Order of Mods 😁

[Zed]

Excited today cos I just renewed my Carnity Subscription and got a sweet deal on an LC-100 V8 😁

InshAllah I will join next Carnity drives (if they're in Abu Dhabi), and so with an old car, it's time to turn this off-roading thing into a hobby (hobby = something you'll spend monthly on 🤣 )

To all the seniors who've modded their cars, what do you think the order should be? (no such thing as 100% right order, so preference opinions are fine)

For the list below, my order of preference is ABCD. If you think I should do differently, please advise why, so it'll add to my learning 🙏

A. Change tires.
After extensive research (reading hours until midnight), it seems my LC-100 can fit 285/75x16 without rubbing. Options are:

• Kumho Road Venture AT51 (what https://www.pitstoparabia.com/  offers if I type 285/75x16). These tires will give extra 1" lift without suspension kit.
• Stay with stock size 275/70x16 which means I can go for Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 or BFGoodrich T/A KO2 (premium! 😭)

B. Lift 1.5",
cos anything more would require diff-drop. If I opt for the Kumho 285/75x16, maybe it will be total 2.5" lift achievement ? 

C. Beadlock wheels
Beadlock technology (or BeadGrip if using Method wheels) supposedly hug your tires tighter to prevent tyre pop-out. Considering I've experienced a rollover with popped-up tires (not sure if the tires popped during the flip or before the flip), maybe this is a safe investment? My only problem is my lack of knowledge in this department cos the stock wheel spec is 8Jx16 ET60, which means 16" diameter rim, 8" width rim with 60mm offset. I can see beadlock wheels in 16x8 spec, but most offset is 30mm instead of 60mm, so not sure if it fits?

D. Bash plates
to protect the underbody...

Anything else to add to the list that is important as a first series of mods? Thanks in advance folks...

[Rahimdad]

Great research and definitely agree with the tire change, but why do you need the lift kit without even taking it for its maiden voyage. Bash plate is again a good idea and should be number 1 or number 2 in your list. Why do you want to spend so much on beadlock rims? How many pop-outs did you have so far on your LC100? Do you know what is the perfect tire pressure for you in the sand? Do you know why you got the pop-out? Have you tried changing your drive style? I have been driving 12 years in the desert and had a pop-out only twice and never got beadlock rims.

I suggest start from a couple of newbie drives to get a hand of your new ride and decide on what you need rather than going at your ride before even taking it to the sand.

[Zed]

Thanks @Rahimdad, the plan was not to do ABCD in one shot, but one mod every 2 months (to feel before & after mod + of course saving up for the next mod). Wow 2 pop-outs in 12yrs? Ok cancel the beadlocks then, I think I'm watching too many Jeep instagrams 😅.

What do you think about the tires tho? Heavy tires might sink into sand, that's why people go to 10psi. Geolandar ppl say is not heavy, but not sure why the LandCruiser club on FB is bashing Yoko and recommending Toyo instead.

Why lift kit? Hmm yeah I just assume higher ground clearance equals less chance of stuck since sand will not easily touch the chassis. But maybe it's better rock-crawling and less effective for sand?

Definitely will join the drives again... just got the LC100 V8 yesterday so i missed signing up for @Gaurav's Sweihan, next time then 🙂

[Ahab Shamaa]

Hey @Zed, congrats on your new purchase 😀 I love anything Toyota 💪🏻
I can tell you from experience, the tires are the best and first change I ever did on my FJ. I went from BF Goodrich (which were still practically new), to the Yokohama Geolandar. The difference is night and day on the drive. The BFGs, being so heavy and with thick walls to resist punctures while rock crawling, just wouldn’t deflate and mold themselves to the sand as nicely as the Yokos do. Now, I abuse the crap out of the Yokos, and in turn, they just deliver pure performance 😀 I highly recommend them. I went with same size as my stock tires 275/16r. I could have gone to the 285s as my rims permit that,  but I think bigger tires would have robbed me of a little horsepower; which is a commodity I’m not willing to sacrifice. 
You know people on forums recommend stuff based on their own experience. An excellent tire like the Goelandar, will perform great no matter what car it’s on. Frankly, I find it absurd that people suggest that a car responds better off-roading to a particular brand of tires. It’s not like the Geolandar is gonna wake up one day and tell itself, oh, I’m intalled on a LC? I’d better perform poorly because FJ or Pajero is where I wanna be 🤣

You can tell I’m biased and opinionated 😀

Second mod, would be the bash plates. Not only do they protect the guts of your truck, they’ll also make the vehicle ‘sand-dynamic’ and more prone to sliding on crests and downhill as the bottom of the car becomes a smooth flat surface. 
Regarding bash plates, I would say get at least 8mm thickness. The cheap ones are thin and don’t protect. They might look good, but they’re only for show...

