What have you done to your 200 Series this week? (17 Viewers)

[Markuson]

No, it's just 25 plus miles of some of the worst washboard road that causes self destruction of any thing thought to securely fastened. Now that you have outed me I will use it in future defense when needed.

Heh. It’s actually wedged in very tightly...and can’t bounce due to the curved pass-through on the tank’s too....but...I also secured via a couple zip ties in anticipation of just such roads. Zip-ties are cheap. Believe me...After watching Baja rattle many rig’ major BOLTS loose...I do think about earthquake roads...

 

[RET2]

Heh. It’s actually wedged in very tightly...and can’t bounce due to the curved pass-through on the tank’s too....but...I also secured via a couple zip ties in anticipation of just such roads. Zip-ties are cheap. Believe me...After watching Baja rattle many rig’ major BOLTS loose...I do think about earthquake roads...

Famous last words.

 

[Mendocino]

1. Drove mcgaskins 200 and decided to buy a Pedal Commander and have the transmission TSB done.
2. Actually bought the Pedal Commander (it arrives tomorrow).
3. Scheduled the TSB service appointment
4. Talked to Christo at Slee about when my rear bumper would arrive so I can get the bumper, BP-51s, tires, alignment, etc done (Yeah!)
5. Got the title issue straightened out with Bell Road Toyota in Phoenix where I bought it on 23 Sept 2018. No I can register it and get the title in my name!

 

[Mendocino]

I received the PC27 today. I installed it and tuned it via the phone app in about ten minutes. It's F'ing glorious! It instantly feels like I have about 150 more HP. The throttle response it easily tunable and it instantly makes a monumental difference. I'm in love.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Just another 200 rear install..

My favorite part of this install... license plate 8ARB.... 4Q-- ARB..... HA!

J

 

[KLF]

I don't mean to be "that guy", but...

How can that possibly be legal with the taillight completely blocked and a portion of the plate covered like that? Maybe it's the camera angle but wow that looks like an issue to me.

Are the lights in the bumper also brake and turn signals?

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Complete new 3 way lights in the bumper. License plate is not an issue per CHP as long as 75% is visible and they can relocate at their liking with holes supplied below the tire...

J

 

[KLF]

Ah OK, that makes sense. But, I can pretty much guarantee that would not pass inspection around here.

Looks like a nice rig though! Excellent work as usual!

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Ah OK, that makes sense. But, I can pretty much guarantee that would not pass inspection around here.

Looks like a nice rig though! Excellent work as usual!

Thanks for the kind words!

Pretty much the entire UPPER NORTHEAST (plus all other states, except a few...); SUCKS BALLS for any offroad mod, good thing this one wasn't headed that way. But then again per NH law if the bottom of the bumper to the ground is 20" or more...This is to the bottom of the plastic cover (NOT THE FRAME) your ****ED in New Hampshire and many other states.... If you're from out of state, where possibly legal, and have these mods in a NH incident (other states as well) , your screwed. DRIVER BEWARE...

So if you have a STOCK rig and a true 33" tire on your 200.... you're breaking state law and if you get ass ended by a drunk driver or a teen texting and not paying attention and they know the law..... they will win in court with the help of any crappy ambulance chasing lawyer per this:

"New Hampshire
No vehicle's height (and we're talking loaded too) may be taller than 13 feet, 6 inches. Don't change the height or alter the bumper in any way that would make it farther than 20 inches from the ground. For more information, check out www.newhampshire.gov."

We all do it..........but just for reference; my FJC (2"lift- 33s), 3-80s (1 stock and 2 modded), 3- 60s (All 3 modded), 2008 and 2017 Nissan Armada (STOCK) and a stock 100 with 33.9" tires are all ILLEGAL in NH....

So my worry of aux. lights and visibility for the lazy ass "FARVA" is the least of my worries for here and many other states.

Hope this isn't your case............ Have a nice day!

J

 

[KLF]

Jason:

I didn't mean to criticize, please don't take it that way. I really like your stuff, I was really just asking, I'm not familiar with CA MV laws.

Part of the problem with searching for info on motor vehicle inspection rules is there are tons of websites out there that post (mis)information. The rule is not 20", it is 30" for our trucks. And there is no site at "www.newhampshire.gov".

Here is the statue portion that refers to vehicle height (from: Saf-C 3200)

Saf-C 3211.07 Steering, Alignment and Suspension.

