Sacedog's Build Thread

[Sacedog]

I have had a couple people ask if I had a build thread over the past couple of years, so I thought I would finally get around to it during some time off. My 2000 LC100 used to be my mother-in-law's daily mall crawler. She bought it new in 99 and used it until 2010 after putting 96k miles on it. Rather than selling it, my in-laws parked it in the garage in their vacation house in Truckee, CA, where they or I would use it occasionally when up there. About a year ago, I talked them into signing it over to me with 98k on the odometer, which is when I took it back down to the Folsom, CA area and started my build.

Since I am a couple of years along, I decided to post the progress so far, and will continue to post some pics and tips on some of the things I have done. For some of the major baselining and repairs, I use a local shop in Folsom, who specializes in Toyotas, and only use OEM or Aisin parts. For suspension and bumper work, I use Stellar Built in Sacramento. They do amazing work and build some very cool rigs.

I love off roading around the Tahoe area, but am just a beginner. This past summer I have taken some increasingly adventurous trips, but they were still pretty tame. I mainly am having a lot of fun tinkering on a car again, and many of the items I have done to the rig are likely unnecessary, but the time spent on them is cathartic and enjoyable to me.

I wrote all of this up in Notepad, and will be posting replies to this thread today. To indicate when I performed the work, I'll put the month and year in each post.

January 2023

• Baseline and preventative maintenance
  • Changed Engine oil
  • Changed Front/Rear Diff oil
  • Changed Transfer Case oil
  • Changed Transmission oil
  • Changed Engine air filter
  • Changed Spark Plugs
  • Cleaned throttle body, MAF, and intake
  • Installed new brake pads, rotors, and fluid
  • Replaced Timing belt
  • Replaced Tensioner and pully
  • Replaced serpentine belt and idler pully
  • Replaced water pump and thermostat
  • Replaced front wheel bearings
  • Replaced fan clutch and fan bracket
  • Replaced camshaft and crankshaft seals
  • Replaced front CV axles (both were leaking)
  • Replaced radiator, hoses, and fluid (original radiator had a hairline crack on the top)
  • Installed Slee SS brake lines I had purchased
• Removed wood trim
• Greased drive shafts

February 2023

• Replaced all factory bulbs with LED bulbs
• WeatherTech floor mats
• WeatherTech cargo mat
• TouchUpDirect touch up paint
• Detailed engine bay

September 2023

• Removed running boards
• Installed Slee rock slider steps
• Installed LCP mud flap covers
• Replaced drivers door lock actuator
• Installed BlueSea dual USB charging port
• Installed Alpine head unit, amp, new speakers, and backup camera

October 2023

• New Method wheels and BFG KO2s
• Dobosins 3" IMS kit - shocks, springs, torsion bars, diff drop, front UCAs

February 2024

• Lutz Auto speedometer calibration device
• Plaidwagon seat back pockets

March 2024

• Slee battery tray
• Slee billet battery terminals
• Odyssey Group 31 battery
• Slee 2nd battery tray with ARB mount
• ARB dual compressor
• Big 3 ground wire replacements

April 2024

• Switch Pros 9100
• BlueSea SafetyHub 150
• 150A circuit breaker for SafetyHub
• Heater Ts
• Ben's 3D Builds Switch Pro 9100 sunglass mount
• Replaced fuel filter
• Cleaned air cabin air filter compartment, and added filters

May 2024

• Phone mount
• Spiker Engineering grab-handle Scanguage mount
• ScanGuage 3
• Cruiser Garage A/C drain extension kit
• Cruiser Garage under-seat fire extinguisher mount

July 2024

• Prinsu rack
• Oil change
• Plaidwagon windshield reservoir tank
• CruiserPatch CDL button guard
• CaliRaised dual light bar

September 2024

• Additional preventitive repairs
  • Brake booster
  • Steering rack (was leaking)
  • Radiator OEM cracked, but replacement under warranty from 01/23

