Mounting the Lower Control Arms

While I'm not purposefully planning to rock climb or get into situations where I have to tax the Land Cruiser platform, I have been planning for potential situations that may or might occur and looking for options, individually or in combination, that will enable safe passage from point A to point B. One of these things happens to be ground clearance.

I've previously installed an Old Man Emu 2.5" lift kit that included torsion bars, springs and shocks, as well as, changed tire sizes from stock to NITTO 285/75R16 and added Slee Off-road underbelly armor for some protection even with the modest lift change. Couple this with the higher ARB bullbar winch bumper on the front and Slee Off-Road bumper on the back and the attack vectors are improved to see rubber before it sees metal. However, I still had something bugging me which was the fact that my lower control arms would theoretically hit an object before the tire had a chance to sort it out. So, after a bunch of research I ended up purchasing a set of 80 & 100 Series Heavy-Duty High Clearance Lower Control Arms from Wild West Off-Road and installed them shortly thereafter with the help of another friend who rebuilds cars from the chassis up.

We went to a local DIY shop that is a proper rejiggered garage complete with lifts and such. I don't mind being on a crawler underneath the truck. It was a pleasure to stand up under the truck and work on things, however. With the right tools and setting, things go more quickly. Friends help.

The old 100-series bolts came out pretty easily, as did the original lower control arms. I took a few pictures of the comparative old and new bolts and control arms. The stock stuff was, and has historically been, pretty sturdy. However, the new arms and bolts are actually designed for an 80-series, are thicker, change the attack angle and have thicker, beefier bolts. I was curious if there would be enough metal at the mount points to handle the new bolts and arms. After bring under there, I think we're pretty solid. Were I going to purposefully rock climb and get crazy I may consider beefing up the body mounts.

Old bolts and arms were taken out first. Then we had to drill out the holes to take the bigger bolts from 3/8" to 5/8". It may actually have been metric come to think of it, but we used English anyway since that was what we had in our hands at the time. We alternated contextually between a step drill and straight heavy duty drill bit. No problem on the drill-outs. We dry-mounted to see if it all fit and we were good to go. I greased the bolts and bushing sleeves, we put the accompanying washers on either side of the rear bushings as instructed, mounted the front points and then rear points without much effort. We did use a persuasive rubber hammer a few times, but nothing out of the ordinary. After all was said and done, we gunned them tight, made sure the rear wheels were tight as well, dropped the lift and put it out on the parking lot to check for anything silly. After that I S-curved a bit to re-adjust the suspension and help it settle and went back to work. Overall, due to have an air compression issue with the lift that first had to be reconciled, we were in and out in sub-two hours.

There are a number of comparative pictures below showing new and old arms, new and old bolts, mounts points before drill-out and after everything is mounted on the rack and on the ground. Overall, I'm pretty pleased with a) the new lower control arms themselves and b) the ease of the swap-out.

Installing a Dual Battery System

Similar journey, different subject.

• What problem do I need or want to solve?
• Who has solved this problem before me?
• What did their solutions look like and what were the pros, cons and contexts?

As with a bunch of this, I was already familiar with a bunch of this stuff due to my time in Africa. The ability to self-solve in the bush is a way of living for many people and I benefited greatly from the wisdom and experience of others. What happens when you have a working vehicle platform capable of taking you into the bush and bringing you back again fail due to a single issue like the battery? Your amazing vehicle is proverbially dead in the water. The winch, the lights, the CB, the seat covers, the dual fuel cells, the lift-kit, tires, etc. Nothing. No battery, no start, no mobility. You're looking at the biggest paperweight you didn't imagine buying.

In addition to paying attention to the type of battery you purchase, cranking amps, load capacity and comparing consumption velocity of the platform to recharging capacity of the alternator, we have to understand things like "Plan B". Plan B, in this case is, what if the primary battery doesn't start, what do we do? The answer is a secondary battery system. However, the implementation of the idea is a little more cool than just taking a second battery in the truck just in case. I was interested in a system that had the allowed me to start the platform from battery B if necessary, allowed me to run lights, phones, computers and refridgerators while the truck was off without risk of burning the primary battery, as well as, having the ability to link both batters to bear the distributed load of a winch if and when necessary. A number of companies have solutions in place for this. I settled on the IBS dual battery solution sourced and installed by Slee Off-Road in Golden, Colorado. Their implementation of the solution included running a large gauge wire from the engine box to the back of the truck with an additional fuse block, USB and 12v cigarette lighters so I could charge and run things from the front, as well as, the back of the truck in a self-serviceable manner thereafter.