(a) A vehicle shall be rejected if:

(3) The suspension has been altered, and the bottom edge of the horizontal bumper bar:

a. Is less than 16 inches or more than 20 inches above level ground on a passenger vehicle;

b. Is less than 16 inches or more than 30 inches above level ground on a multipurpose passenger vehicle and light-duty truck; or

c. Is less than 16 inches or more than 30 inches to the bottom of the front or rear frame rails of a light-duty truck, measured where the bumpers would be attached by the manufacturer;

The statute defines a "multipurpose passenger vehicle" as "any motor vehicle, except a trailer, designed to carry 10 persons or less and which has a maximum height of 30 inches from the manufacturer, measured from the bottom of the frame rails of the vehicle." So a Land Cruiser SUV fits that category.

My '87 Xtra cab was checked several times when I got it inspected over the years and it never failed. I assure you both of those bumpers were more than 20" but just (barely!) under 30" above the level ground.

The bottom of my new RLC rear bumper on my stock height 200 is only ~18" above the floor, so I guess I have 12" of lift remaining before I will be in violation. I'll accept that.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Jason:

I didn't mean to criticize, please don't take it that way. I really like your stuff, I was really just asking, I'm not familiar with CA MV laws.

Part of the problem with searching for info on motor vehicle inspection rules is there are tons of websites out there that post (mis)information. The rule is not 20", it is 30" for our trucks. And there is no site at "www.newhampshire.gov".

Here is the statue portion that refers to vehicle height (from: Saf-C 3200)

Saf-C 3211.07 Steering, Alignment and Suspension.

(a) A vehicle shall be rejected if:

(3) The suspension has been altered, and the bottom edge of the horizontal bumper bar:

a. Is less than 16 inches or more than 20 inches above level ground on a passenger vehicle;

b. Is less than 16 inches or more than 30 inches above level ground on a multipurpose passenger vehicle and light-duty truck; or

c. Is less than 16 inches or more than 30 inches to the bottom of the front or rear frame rails of a light-duty truck, measured where the bumpers would be attached by the manufacturer;

The statute defines a "multipurpose passenger vehicle" as "any motor vehicle, except a trailer, designed to carry 10 persons or less and which has a maximum height of 30 inches from the manufacturer, measured from the bottom of the frame rails of the vehicle." So a Land Cruiser SUV fits that category.

My '87 Xtra cab was checked several times when I got it inspected over the years and it never failed. I assure you both of those bumpers were more than 20" but just (barely!) under 30" above the level ground.
View attachment 1823914

The bottom of my new RLC rear bumper on my stock height 200 is only ~18" above the floor, so I guess I have 12" of lift remaining before I will be in violation. I'll accept that.

I didn't take it as critcism at all. I just know what will pass per the "inspectors" opinion on the law, what his mood is the day of inspection and what will hold up in court.

A few 200 guys (not you) have commented to me on my replies and rebuttals; that I'm an a******... Well take the emotion and context out of the equation and read.... So my retort for those few is go pound sand.

Per my lawyers, in an accident with your truck.... I'd have a case and more than likely would win.

Main reason you don't hear more about this is that #1 the public isn't aware of the laws because they think since they have a licese they are... well good to go anywhere and anytime as they deem fit, #2 the person making the mods has no clue it is illegal because they are too too lazy to research and request info (ad it looks really cool) and #3 the incident/traffic officer not only doesn't know the law to report it, but is too lazy to measure and write a citation for it. My SIL is a sheriffs duty in CO and he doesn't even know the laws on lifted and modded rigs (pretty damn embarrassing, but being completely honest here).

I lived next door to a Wyoming trooper superintendent. Just for the record, one of the best people I've ever known. He said he challenged all his fellow troopers to re-read and issue citations based on the laws in WY. Not just for speeding and tickets incurred during an incident for 90 days. In that 90 day time period, in his district they increased fines by an additional @ $238,000.00. I do have to say that 58% of these fine were to CO and UT drivers. But nonetheless 100% of these fees where remarked as "we don't live here... why should we know WY laws..." or so variation of this phrase... Even the locals said they didn't know it was an infraction.

As far as inspections... CA has the most stringent emissions inspection there is. I've been in CA for less than a year and I can get a SMOG cert tomorrow on a vehicle that won't pass... So to each their own on that front.

Once again this is not a counter rebuttal to your comments or any means of me being an a******! but I know what it what in most states and inspection agencies and I know what a 100$ bill can get me at the right place.

Thanks for the comments, I hope they help others dig into their states true laws.

J

 

[KLF]

I do see your point, and yes since I work on a college campus I see vehicles every day that SHOULD fail inspection, yet they seem to have a current valid sticker for some reason. There's a student that always parks his huge "bro-dozer" F350 in the lot right outside my office, I'm sure it's way over height and the tires stick out beyond the fenders, and I don't know how he did it but the whine from the turbo is annoyingly loud, it can't be legal. We call him "The Over-compensator". So yes if you find the right shop you can get anything passed.

