2003 Toyota Land Cruiser
On the way home to Chicago from Oklahoma City.
Setting out on the big trip
In the past few months I have been busy,
Removed bugflector, factory roof rack, running boards, trailer hitch, 3rd row seats, 60% 2nd row seat, 13 years of audio add-ons, stock suspension.
Added a set of Rhino Rack load bars, James Baroud tent, eBay snorkel (still need to extend the breathers), Renogy 100W folding solar panel, front mud flaps.
A lot of the maintenance was up to date but I spent a lot of time going through everything I didn’t have records on. Air filter, fuel filter, spark plugs, PS fluid flush, heater Ts, oil and filter, repack wheel bearings and grease needle bearings, sway bar links and bushings, rear O2 sensors, grease U joints and driveshaft, front brake pads.
I installed all of the Slee heavy 1.5″ suspension kit except the torsion bars. I wanted to see where the rear was before setting the front height and aligning but that didn’t happen until I left on my current journey. In the picture the front looks high but I am parked a little uphill. I measured the rear at 20 1/4 to 20 3/8 and the front at 20, no issues with highway driving. I’d like to get the rear up maybe an inch and the front up 1/4″ so I may stop in at Slee on my trip and swap the springs for something taller or stiffer then install the OME torsion bars.
Built a set of drawers for the rear, all 1/2″ Baltic birch with full extension locking slides plus a fridge slide for the ARB 37 at fridge. Ran 2 10ga wires with 30a fuse at the battery to a fuse block on the drawers to power the fridge and rear charging receptacles. Replaced the battery with a Batteries Plus X2power group 27F. I also have a micro gravity jump box if that and the solar panel fail me.
For audio I installed a USASpec BT-45, I have been quite happy with it so far.
Removed bugflector, factory roof rack, running boards, trailer hitch, 3rd row seats, 60% 2nd row seat, 13 years of audio add-ons, stock suspension.
Added a set of Rhino Rack load bars, James Baroud tent, eBay snorkel (still need to extend the breathers), Renogy 100W folding solar panel, front mud flaps.
A lot of the maintenance was up to date but I spent a lot of time going through everything I didn’t have records on. Air filter, fuel filter, spark plugs, PS fluid flush, heater Ts, oil and filter, repack wheel bearings and grease needle bearings, sway bar links and bushings, rear O2 sensors, grease U joints and driveshaft, front brake pads.
I installed all of the Slee heavy 1.5″ suspension kit except the torsion bars. I wanted to see where the rear was before setting the front height and aligning but that didn’t happen until I left on my current journey. In the picture the front looks high but I am parked a little uphill. I measured the rear at 20 1/4 to 20 3/8 and the front at 20, no issues with highway driving. I’d like to get the rear up maybe an inch and the front up 1/4″ so I may stop in at Slee on my trip and swap the springs for something taller or stiffer then install the OME torsion bars.
Built a set of drawers for the rear, all 1/2″ Baltic birch with full extension locking slides plus a fridge slide for the ARB 37 at fridge. Ran 2 10ga wires with 30a fuse at the battery to a fuse block on the drawers to power the fridge and rear charging receptacles. Replaced the battery with a Batteries Plus X2power group 27F. I also have a micro gravity jump box if that and the solar panel fail me.
For audio I installed a USASpec BT-45, I have been quite happy with it so far.
For some perspective, this is my workshop for the drawers, living room of a 3rd floor walk-up in Lakeview Chicago. The balcony outsire is 5.5′ just wide enough to cross cut a 4×8 sheet of plywood. My parking space is below up against the L tracks.
The drawers were built with a circular saw, corded and cordless drills, and a jigsaw.
Chris Deegan 