Big Brakes - Armored 100 Series. (1 Viewer)

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Heat Miser

Heat Miser

Joined
Jun 17, 2004
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Location
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www.scaletta.com
Hello, was referred here to look for an answer to this dilemma. I build armored vehicles and the LC 100 is really popular in the Middle East as parts are easy to get wherever you are. As you might suspect armoring the vehicle makes it very heavy and OEM brakes last about 2-5000 miles. We have put aftermarket systems on vehicles or engineered our own "rigged" system. All work ok, but replacement parts are a problem for the users in the field.

I am trying to find out if any of you have adapted a brake system from a larger Toyota vehicle to work on the 100? We want to do that so the end user can get parts wherever in the world there is a toyota service center.

Example... Our most popular vehicle is the Chevy/GMC Suburban K2500. We put on the vehicle the brake system from the 3500 one ton delivery truck. Much better stopping, and great parts availability.

Anyone do this with Land Cruisers and their larger cousins?
 
What does Toyota build that's larger than a Land Cruiser?

I know that TLC in Van Nuys is selling beefed up brake rotors, not sure if they have them available for the 100 series. But I don't know enough about them to say whether they're effective or not.

Maybe TRD would have a product that would work for your application.

And I presume you intend to post some photos of your vehicles very soon.... :)

TJK
 
maybe something off a Hino truck? someplace I remember hearing the front controll arms (on a 100) are off a Hino or Dana or some big Toyota Truck........who knows what might swap over............but I know I don't know ;)
 
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uzj100 said:
Heat Miser,

Are you with the company in VA that advertises armoured diesel LCs?
Click to expand...
I am in Chicago (url in profile) The company in VA is a broker. They sell the diesels in the Middle East and Africa. As to the other guys/gals? comments about the coaster van or the other vans/trucks, that is exactly what I am trying to figure out. If the brakes on those models can be adapted to Land Cruisers. Ask a dealer or service tech and they immediately flinch and say of course not. Same thing with Chevy, they told us the larger truck brakes would not fit on the 'Burban. Yet they do with engineering some brackets. Hoping someone somewhere has done something similar before I go out and buy all the parts to try. As all of you know here, none of this stuff is cheap.

Of course I will post some pictures, but you won't be that excited. When we are done they look normal... Ohh look a white Land Cruiser! Maybe I can find a pic of one blown up.

I think the normal wheels are 16 inch on the models we buy
UZJ100L-GNAEK
and
HDJ100L-GNMEZ

So there is not a lot of room under there. Switching to 17s or 18s would be fine as long as the wheels are in the Toyota parts system and the tires that can fit on those rims can fit in the wheel wells WITHOUT LIFT KITS! Amoring makes one's vehicle very top heavy!

Thanks,

Tom
(aka Heat Miser)
 
the later US 100s (03 and up I think) use 17" and have 18" optional. Standard tire is about 31" IIRC.
but then you knew this already I'm sure...
E
 
bjowett said:
The Cruiser is the larger cousin... for now. Later model 100s like the 03 and newer were upgraded to 13" brakes, I believe.
Click to expand...

The 2004 GX470 has 13.5" brakes but it has 6 lugs where the LC is 5 lugs. Wonder why they have more stopping power on the GX versus LX/LC? Maybe the difference between 6 year old design and 1 year old design???
 
Interim Solution

You guys have probably thought of this. How about adjusting the brake preportioning (spelling?) valve with overally rear bias? That would buy you some brake pad life until you come up with a permanent solution. Also, some militaries use the 100 series and they are armored so I wonder if they have different brakes.

uzj100
 
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If you look under you 100 or lx470 you would not find a proportioning valve. It is all handled by the 4 channel ABS system any more. later robbie
 
I bet the OEM 17-18" wheels only come in an alloy not a steely, but if yu can afford and need an armored 100 then the cost of the alloys is prolly not a concern ;)

For brakes, might try to find a aftermarket brake parts book for the Hino/Dana ect trucks and see if it shows specs.

