2004 UZJ100 Guardcompany Build (1 Viewer)

[guardcompany]

Excited to finally be part of the club! My wife and I had our first child and I decided my beloved Tacoma wasn't going to cut it for long trips with a growing family, gear and a 80lb german shepherd. So I went straight to the Land Cruiser, after lots of reading on this wonderful forum I was set. Tacoma was tearfully sold and the hunt started, I will admit I didn't think they would be so hard to find. After missing out on a local one and almost flying out to Kansas and Oklahoma I was settling in for the hunt to be 6+ months when a 2004 white (my color choice) showed up on craigslist 10 miles from me. When I was first searching 100s I would type too fast and spell it "Crusier" so I had a craigslist alert setup just in case someone else spelled it wrong too. Turns out the seller misspelled it the same way and I was one of the only people to find it. I called him right after he posted it and saw it the next day cash in hand and after some useful pre purchase information from mud I made an offer and we had a deal.

139k miles. California rig its whole life, garaged and ZERO rust. It had the worst 20'' wheels I've ever seen on it:

Started on baseline maintenance myself and with the help of John @ San Diego Trux whom I can't recommend enough! John and Darrell are quality people and did my post purchase inspection. So far I've done:

- Engine Oil switch to Mobile 1
- Front and Rear Diff drain and fill
- Transfer case drain and fill
- Transmission drain and fill
- Brake and Steering flushes
- Spark plugs
- Fuel Filter
- Rear rotors and pads
- Blackstone Labs test

Just did some Strongarm hood struts which so far are great.

Thanks to @sdnative picked up some pre 2003 16'' wheels and just this weekend got some 285/75/16 BFG A/T KO2 on it.

Next up is getting my ICOM 208H installed, getting a matching spare wheel/tire and then starting on building some sliders. Excited to hopefully give something back to this community I've learned so much from.

 

[camino70]

Welcome, the truck looks great! Especially with the 16"s and KO2s!

 

[bucfl]

Cool story. That pic makes you look short.

 

[sPaulp]

Congrats, and I have to ask, what is the minimum age requirement in CA to get a drivers license?

 

[Lowbudgetlc100]

i have been looking for another 100 series. i have been searching for something like that. lucky guy.

 

[guardcompany]

Thanks. Yeah my son is just fixing the front plate there for me. Wish he could do oil changes... soon.

 

[guardcompany]

Added some Weathertech floor mats. Fit isn't great compared to the perfect fit with my 2005 Tacoma, however they are fine for me and do the job. Just don't get how they can make something fit so amazingly well in one rig but off in the LC.

Next up mounting a iPad Mini. I didn't want to drill into anything and I didn't want to go off a seat bolt so I wanted to do a ProClip mount and then switch to RAM 1'' ball. I don't like the ProClip device cases and I wanted the flexibility of a RAM ball system to move it around.

I drilled 1/16'' guide holes into the ProClip mount for #8 1/2in screws.

Test fit

Finished

Seems pretty stable for day to day use. We will see off road, but I'm not worried. Speaking of which... Anza-Borrego trip last weekend:

Head of LC Security:

 

[DirtDawg]

Looking good! I like the breakdown mat too btw

 

[guardcompany]

Starting on some serious prep for a long road trip this September/October. Visiting in-laws in Chicago, a week there and a week back. Lots of camping and sight seeing. 5 weeks total. Towing a 12ft cargo trailer conversion with wife, 2 year old and a german shepherd.

I'll be doing a more detailed trip prep site. Any advice in the meantime from you 100 series road veterans?

 

[Battleship]

PM me if you need to get away from the in-laws and kick around another cruiser for a while. And thanks for getting the 16s on that truck.

 

[DJCloz]

I am taking a very similar route to yours starting on the 22nd. After Mount Rushmore we are heading south to Denver for a night, then to Silverton for HIH6. What app or program are you using to plan your road trip? I have the general route planned and most of my lodging planned, but we still have a couple nights that we plan to wing it.

 

[guardcompany]

PM me if you need to get away from the in-laws and kick around another cruiser for a while. And thanks for getting the 16s on that truck.

I just might. I'll be there for 3 weeks. Anything to do around there with a cruiser? I'll be out west by St. Charles.

 

[guardcompany]

I am taking a very similar route to yours starting on the 22nd. After Mount Rushmore we are heading south to Denver for a night, then to Silverton for HIH6. What app or program are you using to plan your road trip? I have the general route planned and most of my lodging planned, but we still have a couple nights that we plan to wing it.

Jealous of HIH6, would like to make it there next year. Just using Google Maps. Doing all the research on campgrounds that look good and places to eat and see so days we are winging it we have something to go off.

 

[bucfl]

How do you manage long trips with the kid? Multiple rest stops? Curious as we have a 2 1/2 and 9 month old.

 

[guardcompany]

Couple questions for you guys. I just towed my 2500lb (if that, I need to weight it) trailer on a camping trip and the sag was pretty bad. I knew this already and had ordered Air Lift 1000 bags for it based on a great thread here. I didn't have time to put them on before this short trip. However seeing how much the rear sagged should I be looking at springs before the big 4000 mile trip?

I'm stock suspension with 142k miles and I'm sure the shocks and springs are original. Off road it's really soft. My plan was to do the trip with the air bags and then after we get back do the Ironman Foam Pros, Ironman T-bars, Slee drop kit and then figure out the springs. I have a 80lb dog, 60lb of gear in the back plus on offroading trips I'll have a fridge too. My concern is I don't want to have to redo anything and my upcoming trip won't involved much offroading if at all.

 

[guardcompany]

How do you manage long trips with the kid? Multiple rest stops? Curious as we have a 2 1/2 and 9 month old.

Lots of stops, driving during nap times, special toys just for the trip, praying? ha

 

[SmoothLC]

Yes, springs will make quite a difference. Purchase based on upcoming mods/future towing trips.

OME, IronMan or Slee are good parts/sources.

 

[abuck99]

.....Or if you can shift some of the load in that trailer towards the axle or further back to reduce the tongue weight a little-

 

[guardcompany]

Air Lift 1000 bags did the trick. I still need springs and shocks but I'm doing that after the trip.

With 25 PSI. Will prob go down to 20 when on the road.

Weighted the trailer today (without our clothes are gear)

Trailer Solo: 2200
Trailer Connected: 1800
Tongue Weight: 420

Gonna try to move some stuff around to get that tongue weight down. Might add a weight distro hitch before the big trip.

 

[guardcompany]

Thought I would finally update my build thread. Ended up not taking the LC on the long road trip and took a motorhome instead, great decision with a young child! No regrats.

I've had a lot of parts slowly accumulating in my garage all spring and I finally got everything installed!

I ended up with Slee Shocks. I can't say enough good things about these shocks. They are exactly what I was looking for! Huge thanks to Christo.

Paired them with SPC UCAs, OME t-bars, Slee Diff Drop and Slee SOF2RH springs.

Next up was the rear bumper...

This bumper is the real deal! It's truly a work of art. Install was easy and well thought out. For wiring the license plate and reverse light I tapped into my trailer harness (green is running lights and yellow is back up):

I found this to be the easiest since I could take it off the truck and work on it at the work bench. Wiring up a reverse light:

Next was White Knuckle Off Road sliders. Love the look and can't wait to test them soon.

Even had the parts sitting around from Christmas for the cooler cover mod. Broke the old one coming out but new one went in fine after some deep breaths and a beer or two:

As she sits now:

Wish I was making the trip out to HIH this year. Next year hopefully.