October 2024

• Dobensons rear lower control arms
• Tundra charcoal canister and air hoses
• Hurricane Fab tailgate storage
• Dissent front & rear bumpers

December 2024

• Perry Parts front and read bump stops

Future

• PCV valve kit
• Starter
• Coils
• Seals

 

[Sacedog]

January 2023

After using the LC to tow a Razr short distances, I scheduled a longer trip with a friend down to Pismo Beach; about a 5.5 hour drive from Folsom where I live. I decided it was time to perform a lot of overdue maintenance, so that I was more comfortable with the trip. My father-in-law was never big on maintenance.

After taking it in to Shannon's automotive (they specialize in Toyota's and only use OEM of Aisan parts), I made the 350 mile drive to Pismo with 4,000 pounds in tow. Shannon's performed the following:

• Changed Engine oil
• Changed Front/Rear Diff oil
• Changed Transfer Case oil
• Changed Transmission oil
• Changed Engine air filter
• Changed Spark Plugs
• Cleaned throttle body, MAF, and intake
• Installed new brake pads, rotors, and fluid
• Replaced front wheel bearings
• Replaced Timing belt
• Replaced Tensioner and pully
• Replaced serpentine belt and idler pully
• Replaced water pump and thermostat
• Replaced fan clutch and fan bracket
• Replaced camshaft and crankshaft seals
• Replaced front CV axles (both were leaking)
• Replaced radiator, hoses, and fluid (original radiator had a hairline crack on the top)
• Installed Slee SS brake lines I had purchased

 

[Sacedog]

January 2023

The wood trim was looking pretty bad. After finding a couple of videos on YouTube, I purchased a heat gun, and removed all of the wood trim on the dash and all four doors. I used a set of plastic trim removal tools that I already had, which helped keep me from scratching the plastic underneath the wood trim.

Trim removal tools
Heat Gun

 

[Sacedog]

January 2023

There was a lot of sand and salt down at Pismo, so I thought it would be a good idea to grease the shafts. I also had a slight clunk when putting it into drive. After greasing, the clunk went away.

Grease Gun

 

[Sacedog]

February 2023

The lights both in and out of the LC were rather dim, so I purchased a bunch of Lasfit LED bulbs to replace the OEM ones.

Interior Dome, door, courtesy, trunk, and license plate lights
Daytime running and parking lights
Map lights

 

[Sacedog]

February 2023

After spending a lot of time getting the sand out of the car from Pismo, I decided to purchase some WeatherTech floor mats, and a cargo mat. After having them for two years now, I would highly recommend them.

I spent a lot of time this month cleaning inside and out, including detailing the engine bay. The LC has its share of dings, chips, and scratches in the paint, so I purchased some touch up paint from TouchUpDirect to make sure none of the chips and scratches turned into rusty spots later on.

Touch Up Direct

While I wanted to invest more into it, my in-laws still owned it, so I took it back up to Truckee and parked it for the Summer. In August, I convinced them to sign it over to me since they never used it, even when they were vacationing up in Truckee.

 

[Sacedog]

September 2023

Now that it was mine, I started planning what to do next. I knew I wanted new wheels & tires and a lift, so I called up Stellar Built in Sacramento, and ordered wheels, tires, and suspension. While I was waiting on those I took the opportunity to do some other work.

I did not have a tall enough jack for the LC, so I went down to Harbor Freight, and purchased the Badland jack.

Badland Jack

I ordered the Slee Slider Steps, and prepared for that installation by removing the factory running boards.

Before:

After:

When the steps came in, I got those on, and also installed the mud flap covers for the rear, from Land Cruiser Products. Both were pretty easy to install.

Slee Slider Steps
Mud Flap Eliminators

With sliders installed:

 

[Sacedog]

September 2023

The rear hatch was sagging a bit, so I replaced those struts as well as the struts for the hood. These are one of the few OEM replacement parts I have put on.

