article - Equipt Expedition Outfitters

MUD TIRES
• ULTIMATE FJ CRUISER • TENTS & RACKS
TH E I N D E P E ND EN T M A G A Z I N E D EV O T ED
T O 4W D T O Y O TA O W N E R S A ND E N T H U S I A S T S WOR LDW I DE
T
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FJ40
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March/April 2009
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2/17/09 9:32:27 PM
THE ROAD CONTINUES
100-SERIES
LAND CRUISER
EQUIPT’S 1999 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER UZJ100, IN A NUTSHELL…
SUSPENSION/DRIVETRAIN
EXTERIOR
4.7L V8 engine
Rear and center differential locks
Front Runner auxiliary 45-gallon fuel tank, 72-gallon total capacity
Old Man Emu 2.5-inch suspension lift with Old Man Emu Nitro
shocks
Old Man Emu 864 coil springs
Old Man Emu heavy-duty front control arms
Slee Off Road differential lowering kit
ARB Sahara front bumper with IPF fog lights
IPF 900S XD driving lights
Warn M12000 winch
Custom 2 x 5 x 3/16-inch steel rock-sliders/steps
TJM rear bumper with swing-out tire carrier
Front Runner Wind Cheetah 2.2-meter roof rack
Four IPF 968 driving lights w/ 100-watt lamp upgrade
12V exterior power outlet
Eezi-Awn Series 3 1400 T-Top roof/top tent
Eezi-Awn Series 2000 2.5-meter awning
Eezi-Awn 2.5-meter RecVee awning enclosure panels
Storm Case iM2700 grey, mounted on roof, for recovery/safety
equipment, air tools, etc.
Shovel and axe, mounted with Quick Fist clamps
ARB Safari Snorkel
Warn rear receiver D-ring recovery shackle
Trailer
2007 Adventure Trailers Chaser
BFGoodrich Mud Terrain 315/75R16s on Toyota UZJ100 (powder
coated) factory alloys to match the Land Cruiser
Full lid option
Eezi-Awn Series 3 1800 roof top tent
Nose box
Tailgate option
19-gallon water tank
Two Adventure Trailers can holders with Scepter 20-liter red
military fuel cans (MFCs)
Electric brakes
12V electrical system, w/ Lifeline Group 31 105 amp-hour AGM
sealed battery
ARB 45-liter fridge/freezer with insulation cover
Engel Transit Slide-Lok
Two Adventure Trailers stainless steel stove shelves/cooking
platform
Lock & Roll hitch system
Two-pound propane bottle on prototype mounting platform
Burt – The Tiki Trailer God. “Keeps us righteous.”
ELECTRICAL
National Luna DIY dual battery system, w/ in-cab remote controller
Slee Off Road second battery tray with Optima Yellow Top deepcycle battery
Dual Hella auxiliary fuse blocks, switched and unswitched
Auxiliary Hella relay block
INTERIOR
All available factory options
Remote start / alarm
Alpine IVA-W200 6.5cm double-din LCD DVD/CD/iPod/Nav/Sat
receiver
Cobra 75WXST Sound Tracker CB mounted in front center dash
Icom HM-133 two-meter VHF radio with remote face, located in
front center dash
Ram Mount cockpit laptop mount, with Toshiba laptop and
Bluetooth
GPS receiver
Magellan Crossover GPS for day-to-day and backup
Spot Satellite location and emergency recovery system
Custom, removable two-drawer, rear hatch storage system with
fitment side panels
Cobra CPI 1550, 1500W peak 120V power inverter
Three auxiliary full-time 12V power outlets
National Luna Weekender 50-liter stainless steel freezer/fridge
Front Runner fridge slide
10-pound Power Tank CO2 tank, with gauges and quick-release,
Custom driver-side rear-door-entry dog platform, padded, of course.
