Expeditionr

Adding an Auxiliary Fuse Panel to an FJ Cruiser

// October 31st, 2010 // 5 Comments » // Electrical, Mods and Modding, Toyota FJ Cruiser

This is technically part two of a series of articles on upgrading your FJ Cruiser’s electrical system. Part one discusses the addition of a second deep-cycle battery to support additional fuse panels and other accessories. The main idea behind the second battery system is to isolate all the aftermarket accessories as much as possible from the stock wiring. In addition, a deep-cycle battery is much better equipped to deal with low-draw accessories such as a fridge because it will drain much slower than a traditional starting battery. Overall, if you plan on running more than a few minor electrical accessories, a secondary battery system is highly recommended. However, even if you are sticking with the factory battery setup, the general concepts of this article should still apply.

In my case, since I already have an auxiliary battery in place, I’ll be integrating this new fuse panel into the secondary system. Preparations and requirements for adding a fuse panel may vary from application to application. A lot of the details depend on how much amperage you plan to draw. Any large-draw accessories, such as off-road lights, will end up using a separate system that ties more directly to the battery using a series of relays and switches. The intent behind the fuse panel is to support a large assortment of low-power accessories like music and movie players, cellular phones, and portable GPS devices. (more…)

Coal Mine Cruiser Classic: FJ Cruiser on Yellow Jacket

// July 12th, 2010 // 3 Comments » // Exursions and Expeditions, Off-Roading, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Trail Runs and Reports

The 11th Annual Coal Mine Cruiser Classic (CMCC) run was another great event with more than 80 registered vehicles and close to twice as many participants. The weather this year was a bit less cooperative on the first day of the three-day event, but after a good solid rain Thursday night, the temps and humidity levels evened out a bit. Like the previous year’s Coal Mine run, event participants were a bit more leisurely in their pace. So after registering, inspections and general trail preparations, I decided to roam around and meet some of the early arrivals. Having attended quite a few sponsored events, I recognized many of the faces, however I’m a bit ashamed to say that names almost always escape me. There were also quite a few new faces among the gathering crowd. I introduced myself to members both old and new and we proceeded to chat about a variety of event-related topics while waiting for the late-comers to arrive.

Last year’s Coal Mine run was a bit disorganized but thankfully there were quite a few folks who stepped up to help out. Jeff and Aida, long-time Land Cruiser owners and enthusiasts, were among the group of volunteers, offering to serve as trail guides for event participants. As I roamed about Thursday morning, I was pleasantly surprised to meet up with Jeff and Aida again as they arrived and prepped their FJ-40 for the day’s activities. When I discovered they would once again be leading, I quickly jumped aboard, adding my FJ to their group. After a few last-minute vehicle checks and CB channel assignments we were heading out of the staging area towards the trails. (more…)

A Name In Vain: The FJ Cruiser Gets Re-Branded

// May 25th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Miscellaneous, Toyota FJ Cruiser

I call this one a mini-mod. It’s one of the few times I’ve actually done something purely for fun. I’ve never owned a vehicle that inspired this much enthusiasm before, so the thought of a vanity license plate just didn’t make sense before now. But after nearly 3 1/2 years and more than 60k miles in the rear view mirror, I decided it was finally time to give my trail buddy a more glorified title – an identity of sorts. I was looking for something fun that didn’t come across as preachy or too obnoxious.

Using the Maryland Vehicle Administration (MVA) online license request utility I began the process of narrowing down my choices, many of which were already taken. In the end though, I think I came up with a plate that fits my FJ’s personality to a “T” and manages to bring a little more life to an already thriving vehicle. Behold my newly re-branded FJ, casually known to friends and relatives as “Chunk”, now formally and officially known as the “Dirt Hog”. It was an exciting day for both of us as we stood proudly with our new name tags. (more…)

Traction Control: Interco TrXus MT Mud Terrain Review

// May 25th, 2010 // 7 Comments » // 4WD and Traction Aids, Mods and Modding, Off-Roading, Product Reviews, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Wheels and Tires

As the ratio of off-pavement to on- tips in favor of the dirt path, I’ve found myself in need of a slightly more aggressive tire. For a daily commuter and general off-road use, the Nitto Terra Grappler is a great all-around choice. I ran this tire for roughly 40k miles, wearing the tread to approximately 50 percent of its original depth. For those less familiar with Nitto’s tire line, the Terra Grappler is Nitto’s answer to the all-terrain, and a great answer at that. The Grapplers ran relatively quiet, emitting a slightly higher tone than the BFGoodrich T/A KOs they replaced. As the miles accumulated on these tires, the noise levels did increase, but not disturbingly so. The tires performed admirably through light mud and rock but in heavier conditions, especially after the tread began to wear, they exhibited a noticeable loss in traction. This became even more apparent during a recent snow storm that left us trapped in almost four feet of drift. Since performance has always been a key component in building the FJ, I decided it was time for an upgrade.

