I see what your saying. I like the FJ's alot. I wise there was a V8 in them.

I look to have around 10K or so in my 4Runner and it'll have to get it's a$$ to and from the trails for some time.

 

I was just adding up the $$ of converting the 4Runner to rear leaf springs and doing a SAS in front and with my lame numbers it might be actually cheaper to do that than to buy an equivalent FZJ80 in good shape and then build it like I would want.

 

Really what I should do is sell the camper and 4Runner, buy a motorhome like Marc and then build a first gen or buy a second gen that has already been built and tow it with the motorhome.



Edit: I ran the numbers on that scenario a while back and they are way high, even with a well used motorhome.

 

If we were all born as lucky as Marc life would be good . Your Runner would look KILLER with a SAS.

I was looking on autotrader and FJ's are around 10K and it cost a ˟˟˟˟˟ loud to mod them.

 

Yep, with sliders, front/rear bumpers, winch, regear, suspension, tires, and front axle rebuild/strengthen is about $10,000 to $11,000! In just parts! Obviously some of that could be done on your own or done a little cheaper, but i don't have any free time for that.

I've looked and a good '95 to '97 FZJ with around 125k miles or less would run between $10,000 and $12,000.

Now, I might could get $15,000 for my 4Runner if I found the right person, but then after buying the FZJ I would still need approx. $6000 or $7000 extra to mod the FZJ-for that I could send my 4Runner out to Steve and let him SAS it and convert the rear to leafs!

Oh the decisions, why do I always think about this crap and about spending more money?

 

I'd love to do all that to my 2nd generation but it is very capable as is !
( I'll never attempt slick rock - just not that important to me )

Someday when I have to replace my daily driver - this one will be my trail only rig - then I'll SAS it - maybe.

It's really hard to justify the money - there are just so many other things !

I need a new roof on the house - I'm thinking metal.
I need to re-carpet and modify one of the bedrooms into a huge bathroom.
I need to build a larger better garage
I need to buy the 3 acres ajoining my property
I NEED a better paying JOB

the list could go on and on !!!!!!

 

Well I purchased a Warn 8274 winch today. 8274’s are the winch of all winches, it is KING. Warn has made this winch for YEARS (like 200 or something ). It has a free spool line speed or 74 FPM and can hold 150 foot of cable. This winch works even when it’s broken, it’s the Toyota of winches (can you tell I’m excited?).

Here’s a picture of one.


I’m planning to build a square type bumper like the one on this truck.


Or a tube bumper like this one.


What do you guys think: square or tube?

 

TUBE , square just looks backwoods redneck IMHO

 

backwoods redneck - LMAO ! Yeah I like how simple the tube is, but for some reason I like the look of the square one (it could have somthing todo with being born in GA - LOL )

You going to come and play at Tellico in March with me?

 

That is the best choice on a winch. I have an 8274 on my work truck and it's way better than the M8000 on my 4Runner.

That 8274 is one heavy mother though-about 130 lbs!

 

Nah I would love to but that just isn't in the fanancial cards for me, too close to Spring Break. I will be there in May to watch you thrash it on the BIG stuff.

So now with that powerful heep of pulling power on your front end your gonna pull me up the last ledge of Slickrock right?

 

Yea it is heavy, Warn says it's 110. I figure with Amsteel Blue I'll lose some 25+ pounds. I was looking at the other Warn winches and the 8274 isn't much heavier than the 9000+ winches.

I chose the 8274 for not only its legendary dependability and reliability but because I think the 8274 looks BADA$$ on a Toyota (got to have the “bling” “bling” ).

I’m excited - now I have to figure out the bumper. I really want a tube bumper with a stinger.

 

Yes I love Stingers on a well built rig, you still never told me weather your willing break in your winch and pull my a$$ up the last ledge of Slickrock?

 

Hell yeah I would, you know I would anytime of the day.

It’ll probably be broken in before May.

 

Both of my wheeling buddies wheel in fzj80's w/2.5" OME, and 33's, and factory e lockers. They are very capable, very big, and even more expensive.
Moding those things will cost 3x (lierally) more than moding the runners, and the runners have more potential IMO. But the most frustrating thing about them is they have a ceiling in their mods, 90% of all 80's seem to be the same, 2.5 ome and 33's. If you want o take the next step its more like a jump out of a plane, you have to do the (slee I think) 6in, which costs a fortune. But they are great rigs and one of the most capable stock rigs EVER!!

Nice build yotaman, its going to be a badass rig with the 3.4. I just finished doing a 3.4 swap and his runner was (supposedly) way faster, but I never drove it before it got stolen and stripped If you have any q's about the swap let me know

 

Tube bumper w/ a stinger is where it is at.

 

I like stingers

 

Greg, just tube it and exo it at the same time. Tube will be way cheaper than the sheet metal box bumper.

 

I’m thinking I can take this bumper design and make it work well with an 8274. I also like how his cage is. I’ve never really liked exo-cages with the tubing that goes around the front (around the fenders).

 

Thanks, It should be a beast.

Yours is coming out nicely too. I'm glade you figured out the rear leaf swap. I'll be doing my rear leaf shape in a few months, so I’ve been thinking about how I’d get it to align. Would you say the rear was more of a pain in the ass than the front, excluding the cutting of the axle brackets? I have a leaf spring rear axle housing from a pickup so I don’t have to mess with the coil housing.

Did you send your 3rds to Zuk?