With the Land Cruiser now
considered by Paul to be
a “finished product”—and
yes, we have heard that one
before, we’ll see how long
it lasts—the Equipt UZJ100
can be seen at many events
around the country. While this
rig gets a respectable 19mpg
(on a downhill, with a tailwind),
don’t expect to encounter it
at your local gas station any
time soon, as it has a range of
about 1400 miles and that’s
not including the 40-liters of
gas riding shotgun on the
Adventure Trailer. We’re glad
he wasn’t our dad growing up
with that kind of a fuel range,
or it would have been a very
messy back seat on long
family trips.
At about 7000 pounds
before being loaded with
its camping gear, the
Equipt Land Cruiser is no
featherweight, but pound
for pound, it views the road
less traveled as a road more
inviting. Over the course of
several years, every last detail
was addressed to perfection
until Paul was content to call
his means to a life’s journey
complete. The end result is
something we aren’t ashamed
to say we wouldn’t mind living
our lives in. So if there is room
in the back seat, Paul, we
have the bodies to fill them.
Be sure to find out more about
Equipt Expedition Outfitters at
www.equipt1.com, or if you’re
ever in the neighborhood,
hook up with the Wasatch
Cruisers for a run and get a
taste of what wheeling with
Paul and the rest of the Utah
crew is all about. ✔
ADVERTISER INDEX
4xInnovations: 28
Advance Adapters: 56
All-Pro Off-Road: 57, 76
Amsteel Blue: 10, 66
Aqualu Industries: 66
ARB: 21
Atlanta Custom Creations: 68
Aussie Locker: 10
BajaRack: 27
Black Hills Cruiser Classic: 53
Bluey Fab: 58
BudBuilt: 18
Bushwacker: 40
Camburg: 62
Camping Lab: 37
Cool Cruisers of Texas: 48
Engnbldr: 19
Equipt: 61
FourTreks: 59
Icon Vehicle Dynamics: 67
Inchworm Gear: 17
JE Reel: 52
Jim’s Got Parts: 23
Just Differentials: 53
LC Engineering: 41
Longfield Super Axles: 11
Man-A-Fre: 43
Marlin Crawler: 25
Master-Pull: 49
Metal Tech: 55
My Toyota Warehouse: 2
Overland Expo: 37
PowerTank: 19
Randy Ellis Designs: 40
Sonoran Steel: 28
Specter Off-Road: 32
Titus-Will Toyota: 10
Total Chaos: 29
Toyota Offroad Parts: 33
ToyTec Lifts: 13
TRDParts4U.com: 63
Tread Lightly: 5
TTORA: 52
Tuffy Products: 66
Ultimate Air: 46
Unichip: 16
Winchline/Wiking: 55
WabFab: 23
Warn: 47
Wheeler’s Offroad: 18
Wild West Offroad: 20
Yotamasters: 68
4WD Toyota Owner 69
PaulMay-100_p64-69.indd 5
2/17/09 7:52:22 PM
SPOTLIGHT: TOYOTA ›››
S
L
1. Paul often tows an Adventure
Trailer behind his UZJ100,
complete with its own Eezi-Awn
tent setup, 35" Mud Terrain tires,
water storage, 40 liters of extra
fuel, cooking setup, ARB 45-liter
freezer/fridge and much more.
1
2. The cabin of this 100-series
truck resembles the cockpit
of a jet, with computer, audio,
communication and navigation
devices carefully mounted for
easy access.
2
3
4
3. Here’s a shot of what the
complete Eezi-Awn arrangement
turns into when opened. You get
a tent off the cold, wet ground,
plus an awning and a “room”
next to your truck for shelter
from the wind and rain while
cooking or playing cards. It’s a
trick setup, and one any wheeler
could enjoy.
4. A National Luna dual battery
system keeps the two Optima
Yellow Top batteries in good
standing. Those batteries in turn
power a myriad of equipment,
from laptops and a 2-meter
radio to whatever Paul or
passengers want to plug into
this dedicated Cobra 120V
power converter.
