Worst FJ40 Upgrade Ever

[Mike Shull]

This beauty was on Facebook marketplace awhile back. I had to grab some pics for threads just like this one.
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I think that this one wins the award! I can’t top this. I was going to say that I regret cutting my rocker panels, but at least it was reparable and I fixed it a few years ago.

 

[DangerNoodle]

Worst 'upgrade' I see over and over on 40s: an automatic transmission.

Followed closely by tail lights mounted in the rear quarter panels like a Cheep.

There's a 40 which fits both of these fails on BaT right now.

I agree with no auto if it's a relatively stock build.

I love my auto though, but I don't have much 40 left besides a body.

 

[rainingagain]

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The splice tap's cousin is also always a fun find in a vehicle!

 

[Chamba]

I agree with try auto if it's a relatively stock build.

I love my auto though, but I don't have much 40 left besides a body.

Totally get it. My golf cart is an automatic and it suits it perfectly. I can smoke a cigar while keeping score, driving and talking with the guy next to me.

 

[65swb45]

I watched an auto push TLCA president Dan Schueler’s beautiful mustard FJ40 off the side of Ball Bearing Hill in Los Coyotes Indian Reservation, circa 1992. He had to ride the brakes when he shouldn’t have had to. Not sure if @ferg saw it happen too.

 

[pb4ugo]

If you're going auto, just buy a j**p. Its point and shoot, there's no driving skill there. Appling the brake to much on a muddy hill can result in a quick uncontrollable descent if there's no gearing to back it up. I enjoy the complexities of driving a stick.

 

[charliemeyer007]

At least some of the real rock crawlers run slop buckets - they drive with both feet at the same time.

 

[DangerNoodle]

If you're going auto, just buy a j**p. Its point and shoot, there's no driving skill there. Appling the brake to much on a muddy hill can result in a quick uncontrollable descent if there's no gearing to back it up. I enjoy the complexities of driving a stick.

I like manuals, just not on pretty technical crawling. I also like tha auto cause so many other people drive my 40, and it sees a lot less abuse that way.

 

[bikersmurf]

I still have a stick... but after my L-knee was taken out in '02, I have contemplated an Auto. Fast forward 20+ years... an Auto wouldn't help anymore. R-knee is now worse than my L-knee after 23 years of compensating for a F'd up knee.

Power steering, 80 series booster & 4 discs, wide powerband... it'll have to do. Just need a floor under my feet again. Unfortunately '92 me thought the almost rust free floor under front seats didn't need replacing when I rebuilt the rear floor and inner fenders. Oh well. Probably would have been fine if 90s me fixed the cowl &/or the sunroof so that the front floor stayed dryer.

 

[thatcabledude]

Hmm let’s see… C-clamps on the aprons?

Or how about we weld up the factory light holes just so we can screw random LEDs onto the truck.

“Oh fudge, they blink really fast now. I know! Let’s wire a random light in under the hood. That’ll stop that”

 

[thatcabledude]

Pretty sure I ripped the spare tire cover “mod” off as soon as I left OP’s neighborhood

 

[Skreddy]

The splice tap's cousin is also always a fun find in a vehicle!
View attachment 4072490

These in unison with speaker wire to run add-ons is where it’s at! Don’t have to stock near as many colors of wire that way!

 

[jfz80]

mod.

Highly do not recommend

 

[lcwizard]

I agree with no auto if it's a relatively stock build.

I love my auto though, but I don't have much 40 left besides a body.

a few tried manual trannies in the rock crawling events but everyone switched when the only winners had autos

 

[Pighead]

the only winners had autos

I never win anything

 

[RolandFJ40]

Cutting the tub and adding plastic fender flares.

 

[lcwizard]

At least some of the real rock crawlers run slop buckets - they drive with both feet at the same time.

there's a system to getting the most out of an auto unless you have stupidly low gearing, which I'm guilty of. I do have a 40 with a manual and stupidly low gearing also. My manual is 198:1 and the auto is 88:1. With the doublers disengaged they are 99 and 44:1 respectively. When you're old you need to go slow to match your slower reaction times. It's also less dangerous when you dose off at wheel if you're going slow. You get that extra time to snap out of it

 

[ferg]

I watched an auto push TLCA president Dan Schueler’s beautiful mustard FJ40 off the side of Ball Bearing Hill in Los Coyotes Indian Reservation, circa 1992. He had to ride the brakes when he shouldn’t have had to. Not sure if @ferg saw it happen too.

Think I missed that time frame. Was on the wrong side of the world then.

 

[DangerNoodle]

there's a system to getting the most out of an auto unless you have stupidly low gearing, which I'm guilty of. I do have a 40 with a manual and stupidly low gearing also. My manual is 198:1 and the auto is 88:1. With the doublers disengaged they are 99 and 44:1 respectively. When you're old you need to go slow to match your slower reaction times. It's also less dangerous when you dose off at wheel if you're going slow. You get that extra time to snap out of it

I had roughly 188:1 with my manual and doubler, and now I'm at 156:1 with my auto. Either goes stupid slow which is nice, but I like the fast shifts with little backlash with the auto when snailing around.

 

[lcwizard]

I had roughly 188:1 with my manual and doubler, and now I'm at 156:1 with my auto. Either goes stupid slow which is nice, but I like the fast shifts with little backlash with the auto when snailing around.

My 60 is a daily driver with the cushy comforts for expo stuff so I have it at that modest 88:1. I like the 28% overdrive in the auto. it makes up for the 4;88s
on the highway. It's a piggish 6000+ lbs so even with RCVs front and rear I'm careful crawling. Same 80 axles in the 40 but literally a ton lighter