Recommended Bumpers, Winch, Lift and Tires (1 Viewer)

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The lift really isn’t that bad. Unless you are just all eat up with rust it shouldn’t take but a day.

I don’t really have a local shop that I would trust to work on my cruiser. I do everything myself because I know it will be done right plus I get to learn and know my truck better. I’ve seen too many shops mess things up and cut corners. ACC is the only shop I trust but they are a few hours away from me too.

I’ve got diff drops on both my 100s and that’s super easy too. Takes about an hour and you don’t even have to jack the truck up.

If you decide to reboot your CVs I’d be happy to help. I just did mine a few weeks ago and have the crimping tool to use on the factory clamps that come with the kit. It’s an easy job too.

Working on these trucks really gives me a sense of accomplishment and I know it’s right when I’m done. Let me know if you decide to do it yourself. I’d be happy to lend a hand and any tools you might need.

I'm kind of...particular...about work on my vehicles for the same reasons you list above. By all accounts ACC is a great shop, but the distance is more than I can bear. Sounds like the diff drop is pretty easy to handle. The CV boots, though, how can that be an easy job, don't you have to take the whole hub off/apart and remove the axle to reboot, or can you do it with everything still assembled? I'd be glad to take you up on the offer of help when the time comes. :)
 
I’m in Ga too and am planning on doing a front and rear bumper on my LX before Hundreds in the Hills. Looking to place my orders around May 1 so I can get them on sometime in June.
I can’t decide between a Slee Blueberry or Arb Sahara. I feel like both have there pros and cons, but I’m currently leaning Slee. I’ve made up my mind on the Slee for the rear.

As long as you don’t have AHC to remove it shouldn’t take long to do the lift. I’d say it’s pretty easy in a day, and that’s taking it slow. I did mine in my driveway and it took a good 2 days but that was with me removing all of my AHC components and having to cut out one torsion bar anchor with a sawzall (that was my fault, I think I screwed up the threads using a impact gun. I now recommend plenty of anti seize and no impact gun)

I run SPC UCAs on my LX and factory UCAs on my 06 LC that has a AHC sensor lift. They both have about the same amount of lift and I can’t tell much difference in the steering, although I run a ton more caster in the LX. I’m not sure it’s worth it unless all of your factory UCA bushings and ball joints are toast. If that’s the case it’s a no-brainer.

Tire wise I run 285/75/17s and 1.25” Slee spacer on my LX and 305/65/18s with no spacers on my 06. I much prefer the 305s without spacers over the 285 with spacer setup. The 305 really fills out the well and gives a good stance with no rubbing. I’m not sure why they are so overlooked on this board. I think they are perfect.

Where are you in Ga? I’d be happy to lend a hand on your install and talk bumpers.

I'm 30 mins South of Macon in Warner Robins. So the 305's don't rub anywhere even at deflection?
 
I'm kind of...particular...about work on my vehicles for the same reasons you list above. By all accounts ACC is a great shop, but the distance is more than I can bear. Sounds like the diff drop is pretty easy to handle. The CV boots, though, how can that be an easy job, don't you have to take the whole hub off/apart and remove the axle to reboot, or can you do it with everything still assembled? I'd be glad to take you up on the offer of help when the time comes. :)
You don’t have to take the hub apart. Just pop off the dust cover on the hub and then the snap ring on the shaft and it will slide out. You do have to separate the nuckle from the UCA but that only takes a few good wacks with a hammer. You only need one wrench to do the job, and that’s for the nut on the UCA ball joint(except for the lug nuts).
 
I'm 30 mins South of Macon in Warner Robins. So the 305's don't rub anywhere even at deflection?
I have been running them for 6 months and haven’t had any rubs. I haven’t done any hard wheeling but I don’t think there would be any issues. Again, I’m running without any spacers.
 
