Strips and Straps: Safety Gear for the Overland Traveler
With some of the larger upgrades out of the way, it was time to review the list of smaller items required for the upcoming trip to Rausch Creek. The following items are in no way limited to an FJ Cruiser. These are simply my recommendations for anyone who wishes to travel off-road or longer distances into remote areas.
For those of you looking to attend sponsored off-roading events, a lot of the equipment requirements will depend on who’s hosting the event. Most sanctioned off-roading events will have a list of items that must be present in or on the vehicle, prior to participation. In fact, it’s not uncommon in the larger events for your vehicle to go through a complete inspection before the event begins. Typical checklist items are usually aimed at vehicle and passenger safety and include things like working headlights, wipers, and brakes. Again, many of these requirements come down to the event type and sponsors.
Continue Reading →
Air Supply: Good for Lungs, Tools and Tires
One of the next requirements on my list was to find an ideal solution for mobile (portable) air provision. Although portable air can be used in a number of different scenarios, there are two primary uses in an expeditionary-type vehicle, running pneumatic air tools and refilling the vehicle’s tires.
Off-roading adventures tend to be a bit more demanding on a vehicle and as such, the potential for damage is much more likely. In the event that vehicle trail repairs are required, a portable air solution can be used to power a number of specialized air tools such as an impact wrench or grinder. This can make a huge difference in the amount time and effort required to get a vehicle back on the trail in serviceable condition. Using air tools on the trail does have its drawbacks, however. It all depends on the individual tool, but some of them tend to be quite greedy when it comes to air flow. Be sure and check the cubic feet per minute (CFM) rating of any tool prior to purchasing to ensure it’s compatible with your portable air solution’s maximum supply of pressure and flow.
Continue Reading →
Mounting Up with Springtail Solutions
For those of you who have been following my progress, I was now at the stage where I needed to equip the FJ Cruiser with some better accessories, accessories specifically designed with off-roading and recovery in mind. I’ve been looking forward to this post for awhile now, since it symbolizes the first step in preparing the FJ for a true off-road experience. This was actually one of the more exciting times during the FJ’s build-up because I was able to research and purchase multiple items in a very short period of time. I don’t necessarily recommend this approach, as the price tags add up quite quickly. But because of the rather shortened time frame, I decided that Christmas would be coming a little early that year.
I should also point out that I spend a great deal more time researching a piece of equipment than I typically spend installing it. The only reason I say this is to keep readers informed and aware that I’m not simply making arbitrary purchases. I tend to take my time performing extensive product comparisons, using a combination of 3rd-party reviews and customer feedback, before I make a final decision. It’s not an absolute guarantee, but it does help me avoid some of the more obviously bad products. This is yet another area where I rely heavily on the FJ Cruiser Forums for consultation. With more than 30,000 members and 80,000 threads, these forums provide some very useful insight from actual FJ and FJ-product owners. This particular post is the first of several that will detail most of the equipment I purchased prior to our first trip to Rausch Creek Off-Road Park.
Continue Reading →
A Greenhorn’s Guide to Gearing Up
Given the variety of equipment available for off-road adventures, locating all the necessary parts and pieces for an expeditionary load-out can be more than a little time-consuming. There are a lot of factors to consider when selecting the perfect piece of equipment for your trip. I am by no means an expert in expeditionary trips. As a matter of fact, I have very little experience in this area. But since I am learning as I go, I wanted to avoid as many potential catastrophes as I could. So I came up with my the following list of questions based on a purely-logical, common-sense approach.
I realize that it may not be the most comprehensive list, but so far I’ve found it to be quite useful when purchasing and preparing equipment for any type of overland adventure. I know I can’t prepare for every possible event, but the more time I spend focused on the necessities, the better off I’ll be in the long run. And my plan is to continue adding to the list and tweaking questions as I gain more experience in off-roading and overland travel.
Continue Reading →
Invitation to a Rausch Creek Rumpus
I’m almost ashamed to admit that it took me well over a year of FJ ownership before I reached a stage where I was comfortable with the thought of trail damage. As a sport, rock crawling is a new thing for me. I’m used to driving off the beaten path through mud, snow, etc. But the concept of intentionally putting a brand new vehicle in harm’s way completely escaped me. I’ve always been taught to take care of the things I own in order to make them last as long as possible. So for the first year or so, I enjoyed the FJ in relatively stock form (minus a few previously mentioned upgrades). That was, at least, until a forum post caught my eye in January of 2009.
The post indicated that one of the better known FJ Cruiser organizations on the Atlantic, the FJ Northeasters, was gathering sponsors and participants for their 2nd annual run at Rausch Creek in Pennsylvania. The key difference between to this event and previous gatherings, was that this particular event focused on folks who were new to rock crawling and trail runs. This became even more obvious as they gathered confirmations for trail types, where the majority of folks who responded to the invitation were signing up for the green-rated trails. For those unfamiliar with color-based trail ratings, the green trails are generally considered the easiest to navigate and are the least likely to result in unwanted damage to your vehicle.
