100 Series IFS Long Travel Thread

[Newps]

I've got to say that my concern would be that such a shop may over think this, making it crazy expensive, although I'm sure it would be of excellent quality... I'm with @bjowett in the fact that this could be done in a much more simple manner, like the extensions we both mentioned. If you're going to talk to them, could you please at least throw this idea out there and see what they say? I'm genuinely interested to hear thoughts on that approach, even if nothing will come of it.

Please understand I am not trying to come off as being conceded when I say this. This is the wrong company to ask about lengthening stock arms. After they stopped laughing at me, they would tell me to get lost. The stock arms are adequate to mild wheeling with stock equipment. They are stamped steel and tested to withstand stock equipment at reasonable stresses. The 100 series weighs a lot not more then a 1st gen 4Runner, ATV or UTV. My kids ride in this truck, there is not enough savings in the world worth the risk of that style design. IMOP the 100 series is the wrong platform for this type of suspension modification. Then again I could be totally wrong and I encourage you to ask around. This is just not something I would want on my rig.

I feel like if I stated this thread out with a Blazeland style design everyone would be asking for one at the upper level like I proposed. However I am still going to talk with them about a design in the middle. Yes the front track width will be wider then stock. How much I do not know yet. There really is no other way to get more suspension travel and keep the stock mounting points.

 

[yotasavg]

Please understand I am not trying to come off as being conceded when I say this. This is the wrong company to ask about lengthening stock arms. After they stopped laughing at me, they would tell me to get lost. The stock arms are adequate to mild wheeling with stock equipment. They are stamped steel and tested to withstand stock equipment at reasonable stresses. The 100 series weighs a lot not more then a 1st gen 4Runner, ATV or UTV. My kids ride in this truck, there is not enough savings in the world worth the risk of that style design. IMOP the 100 series is the wrong platform for this type of suspension modification. Then again I could be totally wrong and I encourage you to ask around. This is just not something I would want on my rig.

I feel like if I stated this thread out with a Blazeland style design everyone would be asking for one at the upper level like I proposed. However I am still going to talk with them about a design in the middle. Yes the front track width will be wider then stock. How much I do not know yet. There really is no other way to get more suspension travel and keep the stock mounting points.

Fair enough, and you make good points about this being a larger vehicle. I'm still all ears and eyes, and support your endeavors in this idea.

 

[Newps]

Thanks Andrew, I appreciate the support.

 

[bjowett]

You don't come off conceded at all. Your concerns and desires are valid, and I don't suggest these things lightly. My point is more to help you trim this down to a level that will bring in more interest. I should have added that modding stock arms in this way, for me at least, is a prototyping trial R&D thing… but when built correctly, these parts will perform, and I have no issues putting them through the paces for many miles. If this place will build it, and you want it, do it… stuff like this is Awesome. Also, remember that these are race parts, the wear points, spherical bearings and such, are not going to last for anything even close to what is considered Land Cruiser Mileage.

 

[Krazytoy]

Who is the company you have been taking to? I spoke with Pro-Am about designing this same exact thing for my 100, it can be done, no doubt. With design work, (Pro-Am designing the entire front suspension and brackets) plus hard parts I was going to be around $30k, axles, rack and pinion, spindles, hubs, brakes and obviously shocks and bumps were the majority of the cost. We had gone as far as selecting what parts to use and were all but ready to start the design process, in the end I just couldn't justify it for the 100 series platform in general. The actually CAD was not that much money in the grand scheme of things.

Remember they said an IFS car would never work for KOH too.

 

[GregLCA]

Remember they said an IFS car would never work for KOH too.

Any problem can be solved when you have an unlimited budget!


-G

 

[Krazytoy]

Any problem can be solved when you have an unlimited budget!


-G

Yep, that and you build a chassis around the suspension.

 

[SALTY METHODS]

Any new news on this? Also, if they can make a 4Runner long travel kit, why is it so much harder for them to do it for a 100-series? Isn't it basically the same thing, just a bit bigger?

 

[yotasavg]

Any new news on this? Also, if they can make a 4Runner long travel kit, why is it so much harder for them to do it for a 100-series? Isn't it basically the same thing, just a bit bigger?

That's what I'm saying...

 

[SALTY METHODS]

Resurrecting this thread. Anyone? Anyone?

 

[madmaskbass]

what about 200 series or FJ fronts grafted in?. I would be thinking more along the lines of the 200 front. but at least then you get coilover and more travel...might not be many around cheap in US which could be an issue. surely they're similar track and dynamics seeing as you can use the same wheels/motors etc...

Note: I have absolutely no idea about anything lol just throwing the idea to the wind.

 

[pkelly72]

I read through this and some interesting ideas.