YotaMasters
WWW.YOTAMASTERS.COM
CALIFORNIA’S BEST CHOICE
for 4WD Toyota Repairs and Installs
Dual Transfer Cases
Solid Axle Conversions
Crossover Steering
Gears & Lockers
Repairs & Maintenance
Toyota Master Technician on Duty
Over 20 Years Experience
www.YotaMasters.com
(951) 279-0220
1336 W. 6th St, Corona CA 92882
68 March/April
PaulMay-100_p64-69.indd 4
2/16/09 7:34:45 PM
SERIOUS
THEFT
PROTECTION
SPOTLIGHT: TOYOTA ›››
S
L
& HEAVY DUTY STORAGE
FJ-40 & FJ-Cruiser Stereo
& security consoles, roof
storage, light bars,
overhead consoles, &
rear cargo secure storage
Paul May
made the drive from
Utah in his supremely well
“equipt” 100-series Land Cruiser to play in
the sands of Pismo. The 4.7L V8 has more than enough
power to move the UZJ100 across the dunes. But this Cruiser is
much more than a sand shredder; it’s made for worldwide travel via a huge
array of quality parts and equipment.
FIVE MINUTES WITH PAUL MAY
Manufacturing the worlds finest security & storage
solutions in the USA since 1989 and backing them with
a LIFETIME WARRANTY. Visit our website with over
200 different products for over 35 vehicles.
www.tuffyproducts.com/4wdt
1-866-44-TUFFY (1-866-448-8339)
BEST
PRICE
AROUND!
Hard Bodies by
www.aqualu.com
1-888-765-6714
Body Tubs Cowls Windshield Frames Fenders Running Boards etc.......
Ben: How and when did Equipt start?
Paul: Equipt opened in March 2006, but
had been in the works for much longer.
One fateful August evening in 2005, I met
a remarkable couple from South Africa.
They were traveling from Argentina to
Alaska in a Land Cruiser Troopy. They
traveled through Salt Lake City, and we
arranged a visit with our local Land Cruiser
club, the Wasatch Cruisers. Jack and
Margaret Stuhler are a wonderful couple,
full of life and experiences of the world.
They were traveling the way most of us
dream about. Conversation shifted to their
vehicle, as it often does, and I became
aware that Jack was an integral part of
Eezi-Awn. Jack asked me if I knew anyone
interested in representing their company
in the US. Unbeknownst to them, I had
been looking for a life change. I answered
Jack with, “I just might know a guy”. After
one of many sleepless nights to come, I
told Jack I wanted to start a company to
represent Eezi-Awn. We finalized the deal
with a look in the eye and a handshake.
That’s how it should be done. Jack took a
chance on me. I am sure glad he did!
Ben: When did you first catch the
expedition bug?
Paul: Wanderlust hit me very early.
Long before I could drive, and well before
I knew there was a name for it. Our family
has explored the southwest by vehicle
since before I can remember. Preparation
and self-reliance were instilled early on. I
think it really first got me while exploring
Canyonlands National Park in the early
seventies. We took a tour from a Moab
company called Tag-A-Long. They had a
fleet of FJ55 Land Cruisers that they would
load folks up in and show around. Now
that was cool!
Ben: People have different directions
when they build an overland rig. What
was yours?
Paul: My goal for the 100-series was to
create a vehicle that could travel the world
if we had the chance. If it were ready for
that, then anything of a shorter duration
would be possible. I think I have reached
that point with this truck.
Ben: Pros and cons of the UZJ100?
Paul: There aren’t too many downsides
to the 100. It is perhaps one of the best
platforms for overland travel. It doesn’t
have the front solid axle of the 80 series,
but for this purpose, IFS is preferable. A
much better ride over the long haul and
the 4.7L V8 has torque and power that the
80-series’ 4.5L inline-six lacks. With the
center and rear diff locks, there is little I
haven’t found a way over.
Ben: Best upgrade?
Paul: Performance-wise, I would say
the Old Man Emu suspension. We have
increased the ride height, improved the
handling and increased load capacity
tremendously. It makes it a much safer
truck. Comfort-wise I would have to say
the Eezi-Awn roof top tent. Bulletproof
construction and incredibly comfortable in
any conditions.
