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Jbell's "Dark Crusader" Build

32K views 121 replies 33 participants last post by  umami 
#1 · (Edited)
Not so sure why I didn't start this a long time ago, guess I am lazy. I got my Fj christmas '07. What a surprise, I had no idea that I was getting it. The kids got done opening presents, my wife handed me an issue of the Fj Cruiser magazine that Toyota puts out at the dealer. I thought cool, thanks?
Then handed me the keys!! I thought it was a sick joke....wrong. A couple seconds later my Father-in-law pulls up in it, an awesome looking black diamond with factory rock rails and brush guard. I couldn't believe it!! Here I am completely in shock.

It took a couple of months to find this place then I got the bug. Never really been off roading before, just some mud holes with some buds, thats it. I was hooked! First mod was a Magnaflow muffler and stainless steel tip, my stuff has to sound good.:bigthumb:

After that I started on the black out. Had to get her looking good.:rocker:
IMG]http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f272/JBell98/fj%20cruiser/img_0669.jpg[/IMG]

I wheeled it a bit stock, taking on my deer hunting woods and some pastures. Then came Buchanon's mudfest in Robertsville, MO.Buchanan's Mudfest What an adventure that was.:lol:
Didn't have a clue! I think I still am cleaning that nasty mud out from under her!! I slipped and slid everwhere. After this I just had to have a lift and bigger mud tires!

Well it didn't take long after and I was shopping for a lift and tires. I first went with Bilstein 5100 adjustables in the front and OME mediums in the rear. Now what tire to buy? Did as much research on here as possible and I kept coming back to Dragon's threads about the Firestone Destination Mt's. I got em and I love em!! They have a nice little hum to them and highway speeds but who cares they are a mud tire. They also are wearing very well I have a little over 30,000 on them and barely look used. Well they do have a bit of rock rash on them but nothing major.

I was really getting the itch to go wheeling. But I needed a few things first. Got myself a Cobra Cb and fabbed up a Bandi mount.

Of course I need a Hi-lift, just don't know where to put it, hmmmm. So I made this.

I bought the usual recovery gear, a 30,000 pound snatch strap, couple d-rings, shovel, hi-lift jack mate, axe on inside of rear door, cheap air compressor, blah,blah,blah.
Lets go wheelin!! I had heard that Toyota Trail Teams was going to be at "The Badlands" In Attica, Indiana. I thought that would be a great time and a great place to gain some knowledge.
I learned a ton about A-trac , how to left foot brake, climb big dunes and a bunch of other tips on off roading in general. Thanks Trail Teams:bigthumb: wish that program was still together.
More to come later.
 
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#39 ·
Here is a sneak preview of the shock mount skids I have been working on. Got one side all welded up tonight and ground down still need to smooth it out a bit. I will be using grade 8, 3/8 bolts not the grade 5, 5/16th's bolt in the pic. I figured I would explain that before I got that ?. Hopefully get finished pics up by the end of the week. I am really happy with this design. Most of the other skids only the bottom of the shock itself with no other support besides the tube that it bolts to. My theory is if you slam a rock hard enough that tube could easily bend plus ruining your shock in the process. I am hoping my design will take a blow much better by spreading the shock to the whole mount bracket not just the tube.
 
#48 ·
Why thank you:bigthumb:

I decided to take the doors off this weekend, lots of fun. I would feel much more comfortable with tube doors though getting t-boned with nothing there for protection makes me nervous. Took all of five minutes per door to get them off, a helper makes it easier. I checked the mirror laws in Illlinois and it says that all I need is at least 1 rearview mirror.
 
#50 ·
Yeah Corbin I agree with you about needing mirrors. It's tough to see out the sides. I bought some pins from a farm store but haven't replaced the hinge pins with them yet. I am not so sure I will even mess with it, I just unbolted them for now. I really can't wait to try it out on the trails.
 
#52 ·
I want to explore this option because it'd be so awesome to be able to do it with out needing help. It's a little difficult getting the doors back on even with help because of their size and lack of handles. I might look at some jeep hinges and see if I can do something similar.
 
