Setting up an FJ40 for Desert Rally Racing...

[Indus 4x4]

Hi All,
I am a newbie on the forum from Islamabad, Pakistan. I am in the process of finishing an FJ40 with a 1UZ V8, H150F trans, and FJ70 axles. I am aiming to participate in a desert rally in the South of the Country next month, namely the Jhal Magsi Challenge (see promo video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KR_beDe8TU). The FJ is running on stock suspension with Bilstein shocks at the moment (see build thread on IH8mud http://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-te ... eeded.html). I would appreciate any advice I can get to make the set-up more race friendly. I am primarily aiming to finish but would like to remain competitive as far as reasonably possibly given limitations.

Currently I am thinking of flipping both front and rear leafs to start with in order to gain 3-4 inches on the wheelbase. Stock leafs at the moment with one added leaf, currently need some adjustments, but not sure I want the car to sit high or low for desert racing as I have heard that a 50/50 uptravel/downtravel is ideal. Currently contemplating 31x10.5x15 tires that I have on but may think of 33x10.5x15 or something close. Ideally I would have liked to have run 35x12.5x15 MTs that I have at hand, but figure it would perhaps be too much works to keep it stable (not really sure on this one).

Would really appreciate your views and advice. Thanks in advance for the interest and taking the time to put down your thoughts.

[chpd80]

Hi there, I'm new here too. Is that the 1uz lexus motor? looks very nice.
On suspension I think there were some leaf sprung 40's years back in outback challenges that did ok. Not sure on their setup though.
Good luck

[De-lux]

ok admittedly I know nothing about 1UZ's, but why is there 10 spark leads?

[v840]

I've watched this build on Pirate. Welcome to Outers. Slick 40

ok admittedly I know nothing about 1UZ's, but why is there 10 spark leads?

At a guess i'd say that each coil pack has a wire running back to the ecu

[a1 mech]

If its goin to be high speed across rough terrain you will want a decent amount of suspension travel, 50/50 sounds good as u want to be able to absorb obstacles as well as ride over them without the tyres leaving the ground to often. Look at american prerunners and dakar style rigs for example

Your shocks will get a work out, units with a big bore and or large oil capacity will be good, remote res fox's or similar would be perfect. The leafs if set up to firm will be a rough ride and probably shake you to death and cause breakages. Id have reasonably soft packs with some decent soft bump stops, fox air bumps would be great if you can budget for them.

As far as tyres go, depends on what diff ratios you currently run. Id have to say to keep your acceleration good yet still have a decent sized tyre for sand a 33" would be perfect.

Ideally coils or an independant setup would be better then the leafs but im sure u will have a blast, Id love to get into this sort of thing one day also.

[drr]

De-lux wrote:
ok admittedly I know nothing about 1UZ's, but why is there 10 spark leads?

At a guess i'd say that each coil pack has a wire running back to the ecu

2 distributers, one on the front of each head. two of the wires are the "feed" from the coils and the other eight go to the spark plugs. Sh!t ignition setup.

[Dannyboy]

De-lux wrote:
ok admittedly I know nothing about 1UZ's, but why is there 10 spark leads?

At a guess i'd say that each coil pack has a wire running back to the ecu

2 distributers, one on the front of each head. two of the wires are the "feed" from the coils and the other eight go to the spark plugs. Sh!t ignition setup.

I always thought the 1UZ ran coil packs or coil on plug?

[shorty_f0rty]

if you are racing the first thing i would do is upgrade the steering to 60series power steer..

second thing that might be worth looking at is a shackle reversal on the front as I've read its good for high speed control..

are your brakes up to the task of the extra horse power?

do your 35s rub at full stuff and are your bumpstops up to the task? Will you need to space out the bump stops to stop munching panels?

thought about 60 diffs to give some more width?