Chris, you are gonna have fun. I see two good options:

1. Buy the stuff you want, get a set of tools, learn how to wrench on your rig. You are listing easy bolt on accessories that would be great to get your hands dirty on. I have installed everything you listed myself (except tires and stuff). There's nothing too hard about any of what you have listed, in fact, you'd save an easy $1k in installation labor. Any shop worth their salt is going to be $80/hr. MINIMUM.

2. If I were you and I am not. I'd go make friends with the crew at ACC or another local cruiser shop, they can likely order stuff for your, get you set up once and correctly, and maybe give you a break on the overall package but I am just guessing. .

I have a full compliment of tools and am very handy, and I would really LIKE to do the work myself. Tool-wise the only things I lack are a lift and tools that I would consider specialized. What I do not have in abundance is time. It's a matter of trading my dollars for someone else's time, and I want to make sure that I'm not getting substandard quality but also not overpaying. I wouldn't speak against ACC specifically, but some of the flagship, recommended shops have VERY high labor rates, $135+ per hour. As an example, I had my timing belt done recently and had a "forum recommended" shop quote me a nearly $400 inspection fee and then another $2200 for parts and labor on the timing belt service. To be fair the quote included things that were not recommended in the service manual for the timing service, but the total quote was 250% of the TOYOTA DEALER quote for timing service. And the additional items did not account for the majority of the price difference in my opinion. Since that quote, I'm a little gun-shy about blindly going with forum recommended shops. I went with the dealer for the timing service which got me out the door for under $1,100 and three free oil changes with Mobile 1 synthetic oil. I was also quoted over $600 for labor and over $100 "environmental fee" to install an ARB bumper by a highly recommended shop. Does that seem low, fair or high to install a bumper?

Note: In your plan I would add a Slee or Dissent rear bumper as they are the front running builders in my humble opinion... not knocking the other fab shops but from what I have seen these two are top shelf items. ARB makes a nice rear bumper too. On tires, I would suggest 305-65 R18's they are the perfect size for the 100. I just stepped up to 35x12.50-18 BFG KO2's and I will either install a body lift (which I would prefer not to do) or go back down to the 305s (like a 34") They are the biggest tire that stuffed fully without a body lift that I have tried.

Have a blast, if you do it yourself we can help you along. If you hire it out, I do suggest paying a bit more for a good shop that knows Cruisers or at least a shop that you have a friendship with the owner.

So two people have now recommended the 305/65r18 for this truck. I'm going to wear out my "used tire shop" 275s first I guess and then see about stepping up to the 305s. You guys are sure that a 34.8" tire will fit and not rub at any orientation or attitude? Don't get me wrong, they sound awesome ;) and I'd love to be able to sport them as long as they fit.
 
You don’t have to take the hub apart. Just pop off the dust cover on the hub and then the snap ring on the shaft and it will slide out. You do have to separate the nuckle from the UCA but that only takes a few good wacks with a hammer. You only need one wrench to do the job, and that’s for the nut on the UCA ball joint(except for the lug nuts).
That seems very dooable...Sounds like a trip to Warner Robins and a case of frosty beverages might be in your future :D
 
That seems very dooable...Sounds like a trip to Warner Robins and a case of frosty beverages might be in your future :D
Sounds good to me:beer:. Also, those 305/65/18s are around 33.6”. If they were 34.8” you would definitely have rub.
 
Here are some not so great photos of my 305s with no spacers...

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4199CF95-2C60-45F8-835B-1BA65898A1EE.jpeg
 
I have a full compliment of tools and am very handy, and I would really LIKE to do the work myself. Tool-wise the only things I lack are a lift and tools that I would consider specialized. What I do not have in abundance is time. It's a matter of trading my dollars for someone else's time, and I want to make sure that I'm not getting substandard quality but also not overpaying. I wouldn't speak against ACC specifically, but some of the flagship, recommended shops have VERY high labor rates, $135+ per hour. As an example, I had my timing belt done recently and had a "forum recommended" shop quote me a nearly $400 inspection fee and then another $2200 for parts and labor on the timing belt service. To be fair the quote included things that were not recommended in the service manual for the timing service, but the total quote was 250% of the TOYOTA DEALER quote for timing service. And the additional items did not account for the majority of the price difference in my opinion. Since that quote, I'm a little gun-shy about blindly going with forum recommended shops. I went with the dealer for the timing service which got me out the door for under $1,100 and three free oil changes with Mobile 1 synthetic oil. I was also quoted over $600 for labor and over $100 "environmental fee" to install an ARB bumper by a highly recommended shop. Does that seem low, fair or high to install a bumper?