#51 ·
looks good. :rocker:
 
#54 ·
Thanks!
I want to explore this option because it'd be so awesome to be able to do it with out needing help. It's a little difficult getting the doors back on even with help because of their size and lack of handles. I might look at some jeep hinges and see if I can do something similar.
Sweet, hope you can come up with something.
Freaking sweet! You never know if I'll come back with tube doors for you to model off of :)
Let me guess you already talked to Metaltech and they have a special set of Sun Fusion tube doors waiting for you at the summit? He He!:bigthumb:
 
#57 ·
Hey have you decided whether your going to switch out your rear coils or not? I've been looking for some used but wanted to make sure I asked you first since you were the first to tell me you might have them on the market soon.
 
#59 ·
I think he told me the Toyotec SuperFlex but I may be wrong. He might not even change them he just mentioned to me in another thread that he was thinking of changing them out.
 
#60 ·
Sorry I think I am going to keep what I have, for now anyway. Lately when I am really flexed out in the rear my coils are popping out of place. It's my fault since I took the sway bar out and I also have extended rear shocks so they pop out of place with all the extra flex I have. I emailed toytec to ask if there extended coils would stay put with my setup. Well I never received a response, wasn't real happy about that. I guess I may post that question in the suspension section and see what I come up with. I may end up with limit straps back there in the near future, that would cure the problem.
I am also experiencing a ton of squeaking coming from my front coilovers. I am pulling them apart after work tomorrow night to diagnose the problem but I am pretty sure that the top plate is worn out from the shock shaft rubbing it. I emailed Toytec to figure out a solution for this problem and am waiting for there response. I will take pics tomorrow and send them to Toytec in the hopes they can give me some advice, we shall see.
 
#62 ·
Let me know?

Well I pulled my front coils out this evening to find that my bushings are worn out and the shaft is wearing on the top plate creating a squeaking that sound like a wagon going down the road. I emailed Toytec about my problem and they brought to my attention that I didn't include the washer that holds the shock boot to the shaft. I had no idea that was necessary since i didn't use the boots? I will definitely include that when I install the new bushings. Thanks Dylan at Toytec, great customer service as usual. It wore the side of the top plate hole down some but I was expecting worse. I think I will just weld it up and call it good.:bigthumb: The shock is also worn down some I will add some weld there also and grind it back smooth.
 
#63 ·
Hey Jbell, I've been reading your thread here and wondering what solution you came up with for your rear coils. Did you go with straps or those Toytec extended coils? Also, what's that ORV park like Was...? Is it somewhat rocky or like Illinois, flat,muddy,and sad? :mecry:
 
#64 · (Edited)
I ordered the Toytec superflex coils last week and they should be arriving tommorrow:bigthumb: I am doing a swap with a forum member here on Saturday, he is taking my ome's. Also am going to replace the front shock bushings while I am at it.

Wash!ta is all rocks buddy!! Nothing like muddy Illinois:flame: We call it the "mini rubicon" :bigthumb: It has miles of rocky trails, everything from mild to the absolute extreme stuff that is for rock buggies only. The majority of the park is Fj friendly though just as long you are willing to scrape up your sliders and skids a bit. The trails are pretty wide as well just a few tight spots next to tree's.

Hawthorne Woods, that's up by Chicago right? That would be a pretty long haul to Farmington Mo, to bad you are so far away it's a fun place and by reading your list of mods you would love this place. Heading up that way Oct 16 for my sisters wedding. She is getting married at the Newberry Library downtown, well I guess it's downtown.
 
#65 ·
Small update here. I got my new toytec bushings on my front struts, squeaking gone. Installed my new toytec superflex rear coils this week and love them. No more rear coils falling out at full droop these things stay put even with my sway bar off. Now should I get limit straps for the rear? Hmmmm? Better safe than sorry I suppose.
 
#70 ·
Yeah that was pretty insane. I kind of wish I would have flexed mine out but I forgot. But today I took the FJ offroad for the first time. My friends and I were driving home from his lake house and we saw this trail head on the side of the road and we went through it. It was pretty tame, just looked like an old trail a farmer used to get to his corn field. But there was a big puddle we drove through three times and that was fun.
 
#72 ·
I like the blacked out 16" rims... Kool Flex too !... :bigthumb:
 
#78 ·
Yep I will fix it myself, luckily I am a bodyman so no worries. There were a few muddy spots but for the most part it was dusty dry. Mud is fun til clean up time.
Yeah Buddy!!! Such a fun day. Maybe next time I'll stay out of the mud and let someone else try.
You got it clean yet? I am cleaned up, interior was pretty muddy as well.
That looked like a great time...:cheers:
Oh yes a great time was had!! Cant wait to do it again!
 
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