Big Booty Judy (1 Viewer)

[adamsclarke]

OK, so let me go old school and actually do a little build thread.
Forewarning......Toyota purist can go ahead and keep your silliness to yourself

The past several rigs I have built (72 Commando, 91 YJ and 81 Scrambler) have all been built 1 tons, locked, geared, ample horse pony V8s etc. They were amazing rigs that took me down many many miles of hardcore trails and rocks, to include the 2018 Ultimate Adventure. Having a family of 6 and the kids getting older, I decided it was time to get something bigger and get back to the fun roots of building a little at a time vs staring with a shell and throwing big axles and drivetrains in them. I wanted a reliable rig that can fit everyone and still be fun to build.....so I found a super clean, rust free 98 LX470 locally with a smudge over 225k miles.

I wanted to get back to the fun times of lift and tires, then armor, then lockers, then....you know...actually building and having fun. Ultimately, this may end up on 1 tons like the rest,but I want to enjoy the process of getting there.

I currently have a OME medium suspension ready to replace the AHC (which works great and I hope removed intact)
I picked up 5 18" tundra steelies Ihit with some epoxy appliance paint
35x12.50 Falken Wildpeak MTs. I ran these in a 38 on the scrambler and really think they are a great all around tire and very tough.
Slee/Spidertrax spacers
TrailTailor front doff drop
4x4labs front and rear kits have been orders as well, andI'll build some sliders out of 2.4 handsome 1.75 DOM

The current plan is to do the suspension and some trimming of the fenders, build the bumpers and go have fun.
I originally was going go ahead and toss ARBs and 5:29s front and rear, but I'd rather wait and see how I feel about this girls big old booty (hence the name) anyhow it fits down these east coast trails before decide on her future.

The transfer case and tiny ujoints and complete lack of other options to run 1350 or 1410 drivelines leaves me wonder about trans swaps for future axle swaps and gas tank swaps....but that's for another wheeling season. For now...I'll just build, wheel and enjoy getting back to basics and not building a huge crawler right off the back!

Pics to follow!

 

[adamsclarke]

Here is how she sits now. 285 KO2 with spacers and running boards removed.

 

[adamsclarke]

I know you guys are big on "is it really a 35", so yes...they are. These steel wheels are ridiculously heavy...I'd say almost what my aluminum beadlocks and 40s weighed!!

 

[adamsclarke]

FYI, for fun, 35s fit with the AHC in "H"and could easily be wheelable like this. The pinch seam has been beat down!

 

[adamsclarke]

35s on stock height AHC in the middle position. It still clears full turn FYI....so don't believe the internet just watch those speed bumps!

 

[adamsclarke]

This was just mock up, I need to get some M14 1.5 open acorn lug nuts , but clears fine here and the OME will net me an additional 1-1.5" over this.

 

[adamsclarke]

And my Scrambler I already miss!!!

 

[Kabanstva]

Did you run the Slee Spydertrax 1.25” spacers back when you had the stock 16s and 285s? Curious if you have more pics of that setup.

I’m about to install those spacers soon but I’m wondering how aggressively the spacers push out the wheels.

 

[adamsclarke]

Yes, the 1st picas them on there. It'll rub the plastic liner bump right at the pinch weld area, but easily bent flat. The 285s fit fine with no spacer and no rubbing, and only rub the pinch seam when pushed out the 1.25"
It fills the wheel well out much better than tucked in like stock.

 

[Kabanstva]

Do you have a picture of the fitment from a different angle? Can't tell how flush they are at the angle your pic is at.

 

[adamsclarke]

Yup, I'll grab some for you tomorrow since the 285s are still on with the spacers until I get a free day to swap the AHC stuff out.

 

[Kabanstva]

Thanks man. I am not understanding why the spacers would cause the tires to rub on that plastic liner that protects the pinch weld. I've run 285/75/16 KO2s for a few years now and there is plenty of space between the tire and the plastic liner in that spot. If anything, I would imagine the spacers would move the wheels even further away from that pinch weld, no? It was my understanding that modding the pinch weld area in any way (whether hammering it down completely, or just heat-gunning the plastic liner) only came into play when going to a 34-35" tire and no rubbing issues existed (in the pinch weld area) with a 33" tire of any offset wheels (whether stock wheels or lower offset aftermarket wheels). Am I wrong?

 

[adamsclarke]

It was minimal rubbing on the plastic only with the spacers, and could just be the plastic has sagged over 22 years. It was minimal that it was only on full lock when slowing and compressing the suspension. If you accelerated and turned, it was fine and didn't touch. Pushing the wheel further out just pushed that contact patch out enough to kiss it a touch. Without the spacer, i had no rubbing.

 

[Kabanstva]

I see man. Maybe I won’t even have that issue since I have a 2” lift (AHC removed completely).

Does your AHC still function? If you put it in High mode, does the tire still run with the spacers?

 

[fjcruising]

Love the look of those steelies, but I feel the extra weight on my back. I had them on an FJ and it just turned it into a dog-looked awesome but the weight was a lot. Does it feel different to you on the 100?

 

[adamsclarke]

Here you go. No spacer is needed to run 285s on stock suspension, and just trimming the small plastic on the pinch seam would be sufficient to hear no rubbing at full lock and full stuff

 

[adamsclarke]

 

[adamsclarke]

 

[nukegoat]

Looks ready for the mall

 

[adamsclarke]

Looks ready for the mall

Of course! Why else would have spent all that time "fabbin'" my pinch seam
Got a couple of lightbars on order and 1 of every color Mattrax for the hood!