Builds 2016 LC Build - DFW TX (1 Viewer)

[Kurosawa]

This is how we took it on our five week adventure up to LCDC in Fort Collins and back because the bed liner didn't arrive in time for finishing. It worked so amazingly well for how we pack, we were all thrilled to have it on the trip. The hatches can be turned around to latch in either direction, we get all our clothing for three in the small hatch using packing cubes to sort what belongs to who and the larger compartment holds all our dry foods. The person sitting in back would turn the dry goods hatch around and have easy access while on the road to grab snacks for us, super convenient.

I think I may move from the hatch set up on that larger compartment to a hinge on the forward or rear most edge as this would allow access from both sides while making the hatch itself a little easier to handle one handed since it would be attached to the box and not loose when in the open position. That and coating it will really have it dialed in nicely for our next trip.

Obviously this will also serve as a much flatter sleeping platform when solo then just folding down the 40%. I think I can do a full swap from box back to second row in 15min. I love this mod.

 

[Tommy Dwyer]

This is how we took it on our five week adventure up to LCDC in Fort Collins and back because the bed liner didn't arrive in time for finishing. It worked so amazingly well for how we pack, we were all thrilled to have it on the trip. The hatches can be turned around to latch in either direction, we get all our clothing for three in the small hatch using packing cubes to sort what belongs to who and the larger compartment holds all our dry foods. The person sitting in back would turn the dry goods hatch around and have easy access while on the road to grab snacks for us, super convenient.

I think I may move from the hatch set up on that larger compartment to a hinge on the forward or rear most edge as this would allow access from both sides while making the hatch itself a little easier to handle one handed since it would be attached to the box and not loose when in the open position. That and coating it will really have it dialed in nicely for our next trip.

Obviously this will also serve as a much flatter sleeping platform when solo then just folding down the 40%. I think I can do a full swap from box back to second row in 15min. I love this mod.

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Super nice work!

 

[tincan45]

This is how we took it on our five week adventure up to LCDC in Fort Collins and back because the bed liner didn't arrive in time for finishing. It worked so amazingly well for how we pack, we were all thrilled to have it on the trip. The hatches can be turned around to latch in either direction, we get all our clothing for three in the small hatch using packing cubes to sort what belongs to who and the larger compartment holds all our dry foods. The person sitting in back would turn the dry goods hatch around and have easy access while on the road to grab snacks for us, super convenient.

I think I may move from the hatch set up on that larger compartment to a hinge on the forward or rear most edge as this would allow access from both sides while making the hatch itself a little easier to handle one handed since it would be attached to the box and not loose when in the open position. That and coating it will really have it dialed in nicely for our next trip.

Obviously this will also serve as a much flatter sleeping platform when solo then just folding down the 40%. I think I can do a full swap from box back to second row in 15min. I love this mod.

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Amazing! Love the utility of this.

 

[Kurosawa]

Updated photos of the second row storage after coating with spray on bedliner. Since I had to remove and replace in order to apply the finish I can confirm it takes no more than five minutes to pull it out or put it back in. Also after an 8 night solo trip to NH from TX sleeping in the rig I can also vouch for the much improved sleeping platform this allows over the folded seat method I was using sucessfully before.

If you have a wood shop and have built cabinetry before this is an easy long weekend mod - if not I'd say look to have it made for you. @TrekboxX is just a call away and have done variations of this for others. The mod itself is a very high value addition for those that do a lot of longer expeditions and would be worth the investment.

 

[shelby95]

Great thread and easy cost-effective ideas.
Funny how people have many shared interests. FW is one of my favorite towns, especially the area in which you live. The few shots in your carport tell me you have pretty good taste in architecture and a certain sticker on your fridge indicates an interest in some air-cooled stuff.

 

[TrekboxX]

Great job on the 2nd row storage box!

 

[Kurosawa]

Great thread and easy cost-effective ideas.
Funny how people have many shared interests. FW is one of my favorite towns, especially the area in which you live. The few shots in your carport tell me you have pretty good taste in architecture and a certain sticker on your fridge indicates an interest in some air-cooled stuff.

Thanks for the compliments and well spotted, unfortunately only an air-cooled interest not ownership- so far anyway... Next time you swing through FW post-pandemic I'll buy you a beer from a certain brewery in town if you look me up

 

[shelby95]

Saw that sticker, too. And I’ll hold ya to it.

 

[Kurosawa]

During my trip to NH I swung by Main Line Overland in Bow to pick up some Maxtrax to be ready for what I expected to be some muddy conditions on the Allegany and Shenandoah Trail, Kentucky Adventure Trail, and Ozark Overland Adventure Trails I had planned for the trip back to TX. No winch and solo vehicle a long way from home....

I have the 80/20 mod (post #24) that @tbisaacs detailed in his great DIY thread 80/20 Factory Rack Mod. The extrusions don't fit the Maxtrax retaining studs so I had two options - I could remove two crossbars and drill holes through the extrusions or I could fab up some brackets that did work with the 80/20 system and attach the retaining studs to those. I made the brackets and tried powder coating them myself for the first time.

The material is 1/4 aluminum, they work great and are removable in 30 seconds from the roof rack. If someone is thinking of doing the same I would have made only two brackets one front and one rear so that the spacing was retained (for the holes in the Maxtrax) when removing or reattaching the brackets to the roof. Only takes a sec to get it right if you mark their locations but had I had a large enough piece of aluminum laying around that's what I would have done.

 

[reddog90]

Very nice build.

 

[Kurosawa]

Recently compleated some maintenance items as I near 60k miles and thought I would memorialize them here for future reference.

The following is all pertaining to my 2016 model year LC.

