Build ROTW - smittycrusher

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Mod update...I just added one of my favorite mods of all. I never got on board with George's LEDs and think that the wait was worth it. I just added the full kit of LEDs in all doors and domes. I also added the reverse lights.

Doors and Domes

Reverse Lights

These mods should be at the top of any build list. I don't think I could ever go back to OEM. Even my wife loves them! These were so easy to install and dealing with Paul was very easy. His service was spot on.

Pics to come when I get a little time.

Smitty
 
Ms. Jackson got some new shoes! I went with the Mickey Thompson MTZ in the same size as before 315/75/16. I only have a few hundred miles on them but they are great on dry pavement so far. Much quieter than the Bighorns that had gotten past 50% wear. To be fair, the Bighorns were probably this quiet when they were new too. I have absolutely ZERO complaints about the Bighorns. I wheeled them in rocks, mud, snow, and dirt and they were spectacular. I will do a full review on them soon. I would have had no problems buying the Bighorns again, but the price on these MTZs was too good to pass up.
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Thanks Brent! Wish you could see her in person. Now I just need to put the winch back together and install it and she will be even happier.

Smitty
 
Lemme know if you need a hand. Winches are easy and a good reason to spend too much time "working" while you drink beer instead :)
 
Warn Series 12 industrial winch is done and I will do a write up on the tear down/rebuild soon. Ahead of that on the priority list is to get these 4" Ironman coils and matching foam cell shocks installed. I lost some lift once I put 130 lbs worth of winch and cable in the ARB bumper (currently have OME heavies with 1"spacer up front ). I am hoping these springs will level it back out and give better performance. I did a lot of driving/riding out west last year in an 80 with the IM springs/foam cell shocks and I was very impressed. Once I get the rear bumper, I plan to add the IM 4" springs in the rear as well (replacing current OME heavies - no spacer in the rear). For now, I think this hybrid approach should work out great.

While I am doing the springs, I will also be changing u-joints in the front driveshaft and having it lengthened to mate well with the Slee gen 1 front control arms that have been sitting in my garage for 5 years waiting for the drive shaft to be lengthened.

Smitty
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Nice! 80 love! We should meet up for a beer and talk Moab (I think you said you would be out that way this year?)
 
Did some work on the 80 last night. I am trying to get a few things done before the baby arrives in a few weeks. I was able to get the new 4" Ironman coils and foam shocks shocks installed in the front. At the same time, I re-installed the Slee front control arms and dropped the drive shaft off to be lengthened an inch and a half and have new Toyota u-joints installed. After taking measurements and talking with the guys at Tom Woods, they suggested that lengthening the drive shaft was all that I will need after putting on these control arms (the Slee arms are about an inch longer than the stock arms. I like how the new springs in the front turned out combined with the OME heavies in the rear. Once it settles some, then I think it will be dead on level. After I add a rear bumper in the future, I will then replace the rears with the Ironman 4" as well.

I put about 90 miles on it today and must admit that this set up handles the road much better than the OME did. These shocks are very smooth and the way the truck handles pot holes and bumps is a significant improvement (my OME shocks were not worn out either). The new arm should put me at around +5* caster (I will get a reading at my next alignment). I love the way the steering feels now! I was around +0.5 before with the OME springs and CC bushings.

I am a VERY happy Ironman customer now!

Smitty

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Wow, I totally forgot about this thread and so much has happened since the last update. Most importantly, I have literally put thousands of off road miles on the truck, mostly in Utah, Arizona and Nevada. The 80 has been the perfect machine for me to drive across country multiple times, wheel pretty hard, and then drive back across country. Two of these cross country trips were 28 plus hours of non-stop driving each trip (except for fuel, food and feces :)). The 80 has been a joy and I love it even more.

Since the last update, I have done the following:

-wore out the MTZs pictured above (I loved this tire and highly recommend)
-wore out the Kevlar MT/Rs that replace the MTZs (also loved this tire and would recommend)
-Installed Toyo AT II extremes. I love the on road manners and figure that they will be a better fit for my needs (cross country highway driving to desert trails with rocks, sand, dirt, etc). The cross country driving through Colorado can have winter weather issues and these tires should be better for that as well.
-Installed rear spacers and the newer OME L shocks, thanks @cruiseroutfit !!!
-Installed 20" LIFETIME LED Phantom Sun Light Bar - Love this in the desert...crazy bright.
-Installed LIFETIME LED low beam headlight bulbs - love these too. Thanks @Southeast Overland for taking care of my LED needs!
-installed a second Sears die hard platinum battery with a very simple and reliable home brew system. Second battery is only a backup battery and does not run anything.
-Installed 6.5" Polk audio DXI-6500 component speakers in all four doors.
-Installed PPI Powerclass 4400 amp under the driver seat.
-Installed wheelskinz steering wheel cover...twice (the first one only lasted about 25k miles)
-Installed Sean's rear bumper with triple swing outs.
 
I love CruiserFest and have taken the 80 out there the past two years. It has also allowed me to store the truck out West at various places thanks to some very generous people in the cruiser community. I would then fly out and visit the truck, take trips, and eventually bring it home.

Here is a write-up that started with the 2015 trip to CruiserFest.
 
Here is a video that @steenh did from out Hole in the Rock Trail trip last November. This trip was the one that brought the 80 home from the drive out to CruiserFest in 2016.

 
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Wait a minute.... is this the infamous scott.b.smith? Seen that name in many of landcruisers.
 
2fpower said:
Wait a minute.... is this the infamous scott.b.smith? Seen that name in many of landcruisers.
Click to expand...
Haha, I guess my reputation precedes me. I need to do another run of those!

Smitty
 
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Lifetime led bulbs vs. HIR they replaced:
 
Hole in the Rock TRail 2016
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Ms. Jackson now has 235k miles on her and she has been diagnosed with the same disease shared by her cousin Michael...vitiligo. It has consumed about 40% of her body. I will post pics when she is done with treatment.

Smitty
 
smittycrusher said:
View attachment 1422038 View attachment 1422039 Lifetime led bulbs vs. HIR they replaced:
Click to expand...

Certainly looks like at least your truck was a slight downward aim adjustment for the Lifetime LED's. Confirms what I wanted to do based on what I'd already learned about these from you - install one side and do a comparison like the pic you posted here and adjust as needed. It clearly shows the LED aimed higher than your HIR.
 
Big thanks to @ACC Toyota for their spa treatment on Michael Jackson. After 265k miles he was burning some oil and overall just tired. ACC rebuilt the head and changed a ton of other parts to refresh. They even installed a Storm Trooper under the hood for more angry horses. I have a ton of power back now! I can really feel the full benefit of the headers and exhaust now too. Such a joy to drive this machine. For the record, the head gasket was still intact.
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