Are mods really necessary for dirt roads?

[gil12]

That is a very cool video! I love the drive right over the camera shots!

I'd be unlikely to cross the stream, so that might give you an idea of my on road style. Then again, I crossed similar terrain with my old 85 crown vic wagon to get to a trilobyte site some years back. Judgement gets hazzy when a goal is in sight!

Thanks!

I'm hesitant to do anything that would further raise my center of gravity, it already feels like one is on a pogo stick. Does anyone else share that concern????
Gil

 

[BMX and CRUISERS]

The BEST thing you can do is leave your vehicle STOCK. Change it ONLY if you have or want to. AT tires is a big plus...otherwise I'd leave it be.

 

[Yukon LX]

^ and how about a round of applause for the big first post after 3 years!!

As far as the pogo stick, i have not felt, or had this concern at all in my rig.

 

[patrickfinley]

I'm hesitant to do anything that would further raise my center of gravity, it already feels like one is on a pogo stick. Does anyone else share that concern????
Gil

High center of gravity and rollover risk is a concern in all SUV's. It is a safety issue. It will be safer at highway speeds with stock size wheels and no lift.

Although, I'm not sure about sliders, they may be below the COG line and could reduce rollover risk. Does anyone know where the COG line exists for a stock 100 LC? Somewhere about the floor area of the rig (unloaded that is)? Rear bumper could help lower the COG as well. Front bumper might be above the line. People, anything in the cargo area or roof will raise the COG and further increase rollover risk. The worst culprit is stuff on the roof.

 

[bkgee]

as everyone else has said already, for fire roads like the PO is describing, stock is more than adequate. if the fire roads get twisty or washed out, or if you want to take a lesser traveled spur that gets slightly wild, stock will still do fine (preferably with 285s) if you are OK with scratching up your bumpers. I am! i love the road handling and fuel economy of the stock LC

 

[jemsec]

Don't forget the primary issue - "Land Cruiser Addicition"! Not terminal but there is no known cure.

How many mods does a Land Cruiser owner need? - "just one more'! Dosen't matter if it's new valve stem caps or a rear bumper with a swingout. "Got to have it!"

We need a good wife to keep us in check.

 

[lrowe_csp]

An ARB front locker is a good mod that will provide two things: peace of mind that known 2-pinion diff weakness in that year LC has been addressed, and locked front axle to get out of a jam when necessary, since OP doesn't appear to want winch bumper, winch, and then all other attendant suspension mods.

 

[moooooooo]

Same as everyone here - tyres. I have an ARB bar with winch. The only time I've used the winch was in 2007 ( ish ) when I was on a muddy track and a big tree had fallen across it.

I had the stock crappy Grandtreks and had to a 300 point (slight exaggeration!!) 180 degree turn and churned up the track and I couldn't make it back up the track. Would my current KM2s have got me out? Possibly. But now I am more knowledgable reducing the tyre pressure probably would have got me out

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD

 

[gil12]

An ARB front locker is a good mod that will provide two things: peace of mind that known 2-pinion diff weakness in that year LC has been addressed, and locked front axle to get out of a jam when necessary, since OP doesn't appear to want winch bumper, winch, and then all other attendant suspension mods.

I have thought of that option as well. But then i just drive more miles and it seems more academic than needed. I am in the process of painting my truck - and i figure that will save me a couple of thousand I could reinvest. So maybe that is another good question:

If I were to spend $2000 - $3000 on mods - where to put it?

Tires and ???
ARB front diff ???
or ???

Gil

 

[pfran42]

I have thought of that option as well. But then i just drive more miles and it seems more academic than needed. I am in the process of painting my truck - and i figure that will save me a couple of thousand I could reinvest. So maybe that is another good question:

If I were to spend $2000 - $3000 on mods - where to put it?

Tires and ???
ARB front diff ???
or ???

Gil

I thought about painting mine at one time. In my head I wanted to have an awesomely built truck without a scratch on it. This is an impossibility. The more you do, the more the paint and body suffer. The UZJ100 is such a capable rig that it begs to be free of it's former life of storing Goldfish, Gummy Worms and Skittles. Before you took it home it lived a life of eating quarters in the tape deck, being scribbled on with crayons, holding shopping bags from Bloomingdale's and playing top 40 hits on the radio. It is like a good Lab; great family dog that will let a 2 year old pull on it's ears all day, but you take it out in the field and it transforms into a true athlete. It exists well in both elements and this is the very reason we love them so much.

Stick around and you'll see a typical pattern of behavior that goes a little like this...

Beginner
-Where do I get a replacement wood grain package for the interior?
-Anyone know a good source for fender flare guards?
-How do I best touch up a blemish on the paint?
-What is the best leather protector?
-My seat belts don't retract very fast, is there a fix?
-Anyone know what that dumbbell looking thing is on the frame?
-How do I program the key FOB?
-Where can I get the best deal on replacement Toyota OEM shocks

Intermediate
-How do I remove the running boards?
-What are the best AT tires?
-How do I install an HID kit?
-Are LED interior kits easy to install? (shameless plug)
-How to I adjust my OEM torsion bars?
-Will rear spring spacers affect how my truck currently handles?
-My idle is rough, should I clean my throttle body and Mas Air Flow sensor?
-I just noticed that ATRAC thing working when I was playing around on a hill
-Man those bumpers in the Pic thread are awesome!
-Solved the rattle underneath with a hose clamp on the heat shield!
-I just changed my O2 sensors!!!
-Sliders!