For a lot of folks, selecting the next set of tires for your vehicle is as simple as replacing the existing set with a new set of the same brand. This is one of the primary reasons why opinions on “the best tire” are so limited. It’s commonplace for consumers to stick to a single brand/model of tire for the lifetime of their vehicle – the theory being that if it works, keep using it. This is the primary reason why I ran BFGoodrich all-terrains for so many years. It was a good all-purpose tire that suited my needs very well in most scenarios. But based on price as well as the reviews provided for the Nitto Terra Grapplers, I took a chance at the time, and switched brands to try something new. And I’m glad I did. I definitely preferred the Nitto all-terrains over BFG’s offering. Not to say it was a better tire but simply that I preferred the look and performance of the Nitto design. Since all-terrains had proven repeatedly that they lacked the necessary traction to get through the tougher obstacles, I decided to try something a bit more extreme this go-around, opting for a mud-terrain tire instead. (more…)

TRD Performance: FJ Cruiser Gets Supercharged

// May 14th, 2010 // 16 Comments » // Engine, Mechanical, Mods and Modding, Toyota FJ Cruiser

When I initially purchased my Toyota FJ Cruiser, engine performance was the last thing on my mind. The 1GR-FE 4.0L engine had more than enough pulling power to meet the needs of the everyday driver.  Even pushing the stock weight of an FJ Cruiser at nearly 4,300 pounds posed no difficulty for this well-built engine. But as time went on and the upgrades continued, the FJ’s love handles began to show and performance wasn’t what it used to be. Mind you, adding on some skids and a bumper isn’t going to turn the FJ into a complete slug. But over time, those who invest in the heftier upgrades will no doubt begin to notice performance degradation. Knowing that my upgrade plans were far from over, I decided it was time to begin looking around for ways to boost the FJ’s horsepower. And rather than building boost in small increments through chips and high-flow exhaust systems, I decided to go with a supercharger solution. At the time of this decision, there were two possible supercharger systems available, one from Toyota Racing Development (TRD) and an alternative system offered by a company named Underdog Racing Development or URD for short. Both offerings were great systems but each had their pros and cons. (more…)

Traction Control: RUD Grip 4×4 Chains Review

// March 8th, 2010 // 7 Comments » // 4WD and Traction Aids, Equipment and Gear, Product Reviews, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Wheels and Tires

The mid-Atlantic region recently experienced several rather severe snow storms which left us with with more than four feet of accumulated snowfall in less than a week.  Because of the road and parking lot conditions, many businesses remained closed during that week, to include my current work location.  As a result of these closures, I had some free time on my hands and decided it would be a great opportunity to test out the FJ’s sure-footedness in some seriously heavy snow and ice conditions.  The detailed results of that testing can be found in this post, but the bottom line of my initial tests showed that the combination of long, flat skid plates and Nitto Terra Grappler tires just didn’t perform all that well in deep, wet, heavy snow.

Realizing that I required a better solution to this problem, my next thought headed to snow chains. As I mentioned in the previous traction-related article, the use of studded tires in Maryland is prohibited. Using snow chains during inclement weather, however, is perfectly legal. Since I didn’t currently own a set of chains, I began searching the Internet, in hopes of finding a set of chains that not only fit my over-sized tires, but ones that were sturdy enough to endure deep snow and mud conditions. My research led me to the “Grip 4×4″ chains, manufactured by a German company known as RUD.  Among other positive reviews, these chains were personally recommended by Bill Burke, an internationally known and well-respected off-roading spokesman and trainer. Based on these reviews and recommendations, I decided to give them a shot. For my current tire size, a 295/70R17 Nitto Terra Grappler, I ordered one set of model number 2533, the largest size offered in the Grip 4×4 series. (more…)

A Series of Tubes: Upgrading FJ Cruiser Control Arms

// March 1st, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Mods and Modding, Suspension, Toyota FJ Cruiser

Based on Toyota’s advertising campaign, one would assume that the FJ Cruiser not only commutes well, but that it also performs quite well in light to medium off-road environments. But let’s face it, ads are designed to sell a product. Because of this, it can be difficult at times to separate fact from fiction. From my own experience, I can attest to the FJ’s on-road capabilities. As my primary mode of transport to and from work, I find it’s road performance to be quite mannerly, combining the functionality I require with all of the creature comforts I’ve come to expect from a Toyota vehicle.

