1999 Toyota Land Cruiser 100 Series

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After driving my 2004 Jeep WJ for about 5 years, I knew it was time for a change. Between adding a lot of road miles in for trips, a lack of complete comfort, a lack of space, a lack of aftermarket support, and adding kiddos into the mix, I needed something more capable. I knew what I wanted out of a rig now that I had my hands dirty but I didn't know exactly what to get. I had always loved Land Cruisers since I first saw one years ago, but they were always super pricey. I drove the Jeep because it's what I had and I made it work. I looked at 100 series because a buddy had one but I yearned for a solid axles Cruiser. I liked the 60 but no third row turned me off. While an 80 would fit the bill, I liked having something with more power and a little newer. I considered importing a HZJ75 troopy, but the cost of the rig and then all the future repairs and parts cost turned me off. So, back to the 100. After months and months of research, asking a million questions, saving, and looking, I found a 100 series locally! I did my homework and also test-drove my buddy's 100. I was sold. I checked over the local 100 and compared it with other ideal specimens. Ultimately, the local was cheaper and in similar shape. Being a '99, it had the factory rear locker that worked! It also has rear air and a few other option the Jeep lacked. I snagged it for CHEAP and got right to work. While there were a lack of extensive maintenance records, I did find a huge stack of regular maintenance records in the glove box. This thing started out locally and spent some time in Georgia, which explains why it is so relatively rust free. I'm so looking forward to this build! While I tackle a lot of maintenance on the rig, I plan on doing a few subtle upgrades as I go so I can prioritize all the maintenance and maybe get to a point where I am proactive. Here it is!

 

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Got started right away with removing the running boards. Looks a whole lot better without them! I ran over to the car wash to also give it a proper exterior clean now that it was without the boards.


I then dove into cleaning out the rig. It definitely served a hard life as a kid hauler. Plenty of stains and junk. Wiped down every surface minus the leather seats as they need some other sort of attention. Vacuumed all the carpet and hit it with some shampoo. Unfortunately some of the stains were really bad and I ran out of shampoo before getting it to my liking. Definitely better than it was, but I plan on tackling it again. Luckily the Husky floor mats took a lot of the force of the PO. I will need to pull both the driver and passenger seats as there are stains under there as well. Still way better than it was before I started. I pulled out the BROG attic from my WJ since it never really fit to my liking in there, and stuck it in the Cruiser. While this model of attic was meant for a 4Runner (only option that was close to fitting at the time) it fit well in the Cruiser. I tossed around getting the version for the 80/100, but @ $100 I figured I'd try this out first. Maybe I'll snag the Subaru one for the WJ since it looks like it'll fit better. Once that was installed, I swapped out the fog light bulbs since one was shattered. I also had to clean out the lens housing since it was full of water and other junk. Might replace that if I can find a good used one for cheap, but eventually I will swap out the bumper.



Next on the list is replacing a bad o2 sensor that threw a code yesterday. Going with a Denso replacement. I also have a new driver master window switch panel and bezel on the way since the factory one has a broken retaining clip. From there, I will tackle some new tires since these old Michelin's look to be at least 7 years old and they're worn, as well as dry rotting. Soon I hope to tackle an oil change, diffs, tcase, and maybe the transmission.

 

[KonzaLander]

Welcome to the luxurious side of overland travel Once the baseline maintenance is done, you will be ready to rock and roll in a super dependable rig.

 

[adventure_is_necessary]

Welcome to the luxurious side of overland travel Once the baseline maintenance is done, you will be ready to rock and roll in a super dependable rig.

Slowly but surely I'll get there. I have a list going of the maintenance items needed and then another going for wanted. It's hard not to toss a bunch of money at it all at once.

 

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Here’s a quick update on the build! Since my last post, I trimmed the mud flaps, replaced the broken driver window switch panel and switches, new air filter, new cabin air filter, new hood struts, heater t’s, oil change, greased fittings, fixed fog light, fixed overhead console, and figured out the o2 sensor issue. That was a good bit done in the last week.

mud flap trim

tore off the faded top of the wood panel, but will have to wait for a hot summer day to peel off the actual wood grain from the plastic


New switch bezel and switches via eBay

LED interior kit to go in.


