Builds The Trail Snail Build | Above Average Overlandish

[SmokingRocks]

In 2014 I bought this unlocked 1993 FZJ-80 from a fellow enthusiast up in Frisco with 155k on the clock, check out the thread below to see how it has transformed into what it is today!

Then 9-10-2014​	Now 3-6-2022​

Suspension

	Front		Rear
Layout	3-link	Hi-Steer	4-Link	SPC LCA's, D&D adjustable UCA's
Shock	Dobinson IMS 45-60912	10.8" Stroke	Dobinson GS 59-687	10.7" Stroke
Spring	TJM XGS 4"		TJM XGS 4"

Drivetrain

Engine	1 FZ-FE	Rebuilt top to bottom Sept 2016, with snorkel, Blue fan clutch advanced with 10k Oil
Trans.	A442F
X Case	HF2AV	3.11:1 Crawler Gear, VC removed, 7 pin mod, Viscus Coupler removed
Axles	Nitro Gear 4.88's	ARB Air Lockers, Front & Rear
Drive Shaft	Front Double Cardan	Northern Colorado Driveline

Tires & Rims

Toyo Open Country MT's	315/75 R16 (34.5")
American Heritage	16x8.5 0 offset

Exterior

Front Bumper	4x4 Labs with LED turn lights
Skid Plate	Slee Belly Pan
Rear Bumper	Custom with tire swing-out
Winch	WARN Zeon 12 (Winch Service Thread Here)
Sliders	Rocker Mounted - 2x6x3/16 Steel Previous Frame Mounted Tube Sliders
Aux Lights	Cab Mounted 50" Curved LED bar Rear Hatch Mounted 42" LED Bar Front Bumper Mounted LED pods (Cornering Lights) Mirror Mounted LED Pods (Side Facing) Under Body Rock LED Lighting Front Superbrite LED Fog Lights Yellow
Headlights	Depo, custom black housed Supernova V.3 LED low beams Custom Headlight Washers
Tail Lights	Depo LED Smoked
Tailgate	Stovetop integrated into the tailgate
Paint	Monsta-Liner Sans Panties Bed Liner White roof
On-Board Air	ARB CKMA12

​

Interior

Gauges	Custom Gauge Cluster (speedhut gauges)
Switches	Custom Center Console Switch Panel, carling rockers Custom Rear Control Panel
Lighting	Map Light | Red LED with Shield Switch & Control Backlighting | Red LED Dome lights | Amber LED Rear Box Storage Compartments | Warm White LED Tailgate Down Lights | Amber LED
Storage	Rear Storage Box 20 Gallon Water Bladder with Pump & Anti-Freeze Heating Pad
Radios	Yeasu 8800 external speaker MPJ-281 Yeasu 2900 APRS
Tint	All windows 15% ceramic
Seats	Heated Front Seats Rear Seats Removed
Hand Throttle	Airplane Hand Throttle
Custom Adds	Wireless Charge Tray | Center Armrest

Electrical Systems

Starting Battery | Front	Dual Purpose Marine AGM X2Power Group 27F SLI27FAGMDP | 90 Amp Hour
House Battery | Front	Crown Deep Cycle Group 27M SLI27D27XD | 95 Amp Hour
House Battery Bank | Rear	(3) RoyPow LiFePO4 S1218 | Combined 54 amp hr (650 Watt hour)
Solar Panels	2 x 100 Watt Panels wired in parallel
Rear Bank Charge Controller & Isolator	Renogy DCC30s DC-DC 30 Amp Dual Input (Alternator & MPPT Solar) Charge Controller
Rear Fuse Block Low Voltage Cut-Off	BlueSea 7600 Adjustable Isolator
Stereo Head Unit	Kenwood DDX775BH
Speakers	Pioneer TS-G1645R
Subwoofer	Bazooka 8" BTA8100FHC
Amplifier	Pioneer GM-A4604
Refrigerator	Dometic Max Burton 53qt
Freezer	Dometic Max Burton 37qt
Inverter	1100 Watt, Power Bright PW1100-12 modified sine wave
Navigation	iPad Mini 4 Ram Mount Dual Electronics XGPS150A | Bluetooth GPS Module

My Garage / Shop (the Trail Snails R&R spa)

Spring 2022
Cabin Air Filter Mod
CDL Actuator Repair (Self Inflicted)
VACATION Moab

 

[snatchmonkey]

Looking good.

 

[jtwopark]

how did you mount the iightbar? just curious.

 

[SmokingRocks]

Cree Bar and 5lb Extinguisher and my ARB switches

Here is a pict of the stock low beams

Here is a pict of low beams + LED Bar

Below is with the seat all the way forward, there is no interference between them. Also there is still tons of passenger legroom.

ARB Switches, the Heater switch was relocated under the ignition switch.

 

[SmokingRocks]

how did you mount the iightbar? just curious.

The Cree bar came with Cast Aluminum brackets, I ground down the mounts to make the feet a bit angled to match the cab. Then ran a carriage bolt through the roof to the inside of the cab. Flat side is inside, bolt is outside. Everything is siliconed.

