Help! I'm falling off the wagon!

Well you could always visit me for awhile and drive my FJ. With the factory studded Nokian winter tires and 600 lbs of traction sand in the cargo area, 4H isn't even needed

 

How about a Ford Explorer Hybrid? Better clearance and still over 30mpg. Kind of expensive to use just a few days a year though. I used to have a Subaru Outback, which was a great car to drive in snowstorms here in Chicago, all of about 6 days a winter. Couldn't justify that.

Living in Duluth (MN) I remember seeing a jacked-up Gremlin on huge tires. Funniest looking thing ever (funny looking to start with). Maybe you could do something like that with your Prius?? Somebody slap me for saying that.

 

From 1974 to 1988 I drove a CJ-5 Jeep in rural Minnesota and North Dakota. I got stuck frequently because I thought I could go anywhere. I did a lot of shoveling. I have no desire to re-live those days! In 1988 I bought a Civic, and never once got stuck!

 

This is my story completely, except I started in 1972 and the location was northern Michigan. I've never been stuck more often or more completely than I was in that Jeep. It could really go through a lot, but we asked it to do more than a lot.

Tom

 

We use bucket loaders to move the snow. You could always buy one of those instead of the FJ.

Edit: I just took this photo from my office window, showing one of the village loaders working the snow:




Tom

 

I certainly can't blame you, I'll join too! We were a 2 Prius family until I ran into a couple TC issues and the lease ran out on one of them. Replaced it with a Subie. Hate that it sucks gas, hate that I'll have to do brakes in a couple years, but LOVE that I can get through snow and gravel again. Like you, we don't drive it unless we have to, most of the work goes to the Prius, Subie is off road, bad road, snowy road, have-to-use-it situations.

Zhe Wiz

 

Did you consider moving to a warmer climate? Like, Vancouver?

 

David

Ok, I want all the details: year, equipment, etc. I'd suggest you join the FJ Cruiser Forum, but I can quickly get you up to speed on what to do with your FJ

First of all, the FJ does NOT require premium! The '07 and some 08 had the sticker, dealerships received TSB to state that regular was just fine. Premium is used to achieve the stated HP and torque figures

To me it doesn't matter if my FJ uses 3 times the fuel. Last month I put 90 km on it, and my FJ is my only vehicle!

We'll discuss the importance of changing the gear oil in that rear axle, why the differential lock sometimes sticks, and how fun - as in difficult - it will be to change the gear oil in the front axle

Oh, changing the spark plugs is easier than it looks. I have posted How To photos at the FJ forum.

jay

 

Rear axle fluid is easy to change



Transfer case is so easy no need to post a photo

Front axle is a wee bit of a challenge. You can barely see the fill plug for the front axle in the line between flash and shadow

 

Passenger side plugs are very easy once you remove the air cleaner housing



Driver side plugs are ok once you remove the brackets I'm pointing to



What else? Since your climate is the same as Manitoba, wouldn't hurt to clean the MAF and the TB.

 

Bet you can buy an FJ Cruiser pretty, gosh darn cheap right now. I guess that's telling you something. And in the summer, you could use your FJ as a raised veggie garden. By golly, that FJ just keeps on giving! LOL...

 

Sounds like you and Bruiser plan on the world being taken over by Aliens. In that case, I'd say Bruiser was a great, end of days purchase!

 

Ok so a base model 2007 FJ won't have side impact and head curtain airbags, the rear diff lock, or A-TRAC. I paid extra for my Package "C" which includes all of that

Don't believe the owner manual that claims premium gas needed, or that the rear diff requires a straight SAE 90 gear oil above -18 C and 80W-90 below.

A TSB came out in late 2007 that now requires a special synthetic Toyota 75W-85 (No that is not a typo, it really is 75W-85) gear oil to be used in the front and rear axles

I'd demand proof the axles were serviced, and especially with the recommended gear oil. Have to warn you the Toyota stuff is really expensive, like +$20 a litre at some dealerships

I use a synthetic heavy duty 75W-90

Mobil Canada | Heavy Duty Engine Oils | Rear Axle | Mobil Delvac Gear Oil Lubricant 75W-90#

I have the same screen name at FjCruiserforums. Look me up sometime

 

jayman, not FJman?

 

Correct

 

At a certain point, we just have to assume the gear oil was changed properly. The '07's have weak rear axles, I like to change the rear axle gear oil every fall

It usually drains medium brown. Front axle and TC, left in for 2 years and about 20,000 km, drained clear and looked like new fluid.

As far as fuel economy, that sounds about right given the conditions. I don't even think about it, as I'm well on track to only putting 2,500 km on my FJ this year

I need to leave the Battery Minder plugged in all the time for a good reason