TC's FJC

[TCao]

Here's a summary of all the current modifications on my 2007 Titanium Metallic FJ Cruiser with MT6 transmission.

FACTORY

Factory options: Upgrade Package 1, Convenience Package, TRD exhaust, factory sliders, tire cover, side curtain airbags, floormats

Order date: 7 Jan 2006

Build date: Feb 2006

Delivery date: 25 Mar 2006

BUILD PURPOSE

Overland expedition vehicle

ENGINE/DRIVETRAIN

Safari snorkel (installation)
AFE Pro Dry S air filter (drop-in)
Mobil1 synthetic engine oil
Redline synthetic oil for all differentials and manual transmission
Relocated rear differential breather

SUSPENSION/TIRES/WHEELS

Front:
2.5” DIA King coilovers with external reservoir
2.0" DIA King hydraulic bump stops
Total Chaos Upper Control Arms (installation)
Wheel Travel: 9.0" (details)

Rear:
2.5” DIA King shocks with external reservoir and custom CSS springs (1" lift)
2.0" DIA King hydraulic bump stops
ICON VD Lower Control Arms (details)
Wheel Travel: 13.25" (details)

King suspension

Wheels/Tires Combination 1
Tires: BF Goodrich All Terrain TA, 285/70R17
Wheels: factory FJC steel, 7.5 x 17 with 4.84" BS
Wheel/Tire weight = 102 lbs

Wheels/Tires Combination 2 (photos)
Tires: BF Goodrich Mud Terrain KM, 255/85R16 (details)
Wheels: factory FJC TRD alloy, 7.5 x 16 with ET15 (PN PT904-35070) with OMF beadlock conversion (details)
Wheel/Tire weight = 82 lbs

Body mount modification by DeMello

O&B anti swaybar collars (details)

ARMOR

DeMello tube bumper (details)
DeMello IFS skid plate
DeMello custom hybrid sliders (details)
DeMello reinforced LCA mounts
DeMello rear bumper with Acro back up lights

AUXILLIARY LIGHTS

PIAA Extreme White Plus H4 bulbs
Aeroflow headlight covers
Lightforce 240 XGT driving lights (2), bumper mounted
Hella Micro DE fog lights (2), bumper mounted
Hella FF75 driving lights (4), roof mounted
PIAA 1500 flood lights (2), roof mounted (facing aft)

RECOVERY GEAR

Warn M8000 winch
Albright sealed solenoid
95 ft Viking 5/16" synthetic winchline with safety thimble
D shackles (3)
Viking Delrin fairlead
ARB snatch block
ARB tree strap
ARB X Jack
SuperStrap 1" x 20' tow strap
ARB VKMA air compressor (On-Board Air system)
Tire repair kit
Gloves

COMMUNICATION/ELECTRONICS

Yaesu FT-7800R 2m/70cm amateur band transceiver
Yaesu YSK-7800 separation kit
Yaesu VX-6R 2m/70cm amateur band hand transceiver
Midland 75-822 citizen band transceiver (details)
Firestick II antenna, 2-ft no ground plane mount kit
bandi mount
Comet SBB-1 2m/70cm antenna
Kenwood DNX-7100 stereo/GPS
Infinity Reference 6022si door speakers
PAC Audio steering wheel control adaptor
Apple Ipod Classic, 30GB
Optima D34 auxilliary battery
Hellroaring BIC-95150B battery isolator/combiner

MISCELLANEOUS MODIFICATIONS/EQUIPMENT

Passenger armrest
flameball.com 8 ball shift knob
Scangauge II
Staun deflators
Blue Sea fuse box (2) with 80A Maxi fuses
Hella 4-gang relay box (installation)
Gobi custom shorti rack with antenna mount (details)
Scepter 20-liter fuel canister
Scepter 20-liter water canister
Spares (CV assembly, CV boot kit, serpentine belt, radiator hoses, oil filter, cabin air filter)
First Aid bag
Bug-out bag
Tool kit
Glock folding shovel with saw
Gerber axe
PIAA Super Graphite windshield wiper blades
Sunsei SE-400 solar charger, 400mA @ 15V
ARB MT 45 fridge/freezer
ARB fridge insulated transit cover
Engel Slide (all steel)
12V Power Outlet for ARB fridge (Marinco)
12V Power Outlet for CB (Marinco)
Custom storage box/sleeping platform (details)
Camburg stainless steel battery box (for Optima D34)
Custom auxiliary battery box mount, 6061-T6 aluminum
Unique Metal Products engine oil box (4 quarts)
Load Tamer cargo net
Thule 7022 Go Box
Ratchet tie-down straps
Adjustable bungee cords
Amerex B500T fire extinguisher
Amerex 807 heavy duty fire extinguisher bracket
Emergency hammer/seatbelt cutter
Dynamat Xtreme