 

[SmokingRocks]

Got my rear Cree bar mounted. Still need to wire it

 

[SmokingRocks]

35" Mud terrains are going on order this week! also going to start fabing a front pumpkin saver and my skids. Trying to get ready for the Rubicon in August!

 

[SmokingRocks]

Should I run 5.29's with 35's? What will my 65mph engine rpm be?

 

[Qball]

For expedition build I suggest you don't even regear at all. I am on stock 4.11 and 70mph is about 2200rpm.

 

[ericb1]

Did you mount that rear lightbar to the "wing" inserts? If so you absolutly must give the model of lightbar, brackets, pictures, and any measurements. Very slick mod

 

[Dubbinchris]

Looks good. Not sure if personally I'd mount the light bars by drilling through the roof though.

 

[DavidinAZ]

5.29s and 35's is about 2700rpm at 65mph

 

[SmokingRocks]

Thanks guys for the input. Heres a couple things, first of all I am at 7500ft in elevation so with 33's and stock gears I can barely cruise at 70mph on flat ground in 4th. Any incline and it bounces back and forth between 3rd and 4th so I'm thinking a regear is a must. Talking with the guy I bought the truck from (who lives at 10,000ft in Frisco) he said that he didn't notice enough of a diff between stock and 4.88's, so thats why I was thinking of 5.29's.

Secondly, I guess my scope is to make this more of a rock monster than an overland rig. We are planning an august Rubicon trip and I want to be pretty set for that. Also I will be adding tons of weight to this thing in the form of more armor and an interior roll-cage (hopefully by august) further necessitating a re-gear.

Finally about the light bar: Its a Cree 42" don't know the part number I got the front curved 50" and the rear on a group buy at trundatalk.net for a "to my door price" of $230. While they aren't RIGID's they are fantastic. My 80 didn't have a rear wing so I drilled through, used a carriage bolt (flat side on the inside) a judicious amount of silicone and the supplied rubber spacer to install both bars. I am 99% sure that the holes will not allow moisture in and the bars are very stable. @Dubbinchris Why would you not drill the roof?

@DavidinAZ is that on 35's?

 

[Qball]

Since I'm at sea level and street drive most of the time I am happy with stock and for the most part no issues what so ever doing easier expedition style stuff. But since you want to do dusy and rubi then that's a whole different ballgame/expedition. That's more like dedicated rock crawlers and regear is needed plus your elevation. INFACT I think most people trailer in their rigs to dusy. And I heard 37 is kinda small for dusy now and days.

I would suggest changing your O2 sensor also and then check out marlin crawler gear. With the crawler gear you should be able to have 4.88 for highway driving and have even lower gearing than 5.26 alone, best of both world IMHO. Eventually i will drop that in so I have low gearing for the dirt and rubber OD for the streets.

 

[SmokingRocks]

Thanks @Qball If I do Rubi this year I will most definitely be trailering it there. I'm looking at fuel cost and don't know if Rubi is feasible this year, might have to settle for Moab and mt. Blanca this year.

35's is as big as I want to go. So you are suggesting 4.88's? I figure what I lack in wheel size I will make up for with armor so I can drag myself over obstacles if needed.

Whats the reason for changing the O2 sensor?

 

[rockstate45]

You may want to rethink the interior roll cage in terms of passenger safety issues.
In a street-driven vehicle where passengers typically do not wear helmets, a rollcage may actually present more of a danger to vehicle inhabitants. Forces on passengers in an accident at highway speed are quite different from those exerted when the vehicle rolls while rockcrawling at relatively slow speed.
I've put one in my K5 many years ago after seeing how soft the A-pillar is on that vehicle, but the 80's cabin structure may not need this?

Great looking vehicle to the OP but I agree with Chase on this one. I've seen a lot of internal roll cages that just seem really dangerous if ever in a real accident. You don't want your head hitting that cage for sure.

Plus, I've seen a number of rollovers posted in the forum and these 80s hold up really well at speed.. can't comment on trail rollovers but one would assume...

 

[SmokingRocks]

I've thought about this and have been in one roll over in an 80. It was a full revolution, and while we were fine I wouldn't want to see what a two revolution roll over would look like. Not to mention there are some scary areas on the trails here where the fall would be 3-4 revolutions on rocks, I wouldn't want to be without a cage in these instances.

 

[Qball]

O2 sensors wears out long before any code, changing it will give a little better power and MPG.

 

[Dubbinchris]

I've thought about this and have been in one roll over in an 80. It was a full revolution, and while we were fine I wouldn't want to see what a two revolution roll over would look like. Not to mention there are some scary areas on the trails here where the fall would be 3-4 revolutions on rocks, I wouldn't want to be without a cage in these instances.

I can't imagine rolling over several times on the pavement at highway speed is much different than 3-4 revolutions on rocks.

 

[SmokingRocks]

ehhh.... I can

Pavement is nice and flat, rocks are jagged and nonuniform. That could collapse pillars way faster than a flat surface. Not to mention you are usually rolling down a hill when you f'up off road vs a flat road.

Some in my club have had to pick up pieces of skull from an unfortunate Xj owner after he rolled 3 times off of Jaws 2 on the mt. blanca trail. Had he had a roll cage it may have been different.

I will say that I wouldn't want to be in a multiple rollover in either scenario.