Scooped up some factory painted wheels and center caps for CHEAP! New tires to go on hopefully this week. Torsion bar crank and alignment to come shortly there after. New head unit and wiring harness on the way. This should allow me to bypass and remove the factory amp that is causing feedback/noise trouble with the current dated head unit. Since I need to shampoo the carpet again, especially under the driver and passenger seats, this will be a good time to tackle it all while they’re out. Other than what’s on the way, I plan on tackling the rest of the fluid flushes/drains.

 

[adventure_is_necessary]

Time for a blast of updates. Since Covid-19, I have been working on some projects on the 100. LT285/75R16 Falken Wildpeak AT3W’s went on the painted wheels. Swapped out the aftermarket single din head unit for an Atoto double din android head unit. Bypassed factory amp and removed the subwoofer. Replaced the broken antenna with a stubby. Replaced the broken and worn front sway bar bushings and end links with factory replacements. Sourced a rear cargo mat. Cut out the tailgate inner and bolted in a huracan fab tailgate. Added in a yellow box recalibrate to calibrate the speedo and odometer for the larger tires. Added a panavise inDash mount and swapped on a 3D printed mount for my Baofeng handheld, which I got my ham license mid-March KE0ZXA. Raised the spare tire using the spare tire lift mod. Swapped over the Yakima rack from the WJ. Both diffs and tcase we’re drained and filled. Tackled an oil change as well. Heater T’s went in too. I’ve put some good miles on the rig and have tested it off-road some from what I can do in the Flint Hills. I’m sure there’s something I’ve missed. Next on the list is the timing belt kit, alternator, serp belt, and thermostat. Figured I’d take care of all of it while I’m in there and I’ll be able to replace most of the old coolant. I also have a fridge slide on the way so I can mount it in the rig and strap my RTIC cooler to it for the time being. Hard to pass up the deal I got on it but I’m not ready to invest in a fridge until I get a bit more maintenance done on this rig.

 

[DocMartin]

Looking good!

 

[adventure_is_necessary]

Looking good!

Thanks! It’s been quite the project. Luckily most of the work has been maintenance or needed items. Still a long list of maintenance and upgrades.

 

[KonzaLander]

When you write it all down, the list of maintenance and mods is quite extensive. Your moving right along!

 

[adventure_is_necessary]

When you write it all down, the list of maintenance and mods is quite extensive. Your moving right along!

It’s all needed as you know, and have stated. This rig is teetering on 230k. My plan is to knock out all the initial maintenance (fluids, timing belt, front hubs, etc) before I take it on a long trip to Montana. I’m sure it’ll make it without doing some things but I don’t wanna risk it.

 

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It’s finished! Got my fridge slide installed to use with my RTIC cooler for now. The slide is a Tortuga Off-road and it seems to be well made. Time will tell if it holds up.

 

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Been somewhat MIA due to some issues with work closing down and taking time off. The 100 has seen some use in the last 6 months, 100% what I got it for. Pictures and stories to come. I also ushered in a new rig into the stable, but don't worry, this one is purely for rock crawling/hardcore trails.

 

[adventure_is_necessary]

Be prepared for a long post!


Put the new fridge slide to good use hauling some heavier Jeep parts to their new owner. Made for an easy haul.

Added a solid rear recovery point from Factor55. Little did I know this would come in handy on the night of a good friends wedding when one of the attendee's VW bus broke down about 10 miles away from the venue. hooked it up to this using a tow strap and a D ring and made the drive slowly back, so it already paid for itself.

After adding in some 30mm spacers on the rear springs to offset the added weight, I wanted to look at cranking the torsion bars to offset the increased rake. I took the rig into my trusted suspension/alignment tech to make sure this could be done without issues down the road. He pointed out that this passenger side knuckle appears to be bent a little at the top, which makes sense given the fog lens on that side is newer. Aside from replacing that, he suggested I go ahead and replace all the ball joints and tie rod end outers as they're on their way out. After a quick call to Cruiser Outfitters for some ball joints and tie rod end outers, I quickly sourced a used knuckle on eBay and ordered the necessary rebuild parts from Cruiser Outfitters as well. This would have to wait until after the Montana trip to tackle.