The primary and secondary batters are both Die Hard, the dual battery system itself is IBS and wanting the interior of the truck to continue to look stock, the battery monitor and remote control are wired to, and mounted within, the center console. Available when needed, out of the way when not.

Next up? Road-use. Hopefully, I don't ever need to rely on the presence of a second battery due to primary battery failure. Hopefully I never have to rely upon the ability to use two batteries to bear winch load. More likely is charging a cell phone or laptop or running a spotlight off the back of the truck. Nonetheless, planning ahead is a lot of fun. My goal is to not put myself in a position where I need these things; but if I end up there, I have options.

To and From Slee Off-Road

I recently took the Cruiser out to Slee Off-Road in Golden, Colorado to a) have them inspect the platform integrity and progress in order to make recommendations to me for further platform evolution, as well as, b) to have them perform some work that is important enough to me that I wanted an experienced expert at the helm for this part of the build. I had them:

• Install ARB air lockers in the front and rear
• Install ARB air compressor
• Install the IBS dual battery system
• Install the ARB Intensity driving lights/modify the wiring harness and lights on the ARB bumper itself
• Install the Front Runner roof rack platform
• Install undercarriage armor
• Install the Outback drawer system in the rear of the truck

The trip out through Kansas to Colorado looked like this:

The trip back through Colorado and Wyoming looked like this:

The work that Slee Off-Road did, coupled with their outstanding education/teaching attitude and customer service, is outstanding. I knew I was asking softball questions sometimes and they fielded them courteously and professionally, very thoroughly each and every time. Reading teaches. Experience teaches. Getting schooled by a group of people who do this everyday helped increase the velocity of learning. I would have paid additional money for some of the education I received while there and then paid more money for more education. Nonetheless, my opinion of Christo Slee and Slee Off-Road staff is very high as a result of my experiences with them to date and they've help put me multiple steps closer to my overlanding goals.

Completed Modification List

This is the master list of changes made to the 1999 Toyota Landcruiser platform:

1. ARB winch bullbar sourced from Just Differentials
2. ARB winch bullbar fog lights and LED parking/turn signals sourced from Slee Off-Road
3. ARB Intensity LED Lights, stock Toyota switch, switched for bright usage only
4. Warn M12000 Self-Recovery Winch with Fairlead
5. Factor 55 Pro Link, 16k lbs load rating
6. Slee Off-Road rear bumper with spare tire and ladder swing arms and digital license plate light
7. K&N Air Filter
8. Slee Off-Road primary battery tray replacement
9. Slee Off-Road secondary battery tray
10. Safari Snorkel
11. ARB 12v High Performance Compressor with ARB pump up kit
12. IBS 12v/200A second battery management system
13. DieHard Platinum 31M battery with military connectors
14. DieHard 34/78DT battery with military connectors
15. Fusebox run to back of truck for additional USB and 12v receptacles
16. Old Man Emu 2.5" Heavy Load Kit (coil springs, front/rear shocks, torsion bars, slee diff drop kit, upper control arms)
17. ARB front and rear airlockers, stock Toyota switch
18. Powerstop rotors, front and back
19. Toyota brake pads
20. Slee Off-Road braided stainless steel brake lines, front and back
21. Piranha Diff Breather Kit
22. Front Runner Branch Deflector Wires
23. Front Runner Spare Tire Mount Braai Grate
24. Wild West Off-Road heavy-duty high clearance lower control arms
25. Slee Off-Road skid plate system
26. Slee Off-Road tube sliders
27. NIITO Trail Grabber M/T 285/75R16 tires
28. Front Runner roof rack platform
29. Front Runner Ratcheting Spade/Shovel Mount Bracket
30. Front Runner Roof Rack Mounted Axe Bracket
31. WeatherTech Tub Floor mats
32. Escape Gear front and rear grey seat covers
33. Outback drawer system, two drawers, one slider top
34. Cobra SoundTracker CB and Firestick Antennae with quick-disconnect and heavy duty spring sourced from Right Channel Radios
35. Hi-Lift Extreme jack
36. Slee Off-Road Hi-Lift Jac-Kof Tool kit with wheel and axle strap
37. Napa all-weather windshield wipers
38. Napa high-pressure bonnet lifts
39. ARB 15k lb snatch block
40. (2) Crosby S-281 Sling Saver Screw-Pin Shackle 7/8" Pin WLL 4.5 Ton sourced from Quadratech
41. (6) Crosby G-209 Galvanized Screw-Pin Shackle 3/4" Pin WLL 4.75 Ton sourced from Quadratech
42. (2) ARB 3/4" D-Ring shackles
43. ARB recovery damper