Fortunately I've never had an issue with a road incident, so I defer to your wisdom there. Your business requires that you know the rules presumably for liability. I made sure I knew the rules (I kept a set printed in my glovebox) in case the inspector tried to fail me (they did) but I was always able to prove that I was safe and legal.

Sorry for derailing this thread.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

I do see your point, and yes since I work on a college campus I see vehicles every day that SHOULD fail inspection, yet they seem to have a current valid sticker for some reason. There's a student that always parks his huge "bro-dozer" F350 in the lot right outside my office, I'm sure it's way over height and the tires stick out beyond the fenders, and I don't know how he did it but the whine from the turbo is annoyingly loud, it can't be legal. We call him "The Over-compensator". So yes if you find the right shop you can get anything passed.

Fortunately I've never had an issue with a road incident, so I defer to your wisdom there. Your business requires that you know the rules presumably for liability. I made sure I knew the rules (I kept a set printed in my glovebox) in case the inspector tried to fail me (they did) but I was always able to prove that I was safe and legal.

Sorry for derailing this thread.

No worries with anything above. However, per legal review in WY and CA as of Dec 2017. Your mini is NOT classified as a light duty truck in these states, but a passenger vehicle. While it does "technically" meet the weight up to 8500# and up to a 4000# payload. Several court cases in incidents "de-rated" it to a sub-light and in a few cases "mini" class, which brings it to the passenger in most states. So you would fall into "(a)" class above in a legal matter if you are above 20" regardless that you would be above the 1000cc threshold the weight/payload was the true reason for the awards for others.

Unfortunately, our family has a legal trust firm for the family estates and foundation and I abuse his firm since we pay an astronomical yearly retainer and fees for their "services". We either use it or lose it.... So I get a ton of this info and supporting court cases per year for my use and entertainment.

 

[KLF]

Well its kind of a moot point now, since I sold that truck a year ago, but in NH it is classified as a light truck, it even said TRK on the registration. That's all that really mattered to me. The bumpers on that truck were never under 20" even from the factory so there's no way I could meet that rule, that's crazy.

 

[PDXLX]

Raised the stock spare tire mount with a couple nut shims and greased the driveline while I was down there. Has anyone else experienced difficulties getting their grease guns to seat on the u-joints coming off the transfer case?

 

[2001LC]

Raised the stock spare tire mount with a couple nut shims and greased the driveline while I was down there. Has anyone else experienced difficulties getting their grease guns to seat on the u-joints coming off the transfer case?

Rears are a piece of cake, fronts are a pain. I found by turning to "right angle" I got all 3 front grease fittings all at once.
Scored 2011 LC W/79K OMG CLEAN (2012 missing link) starting on page 1 post #20 thru #29.

 

[bloc]

I make sure the center diff isn’t locked, chock the rear wheels and set the parking brake, put the transmission in neutral, then jack up one front tire slightly. This allows you to turn that tire to get the front driveline at the VERY specific angles that work for greasing. Or at least super specific with my grease gun.

Same works for the rear though it’s much easier than the front to just position the truck where you can get to everything

 

[2001LC]

I make sure the center diff isn’t locked, chock the rear wheels and set the parking brake, put the transmission in neutral, then jack up one front tire slightly. This allows you to turn that tire to get the front driveline at the VERY specific angles that work for greasing. Or at least super specific with my grease gun.

Same works for the rear though it’s much easier than the front to just position the truck where you can get to everything

Word of caution: You want the rear in a neutral stance so that slide yoke is not extended. Jack-stand under rear axle helps accomplishes this, keeping vehicle in a neutral stance if raised. If I've any doubt or use "H" of AHC, I'll pull out grease fitting then lower vehicle expelling excess grease to avoid over pressurizing slide yoke cavity.

 

[bloc]

I’ve never been in the habit of adding enough grease that slip yoke compression would be an issue. For me the sweet spot is about eight pumps when the grease gun is primed correctly. I know toyota recommends filling it until you see extension but this is one of the few places I deviate from the fsm. My thought is the centrifugal forces acting on the grease will make sure it gets to and effectively coat all of the splines where it is needed.. plus I don’t need to worry about trashing a driveline or transfer case output bearing.

To support my hunch I pulled the shafts apart on my 80 a couple times and had a look. Easily enough grease in the places you’d want it to prevent wear.

Not telling others to do this.. just that it’s my process.

 

[2001LC]

My comments weren't really directed at you, more general to the forum. You've a good handle on the issue, many don't and grease guns vary in amount they discharge.

Toyota FSM once said to pump until grease passes seals, now they've gone with safer just "until extension begins".

I've done so many that took near 1/2 or more of a standard tube of grease before any extension. These were obviously not properly maintained over the years/miles, which is all to common.