Hi All,
Just wanted to share some of the things I have done to make what I believe is the perfect Land Cruiser.
Disclaimer: I really love the way a lifted (2inches or more) Land Cruisers look but after lifting my 2010 4Runner and experiencing some of the drawbacks of having a lifted car (i.e. gas mileage, changed handling, and ergonomics etc) I have decided to make this look as close to being lifted without some of the drawbacks mentioned above.
To begin this is a Daily and also or camping/overland car. I tow a boat and a truck of 7 passengers at least once a month so I had to be mindful of the extra strain on the truck as I plan to keep this forever (hopefully until Automobile ADD kicks in).
I have done the following:
Installed a remote car start
Installed the Prestigious Society video interface thing that allows you to watch movies on the front screen while in motion.
I have a frontrunner roof rack, light bar (not show) and frontrunner roof top tent (not shown).
I have method wheels and toyo tires
I have installed the Toyota OEM front spacer.
I also took off the running board last night which made a world of difference for me.
I looked on the site for feedback that others have given when they decided to do on any of the above mentioned items wherever applicable but wanted to give my own feedback based on what I was looking for.
Taking off the stock running boards: This is an idea I contemplated for a long time before I pulled the trigger and here is why I wont go back. First taking off the running boards give the car a more tone look, the car look much more lifted and muscular, the running boards gave it a more grand feel but taking them off has really tied in the mini font lift and the wheels and tires nicely. HERE is what I didn’t expect, I am 6 foot tall and right between the person who the running boards were meant to help and those who don’t need them. When stepping into my truck I was often choosing between just stepping in without the running board or using the running boards all to be too tall and have to awkwardly bend my head to get in. When I took off the running board it allows you to get closer to the car sill since it no longer hangs out and made getting in much easier. The look I think is more reminiscent of a Land Cruiser TRD PRO instead of the 80k plus luxury cruiser it was intended to be.
OEM Front spacers: This is a no brainer, anyone looking to level out the front a little more and not have any adverse effect on the drive should do this 100%. For me I wanted to have a more aggressive look without the downsides of a lifted truck discussed above as well as not void any warranty claims that may arise in the future so getting the oem front spacer was a perfect solution. I would adjust your expectations as you will get just a slight lift in front but for me this was just right to minimize the front sag this car was known to have.
Front Runner Roof Rack: For me, I really loved to have a more aggressive looking truck and the quality of the frontrunner rack is second to none. However, despite using the rack a lot for surfboards, luggage, tires, camping equipment, roof top tent I think the roof rack is more bold than I would like to have. I think If I had to do this all over again id stick with the stock rack and would have gotten once of those large Yakima style baskets to tie onto rack and take it off when I wasn’t using them. This may be wishful thinking for me as when we are camping there isn’t very much room left on the already larger roof rack but if I had to be honest this is my only gripe.
Remote Start: This was a $450 shut up and take my money move. I am in real estate and have a toddler and always hate coming to a car that was scorching hot so this definitely solved the problem but putting the money towards my sons education may have been the smarter more, regardless, I enjoy walking into a cool car on a hot day but my only gripe about this is when you open the door the car turns off and you have to restart it, other than this, not disappointed with the remote start, however, if I had to pay the $1000 or more that the dealer and other shop was quoting id probably would have been really butt hurt right now.
Prestigious Society Video interface: This was also a no brainer for us as my toddler and wife often enjoy watching the videos on long drives but for me the most useful part was being able to input addresses while moving. This was a major cause of frustration, especially when driving clients around which was well worth the money. I installed it myself based on the instructions provided and would rate its difficulty at about a 6.5/10.
Tires and Wheels: I like the method wheels, they are really trendy and I am not talented enough to get much more creative, however, my only gripe with these are how far the middle cap sticks out. I have been looking for someone who can make a flush center cap but no luck, for now I have taken off the caps and like the look a lot. Despite it not looking as refined I prefer this until I can find a flush mount cap.
The Tires are bitter sweet, I love the way they look but cant wait for these to wear down and try a pair of KO2’s . I assume the KO2’s may be the perfect blend of looks and comfort. If I am still disappointed with the KO’2 id go with the Toyo AT’s.
I hope this was helpful if at all. Love being part of this community and seeing all your beautiful trucks. I am located in Southern California and if any of you would like to get together for lunch or plan a camping trip Id love to meet you!
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