Dealer-
Toyota Service Bulletin #02029-17 transmission reprogram
Replacement of front passenger seat belt (recall)

Self-
5 tire rotation
Front rotors OEM #43512-60210
Front pads TRD #PTR09-0C111
Rear pads TRD #PTR09-0C110
Wiper refills OEM R #85214-0T040 L #85214-06140 Rear #85214-42040
Cabin air filter Wix charcoal activated #24511
Engine air filter OEM #17801-38030
Engine oil change 0w-20 Valvoline synthetic
Engine oil filter OEM #04152-YZZA4
Front diff fluid change + addition of new Kaon diff plug 75w-90 Valvoline Synpower gear oil
Rear diff fluid change 75w-90 Valvoline Synpower gear oil
Transfer case fluid change Ravenol 75w synthetic gear oil
Grease driveline with Red N' Sticky - I replaced grease gun tip with the LockNLube version and this was incredibly useful, made zerk connection a breeze even when you can't see them or maintain the correct angle.

Amazon product ASIN B00H7LPKKU

 

[PDoyle]

I 've been looking at buying LockNLube for my grease gun.
I think it would help with greasing the front driveshaft.

Test - LockNLube Grease Gun Coupler Template

Grease Coupler by LockNLube®. Money Back Guarantee. Shop now and get free shipping on all orders to the U.S. over $25.

locknlube.com

 

[reddog90]

Any updates?

 

[Kurosawa]

Any updates?

I'm headed to Cruise Moab end of April so I will be doing a few tweaks in the next couple weeks, thanks for the prompt to remember to document it.

 

[Kurosawa]

It's been awhile since I added to the record here as @reddog90 recently reminded me, so here are the latest small tweaks.

I'll start with my most looked forward to modification: Hatch lighting!

These Whelen lights appear to be very nicely built and I think look like they belong in the LC. An inexpensive three position switch from Superbrightleds.com and some wire run through the hatch-to-body grommet and tucked in behind the weather-stripping of the body then fished into the driver side wing area of my drawers put me in business. I looked at a few options for grounding inside the hatch like the third break light or a body ground bolt on DS just behind the third row release lever but thought it was just as easy to fish both power and ground to my Blue Sea fuse box and be done with it.

I dug around in some old posts by @Mxndrnks and found he did a nice picture with all the parts that I was able to use to create my wiring schematic. (edited to add I sloppily didn't draw my +/- to the correct exact spots on my fuse box, for those first timers, do be sure locate the correct positions on your box) He also got some great input from others that helped me understand the correct negative switching used to do this properly. Link to the beginning of the his discussion that helped guide me. How to: adding 100 series hatch/camping/work lights - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/how-to-adding-100-series-hatch-camping-work-lights.546102/post-7541691

My family and I are very excited to solve the lighting of the cooking area around the drawers. It will also be nice to have the red light option when I might be solo sleeping in the truck and don't want to fill the cabin up with bugs while making dinner. I found the portable puck lights never worked very well for directed lighting and are very bright to have in line of sight, I expect having these overhead will be a huge improvement.

 

[Kurosawa]

I realized this old info on my Single Group 31 Battery Upgrade never got included here so link: Deka Marine Master dual-purpose battery? - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/deka-marine-master-dual-purpose-battery.1207384/

I think with many nights camping out of the rig since I did this group 31 upgrade I've come to the determination an in-cabin lithium battery would be useful for the way we camp. We will often post up over a long weekend in one spot and not need to use the vehicle, when we do this it does put some burden on being able to get good solar each day to sustain the fridge. It's a luxury but it would relieve the charge anxiety that can come when the weather doesn't cooperate.

 

[Kurosawa]

Our LC is set up for our three person family and while I had deleted the video screen on the pass side when I did the 40% second row delete I left the screen in place on the drivers side. I thought we would live with it for awhile and see if it added any value to the rear passenger on longer trips. Ultimately for us it doesn't, our daughter is a teen and doesn't seem interested in watching movies while underway and so I used my 2nd screen delete plate purchased a few years back from @TrekboxX to finally retire the driver side screen in favor of increased forward visibility for anyone in the second row.

It's so much more pleasant to see out now and feels more spacious as well. I'm not sure why the first image won't import right side up as it is in my library but you get the idea.

 

[Kurosawa]

I installed the Kaon standalone rear shelf back when they first came out and like others here have now upgraded it with the new side supports. Standalone Rear Roof Shelf to suit Toyota LandCruiser LC200 [Type: With Large Side Molle Panels] - https://www.kaon.com.au/standalone-rear-roof-shelf-to-suit-toyota-landcrui

Kaon really went above and beyond what I expect from companies as far as standing behind and constantly improving their product.

A small hack of my own you can see in the photos is the addition of black corrugated sign board lining the shelf. I found the molly cut outs really grabbed items stored up there making them catch as they were stored or removed. Things slip right in and out with a smooth surface now while the shelf lip still keeps anything from falling out while driving.

 

[Kurosawa]

The cheapest and fastest mod done to date has to be the addition of the @Markuson magnet hack. The addition of a rare earth magnet to your tailgate is such an elegant solution to the supporting cable getting out of alignment as these frequently do. I'll have a couple extras of these at Cruise Moab if anyone there would like to do the same you can have them.

 

[Markuson]

The cheapest and fastest mod done to date has to be the addition of the @Markuson magnet hack. The addition of a rare earth magnet to your tailgate is such an elegant solution to the supporting cable getting out of alignment as these frequently do. I'll have a couple extras of these at Cruise Moab if anyone there would like to do the same you can have them.

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Heh. That little magnet hack has made it all over Australia & Dubai…