Ben: Favorite locations to explore?
Paul: The Canyonlands and Escalante
regions of southern Utah are by far my
favorite places to go. It is truly God’s
country. There is nothing else like a sunset
radiating off the sandstone cliffs. Next in
line would be the San Juan Mountains of
western Colorado. Traveling over 13,000foot passes and traveling back in time. Up
there, you can see forever.
Ben: Words of thanks for the business
and build?
Paul: I have been blessed and honored
to be a part of the expedition community
for some time now. Overlanders are a
unique collection. Independent to a fault,
but gracious and selfless too. I haven’t
met a bad one yet. It is something to do
with exploration of not only our beautiful
planet but also our incredible cultures that
leads these great folks to be exceptional
people. I would like to thank all of the
friends and customers of Equipt for joining
us on this adventure.
66 March/April
PaulMay-100_p64-69.indd 3
2/16/09 7:31:24 PM
Luxo-Cruiser? Tell that to Paul May and his 1999 UZJ100
Land Cruiser. His 100-series is built for worldwide travel via a
huge array of quality parts and equipment that let him wheel
anywhere. Old Man Emu suspension, Eezi-Awn tent, ARB
bumper, 35” BFG tires and much more all add up to a truck
that one both wheels in and lives in!
A Safari Snorkel enables this Land Cruiser to drop into
water holes without fear. Large 35" tires give plenty of
clearance as well.
A National Luna 50L freezer/fridge slides smoothly on a Front
Runner slide rail system, and the whole unit rests on a custom
two-drawer storage unit. The stainless steel National Luna fridge
is a top-quality fridge that makes you wonder why you stayed
with those horrible old-school ice chests as long as you did.
CHUZJING A
100-SERIES
If anyone is capable of
building a worthy expedition
Land Cruiser, it would have
to be Paul May from Equipt
(www.equipt1.com, 866703-1026). Besides being
a long-time Toyota owner
(totally modded 1976 FJ40),
Paul leaned on the knowhow and experience of the
companies Equipt represents,
including Eezi-Awn, National
Luna, Front Runner Racks
and Adventure Trailers, all
landmark brands in the
expedition field. He set out to
use these combined lifetimes
of knowledge to build an
unstoppable 4WD Toyota that
would be capable of traveling
the planet, starting with the
highways and byways of
Paul’s home state of Utah.
Paul’s vehicle of choice
was a 1999 Toyota Land
Cruiser UZJ100. Though still
viewed as a “Luxury Cruiser”
by many, Paul saw past the
class stereotypes and into
the Cruiser’s core. It had the
power, the room and reliability
to be great. When it came to
the independent suspension,
Paul saw more pros to it
than cons, and the build
began. Let’s have a chat with
Paul about his superb Land
Cruiser.
An Aussie TJM swing-away
tire carrier bumper is bolted
to the back of the Land
Cruiser, while topside is a
Front Runner Cheetah rack
and Eezi-Awn tent.
4WD Toyota Owner 65
PaulMay-100_p64-69.indd 2
2/16/09 7:30:36 PM
SPOTLIGHT: TOYOTA ›››
100-SERIES
LAND CRUISER
Going the distance in comfort and utility
Words: Ben Crockett, Photos: Crockett and courtesy Equipt/www.Equipt1.com
W
hen it comes to selecting the perfect expedition vehicle, there is an overwhelming amount of
things to consider. Weight, payload, towing capabilities, fuel range, reliability, storage space,
room for the kids (or not)…the list goes on and on. Even when you decide on the perfect truck for
the job, your battle has just begun, because then you need to outfit it. You have to stock it for the rigors
of the road, the comforts of camp and the inevitable fun there is to be had along the way. The thing to
keep in mind is that an expedition vehicle is not solely designed to get you from point A to point B and
back. It is built with a passion to take you from mile one to infinity, because a true adventure isn’t from
here to there, it’s a trip that lasts a lifetime.
64 March/April
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2/16/09 7:27:16 PM