 spline ARB. custom shafts. Ouverson lockouts. Custom hub adapters, 335mm bolt circle, hub pilot.

-rear axle - Eaton 23105D. (23,000 GAWR, 105,500 GVWR) factory locked (like an 80 series), 3.08 ratio, 18" ring gear, 2.25" shafts. 335mm bolt circle hub adapters, also hub pilot. Eventually upgrade to CTIS. Ground clearance is over-rated anyway.

-road tires - 385/65r225 (43x14ish) on accuride 335mm bolt circle supersingle aluminum wheels

-offroad tires - 42/15r20 pitbull rockers on military two piece wheels, hutchinson beadlocks

-transmission - Eaton RTO14709MLL, SAE #2 clutch housing. 26.06:1 first, 0.73 overdrive, 11 speeds. Stupidly heavy and large.

-Transfer case #1 - NW Fabworks Blackbox, 2.72:1

-Transfer case #2 (if needed for driveshaft clearance) - NW Fabworks Blackbox, 2.72:1

-Transfer case #3 - NP205, ford 31 spline married.

-Clutch - 14" dual plate Eaton/Fuller, 1400 Ft-lb rating at 80,000 GVWR

-Engine - Cummins ISL, 8.9L, two stage jake brake, 370-400 HP, 550 ft-lb of torque at clutch engagement, 1200 ft-lb at 1300 RPM. SAE #2 flywheel housing. Air compressor. hydraulic pump for steering. Giant sucking sound coming from fuel tank area.

-Steering - full hydraulic, Eaton two displacement orbital, load reaction, open center. Double-ended ram.

-Brakes - Air disk brakes, 22.5" wheel end envelope. 17" rotors. ABS. I want to stop a 8,000 lb vehicle from high speeds with no fade.

-Suspension - Firestone airbags, inset into frame and acting horizontally via a rocker to the axle to keep the lift low. Think formula 1 front suspension...

-Frame - custom fab using the frame from the M35A3 that is giving up it's front end. Fully boxed.

-Misc - CTIS from the poor M35A3. Wabco air dryer. Appropriately sized driveshafts, probably two piece front to clear the fat transmission. Keep this thing as low as possible.

and LOTS of bodywork. Lengthen the front and rear, probably end up with 130" ish wheelbase. Possibly two-stage convertible. Keep stock body lines. stretch and square off rear door, stretch cargo area, move rear wheel well to the cargo area.

It's going to be a wild ride! I am looking forward to providing you all entertainment. Pics of starting point to follow.

 

[isbj60]

Here are some pictures as promised. Current state of moss/peeling rhino lining:




Approximate tire size target:

 

[isbj60]

400m ford, as currently installed:



Acquired stuff: Spare body (thanks FJnew)



Fuller transmission (that's a 5.9 cummins oil pan for size reference)

 

[isbj60]

Transmission shift pattern



Beadlocks (+ helper)



Military wheels (with helper again)

 

[isbj60]

Dana 70u2a



Clutch and flywheel



Air dryer

 

[isbj60]

That's most of the random bits collected so far. Hopefully I can liberate enough cash from my old drivetrain and other stuff to get the rear axle. Once I have that I can get a good idea of how long the body needs to be and I can start the long process of the body work while funds build for the other major purchases.

 

[Betarocker]

Let me practice my Spanish.

Ay Caramba!!!!!

 

[mookie]

My God man, what are you gonna do with this? Tow rig?

 

[StevoJonesFJ60]

That is gonna be one heavy beast, how much does that 8.9L weigh? Its gotta be pushing 1800lbs for just the motor, I know my 5.9L is almost 1200lbs fully dressed. That trans is gonna be rediculous too, I have an 8LL I picked up and played with the idea of putting in. But I decided that a 700lb trans was overkill.

Make sure you have plenty of spring up front, and beef that frame up a bunch, and fully truss the front axle. It would be a shame to do all the work and have it fold under the weight.

Grest idea for a tow rig, what are you planning suspension-wise?

Why are all of the super cool builds on the other side of the country?

 

[Tapage]

Dude .. those a big plans ! ( never imagine that big ) actually kind insane .. Betcha you have all to run 54" baja claws or something similar size from Michelin ..

 

[inkpot]

Ambitious project. Quite a combination of goodies. It will be interesting to see if you can compact all that enough to actually fit on the majority of trails. The only stock parts you can use will be the body, as the original frame and axles will never survive all that power and weight. Good luck, and keep all those pix coming. John

 

[Stumpalama]

Having read through your parts list, I have to ask: what is your goal for the truck? i.e. Apocolypse survival vehicle? weekend wheeler, extended trip wheeler? or just "want to build something as close to a big rig without being a big rig", rig?

