DARCHE AWNINGS
WARN XP9500 WINCH WITH
SYNTHETIC ROPEARB TOURING ROOF RACK2011 TOYOTA FJ CRUISERFJ CRUISER
W
HEN Sav Giannoukas purchased this 2011 Toyota FJ
Cruiser in 2015, it took all but a few short months
before the spanners came out and the mods began.
The previous owner had already given it a two-inch
lift and installed an ARB bullbar, a Long Ranger fuel
tank and an ARB roof rack, but Sav had grander plans than
those simple modifications – he wanted to convert the FJ into a
hardcore off-roader that doubled-up for family touring duties.
Sav also loved the look of the FJ, so his intentions were clear:
he didn’t want any modifications to rob the vehicle of its retro
aesthetics. Job well-done, we say.
Sav opted for a 4-inch adjustable lift kit to enhance the FJ’s
clearance and off-road capabilities. “The difference between the
2-inch lift and the 4-inch lift is that I now have suspension,” he joked.
Pre-runner King remote reservoir shocks and Icon coils are used
in the back, and “the coilovers in the front are set to three inchesover standard to maximise droop”. Blackhawk upper control
arms with three degrees of caster and tilted ball joints ensure
increased clearance and travel, and the front diff was dropped
30mm to fix CV angles. “My actual CVs are completely horizontal.
Same level as a stock FJ,” Sav said.
The diffs have been rebuilt with a 4.56 ratio to turn the 35-inch
Mickey Thompson MTZ P3s, and a body-mount chop up front was
done to clear the tyres. The off-road rubber covers 17x8.5-inch
Walker Evans Street Legends wheels with a 0 offset.
The current suspension set-up has been fine-tuned to keep the
FJ comfortable on bitumen and on coarse off-road tracks, with its
owner more than pleased with the outcome.
“You can really hammer along and it keeps the car very stable
and very level,” he said.
“If it does drop down, I’ve got the airbags to level it out.
“The turning circle on-road with the upper control arms; weARB DELUXE BULLBAR, COLOUR-CODED SILVER488 http://www.4X4australia.com.auCUSTOM DEFENDER V FJ V WRANGLER