As of early 2009, with the exception of the occasional snow storm or foray into the field behind the house, my FJ had not yet seen any real dedicated off-road use. But that all changed in April, 2009, at the FJ Northeasters Run at Rausch Creek Off-Road Park in Tremont, Pennsylvania.  As both a driver and casual observer (watching all the other FJs on the trail), I witnessed the FJ’s off-road handling first hand and can now attest to the truth behind Toyota’s ads. In my case, I stuck with green- or blue-rated trails and despite a few more challenging obstacles, the FJ handled beautifully with absolutely no issues. Upon returning to the trail head, however, we discovered that others had not been so lucky.  A few of the more courageous folks had ventured into some of the black- and purple-rated areas, in near-stock configuration, only to discover that large boulders when combined with a stock FJ is almost always a recipe for carnage. (more…)

Traction Control: Gaining Upper Hand with Lower Foot

// February 9th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // 4WD and Traction Aids, Off-Roading, Plating and Protection, Toyota FJ Cruiser

In my never-ending quest to build the ultimate expeditionary vehicle, a good portion of my focus has been spent analyzing various trail and weather conditions, and gauging the FJ’s capability under said conditions.  I am once again breaking away from the modding time line in order to get feedback on a more recent experience, one involving the FJ and its performance in two plus feet of snow.

The mid-Atlantic region was recently blanketed with what the meteorologists dubbed, “an epic winter storm.”  The fallout of this event was more than two feet of snow and ice, and now they’re calling for another 20 inches on top of that.  Marylanders are used to getting snow in the winter, but it rarely accumulates with such ferocity.  Thankfully, we were well prepared and decided it would be best spent holed up in the house for a few days rather than venture out too far.  But by mid-afternoon the next day, the snowing had ceased, leaving us with a wonderful landscape of frosty goodness. (more…)

3rd Annual Northeast Run at Rausch Creek

// January 20th, 2010 // No Comments » // Calendar Events, Exursions and Expeditions, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Trail Runs and Reports

As much as I’d prefer to keep this blog in sync, I also believe that certain events are worthy of mention, even though they disrupt the chronological order of the posts.  It’s been almost ten months since the last Northeast Run at Rausch Creek which means only a couple more months before they do it all over again.  That’s right folks, the FJ Northeasters are at it again, playing host to an event chalk-full of excitement, friends and fun!  Round three of this annual FJ Cruiser event is scheduled to take place during Easter weekend, specifically the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of April, 2010.

Registration forms are not yet online but should be up shortly for anyone interested.  Accommodations for the area can be scarce if you wait until the last minute so I highly suggest researching your options now.  The folks at Rausch Creek have made it pretty easy by providing a nice compilation of nearby campgrounds and hotels.  So don’t wait.  Make those reservations now! (more…)

Rausch Creek Runnings with the FJ Northeasters

// January 17th, 2010 // No Comments » // Calendar Events, Equipment and Gear, Exursions and Expeditions, Mods and Modding, Off-Roading, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Trail Runs and Reports

Just to avoid any possible confusion, the following post details events that occurred during the 2nd Annual FJ Northeast Run, in April of 2009.  Event details for the 3rd Annual FJ Northeast Run can be found here.

Despite my mad-dash efforts to complete all mods prior to our first trip to Rausch Creek, I was not able to complete everything I had planned.  With some advanced planning, however, I did make remarkable progress towards the end goal, acquiring and installing a host of different options that would make the FJ a bit more capable and the passengers a bit safer.  In preparation for a winch and other accessories, I upgraded the electrical system using the Dirty Parts Dual Battery Kit.  Having the new Icon suspension now in place, meant ride quality was dramatically improved.  The new Nitto Terra grapplers would not only give me additional ground clearance beyond that of the Icon lift, but better traction in the mud and rocky areas too.  To increase traction further, I planned to air down the tires prior to hitting the trails.  Pressure restoration would be completed with my newly installed Powertank setup.  Interior cargo items were now more easily secured using the Springtail Solutions MPAC rack systems and the Gobi ladder and roof rack were also available for any additional cargo that wouldn’t easily fit into the rear of the FJ.  And last, but most certainly not least, the BudBuilt skids were now affixed in rock-solid position, awaiting the inevitable clashing of rocks, stumps and whatever else happened to obstruct our path. (more…)