 

[SALTY METHODS]

Again, isnt the 100-series a glorified 4Runner (or vice versa)? Why can you buy long travel suspension for a 4Runner but there nothing for the LC? Cant a 4Runner kit be adapted for use on a LC?

 

[duggy]

Again, isnt the 100-series a glorified 4Runner (or vice versa)? Why can you buy long travel suspension for a 4Runner but there nothing for the LC? Cant a 4Runner kit be adapted for use on a LC?

No, the two platforms are built entirely on different platforms. The layout of the front end including the cradle for the power steering rack is very similar but the 4runner uses coilovers vs the 100 series much beefier LCAs/TBars/Shock setup.

I would be intrigued to see if the stock 100 series shock mount could be converted to a coilover setup since you are now transferring the heavy lifting of the vehicle from the torsion bars to the new coilover setup and the old shock mounts.

The reason there are no long travel kits are simply because the Land Cruiser market is very small. There are replacement lower control arms for many makes such as Tacomas/4Runners/FJ Cruisers and even Ford Raptors but none for the LC as simply nobody has dove into it.

Keep in mind that a long travel kit may not simply be a bolt-on affair. You may have to still do some fab work in getting new shock towers and also have to deal with increased track width.

 

[GregLCA]

The deafening silence in this thread over the last few months pretty much tells the whole story....

It's fun to talk and theorize about how easy (or hard) a project like this would be. But like all R&D work, someone has to be FIRST and spend the time and money to figure out how to really accomplish it.

The LC/LX market is so small (relatively speaking) I just don't see this ever becoming a "production" item... maybe someone REALLY stubborn will do it for their own vehicle as a one-off for bragging rights, but that's the only way I expect to ever see it happen.


-G

 

[SALTY METHODS]

I figured as much. Maybe as the 100-series gets older and more low-lifes like myself can afford them, will we get a soul brave enough to tackle this endeavor. Being from the South West, long travel vehicles are the most versatile in our area (as well as the most fun). Having the first true, long travel LC would be something to brag about in my opinion.

 

[GregLCA]

I figured as much. Maybe as the 100-series gets older and more low-lifes like myself can afford them, will we get a soul brave enough to tackle this endeavor. Being from the South West, long travel vehicles are the most versatile in our area (as well as the most fun). Having the first true, long travel LC would be something to brag about in my opinion.

Hmmm...... I'm not sure that's how it's going to work either.

When the target vehicle (like the 100-Series) gets cheaper to purchase, the cost and effort to develop a more exotic suspension becomes a larger and larger percentage of the vehicles acquisition cost. If anything, it seems LESS likely that anyone will ever bother to develop a "system" or "kit" for this platform. It's hard to believe that a demographic driving $8000 - $12,000 LC/LX trucks will spend $5000+ on a fully-sorted long travel kit.

Honestly, I don't even know WHAT kinds of costs are involved but I know that the solution never comes as cheaply or quickly as people originally thought.


-G

 

[yotasavg]

Hmmm...... I'm not sure that's how it's going to work either.

When the target vehicle (like the 100-Series) gets cheaper to purchase, the cost and effort to develop a more exotic suspension becomes a larger and larger percentage of the vehicles acquisition cost. If anything, it seems LESS likely that anyone will ever bother to develop a "system" or "kit" for this platform. It's hard to believe that a demographic driving $8000 - $12,000 LC/LX trucks will spend $5000+ on a fully-sorted long travel kit.

Honestly, I don't even know WHAT kinds of costs are involved but I know that the solution never comes as cheaply or quickly as people originally thought.


-G

While that makes sense, there are a LOT of people getting old Ford, Chevy and Toyota trucks and putting ridiculously expensive long travel kits on them. I'd even extend that thought to SAS kits. I could snag a beat up old Toyota Mini for $1k around here and even an SAS would exceed the purchase price of the vehicle, greatly if we're talking links and coilovers.

 

[BamaHeel]

No, the two platforms are built entirely on different platforms. The layout of the front end including the cradle for the power steering rack is very similar but the 4runner uses coilovers vs the 100 series much beefier LCAs/TBars/Shock setup.

I would be intrigued to see if the stock 100 series shock mount could be converted to a coilover setup since you are now transferring the heavy lifting of the vehicle from the torsion bars to the new coilover setup and the old shock mounts.

The reason there are no long travel kits are simply because the Land Cruiser market is very small. There are replacement lower control arms for many makes such as Tacomas/4Runners/FJ Cruisers and even Ford Raptors but none for the LC as simply nobody has dove into it.

Keep in mind that a long travel kit may not simply be a bolt-on affair. You may have to still do some fab work in getting new shock towers and also have to deal with increased track width.

There were the Russians a few years ago who were doing the coilover set up - there was a thread on here about it.

 

[duggy]

Cranking torsion bars