After these two changes, the sky is the limit. I personally opted for a heavy breather air filter, better exhaust, and a cold air intake snorkel. I also installed a Pedal Commander for better responsiveness (works so good btw). All those mods gave me a tiny bit of extra horsepower, and the car is more relaxed under duress and performs a bit better tackling the dunes.
My most recent modification, after a long, long time off-roading (kidding, I’v only been off-roading since October last year 🤣) is the suspension. It was a bit expensive, but definitely worth it. The FJ is not as ‘bouncy’ as before, and I am much more comfortable driving on the worst cross tracks. The drive is much smoother 😀

In any event, that’s my experience so far. I’m sure you’ll find your own path down modification lane 😀

P.S. Rims/wheels like method bead locks look great, but I would save my money for other crucial mods 😀 Good tires will spare you from buying new rims.  The Yokohamas do not pop out, even used, abused and deflated to 8 PSI💪🏻

 

 

Edited January 27, 2021 by Ahab Shamaa

[Zed]

Thanks bro @Ahab Shamaa , good info on bigger tires require more horsepower!

Hmm yes I forgot that we do a lot of downhills, so bash plates are important. 8mm minimum, ok I'll note that. I guess changing front bumpers too, but seeing this is a 2002 Land Cruiser, I can live with "broken" bumpers for a while until some body works is needed 😂

For Pedal Commander, is that the responsiveness of kicking the throttle? How is it different compared to Chip Tuning? I've heard chip tuning can increase your horsepower & torque and turn Throttle Response Rate Increase...

Thanks for another "no-need-Methods-wheels" advice, I think I'm not excited about beadlocks anymore 😄

[Ahab Shamaa]

Hey @Zed,

The Pedal Commander does add responsiveness to your gas pedal. You press the gas, and the car just goes. No lag... PC does not increase HP, however, I like it because it gives you 4 driving modes: Eco, City, Sport & Sport+. You can switch modes with a press of a button on the PC panel itself, or via the app on your connected phone; if you’re lazy like me 😀 You can also select how responsive you want the pedal to be.

Tuning/chipping on the other hand, does seem to increase HP and torque (at least that’s what they claim when they post Dyno result pics). Chipping can also remove the engine cutoff limit and the top speed limiter, change the fuel to air ratio mixture, etc. One thing to keep in mind though, the map they download on your car cannot be changed or turned off on the fly. To go back to stock, it would require another visit to the garage to re-download the stock software. 
 

Oh, and I added front and rear metal bumper anticipating losing my plastic bumpers to jumps😀 The bumpers increased the weight of the car and changed its driving dynamics. Something I hadn’t thought of before making the switch... I still like the metal bumper and I’ve almost learned how to drive my car with changed weight (car is nose heavy now and wants to lean into all bowls I face 😂). It was terrible in Liwa as I kissed and visited every bowl we drove 😂.

As to the bead locks, if you still want them, @Rahimdad and I can take a permanent marker and draw some bead locks on your existing rims. No one will ever know the difference 🤣

[Frederic]

3 hours ago, Ahab Shamaa said:

Hey @Zed,

The Pedal Commander does add responsiveness to your gas pedal. You press the gas, and the car just goes. No lag... PC does not increase HP, however, I like it because it gives you 4 driving modes: Eco, City, Sport & Sport+. You can switch modes with a press of a button on the PC panel itself, or via the app on your connected phone; if you’re lazy like me 😀 You can also select how responsive you want the pedal to be.

Tuning/chipping on the other hand, does seem to increase HP and torque (at least that’s what they claim when they post Dyno result pics). Chipping can also remove the engine cutoff limit and the top speed limiter, change the fuel to air ratio mixture, etc. One thing to keep in mind though, the map they download on your car cannot be changed or turned off on the fly. To go back to stock, it would require another visit to the garage to re-download the stock software. 
 

Oh, and I added front and rear metal bumper anticipating losing my plastic bumpers to jumps😀 The bumpers increased the weight of the car and changed its driving dynamics. Something I hadn’t thought of before making the switch... I still like the metal bumper and I’ve almost learned how to drive my car with changed weight (car is nose heavy now and wants to lean into all bowls I face 😂). It was terrible in Liwa as I kissed and visited every bowl we drove 😂.

