[Colicious]

i figured i should do a thread like this, as i enjoy when other people make these kind of threads. i guess you can think of it as a mini-build up plus real testing

here is some before pictures. its a 1999 land cruiser, gray on gray, with rear and center lockers. got that brush gaurd for my birthday in september and i mounted the lights, which are hooked up to the foglights and come on with the same switch (hit up the FAQ for that). i mounted the CB in the center console which so far is great, but i screwed up soldering the connector on the wire so its not finished yet. does anyone know where to get the brush gaurd/bull bar CB radio mounts?











about 4 weeks ago i placed an order with Slee Offroad after doing countless amount of research on here (however it wasnt enough, as you'll see). i wanted 3" of lift in rear and 2.75" in front and wanted to run 315 tires. i read about many different set-ups and what people had and liked and made choices on that, and what the guys at Slee had to say. i was originally going to go with the 865 springs plus the spring packs, but they recommended i try the 860 springs, which i did (there was a thread about them that came up about a week before i made my order). and despite all the drama associated with them, i opted for the N74L rear shocks. i also grabbed the diff drop as well. i dont really have in progress pictures, as i did most of this by myself, or with my dad's help and didnt have time for picture taking, though everything was really straight forward and i studied the build-ups in the FAQ before attempting.





the tires i chose are the Toyo Open Country MTs in size 315/75R16. these tires have excellent road manners, quiet for a MT tire, and perform well offroad (though i lack experience in that department, but i had excellent traction in the dirt aswell as the thick louisiana mud, but that could be the all lockers). the only downside is they are very heavy and a big PITA to mount by yourself.



It was here that i ran into the first snag. too much researching made things blur together and i forgot some essential information. while the Toyos were 315s, with the side lugs they were 12.9" wide. i got the tires on and they hit the upper a-arm. damn. and i wsa trying to get the rig ready for a local land cruiser meet the next day. well it sat up on jackstands for a week and i ordered some wheel adapters. i ordered the 1" wheel adapters from the same place hoser did, www.motorsport-tech.com. quality and everything seemed good and i havnt had any problems with them yet. i ordered the low-profile lugs from them too.





here she sits after i got the wheels on. this was before i adjusted the suspension. i was so excited to drive it i forgot to take pictures of it after i adjusted them. this is basically the torsion bars almost fully maxed out. the tires practically lifted right when i jacked up the car. i had to jack it up all the way at the closest part of the frame, so i figure i have about 21" of ground clearance at the frame at full droop. the tires also stick out past the fenders maybe 1/2". and the only clearance issue i have found (besides the rear bumpstops which i talk about in the next post), is the weld seam in the rear of the front fenders. i trimmed back the plastic and took the sawzall to the seam. i think i may have to get that re-welded as it look like some of it may have started to split. note that the tires would barely hit that while driving on the road; if you run a tire this big it will hit that seam just by turned the wheel (though just barely, i had to drive about 150 miles like that before i had a chance to fix it)





New Parts ordered and Instaled:
1. OME Torsion Bars
2. OME N133 Front Shocks
3. OME N74L Rear Shocks
4. OME 860 Rear Springs
5. Slee Offroad Diff Drop
6. Motorsport Tech 1" wheel spacers
7. Toyo Open Country MTs 315/75R16
8. Spring retainers welded on
9. Raised the brake line mount on the axle

[Colicious]

This past weekend was the Louisiana Offroaders Expo. Saturday was the "car show" event which included vendors, activities, and a test track. first time the cruiser got to stretch its legs. the also had an RTI scale/ramp there, and i got up 73" with a wheelbase of 110" (their measurement) for a score of 663. now i have no idea how good that number is or how it relates to other rigs. i know my 40 got around a 760.
check out that mad flex, y0




originally the both rears were touching and the front was up, but right when my front tire started to go down the ramp it tilted VERY slowly. note the fully tucked rear tire. i did not have time to get bump stop extenders made and it rubbed fairly well in the fenders.





