LC 200 mods

[Volunteer]

I was going to put it on here, but all the for sale stuff looked to be Toyota related. It's my sportbike, that would be ok to post in the local for sale thread here?

Absolutely you can put anything you want in there. I can also copy your ad and post it on our Facebook page as well if you like.

 

[Footwork]

Bike SOLD! OME suspension & Slee sliders ordered and being shipped to Kegley Enterprises.

 

[Volunteer]

Bike SOLD! OME suspension & Slee sliders ordered and being shipped to Kegley Enterprises.

Nice, congrats

 

[Volunteer]

Bringing this thread back to life two weeks of looking at tires, lifts, sliders, bumpers and everything in between but this maybe the most exciting mod yet

 

[Volunteer]

Good install video on the 200 series suspension, I ordered the tough dog kit from Mud vendor Jason at Trail Tailor Featured Products he was great to work with. Gonna run a 275/70/18 at 33.6 inches tall. Trust me you can give yourself a headache researching wheel, tire fitment and suspension on the 200

 

[Ole Colony]

I have some factory 18" that I will probably run that size tire. Did you consider 295/70 r18? I am about to order some parts from Trail Tailor as well.

 

[Volunteer]

I have some factory 18" that I will probably run that size tire. Did you consider 295/70 r18? I am about to order some parts from Trail Tailor as well.

I got a headache from all the research on tire size and lift finally just messaged a few guys and talked to Jason. I thought the 295 required other rims, will go look again. Thanks bud what you ordering.

 

[Volunteer]

I read through this thread on the 295's sounds like too much headache to get started with and having to possibly go with a different rim offset. By the time these wear out I'm sure I'd entertain the idea by that time I ought to have a better idea of what needs to be moved, what works and what don't. In searching for a 200 I ran across many guys looking to move into a 200 as well so there will be a flood of more info. All the Aussie manufactured lifts are available now in the states Dobinsons, Iron Man, OME and Tough Dog and vendors are increasing the offerings on armor and other mods. Good timing I'm not bothered by the .mpgs with my short commute to work but the 5.7 is a thirsty one so for those Overland trips where fuel range is a factor the 33's maybe the right choice for now. I see there will be long range tank options very soon that maybe the answer I do plan to do some long trips in future. Have some family heading to Yellowstone this summer I won't make that one but hopefully ready for the next big trip

295/70/18 with 2 inch lift

 

[Volunteer]

Good video on building a drawer solution I saw in another build thread, I'm going to try a similar aluminum product and joints for the frame as well instead of going all wood this time to try and reduce some of the weight. Also I'm going to build a removable solution that is built around the 3rd row seats that can be removed when we need the 3rd seat option. Thinking I might try some hood latch clamps or similar that would lock around the 3rd row seat bars in the floor that can be released by a cable when you want to pull it out. Will have to sift through pull a part for a hood latch in that diameter but if I recall my Dodge 2500 latch was pretty close

 

[Volunteer]

Good install video on the 200 series suspension, I ordered the tough dog kit from Mud vendor Jason at Trail Tailor Featured Products he was great to work with. Gonna run a 275/70/18 at 33.6 inches tall. Trust me you can give yourself a headache researching wheel, tire fitment and suspension on the 200

Follow up lift notes for the next guy

The front: The Aussie 200 either has a slightly different suspension (I doubt it) or he didn't tell the whole story. Neither the front or rear install went like the video install. For starters the front struts are so long you have to loosen the lower control arms bolts until the they fall down enough to get them in. Make sure you unbolt the brake line and ABS sensor brackets to give as much slack as you can. I missed one bracket and broke an ABS sensor on the the front right a $200 boo boo. One side I disconnected the tie rod per the instruction on one side the other side I found I didn't need to and saved a few mins in time. To hook the KDSS both in the front and rear needed a jack to compress the cylinders enough to hook up the sway bars.

The rear: I ran out of time in my schedule and didn't have another night to do the rear so I took it to Paul for help in getting the rear done. Additional steps not included in his video disconnecting the rear panhard bar, disconnecting the ebrake line bracket on the drivers side and also disconnecting the KDSS from the rear sway bar. Additionally the top shock nuts the shocks came with are to small and thin for a wrench through the wheel arch and you should source some larger nuts. A 24mm gear wrench would save you a lot of time

275/70/18 tires clear everything, no rubbing and you don't even need to remove the mudflaps.


275/70-18

Diameter inches (mm)

33.16 (842.2)

Width inches (mm)

10.83 (275)

Circum. inches (mm)

104.17 (2645.85)

Sidewall Height inches (mm)

7.58 (192.5)



Last note: I added the OEM 1 inch Tundra spacer from Mark at Team in the front and it sits about level. Ride is nice and firm you feel the suspension travel but its not jar your teeth out firm.

 

[Volunteer]

Having to loosen the lower control arms my camber was horrible it was like driving those cars at disney world where it won't let you drive them off the tracks and your all over the place it was real sketchy. Jason at Trail Tailor said that 50% of the time the shops can align it without the UCAs. Well they got it about as good as you can get it. I'll see how the tires wear the first couple thousand miles if they don't wear flat I'll order a set of the UCA's. I didn't feel like they were worth the money other than the alignment adjustments on my Taco.

Also asking about the SPC brand UCA's I thought they were the trend setters lately but Jason said he had more problems with them and preferred the Total Chaos.

