Quest for a build with minimal to no irreversible alterations.

This is what I did, and added a 1-1/2" AAL in the rear.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...idiocy-journal-bs.527020/page-7#post-18094553

Numbers:

I call it my little lift.

 

Yeah Land cruisers getting harder to find certain parts for.

I’m all for cutting and drilling, just do it right the first time.

 

THIS IS IT!

 

100 percent agree, but I've got a problem with tinkering and building.

 

I had that problem 30 years ago. You learn to quit that shit when you realize that $25K you spent on PARTS for mods and that year you spent doing it right are worth nothing. In addition, the vehicle is now less reliable and durable.

This is why I help answer questions or offer advice here I stick to the hard physics and engineering and stock vehicle design. I don't offer mod advice unless I think it could be a safety concern. They need to learn themselves lol.
With that said, I put a set of wheels, grille and a few other odds and ends on my truck. Nothing big, nothing structural.

 

Woah, Hey Doc!

I think I have an even better question:

Is it possible to turn the truck into a time machine without permanently altering it?!

 

While I concede that this is probably true (I say probably because I am still in denial) I can definitely level with the OP here. My favorite method to this point has been to have custom brackets fabricated that will allow me to mount accessories into stock holes. For example, I had one made that fits in the two threaded holes under the hood on the drivers side to hold a fuse box and a set of relays. If I'd have brought my self to use some self taping screws and a punch I may have saved some money, but I feel justified in my own compulsive way.

Irregardless, I think what hiPSI said is irrefutably true. I mean I put a roof rack on and what happened...I lost gas mileage. But I do like the look. Ultimately, I think it comes down to personal preference. It's hard to come to grips with the fact that nothing can be perfect. But I guess we can try.

 

It's amazing what the human mind can justify lol. The straw that broke my proverbial camel's back was way back in the 1980's. I spent several thousand dollars on lights for my truck. Was too proud they looked great. I knew I would use them all the time. I never used them. Ever. I broke custom shocks. I broke custom gears. I broke transmissions. I broke a lot going off road. I went off road one time and it was damn difficult to get where I was. Had to use lockers and all my capabilities. Got out there and there was a 1979 Olds Cutlass there that a guy had drove out there right before me...
Yeah.

 

That depends, is it November 5th, 1955?

 

Damn.....

 

I'm with you on the reality side. Expectation vs reality is the real deal. Would I love the "do it all" truck with bulletproof reliability, of course. The fact is, it doesn't exist. The more I learn about this truck, the more realistic I am becoming with how I want to build it. Long term reliability with aftermarket parts will be a hurtle, but I can build something realistic and keep it close to factory reliability. The other side of aftermarket companies is what happens when they fold? Then the part wears out and your only hope is you didn't alter it to the point where you can't fit something else there. That's my main reason for sticking with bolt on products or minimal alterations. Bigger tires and wheels give better clearance, but require a good regard that is going to last. I read where one of the guys here did a rehear with REM and cryo, which is the route I'd go for all the same reasons. Fuel consumption is always a part of how I buy parts as well which is why I stay away from RTT and roof racks in general. I'd love to have one, but I'd never use it for storage. I'm learning more and more every day about this truck. There are parts that I'll change just to beef it up as well. It won't be a baja build, I don't want those problems, but it will be a truck I won't have to worry about taking off road.

 

To add, this will be a ground up build. Wheels and tires, gears, suspension (lots of research to do here), sliders and bumpers, aux lighting, etc. The only thing out of order will be the bed cover as security is always at the top of my list. Input, both positive and negative, is appreciated on my end. I love to hear stories and experiences no matter how trivial they may seem. We learn together, talk shit, and drink a beer.

 

Just remember, bigger tires or different offset wheels = shortened bearing and CV life.
Different gearing = more torque = shortened life on Tcase and transmission and axles.

While you are making it more "off road worthy," you are reducing component life. Basically trading reliability and durability for off road mods. We wont' even talk about the efficiency loss lol.

Everything is a trade off. Just make sure the trade is worth it lol.

 

I'm pretty much doing the same thing. Tasteful mods for now while I still have a warranty. I wouldn't go hacking up your brand new 2019 just yet. Find out what you like about it & don't like about it first & go from there.

It's not like this guy can show up at the dealership complaining about suspension vibrations & demand that they fix it cuz he has 50,000 miles worth of warranty left. I'd love to see that YouTube video!

 

Amen!

 

So you just bought stuff you never used. That is dumb.

Mods are always worth more on the store shelves than they will be when it comes time to sell the vehicle, but that doesn't mean they can't be worth something to you while you own it. Sounds like you used to be fun though, so we probably could have have a beer back then.

 

It isn't that bad. You get comfortable real quick.

 

You’d be surprised since it’s dealer discretion. He had a leaky diff where the cv enters. A dealer could have very easily blamed it on the lift and tires but they fixed it no questions asked.

And if it actually is something directly caused by modification (like driveline vibes) and the owner tries to get the dealer to fix it, then the owner is asinine. Obviously no dealer of any manufacturer would fix something in that scenario.

 

Yea that is surprising that they fixed it. Most dealers would take a look at the armour & wheel size then give the grumpy cat NO!

OP one of the biggest things I can't stand about my truck is how the tail lights light up. Can't believe Toyota designed them so poorly & don't light up the whole "C" when brakes are on to be more visable. MESO is coming out with a plug-n-play fix to that so no hacking into the harness. If there are ever electrical issues it's much easier to unplug something to eliminate & move on than splice things back together. Dealerships hate seeing hacked up harnesses!

 

This truck is simply amazing.