Time again for a new DD/trail truck.

[n9emz]

I gave Ford another shot. I got into wheeling with a Ranger and BIIs, but they just didn't work out for me where the late models are concerned. I went with Toyota because you get more for your money right off the dealership lot. After several months of beating Toy and Ford against each other, I opted to go with the Taco Access Cab 4.0 TRD Off Road.

I had a lot of fun with that truck but some aspects of it began to wear on me. First, what kind of engineers design that much stock frame clearance into a vehicle and then hang the tcase and rear crossmember 5" beneath the frame? Next, though I hadn't counted on it, many occasions arose where I had to transport more than one passenger at a time. There are some extended cabs that will better accomodate this than the Toyota. Another thing was the door dent/scratches that remained after replacing the mirror I knocked off at the Attica RandyM run.....and the ashtray was full.

Rangers were out, Toyota pickups were out, and no other vehicle seemed logical besides a jeep....which the wife has been talking about wanting for a while. So, after a lot of dealer lot pounding I chose this:

Wife is thrilled...."Honey....better than a jeep." Now....the fun begins.

 

[Will]

WFT is that!

Ready for Attica again Sam?

Here's the new project I'm thinking about doing. I want to start making some outwest trips in the next couple years.

 

[n9emz]

Uuuuuuummmmmm....."Secret Weapon" maybe?

 

[ryan]

is the rear visibility as bad as it seems in them?

very nice btw... :cheers:

 

[n9emz]

Will....when you starting the conversion/trailer build?

Ryan....Thanks. Probably worse than you can imagine but it has rear collision avoidance/warning system (RPS/Rear Parking Sonar).

My reasoning for purchase.

Unload Taco with body damage and bad CarFax. $20K collision repair history.
Excellent clearance and relatively cheap but quality lift parts availability.
Automatic with manual Tcase
Locker
ATRAC
6K Tow capacity
Hoseable interior....completely water repellent
Interior roominess plus rear hauling capacity....nearly as big as shortbed Taco
Then, of course....reliability/warranty
4.0 Power
No unwanted bling
Price: $23K out the door

Mo pichurs:

Here's the Sticker

It's a real blast to drive. Norma likes it and says it would look better with dents, scratches and the mirrors knocked off. She likes it so much I haven't seen it in two days.

 

[Will]

She likes it so much I haven't seen it in two days.

Seems to be a better indication of how much she likes you.

I would start now but Santa Claus is using it and she won't let me until after Christmas.

I've got it marked where I want to chop it already. After the back is cut out and the interior gutted, build a cage into it to prevent...

death.

There is no steel in this. Here is a wall section:

All of the body panels are like this, all held together on the edges with aluminum angle screwed into the foam. It's extremely rigid, it's extremely well insulated, and it a wreck it's like an Indy car hitting the pad on the pit wall--a blizzard of foam. That's why I want to give it roll over protection plus a beam around the perimeter to glancing blows with semi's don't scatter soft warm things across the road. That's why i'm not using it right now.

Anyway, I'll frame up a back wall in maybe inch square tubing after the inside is caged and screw it in from the sides and back. Then skin the back wall with aluminum like a trailer is done, insulate and plywood the inside.

It's going to be reclining bus seats I think. I would like to figure out a bunk to rest drivers--maybe across the top of the back with a sleeper net. Something that folds down like a pipe berth on ship. A big screen above the driver's stage with a home entertainment set up. Nintendo too. The bathroom is just a potty, no shower. A simple kitchenette--microwave, coffee pot, small sink. A refer.

The flatbed is roughly 7.5' wide and 8' long. Stake pockets for use as a truck--we throw bikes and stuff in my truck around here all the time. Two underbody tool boxes, mount the generator underbody and also the auxillary fuel tank for the generator.

I have a pair of low mileage 6.2 diesels and an extra turbo kit. I have that Dana 60 still, and another TH400/NP205. This motorhome has a 10-lug 10,000# rear axle with disk brakes--it's from something else, so it will easily haul any load. Right now I'll keep the 413 in it and focus on chopping it and see if I can do a good enough job at that. The 413 makes good power--it's just a gas pig. I got about 7mpg at 60 bringing it back from a place on 69 north on Indy. It had no power and was pumping black smoke, and wouldn't start worth shit. So I started messing with it. Someone had put a Rochester on it's square-bore manifold with the wrong adapter, The secondaries would not open, and you know how tiny the Rochester primaries are. Fawker couldn't breath. I put the right carb on it, threw out the old distributor, coverted it to electronic ignition and it goes pretty damn good now.

So if this all works out, I'm going to get a shitty little car with better mileage and get rid of my pick-up. If it doesn't work out, I'll part this out. Between the generator, roof air, rear axle and rebuilt motor--plus the scrap steel, I'll get my money out of it either way. I think it will work out fine and it will be great for family trips and shared expense wheeling trips too.

 

[Natedog]

9emz, nice but always wondered how bad the rear view was and now I know. But what are those forward facing lights on the sideview mirrors?

 

[rickcdewitt]

let us know if it developes the unibody cracking that a hundred or so people have experienced after offroading their fj.i imagine you could brace it up but it would still worry me.i saw pictures of the cracks at the explorer forum,not sure exactly where it cracks underneath though.i like toyotas better but i also heard that the kia sedona beat the fj in 4x4 of the year competion(petersons 4 wheel and offroad) and gets over 20 mpg to boot.

 

[4x4RangerGuy]

It's unibody? I thought they had ladder frames. That alone would probably steer me away from getting one.

 

[rickcdewitt]

It's unibody? I thought they had ladder frames. That alone would probably steer me away from getting one.

i think you're right about the frame but the body still cracks.

 

[rickcdewitt]

here's the link-
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195206&highlight=toyota+cracking