Builds Canguro Racing's Monica (2 Viewers)

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There have been a handful of mentions and a couple threads about specific races but we figure it was time to really document a bit more about the vehicle, how we came to race it, how we inherited the build, the things we have changed, how and what we prep and replace before each race, etc.

We'll kick it off with a pic :cool:

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I'll kick off with race prep as we are head over hills on that today. We do a very thorough post-race inspection. We've come to know most of the components that are going to wear and need replacement on regular intervals and we pay special attention to those while putting hands and eyes on every system and component from horns to tires.

We are fortunate to have a few shops to utilize for work, occasionally it's been in my shop but 99% of the work is done in team member Ryan Davis's (mistapuggs here on Mud) shop. More recently we've been utilizing a Toyota technical training facility where team member Will C is an instructor. We are here today going through our post-race inspection:

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The underbelly of the beast

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Post race inspection complete. Needs CV's, steering rack, front lower control arms, sway bar link broke, one tire full of nails, broken front mount, needs lots of cleaning, full fluids and filters and she is ready. We did change the engine oil and send off an oil sample for analysis. We dusted our motor at the Baja 1000 but amazingly the leakdown showed no worse than 7% and the oil showed just slightly higher silica, aluminum and iron, nothing to bat an eye at. The 3UR rocks!
 
F <---> R is brake bias? Good luck.

Yessir, it runs a non-boosted CNC dual brake master cylinder with a bias pivot between the two.
 
"Non-boosted" and then you choose pad friction based on the course or perhaps they are mostly similar?
That approach tickles me because adrenaline and the wild, bouncy ride make my pedal modulation iffy at times. Thanks for the insights. The truck really keeps its shape airborne.
 
Post race inspection complete. Needs CV's, steering rack, front lower control arms, sway bar link broke, one tire full of nails, broken front mount, needs lots of cleaning, full fluids and filters and she is ready. We did change the engine oil and send off an oil sample for analysis. We dusted our motor at the Baja 1000 but amazingly the leakdown showed no worse than 7% and the oil showed just slightly higher silica, aluminum and iron, nothing to bat an eye at. The 3UR rocks!

You forgot to mention new muffler.
 
"Non-boosted" and then you choose pad friction based on the course or perhaps they are mostly similar?
That approach tickles me because adrenaline and the wild, bouncy ride make my pedal modulation iffy at times. Thanks for the insights. The truck really keeps its shape airborne.

We spend a lot of time tuning the suspension before each race. It make a huge difference on balance and handling. She stays very neutral in the air. :)

In addition to the non-boosted brakes it's also a left foot brake set up. Not having the boost not only removes a point of failure but also allows for a lot more control when using the left foot. It's not the most natural but easy enough to learn.
 
I think the real question that is on everybody's mind is.....

How do you keep your Rock Warrior beauty rings to stay put? These bolt that hold them in place seem to have a mind of their own.
 
I think the real question that is on everybody's mind is.....

How do you keep your Rock Warrior beauty rings to stay put? These bolt that hold them in place seem to have a mind of their own.

Locktite and cross-threaded when that doesn't hold. We have been through a handful of beauty rings but I think we had 13? powder-coated and we've had to pick up a number of spare bags of the bolts.
 
Haha. So the short answer, is you guys don't know either! I think the bolts are coated with special secret lube that makes them fall out so we have to keep buying more and more; genius move by Toyota. :hillbilly:
 
How many engines and transmissions do you guys keep on hand?
 
Kurt and Dave - Thanks for sharing. Anything you learned from racing a 200 you applied to your own builds for less stressful driving?
 
How many engines and transmissions do you guys keep on hand?

We got a stock rolling chassis with full drivetrain when we purchased the truck but so far we haven't had any issues with either the motor or trans. Knock on wood. The leak down tests and oil samples keep us in the loop of what's going on inside the motor and despite 1000s of miles of abuse we seem to be doing okay. Replacing the drivetrain would a nightmare with all the tube work under the hood. Let's hope it never comes to that.
 
Kurt and Dave - Thanks for sharing. Anything you learned from racing a 200 you applied to your own builds for less stressful driving?

