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"When I decided to go with a spring-over conversion on my
FJ62, I did a lot of research. Due to a tight school schedule, not
having the right tools for the job, and more importantly, not
feeling confident enough in my abilities to do it myself, I began
to look for someone to do it. I talked to a lot of people, looked
at a lot of trucks, and asked a lot of questions. Among those I
talked to was Gary Kardum. It was obvious that Gary knew his
Cruisers and he already enjoyed a great reputation, but what really
impressed me was that he asked me more questions than I asked
him. It was Gary who impressed on me the idea that spring-overs are
not for everyone, and that in order to do it right EVERY component
of the vehicle's suspension must be taken into account when
planning the modification. After several conversations, I was
convinced that Gary was the right guy for the job. I drove 1,500
miles to Sonoma to drop off my truck. Again I was impressed with
Mudrak's orderly shop, top-notch work, and attention to
detail. When he was finished, my wife and I flew in to pick it up,
and later that day we drove out to have lunch with a full
compliment of Cruiserheads, including Mudrak's family. I was
impressed with the handling and ride of the vehicle, and I couldn't
wait to test it off road. The cost of the conversion was more than
reasonable, considering the amount of hours that went into the
process, and the top-notch quality of the components used. It was
obvious that Mudrak was as proud as I was of the end result, and he
was more than a little sad to watch the old girl go home with
us. It's been about 9 months since the conversion, and I think it's
a tribute to Mudrak's skills that the vehicle performs flawlesly on
and off road, with only regular maintenance. I continue to hold the position that a spring-over conversion is not for everyone, especially on a wagon, but in my case, it's been fantastic, and if I had to do it all over again, I'd drive back to Mudrak's." |
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"I heard the stories and testimonials about the awesome work
performed at Mudrak's Custom Cruisers in Sonoma but it was my
chance meeting with Gary at the Gold Lake Crawdad Poker Run that
convinced me to take my beloved Cruiser to him for some major
surgery. As if the example of his beautiful FJ45 wasn't enough
inspiration, watching him crawl under almost every cruiser at the
event to inspect its modifications convinced me this guy LOVES his
work. His attention to the vehicles and their mods as they
traversed the most difficult portions of the trail made it clear
that Mudrak improved cruisers are built for the real world. When attempting a major project, like a spring over axle conversion, it's the little things can turn the job into a nightmare. At least, that's usually how it goes on my driveway. However, Mudrak's skills, experience and personality allow him take these things in stride. I really appreciated his patience during my anxious moments and his creative solutions to unexpected problems. Before I knew it, the work was done and I was driving my wagon on the Rubicon trail with a big grin on my face. Mission accomplished: the truck performs wonderfully both on and off-road. Thanks Gary! Now, about those crawler gears..." |
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"The first time I ran the Rubicon, I had only heard of spring over
axle conversions, power steering, final gear/crawl ratio, or
lockers. I managed to "armstrong" the 33*12.50's along
and banged my shackle reversed spring hangers on every rock
possible. From the trail safety check all the way out to Tahoe
City, I was plagued by my stock 4 speed transmission/3 speed
transfer case, lack of clearance for a decent approach, and ability
to easily steer the Cruiser where I wanted it. Each time I stopped
along the trial, I watched others navigate their trucks thru an
obsticle and then asked them about their Toyota. I quickly learned
that people like to chat about their truck and the modifications
that have made it a better rock crawler. We would always also talk
about my Cruiser, and I would ask, "What would you do if it
were your truck to make it better, and who would you let do the
work?" The modifications were the confusing part. Everyone had an opinion, ranging from more lift to lower gears to lockers. The interesting part of the answer came in who people would let do the work. Almost universally, the response was Danny Warden (who was no longer doing spring over axle conversions) or Gary Kardum. Upon finishing the trail, I stopped in Tahoe City for breakfast and met Gary Kardum as he was leaving. This was our first meeting and I was impressed by his eagerness to chat about trucks and modifications even as he was trying to head home. We talked a little about my plans for my truck and what he thought would help the most toward that end. Basically, I was looking at a transmission swap, power steering conversion, and modifying the kit provided front spring hangers to increase the approach angle of the truck. Over the next few weeks I called Gary numerous times asking questions about the benefits of a spring over and several other issues. Gary always took the time to answer all my questions in a manner that anyone could understand. Having been convinced of the reasons (instead of the trendiness or because it "looks cool") behind a spring over conversion and associated custom shackle reversal, I scheduled an appointment at Gary's shop: Mudrak Custom Cruisers. Then the unforseen happened - I blew out a seal on my transmission (actually all I knew was I was leaking gear oil badly and could not keep the tranny filled). I thought this was the end of the trip to Mudrak's, since I was scheduled to travel out of the state for several weeks and would not be able to get the tranny fixed in time to drive it to Gary's (Mudrak's). Just before I left town, I get a call from Gary, telling me he's going to come up and get my Cruiser for me!!! He explained he'd check out whats wrong before leaving for his shop and get it down there (almost 4.5 hours driving time) for the intended work. Talk about customer service - this is way above and beyond the norm. Well, while I was out of town, Gary and I kept in touch and finalized the upgrade options. We decided on a spring over conversion, custom shackle reversal (to eliminate the kit spring hangers), transmission swap (SM420 for lowest 1st gear available), and saginaw power steering conversion. My Cruiser was ready when I returned home from vacation, just as Gary had promised. My wife, kids, and I travelled down to Sonoma the following weekend to pick up my Cruiser. While at his shop, we were treated as if we were members of his family. I was very impressed with the overall cleanliness and quality of the work performed at Mudrak's. I was even more impressed by the handeling of the truck - I drove it at 85 mph the whole way home (previously I was limited to about 70-75mph due to sloppy steering). What was even better was the first trail test. With the lower gearing, improved suspension articulation, and ease of turning, I was able to go places I never would have even considered. It has been 2 years since the work at Mudrak's, and I am still VERY happy with my Cruiser and the modifications Gary did for me. I have since returned to the Rubicon and was pleasantly surprised at how much easier it was not fighting the clutch and steering, as well as how well the suspension flexed. To this day, I am amazed at what my Cruiser can do and where it can take me. Thanks Mudrak!!!!!!" Bruce Lutz - Redding, CA |
