Some advice on a new (to me) 2008 Toyota Landcruiser

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gomotomoto

gomotomoto

10 Year
Joined
Jan 24, 2015
Threads
17
Messages
132
Just picked up an 08'. Super happy with the purchase. It's bone stock and I've got some questions if anyone can chime in with anything helpful:

Floor mats: Truck was sold to me without floor mats. I'd like to get a set of rubber mats. Does anyone have a good recommendation, or should I seek out OEM mats?

Tires: I need a set of tires and the ones that came with truck appear a little small. What's the largest tire I can put on this thing without issues (stock suspension). I'm hopefully going to own this for a while, any recommendations for a high-quality tire that isn't crazy expensive? I live in the northeast.

Heated Seat Knobs: Missing both, anyone have a link to this part #?

Smart Key: One of the keys was missing. I'll need another. Pricey from the dealer. Do I have any options here? Any sites that sell these for a decent price? I guess I have to have a dealer program the key once I get it?

Really like how this thing drives. What a great truck.
 
Welcome and congrats on the Cruiser! Post some pics. For floor mats, it sounds like most people go with Husky or Weathertech. I personally have weathertech and can attest that they are a decent product. Only concern I have is the sidewall folds in over time, but other than that they're great.
Use the "search" function and you will find a ton of info on going up in tire size & key option(s). I know there are some folks on here that work for Toyota parts and can get you them- @beno is one that comes to mind.
 
Floor mats:
I've had my 2008 LX570 for 5 years now and I can attest that the "upgraded" Lexus cloth-ish mats are worthless. They won't stay where they're put, they're dirt magnets and they're as costly as a paramour.

I had Weathertechs in my 2004 100 series and I can vouch for the lip droop. If you can stand that, and it takes a while, they're great. I kept the cargo liner piece when I sold it and it's now a floor protector in the garage (under my rear mainseal challenged '95). It gets a lot of abuse and, other than lip droop (honestly, that 2" lip is a little much anyway) it's as tough as the concrete.

My daughter wants a set for her '94.

Tires:
The only part of this truck I hate. And I really hate them. My 1.5" sidewalls are useless curb magnets (I must be getting old; I don't see the attraction of little sidewalls). I lust after my 80s 16" wheels with their LTX MS tires every time I look at them. AFAIK, you can get by with 31.5s, but an 18" wheel (from the 100s or Tundras) give you a better range of tire options and lower prices and, with spacers, 16" wheels from the 80s give you even more, with still lower prices. You need the spacers for the 16" wheels because Toyota, in their infinite wisdom, decided against the 6-bolt hubs in favor of five-bolt hubs from the trucks (cost of goods and all that).

Part numbers:
I have the list of parts and vendors at home. I'll drop you a line later, if someone doesn't beat me to it.
 
I'm also curious about the smart key - is there any way I can lock & drive this truck manually (without smart key). I often surf in some bad neighborhoods and like to zip my truck key in the little wetsuit zip compartment. Can't do that with a smart key. I'd prefer not to have to bury the smartkey in the sand somewhere.... Any ideas?
 
x2 dry bag

NAFAIK

In my understanding, the ECU needs the radio signal from the smartkey to energize the ignition circuit. Think about it this way, if you could bypass the key, couldn't anyone? You can unlock the car with the metal key, but you can't drive it if the key battery's dead. So, there you have it, the sum total of my (useful?) knowledge on the subject. Maybe some else has more to offer.

There's a troubleshooting section in the manual that explains the key function. I'll post some more detail when I can sit down in front of my other brain.
 
You'll get a message on the display between tach and speedo if the fob battery starts getting weak. Battery type is in the owner's manual...not a bad idea to keep a new one in the truck.

I've got WeatherTech mats front to rear. No problem with fit. I removed by 3rd row seats and a WT cargo liner sits on top of the factory carpet. There's a carpet scrap I cut to fit the cargo mat on top. When it gets beyond shaking out and hosing down (dog dander combined with pheasant blood) I just cut out a new one. I'm kind of thinking about perhaps a set of Husky liners for the front...much more of a lip to catch water, and Idaho is now celebrating its snowiest year in 30-35 years.

I've got a '13 Land Cruiser with 18's. I run Blizzaks on Tundra take-off steelies now, and Toyo A/T2's on the oem wheels April through November...lots of size info in the tire and wheel database in the FAQ section here.

Where ya' located?? And welcome aboard. You will fall in love with your truck.
 
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gomotomoto said:
Just picked up an 08'. Super happy with the purchase. It's bone stock and I've got some questions if anyone can chime in with anything helpful:

Floor mats: Truck was sold to me without floor mats. I'd like to get a set of rubber mats. Does anyone have a good recommendation, or should I seek out OEM mats?

Tires: I need a set of tires and the ones that came with truck appear a little small. What's the largest tire I can put on this thing without issues (stock suspension). I'm hopefully going to own this for a while, any recommendations for a high-quality tire that isn't crazy expensive? I live in the northeast.

Heated Seat Knobs: Missing both, anyone have a link to this part #?

Smart Key: One of the keys was missing. I'll need another. Pricey from the dealer. Do I have any options here? Any sites that sell these for a decent price? I guess I have to have a dealer program the key once I get it?