Gas Lift Supports

 

[Sacedog]

September 2023

I had been having a lot of issues with the driver's side door lock, so I decided to replace the actuator. I replaced the entire unit rather than taking it apart and just replacing the motor...not the cheapest decision, but I was lazy. If you need to order one, make sure you order the correct side, as they do come in left and right door versions.

Replacement Door Lock Assembly

 

[Trapper50cal]

"It's not that I deserve it, it's that IT deserves it."

 

[Sacedog]

September 2023

Another change as a result of my 11 hours of driving to and from Pismo, was replacing the factory radio. This change took me a couple of orders from Crutchfield, as I originally tried to use the factory amp but it sounded horrible when hooked up to the new speakers. I ended up replacing the head unit, amp, door speakers, and adding some sound deadening to the doors while I was in there. At the same time I installed a backup camera, which has been very useful.

I would not recommend the Sony head unit I purchased, as it has a pretty washed out screen. It was cheap though, but you get what you pay for.

Items I ordered:

Alpine iLX-W650

Digital multimedia receiver (does not play discs)

www.crutchfield.com

Infinity Primus PR6510CS

Primus Series 6-1/2" component speaker system

www.crutchfield.com

Infinity Primus 603F

Primus Series 6-1/2" 2-way car speakers

www.crutchfield.com

Boyo VTL17ir

Universal backup cam with infrared night vision — license-plate-mount

www.crutchfield.com

Infinity Primus 6004a

Compact 4-channel car amplifier — 60 watts RMS x 4

www.crutchfield.com

Sound deadening foam
Sound deadening installation tool
Wire harness tape
USB port

My trim removal tools (sitting on the dash) came in handy for this job.

The backup camera cable was routed up the A pillar and down the driver side headliner.

I was able to route the camera cable through the tailgate and in through the body wiring shroud, but that took a lot of work.

After drilling the hole in the tailgate for the camera cable, I used liquid electrical tape to fill the hole. Prior to the spare tire swing out installed later on in the build, this was a great location and looked very clean.

 

[Sacedog]

I would highly recommend purchasing the wiring harnesses from Crutchfield, as they made the job much easier at the head unit. There was still a lot of work needed at the amp, but it was easier with the Crutchfield harness.

After putting it all back together, I was very pleased with the outcome. I was a bit annoyed with the washed out screen of the Sony though, as you can see below. The sound quality was really good, and I now had Apple Car Play! I put the USB port for the unit in the right blank using a Blue Sea USB port, as you can see in the pic. I have since moved it to the AHC button location, as I have installed a phone mount in the blank's location.

 

[Sacedog]

October 2023

Just prior to an annual trip I take to Sand Mountain Nevada, Stellar Built called to let me know the parts were in, and they could get everything installed that week. I drove in early Monday morning and dropped it off. They installed:

Dobinsons 2.5-3.0" IMS Lift Kit for Toyota Land Cruiser 100 Series / Lexus LX470 1998-2007 - DSSKITIMS75

dobinsonusa.com

701 | Matte Black - https://www.methodracewheels.com/collections/all/products/701-matte-black?variant=8428848775204 (17x8.5)
Shop All Terrain T/A KO2 Tires | BFGoodrich Tires - https://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/auto/tires/all-terrain-t-a-ko2 (285/70-17)

On Wednesday afternoon, I picked it up and drove straight to hook up the Razr for Sand Mountain. There was still some droop from the 4k of weight, but it was better than stock. The ride while pulling the trailer was MUCH better though, and felt much more controlled on the freeway. I now had reliable tires too, rather than the ones that were on there from 2008 (the old tires were almost new tread-wise, but I was glad to get rid of the 15-year old rubber)!

Shortly after getting home, Method started selling the extended center caps which I put on.

