Finally replaced that leaky exhaust gasket between my cats that I smashed on Rose Garden Hill. Ah, nice and quiet!
What did you do to your Cruiser today?
- Thread starter RyanR
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Mine's been resting since yesterday afternoon, when I retrieved the 914-6 from mechanical rehab. Nothing quite like the sound of a Weber-carbureted flat six whining away right behind your ears. Also a lesson in perspective...Toyota stuff is cheap compared to Porsche parts! Also reacquainting myself with quicker steering but a much sloppier shifter.
Did manage to create a Troopy-Pig convoy with Hugh and Kelley from Montrose to GJ Monday. We we're coming back from Crested Butte. They must have been up in Silverton. Sorry, no pics.
Did manage to create a Troopy-Pig convoy with Hugh and Kelley from Montrose to GJ Monday. We we're coming back from Crested Butte. They must have been up in Silverton. Sorry, no pics.
Well, the Mrs. and I had a chance to take the Roackcrawler out today for a daytrip over Imogene Pass. She wanted to see it and I wanted to get a proper trail run done to test out the new 4.70 t-case gears.
Used low range most of the trail and intentionally wheeled over every available ledge or wall on the trail. The new gears work great! Very happy with them. Right now I dont see a need to further consider a dual case set-up. These gears will allow the truck to climb a wall nice and slowly with no wheel spin!
Highly recommend them.
Used low range most of the trail and intentionally wheeled over every available ledge or wall on the trail. The new gears work great! Very happy with them. Right now I dont see a need to further consider a dual case set-up. These gears will allow the truck to climb a wall nice and slowly with no wheel spin!
Highly recommend them.
The big reason a lot of people give for duals is that with no regular 4low it can be hard to keep up on the trails. Hell with the stock setup I have trouble keeping up with these yahoos sometimes.
Yeah, that was a big concern for me so I ran some of the more open stretches of the trail in 4th and 5th gear low range. Its acceptable to me as far as the increased speed over 1st and 2nd gear. Especially when compared to adding a second case, having to remove the 4.70 gears from the current case and installing it in the rear case as required in a dual case set-up, re-installing the original stock gears back into the front case cuase it has to stay in front cause it is a forward shift and the rear case is a top shift, changing the crossmember over to a Budbuilt type set-up and then the modification of both driveshafts.
I dont see any significant advantage to being able to go a little faster in low range like the original stock gears are. If I want to go faster like the original gears, then I would just stop and shift into Hi 4. Besides, all those extra gears in a dual case set-up probably would not get much use anyway.
When your ready to pick up a set, let me me know and I'd be happy to help ya install them.
I dont see any significant advantage to being able to go a little faster in low range like the original stock gears are. If I want to go faster like the original gears, then I would just stop and shift into Hi 4. Besides, all those extra gears in a dual case set-up probably would not get much use anyway.
When your ready to pick up a set, let me me know and I'd be happy to help ya install them.
Sitting in Safari waiting on my FJC for some service and talking with a German couple doing an around the world in a Troopy and a Englishman on an extended tour in another Troopy. Safari is very international today.
Last edited:
Finally got around to getting all my lights working. Also got some new wheels and tires. Giving Treadwright tires a try.
- Thread starter
- #68
I've been running the Warden ( BFG AT K/O pattern ) with Kedge Grip in a 285/75R16 for the past 38k so here's some insight. Received 5 tires had to replace 2 right off the bat as 1 had a large tear down to the nylon in the sidewall and the tread was separating from the casing on the other. (I went with BFG carcasses) Treadwright shipped our two replacements at no cost to me and I had them in two business days with no obligation to return the two defective tires . Great customer service experience all around.
The Good: Kedge Grip (crushed glass and walnut in the rubber) Warden ATs MUCH better on snow and ice then stock BFG ATs. Road noise is similar in volume but a more "warbly" sound vs the steady hum of the BFGs. Offroad they seem every bit as good as the BFGs and air down nicely.
The Bad: each tire took about 2lbs of weight to balance and required stick on weights inside the rim (about 10" of weights stacked 4 rows high) and clip ons on the perimeter to balance out. The clip ons like to eject themselves above 90mph, I've found a few lodged into the fender liners. The tires also wander a lot. I've had the alignment redone and swapped out wheels/tires with a fellow FJ owner who wanted to try out 33's. The wandering issues are unfortunately most definitely the tires. It's not horrible and it gets less pronounced as they wear but it makes long highest stretches tedious and tiring.
In summary I would buy them again in a heartbeat if my rig was not a daily driver and I rarely saw the highway. For my purposes they have made my FJ significantly less enjoyable to drive day to day and I cannot wait to replace them. Unfortunately at nearly 40k they have lots of life left in them.
Last edited:
I'll keep an eye out to see if mine have any of the same issues. Mine are 31s in the guard dog pattern. I'll look to see how much weight is on my wheels but there weren't any problems with balancing that I was informed of. Only thing I've noticed is more road noise than my MYRs. My rig isn't a daily driver so it won't get near the 40k mark before this set is toast.
- Thread starter
- #70
Cool, I'm curious to see how you like them. I'd buy them again in a second for a trail rig.
I'm starting to shop around a bit for tires. Still have a while before I am NEED new tires but the irritating highway wandering really bugs me in the winter, at times it's hard to tell if I'm on ice and starting to slide or if it's just the tires doing their thing.
