Your Opinion: Top 5 Upgrades for FJ60?

[SteveH]

I live in Colo Springs at 7000'. I would not go bigger than 31s on a stock-geared FJ60. You will lose too much low-range gearing with 33s at higher elevations - you will run out of gear and power, both. I would also not add a ton of weight to your FJ60 (bumpers, gas tanks, tires, spares, etc.) as they have enough trouble lugging their own fat butt around. I recall towing my pop-up camper up Raton pass at 29 mph in 2nd gear, passing only a clagged out VW bus.

so, for me -

Galley plug
Springs with arch (rebuild OEM or go OME)
31x10.5 tires
LED interior lights
Lots of PM to drive up reliability

 

[Rusto]

Not necessarily. SOR sells a reasonably priced cargo area spare tire carrier. That's what I've got, without a long range tank. The under frame system is a PITA to maintain.

Fair enough, but then you have your spare tire occupying storage space. Not a bad solution, and like you said, much less expensive, but I still say that if you aren't going somewhere where fuel accessibility is an issue, I wouldn't put the large tank in my top five. Top 10 maybe, just not top five.

Oh, and add "a good roof rack" to my list as 5a. And rooftop tent. We need a top 15 mod thread

 

[OSS]

I used to think about this same question often in the past: If I could only keep one of the significant mods I had done to my truck, (a horrible choice) which one, and only one would I keep?
For me, long range is king where I adventure.

The big ones I have are:
Dual air lockers
49 gallon gas tank
ARB bumper
Winch
5 speed transmission
Suspension seats
(I'll leave the full length roof rack out the mix because it doesn't count - too important)

If I could only keep one of those (horrible choice) without hesitation I would keep the big gas tank / and would be nervous and a lot more conservative off-road without the air lockers. The first to go (and in fact already gone) is the winch.

The 5 speed is nice for sure, but you can do everything with the 4 speed that you can do with the 5 speed. Lockers can save your vehicle and perhaps your life... I can attest to that, but a big gas tank (or the capability of carrying another 20 gallons of fuel) completely changes what you can do and where you can go in your cruiser. Not important if your travels take you near gas stations, but almost an absolute semi-necessity if your wanderings take you to the way far out boonies. You couldn't pry mine from my cold dead hands!

 

[FJACS]

12k Winch
LS Swap
OME + SOA
Locked Dana 60’s
Pine tree air freshener

It sort of scares me that people are saying replacing tie rod ends is an upgrade. That’s basic maintenance.

 

[Godwin]

This is key if you plan on wrenching a bunch under the hood. I need to add that to my list ASAP. I’ve heard it’s super and cost maybe $50 (think it’s on the “under $50 mod sticky”).

FJ-60 hood strut conversion

I've never seen a need to do this as the hood support works just fine and costs nothing. On the FZJ80 that has stock hood struts I added a FJ60 hood support when the stock struts gave out.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Personally there have been plenty of times I’d have been thrilled to have my hood open higher.

 

[Beams37]

So, I'll play this game!

1: Desmog (assuming you have no plans to do an engine swap). I can tell you that my desmogged 2F was a beast and never struggled for power. This is easier than you would imagine.
2: I'm a fan of lift and 33's, but I don live at elevation. So, you may have to take that under consideration.
3: Upgrade the headlights and harness to JW Speakers. I am currently in the process of doing the same. I consider this a solid safety upgrade.
4: Upgrade the seats. Skip the new foam (it just makes you sit higher). Go for a full swap; lots of options out there. Your back will thank you.
5: 2WD Low Conversion.

Good luck!

 

[Devils Paw 80]

Brief thread hijack..sorry, doyou have a pic of that? May need that as a temp solution

31" tire. Still plenty of cargo room, or sleeping room for me.

 

[erse]

How does that attach on the backside?

 

[Devils Paw 80]

How does that attach on the backside?

For the time being, sheet metal screws into vertical support behind panel. Hardware isn't included. It would be better to have through bolts and nuts, which I intend to do at some point. But there really isn't much torque on the carrier as it is.

 

[erse]

For the time being, sheet metal screws into vertical support behind panel. Hardware isn't included. It would be better to have through bolts and nuts, which I intend to do at some point. But there really isn't much torque on the carrier as it is.

Thanks for posting, the pic also

 

[slacker24-7]

On mine I’d say. 1. 4.11s from a 62
2. Desmog
3. 33x10.50 bfg
4. 2 low
5. Arb front with 8274
I get between 15-16 mpg with a city racer carb and the above mods, it runs and pulls most hills great . Honerable mention would be the OME heavys front and back, and the 4 plus rear bumper and dual swingouts. Things like the galley plug fix should go without saying. I absoutley love this cruiser after owning it for 10 plus years . The 100 usually sits while I drive the 60

 

[Two Buck]

Personally there have been plenty of times I’d have been thrilled to have my hood open higher.

Me too, every time I bang my forehead on it.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Me too, every time I bang my forehead on it.

And I’ve whacked the back of my head.

 

[micruz60]

Enjoyable thread.
When I got mine in '99, it was flaaat springs, bumpstop riding, so:
1. Springs, shackles, springplates with skid protection, 2.5" lift.
2. Baseline preventative maintenance and rust repair- it won't sleep.
3. Front axle overhaul.
4. Galley plug.
5. Drive it in challenging situations to determine other upgrades.

I am wishing I had sourced some 16" wheels (5), and jumped to 30-31" tires, but stock is fine too- just for the overdrive potential the H55 transmission is tempting, but really not cost effective.

 

[lcwizard]

just five? That's like asking what five things would you change about American politics

lockers
front bumper
rear bumper
sliders
winch
onboard air
better gearing
more better gearing
roof rack
aux fuel tank
suspension
dual batteries
storage drawers
headlight upgrade
aux lighting
larger tires
fuel injection
cargo barrier
dog

 

[Prairie Swamp]

just five? That's like asking what five things would you change about American politics

lockers
front bumper
rear bumper
sliders
winch
onboard air
better gearing
more better gearing
roof rack
aux fuel tank
suspension
dual batteries
storage drawers
headlight upgrade
aux lighting
larger tires
fuel injection
cargo barrier
dog

You for got bottle opener

 

[MoaByte]

#1 remove the wires from the buzzer under the passenger kick panel so you can listen to music with the driver's door open.

#2 Headight buzzer install mod in the $50 and under section. Just once jumping in the FJ60 to find a dead battery is enough.

Both of these together take less than an hour and under $10.

 

[Godwin]

On mine I’d say. 1. 4.11s from a 62
2. Desmog
3. 33x10.50 bfg
4. 2 low
5. Arb front with 8274
I get between 15-16 mpg with a city racer carb and the above mods, it runs and pulls most hills great . Honerable mention would be the OME heavys front and back, and the 4 plus rear bumper and dual swingouts. Things like the galley plug fix should go without saying. I absoutley love this cruiser after owning it for 10 plus years . The 100 usually sits while I drive the 60

X2. Except for the rear bumper mines set up much the same and add in a H55F

 

[88red]

While I agree that the steering from knuckles to pump should be overhauled and that tight steering makes for a great drive, I wouldn’t consider it an upgrade. My five are:
2”lift
31” bfg’s
LED interior dome light
Headlights. Either led or harness upgrade
Seatbelt buzzer mod to let you know you new headlights are still on.
I think I managed to do all this for under $2k