100 series modification for Looks (5 Viewers)

[Dwon]

Yesterday I completed the first phase of my vision. I had Toyo Open Country MT 285.75R16 tires installed. I'll have a body wrap for my Photo Safari Workshop business completed this week. The second week in Sept my ARB Bull Bar, Roof Rack, IPF lights, and Firm Valve OME shocks will arrive and I'll install them.

I'll post pics as I progress and let you know if there's things I should have done differently.

I'm going to wait to install the OME suspension and Slee Drop Diff until I know I need it. I want to drive around for a while with the stock Tbars and Springs to see if I am OK with it. I'm not putting in a winch so there shouldn't be a problem with the Tbars (I may have to crank them up 1/2 inch or so, but if the bumper drops more than an inch I'll install OME Tbars).

I'm going to be doing all the work myself and I'm no mechanic. I'm smart enough to take things apart and put them back together the way I found them and I have a few tools. I'll let you know what I had to buy to complete the jobs myself.

I loved ShottsUZJ100 build up report and I think it would be great to see more of them with different approaches. His was for off-roading. Mine is for looks and transporting students to and from scenic photography viewpoints. Two totally different purposes. Looks (mine) vs. utility (his).

I'll keep you updated.
Pic before any mod.

 

[Dwon]

W/New Toyo Open Country MT 285.75R 16.
Much noisier and a little rougher ride than the custom 20" wheels with street tires that came with the LC when I bought it last month, but the feeling of being a bad-arse with these tires makes up for the ride quality.

No mod to OEM suspension and there is no rubbing!

This is a quick and easy mod that only improves the offroad look and feel of the LC. The wife misses the quiet and lux ride, but appreciates the rugged look.

Pic of new tires.

 

[Filmpros]

New setup looks good....keep us posted with pics as you progress. I am interested to see ho this turns out. Thinking of doing exactly the same thing to mine.

 

[tntoyota]

Needs mud, meh.

 

[pint]

Good looking rig! Those tires look pretty sweet and should do well off road. Looks like a nice list of mods coming soon...can't wait to see the progress.

 

[ckkone]

Is that tire shine?

 

[Dwon]

Is that tire shine?

New Tires. Won't stay shiny long!

 

[brett0004]

Hey Dwon, what are the original wheels and tyres as I like the look of them.

 

[macneill]

Glad you lost them Spinnaz. Now it's time to lose the running boards.

Now jack that s***e up!

Great start!

 

[Dwon]

Hey Dwon, what are the original wheels and tyres as I like the look of them.

I've got them up for sale if you're interested.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=175108

This is my second day on the new tires and I really do miss the quiet ride from the 20"-ers.

 

[Dandon]

I've got them up for sale if you're interested.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=175108

This is my second day on the new tires and I really do miss the quiet ride from the 20"-ers.

Hi,

maybe AT's instead of MT's would have been a better compromise between looks and ride confort.

 

[Dwon]

Yea, but these look AWESOME! I'll learn to cope with the rough ride for the looks. They are the smoothest ride of the true off road tires that I've ridden on. Not to mention they won the Baja 1000!

 

[hedydd]

Yea, but these look AWESOME! I'll learn to cope with the rough ride for the looks. They are the smoothest ride of the true off road tires that I've ridden on. Not to mention they won the Baja 1000!

To me they look like tractor tyres. If you need a tractor why not buy a tractor?
Those that really need offroad traction from their Cruisers specify 235 or 245/85R16 tyres.

You may not like my comments but everyone is different in their tastes but for heavy duty work you don't fit those tyres of yours. Too little ground pressure for optimum traction IMO and not self cleaning.

 

[e9999]

To me they look like tractor tyres. If you need a tractor why not buy a tractor?
Those that really need offroad traction from their Cruisers specify 235 or 245/85R16 tyres.

You may not like my comments but everyone is different in their tastes but for heavy duty work you don't fit those tyres of yours. Too little ground pressure for optimum traction IMO and not self cleaning.

well, at least he is honest about doing this all for looks.
As far as the skinnies, you may think they are the only ones good for HD work, but plenty of people -certainly many in the US- would disagree. I guess it depends on what you call HD work and what terrain you'd see, I would think...

