Talk with most experienced off-road enthusiasts and they will recommend that you air down your tires while off road. Airing down increased the contact patch of the tire and allows it to better conform to the contact surface. People will recommend anywhere from 8 to 10 psi to 20 psi. When you go real low…
Expedition Trailer
M416 Military Trailer Off-road Build
by tomas •
With a family of 3 and 2 dogs I decided that I needed a better way to haul gear than over loading the roof rack. After some investigation I discovered that people were modifying old military M416 trailers for off-road use. This looked like a good option for me. Trailers that a specifically built for…
Electrical
Auxiliary Battery selection
by tomas •
In consideration of your auxiliary power needs you may choose to install an auxiliary battery system. Selection on the battery for this system is critical to the performance and reliability. I chose to use an Odyssey battery to power my system. For me I needed a battery that met the following criteria: True Deep Cycle…
Electronics
Carling Switches
by tomas •
When adding multiple electrical components to the FJ Cruiser you will rapidly run out of switch locations. I spent sometime searching for the best switch technology for my additional applications. I settled on Carling Technology switches. Carling offers a switch calls the Contura (J-Series) Rocker switch. The switch in environmentally sealed and rated for a…
Expedition Trailer
M416 Tail Gate Modification
by tomas •
The M416 military trailer does not have a tail gate. For my use, as both an expedition and utility trailer, a tail gate was a necessity. I wanted the tail gate to look as original as possible and also be durable enough to hold up to off road abuse. I started out by cutting the…
Trail Armor
All Pro Bumper Mods – Re-Install Day 1
by tomas •
I got my All Pro Bumper back from the powder coater today. The bumper finish looks OK. I learned that the sandblasting will not take out grinder marks so the bumper finish now has a little personality. I now have the bracket for the winch solenoid welded in: I also welded the backing plates for…
Trail Armor
Hood Latch Brace
by tomas •
With aftermarket front bumpers and specifically the All Pro Off Road front bumper some people have been having problems with the replacement hood latch brace breaking the latch. The replacement brace that comes with the All Pro bumper attaches from the latch to the bumper. This ties the latch to the frame with a ridged…
Service & Warranty
FJ Still in the Shop
by tomas •
Well, my FJ Cruiser is still in the shop. This is the start of week two. It was hauled by tow truck up the body shop this morning. The body shop is expecting to have the FJ for more than a week to complete the replacement of the fender aprons. I will be checking with…