So two people have now recommended the 305/65r18 for this truck. I'm going to wear out my "used tire shop" 275s first I guess and then see about stepping up to the 305s. You guys are sure that a 34.8" tire will fit and not rub at any orientation or attitude? Don't get me wrong, they sound awesome ;) and I'd love to be able to sport them as long as they fit.

$600 for a bumper seems high to me, but I do it myself. It was a done before lunch kind of job for me with a buddies help.

The 305/65-18 is a 33.5" tire anything above 34" and you are gonna have to address some rubbing. I just stepped up to 35x12.5-18 and I am already considering dumping these and strapping the 305's back on. The 100 (in my humble opinion and now experience) NEEDS a body lift or 3" of true front suspension lift to clear the 35's at full tuck. I am already jamming on the brakes so I am not slamming into my fenders on big bumps and whoops. I am exploring extended bump stops but that is more of a band-aid than a fix. A body lift isn't hard but it is a long days work to fit... then there is the new gap that needs addressing at bumpers and sliders and things that attach to the chassis.

Get your hands dirty. Save the coin. Enjoy the ride. Take your time.
 
GA guy here as well. I’m going to HIH8 which has motivated me to do a few mods I’ve been wanting to do. I’m definitely getting sliders, lift (need new shocks anyways) and maybe a bumper.

Haven’t decided which way I’m going with each yet but will decide soon. I really like The Dissent bumper but with all the deer in south GA I might go with an ARB or TJM. Leaning towards Ironman lift and Metal Tech sliders.

No expert, just what I’m thinking at the moment.
 
About 6 hours on a lift install is what LandCruiser Specialists in Austin quoted. Since you don't have the AHC to mess with, I'd try to install it myself. The AHC adds MILES of complexity to the install as it should be removed entirely. The diff drop and UCAs are optional. But, having said that, I'm a proponent of "buy once, cry once." Soooooo, I'd say go ahead and budget for the SPC UCAs and a diff drop from SLEE for peace of mind.

Install the front bumper yourself. Super easy job. Especially if you have a buddy help. I put my IronMan Bullbar on myself (clone of an ARB) and it was super easy. Took me 2 total hours to remove the stock, put on the new and wire up the lights. Save the $250 for other upgrades (or beer) and have the satisfaction of knowing you did the job yourself. These rigs are FUN to work on. As for recovery points, use the $250 savings on labor and buy the RoadSafe recovery points out of Australia (about $180 shipped of eBay). These things are the bomb and are well and truly tested (Australia is an incredible proving ground for overlanding equipment)

As for a rear bumper, you really can't go wrong with any of the choices mentioned previously: SLEE, Dissent, 4x4Labs, BIOR, ARB, etc. The Dissent is especially nice because it is more modular (can have a left placement on the spare if you want) and it's sexy as all hell. The ARB is probably the least desirable since it doesn't gain appreciable departure angle and it's a mass-manufactured bumper whereas all the others mentioned are active sponsors and forum members of IH8MUD (ALWAYS prefer to support those who support US). $3000 is a solid budget and should get you ANY of those bumpers powder coated and pre-assembled.

I don't have an issue with the Harbor Freight winch or many of their "static" tools, jack stands, and floor jacks. I think they have some good stuff that's budget friendly. Having said that though and reflecting on my earlier statement of "buy once, cry once", I wouldn't hesitate to go with a Smittybilt X20 or even better, a WARN with a synthetic line.