I started tackling some more maintenance that I wanted to get done before tacking on 3k miles to Montana and back, so first thing was re-torquing the valve cover bolts since I had this nasty burning oil smell after the engine was and full operating temp. This unfortunately is a temporary fix as I now need to do this again or replace the gaskets. So gaskets are on the list to order and replace. While I was doing this, I decided to go ahead and replace the spark plugs. I was able to inspect the old ones to check for any signs of trouble, as well as inspect the coils. I did manage to find one busted coil that still worked ok. I picked up a Denso replacement from my local auto parts store and kept the broken one for a spare should I need it in a pinch.
Here is the broken coil. Surprised it held up, but it'll work as a quick replacement on the trail.

Next on the list was the timing belt replacement. I never found a record of it ever being done, so I assumed it was the original one. Boy was I right. This belt looked original and was not far from failure. Not bad for 230k miles. I was initially held up on starting this job for a few months while I waited on a replacement alternator since the one in the rig was beginning to fail. While I had the whole front end apart, I went ahead and took the time to replace parts as I was sure a lot of it was original or needing replacement in the near future. Made for an easier job all around. Aside from the new timing belt and alternator, I threw in a water pump, pulleys/bearings and gaskets as they came with the kit. I also replaced the radiator as it was turning brown on the plastic, a new thermostat, and a new serp belt. Coupled with all new Toyota red coolant, this rig was nearly ready for the trip. MY friends enjoyed watching me wrench on the rig, but thankfully they weren't around for the frustrating moments as I had plenty with this job. While waiting on the anaerobic gasket maker to set up and waiting on parts to be delivered, I went ahead and tackled repacking the front hubs since I never saw record of it being done. Figured if the bearings were toast, I'd just order the new ones and wait since I had time before other parts came in. Luckily the bearings were good for another interval and looks like they had been replaced before. New seals, gaskets, and some fresh grease was all it needed. I did have to replace a flange stud but luckily my local Toyota dealer got them in the next day for me. I am really thankful for the FSM for this rig, as well as plenty of online and in-person resources. These jobs would have been impossible without having all of them.

While it wasn't a full on need, I went ahead and replaced the worn out plastic key fob with one from YotaMD. Boy was it worth it! No more lost screws or wobbly key.


The rig was ready for the trip. When the time came to head out, we loaded up and off we went for a week.

 

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Perhaps another long post.


Montana was an amazing trip! I definitely plan on going back. We stayed in a Bates Motel (nasty and sketchy AF) on the way up since it was nearing midnight/1am and we were on the road for about 16 hours, so a stop was needed. After pushing for another driving day, we made it to the area we were wanting to be at, but were having a hard time finding a campsite since Glacier NP had shut down a lot of their camping, a lot of places were booked up, and we had some requirements where we wanted to be. Between some Google searches and iOverlander, we found a spot to check out. After about a 20ish mile drive down some of the worst washboarded road I've ever experienced, we were there. We set up shop in the middle of Flathead NF for about a week, right on the waters edge. We swam in the cold water, hiked a bit, picked huckleberries, tasted some local brews and food, had fires in the morning and at night every day, tested some new gear, tested some new recipes, got cold, got hot, stayed safe. We did not need our bikes since we were either relaxing or doing other things. We ended up at Glacier NP and drove the Going to the Sun road only to get turned around at the other end due to a east entrance closure. We got to see a grizzly and moose up close. The dogs loved all of the trip. We talked about cranking out a few other NP stops on the way back, but we threw that out the window pretty quick when we saw our campsite. We popped into Colorado on the way back to check out a few spots we have considered going to and ran into the massive forest fires. All in all a good trip.

I had to get this. It was a need after hearing about the wildfires, and was solidified after seeing everything in Colorado. I picked this up at Glacier NP in a gift shop before heading to Colorado.