Sunday was the fun part. tons of people (jeeps) showed up and our local TLCA chapter (Bayou State Land Cruiser Association, check our forum at the bottom) made its first appearance. the 100 definatly held its own, following everyone with no problem, and in some cases, better than everyone else. i got everything from "wow, im impressed" to "that thing turns like a jeep" to dirty looks as i idled through 6" deep mud puddles. i am glad it did turn like a jeep (lol) because those trails through the woods were very tight. i learned the hardway to watch my rear quater panels when turning. i also have small dents in my front fenders from the brush gaurd from hitting and pushing trees. the head index for that weekend was somewhere around 101* and 103* and i got to do it all in Air Conditioning, soft leather, and my XM Radio

this was the hardest obstacle in the morning trail, especially for beginners. you come down that slippery hill, and when your front tire goes down that first rut, the whole car, slides about a foot and a half down and to the left up against that log. once you get down, you have to go down that muddy wash and fight the ruts and get up the other side. all the light 40s and jeep would just push and "understeer" on that muddy hill on the way up all the way into the woods. however, when the 100 did it, it made it on its first try. supposedly i wsa the only one to make that on the first attempt.


and back up






in the afternoon trail, at the end, there was the ~50' steep muddy hill, with a deep muddy pit at the bottom. took about 5 tries to get all the way up. a few of the jeepers had to get winched up and one broke an axle shaft, though i have no good pictures of it.


here is our club's photo album of the event.
http://s151.photobucket.com/albums/s...%204x4%20Expo/
tons of pictures of all the cruisers that were there. the white 40 in there is the one in my sig. that also got new tires (35x13.50x15) and a new softtop a few weeks ago, but unfortunatly got ripped from a lo-hanging branch. thats my dad driving the 40, and im the scrawny kid in the gray shirt

[dclee]

Nice write-up and pics! Good to see the truck in its natural element.

Interesting your comments on the dents caused by the "brush" bar being bent back into the front of your truck. This is why they are known around here as "damage-multipliers" and you should seriously think about ditching it and getting a real bumper ala Slee, ARB, or TJM.

[BillWms01]

Nice rig. Enjoyed your pics.

[jonpierre]

nice work. looks great
can you post a pic of your spring retainer?

thanks for the link on the wheel adapters!

[BMWSTOY]

Thanks for sharing, its like having two builds going at the same time, just a few more items for ROTM - I am about 20 items away

Great looking 100 and thanks for sharing you ideas on why you selected your parts, it helps those of us that are dreaming about it.

[Colicious]

Originally Posted by dclee

Nice write-up and pics! Good to see the truck in its natural element.

Interesting your comments on the dents caused by the "brush" bar being bent back into the front of your truck. This is why they are known around here as "damage-multipliers" and you should seriously think about ditching it and getting a real bumper ala Slee, ARB, or TJM.

the dents behind the bursh gaurd are minimal and are about the size of a quater, at most. they are more like dimples than dents. and for the ammount of trees i had to persuade i was glad i had it. however, like you said, i would much rather a full bumper and i would probably go for Slee's. i just need to pay of the lift first

[macneill]

Looks great! Did you index the T-bars back down?

[Colicious]

yes, it is back down to 2.75" above stock

[spressomon]

Nice write up!

[ShottsUZJ100]

Excellent! Excellent! I'd a like to hear that rub!

That brush guard is a little different than my old one. I don't think it would bend into your hood.

[Colicious]

Originally Posted by ShottsUZJ100

Excellent! Excellent! I'd a like to hear that rub!

That brush guard is a little different than my old one. I don't think it would bend into your hood.

shotts, what are your thoughts on your 2" bumpstops? do you feel like that is the amount to lower them? do you think 1" stops could work?

[ShottsUZJ100]

Originally Posted by Colicious

shotts, what are your thoughts on your 2" bumpstops? do you feel like that is the amount to lower them? do you think 1" stops could work?

Two-fold answer:

1. Rubbing-wise, at 2" I have almost none. I would bet at 1" the amount would be tolerable. If the 100 was my main trail rig, I'd got with 1" stops.

2. On MY 100, with my Slee Bumper.....2" is needed. At full compression my tire will just make contact with the bumper. It's not enough though to stop progress. At 1", the bumper might stop the wheel from rotating.....not good.

[jjbodean1970]

nice rig and even nicer sticker on your back glass!

[Colicious]

Here are some pictures of the spring retainers and the brake line mount extenders.





and this is how she sits now



and here is another flex shot from the test track



and the LSU sticker adds 50...flex points

[ShottsUZJ100]

Nicer retainer than we put on!

[anthonycds]

I enjoy these kinds of threads too...very awesome write up, and really enjoyed your pics!

[pint]

Thanks for the great pictures. Those tires look killer!

[Colicious]

Originally Posted by ShottsUZJ100

Nicer retainer than we put on!

unfortunatly it was probably a lot more expensive than yours as well. i need to learn how to do that kind of stuff myself

[Colicious]

2 questions for you guys
1. Do yall know where to ge the CB ant. bull bar mount?
and
2. What are yall thoughts on disconnecting the sway bar while offroading. do you guys think that will help flex out enough to warrant the trouble?

