Hello everyone. I am new to the forum, and to the USA. After discovering that it is almost impossible to find a Land cruiser Prado Diesel in the USA, I decided to go for the American Prado, Aka GX 470.
Over the past three months, I have put 10000+ miles on her, and except for the pesky range problem, this is a very very nice vehicle.
However, she is old. At 165000 miles she is very very old. Surprisingly the Rear suspension Air bags work fine. Factory original! But the rear dampers (Or shocks) have just given up the ghost, and now every bump filters through, and she often gets wavy on the not so good bay area freeways.
I first throught, I will buy some standard shock absorbers, like Bilstein, and throw out the bad OEM shocks(400$ a pop).
After speaking to a few people, and install shops in Bay area, it was clear that labor charges for coil conversion and just shock replacement do not differ much. Its not a question of "if" but "when" I will need coil conversion.
So that brought me to researching coil conversion. Here is what I discovered.
There are two types of kits
1. Conversion kits (~ 50-70$)
2. Coversion kits with top isolater (200$)+ - I can also get some Toyota OEM Isolator and save 50-60$ total
Along with conversion kit I need
1. Springs
2. Shocks
As I researched this, I thought, why not lift her front and rear, do everything in one go (you see where I am going...).
Asking around on Toyota120 forums, and GX 470 facebook group, and another forum by the name of clublexus, i got to know of a shop called Toyconnection, which is actually in a junkyard, and something called exact motorsports, which is frightfully expensive. Also there is a third shop which I use and nobody recommended which is called Japanese beetle. For reasons of cost, and lack of trust on my part (unsubsiantated of course), exact is out.
That leaves me with two guys Jeff of Toyconnection, who is a Landcuriser expert. I mean, its the last place you would find a landcruiser expert shop, but strange are the ways of this country.
And then Japanese beetle is a Japanese car expert.
So its one of these two I will get my work done, as I feel them earnest and honest.
Jeff recommends an OME kit if I want to stay under 900$ part budget.
Japanese beetle (also named Jeff!) recommends.. well nothing. He says, get me parts , I fit for 400$.
So 400$ labor, and 900$ parts.
Now coming to my requirement, first and foremost I want some education on this lift stuff, and please correct me if my understanding is wrong.
I can go for a "kit" or Ala Carte
I need 2 pairs of shocks and 2 pairs of coils. I can go mix and match brands? Or I can go for a kit from one brand eg dobinsons (Kyle Fogle of treatyoffroad is what I know as a source), or OME kit (Jeff of Toyconnection will source it).
Should I go for a kit?
Or mix and match will give me better results.
My goals with lift are
1. Fit 33" narrow tires (255-275) after fender trimming
2. Soft and comfortable ride
3. Reliability for very bad dirt tracks and some mild rock crawling
I won't wheel for the sake of wheeling. I will go offroad because that is the only way to get to my destination.
And I will find a lot of snow.
So in Kits what should I go for
1. Dobinsons 2.5" kit
2. OME 2.5" kit
3. Ironman Kit (which kit?)
If not Kit, if you recommend bilstein shocks. What coils? What do I mix with what.
Last but not the least, what is long travel. Will it mean better ride if I go long travel at rear?
Any other advice you have for me?
Another shop I should check out?
Over the past three months, I have put 10000+ miles on her, and except for the pesky range problem, this is a very very nice vehicle.
However, she is old. At 165000 miles she is very very old. Surprisingly the Rear suspension Air bags work fine. Factory original! But the rear dampers (Or shocks) have just given up the ghost, and now every bump filters through, and she often gets wavy on the not so good bay area freeways.
I first throught, I will buy some standard shock absorbers, like Bilstein, and throw out the bad OEM shocks(400$ a pop).
After speaking to a few people, and install shops in Bay area, it was clear that labor charges for coil conversion and just shock replacement do not differ much. Its not a question of "if" but "when" I will need coil conversion.
So that brought me to researching coil conversion. Here is what I discovered.
There are two types of kits
1. Conversion kits (~ 50-70$)
2. Coversion kits with top isolater (200$)+ - I can also get some Toyota OEM Isolator and save 50-60$ total
Along with conversion kit I need
1. Springs
2. Shocks
As I researched this, I thought, why not lift her front and rear, do everything in one go (you see where I am going...).
Asking around on Toyota120 forums, and GX 470 facebook group, and another forum by the name of clublexus, i got to know of a shop called Toyconnection, which is actually in a junkyard, and something called exact motorsports, which is frightfully expensive. Also there is a third shop which I use and nobody recommended which is called Japanese beetle. For reasons of cost, and lack of trust on my part (unsubsiantated of course), exact is out.
That leaves me with two guys Jeff of Toyconnection, who is a Landcuriser expert. I mean, its the last place you would find a landcruiser expert shop, but strange are the ways of this country.
And then Japanese beetle is a Japanese car expert.
So its one of these two I will get my work done, as I feel them earnest and honest.
Jeff recommends an OME kit if I want to stay under 900$ part budget.
Japanese beetle (also named Jeff!) recommends.. well nothing. He says, get me parts , I fit for 400$.
So 400$ labor, and 900$ parts.
Now coming to my requirement, first and foremost I want some education on this lift stuff, and please correct me if my understanding is wrong.
I can go for a "kit" or Ala Carte
I need 2 pairs of shocks and 2 pairs of coils. I can go mix and match brands? Or I can go for a kit from one brand eg dobinsons (Kyle Fogle of treatyoffroad is what I know as a source), or OME kit (Jeff of Toyconnection will source it).
Should I go for a kit?
Or mix and match will give me better results.
My goals with lift are
1. Fit 33" narrow tires (255-275) after fender trimming
2. Soft and comfortable ride
3. Reliability for very bad dirt tracks and some mild rock crawling
I won't wheel for the sake of wheeling. I will go offroad because that is the only way to get to my destination.
And I will find a lot of snow.
So in Kits what should I go for
1. Dobinsons 2.5" kit
2. OME 2.5" kit
3. Ironman Kit (which kit?)
If not Kit, if you recommend bilstein shocks. What coils? What do I mix with what.
Last but not the least, what is long travel. Will it mean better ride if I go long travel at rear?
Any other advice you have for me?
Another shop I should check out?
