LC100/LX470 Part-Time Conversion Discussion (2 Viewers)

[geanes]

Super duper solid axle 4WD...
That escalated quickly.

 

[bryson]

Finally had a chance to drive my rig on the snow after part time conversion. What a piece of s***. Turned my rig into a 7000# sled machine. Had the rig CDL locked, hub locked and always started from 2nd gear. It took 30 min to get out of this parking space. Had one accident on the parking lot where I floated on top of the ice and my rig hit a parked car. Black ice scenario!! Parked the car the whole time we where in town and took the bus everywhere (very sad we could not rely on my rig. We were in town for 10 days). On the way home my rig tail spinned again, luckily didn’t hit anything, while turning right lost control again. Wife and kids were so scared, I told myself never again. I have been driving to Mammoth Lakes for the last 19 years during the winter times and never had any issues with my stock 80 series and my current rig ( stock form 2005 -2014 lifted with 38” tires from 2014 - 2017, part time converted mid 2017) prior to the part time conversion. I’m hoping to convert it back to full time 4 wheel drive!!! WORD OF CAUTION DON’T DO A PART TIME CONVERSION IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON DRIVING ON SNOW!!!

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To my understanding its slightly different. Prior to part time conversion we have a full time full wheel drive, I'm going to call it mild 4 wheel (its not mild by any means) with a system with some electronic assistance from VSC and Traction Control computers. At original state our 4 wheel system acts like modern all wheel drive system where the computer controls how it reacts. For example if one wheel is slipping then the computer detects and sends power to the non-slipping wheel. In most driving condition is more than sufficient, but our rigs are not just sufficient, we have an advance systems such as Low and High Gear plus Center Differential Lock. To my understanding if you press CDL, this locks the differential which makes the front and rear travel at the same time, I'm going to call this super 4 wheel drive which provides more traction for mud and rock crawling. By pressing CDS the VSC is disabled so all the torque is applied on the wheels with no skid control. More torque is bad in snow or ice. So prior to conversion we have a mild 4 wheel drive with some help of computers and an option to go to super 4 wheel drive when needed. Low gear provides even more torque/traction to wheels. After part time conversion we go from 2 wheel drive to super 4 wheel drive without VSC. which is too much torque for snow conditions. Starting from 2nd gear reduces the power to the wheels in attempt to reduce the chance of spinning the tires. Also remember my rig is front solid axle so its more like an 80 series than 100 series 4 wheel drive system. I believe VSC takes power from the spinning wheel and Traction control applies brakes to the spinning wheel.

2wd < 4wd < AWD in typical snowy road conditions. This shouldn't be news to anybody. You took a system that was arguably the best equipped for snowy roads (OEM AWD), negated everything that made it good on snowy roads, and you're complaining about the way it drives on snowy roads. This certainly is not the fault of the part time kit you bought, as it is working EXACTLY the way it is supposed to. It sounds more like it was a bad decision on your part based on your driving needs.

 

[nukegoat]

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes

 

[LX470Beast]

@LX470Beast So your experience with the 2WD LX was because you don't have your front drive up and running yet?

I'd think a 2WD would perform horrendously in the snow, like it did. Why would you expect it to do well?

I'm not sure this is a reason not to do the conversion, just a word of caution to keep it in 4WD in the snow!

I have everything front hub and differential conversion and I DID NOT DRIVE IN 2WD. The front Hub was locked, CDL on lock position and start on 2nd gear on. The car did not performed well because there were to much torque onto the wheels and certain wheels lost traction.

Let me get this right:

You have a modified solid axle 100 not IFS, you imported a AVM part time from Australia and didnt purchase the Aisin Hub Part time locker kit and special extended Toyota Cv axles packaged and offered by Cruiser Outfitters to which this project & thread discussion was dedicated to and you have some operating problems with your AVM part time kit in your modifed solid axle set up.