[ShottsUZJ100]

Removing the front sway will allow your front end to compress easier/sooner. Same in rear though the benefit is small. Dangerous to run these beasts without sways. Mine are back on for life.

[Real]

Wow! The rig looks GREAT with the lift and tires!

Did you need the wheel spacers front and back or just front? Were the tires mainly rubbing inside on the A-arms, etc? I haven't tackled lift/tires, yet, but am planning to. I would think that the wider tires would hit the outer fender, particularly with the spacers.

Can you post a close-up of the cutting you did with the sawz-all? Did the trimming fix the rubbing issues on the rear of the front fender?

I wonder if the additional width of the Toyo MTs would be a problem with aftermarket front and rear bumpers. Shotts - What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks for posting and good luck!

[SWUtah]

Very nice.

[ShottsUZJ100]

Originally Posted by Real

Wow! The rig looks GREAT with the lift and tires!

Did you need the wheel spacers front and back or just front? Were the tires mainly rubbing inside on the A-arms, etc? I haven't tackled lift/tires, yet, but am planning to. I would think that the wider tires would hit the outer fender, particularly with the spacers.

Can you post a close-up of the cutting you did with the sawz-all? Did the trimming fix the rubbing issues on the rear of the front fender?

I wonder if the additional width of the Toyo MTs would be a problem with aftermarket front and rear bumpers. Shotts - What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks for posting and good luck!

I have not worked with the spacers. I think some have had success with them up front as they restore stock track on a lifted rig.

I don't see a need for them on the rear. Rubbing might worsen. You'll have wider track on the rear compared to the front. I just don't see the reason to add them. Tire size wise...the width isn't a big deal. Your front turn-stops can solve that. Diameter would be an issue, but not in this case.

This build looks REALLY good. The N74L is simply the best bolt-on option there is right now for the 100. Anybody taking their rig to 2.75"+ should get them despite the attacks from drivers who have never driven a 100 with them for comparison. NOTE: If you want advice about L vs non-L, ask a 100 owner who has L's via PM. It's the only way to avoid the negativity.

My only fear is the brush guard. It takes away clearance and could get bent into the body from the rocks. With Colicious's drive to better his Cruiser, I'd like to see him get aggressive and custom bumper that sucker!

[Colicious]

thanks for your opinions and complitments everyone

Originally Posted by Real

Wow! The rig looks GREAT with the lift and tires!

Did you need the wheel spacers front and back or just front? Were the tires mainly rubbing inside on the A-arms, etc? I haven't tackled lift/tires, yet, but am planning to. I would think that the wider tires would hit the outer fender, particularly with the spacers.

Can you post a close-up of the cutting you did with the sawz-all? Did the trimming fix the rubbing issues on the rear of the front fender?

I wonder if the additional width of the Toyo MTs would be a problem with aftermarket front and rear bumpers. Shotts - What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks for posting and good luck!

these Toyos, even though they are 315x75, are wider than regular ATs of the same dimension due to the side lugs. due to this, they would completely hit the upper a-arm and i could not even bolt on the tire. hoser, another member on this board who runs these tires and spacers, believes the smallest wheel adapter you can run is 7/8" (IIRC) before you have to trim your studs. as for the rear and spacers, i cant see how it can really increase rubbing. right now it rubs at the curve where the top curves into the side of the inside fender. though i havnt really put much through into this. the tires stick out maybe a half of an inch aswell and completely clear the rear outside lip. they barely come into contact with the lip on the front fenders on full stuff, but its nothing too bad. ill take some more pictures once the weather clears up. and the cutting i did completely fixed all issues i had with the rubbing.

Originally Posted by ShottsUZJ100

I have not worked with the spacers. I think some have had success with them up front as they restore stock track on a lifted rig.

I don't see a need for them on the rear. Rubbing might worsen. You'll have wider track on the rear compared to the front. I just don't see the reason to add them. Tire size wise...the width isn't a big deal. Your front turn-stops can solve that. Diameter would be an issue, but not in this case.

This build looks REALLY good. The N74L is simply the best bolt-on option there is right now for the 100. Anybody taking their rig to 2.75"+ should get them despite the attacks from drivers who have never driven a 100 with them for comparison. NOTE: If you want advice about L vs non-L, ask a 100 owner who has L's via PM. It's the only way to avoid the negativity.

