HAHAHA...made ya look. OK, so it doesn't have a motor, but it is 1:17th scale dicast. AND, it's hood is signed by the cheif engineer from Toyota! Highest bidder? Or should I just put it on EBay now?

 

Oh... we need the backstory on this!

How'd you get the sig?

 

Fool! Ya got me. OR let us know how to get our own, OR trade something of great value, OR??? NO eBay (but we know better).

 

Our club was asked to help do the Canadian media unveiling. So we built a course and trashed 11 FJ's to the max (I ripped the rear bumperette off one today). Out of all the things that could have happened, that bumperette was themost noticeable of all things. These trucks are tough, check out the pics in the other thread I just started.
Ohhh, forgot to mention, each of us were given a dicast FJ signed by the cheif engineer, so there are 7 Candian varients in existance, this is one rare dicast. Let the bidding begin. LoL

 

Cool, nice little rig

I hope to be sitting in a real one tomorrow at my dealer.

 

Well I hope they have some type of off road ability there. Until you've tried the A-TRAC, you won't believe me. It ˟˟˟˟in rocks. I'm hard pressed to say rear locker, or atrac, ahhhh screw it, get both!

 

Wow.. VERY cool.

Congrats!

 

Psssst, why spring for A Trak when you do not need to
http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=85568

There be a hack already...

 

LOL! Too funny! Well, if that's all it takes to get it working, it's worth the $60 switch. It makes some noise as it modulates the brakes via the ABS system, but is a hell of a lot more predictable on the rocks. It doesn't cause the truck to slide sideways like a locker does. It is really very cool!

 

From what you've posted here and everything else I've read, A-TRAC allows more throttle and is less dampened than the 4Runner system, a good thing. The 4R system will bring the truck to a compete stop under worst case conditions. Does A-TRAC overcomes that glitch? Does A-TRAC work in both 4Hi and 4Lo?

 

I had never heard of ATRAC before last week, I don't follow each gen of Runners as mine is 2nd Gen and that's all I care about. So, what ATRAC is to that truck, I don't know. But I will explain, as a driver, how it works in the FJ. First of all, it does not limit throttle input at all (as far as I could tell). I had it stuck today on the rocks and laid my foot to it, it jumped, ground, and groaned, but wasn't under powered as far as I could tell. But, now that I say that, I did remove ATRAC and turn on the rear locker and tried again, I did notice that the truck really came to life at that point, but also dug me down to the frame rails. LoL So I guess you are right, ATRAC does limit power some what, but it wasn't too noticeable to me, maybe that is different then a 4th Gen Runner. ATRAC does work in both 4Hi & Lo, especially Lo as that's pretty much all I have drove in the past 3 days. VSC was cool on the ice, no it really shuts down the engine and applies brake, so lets not confuse VSC and ATRAC, they are 2 very different systems.
I guess I didn't explain how it ACTUALLY works. If you haven't read about it yet, ATRAC works by applying brake to the spinning wheel (the wheel with the least traction). This happens front and rear at the same time. I had the truck suspended on front right and left rear today, with the other 2 in the air, and she drove out using ATRAC. It works. It's noisy, but it works. It actuates the ABS system to stop the spinning wheel, we've all heard ABS systems before. Well, get used to hearing it alot more if you use ATRAC. It was a lot more predictable then the locker, no more sliding off the sides of rocks, it just climbs straight up. I like. I really do.

 

Great explanation, thanks. My old 4th Gen 4R had an earlier version along with Downhill Assist and Hill Start Assist, both intentionally omitted from FJ from focus group input I was told. Anyway, I know what you mean about strange sounds when the system operates. It clanked, wheezed and groaned but worked well most of the time. In a true zero-grip situation like on ice, throttle would shut down and the truck would stop. Sounds like a more refined, useful version, good to know.

 

Good gosh I can not wait to get this out and try it out up at Greenwater.
Never had a locker, or driven A Trak, so it will take a littel to get use to.

Hopefully I can get the rig before all the snow melts at the top of the pass at FS Road 73 where a lot of us go.

Lotta places up there to test lockers and A Traks.

A separate question for ya Twink.
In the cargo area back aft, is there as much room as a 2nd gen 4Runner?
I am wondering if both my sub and cargo box will fit, and are there D rings to use hold down straps?
http://www.pnw4runners.com/cargobox/box7.jpg

Room enough to also mount a C02 bottle?

As you can tell, I gotta lotta ?'s

Also read over on 'Mud that rear view is bad, but another reviewer said you get use to it very quickly and no problemo seeing at all out the back or the rear sides.

 

Gotcha. From what it sounds like, it seems they have refined ATRAC to become VSC and ATRAC. VSC seemed to shut the truck down when I got'er sliding and spinning on the ice. Alarms sounded and throttle input was zero at that point, till things were back under control. ATRAC on the other hand, I still was able to get wheel spin with it groaning at me, even managed to sling some rocks and mud towards the cheif engineer with it working. So it sounds like a different system then what the 4R has.

 

You are not stuffing all of that crap in the back without some rearranging of cargo. Between back seat and rear gate is about....this is a guess as rear cargo area was the least of my concern!, 24 inches, maybe 30? I know we carried an industrial size garbage can back there no problem, but I don' think it has anywhere the depth my 2nd Gen does. I don't think you could lay a spare down on it's back like I do in my truck.

 

Hmmmmm, if the cargo box fits, the sub can go on top of it.
Must have tools, but must have BASS too.

Big deep notes at full blast have been known to unstick the most stuck rig

 

I like my bass too, altough somewhat tamer these days with a single JL 10. I have the box, and my 32" spare on it's back in my 2nd Gen, no way that would happen here. I think we have more pics coming (check the ovo gallery later in the week) that show the interior and other poser shots. Only reason the ones posted here tonight are here is becuase I hijacked everyone's camera's to see which would work with my USB cable, turned out it was only 2, but it's better then the pics you guys got from my cell. My cam is now at the shop for repair, this was a hellufa way to find out it was broke!

 

Downhill assist is removed. Not that I know what it is, but many of the media guys asked, refered them to the engineers. Then later had a Toyota rep in with me and he explained the same thing, it was removed due to input from focus groups. 1st on the stick was almost low enough to crawl down a 30 degree slope, and for the record, don't release the brakes on an auto on a 30 degree slope, the bottom comes up VERY fast. Who dented the front valance and skid plate? /me hides behind the tailgate....

 

Another thing I noticed. With ATRAC and an auto,this truck makes the most novice driver look like a seasoned pro. I had a guy with me Wednesday that had never driven off-road before, at all...
I reassured him the truck was litterally point-and-shoot, just let the truck work and don't over speed the situation. With ATRAC on and a little coaching, this guy (who has only driven sports cars) got to the top of our rock pile with a ลลลล eating grin on his face, he was the king of the mountain. Open/open, he never would have gotten there, locker, yah, sure, but anyone can have a locker!

 

Corey, I went back and checked file info on my old '03 4R with A-TRAC. The Toyota press release says A-TRAC has some unique components and software different from TRAC:

"...The A-TRAC uses an additional yaw sensor, deceleration sensor, and control algorithms to deliver smoother torque on any surface, and low-range and locked center differential conditions."

I also remember the first use of Hall effect sensors on each wheel to detect wheel slippage down to 0 mph and a rotational speed differential between wheels of <1 rpm (I think).

Maybe FJ has the kit on board all grades for A-TRAC except for one IP switch, but I'm doubting it now. Let someone else try the hack first, those ECU's are expensive and Toyota might get a little uppity on a driveline warranty repair if they discover signs of customer tampering with their system.