Center Cap | Bead Grip® Technology | Black

Stock replacement caps for your Bead GGrip®rip wheels. If wheels came with a snap-in cap, a snap-in replacement is required. If wheels came with a push through cap, a push-through replacement is needed. Wheel bolt pattern will determine the size and style of cap.

www.methodracewheels.com

 

[Sacedog]

February 2024

I decided I wanted to have my MPH accurate on my speedo, so I ordered the Lutz Auto unit to correct it. It also will ensure your miles are accurately counting up. The instructions that come with the unit were spot on, and the install was very easy.

Landcruiser 70/80/100/105 & LX450/LX470 Speedometer Calibrator/Correction Device | Lutz Auto

The Lutz Auto 70/80/100/105 Series Landcruiser Speedometer Calibrator can calibrate your speedometer to display the correct speed, compensating for any modification that affects the speedometer calibration (ie. tire size and gearing changes). Correcting the speed with this calibrator will also...

www.lutzauto.com

 

[Sacedog]

February 2024

The seat back pocket bungee cords were stretched out and sagging, so I reached out to PlaidWagon to inquire about new ones. At the time, he only had brown and black, and I really wanted a tan to match the seat colors. He was awesome, and agreed to make a new color to match. I was VERY happy with the match as you can see below. I would highly recommend these to anyone who has factory ones that are sagging.

100 Series Land Cruiser Seat Back Frame Set

Replacement 100 series Land Cruiser seat back frame Fits all 1998-2007 models with leather seats. Free shipping within the lower 48 states!...

www.plaidwagon.co

 

[Sacedog]

March 2024

Time to tackle some electrical work! I started with the basics, and purchased a Slee battery tray to support a group 31 battery, Slee billet terminals, and a terminal cover. I also picked up an Odyssey AGM battery from my local Napa auto parts store.

SLEE - Main Battery Upgrade Tray - '98-07 Land Cruiser / LX470 - Slee Off Road

Replacement Tray for main battery Fits Group 31 or equivalent size Interstate 31P-AGM7 - AGM Option Interstate 31P-MHD - Flooded Option Odyssey ODX-AGM31A - AGM Option Requires terminal extensions. Choose between options listed below. Stainless Steel Clamp Aluminum powder coated base tray...

sleeoffroad.com

ODX-AGM31A - ODYSSEY Battery

Today's commercial vehicles have to power a range of accessories, both inside the cab and out. And whether on the road, the farm, or the jobsite, ODYSSEY batteries have the power to start any job, and the durability to last until It's finished.) Featuring rugged construction and packed tightly...

www.odysseybattery.com

Around the same time, I purchased the "big three" ground wire replacements, and got those installed. You can make these yourself, but Mark does a great job producing them and there are a perfect fit. Following is a long thread on the subject.

"The Big Three" Electrical Upgrade

You might have recently seen in the photos thread that I upgraded my engine-ground wires. No I don't have an upgraded alternator at the moment but plans for one are in the near future so that is partly why I decided to do this mod now. I went with 1/0 pre-tinned copper lug terminals from Little...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[Sacedog]

March 2024

I had started to drive some trails around the Truckee area, and decided I wanted to install onboard air rather than using a portable compressor. The compressor is great, but PRO TIP, carry a portable one with you as a spare in case you blow your fuses on your ARB (including your spare fuse). I found this out the hard way.

Also, while mounting the compressor in the engine compartment is convenient, I would not recommend it as it gets way too hot in there (why I blew my fuses), and compressors do not like heat.

I used the Slee second battery tray kit, which came with the ARB dual compressor.

Compressor Kit for 100 Series Land Cruiser - Slee Off Road

Bundle Consist of: SLEE Mount ARB Pump Up Kit ARB Manifold - Optional - (Recommended) ARB Twin Compressor ARB Quick Connect Dust Cap - Optional ARB Inflator - Optional

sleeoffroad.com

The install was pretty easy, after relocating the power steering pump onto the tray mount. I didn't get it hooked up this weekend, as I was waiting for a lot more electrical parts which took a couple of weeks to arrive.