Installing the Lift Kit

After reading all kinds of things on IH8MUD forums, various vendor websites and overlanding journeys of others, it finally came down to...what do I want to try? Noteably, I read multiple forums suggesting that lift kits greater than 1.75" will create maintenance and wear issues for the vehicle that ordinarily wouldn't occur. I went with a 2.5" heavy duty lift kit from Slee Offroad. Considering the heavier ARB front bumper, Slee back bumper, the planned rooftop tent, single axle off-road trailer and secondary fuel tank, with the help of Christo Slee, I planned for no-road, logging road, creek and small river terrain, outback in the middle of nowhere camping with the family.

I initially ended up with the following parts list by considering the following questions:

• Will the vehicle be a daily driver? Or overlanding/off-road only?
• Will the off-road experience be paved, gravel, dirt, logging, mud, no-road, etc?
• Water? No water?
• OEM curb weight? Modifications that will add or remove weight?
• Towing? No towing? If towing, what?
• Where do you plan to travel? Domestic US? International? If international, what kind of travel?
• How many people will be transported in the vehicle?

Out of this I chose the 2.5" lift, heavy duty believing that at some point I'll get a different daily driver and save this mighty giant for overlanding/outbacking alone. In all fairness, from my time in Zimbabwe and South Africa, I was already familiar with Old Man Emu suspension systems and knew they had a great reputation for dependability out in the bush. Yes, it influenced my choices. Resultantly, my parts list looked like the following:

• OME 2864 Old Man Emu rear coil springs - 80 Series LC
• OME 6000 Old Man Emu Sport Shock - 100 Series Front Comfort Shock
• OME 6002 Old Man Emu Sport Shock - 100 Series Rear Comfort Shock
• 303001 Torsion Bar Set - 100 Series LC
• SOF - Diff Drop Kit for UZJ100, with fit kit
• SPC Adjustable Upper Control Arms - 100 Series LC

Because I personally have neither the tools, nor the experience, to install springs, and particularly the torsion bars, I decided to go with a local shop who told me they have experience doing multiple lift kits on off-road vehicles. Two days of work and BAM! I now have a bit of a jump to get into the vehicle.

Overall, I'm pleased with the work. Having no experience here, I've driven been driving, testing, listening and learning to understand how a lift kit changes the vehicle's harmony to original OEM design. I hear noises here and there, look for leaks (finding none so far), have noticed a different behaviour when making tight turns and so forth. It handles differently for sure given the center of gravity is higher. I have more learning to do. No argument. And basically don't know what I don't know about lift kits and OEM performance evolution. However, I'm having a great time and look forward to more experimentation and learning.

Two things of note: a) if I have an issue with bottoming out after attaching a loaded off-road trailer, I'll likely change the bump-stops in the rear springs; and b) I was particularly impressed with the solid upper A-arms. They were a seemingly huge and valuable upgrade from the OEM arms. I like the work Slee Off-Road is doing to compose solutions, not just parts.

Mounting the Rear Bumper

As with everything else, after a bunch of research I settled upon the Slee Off-Road bumper with optional spare tire and ladder mounts.

The package arrived as a freight truck drop-off, was a large, heavy package (~259lbs) on a palette, and basically in the shape it left the factory. Slee Off-Road took a picture of the delivery prior to leaving the warehouse. I took a picture upon arrival. The pictures matched. I was impressed at how the components were shipped. Had I my wits about me, I would have taken a picture of the actual packing. Everything was individually wrapped and taped. The bumper in first, then expanding blow-foam blown around the perimeter to lock it in place and protect it from external blows. Impressed. Then the internal pieces were set on top and around the bumper using very thick pieces of some sort of padding with adhesive. Once these big padding pieces were in place, I doubt anything moved the entire trip. And then the box itself was closed up and itself wrapped in plastic and strapped shut thereby affixing it to the palette as one big unit. The boys that delivered it moved it up the driveway on a palette jack.