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"When I decided to do suspension modifications to my FJ40, I
wanted to do it once and once only. I spent a great deal of time
on the internet doing research and discovered fellow lister Bruce
Lutz. I called Bruce and he told me about all the work he had done
to his FJ40. He kept referring to Mudrak and all the stuff he had
Gary do for him. So, the next logical step was to talk to Gary. Gary was very gracious and took all the time I needed to get my questions answered. He made a special effort to find out how I would be using the FJ40 so he could recommend. Armed with all this great information, I decided that Mudrak was the choice to perform my spring over and power steering conversion. Like Henry Cubillan, I had a bit of a haul. I loaded my cruiser on my flatbed and towed it from Southern California some 400 miles behind my '95 Isuzu Tooper (I wish I had a picture of Gary's expression when he saw how I got it there). Gary is real craftsman. His work is flawless and well thought out. You can tell he spends a lot of time doing R&D on a design before he incorporates it into his work. Next on my list is Gary's SM465 plate adapter and then on to the Rubicon! Thanks Gary!" Don Allen TLCA 8534
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I first heard about Gary back in 1994, when a couple of friends that
I worked with at NUMMI had Gary do their Spring Over work. I bought
my cruiser in 1997, and heard about him again from various people on
the Land Cruiser Mailing List (LCML), specifically Bruce Lutz, from
whom I bought my SkyJacker springs. I brought my cruiser in to Gary
in 1999, when my Transfer Case needed repairs. Gary fixed it in about
5 minutes, but I decided that since it was there, I would have Gary
do "a few mods", which turned into - SM420 install; new drivelines;
SkyJacker lift install; new exhaust; Shackle Reversal; Saginaw power
steering; and installation of Butch Lewis' frame extension plates. As
the project progressed, I also had Gary install my rear Stout bumper,
and Butch's front bumper as well as new tires and a Warn 8274-50. What a difference all of those modifications made to the drivability of my FJ-40! It handled flawlessly on road, and has banged away on the TLCA Rubithon 3 years in a row. It's handled the beating I've given it, and is always ready for more. I've also had Gary install his GM HEI distributor, and I've installed his Saginaw power steering bracket to my 2F. Gary's been a wealth of information, and is always willing to help when needed. Gary installed my Powertrax No-Slip locker in the rear, and has been helpful with usual preventative maintenance items. Whenever a part is needed, Genuine Toyota OEM parts are used. When problems arise, his diagnostic skills are invaluable. Even on items that he hasn't worked on, he'll know how to fix, or what I may have done incorrectly. I'm looking forward to my next round of modifications. I see a Spring Over conversion as next on my plate. Can't think of a better person to do this job than Gary. Ross Woody TLCA #7704 Vallejo, Ca |
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cruiser in distress the healing touch, the fix mudrak exits |
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Days after I bought my Land Cruiser I promptly drove it through a
stop sign. Not out of lack of attention or disregard of the law, mind
you. The drum brakes went out due to leaking axle seals. Full of
enthusiasm, I decided to convert the vehicle to disk brakes. Like
most newbies, however, I soon ran into a snag. I called the cruiser
shop in the area for help and got a prompt reminder that advice is
not free. After a research on the local cruiser scene and the
bulletin boards, I kept hearing people recommend Mudrak Custom
Cruisers. A call was placed and I found Gary was more than helpful.
With his patient help and advice I was able to finish the job.
So when I decided to do a spring over conversion, my choice was clear. The fact that there was a waiting list tells me that Mudrak is the place for SOA! I was more than willing to wait for my turn. Gary took the time to examine my vehicle before the conversion and recommended other minor modifications to enhance it. It was clear on items involving safety he was not willing to compromise. I understand he lays his reputation on the line when he applies that "Mudrak Improved" sticker on a vehicle. When the job was completed, I took the vehicle to the TLCA Rubithon run. On the rocks, the vehicle handled like a dream. It sure made this mediocre wheeler look good! Since then Gary has done most of the major work on the vehicle that I cannot perform myself. These included front and rear cable lockers installation, NV4500 5 speed/split case swap in place of the old 4 speed SM420, and Marks4WD crawler transfer gear installation. And, yes, Gary is my source of OEM Toyota parts and aftermarket parts too. I sure would use his services again for the next project. Dave Tay Fremont, Ca |
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Mudrak has earned great respect he has in the Land Cruiser
community. He can fix just about anything on a cruiser. He is
passionate about his work and he really cares about doing things
right. He has what seems like one hundred year's experience working
on Cruisers & mini-trucks. He does excellent modifications to
make good cruiser great, and he is a good guy.
He's done a bunch of work on my 55. It wheels like a dream, and I can still drive half-way across the country in relative comfort (Hey, it's a 55) and then wheel the hardest trails. Off-road it is completely point-and-shoot. It goes where I point it. It makes me look like a good driver. It's Mudrak-Improved. I highly recommend Gary's work. |