So I have the opportunity to upgrade from my current rig (Jeep Grand Cherokee, Moab tested and worthy) to a 2007 TRD FJ, and I'm wondering how good these things do on trails in general. I want to run a 33" at least, how hard is it to do that? Does this forum cover FJs? If not, do you guys have any good links to places that do?

 

An FJC is a great stock wheeler. Putting a set of 33's (285's) is pretty straight forward. You can go as simple as a spacer kit to a Total Chaos front suspension (very cool way to go). One of YT's founder's Corey has a very nice FJC.
Here is the link to YT's FJ Folder
Another good source of information on FJ's is http://<span style="color:red">http:...ud.com/</span>

I think one of the biggest fears of wheeling an FJ would be the fear of body damage. I know I was a little PO'ed when I creased the rear quarter panel on my old '05 Tacoma on a tree branch.

Good luck, we at YT always like to see people return from the DarkSide and get a Yota

 

Dont forget FJCruiserforums.com
You'll find good yota general info here, but there's other forums that cater to FJ's more then YotaTech.
Although we do have a wealth of info here.
But stick around, and Welcome

 

http://bstadelman.com

 

As mentioned, the FJ Cruiser Forums has the biggest gathering worldwide for FJ info.
I am a member there as well.
http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/index...=active_topics

FJs off the showroom floor do great.
Many over there are still running them stone stock with the exception of better tires on hard trails.

Check out this stone stock FJ, even the tires are the factory ones.

[YOUTUBE]A5KyVaeeW54[/YOUTUBE]

Now this is why I would not take a brand new $30K+ rig on a trail like this.
I depend on mine to get me back and forth to work too
Same hill as Miss FJ in her stock rig.

[YOUTUBE]tDWdOTd8D3A[/YOUTUBE]

This guy smokes the same trail.

[YOUTUBE]PipHkt37DFg[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]yOnE-o8hul0[/YOUTUBE]

In the second video above Maureen the Trail Team gal is a moderator over on the big FJ forum, she goes by muddygrl.

As seen in all of them, that is a trail where you depend on your spotter.
One error could send you rig toppling back down hill.

Now you will see why I would not try that trail without a dedicated trail rig.
This is the exact same hill the FJs were on.

[YOUTUBE]ouWJa6FC7-E[/YOUTUBE]

But yes, FJs do very well off road.
Many have sunk a ton of money into them too to make them even better off road than they already are.

This is Sol.
Member sbechtold here and over on the big FJ forum.

 

With the ATRAC and rear locker, they are pretty darn capable out of the box, but x2 for 'wheeling a rig that expensive that you're still making payments on. Ask Una (OFRD_GRL), Eric (fjcruzer), and Tony (StagecoachCO) on COTTORA - all of them have extensive body damage to their (coincidentally all Voodoo Blue) FJ Cruisers.

The BIG downside is the visibility is quite frankly crap.

 

same reason my surf doesnt see anything more than getting me to my fishing hole...i depend and love it too much to take an expensive and unquie truck offroad and body damage would make me cry ..now on the other hand my old 4runner doesnt have a straight pannel on it lol

 

I was shocked at how incredibly poor the visibility was on the FJ. I'm 6'2, so maybe it's different for others. Even with all the benefits of the truck, I'd personally find it hard to justify those blindspots.

 

Oh, and for those who have never been to Moab before, the obstacle in the videos above is called "Hell's Gate" on the Hell's Revenge trail. To be honest, coming up is way less scary than the way you have to go down in to get to the obstacle!

 

Exactly why Sol put on the tube doors.
There are a few makers of them now for the FJ.

He likes how he can lean "out of the box" and see where his tires are.
His rig can pretty much go anywhere with his rig.

I dig the articulation he has with his SAS.

 

Hijack... I've smashed my rear fender flare the last two times I've been through here. This is coming down the Big Sluice on the rubicon. The pics don't do this obstacle justice.That is a huge hole right there.



The same spot making a love spot on my rear quarter panel

 

Now see, I have never had a problem with the so called blind spots.
But then I have to use mirrors to see on most of my work vehicles, and that is the way I drive the FJ too.

I do the over the shoulder look too when changing lanes, but it is mostly the mirrors I depend on.

Truck drivers have been doing it for years, and our grandparents and parents were taught to drive that way too.

I have had the rig now for two plus years, and do not have an issue with it.

 

Having to depend on the mirrors to see is unacceptable in a passenger vehicle. These aren't work trucks. Maybe I take it more serious because I also ride motorcycles.

 

I learned to drive in a pickup with a camper on it and have hauled trailers all over the freakin country, I know how to use mirrors. That vid of Hells Gate is awesome. As I don't care about body damage at all (it's an opportunity for custom modification), I'm leaning heavily towards buying. Thanks for all the quick feedback.

 

Well the mirrors on my '92 Hilux have an area of about 40sq. in. or less

 

How do you think vans are that people drive?
Not minivans, but regular vans that were popular years ago to fix up as shagmobiles.
And also hear that Corvettes are harder to see out of than the FJs.

 

Exactly.
My first truck was a Toyota '79 2WD with a canopy on it.
I can see out of the FJ much better than I could with that small passenger truck.

Let us know if you buy one.
If I had to do it over again, I would not hesitate one bit.
I enjoy my FJ very much, and it has got me back into camping again.

 

Taking it to a mechanic today. It's a rebuilt title, had significant water damage. Everything has been repaired supposedly, but I figure I'll let my friends at the shop judge that. I've had a picture of Corey's FJ on my computer desktop for like three months by the way, ha ha.

 

He he he, thanks...
Hey, here are some pics to get you in the mood for one.
Grand Staircase-Escalante Expedition

I know some do not consider the above an expedition (I do), but the thread title is from the author himself who posted the thread.
That guy is always going out on runs and having fun with his FJ Cruiser.

Up where I like to explore they are getting snow today.
Can not believe how fast the summer went.

 

I know what you mean about the snow, my mountains here in Northern utah are white now, local trail got snowed on over the weekend. So the mudding is coming to a close, it's depressing. The first time I drove in the dirt was actually Grand Staircase in a stock Chevy Silverado, when I was like twelve. Nothing really technical, at least not where I was, but it's still fun. I think you could call that an expedition, you have to plan for it anyway.