Really like how this thing drives. What a great truck.
Click to expand...
Welcome to MUD, I ran 275/70 R18's stock in the Goodyear Duratrac flavor, worked out well with minimal to no rubbing...
 
For surfing, I would get a small lock box, frequently used for firearms, and lock the fob in the box in the car. the door opening metal key comes out of the fob. Take that portion with you. manually lock/unlock the doors.
+1 on the weathertech floor mats.
Mscruiser put together a fairly comprehensive spreadsheet of tire/wheel/lift sizes and modifications needed. dig through it a little and you can see what sizes and brands people have used over the years.

Welcome to the 200 section. Post pics of your truck.

we love pics........
 
TexAZ said:
For surfing, I would get a small lock box, frequently used for firearms, and lock the fob in the box in the car. the door opening metal key comes out of the fob. Take that portion with you. manually lock/unlock the doors.
+1 on the weathertech floor mats.
Mscruiser put together a fairly comprehensive spreadsheet of tire/wheel/lift sizes and modifications needed. dig through it a little and you can see what sizes and brands people have used over the years.

Welcome to the 200 section. Post pics of your truck.

we love pics........
Click to expand...

About the surf/lockbox idea... (which would normally be a GREAT idea, @TexAZ!)
The truck won't let you lock a FOB inside the car. :(
-It senses that it's inside...assumes you are accidentally locking the key inside...and responds by beeeeeeeping continuously and unlocking the doors as soon as you annually lock them and close the door.

Just in case my memory was fooling me...I just tested it on my 2008 to confirm. Sure enough...it won't let you do it.
 
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Malleus said:
Floor mats:
I've had my 2008 LX570 for 5 years now and I can attest that the "upgraded" Lexus cloth-ish mats are worthless. They won't stay where they're put, they're dirt magnets and they're as costly as a paramour.

I had Weathertechs in my 2004 100 series and I can vouch for the lip droop. If you can stand that, and it takes a while, they're great. I kept the cargo liner piece when I sold it and it's now a floor protector in the garage (under my rear mainseal challenged '95). It gets a lot of abuse and, other than lip droop (honestly, that 2" lip is a little much anyway) it's as tough as the concrete.

My daughter wants a set for her '94.

Tires:
The only part of this truck I hate. And I really hate them. My 1.5" sidewalls are useless curb magnets (I must be getting old; I don't see the attraction of little sidewalls). I lust after my 80s 16" wheels with their LTX MS tires every time I look at them. AFAIK, you can get by with 31.5s, but an 18" wheel (from the 100s or Tundras) give you a better range of tire options and lower prices and, with spacers, 16" wheels from the 80s give you even more, with still lower prices. You need the spacers for the 16" wheels because Toyota, in their infinite wisdom, decided against the 6-bolt hubs in favor of five-bolt hubs from the trucks (cost of goods and all that).

Part numbers:
I have the list of parts and vendors at home. I'll drop you a line later, if someone doesn't beat me to it.
Click to expand...
Unless I read this wrong you cannot fit 16's on our trucks due to the rotor size. If you can then I just learned something today.
 
@gomotomoto Welcome! You are going to love that truck
 
Thanks all, I'm really digging this truck. Crazy nice. I guess for when I'm surfing in bad neighborhoods, I'll have to bring a ziplock back and bury in the sand somewhere, just hate doing that... for obvious reasons.
 
Willy beamin said:
Unless I read this wrong you cannot fit 16's on our trucks due to the rotor size. If you can then I just learned something today.
Click to expand...
You're right. I just saw some spacers recently, 25 and 50 mm, which adapt the larger rotors to the smaller rims. I forget where exactly, I have to look back through my browser history.
 
One thing the spreadsheet isn't telling me is how they will look on the truck. Can anyone chime in as far as aesthetics go? I'd like the largest tire for my 08' but still decent on highway. Looking for any recommendations/photos.
 
Here's my truck with 275/70/18 KO2's. The ride is great and this is my first LT tire. I've got about 600 miles on them in various conditions. The only time you'll notice you're on a stiff tire is if there is a series of constant bumps (like when people do construction on one side of the road and put it back together poorly), but it's not too bothersome.

I like how they fill the wheel wells and the small additional height. I really want to lift it now.

20170112_123922.webp
 
Redbull said:
Here's my truck with 275/70/18 KO2's. The ride is great and this is my first LT tire. I've got about 600 miles on them in various conditions. The only time you'll notice you're on a stiff tire is if there is a series of constant bumps (like when people do construction on one side of the road and put it back together poorly), but it's not too bothersome.

I like how they fill the wheel wells and the small additional height. I really want to lift it now.

View attachment 1384481
Click to expand...

That looks awesome.
 
@Redbull is that photo before or after your lift? Makes such a huge difference with the way the truck looks.
 
gomotomoto said:
@Redbull is that photo before or after your lift? Makes such a huge difference with the way the truck looks.
Click to expand...

Before lift on stock suspension. I love the KO2's I've taken them through some of the worst streets of New York, 65 mph highways, light offroading, and mall cruising. They are excellent tires. Waiting for my lift parts, my shop said it's delayed and it'll be 3 weeks :(
 
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