There were five things that needed to be removed from the rear bumper assembly prior to attempting the new bumper mount. After removing these things, the new bumper simply slid into place like a well-worn glove without much effort or coordination.

• Two sub-assembly brackets on either side of the bumper assembly which originally held the factory bumper. Given they were original, they were also frozen. Since we didn't need to re-use these holes, I cut the head off the final, most stingy bolt and knocked it off with a hammer. All the others eventually came off with some love. This was no place for WD-40, but rather some CenPeCo Penetrator introduced to me by a friend who has decades more experience than I doing this sort of work. When I say things like, "It's frozen and won't move", he only smiles and teaches me another trick of the trade.
• One tow hook
• Two recovery point rings

Not knowing how difficult this bumper would be to hold in place, we set two jack stands (with a fat towel for scratch-control) underneath either wing and a floor jack (again, with a fat towel) underneath the rear centerpoint as a matter of safety. Frankly, because of the good design of the bumper itself, after we slid it onto the rear bumper frame assembly, it just sat there making our floor jack and jack stands safety elements only. They really supported no weight. Picking the bumper up and moving it around was a two-man job given the weight and awkward size/design. Otherwise, no issues.

If you have a new vehicle, I suspect the bumper mounting will go free, clear and smooth. If you have an older vehicle like I do, there is some prep-work that I should have done, but didn't think to do. It would have saved time.

• Find out where you need to put new bolts into the frame and make sure the bolt holes are clean, accessible and will take the bolts easily when needed. I didn't do this. As a result, during the installation we spent extra time cleaning and otherwise getting old holes to work for us. Find which ones you need, clean them in advance. It will save time.
• There are two bolts on each side of the bumper, closest to the bumper itself (and closest to you when viewing the pictures, bolts 1 and 2), that attach the bumper to the frame. For me, since the old bolts came out of these holes, new ones went in without issue.
• Farther in from the back of the truck (in alignment with the bolts closest to the bumper, bolts 3 and 4) an additional two bolts need to go on both sides and is likely where an after-market tow bar would mount. These bolts hold the wing-braces to the frame which then connect out to the wing of the bumper itself for leveling, strength and stability. These holes had never been used for the life of the truck. The in-frame bolt plates (or welded nuts, I'm not completely sure) on the inside of the frame were not aligned to the holes and were full of rust, dirt and whatever else gets up in there from greater than decade of weather exposure. We had to hammer the frame, use an air compressor, some more rust remover, holler and complain for an unfortunate amount of time to make it work. We even greased the bolt shafts to aid in the effort. In the end, one of the bolts broke the plate free (or welded nut) and it spun freely. All other bolts went on correctly, though the ones in the unused holes required use of a commercial air gun else it would never have happened. I'll address the bolt that broke free by spot welding that portion of the plate to the frame and there will therefore be no concern. How I address the hanging bolt is yet to be determined.
• There are two bolts that go straight into the rear bumper frame to the 11 and 1 o'clock positions of the receiver. We had to loosen the bumper to get the holes aligned correctly. Furthermore, to keep the bolts in the socket head as we passed it through the bumper itself to the frame, we greased up the head of the bolt to stick it in the socket head without falling. We had to mess with the bumper a bit to align the holes, pulling a dropped bolt or flat washer out with a magnet a couple of times, but it eventually worked.

Basically, pre-clean all the holes making sure bolts will go where they are supposed to go in advance of mounting the bumper. After that, fit all of the bolts before tightening any of them. It was artful science. I suppose, the older the vehicle, the more art.

Adding the ladder and tire mount were "as-is" simple. Particularly impressive to a friend of mine helping me were the high-end bearings Slee Off-Road uses in both pivots points for ladder and spare time mount. They seem to be high quality which bodes well for aging, weight and extensive use. Just follow the directions and this all makes sense and works as specified.

Out of everything, the license plate light kit seemed to be made of a brittle plastic that, if over-torqued, would likely just snap off. I was careful to not do such and it mounts cleanly. There is ample wiring length and, though I've not yet done it, I expect wiring it in will be a simple as well.

I'm pleased with this $2600 purchase (all in). This is solid, well-engineered, bumper solution with details on it that can only come from people who have first-hand experience.