July 2011

When the FJ first went on sale in 2006, everyone was ecstatic about the new Toyota 4x4 vehicle. Those of us that were there when the first FJ’s began showing up at dealerships were completely in awe of the new truck – except for one small issue: the rear door windows. We were (and still are) completely baffled by Toyota’s decision not to install vent windows for the back seat of the FJ. Vents are very standard on most modern vehicles, especially for a back seat where children ride most of the time.

It’s no exaggeration that rear vent windows have been one of the most requested modifications/changes to the FJ Cruiser since it’s inception. For years we waited for some enterprising entrepreneur to figure out a way to provide this highly sought after modification. There was talk of drilling the existing glass, creating roll down windows, and many other ideas on how to accomplish this. It wasn’t until July 2010, right after the FJ Summit, that FJFreedomWindows.com was launched.

When FJC Magazine launched in 2008, we ran a series of three articles covering Off Road Navigation:
Part 1) Paper Maps
Part 2) Portable GPS
Part 3) Permanently installed systems

To add to that series, in our January 2011 issue we covered the installation of an iPad in the dash of our TRD FJ Cruiser to serve as the primary navigation and entertainment device. Our new contributor Matt Main also sent in his iPad setup for this issue (Page 16). So, with the summer wheeling season in full gear, we thought it would be a good time to explain the tools we use every time we go off road in a little more detail.
First and foremost, we have to determine where we want to go play. This search, like so many others, begins on the Internet with sites such as TrailDamage, FunTreks.com, and Dirtopia, among others. Each of these sites has their own benefits and drawbacks, but combined they all work to help us determine the best place to go. We then use data available on each of these websites to build a Google Earth (GE) layer for our trip (See the 2011 FJ Summit Google Earth Layer as an example).

Looking for a lightweight & sturdy FJ Cruiser front bumper? A small but very well known shop based in Colorado Springs, Colorado may have the answer for you! You may have heard of Armorology from their work on all types of vehicles, especially Toyota Trucks. While much of their work is completely custom, they’ve recently finished their first semi-custom FJ Cruiser front bumper.

Weighing in at around 98lbs (minus the winch, of course) this bumper is fully boxed and hugs the front the FJ Cruiser quite nicely. It supports standard winch mounts (Mike installed a Superwinch), and works best with an aluminum fairlead. Integrated shackle mounts, tabs to mount bumper lights, and several options for the bull bar area also standard on this bumper. Armorology also included their notable aluminum bash plate on this bumper, although it’s not needed since the bumper provides so much ground clearance.

Trail communications (noun): undoubtedly one of the most important things to have while on the trail, yet oftentimes overlooked or downplayed; further compounded by the fact that there are a number of other, more attractive modifications to choose from; usual end result? – the belief that cheap communications are good enough.

At least, that is the definition for many an FJ Cruiser owner, both new and not-so-new. However, as more and more owners begin to explore trails further away from home and, more often than not, from civilization, communications become an increasingly important component in one’s bag of tools.