Hino's are sold in the US, Dana's are not.

e9999 said:
the later US 100s (03 and up I think) use 17" and have 18" optional. Standard tire is about 31" IIRC.
but then you knew this already I'm sure...
E
Click to expand...
 
As promised

uzj100 said:
.... Also, some militaries use the 100 series and they are armored so I wonder if they have different brakes.

uzj100
Click to expand...
Other militaries do use upgraded brakes, however they have logisitcs supply chain feeding them parts. I don't. I have guys beating the hell out of these vehicles and for parts not available through a Baghdad Toyota supplier (SCARCE!!) either airfreighting parts in from me, or bartering with other people. I am going to be looking into at least using the front brakes from one of the trucks.

Attached are two pics of 100's in Iraq. The first is of an armored one that took a stray bullet in the windshield the first day in country, the second, well, it got smoked. Fortunately, the latter was not a vehicle I built.
100-ws.jpg
iraq07.jpg
 
Yes, look into aftermarket brake suppliers, they will be able to offer an easier/better solution. As for parts, Stoptech has distributors around the world but I can see what you mean. Many aftermarket brakes can use easily available if not OEM sized pads. Here's just one available kit, I'm sure they can come up with something with even better stopping power and pad life.

http://www.stoptech.com/cgi/Product...dex2=category2&search_on2=Toyota&match2=exact
 
hoser said:
Yes, look into aftermarket brake suppliers, they will be able to offer an easier/better solution. As for parts, Stoptech has distributors around the world but I can see what you mean. Many aftermarket brakes can use easily available if not OEM sized pads. Here's just one available kit, I'm sure they can come up with something with even better stopping power and pad life.
Click to expand...
I have tried the stoptech brakes. They don't help much. Why? Because our vehicles are operating at GVWs way outside their range, maybe 7,000 pounds or so. Drilled/slotted etc... brakes are not the solution as brake fade from heat during repeated use is not the main issue. It is that first use for when you are doing 90mph and an donkey cart pulls into the road. For that you need a much stronger system.
 
Are the problems the same on a gasoline LC vs a diesel LC? I have heard the diesels weight quite a bit more.

uzj100
 
I had a couple of ideas, one being easy, one non-trivial.

First, the easy one. There is an upgrade brake kit listed in my Landcruiser mag (bought it in Japan) that uses the same brembo calipers made for the Ferrari F40. The kit comes w/ the rotors. The mag says you need 18" wheels to fit the calipers, price is on the order of 500,000 yen (about $5000), IIRC.

Second, the difficult way. As someone else mentioned, use the brakes off a smaller commerical Hino truck. My father-in-law has a Toyota Dyna 4WD, which is a flatbed about the size of a Ford F-350 and made by Hino (but w/ a Toyota badge). Underneath, the chassis/drive-train closely resembles that of a 60 series except it has a full floater rear axle, everything is a LOT heavier duty (made for daily commercial use for 20+ yrs), and the turbo diesel....leaf springs in front/rear, recirc. ball steering, Aisin manual locking hubs. The wheels aren't very large, either (< 18"). I would imagine the front calipers are more than sufficient to stop an armored 100.
 
Thanks

Jim_Chow said:
I had a couple of ideas, one being easy, one non-trivial.

.....(made for daily commercial use for 20+ yrs), and the turbo diesel....leaf springs in front/rear, recirc. ball steering, Aisin manual locking hubs. The wheels aren't very large, either (< 18"). I would imagine the front calipers are more than sufficient to stop an armored 100.
Click to expand...
I will look into this. Thanks.
 
Deisels

uzj100 said:
Are the problems the same on a gasoline LC vs a diesel LC? I have heard the diesels weight quite a bit more.

uzj100
Click to expand...
Yes, they are heavier, not much by my standards. After armoring they are as fast as a 3 legged dog. Even with 5 speed manual. The turbo is not much better. I get spoiled by the v/8 gas ones.
 
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