Well, its on...

[upcruiser]

I think that your FJ80 is absolutely sweet!! Your rig actually has me thinking about picking up an FJ80 and possibly doing a H55F swap. Especially now that my wife won't let me drive the 100 any more... I know that buying an FJ(no Z) 80, goes against just about everything people will tell you on mud, but I'm ok with that

Thanks Chuck, I appreciate it. The H55F swap is something that I'd like to do down the road someday. I'm planning on keeping this truck for the long haul so it is in the longterm plan. I'm trying to retain as much stock componentry as possible along the way too. For doing something as radical as a tranny swap, its cool that I could keep it in the family with the H55F. As far as the FJ vs FZJ bashing on mud, these are the same people that say you can't get by without 37's and a 12,000 lb rated winch either. The 3FE is great on everything other then freeway driving. I have no problems with it but I could see it being frustrating if I was needing to drive freeway speeds frequently, especially in altitude and in the mountains. For two lane roads and crawling around offroad loaded down, it is the proverbial tractor motor.

Update for today, I got the limb wires installed. I'll post up some pictures tonight if I can borrow Dana's digi cam. They turned out pretty good I feel and I coated them in black rustoleum paint as well for added weather protection. We loaded up the canoe (and the cat) and went for a little paddle nearby, then took the back route home through some unimproved tracks with some thick brush in some sections that gave the limb wires a bit of testing.

Next up, rigging up a way to carry the bikes on the roof.

[adventureduo]

I'd like to see your limb risers.

I have them on my rig and have used them twice in SoCal. lol

[ChuckB]

Thanks Chuck, I appreciate it. The H55F swap is something that I'd like to do down the road someday. I'm planning on keeping this truck for the long haul so it is in the longterm plan. I'm trying to retain as much stock componentry as possible along the way too. For doing something as radical as a tranny swap, its cool that I could keep it in the family with the H55F. As far as the FJ vs FZJ bashing on mud, these are the same people that say you can't get by without 37's and a 12,000 lb rated winch either. The 3FE is great on everything other then freeway driving. I have no problems with it but I could see it being frustrating if I was needing to drive freeway speeds frequently, especially in altitude and in the mountains. For two lane roads and crawling around offroad loaded down, it is the proverbial tractor motor.

That's really cool, I didn't realize that you were thinking about doing the 5spd swap as well. Any thoughts on doing a toybox while you're in there?? I'm sure its pricey but it would be really cool with the manual to be able to crawl and not worry about the clutch too much. I don't have any practical experience but, from the little bit of wheeling that I have seen, it looks like having the super low gears with the manual tranny is the way to go in the more technical terrain. It's probably not quite essential for expo type driving though.
I agree about mud, there is a ton of information there, but the mob mentality is kind of in effect in the 80's section. Luckily, now I'm to the position were if I want to cruise the freeway at full speed, I'll just take the 100 and set the shocks to "super comfy" on the dial and make sure I don't spill the latte. I still browse the 60 section a lot, I like it in there much better even though I'm 60-less now.
If I do end up with an FJ80 its not going to be a DD, so freeway speeds will be what I want them to be, just cruisin. Plus from what I read it sounds like the H55F really wakes up the 3FE so it could only be a step up right?
Which reminds me... what tire size are running 33x? or 35's I can't tell from the few picts I have saved on my computer of your 80

[upcruiser]

Like I said, the tranny swap would be down the road a few years and haven't really given much more thought then, yeah, I want to do it. I heard that the 3FE wakes up a bit too from the swap as well. Not sure what else I would do along with it at the moment. One nice thing with the auto tranny is that I can really creep over stuff in 4lo.

I'm running 33x12.50 BFG Mud Terrain KM's on 15's.

I tried to snap some shots using my gf's cell phone and to say they came out crappy is an understatement. I was trying to show the limb riser wires I installed, but they are barely visible. I need to invest in a digi cam.... Anyway, here's some shots that the wires are barely visible in, including one from a little canoe outing from yesterday, yeah we brought the cat.

[Desertdude]

Your rig is so cool, it comes through even on a cell phone photo

[ChuckB]

Your rig is so cool, it comes through even on a cell phone photo

[dieselcruiserhead]

I have driven a FJ62 with a H55F conversion. Literally *night and day* difference in terms of power...

[ChuckB]

I have driven a FJ62 with a H55F conversion. Literally *night and day* difference in terms of power...

Stop teasing me Kristian is a lot farther along than me, I don't even have the rig yet. I am still in the dreaming stage...

[pskhaat]

I have driven a FJ62 with a H55F conversion. Literally *night and day* difference in terms of power...

That's the only way to describe it. I have an H42 behind my 3F-E and the 3F-E is truly awakened.

[kcowyo]

Your rig is so cool, it comes through even on a cell phone photo

I'm a big fan of the red/merlot/burgandy 80's. Yours especially.