[DIRTY ROCK STAR]

sweeet.

reversing the springs should also make it ride alot nicer as well as adding wheelbase.

i'd be looking to soften the ride a little as lifted leaf springs are very rough in my opinion.
ive heard lanolin or these little pads can be inserted between leaves to make the system a little more smooth??

if you get some pics from the race can you put some up.

[RED60]

With all due respect to someone having a go... I think you're behind the eight ball from the start... short wheelbase.... leaf suspension.... and some horsepower, so I suspect some reasonable speeds... it's got end for end written all over it, sorry

[Z()LTAN]

With all due respect to someone having a go... I think you're behind the eight ball from the start... short wheelbase.... leaf suspension.... and some horsepower, so I suspect some reasonable speeds... it's got end for end written all over it, sorry

waa waa waaa



Give it a go Indus, put a nice strong/light cage in it and just give it a shot.

U know back in the day people used to do the same races with pretty basic vehicles. Thats all there was, if someone wants to bring it back to the old school dont discourage them.

Not everyone has eleventybillion dollars to spend on all the wankfactor.

[stitch_all4x4]

Good luck with the build mate welcome too outer's..take a look at walker evans original race truck

[mick80]

With all due respect to someone having a go... I think you're behind the eight ball from the start... short wheelbase.... leaf suspension.... and some horsepower, so I suspect some reasonable speeds... it's got end for end written all over it, sorry

waa waa waaa



Give it a go Indus, put a nice strong/light cage in it and just give it a shot.

U know back in the day people used to do the same races with pretty basic vehicles. Thats all there was, if someone wants to bring it back to the old school dont discourage them.
x2 go indus
cheers mick


Not everyone has eleventybillion dollars to spend on all the wankfactor.

[Indus 4x4]

Thanks guys. Those are some wonderful responses. Apologies for not having replied earlier as I got caught up with some things and was traveling. Just some basic updates and more color from my end...

- The plans for the upcoming rally have been put off owing to a number of things, primarily lots of work still to be done and car still largely untested. Still definitely looking to participate in another desert rally in Jan 2011 and a short mud-rally in April 2010.

- This project, originally conceived by a friend, was inspired by the resurgence of the classic FJ40 model and its potential adaption to a race format with some modern updates. I came into this project at a later stage, and my prime inspiration was the TLC Icon's Baja Edition.

- Now while understanding the limitations here, the essential vehicles that this ("Concordia" model as we choose to call it) will be competing against will be the Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution sand the Toyota Hilux VIGO D4Ds, both of which have an enviable record of desert racing particularly in Pakistan.... yes, I know I gotta try and cut down my sentences

- Now surely very few people can take on the EVO or the VIGO in a desert challenge with a US$150k+ TLC Icon Baja Edition. We however down here have access to some of the best jeep and FJ40 builders in the region perhaps (given the sheer number of conversions down out here in the past 30 years)..... so it made some budget-inspirational sense to attempt this project, which is what we have done.

- The specs we selected were basically tried and tested later model LC parts with the addition of the 1UZ engine to add some racing kick (not to mention our inability to afford a 2UZ ). The suspension is the best we would reliably afford, option to add links and coil-overs remains on the cards subject to budget.

- As for the results!!!! We, as in our team and myself, an avid 4x4 enthusiast since the past 25 years, are fully satisfied and truly re-inspired with what we have achieved so far.... test drives by staunch critics and cynics have produced un-supressable smiles of appreciation

- Suspension and safety being two of the most critical next steps and perhaps the trickiest given budgets and limited expertise! Nevertheless, at this stage, I don't see why properly set-up leafs on a 96ish wheelbase, running 35x12.5x15s (with the right gearing) and some jazzy shocks & bump-stops would not be some entertainomg fun along with some intimidating competition.

Hope all that makes some sense! Thanks for all the feedback, will be giving updates on how we proceed. BTW do check out a 2UZ FJ40 version we are doing for another friend http://www.pakwheels.com/forums/4x4-clu ... ild-thread