I'd have to think about that a bit Romer. However, without question, racing Monica accelerated the move from a 100 to a 200 by about 4 years for me. It's amazing the amount of abuse we put her through in a race on stock components. It was more than just a nudge too. It was a 'holy crap the 200 drivetrain is awesome. I need one of these.' Racing in a 200 makes it far easier to go fast in my own. I realize the trucks are very different (KDSS being the biggest difference I notice) but the power, tranny and steering are similar enough I can find the limits in Monica and drive my 200 pretty aggressively knowing I'm no where near them.
 
Kurt and Dave - Thanks for sharing. Anything you learned from racing a 200 you applied to your own builds for less stressful driving?

I'd have to think about that a bit Romer. However, without question, racing Monica accelerated the move from a 100 to a 200 by about 4 years for me. It's amazing the amount of abuse we put her through in a race on stock components. It was more than just a nudge too. It was a 'holy crap the 200 drivetrain is awesome. I need one of these.' Racing in a 200 makes it far easier to go fast in my own. I realize the trucks are very different (KDSS being the biggest difference I notice) but the power, tranny and steering are similar enough I can find the limits in Monica and drive my 200 pretty aggressively knowing I'm no where near them.

I'll 2nd much of DMC's thoughts.

I've spent a fair bit of time off-road in Land Cruisers the last couple of years and I've grown quite accustomed to 15+ hours in the seat at a time (thanks Expeditions7 :cool:) which lends itself well to desert racing. It's not uncommon to be driving/co-driving in race conditions for 12 straight hours, hyper-focused on the terrain and competitors around us, mile posts, vehicle condition, etc. Hope in my normal 200 and it's like a walk in the park :D
 
Now how about some specs: 2010 Toyota Land Cruiser (rebadged LX570). The build was performed by Geyser Brothers, a well-known fabrication and prep shop behind some of the fastest desert race vehicles out there. They worked with Joe Bacal and LexusUSA to create this stellar machine to compete in Class 8 which is "stock full-size", competitors would be things like a Hummer, Ford F150 or Chevy Silverado assuming they stuck with the stock classifications.

Drivetrain:

Engine: Toyota 3UR-FE 5.7 liter V8 producing 383 HP @ 5,600 RPM and 403 ft. lbs. torque @ 3,600 RPM

Exhaust: Dual Flowmaster high flow mufflers

Air Filtration: AEM dryflow filter with custom intake routed into passenger compartment

Transmission: Stock Toyota AB60F six speed automatic with custom “one off” paddle shifter and custom external oil cooler

Transfer Case: Stock Toyota full time four wheel drive two speed case with Torsen limited slip center differential and electric locking center differential

Differentials: Stock Toyota differentials with 4.88 Nitro Gears; open front differential, ARB Air Locker rear differential. Both assembled by Just Differentials.

Fuel Tank: 46 gallon fuel cell with backup redundant fuel pump

Chassis:

Front Suspension: Custom tuned King Kong 3.5” triple bypass shocks with 2.5” King Coil-overs; stock OEM Toyota upper and lower control arms

Rear Suspension: Custom tuned King Kong 4.5” triple bypass shocks with 2.5” King Coil-overs; stock OEM Toyota 4-link suspension

Steering: Stock Toyota rack and pinion, with external oil cooler

Brakes: Custom CNC dual master cylinders, adjustable proportioning valve, TRD high performance brake pads; stock OEM Toyota disc brakes and calipers front and rear

Tires: 37x12.50R17 BFGoodrich Baja T/A KR2 on TRD forged wheels

Electrical & Interior:

Charging & Starting: Dual batteries with stock Toyota 175 amp alternator; stock Toyota push button start

Lighting: 8 ARB Intensity LED driving lights producing a combined 65,600 lumens

Communication: PCI race intercom with Kenwood 150 watt race radio

Navigation: Lowrance HD7 GPS

System Monitoring: Full complement of pressure and temperature gauges and a Scanguage II to keep track of live engine data

Climate Control: Air conditioning and heating systems removed from truck; dual parker pumper fresh air systems

Safety:

Seats: Sparco EVO III seats with Crow Enterprizes 5-point harness

Roll Cage: Geiser Bros built roll cage with integrated engine and passenger protection
 
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