Covered in bugs and tired from, driving, we were home.

After those washboard roads, I realized something was off. Sure enough, my shocks were blown with bad bushings. Snagged some OME light/medium duty shocks to maintain a better ride unloaded and to handle the loaded setup better. Night and day difference for sure.

Now that both my family, myself, and the rig were recovered from the trip, it was time to do some more, however that looked

 

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I have gone on a few adventures with the rig on a smaller scale. I've driven a couple hundred miles hitting some backroad sites near my home, loaded up and camped out of the rig solo but with some friends, as well as explored in the snow since I hadn't had a chance with this rig since it's purchase in February of 2020.

Now that we're up pretty much caught up and up to speed, I dropped in a Group 49/H8 AGM Duralast Platinum battery here recently as my stock 24F Napa battery was on its way out. While the Napa battery still worked, it showed its age and wear on the colder mornings by having difficulty cranking over the rig and holding charge. I knew the battery was nearing the end given the troubles I had with the alternator upon purchase, as well as it being drained a bit over the months, but I was hoping not to have to spend the money. Thankfully the replacement was not astronomical. With a spacer and a little finesse, I got it to fit in. Never have I had the rig crank over that well. I hope with the increased capacity, as well as cold cranking amps that I should not experience any trouble.
This last one is just me trying to soak up the last bit of snow while fitting into a parking spot.

 

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Some things that I haven't mentioned in my updates that also aren't necessarily picture worthy are limited but important. As listed above, I have an ATOTO Android head unit. This has been very nice since it really works well with my phone, but I have never explored its uses as a standalone unit. Recently I have been utilizing a Bluetooth OBD2 scanner/reader that works with the head unit to really explore the use of the Torque Lite app. I really enjoy it for its digital readout, as well as for confirming the Yellow Box setting to maintain an accurate speedo and odo reading. I have also began using the GPS function for navigation, although I think that will take some more time. Along with this head unit came a couple UBS ports on an extension cable. One being a direct connect to the unit, and the other being a quick charge port. I managed to find a USB port that snaps into one of the punch-out's on the dash on the driver side, thus allowing me to charge my phone without running cable all over the place and being in the way. Aside from adding some more patches to my collection, the only other thing I can think of that has been a major need-to-do is using some leather cleaner/conditioner to wipe down all over the seats since I never got around to that initially while cleaning. While I plan on getting seat covers to help protect the leather, this was definitely needed regardless. Covers will have to wait a little longer unfortunately, as well as any major purchases since I have lost my full-time job. While I am still working some, it is nowhere near what I was making to cover all expenses and extras, so here we wait on the big stuff. Current plans are to run wiring to the back of the rig to a fuse block, but have a kill switch installed to be able to easily cut power to it if needed. I also finally have plans for the subwoofer panel. More to come!

 

[KonzaLander]

That was a nicely done update!

 

[adventure_is_necessary]

That was a nicely done update!

Thanks!

 

[adventure_is_necessary]

Been a few months without an update. I plan on doing a walk around video since trying to keep up with everything is difficult. From where I left off, a lot of things have changed. Since losing my job at the end of 2020, I got a new one and moved, bought a house, and have been settling in. The ol LC has gotten some love. Replaced the knuckle on the passenger side since it was tweaked from the PO and the incident causing the salvage title. New 555 ball joints and tie rod ends. All fluids have been replaced since buying the rig. Cranked the torsion bars as much as I could to offset the rake, but reindexing is needed. Treated all the frame rust and coated it, then fluid filmed it. A few BROG bits went in as well between repairs. I also treated myself for my birthday to a heavily discounted Ironman bumper and 12k winch. Added in some front recovery points as well. Replacing bulbs as they go out with LED bulbs. That's about it I think. Been driving the rig a ton and have thrown down some miles to my first trip of the year to Colorado for Expo Mountain West to instruct. Hit a couple trails while I was out that way and relaxed a bit amidst the craziness of Expo. That's about it. It runs well and is in need of more trips.

 

[KonzaLander]

Your 100 made it in the background of this Expo video several times within the first 10 minutes or so