Advanced
-ARB, Slee or TJM?
-What are the benefits of "L" shocks?
-There goes my front pinion...Should I re-gear since I have already decided on an air locker up front?
-What rating of winch should I buy?
-How do we get an extra .0007" of travel up front, I already have UCA's and a diff drop!?
-I have so much stuff in the back now that drawers actually make sense.
-Would you like a fridge with that drawer?
-What snorkel offers the best balance of performance and price?
-I really want that rear bumper but the wife will think I'm a tard if I spend that kind of coin...
-Sick of the exhaust manifold leak...Hello DT Headers!
-How am I gonna cram a winch solenoid, 2nd battery, heat exchanger, air compressor and on-board welder in the engine bay?
-Mmmmmmm....Suuuuperrrr Chhaaarggerrr.....
-That's it...I'm going solid front axle

In short, don't worry about the paint, $3k would get you a nice set of sliders, a lift and a great set of tires! Cruisers are one of the few vehicles that actually look better with a little bit of wear and tear on them.

 

[gil12]

I thought about painting mine at one time. In my head I wanted to have an awesomely built truck
In short, don't worry about the paint, $3k would get you a nice set of sliders, a lift and a nice set of tires! Cruisers are one of the few vehicles that actually look better with a little bit of wear and tear on them.......

Great post! (And quite informative AND ammusing!)

I did not explain myself well - I'm painting my truck myself rather than paying someone - and so could use the money saved to spend on something of more mechanical advantage. Or, these days, use the money to keep it well fed with $4.20 gas!

 

[re_guderian]

...But then i just drive more miles and it seems more academic than needed...

Every single person who's front diff has blown said this. Until it blew. Then is was no longer academic, but the time for prevention had long passed. The need for some things just has to be learned the hard way for some, I guess. And if you've searched, you'd know that they weren't all destroyed in hard use situations.

 

[jonharis]

For $3k

Because you bought a 99.

Slee sliders: $900 shipped.
ARB front: : yea they blow up on dirt roads. $1600 (you remove/reinstall the diff, have Carl or local shop install compressor, you can do it!)
Hi-lift, with winch kit and chain, tree saver, snatch strap, shackle. $500.

You can do 90% of everything.

 

[bkgee]

$3000?

Decent AT tires in 285, $1000
Bilstein shocks, $500
Slee step sliders, $1000
Basic recovery kit*, $500

*tow straps, chain, D-shackles, recovery points, come-along, shovel, axe. learn how to use these. now you're totally set for fire roads plus

learn how to remove the front drive shaft and wheel hubs to recover from front diff failure if you want. the failure rate on these must be about as low as the MY2000 transmission, ie less than 5%. when you get stranded, it will probably be something else like a dead battery, coil pack etc

edit: haha jonharis you beat me to it, same general concepts tho huh? i myself do want a front diff locker...

 

[Brock]

I've taken my '99 through Death Valley, backroads of Southern Arizona, Utah and California - and quite frankly, have found that my stock LC does it all without a wimper, shutter, or slip. So am I missing something?

The only mod that makes much sense to me is a steel bumper i might want to attach winch to - but I haven't needed one - these trucks just keep going! (Got to love it!)

Do you think mods are necessary for on dirt roads, bad dirt roads, was once a road now looks like a wash roads? If so, which ones and why?


Gil
Ventura

On dirt roads you need to do absolutely nothing...if they sometimes get muddy might go with slightly more aggressive tire like Nitto Terra Grapplers. Otherwise nothing needed.

 

[Brock]

here we go...hahaha
**Deleted for the sanity of all of us...after Yukon said he was just stirring the pot!"" Rat bastard!

 

[Yukon LX]

i was 100 percent joking. Lets please not start this again. May be one of the more beat up topics out there, up there with biggest tire size and what is this heavy oval thing bolted to my frame.


EDIT: deleted as well. Just in case Shootz happened to be on.

 

[Brock]

Thank goodness...I am going to delete my response then. Whew! Top 10 Noob and Virile Questions-

10. Can I put REGULAR in my 100 series?
9. What is best AT tire, BFG or Nitto?
8. Are long travel shocks really that good?
7. What battery is best for our 100s?
6. Can I rebuild my AHC globes with cheap chinese versions?
5. Will the DT headers increase my HP and MPG?
4. Can I put spacers in rear and just max out my Torsion Bars instead of getting a proper suspension lift?
3. How do I keep my antennae with a snorkel?
2. Which is best....80 vs 100 for all around expedition wheeling?
1. What is the oval thing hanging from passenger frame rail?

 

[Racehoss]

What about an AT tire with 18" rims and stock suspension? I don't want to crank the t bars and deal with a diff drop to correct joint angles because my 100 is my dd. I have a 85 4runner for my serious rig. Love my km2 on my runner but was think BFG at for the Hundy but what size can I go up to without the above mods? Thx

 

[jonharis]

What about an AT tire with 18" rims and stock suspension? I don't want to crank the t bars and deal with a diff drop to correct joint angles because my 100 is my dd. I have a 85 4runner for my serious rig. Love my km2 on my runner but was think BFG at for the Hundy but what size can I go up to without the above mods? Thx

Leaving everything completely alone, no cranking, no shuffling, nothing, a 285/65R18 will fit without issue.