I have been keeping an eye on this post and have had the issues for a while. It has been getting worse. I have bowing and a crack starting on the drivers side.
I have more severe bowing on the passenger side so bad that the outer fender is impinging on the operation of the passenger door. Theres a loud "pop" when the front of the door pops free of the fender. I have been to the dealership so many times, everyone there knows me by first name. When I call, the receptionist knows my number and says "Hi Erik!" when she answers.
Has anyone else had the door impingement problem?
I Have had several other probs (nuts shearing off in the frame, gears shearing, cv shaft breaking.)
I have a 6 inch pro comp lift, 35x12.5x18 tires, ARB front, rear, and rocksliders. I have arb lockers in the front axle. I also have the IPF lights and a 8K warn in the front bumper.
They have been giving me grief about the mods. Yesterday, I got tired of hearing what would be covered and what would not be because of the mods, so I asked for a list. Well see about that. Depending what they say about that may force me to get rid of my baby.
Can somone PLEASE get that part number of the braced fender, I think they are going to want to fix my truck asap because of how bad it has gotten. If I can get the part number, I might be able to get them to put it in.
Thanks!
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It is better for people to think one an idiot than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt.
Last edited by lifted alaskan fj : 07-23-2008 at 08:17 PM.
After looking more closely the bumper is in place and tight all bollt are ok but the rubber bushing on the front end, the ones close to the bumper are sagging a bit to compressed so the body was rubbing.
I installed a tefflon shim this week-end to raise the boby and the cracks closed themself. I am waiting on anwsers on energy suspension to see if they make a better bushing. The oem are realy soft, you can compresse them by hand.
Please check those bushing. The truck as 62000 km on it.
For now the problem is solved but I still have 2 nice cracks.
Cant wait to see what toyota canada says.
Disclaimer: Before I ask the question, I would not be surprised if this has been covered already in a different forum (I sure can't find it if it has). I did view the first 50 pages of this post but have not read all 262 pages as of yet. Feel free to point me in the right direction if it has. That being said........
I looked underneath my FJ near the front bumper at the bushings that support the inner fender wells to the frame. Mine weren't compressed or loose but it would make sense if these were not supporting the weight of the inner fender that it could result in sagging and eventual bulging/cracking (at least from what I can see). I am sure Toyota has looked at this, as they look for their eventual answer. I am wondering if any stronger (teflon/poly/stiffer rubber) aftermarket bushings are out there or if this would make the problem worse and softer bushings may actually help (I don't know)) I am also wondering if any aftermarket company has researched this at all. If they figured out that replacing something as simple as bushings would prevent this, I guarantee they would pull in a Franklin Mint when every concerned FJC owner purchased the fix to this potential problem. There has to be a way to prevent this as it seems fairly uniquie to this and the LC Prado platform. Anyone heard of anything like this?
Last edited by fjdave5341 : 07-23-2008 at 11:52 PM.
While my rig was in the shop ( for 6 weeks), the body shop guys were positive that even a hockey puck would resolve the problem. The soft bushings give an exact replica of the flex the fenders receive at the point where the original brace ends causing the warped bulge. Maybe Larry's theory to do with MATERIAL is somewhat on track. The weaker material will simply crack after being stressed so often while a material made in the same plant by a different crew a few months later is bonding better therefore bulging instead of completely failing. But, still the soft bushing is the catalyst.
Just a thought.
BTW my new fender is still straight as an arrow.
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07 VooDoo C Package
Expedition One front bumper w/ 12000 LB Titan winch
2.5" Fox Racing coilovers w/ AllPro UCA's and HD links
2.0" Fox Racing rear shocks w/ AllPro Springs
295 70 17 Nitto Terra Grapplers on Stock Alloys
1.25" aluminum wheel spacers
AllPro shock and trailing arm skids
AllPro rockblocker
TRD exhaust w K&N drop-in
Cobra CB w/ 4' K40 on BandiMount
PIAA 510 Ion foglights
JL Audio speakers
ScanGaugeII
body mount chop
While my rig was in the shop ( for 6 weeks), the body shop guys were positive that even a hockey puck would resolve the problem. The soft bushings give an exact replica of the flex the fenders receive at the point where the original brace ends causing the warped bulge. Maybe Larry's theory to do with MATERIAL is somewhat on track. The weaker material will simply crack after being stressed so often while a material made in the same plant by a different crew a few months later is bonding better therefore bulging instead of completely failing. But, still the soft bushing is the catalyst.
Just a thought.
BTW my new fender is still straight as an arrow.
I have felt that this is has been the problem all the time, but with out proof, it has been hard for me to convince myself to make any change. The first time I stuck a finger in one of the rubber bushings, I had a feeling that Toyota used way to soft of a rubber, and that it might bite me down the road.
So, if I were making parts for the FJ (vendors feel free to jump in), I would make a body "lift" that only lifts the truck an inch or less. My real idea is just to be able to get rid of the soft rubber, for something that is about three times as firm.
The only problem I could see is that it might end up putting a bit more stress in some of the body welds. But, at the same time, it would be much easier to spot weld a few spots, rather than having to replace full body pannels...
And I do feel that this is a safety concern. I have a gut feeling, that if the NTSB found out this was happening to so many trucks, the FJ might just lose its 5 star crash rating.
Again, if Energy Suspension (or just about anyone) comes up with a kit, I will jump on it in a heart beat.
Hey, did you hear the news? Ford now has a quality rating as high as Toyota... I wonder when Ford trucks will start cracking in half.
To be fair, I have never heard of a Toyota bursting into flames due to a known bad cruse control...
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Need more money, for new truck!
I'm sure what ever company makes something like this would have every FJC owner standing in line to purchase new bushings. Hopefully the suspension guys that were mentioned above come up with something. I wonder if hard rubber or polyurethane would make it to stiff causing more problems.......bushings being to soft up front causing this does make sense tho.
Talked to energie yesterday they are in the R&D of making new suspension bushing for the fj. They were not doing any for the body mounts but after talking to Matt from energie suspension he told me that he would foward my request to the egenering team and see what they can do. Told me to call back in two months.
I think the more we are asking the better our chance of getting it done.
My problem might not be the same source for everyone, I'm just saying guys I found my cause it might not be the same for all.
Hi, I posted about bushings waaaaayyyyy back on page four of this thread. I never got a chance to try changing mine, my bulge issue isn't very serious, but I thought these might help:
Anybody have a part number on the inner fenderwells? I will be bringing mine in soon, the pass door is getting hard to open and must be fixed soon. I would prefer to get it done with the proper fix.
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It is better for people to think one an idiot than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt.
WOW! I cant believe this is seriously happening...o wait of course it is its a tin can called Toyota
Whats your problem dude ? your last 10 posts have been prety much rude and uncalled for and seems many are getting deleted as I even tried to quote them. I see you havent been here since November of 07' now you sold your FJ, and today you come back here to say all this, what the hell ?
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