Washington trails are pretty woody and narrow... but don't require 500:1 crawl ratios either.

 

[TLC76]

I assume there will be a gooseneck/5th wheel hitch worked into the tailgate with that running gear? I would beef up the hinges.

 

[mookie]

Apocolypse survival vehicle.

Yes! Mount a machine gun on the roof with access from the back seat

 

[isbj60]

My God man, what are you gonna do with this? Tow rig?

Probably. I do intend to get it dirty, but getting it to fit down trails here in washington will be fun. I envision long distance trips to moab and the like in its future.

That is gonna be one heavy beast, how much does that 8.9L weigh? Its gotta be pushing 1800lbs for just the motor, I know my 5.9L is almost 1200lbs fully dressed. That trans is gonna be rediculous too, I have an 8LL I picked up and played with the idea of putting in. But I decided that a 700lb trans was overkill.

Make sure you have plenty of spring up front, and beef that frame up a bunch, and fully truss the front axle. It would be a shame to do all the work and have it fold under the weight.

Grest idea for a tow rig, what are you planning suspension-wise?

Why are all of the super cool builds on the other side of the country?

From what I've been able to gather, an ISL is only moderately heavier than an ISC (8.3 liters), which is what it is based on. The only difference is 5.69" stroke vs. a 5.32ish" stroke. I am going to guess that the engine will be around 1700 lb, and 700 or so for the transmission.

The frame is going to be 8" x 3" x 0.25" channel, boxed. That's what came on the M35A2 and A3 deuce-and-a-halfs. I believe the weight rating on a Dana 70 is around 7500 lb, and the rockwells slightly higher. I would like to truss it to be sure, but I don't know how much clearance I'll have under the motor. Probably not much...

Suspension will be firestone airbags (reversable bellows, probably 10" or greater in diameter), so capacity shouldn't be an issue. Shock valving will be, though, especially since the rear end will probably be close to 1500 lb...

Dude .. those a big plans ! ( never imagine that big ) actually kind insane .. Betcha you have all to run 54" baja claws or something similar size from Michelin ..

Pretty stupid of me, actually, but I'm pushing my envelope to see what I can accomplish. the interesting thing is the ISL is only 2" longer and 5-6" taller than the 5.9 I have partially built. And it's a lot cheaper to get power out of than the 5.9. I will have less $ into the motor than my original plans of a souped up 5.9.

I am going to run 42-43" tires. I love the way they look on Brokenparts' rig (sorry you are selling it, man.).

Ambitious project. Quite a combination of goodies. It will be interesting to see if you can compact all that enough to actually fit on the majority of trails. The only stock parts you can use will be the body, as the original frame and axles will never survive all that power and weight. Good luck, and keep all those pix coming. John

Yes, unfortunately the only Toyota left in it will be the body. It seems like this is the best thing for keeping it another 30 years, though, since Toyota itself is killing them off with a lack of support on parts.

Having read through your parts list, I have to ask: what is your goal for the truck? i.e. Apocolypse survival vehicle? weekend wheeler, extended trip wheeler? or just "want to build something as close to a big rig without being a big rig", rig?

Washington trails are pretty woody and narrow... but don't require 500:1 crawl ratios either.

Purpose this machine does not have. maybe a bit of everything. The crawl ratio is really unusable, but I figure if I need to add length between the transmission and NP-205, I might as well put in something tough that could maybe get used eventually. Maybe. At least it's more useful than a jack shaft, and less maintenance. And actually two blackboxes and an NP-205 is cheaper than an atlas 4 speed, and should be stronger. Still, I fear this is my weak link...

I guess this is a build for the heck of it. See if it can be done. probably extended range wheeler, maybe tow a buggy to a trail and still have two vehicles to wheel, and not have to worry too much about breaking the tow pig.

I assume there will be a gooseneck/5th wheel hitch worked into the tailgate with that running gear? I would beef up the hinges.

I might work that into the bed, if I do the convertable bit. Otherwise, it will be this.