My only fear is the brush guard. It takes away clearance and could get bent into the body from the rocks. With Colicious's drive to better his Cruiser, I'd like to see him get aggressive and custom bumper that sucker!

i appreciate your compliments shotts. my quick opinion on the N74L is they cost the same as the other shock and add travel. i havnt read any true negative performance opinions/facts about these.

also, i did not adjust my turn-stops and i havnt not experienced any rubbing or anything at full turn. do you remember where your tire would rub at full turn before you adjusted yours?

and the brush gaurd only serves as a mud scoop and a tree finder right now, now too many rocks in Louisiana

[ShottsUZJ100]

Originally Posted by Colicious

thanks for your opinions and complitments everyone



these Toyos, even though they are 315x75, are wider than regular ATs of the same dimension due to the side lugs. due to this, they would completely hit the upper a-arm and i could not even bolt on the tire. hoser, another member on this board who runs these tires and spacers, believes the smallest wheel adapter you can run is 7/8" (IIRC) before you have to trim your studs. as for the rear and spacers, i cant see how it can really increase rubbing. right now it rubs at the curve where the top curves into the side of the inside fender. though i havnt really put much through into this. the tires stick out maybe a half of an inch aswell and completely clear the rear outside lip. they barely come into contact with the lip on the front fenders on full stuff, but its nothing too bad. ill take some more pictures once the weather clears up. and the cutting i did completely fixed all issues i had with the rubbing.



i appreciate your compliments shotts. my quick opinion on the N74L is they cost the same as the other shock and add travel. i havnt read any true negative performance opinions/facts about these.

also, i did not adjust my turn-stops and i havnt not experienced any rubbing or anything at full turn. do you remember where your tire would rub at full turn before you adjusted yours?

and the brush gaurd only serves as a mud scoop and a tree finder right now, now too many rocks in Louisiana

Well, you will be OUR source for information on running those wider tires. Please keep us updated.

As far as the rear goes, others have experienced more rubbing on their trucks when adding rear spacers. They explained that it's because the wider out the tires go the greater the arc is when articulating. It sounds weird though both these fella's were experts.

Wild on the front turn stops. I rubbed easily on the upper arm as I neared full lock. I had to reduce that radius some.

Good luck with your mud scoop!

[SWUtah]

"the cutting i did completely fixed all issues i had with the rubbing."

Tell us more about the cutting? Are you sure you did not compromise the frame?

[Colicious]

Originally Posted by SWUtah

"the cutting i did completely fixed all issues i had with the rubbing."

Tell us more about the cutting? Are you sure you did not compromise the frame?

it was the seam weld in the back of the front fenders. its behind that plastic cover thats there. i trimmed the plastic and took the sawzla and cut about 6" long, and around 5/8" to 3/4" off. i believe i might need to get it re-welded as there is now a small "opening" between 2 of the peices there. as for compromising the frame, well the frame is below and around this peice and i didnt cut the frame. this peice is like where the fender, firewall, and the rest of the body all meet and is welded together. as for compromising this peice, i honestly have no idea. nothing is loose or anything. im taking it to a shop sometimes this week to see what they think about it and if it needs to be re-welded. imma post some pics in a few minutes

[SWUtah]

Originally Posted by Colicious

it was the seam weld in the back of the front fenders. its behind that plastic cover thats there. i trimmed the plastic and took the sawzla and cut about 6" long, and around 5/8" to 3/4" off. i believe i might need to get it re-welded as there is now a small "opening" between 2 of the peices there. as for compromising the frame, well the frame is below and around this peice and i didnt cut the frame. this peice is like where the fender, firewall, and the rest of the body all meet and is welded together. as for compromising this peice, i honestly have no idea. nothing is loose or anything. im taking it to a shop sometimes this week to see what they think about it and if it needs to be re-welded. imma post some pics in a few minutes

I understand now, thanks for the insight. Sounds like its not a structural part, but you may want to close it up to keep moisture out and potential rust out. I look forward to seeing your pictures.

[Colicious]

here are the pics. i apologise if some of the pictures turn out a little blurry; my camera fogged right up when i went outside.

I just noticed this yesterday on my rear-driverside tire. every other tire is fine. and every outside lug looks like this. is this regular trail type wear, or something more? im inexperienced in this stuff and dont really know what to look for on tire wear.


here is my CB Radio mount. the hand-mic plugs in easily and can stay plugged in aswell, just you have to push the top down, instead of just letting it fall to close.


side profile. you can see how far the tires stick out


here is the part i trimmed. please note the rust is just surface rust and it looks a lot worse in these pictures. i will be taking care of this in a few days. the horizontal peice at the bottom i just smashed in with a BFH.


here is the rubbing in the back fenders. it rubs on both sides there and the top, and on the driver side, it rubs that back plastic peice. does anyone know whats behind there? the rear AC? would that rubbing also stop with the lowered bump stops?