Continue Reading →
Dirty Parts Presents: A Dual Battery Upgrade
In preparation for a multitude of electrical devices within the FJ Cruiser, one of the next logical steps for me, was to upgrade the existing electrical system components. There’s certainly nothing wrong with the stock setup as is. But with only a single 12v power port, the FJ lacks the ability to support multiple devices without potentially overloading the stock circuit. So my plan for this particular upgrade was to engineer a system that allowed me to physically separate any add-on electrical ports and fuses from the stock electrical system, as well as add support for more demanding devices, such as an electric winch.
For safety reasons, I should point out that any modifications to the stock electrical system have the potential for causing harm to either the vehicle or the passengers within or both. Building a secondary electrical backup system for accessories does require some knowledge of electrical properties and systems. If you are not comfortable with this type of modification, I highly recommend taking your vehicle to a professional installation shop to have the work done.
That being said, it was time to start digging up all the necessary parts. I actually began my research with the intention of piecing the system together bit by bit. Given the complexity of what I required, I figured this was the only way to achieve my end goal. So imagine my surprise when I discovered that Dirty Parts, a small off-road parts supplier in southern California, was offering a complete dual-battery electrical upgrade kit specifically designed for the FJ Cruiser.
Continue Reading →
Cargo Capacity: Gobi Racks to the Rescue
It seems that no matter what the vehicle, there will always be compromises in its design. Vehicle manufacturers typically have an intended market in mind when they design and sell a particular vehicle. As such, they engineer features into the vehicle to accommodate future owners the best they can. But with safety and emissions standards becoming more and more stringent, fuel prices on the rise, and the economy on the fall, auto manufacturers have been forced to make sacrifices for the greater good. It’s disappointing at times but it is reality so as consumers we’ve learned to live with it.
The FJ Cruiser does indeed lack certain luxury features, but despite its low introductory pricing, it comes very well equipped. With a focus on functionality instead of features, Toyota did a great job of determining what was needed in a vehicle aimed at the off-roading community. No doubt the lack of available luxury items is intended to reduce production costs. But based on the target demographic, Toyota was smart enough to realize that for many owners, features such as dual climate control would only add unnecessary cost. So by eliminating some of these options, Toyota was able to produce a reasonably-priced but very capable vehicle.
Continue Reading →
Getting Tired with Nitto Terra Grapplers
Continue Reading →
As a dedicated BFGoodrich tire guy for almost ten years, I was surprised to see such a loyal following in the FJ forums for Nitto brand tires, specifically their all-terrain series tire known as the Terra Grappler. The positive feedback for this tire and rating for its performance under the FJ was so overwhelming that I decided to take a chance and branch away from BFG. With the new rear suspension on the way, I decided nothing would complement it better than a new set of shoes. Plus, with the suspension raised three inches higher than stock, the original tire size was going to look somewhat dwarfish. So I decided to upgrade the tire size in the process. After calling around to various tire shops, I finally got a smokin’ deal on five brand new Nitto Terra Grapplers in a size of 295/70R17 and an appointment to get them installed. For those who may have missed my previous post, I had recently ordered the remaining pieces of a Stage One suspension from Icon Vehicle Dynamics. So two new springs and shocks, five new tires and one alignment later, I was driving home in a lifted, but very smooth-riding FJ Cruiser.
Getting Shocked with Icon Vehicle Dynamics
One of the more prominent issues I noticed early on when driving the FJ Cruiser was that any stops other than those that were completely controlled (slow and steady), resulted in noticeable nose diving. I was also interested in eliminating the forward rake as a result of the front suspension being positioned much lower than the rear. I’d like to point out that I initially went with stock size BFGoodrich tires in order to maintain some semblance of mileage and avoid having to immediately lift the FJ to accommodate a larger size tire. But after almost a year of driving and nose diving, I decided to finally fix the problem and upgrade some parts in the process.
Based on a good past experience as well as overly-positive input from FJ Cruiser forum members, my first decision was to upgrade my front suspension using 2.5″ racing coil-overs manufactured by Donahoe Racing (DR). It should be noted that Donahoe Racing has since been sold to Icon Vehicle Dynamics (IVD) or Icon as they have now become known in the forums. Icon’s engineering and design of the products is identical to the original product and their reputation for producing quality parts has become very well established in a very short period of time. Even though my first revision coil-overs were DR, for the sake of this post and any future posts, I’ll be referring to the company as Icon, Icon Vehicle Dynamics or IVD since I’m sure anyone looking for this product will want to reference the current company rather than the previous manufacturer.