33" inch tires are a perfect compromise on these rigs. 34" isn't too bad either, but they start getting pricey real quick. KO2 and Cooper ST PRO/MAXX seem to be the predominant choices here.

As for the suspension, OME gets a bunch of knocks from people in the know. 2 specialists here in Austin shy away from them as they've seen failures of the shocks on several occasions. IronMan seem solid and they are at your pricepoint in the nitro-gas variant. The ProFoams are a premium, but are HIGHLY regarded if you're doing extended gravel/corrugated road traveling in higher temperatures (90degrees+). ToughDogs are even more of a premium, newer here (been in Australia for a LOOOONG time) and are exceptional since you can get a 53mm front (very unlikely to overheat or "stack" up) and adjustable rears which are nice to have if you don't constantly run heavier weight. I'm strongly considering this option as I have a delta of approximately 500 lbs between DD duties and expedition mode. Also, Jason (TrailTailor) is the reseller for ToughDog and is a long time forum member and supporter, so that's a BIG +++++++ in my book.

Anyway, congrats on the rig and you look like you've definitely put some serious thought and planning into your rig. I didn't do that originally. I started adding things with no real plan and just shot from the hip. Wish I had planned out a little better frankly. Oh well.

Welcome to the club!
 
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I'm in Kennesaw, work in Brookhaven. I'd love to link up with some locals and do some Blue Ridge driving. I don't have any friends who want to wheel with me.
 
Let's pick a weekend! My 15-yr-old daughter (!) just asked "Dad, when are we going four-wheeling again?"
 
I'm so down. This should probably end up going in the regional sections but if anyone knows of anything worth running within an hour of Metro I'd be all over it. All I know of is the stuff way up north.
 
Several folks have mentioned the Ironman lift kits. I read up on the different options and based on what I can see the foam shock options seem to be geared more towards "fast moving, constant cycling of the shocks over very rough terrain" type of scenarios. So for me I'm not sure that the $400 markup for foam shocks would be worth the money. Is that a pretty accurate assessment of the performance difference?

Secondly, which Ironman kit are folks getting that they are happy with? Are they all 2" for our gas Cruisers, and the only difference is the gas v foam shocks?
 
I have a full compliment of tools and am very handy, and I would really LIKE to do the work myself. Tool-wise the only things I lack are a lift and tools that I would consider specialized. What I do not have in abundance is time. It's a matter of trading my dollars for someone else's time, and I want to make sure that I'm not getting substandard quality but also not overpaying. I wouldn't speak against ACC specifically, but some of the flagship, recommended shops have VERY high labor rates, $135+ per hour. As an example, I had my timing belt done recently and had a "forum recommended" shop quote me a nearly $400 inspection fee and then another $2200 for parts and labor on the timing belt service. To be fair the quote included things that were not recommended in the service manual for the timing service, but the total quote was 250% of the TOYOTA DEALER quote for timing service. And the additional items did not account for the majority of the price difference in my opinion. Since that quote, I'm a little gun-shy about blindly going with forum recommended shops. I went with the dealer for the timing service which got me out the door for under $1,100 and three free oil changes with Mobile 1 synthetic oil. I was also quoted over $600 for labor and over $100 "environmental fee" to install an ARB bumper by a highly recommended shop. Does that seem low, fair or high to install a bumper?



So two people have now recommended the 305/65r18 for this truck. I'm going to wear out my "used tire shop" 275s first I guess and then see about stepping up to the 305s. You guys are sure that a 34.8" tire will fit and not rub at any orientation or attitude? Don't get me wrong, they sound awesome ;) and I'd love to be able to sport them as long as they fit.

For the timing belt quote: I would be MORE inclined to go to a shop that quotes many extra parts than the dealer that's probably quoting the bare minimum. I recently did my timing belt myself and my parts cost alone was over $1k. Any shop that quotes a sub $1k timing belt job on a 100 series is either replacing the absolute bare minimum or is paying their mechanics near minimum wage. Either way, I wouldn't want them touching my car.