 

[mookie]

that 18" rearend is going to suck balls offroad....why not a 14bolt?

what's funny is that as heavy as this is going to be, it will prolly still get better fuel mileage than a stock freaking FJ60....getting 11-12 with mine

 

[isbj60]

that 18" rearend is going to suck balls offroad....why not a 14bolt?

what's funny is that as heavy as this is going to be, it will prolly still get better fuel mileage than a stock freaking FJ60....getting 11-12 with mine ************

I really want the fast ratio gear set to get my highway RPM to about 1300-1400 at 70 MPH. The 14bolt just can't get me there, not without huge tires. I am also nervous about that much power going through a dana 70 gearset and shafts in the rear. The front shouldn't be a problem, since I do not intend to hop this thing over rocks. maybe crawl, since I will have ample gearing for that. I just don't want to worry about the rear. My 400 ford has twisted the splines slightly on the stock LC rear. Yes, that is less than D60 size, but the motor isn't a powerhouse, either...

I have found complete 23105D rears for $1250-1750. Given what beef comes stock in them, and the selectable locker, that's a lot of bang for the buck.

I guess that is a lot of BS justification for "I want to" really... I got nothing better for you. It will be a boat anchor, but I am hoping for 10 inches of clearance with the 42's. At least that's what the yard tractors have with similar sized tires. That isn't great, but it's the tradeoff I am going to have to accept, and is similar to the LC when it was stock. At least I can repeatedly ram the thing into rocks without fear, though... Or place the diff on a rock and act as a winch point for all the other rigs!

The ISL is common in the high end $300k+ Monaco RV's. Quick scans of the forums reveal the owners are getting 7-9 mpg with a 33,000 lb barn door towing a car at 55-65 mph. I hope to do 14+ empty, 12+ with a decent trailer and a light foot. Having my torque curve hit at 1300 rpm vice 1600-1800 for a 5.9 will help with that.

Actually, I'll be happy with it moving under it's own power.

 

[bustanutley]

So… you want to wheel a 10k lb semi, somehow stuffed into an fj60 chassis? I don’t think there is anyway the np241 planetary set in the black box will hold up to that weight/torque/axle gearing, the np205 is suspect too, I don’t even think the d70 is going to live for anything other than pavement pounding. Are you sure you don’t want to leave the landcruiser, landcruiserish and get a peterbuilt to pull it around with if you want tractor-trailer stuff? Have you considered recovery for this thing when you break it or when you get it stuck? You will be on your own when that happens and honestly, it sounds dangerous.

 

[isbj60]

So… you want to wheel a 10k lb semi, somehow stuffed into an fj60 chassis? I don’t think there is anyway the np241 planetary set in the black box will hold up to that weight/torque/axle gearing, the np205 is suspect too, I don’t even think the d70 is going to live for anything other than pavement pounding. Are you sure you don’t want to leave the landcruiser, landcruiserish and get a peterbuilt to pull it around with if you want tractor-trailer stuff? Have you considered recovery for this thing when you break it or when you get it stuck? You will be on your own when that happens and honestly, it sounds dangerous.

In essence, yup. I have larger vehicles. I want this. I agree the t-case choices might be a bit light. If those don't work, a T-136 (coincidently, from the same M35A3 I'm getting the other parts from) will fit, at least length-wise. I am also toying with the idea of carrying a full size 1810 joint drive line to go between the transmission and the rear. If things get real bad, none of the t-cases are too heavy for me to remove on the trail and the rear will take whatever I can throw at it with only an 8,000 lb rig and measly 42's. Easy recovery? Absolutely not. But possible, and I'll be chosing my trails and lines accordingly, as I would not ask anyone to help my butt out of such a self-created pickle.

You are correct in that you usually don't want to be the biggest thing out there. But I will plan on self recovery, limit my trials and tribulations to what my gear can support, and if I get help from others that's a win. I used to do that all the time with this FJ back in high school. Lots of self recoveries in the boonies on some forest service road. Smart? Arguably probably not, but dangerous? Not with the proper planning.

I suppose I forgot to mention, but a hydraulic winch is also in the plan, but probably not build V1.0. I'll size the resevoir and create space for it in the original build, though.

I think the D70 will be just fine in a front end application, expecially with 40 spline inners, rockwell joints and outers. It would be suspect in the rear, though. Truth be told, this thing will most likely see lots and lots of highway time and nasty forest service roads. I successfully take my M813A1 on the forest service roads, so this beast should fit there...

We'll sure see how this all works in the end. You guys might be 100% correct with your doubts. We won't know until I try, though. I see your , and raise you a !

 

[Wyoming]

Holy Hey-soos! I love it! I'm not sure what half the parts are, but I see what you're going for. So what if something breaks! That's part of the deal, dialing it in. I say go for it and contact me if you need encouragement. This vehicle will be totally and absolutely unique (Lots of points for that)! You maybe going at it a different way than we're used to, building the vehicle and then finding it's nitch, but that's okay too. As long as you are smiling at the end of the day, there is nothing else.