Continue Reading →
Project Builder’s Block Means No Photos
I have to admit, I was a bit surprised when I looked back through our photo collection, only to discover a gap of almost 11 months between FJ Cruiser upgrades. My plan when beginning this blog was to revisit the upgrades as a series of events, chronologically, in a step by step format. Looking back, I now realize that a combination of family, finances, full-time college and work left me little time to fiddle, let alone plan my next vehicle upgrade. So I’m sorry to say you all will have to wait another eight months until I get around to posting more.
Just kidding.
That would be cruel.
Luckily, that gap has long since passed so I can dive right back into the magical madness of modding. I’m off to dig through some more photos to see if I can sort out the dates and times of various upgrades. With that large of a gap there’s going to be some guesswork in the time frames but I’ll do my best.
UPDATE: Okay, after doing a bit more research it seems that I simply failed to capture eight months of upgrades on camera. I thought that was a little odd. I found photos taken in February of 2008 that show several major modifications, mods that would have required additional upgrades prior to their installation. But apparently, I have no photos to prove these mods ever took place. Weird. Since most of the products in question are commercially available to anyone, I’ve decided I’ll just end up adding some photos from the vendors’ site to help illustrate when I need to. Stay tuned for another post later this evening…
Better Equipment Does Not Equal A Better Driver
Continue Reading →
If life has taught me anything in my 37 short years, it’s that no amount of fancy equipment or tools can make up for a lack of experience. We’ve all been there at one time or another. We’ve convinced ourselves that if we just had a particular tool that we’d be up for the challenge. While it is true that the right tool for the job is almost always the best choice, by no means does the right tool in the wrong hands make that person a craftsman. Any tool in the wrong hands is, simply put, dangerous. As I spend time floating from one virtual haven to another this evening, my search results leading me to a variety of expeditionary sites, I continuously come across misleading information. I realize that many of the sites I visit are intended to sell a product, therefore the vendors will make it look as easy as possible to implement and use. As a tool enthusiast, I even find myself getting sucked into these types of advertisements, wishing that I too, could join in the excitement of owning such a shiny new product. But after I bit, I have to take a step back and wonder if a) this tool is something I really require and b) I would be better or worse off having purchased it. The adventurous side of me will almost always answer with “absolutely” to the first question following immediately by countless justifications as to why. Thankfully, the logical side of me has a better grip on reality.
Bottoms Up: Undercarriage Plating and Protection
Even though I got the jump on a few luxury upgrades right out of the box, the only real necessity in terms of upgrades were the all-terrain tires. I would not consider this particular purchase to be a luxury since the stock Dunlop series tires supplied by Toyota were one of the worst options available. Toyota did a great job of designing the FJ Cruiser, but the stock tire options offered in the first model year were of really poor quality. My only explanation is that someone higher up decided it would be cheaper to throw an inexpensive set of tires on since most owners would end up replacing them shortly after driving the FJ off the lot. And if that’s the case, they were probably right.
Thankfully, the new models now come with decent options for tires, offering either BFGoodrich Rugged Terrain or All-Terrain series tires. This is a definite bonus to new owners since they’re getting a decent tread pattern right off the bat. But in my case, in early 2007, Dunlops were all the rage. And they were gone as quickly as I could get my hands on a replacement set.
Continue Reading →
FJ Cruiser: Stock Options vs. The Aftermarket
Having been used to Ford’s line-up over the previous years, I became accustomed to selecting from a virtual smorgasbord of options, when it came to factory features. The FJ Cruiser was my first official Toyota purchase so I was somewhat surprised to discover that many of the luxury options I had ordered with previous vehicles, were simply not available with the FJ. Dual zone climate control, sunroof, leather seating, and other similar options were simply not offered. In Toyota’s defense, however, the FJ Cruiser’s MSRP sits between 20K and 30K, roughly half of what it would have cost me to upgrade to a new Ford diesel pickup. So I was more than willing to forgo a few of the more luxurious items, temporarily at least. Even without the luxury items, I still drove off the dealer lot with a nicely loaded Titanium Silver model. And now that I finally had my expeditionary platform of choice, it was time to begin the mods.
In the past, my first customization/modification would typically consist of new tires and wheels. The FJ Cruiser was one of the first vehicles to ever produce a stock wheel design that I actually liked. Enough so, that I decided not to replace the wheels until something better came along. As of this writing, I have yet to find a wheel I like better. The tires were a different story entirely, however. Having lived in Maryland for the last twelve years, the winters here provide both snow and ice a-plenty. It’s nothing like our northern counterparts, but it’s enough that without some aggressive all-terrain or mud-terrain tires, you’re more likely to be left sitting where you stand, so to speak. Almost all of my previous Ford trucks had run BFGoodrich AT K/O tires, and with very good luck I might add. The BFG ATs are comprised of a fairly hard rubber compound making them last for easily 60K miles. Many who have run them in the past have reported numbers nearing 100K in terms of mileage gained out of a single set. They also do remarkably well in the snow. Suffice it to say, I’ve been very happy with them in the past and was now in the market for a new set of five of these tires in the FJ’s stock size of 265/70R17.
Continue Reading →