PHOTO GALLERY

Anza-Borrego camping trip, Apr 2006 (one week old and no mods yet)



Fabfours bumper installed, Jul 2006 (this bumper has been replaced by the DO tube bumper after it was damaged in an accident in Homer, AK)



Borregofest I, Anza-Borrego desert state park, Oct 2006



Coyote Canyon, Anza-Borrego desert state park, Jan 2007 (photos courtesy of qua77ro)





Steelbender, Moab springfling, Moab UT, Apr 2007 (photo courtesy of stagecoachco)



Alpine loop, First Annual FJ Cruiser Summit, Ouray CO, Jul 2007



Crossing the Artic Circle, Dempster highway, YT Canada, Jul 2007



Dalton highway with Trans Alaska pipeline in background, Alaska, Aug 2007



Goin' swimmin', Kokopelli Trail Expedition, Nov 2007 (photo courtesy of James, EC FJCTT)



Auxiliary battery, TRD CAI, and Warn winch control (the TRD CAI has been removed and replaced by the OEM air box when the snorkel was installed)
aux battery installation details



Kenwood DNX-7100 in GPS setting mode



OMF beadlocks on TRD wheels



Maiden Voyage

2007 Kokopelli Trail Expedition

[rich_4]

looking great.

any comments on the total chaos UCA's?

[TCao]

rich_4 previously said:

looking great.

any comments on the total chaos UCA's?

The TC UCAs are a huge improvement over the factory units. Over 13,000 miles of use so far and no squeaks or issues.

[Fjamming]

Nice write up Thong. Looks like it has improved even more since Springfest. Could you elaborate on how the TC UCA has improved over the factory unit?

[jeshua]

Looking good T.

I love that dirty FJ picture of yours one of my favorite FJ pictures.


What came to pass at the body shop?

[LandCruiserSteve]

I had the privilege and honor of seeing your great rig and its respective mods in Ouray, and I'm still in awe of your creation.

Great job, Thong!!

[TrAiLbUs1]

Looking good Thong...good write up

[Dragon]

Great write up.
Great photos.
Great truck.

You're an asset to this community! Thanks for taking the time to share your ride with us.

[TCao]

Fjamming previously said:

Nice write up Thong. Looks like it has improved even more since Springfest. Could you elaborate on how the TC UCA has improved over the factory unit?

Tony:

My primary reasons for upgrading to the Total Chaos UCAs are improved steering response and durability. The King coilovers are adjusted for a 2-inch net lift with the Fabfours bumper and winch (net gain of 123 lbs on the front axle compared to OEM plastic bumper) so I did not need after market UCAs for correcting caster. I have the King coilovers with the OEM UCAs for almost 7,000 miles and did not observe any unusual tire wear or steering wandering.

The OEM UCAs are steel stampings with an open cross section (the bottom seams are not welded together); the TC UCAs are weldments with a tubular cross section which are structurally stiffer and can handle much higher bending and torsion loads. In addition, the Teflon-lined spherical bearings (uniballs) in the TC UCAs are larger than the OEM ball joints and can handle larger loads and also have more angular travel providing slightly more articulation (less binding). And lastly, the urethane bushings provided with the TC kit are stiffer than the OEM rubber bushings; these stiffer bushings help maintain the front geometry for more precise steering response. IMO, the TC UCAs are more durable since they have higher structural rigidity (chromoly tubing and larger cross-sectional moment of inertia) and better finishes to resist corrosion (stainless steel or zinc-plated hardware and powder coating with clear coat).

One of the small side benefits with the TC UCAs is easier trail repairs. With the OEM ball joints, you'd need a ball joint separator or fork if you need to disassemble the UCA from the spindle. With the TC UCAs the 9/16" spindle bolt can be removed with standard sockets (and a big wrench since the nut is torqued down to 100 ft-lbs).

The downside to after market UCAs such as the Total Chaos is more maintenance. The bushings require regular application of synthetic grease and the uniballs need a few squirts of Tri-Flow now and again.

Thong

edit: added photo of OEM UCA for comparison.

[TCao]

jeshua previously said:

Looking good T.

I love that dirty FJ picture of yours one of my favorite FJ pictures.


What came to pass at the body shop?

Thanks Josh. I dropped off my FJ last week and the initial repair estimate is 3 weeks. My insurance company (AAA) allows me to use another after market front bumper of equivalent quality (i.e. cost). So, I ordered a custom tube bumper from Jason DeMello the same day I dropped off the truck; this tube bumper should be about half the weight of the Fabfours. I also ordered two Lightforce 240 GTX driving lights to replace the current IPF 960. Hopefully, I'll be ready for Borregofest II.