Good shops will quote a timing belt job higher than the dealer as they know other parts will need (or should be) replaced.

For the suspension I consider the diff drop and UCAs absolute requirements for anything over a 1-1.5" lift. You're putting enough lift on that the CV angles are quite different than intended and the UCAs won't allow proper alignment. If you want to avoid the diff drop and UCAs, just get a really mild lift. Given you dont off-road much I would even question the need for any lift at all. 33's fit perfectly on a stock rig and you'll get better handling and mileage out of a non-lifted rig. I do everything but the very difficult trails in CO on 33's and perfectly stock suspension. I'd spend money on lockers/armor before a lift - especially given what you're saying here for your intended use.

Happy shopping! The Dissent bumpers are awesome. I won a BIOR rear bumper at HIH last year and love the stout build quality, but I think Ben's rear bumper latch is a really cool. I think you'll be pleased with his stuff. Everything I've seen is absolutely top notch. I actually like that it bolts together instead of a big welded single unit. It looks great and has plenty of advantages.
 
I just thought I would give folks an update on the tires. After going around and around the 305/65r18s just aren't worth the cost and hassle. They are priced at $349/tire minimum if purchased at a brick and mortar store. In fact they aren't even spec'd for an 8" width rim (According to Discount Tire they require a 8.5" width wheel) so most tire places (Discount Tire, Sams, Walmart, and Costco) won't even install them unless you just bring the rims and no car. That's not an option for me as part of a friends and family discount i get through my brother requires that my receipt actually show that they are installed on a vehicle registered to my name. I asked Discount Tire "What's the biggest KO2 you can install on my OEM rims?" and he said that 275/70r18 is the biggest (33.2" tall) they could really put on that rim and that is only .4" shorter overall than the 305/65 (33.6"). Additionally those 305s are 1.2" wider than the stock tire and that has me really worried about the gas mileage/rotating mass/polar moment of inertia. So I think for over $120 less per tire and only giving up 1% of the height of the 305/65 the 275/70 are the best bang for the buck. So I ordered them and will have them installed on my wheels on Monday at Discount Tire for $1500 out the door for 5 tires with replacement certificates. (the 305/65r18 were $1970 without the certificates) In all i'm saving over $470 on the tires and probably a little bit in gas over the next several years. I'm sure there are others who don't have my same considerations but that's where I landed on tires on the cost/benefit metrics.
 
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I just thought I would give folks an update on the tires. After going around and around the 305/65r18s just aren't worth the cost and hassle. They are priced at $349/tire minimum if purchased at a brick and mortar store. In fact they aren't even spec'd for an 8" width rim (According to Discount Tire they require a 8.5" width wheel) so most tire places (Discount Tire, Sams, Walmart, and Costco) won't even install them unless you just bring the rims and no car. That's not an option for me as part of a friends and family discount i get through my brother requires that my receipt actually show that they are installed on a vehicle registered to my name. I asked Discount Tire "What's the biggest KO2 you can install on my OEM rims?" and he said that 275/70r18 is the biggest (33.2" tall) they could really put on that rim and that is only .4" shorter overall than the 305/65 (33.6"). Additionally those 305s are 1.2" wider than the stock tire and that has me really worried about the gas mileage/rotating mass/polar moment of inertia. So I think for over $120 less per tire and only giving up 1% of the height of the 305/65 the 275/70 are the best bang for the buck. So I ordered them and will have them installed on my wheels on Monday at Discount Tire for $1500 out the door for 5 tires with replacement certificates. (the 305/65r18 were $1970 without the certificates) In all i'm saving over $470 on the tires and probably a little bit in gas over the next several years. I'm sure there are others who don't have my same considerations but that's where I landed on tires on the cost/benefit metrics.
Awesome. I’m glad you found a tire setup that works for you. The 275/70/17 is a great size for cruisers.

Did you get your Dissent bumpers on yet?
 
Not yet, they came in on Monday and I dropped them off at the powder coater that day. Unfortunately I had a little mishap on the interstate...
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