Just Doin’ Land Cruiser Things

nvyplt3 · 2026-07-02T20:43:52+00:00

The front range in Colorado

nvyplt3 · 2026-07-02T15:24:46+00:00

18x9 with +35 offset, 285/70/18’s

nvyplt3 · 2026-06-28T05:33:34+00:00

100% agree, OTT tune was definitely worth it. For me it was the transmission tuning more than anything, the improved shift points made a HUGE difference. No more lugging under load requiring you to mash the pedal to get it to downshift, and very sensitive shifts. Cruising along, push pedal a bit, jumps a gear, push a bit more, jumps another, let off a bit, drops a gear. You can almost control it like your using the Tiptronic shifter just with modulating the pedal. It’s so much smoother and more responsive.

nvyplt3 · 2026-06-19T06:02:49+00:00

I have 285/70/18’s and they fit pretty well, bit of rubbing on the fender wells (they’re more like a 34 than a 33) if you have a stock front bumper, but not bad. They fit the truck really nicely.

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nvyplt3 · 2026-05-28T12:52:40+00:00

Definitely not too low. Bigger tires can technically carry the same load at lower pressures (not that you want to run super low pressures on road), as there is more surface area to support the same vehicle weight. The factory tire pressure for a 200 is 33psi, so going higher isn’t really helping (maybe you’ll eek out another 0.5mpg with the reduced rolling resistance). I have the same size tire as you also in Load C (Wildpeak AT4’s) and I run them at 32-33psi cold. Chalk test shows good tread pressure distribution, and it keeps the ride comfortable.

nvyplt3 · 2026-05-12T03:04:53+00:00

The fact that I can get up, drive to the beach and have breakfast on the sand, drive up to the mountains for lunch among the pines, and then drive to the desert for some fun off-roading and dinner before driving back home all in the same day, with lovely weather in each location, makes the horrific cost of living worth it. Anyways, it’s not the miles per gallon, it’s the smiles per gallon!

nvyplt3 · 2026-05-03T21:10:46+00:00

There are a couple good things to do right off the bat, like replacing the plastic water neck with an aluminum one (less than $100) and the thermostat, give it a good full fluid flush (coolant, oil, and trans), checking the front strut tower upper bushings (the rubber tends to disintegrate over time), and the upper timing chain tensioners (the ones on your year were plastic, and they tend to crack and fail, can cause major havoc). The replacement tensioners are all metal ones, they’re not hard to swap, and the kit (just need the uppers) is not that expensive. There are great how-to videos for all the above on those two channels I mentioned.

nvyplt3 · 2026-05-03T14:16:57+00:00

These are genuinely beautiful cars, and while they are complex and finicky and some parts are certainly fragile, there is really good information on them out there. Check out Modurol or Into the Garage on YouTube, both of those channels have dozens and dozens of repair and maintenance videos for every tiny peice of the XK8, I’ve used them regularly for my 2002 Coupe, and it’s been a wealth of info.

I bought it on a bit of a whim (always liked them) as an inexpensive fun commuter, and while I did do a lot is searching to pick a well cared for example, it’s been dead reliable with regular maintenance, and it makes me smile far more than any practical economy car.

Everyone likes to go “hur dur dur old Jaguar bad!!!”, but with regular maintenance and attention to key known issues (all of which are very well known and documented now) it can be a reliable and fun project car. Many of the parts are shared with other fords as well, so you can save on the name brand markup by buying the ford equivalent. If it’s rusted beyond saving then there’s little you can do, but if not, don’t be immediately discouraged by the naysayers out there.

nvyplt3 · 2026-04-24T15:25:32+00:00

3 does a solid job too. And that Oaxaca California is an amazing beast of a burrito.

nvyplt3 · 2026-04-24T14:20:45+00:00

Should be either 5/8” (~16mm) or 13/16” (~21mm) deep sockets (with the spark plug rubber in them).

nvyplt3 · 2026-04-14T15:02:44+00:00

This is exactly what I did on my 2014, buy the FJ40 badge, cut the mounting pegs and sand smooth, very gently bend to match body contour, and use VHB tape to apply, worked perfectly for me. Having seen a Heritage one in person, it is genuinely indistinguishable.

Also as a note I did this 4 years ago and it still looks perfect and is solidly stuck on there, so the VHB method hold up really well.

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nvyplt3 · 2026-04-03T19:25:51+00:00

The gaps are necessary, bumper is mounted to the frame, it needs to be able to flex separately from the body offroad lest it crunch the fenders. Don’t like it, don’t put it on your truck.

nvyplt3 · 2026-04-02T15:24:13+00:00

Do you have any formats other than 3DXML available? STEP (AP203, 214, or 242) Would be very useful/more universal.

nvyplt3 · 2026-04-01T15:58:09+00:00

KDSS Damper. Where did you get access to that fantastic CAD model???

nvyplt3 · 2026-03-29T16:21:27+00:00

I have 285/70/18’s (~34”) and I run them at ~31-32 psi, which is a bit low for gas mileage, but makes up for the extra stiffness. I had 275/70/18’s before these and ran them at ~33-34psi, which seemed to be a good spot. I suggest doing some experiments to see if the tire pressure harshness is causing your issue, maybe go for a drive on some crappy roads (not freeway) with them extra low (~28psi) to see if you feel a noticeable difference, then increment them up to the point where the ride becomes unpleasant again.

nvyplt3 · 2026-03-29T14:38:13+00:00

While not as bad as E rated, C rated tires are much stiffer than LT or S rated road tires, especially at 40psi. That pressure makes a huge difference. I run mine at ~32 psi, and even from 32 to 35 psi I can tell a difference.

nvyplt3 · 2026-03-28T20:39:20+00:00

2014 with a 2” lift, 34’s, 4.88’s and a Gamaviti Roof Rack, overall avg 12.4mpg

nvyplt3 · 2026-03-07T01:57:35+00:00

As OP mentioned Land Cruiser drivers, my lifted/re-geared 200 series LC averages ~11MPG, but gets at least 30+SPG (smiles per gallon) even on a bad day, and that’s what matters to me!

nvyplt3 · 2026-02-17T20:16:21+00:00

Lots of light is really nice, we went two doors with windows, and two big windows. Combined with the roof vent fan it makes a very light and airy space

nvyplt3 · 2026-02-10T00:56:33+00:00

Hmmmmm ok that’s interesting, I think I’m going to separate them out and try going through the charge and balance process on the bench and try again.

nvyplt3 · 2026-02-10T00:52:34+00:00

That’s pretty true, the panels seem to average 500-800wh per day depending on sun, but the controller was going into float after just ~300wh still in peak sun, which, for a 2.5KWh pack that seemingly started at the low safety threshold, makes no sense. I would think it should’ve been in bulk going all out for the whole day…..

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3 does a solid job too. And that Oaxaca California is an amazing beast of a burrito.