Our New FJ62

[rain76king]

It's never ending!
Thats the cost for safety and reliability though.
Congrats on your find, it will be a worthwhile investment I'm sure.

 

[BCcamp]

Thanks again for all the kind words. welltech, you are in good hands at TLC.

Thought a quick update of the last year and a half with Lucy might be of interest. In that time we have put 15,000 miles on her, exploring all sorts of backroads in our area. The Sierra foothills are laced with old mining and lumbering roads, so the truck gets regular workouts finding new and wonderful places to camp, hike, bike, and trail run. We continue to be impressed with the truck’s off road capability, and she has also turned out to be a very comfortable highway cruiser.

The first year was focused on getting all the systems up to spec. I replaced a number of things that were hinting at future problems including the water pump and fan clutch, some old water hoses, oil pressure sending unit, and back pressure transducer. I have also been replacing some of the cracked and worn exterior and interior trim and panels. The front seat belts and shoulder harnesses were worn and stiff, so they were replaced, and the rears are on the list for next year.

The biggest project was the auto trans. We knew the trans would need attention at some point, so it’s failure wasn’t a surprise. It started to slip in reverse, so rather than try to get the last few miles out of it, we had it rebuilt by TLC, along with the transfer case, drive shafts and u-joints. The rebuilt A440 really improved the truck’s performance; freeway merges are now a nonevent, and Lucy can climb the grades around here much more easily and quickly. With the exception of the engine, we now have a totally rebuilt drivetrain.

There have been two upgrades to the truck. Based on esh’s recommendation, I got in touch with Luke Porter at 4x4 Labs (just a few miles away!), and he fabricated a set of sliders for Lucy that work great. The other upgrade was the battery cable/terminal kit from Urban Land Cruisers. The new cables in this kit are huge compared to the skinny little ones that came out of the truck. Now the starter cranks faster, the windows go up and down faster, and I swear the truck runs better. Replaced the old battery with a yellow top Optima.

Its been a great 18 months with Lucy and she is now an integral part of the family. But, as someone on this forum pointed out, ownership of these 60 series trucks require dedication and committment, and because we are in for the long run, that’s OK. Fortunately, this forum and I8HMUD are great sources of information and support.

 

[welltech]

Thanks for the information. I am going to look into the battery terminal kit. I also need to upgrade my headlights. I have about 1000 miles on my truck since I got it back from TLC. It runs great! I have a bunch of little projects, mainly trim and interior stuff I am doing myself. I have two big projects in the near future, oil pan gasket and valve adjustment I will be doing my self. However I have to get the drive side seat fix asap.

 

[1911]

Nice Cruiser! Congratulations.

 

[BCcamp]

You are all too kind. Lucy loves the attention.

Here's an example of how our FJ62 spends much of her time in our area of California. Recently we drove a 50 mile off pavement loop from Colfax to Iowa Hill along the north fork of the American River. This is a route on old mining wagon roads that is easy stuff, but a bit rough and narrow in places. Stopped a number of times to hike along the river and watch the rafters and kayakers coming down the Class 4+ sections upstream of the bridge at Shirttail Canyon.

This winter we have had tons of snow within 30 mins of us, so Lucy has been our safe and comfortable transport to all the places we've been snowshoeing. Maybe it is my imagination, but she seems very well balanced in the snow, on highway and off. Doesn't seem to phase her at all.

As others have said, these 60 series cruisers need regular attention to run well. For us, there were the expected frequent oil changes, the need for a good tune-up and valve adjustment at least once a year, and the frequent greasing of suspension, steering, and driveline bits. The only area that took some time to get right were the rear brakes. Adjusting the brakes isn't hard, but it took me a few times to finally get them right. The effort resulted in a substantial improvement in braking. So now I check them with each oil change.

Along the North Fork of the American River

 

[welltech]

Do you do your own valve adjustments?

 

[AmericaOverland]

These are awesome trucks; I like their classic looks. I like the older series. In another opportunity, I would probably get a 62 series if the right one was found.

 

[BCcamp]

welltech, yes I've done the valves, with the exception of the last time. It's a messy job, and best done with the engine hot, but relatively straightforward. Because I had to get the truck smogged in Dec, I took it to a Grass Valley shop recommended to me, and they did the last complete tune-up, valve adjustment, and smog check. Lucy passed with flying colors (a fraction of the allowable limits)! :wings: Not a trivial accomplishment in California with a 21-year old truck.

I have the factory repair manual and follow Schedule A. Figure the shorter maintenance intervals can't hurt, especially because the truck spends a a fair amount of time off pavement climbing up and down the hills in our area. And we love to pamper her.