Any opinions on the Goodyear wrangler Duratracs?
I'm starting to shop around a bit for tires. Still have a while before I am NEED new tires but the irritating highway wandering really bugs me in the winter, at times it's hard to tell if I'm on ice and starting to slide or if it's just the tires doing their thing.
Any opinions on the Goodyear wrangler Duratracs?
Best set of tires I have ever used. Also made in USA.
- Thread starter
- #72
That's a hell of a review! How are their highway manners? Tracking, noise, do they "tram line" on grooved pavement? I've really seen nothing but glowing reviews for them with the only real complaint being the sidewalls are relatively thin. That is slightly concerning as the sidewalls are torn all to hell on my current rubber but they still hold air.
Just found a $100 eBay gift card from Xmas two years ago while digging through my email. Ordered a 24" 120watt LED lightbar off fleebay. 10k lumen output with a 30 degree spot beam, 6 year warranty. It was $130 shipped, I figured for $30 out of pocket it was worth a try. I'll put up an install post when I receive it. I plan to use the stock auxiliary light harness and switch to trigger a relay and run a dedicated line off the distribution box I am building to live under the hood.
- Thread starter
- #73
On a side note I have had my 50L Dometic fridge running 24/7 for over a month now. The truck has sat for up to three days in the desert without the engine running and in my driveway for 2-3 days at a stretch a couple times. I don't have my solar panel mounted to the roof yet so there is no auxiliary charging. I've been keeping it at 38 degrees. Starter sounds nice and strong each time.
Given these results I am thinking a 120watt panel will keep it running for a darn long time, perhaps indefinitely with enough sun.
Given these results I am thinking a 120watt panel will keep it running for a darn long time, perhaps indefinitely with enough sun.
I've been running the Duratracs for about 14 months now with no issues. In the size I'm running (315 75R-16) they only come in E so I'm not worried any about side walls. All manners you asked about are good.
I'm very surprised at the run time your getting from that fridge. Much better than my old Engle/ARB. On the White Rim trip with very warm nights it dropped my battery to 9 volts overnight. Had to jump it each day.
I'm very surprised at the run time your getting from that fridge. Much better than my old Engle/ARB. On the White Rim trip with very warm nights it dropped my battery to 9 volts overnight. Had to jump it each day.
- Thread starter
- #75
I am surprised too , with my stock battery I couldn't make it overnight on a warm evening without a jump the next day. I expected a significant improvement with the new battery but it has far exceeded my expectations. I also ran an 8gauge dedicated power for the fridge with the install of the new battery, I think that had a significant impact on my efficiency.
Thanks for the additional info on the duratracs, I'm thinking that will definitely be the way I go.
jonharis
Adventure Imports
Going to be doing front brakes and wheel bearing repack and trying to determine the issue with a sticking rear caliper tomorrow during the day. Prepping for what will surely be a 1000 mile off-road trip. If anyone is bored and wants to help a brotha out come on by....I have 
Installed a Charge Guard that shuts off voltage to the fridge if it drops below 11 volts saving the battery for starting. Also added another mending plate over the cracks on my inner fender. Now have a matching set, left and right.
- Thread starter
- #78
Ace could you post up a pic of your mending plate? I have rips on both sides, I plan to have my buddies shop pull both aprons on their rack (Again) to get them straight and then weld plates over both sides and also fill the inside with automotive structural foam. After my trip to the dunes my drivers side is buckled so bad the door strikes the fender when you open it.
I am also thinking about a 1/2" body lift so my bumper will stop rubbing on my grill and the filler plates below the headlights.
- Thread starter
- #79
I ordered my Duratracs today, I'll be in Denver for a week then dropping the FJ off at Bighorn Toyota in Glenwood for a week to get the new tires mounted, alignment and the seatbelt mount TSB knocked out.
I also ordered a 4Runner "Party Mode" button that I shall use as my TractionControl/VSC disable. Naturally.
I also got around to installing my fleabay LED lightbar, I wanted the 30 degree spot beam but by the time I emailed the vendor the next morning they had already shipped out the standard 60 degree flood beam. I am happy I installed it instead of sending it back, I actually really like the flood beam for the trails and even with the wide dispersion it still crushes my highbeams for range. I had stock auxilary lights that I am no longer using so I recycled the harness and switch.
I also modified this tire by cornering hard enough in the dunes to roll it right off the bead. A ratchet strap and a blast from my s***ty $70 SuperFlow compressor and she popped right back on.
I also ordered a 4Runner "Party Mode" button that I shall use as my TractionControl/VSC disable. Naturally.
I also got around to installing my fleabay LED lightbar, I wanted the 30 degree spot beam but by the time I emailed the vendor the next morning they had already shipped out the standard 60 degree flood beam. I am happy I installed it instead of sending it back, I actually really like the flood beam for the trails and even with the wide dispersion it still crushes my highbeams for range. I had stock auxilary lights that I am no longer using so I recycled the harness and switch.
I also modified this tire by cornering hard enough in the dunes to roll it right off the bead. A ratchet strap and a blast from my s***ty $70 SuperFlow compressor and she popped right back on.
jonharis
Adventure Imports
^ got to experience the LED light bar last night. For the cost of admission, I'd say it cant be beat. Good color, quality and at a price 1/6 that of the big players, your dollar gets you a lot farther.