It's getting about time to make a change. My FJ62 is beginning to become a bore to dirve around, and it's getting less and less fun to take wheelin'. I've been running an OME suspension and 33's for a while now, open diffs, not many mods. I'm trying to decide wether to go big and do a SOA 36's 4.88s ARBs and such, or just sell the damn thing and get a SWB vehicle. I need a descent daily driver, and it would be tough to get a worse one than my 12mpg FJ62, but I also want to be able to wheel it hard. Anybody got any ideas?:zzz:

It depends on what you call "wheel it HARD", but I don't think the 60 series makes the best hardcore vehicle. Yeah, I'm going to get flamed, but I don't care, this is my *personal* opinion. You can modify them and spend some serious $$ on them, but in the end, you would have done MUCH better if you left the FJ62 as it is and bought a minitruck or FJ40 to get medieval on.

Anythings possible with a little $ and some ingenuity! Look at what they do with heeps!;) This is a Cruzah, I've seen some pretty hardcore 60 series LC's that were more than capable of "hardcore wheelin".......:skull:

Yes, but at what cost? He talks about needing to keep it a daily driver...

I own a FJ60 which used to be my daily driver... I have plans for it to become a "Trekking" vehicle, which it will kick a$$ at. Its big enough, holds enough gas and equipment for a long journey and will be in its element with 33s and 3" lift.

I won't cost you much to make a 60 series a *good* off-road/on-road combo vehicle. You get things like A/C (not really an issue where you live), sealed cabin from the elements, and fairly good amenities for that daily grind to and from work.

Just be certain (and its been mentioned here), that unless you either have unlimited funds or fab suspensions as a hobby, the wagon won't be a cost-effective *hardcore* off-road vehicle. You need at a minimum 38s to keep up with the crowd these days, and on a 60, that means going SO with FULL-WIDTH D60s or comparable full-size axles to maintain stability. Also you are gonna have to put in a roll-cage for safety as the wagon integrity will be pushed to its limits on the kind of rocks you see in *hard-core* wheeling.

That being said: What is your idea of hard-core wheeling? Everyone has a different idea. I think that if you want a mostly on-road, part-time off-road vehicle, a 60 is a great truck. Trust me, I have one and I love it.

However, if you are intending for mostly off-road use: Get a 40 and a tow-vehicle. You'll have a better daily-driver, and a far cheaper platform to build an awesome off-road rig.

I'm still not sure what I want to do guys. I understand that the FJ62 is good for a on road/off road combination, which is what i'm looking for, but i'm just looking for somthing that's a little easier/cheaper to modify. I'm looking to buy a rig that I can basically build to the hilt, and keep forever. I just think that this wagon is not what I want to do that with. Some of the mods I want, but can't exactly get with the wagon is a low geared transfer case (4:1), more power (3F isn't doing it for me), and I'm really looking into a SWB b/c many of the trails I run in the mountains are too tight for a wagon (2 grand worth of body damage). You see what i'm getting at.

I have a FJ62 as a DD, modified to 350, 700r4, and like it much better. They are an awesome vehicle when they have adequate power.

however,

I have no interest in ever doing any serious technical rock crawling or trail riding in it, IMHO, it is too damn big.
....you would lose every window:smokin:

Kman

I do like the sawzall wagons that are showing up at trailrides though....it is kind of like a big 4runner without the rear top.

its true:( the FJ60/62 are just too long for hardcore wheeling *ducking*

but for a combination vehicle: daily driver,hunting, camping, transporting, its hard to beat. You CAN run the majority of trails if your tall enough to avoid high centering and dont care to smash the sheetmetal but a FJ40 or any short wheel base vehicle can just go more places offroad.

I too like those hard-core 60 series showing up on extreme trails, especially the topless ones or quasi-topless ones. But let's face it, by getting into these modifications you're sacrificing some of the good points of the 60 series (more cargo, more comfort), and you cannot completely eliminate the vehicle's bulk unless you go full-tube, at which point, it ceases to be a 60 series.

There is no argument that a 60 series makes an AMAZING overall-wheeler, expedition rig, daily-driver-than-can-kick-ass truck, but that's not what he was talking about, he mentioned doing hard-core wheeling with a rig, and that's where my comments came from.

In the PNW for hardcore trails you almost NEVER see anything longer than a bobbed 4Runner. If you do, it is either beat, not hardcore or its the 2nd run, and it will be bobbed real soon.

If you want to build a true hardcore ride, it won't be much of a daily driver. Very few of the 'hardcore' wheelers up here drive to the trails. As a result few if any rigs are daily drivers. Mine is OK for around town, but when I drive to a run that is more than an hour away, it is not a comfortable experience (too loud!).

Just my experience in the PNW - flame away....

I run my FJ40 as a daily driver and hard core wheeling.
It does great on or off road. If you put the right combination together on an FJ40, There actualy pretty comfy. There's alot more room in a 40 then most people might think.


This is what it takes to make a comfy FJ40, soa r/s, tpi or tbi 350, th400, D60,d44,arb's, 6" wider, 100" wheel base, pwr str. Its realy not that hard to make a 40 happy in both worlds. I find it alot harder to make the 60's happy in technical trail riding. You also have to take in acount that with a 60' you're trails will be limited, then comes the breaking factor with a heavier rig you're bound to break sh!t alot more often. If you're looking to spend some money on building a stout & capable rig that will adapt to any type of enviroment. Then I think you should go with a FJ40. You could pick up a good project starter for really cheap. there's one in Arizona with Toy/ chevy drive train for $900.

I don't think the issue with a 60 or even 80 series is if they can wheel hard or not, the real issue is what happens when you roll one or shave off one side on a tree/rock etc? Cha-Ching! You'd either need to write if off and not care or you'd need to have some deep pockets (like many late model wagon owners have). In a forty with the hard top off, just roll it back over and slather on some MORE bondo. I've not seen too many trucks that hit the hard tails with out scars to prove it. The guy that I sold my 60 to smashed it all up in one day at tellico.

A 60 series is HUGE inside compared to a 40. I really miss the room that I had in my 60 and would gladly trade the hardcore aspect of my 40 for some more room for dogs and gear. I don't have any issues with a 40 being driveable as mine is pretty mildy built with 33's, but even then a 60 is like a Caddilac by comparison having owned both.

If you were here in DC, I'd trade your 62 for my 40. I need way more room or I need to buy another vehicle to make up for it. I tried a mil trailer, but it is way too much of a pain and really not big enough. I hauled all of the drywall home for my home renovation project in my 60. OME Heavy can really carry some cargo. Just a few sacks of grout and thinset and a few tool boxes any my 40 is draggin ass. I really don't think that I could pull off a camping trip in my 40 where I brought my dog.

Think twice man, a 62 is a damn usefull truck to have. Maybe you should do what Arnett said and build a forty for the hard core stuff unless you don't need the room...on the other hand check out a pic of Henry's truck or James Asti's 60. I don't think that you'd be bored or feel either is not hard core enough.

-Stumbaugh