 

[macneill]

Good luck! I just pulled my MTs off just for that reason.

I'll learn to cope with the rough ride for the looks.

 

[hedydd]

well, at least he is honest about doing this all for looks.
As far as the skinnies, you may think they are the only ones good for HD work, but plenty of people -certainly many in the US- would disagree. I guess it depends on what you call HD work and what terrain you'd see, I would think...

Europe Africa and anywhere but sandy places. Far too much flotation for serious grip. They are called 'mud' tyres but are in fact pathetic in mud and slippery areas including grass on slopes. The car just slides all over the place.
Serious users use serious tyres. They do not buy tyres for their looks. Looks are a personal matter but I don't like those tyres on a Cruiser. As far as performance goes, they are inferior to sensible sizes with similar pattern wherever you are. The only places you need tyres that wide are in peat bogs and dry sand and the tread pattern is not ideal for either.

Since the owner is honest enough to want them for their looks then fair enough, the world would be a boreing place if we all liked the same thing.

 

[FirstToy]

going for looks alone, maybe the MTR's would have been a better choice. lighter weight and quieter.

people can debate the skinny vs wide tires but I believe wider is better in most situations, in California trails anyway.

 

[Dwon]

Lets stay on track.
I got these tires because they're awesome good looking and bigger than stock and they won the Baja 1000 (looks and street cred).

Lets not confuse what I'm doing with serious offroading. I'm building a tough LOOKING rig.

Keep in mind one thing though. The only thing I'm NOT doing is installing Tbars and springs right now.

I'm going to drive the LC with the new ARB Bull Bar and Roof Rack to see what it's like with OEM shocks and springs. Then I'm going to install the OME shocks and see if there's an improvement. I won't get the Tbars and springs unless: A. the front end droops more than 1/2 inch due to the added weight of the bumper (I'm going to crank the Tbars to put it back to normal), or B. the ride totally sucks with the OEM equipment. I won't crank the Tbars if it droops more than an inch, I'll just get new ones.

I'll be posting pics and instructions for each installed item. I'm also going to be using the most basic of equipment to keep it user possible. Sure you can do all this stuff if you have a garage full of tools. I'm going to try it with my limited tools, the OEM crank jack, and Macgyver-like tenaciousness.

 

[dclee]

They are called 'mud' tyres but are in fact pathetic in mud and slippery areas including grass on slopes. The car just slides all over the place.

I'd like to see your data points for this re: Toyo Open Country MT specifically.

In general, I would agree that in CERTAIN types of terrain, skinny is better. But wide also has its advantages, especially in mud (for which this tread is designed) and off-camber rocks. Europe and Africa? Maybe, but that's quite a generalization. Africa has lots of sand, especially North Africa. Flotation is good. Europe has lots of mud and fields, where a skinny tire might be better until you dig in up to your axles and then get bogged. Again, some might say flotation would be good here as well. Depends. I don't know that I'd go so far as to make such a broad generalization, but that's just me.

Anyway, most of us are in neither of those places. Where we wheel, and the terrain that we see, quite often dictates different equipment that you might see in Europe or Africa. There's five other continents to choose from...

 

[Dwon]

Yes, but how would the tires perform if Space Monkeys attack?

Seriously, this is a build up post, not a tire post.
All I've done is put new tires on my rig and there's already 19 posts. Most of them about whether my new Good Looking Tires are off road worthy in Africa.

While I appreciate a good dialog about various topics, this is going to be a real beach to read through to get to the meat and potatoes of my build up.

I'm new to the ih8mud forum and it's because I just got my LC and I've been planning this build up based upon others posts (especially this one https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=150735 )

I haven't found a post for a build up for looks without the need for serious off-roading. I think this will be a useful post to others looking to do the same thing.

I LOVE all the attention about my build, but lets please stay on topic. If you have any suggestions to help with my build I'd really appreciate them. Types of tools, things to watch out for, etc. would be great.

Thanks for all your help.