Not really sure the relevance of your post to the discussion because your modified solid axle 100 is apples and oranges to this discussion, its kind of misleading to the context of the thread and further lacks a little emotional intelligence by promoting another vendors product.

It may not be relevant but it was asked on earlier post and I just answered it. The word of caution was if you do the conversion, the electronics that would normally help you in this situation get disabled when the turn on the CDL, thus causing other problems.

2wd < 4wd < AWD in typical snowy road conditions. This shouldn't be news to anybody. You took a system that was arguably the best equipped for snowy roads (OEM AWD), negated everything that made it good on snowy roads, and you're complaining about the way it drives on snowy roads. This certainly is not the fault of the part time kit you bought, as it is working EXACTLY the way it is supposed to. It sounds more like it was a bad decision on your part based on your driving needs.

I agree with you, I had a perfectly running all wheel drive car even with solid axle swap ( did really well on the snow ) and did a part time conversion and ruined everything. I just wanted to warned everybody of my experience and I was not complaining. So my solution is to convert it back to full time drive.

 

[Gassiper]

@LX470Beast...so did the kit you installed come with the new T-case spool?

 

[jerryb]

Unless you leave in snow country this mod seems like a no-brainer for a long term 100 series owner.
This mod is wife approved also.

In the 70's my dad would put studded tires on the front of his locking front hub ford truck when it was ice and snow season.

I see and feel the same when I drive in pouring rain conditions. It's easy to get sideways.

 

[LX470Beast]

@LX470Beast...so did the kit you installed come with the new T-case spool?

Yes and a Hub Kit.

 

[Gassiper]

That’s surprising you had the problem. I know ice is a different animal altogether, but since I did my conversion I’ve been in mud, wet grass on a hillside, wet leaves on hillsides...the closest thing to ice without being on ice. Never had the first hint of an issue. Everything worked just as it should have.

 

[theferg]

2wd < 4wd < AWD in typical snowy road conditions. This shouldn't be news to anybody. You took a system that was arguably the best equipped for snowy roads (OEM AWD), negated everything that made it good on snowy roads, and you're complaining about the way it drives on snowy roads. This certainly is not the fault of the part time kit you bought, as it is working EXACTLY the way it is supposed to. It sounds more like it was a bad decision on your part based on your driving needs.

This.

But also, maybe you just need to give it some time to get used to it....? All Cruisers prior to the 100 series did not have any fancy traction control (though the full-time 4WD 80 series had the center viscous coupled diff and possible locking diffs so I guess sorta) but lots of folks drive 60s 62s and 70s and 40s and 55s etc in the snow without problems. I drove my FJ60 fulltime for 5 years in Utah many years ago through some bad winters and never had any problems. Of course, I also grew up driving RWD vehicles in the snow also...

Another thing I've found also is that mud tires absolutely suck on snowy/icey *paved* roads/highways. I would never run tires with big mud lugs on a snowy/icey highway and expect them to perform well.

 

[bluesquirrel]

 

[LX470Beast]

This.

But also, maybe you just need to give it some time to get used to it....? All Cruisers prior to the 100 series did not have any fancy traction control (though the full-time 4WD 80 series had the center viscous coupled diff and possible locking diffs so I guess sorta) but lots of folks drive 60s 62s and 70s and 40s and 55s etc in the snow without problems. I drove my FJ60 fulltime for 5 years in Utah many years ago through some bad winters and never had any problems. Of course, I also grew up driving RWD vehicles in the snow also...

Another thing I've found also is that mud tires absolutely suck on snowy/icey *paved* roads/highways. I would never run tires with big mud lugs on a snowy/icey highway and expect them to perform well.

I agree that my mud tire, specially that big did not help my situation. But prior to part time conversion, I did drive the rig on the snow for two years and had no issues. This is the first time I drove it on the snow with the conversion and it performed poorly.