Before & After

 

[Volunteer]

The ride to New Orleans for the weekend should settle the suspension actually its the first real drive I've had in it with the s***ty tires it had on it I didn't go outside the home perimeter. I have some funky dash lights on I've been researching but I took it anyway its acting normal so I'll address it when I get back

 

[Ole Colony]

Larry I am guessing the 200 series doesn’t have a problem having the front level. In the 100 series it is a problem with suspension travel and steering.


What kind of issues did you hear about with SPC control arms? I have read about ball joints going bad and bushings making noises.

I am looking forward to seeing the new ride in person.

 

[Volunteer]

Larry I am guessing the 200 series doesn’t have a problem having the front level. In the 100 series it is a problem with suspension travel and steering.


What kind of issues did you hear about with SPC control arms? I have read about ball joints going bad and bushings making noises.

I am looking forward to seeing the new ride in person.

Hmm I haven't ran into the level issue being a problem but I could have missed it in my 200 Series suspension crash course. I will look into that thanks for the heads up bud . After a few hundred miles this past weekend the suspension did settle a bit the rear is just slightly higher as it sits today.


On the UCA's I spoke to Jason at Trail Taylor and when I asked about the SPC's he only said he had some issues with them on customer rigs and his own 100 Series didn't really elaborate other than he liked the Total Chaos more. Honestly I looked at the Total Chaos and they remind of the All Pro design I had on my Tacoma they were nice but the design didn't cap the spherical joint so with dirt, water and other road grime collecting on it I didn't really care for the design. I'm leaning toward the light racing but haven't made up my mind I'd rather not go UCA's on this one if I can help it but if I can't get the tire footprint to run flat I'm gonna have to order a set. I saw your SPC UCA's they seem like the way to go I really like their design, I hope yours go smoothly bud

Light Racing (looks a hell of a lot like the SPC design)

SPC

Total Chaos (looks a hell of a lot like the AllPro design)

 

[lostinafog]

not a fan of open socket as well.

doesn't seem to me all that hard to protect

 

[Flipped Bezel]

Hmm I haven't ran into the level issue being a problem but I could have missed it in my 200 Series suspension crash course. I will look into that thanks for the heads up bud . After a few hundred miles this past weekend the suspension did settle a bit the rear is just slightly higher as it sits today.


On the UCA's I spoke to Jason at Trail Taylor and when I asked about the SPC's he only said he had some issues with them on customer rigs and his own 100 Series didn't really elaborate other than he liked the Total Chaos more. Honestly I looked at the Total Chaos and they remind of the All Pro design I had on my Tacoma they were nice but the design didn't cap the spherical joint so with dirt, water and other road grime collecting their I didn't really care for the design. I'm leaning toward the light racing but haven't made up my mind I'd rather not go UCA's on this one if I can help it but if I can't get the tire footprint to run flat I'm gonna have to order a set. I saw your SPC UCA's they seem like the way to go I really like their design, I hope yours go smoothly bud

Light Racing (looks a hell of a lot like the SPC design)
View attachment 1653054

SPC
View attachment 1653055

Total Chaos (looks a hell of a lot like the AllPro design)
View attachment 1653056

First off sweet two hundy amigo!! And yeah those Light UCAs look a whole lot like the SPCs.

I have been pleased with the SPCs that I'm running on my LX470. Have about 64k miles (90% pavement and 10% gravel/dirt) on them so far and they have been quiet. I read where the ball joints were a problem with earlier orders from them on the 100 UCAs, but believe that they upgraded the joints to a larger and greasable unit that can be changed out easily if necessary, unlike OEM. Talk to @wct49 as he sells them and may have feedback from others who have been running them long term.

 

[Ole Colony]

From Jason at Trail Tailor

The SPC issues I and my customers have had are that the ball joints wear
out/ fail quickly and the brass wedge adjuster plate will "walk" when used
hard offroad and lose adjustment. I've heard they have made some
improvements on these issues.. but, for my $$ and my customers I recommend
the Nitro arms.

 

[Volunteer]

not a fan of open socket as well.

doesn't seem to me all that hard to protect

Agree PK, I noticed ICON started capping theirs in their 2nd design, also Dobinsons does as well.

 

[Volunteer]

First off sweet two hundy amigo!! And yeah those Light UCAs look a whole lot like the SPCs.

I have been pleased with the SPCs that I'm running on my LX470. Have about 64k miles (90% pavement and 10% gravel/dirt) on them so far and they have been quiet. I read where the ball joints were a problem with earlier orders from them on the 100 UCAs, but believe that they upgraded the joints to a larger and greasable unit that can be changed out easily if necessary, unlike OEM. Talk to @wct49 as he sells them and may have feedback from others who have been running them long term.

Thanks and I certainly appreciate the feedback. I really like the SPC design hopefully they worked out the bugs with a greasable and easily replaceable joint and a notched adjustment plate or some sort of lock to keep the adjustment plate from walking would be my concerns. I'm not planning to do any hardcore stuff with it but will be using it off pavement plenty with some overland trips.

 

[Volunteer]

From Jason at Trail Tailor

The SPC issues I and my customers have had are that the ball joints wear
out/ fail quickly and the brass wedge adjuster plate will "walk" when used
hard offroad and lose adjustment. I've heard they have made some
improvements on these issues.. but, for my $$ and my customers I recommend
the Nitro arms.

Good feedback another one (Nitro) that can't build a cheap cap to protect the joint looks like they're only producing them for the 100 series right now.