 

[Sacedog]

Parts arrived, and I got to work with more electrical changes, including a Switch Pros 9100, Blue Sea Safety Hub, and a 150A breaker. This install took a lot of time, mostly for making the cables the right length. These videos of an install on a 4Runner were helpful, as they used the same Safety Hub and Switch Pros.




I do not plan to install a second battery, so I used the tray for the SafetyHub. I had an extra mounting bracket that I bent and used for mounting the junction box to. The box only has 7 connectors, while the Switch Pros has 8 switches, but I do not expect to have 8 things I need to hook up. In the pic I have the cover off of the junction box to show the connections. As you can see in the pic, everything fits pretty well. I mounted the SwitchPros on the inner fender. The SwitchPros has one wire which is supposed to hook up to your lights, so that the switches on the panel auto-dim when the headlights are on. I use my headlights during the day, so I ended hooking this up to one of the switches, so that I would be able to manually dim the switch brightness when I needed to.

I used another leftover piece of metal to make a mount for the circuit breaker near the battery. This has since been replaced with a better one, as I needed more room for another switch later in the build.

I mounted the SwitchPros panel in the sunglass holder area, using one of Bend's 3D printed items.

Builds - Benjamin’s 3D Prints Build

Oooh... gray (or tan) would be nice - match the interior, keep that O.E. look... find my Chapstick in under .5 seconds. I like how you think.

forum.ih8mud.com

I used the following crimping tool to make the cables.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B097YDWDLN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Following is the full parts list.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WDD69JR?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0053BTSEK?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BLLNWGP?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092ZMQ8T6?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CDLM6ZDW?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QDQRX7P?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089CVGL3H?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GXQMP66?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZJ0QRO?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZJ0R82?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZJ0V1U?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JQBR7ZG?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Amazon.com

Amazon.com

Amazon.com

Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BL4S5YJ?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Amazon.com

Amazon.com

 

[Sacedog]

I found a bit of dried coolant around the heater Ts, and decided it was time to tackle that job.



The Ts are in a very hard to reach place, requiring a bunch of time with my knees up on the cross member next to the radiator. I was very sore the next morning. My wife took this pic of me and laughed.

For this job, I decided to do the hoses at the same time, and used the kit from Cruiser Patch below. I also ordered a fuel filter at the same time, as I figured it should be changed after 25 years.

100 Series 2UZ-FE Heater Tee Hose Kit

OEM plastic or brass heater tees available A common point of failure on the 100 Series Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470, the heater tees can be upgraded to a metal design for added reliability. Replacing the hoses at the same time is a regular 'while you're in there' maintenance item. Includes...

www.cruiserpatch.com

100 Series OEM Fuel Filter kit for 2UZ-FE

Replacing the 2UZ-FE fuel filter on the 100 Series Toyota Land Cruiser or Lexus LX470 is a great maintenance item for 20+ year old vehicles. It can even increase the gas milage in some cases. Kit includes: OEM Filter Assy, Fuel (1x): 23300-50090 OEM Clip, Fuel Tube Connector (1x): 90923-07002...

www.cruiserpatch.com

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ECIYAM?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I40ZQWE?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Overall, the Ts were in pretty good shape, but the one on the right was cracked and pretty brittle.

One thing I learned; there is a clip on the hose closest to the wiring harness. Make sure to keep a hold of that, and scoot it up the hose before you take it off. I did not, and it slid down under the intake manifold. This wasted 20+ minutes for me trying different ways to retrieve it without taking the intake manifold off. Luckily, I was able to get it with a magnet retrieval tool.

I would highly recommend a flexible clip removal tool like the one I purchased below. I also took a foam brush, modified it a bit, and used it to wet the inside of the hoses to make sliding them onto the Ts easier.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000F5JM0O?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

 

[Sacedog]

I think the job took me a couple of hours overall, and I am pretty slow. I also wasted nearly a quarter of that time trying to retrieve that one hose clip.

The fuel filter was a simple task, that only took a few minutes.