 

[theferg]

Totally, I run a bunch of part-time rigs (my 40, 74, etc). My old 100 will be getting a PT conversion soon too. Every Land Cruiser up to the 80 Series was part-time from the factory so it's not exactly like it's an issue in Utah or otherwise

Now, if you've got the Mrs or kids driving it to school all the time, the full-time rocks. Spend lots of time driving snowy/icy road, the full-time rocks. For those that want to reduce CV wear, change up the handling and performance a bit, part-time great option.

Let me just pull this post by Kurt back up here as it seems quite valid right now. Note that he states spending lots of "time driving snowy/icy roads" that "the full-time rocks".

Perhaps the part-time kit is not for everyone, just as Kurt has suggested.

 

[hoser]

Something to think about... Part time kit will disable VSC in 4HI.

Though I don't have VSC in the first place.

 

[thatcabledude]

Truck is no longer a LX470 so don't expect it to perform like one.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Finally had a chance to drive my rig on the snow after part time conversion. What a piece of s***. Turned my rig into a 7000# sled machine. Had the rig CDL locked, hub locked and always started from 2nd gear. It took 30 min to get out of this parking space. Had one accident on the parking lot where I floated on top of the ice and my rig hit a parked car. Black ice scenario!! Parked the car the whole time we where in town and took the bus everywhere (very sad we could not rely on my rig. We were in town for 10 days). On the way home my rig tail spinned again, luckily didn’t hit anything, while turning right lost control again. Wife and kids were so scared, I told myself never again. I have been driving to Mammoth Lakes for the last 19 years during the winter times and never had any issues with my stock 80 series and my current rig ( stock form 2005 -2014 lifted with 38” tires from 2014 - 2017, part time converted mid 2017) prior to the part time conversion. I’m hoping to convert it back to full time 4 wheel drive!!! WORD OF CAUTION DON’T DO A PART TIME CONVERSION IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON DRIVING ON SNOW!!!

View attachment 1873458

I've not caught up with the rest of the posts following yours but simply put... something is wrong with your setup. With the hubs and CDL locked, it should act exactly like the original setup when pulling out of the parking spot including function of VSC, ATrac, any fitted lockers, etc. My guess is a CDL actuator that is struggling or you have a hub engagement issue?

Case and point, you don't here this of this issue with every 2x/4x/5x/6x/7x out there in the snowy world Literally millions of vehicles driving through Russia, Iceland, Greenland, etc that don't mind locking the hubs and t-case when they positively/absolutely need traction.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Something to think about... Part time kit will disable VSC in 4HI.

Though I don't have VSC in the first place.

Should a light come on? Im PT and nothing on the dash ever lights up.

 

[hoser]

I don't think so.... but I know locking the center differential disables VSC. You could try unplugging the CDL indicator switch on the t-case.... but there might be some "side effects" to that.... which I can't think of at the moment.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

I don't think so.... but I know locking the center differential disables VSC. You could try unplugging the CDL indicator switch on the t-case.... but there might be some "side effects" to that.... which I can't think of at the moment.

Im 110% happy with the way things are. Since PT nothing lights up and everything seems to work normal. You do need to apply the brakes slightly to disable A-trac for burnout though.

Additional note: Thanks to @hoser recomendation I went with 5° of caster the max I could get with SPC arms that combined with AHC it drives fantastic and effortlessly at triple digits.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Oh yeah.... I dig hubs

We installed our part-time kit on this sweet 100 today

Several others shipped out this last week. Let's see those installed pics

 

[LX470Beast]

I agree that my mud tire, specially that big did not help my situation. But prior to part time conversion, I did drive the rig on the snow for two years and had no issues. This is the first time I drove it on the snow with the conversion and it performed poorly.

I converted my rig back to full time 4 wheel drive end of January. Got to say it’s much better in the snow. Made several trips to Mammoth Lakes (no sure if you guys are aware they had a record breaking snow season) and no issues whatsoever. Same tires with full confidence. Drove out the parking lot after 4 feet of snow with out cleaning around it, just cleaning the windshield and windows.