As to the bead locks, if you still want them, @Rahimdad and I can take a permanent marker and draw some bead locks on your existing rims. No one will ever know the difference 🤣

Hi @Ahab Shamaa i am a little bit concerned when it comes to the Pedal Commander. I understand how it works (the throttle output signal that goes to the ECU is being altered). I would presume that the OEM would fine-tune the throttle response signal from the factory based on reducing internal stresses, for example the stress on the drive-train must be a lot higher when accelerating from standstill in Sport+ mode, potentially damaging gears, shafts, or other mechanical points. Or am i overthinking this ?

I once saw a promotional video from the PC where the guy put it on his Pajero and drove around Al Quoz, and the car drove super agressive in Sports+ mode, which really looked and sounded unnatural and not very healthy.

[Gaurav]

Hi @Zed welcome back and I have had same LC100, 2005 model but V6 from 2006 - 2008. V8 is an inch better in power but heavier too so it equates to same characteristics overall. LC100 is inherently big boat and slightly underpowered 4x4 tbh for the things that you wish to do at higher levels, BUT it's a beautiful, comfortable, safe and reliable 4x4 that can go for years and years taking regular off-road abuse.

If I am in your place, Ill check all fluids level, belts, leaks etc. and straight take it to Newbie drive to see how in complete stock state it behaves and what all concerns I may have.

You can join @Chaitanya D Sweihan this Friday to test it: 

For your mod list here are my order after you test drives on few drives of course:

A. Tires, if yours is still on Dunlop Grandtrek then don't deflate below 14 PSI. And change to Yokohama Geolander as soon as you can. Kumho Road Venture are good too but Geo's are the best. I have used 3 sets since 2012 and they are simply amazing. 

B. Your LC100 already has a thin 2 mm curved bash plate and that should be enough for now, when you start bending that, you should consider replacing with 6-8 mm thick bash plate. I have used in my Pajero factory 2 mm curved plate for 10+ years and it work great and at every oil change mechanic can hammer little bit. Idea is lighter the better and why 2 mm curved with waves design deliver lot of rigidity, almost equal to 6-8 mm flat metal plate. Heavier plate will add more weight on the nose of your car and restrict your climb capabilities in already underpower vehicle.

C. Bead lock, not needed until you reach to a rally stage driving speed at 8-10 PSI. For normal weekend toy, they are overkill. I have had plenty of pop outs on my LC100 with Dunlop Grandtrek and named as a king of pop-out. Changed to Michelin LTX for road comfort and pop out was a history. In my current Pajero I have had 4-5 pop out in 10+ years and all because of accidental bumps hitting on bushes with a jump.

D. Lift for 2 inch is good and safe but once you are 100% convince that you want to keep this car for long and this car can make you happy for long. You will probably understand this after 2-3 months of driving.

[Zed]

awesome reply @Gaurav as usual... agree that Lift now should be last on my list cos it only makes sense if it's going to be a long-term relationship with this LC100. 

Now i' totally convinced to go with Yoko Geolandar 👍

For the drive on 29-Jan may not be able to make it, wifey confirmed to go camping with friends on Thu 😅

[Ahab Shamaa]

3 hours ago, Frederic said:

Hi @Ahab Shamaa i am a little bit concerned when it comes to the Pedal Commander. I understand how it works (the throttle output signal that goes to the ECU is being altered). I would presume that the OEM would fine-tune the throttle response signal from the factory based on reducing internal stresses, for example the stress on the drive-train must be a lot higher when accelerating from standstill in Sport+ mode, potentially damaging gears, shafts, or other mechanical points. Or am i overthinking this ?

I once saw a promotional video from the PC where the guy put it on his Pajero and drove around Al Quoz, and the car drove super agressive in Sports+ mode, which really looked and sounded unnatural and not very healthy.

Hey @Frederic, I hear you on the concern about damaging the car😀 The reason I am comfortable with the PC, is because I’ve used the equivalent of it (Power Commander) on my Harleys for over 10 years with no ill effects 😀 The only difference between the two, is that the latter is Harley branded and costs about AED 10,000 to have it installed 🤣

A couple of notes, the PC does not void the car factory warranty.

The Pedal Commander works within your vehicle’s stock safety parameters and there is no risk of it harming your ECU because it does not connect directly into the ECU.

Now as to the rest of the things that will get damaged, I’m not sure what will, and frankly, I’m not too concerned 😀 The improvement in my drive with the PC on vs it being off is worth it to me. YOLO brother, YOLO 😀