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Photo by Charla Downey
Selective Breeding
Christo Slee gives a 100-Series Land Cruiser what
it should have had to begin with: a solid front axle.
By Harry Wagner
Overland Journal Fall 2010
I
n H.G. Wells’s classic science fiction novel, The Island of Doctor Moreau, the mysterious
doctor lives in exile and performs experiments on creatures that are half man and
half beast. Over a century later, there is continued evidence all around us of man’s
unyielding desire to play God. From super soy beans to Dolly the sheep, a compelling
argument can be made that it is human nature to control and alter our surroundings to best suit
our needs.
The Doctor Moreau of the Land Cruiser world is Christo Slee. He started working on Land
Cruisers as a teenager in South Africa, and has been modifying 80- and 100-Series Land Cruisers
at Slee Off Road in Colorado since 1998. Paul Sims is Wells’s protagonist Edward Prendick to
Slee’s Moreau in our story. Paul offered up his 2000 100-Series Land Cruiser as Slee’s latest test
subject. The experiment at hand involved splicing 80-Series DNA into Sims’s 100-Series, in the
form of a solid front axle.
Photo by Paul Sims
A little history
Paul says, "On the Alaska trip
the Land Cruiser performed
beyond my wildest expectations.
There was nothing I felt it couldn't
handle; in fact, the only limiting
factor was my nerves."
Land Cruiser stalwarts were horrified when the UZJ100 was introduced in 1998 with the
first independent front suspension (IFS) to be used under a Toyota wearing the Land Cruiser
name. The torsion-bar suspension of the 100-Series provides improved ride quality and reduced
unsprung weight when compared to its predecessor, but as always there is a cost. With many
additional pieces, and CV joints that are now responsible for not just turning, but suspension movement as well, the IFS is more complicated and inevitably more failure-prone than its
predecessor. Part of the weakness comes from the use of a steering rack (instead of a more
traditional box), which becomes a wear item on 100-Series vehicles that see heavy expedition
use. What’s more, there are extremely limited aftermarket suspension options for the 100-Series,
even after a decade of production. Fortunately a 33-inch tire fits under the stock suspension,
and aftermarket torsion bars allow installation of 35-inch tires, but at the expense of wheel
travel. These were not compromises that Sims was willing to make on his vehicle.
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Lessons learned from the Blueberry
Slee had previously grafted a solid axle and 80-Series suspension under a 100-Series, so he
was not leading Sims into entirely uncharted waters. However, with the rockcrawling monster
dubbed the “Blueberry,” the goals were at the other end of the spectrum. The vehicle was
excessively tall to accommodate huge tires and clear steering components. Slee explains, “I do
not believe that an 8-inch differential is sufficient for the weight and power of these types of
vehicles, so we used a 9 ½-inch differential from the rear of an 80-Series. This is a low-pinion
differential though, which meant that we could not run the tie rod behind the axle, as Toyota did
with the 80-Series.” The packaging of the tie rod, drag link, and track bar in front of the axle
meant that excessive lift height was required for clearance. These too were not compromises
that Sims was willing to make.
Turning theory into reality
Sims had previously purchased rock sliders and an Old Man Emu suspension kit from Slee,
so the ground work was already laid prior to surgery. The two brainstormed for months until
they came up with a solution that involved minimal compromises. Sims explained his reasoning to us: “I didn’t want the vehicle to be the limiting factor in where I could go.” The decision
Overland Journal Fall 2010
99
Many enthusiasts who have seen Paul Sims’ 100-Series
say this is the Land Cruiser Toyota should have built. It’s
well balanced and capable without giving up any of the
luxuries the U.S. market demands.
Overland Journal Fall 2010
was made to use a True Hi9 high-pinion Ford 9-inch third member in a custom Diamond Axle
housing. These exotic parts would provide not just incredible strength, but allow protected
packing of the steering components with a reasonable ride height. Eighty-Series knuckles are
utilized, with 105-Series hubs and brakes to match the five-lug bolt pattern on the factory rear
axle. Steering consists of a factory 80-Series box and drag link, and tie rod geometry that mimics the factory’s. “We actually looked at other options like Saginaw steering boxes, mainly due to
price,” Slee confesses, “but the Toyota box was ultimately the best choice for this application.”
Toyota’s suspension configuration was emulated as well, and Slee lead technician Joe Risavi
turned idea into reality with factory 80-Series coil buckets located on the frame, in conjunction with Slee 4-inch 80-Series coil springs and billet machined control arms. Despite the mix
of components, “Everything from the brake rotors to the axle seals can be sourced from any
Toyota dealer in the world,” Slee proudly explains. “And we retained the anti-lock braking system as well.”
It takes more than an axle
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The front differential is fitted with 4.88 gears and an ARB Air Locker to match the factory rear axle. The air lockers provide spool-like traction in the rough without any handling
compromises (are you starting to see a theme here?) on the street. Meanwhile the 4.88 gearing
offsets the 35-inch Goodyear MT/R Kevlar tires that are mounted on factory 16-inch rims with
one-inch wheel spacers. (Sims felt the wheel spacers were—you guessed it—a compromise, so
he has since replaced the rolling stock with 18-inch rims with 5-inch backspacing and 36-inch
BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain KM2 tires.) Slee’s 4-inch lift coils are used in the rear to match the
front height and allow clearance for the tires, while Slee adjustable upper control arms were
used to dial in the rear pinion angle and alleviate any driveline vibrations that might have been
present with the new stance.
Three-sixteenths-inch steel—in the form of Slee’s American-made bumpers—guards each
end of the vehicle, and complements the Slee bolt-on sliders Sims previously installed. The
front bumper is fitted with a Warn 9500Ti winch wrapped in Masterpull synthetic line, and a
pair of PIAA 510 lights. Aft of the Cruiser the Slee bolt-on rear bumper utilizes dual swingouts that carry a full-size spare tire on the right, and a ladder on the left to access the African
Outback roof rack. Other expedition-worthy upgrades include an ARB Safari Snorkel, Garmin
GPS, Painless Wiring dual-battery system, dual-band Yaesu FT 8800R radio, and an elephantine
64-quart Engel fridge/freezer.
Why not a 105-Series?
Some may ask why anyone would undertake this endeavor when Toyota already offers a solidaxle 100-Series overseas. The 105-Series is commonly available in markets such as Australia
and the Middle East, for Luddites who prefer the strength and durability of solid axle suspension.
“Importing vehicles is not an easy process,” Slee says, “particularly for a late model vehicle such
as a 105.” But here are other reasons why Slee feels his solution to Sims’s needs was better than
a 105-Series.
“The 105 is basically an 80-Series chassis with a 100-Series body,” Slee explains. “The track
width is six inches narrower, and the front axle, while strong, is only marginal in this application
due to the power and the weight of the vehicle. I don’t feel comfortable sending people out into
the backcountry with a drivetrain I consider marginal.” Additionally, the 105 was only offered with
the 6-cylinder 1FZ engine of the 80-Series, or a naturally aspirated (and rather anemic) 1HZ diesel.
In contrast, the 100-Series was offered with the turbocharged, intercooled 1HD diesel overseas,
and the excellent 2UZ V8 engine stateside. Is an engine swap more difficult than an axle and
suspension change? Ask Slee—he’s done the axle swap, and is currently putting a 2UZ engine
in an 80-Series.
Overland Journal Fall 2010
1. When subjected to hard use, the steering
rack is an Achilles’ Heel on 100-Series Land
Cruisers. One of the benefits of converting to
a solid front axle is the addition of a more traditional steering box. Note that the windshield
washer reservoir had to be “massaged” to fit
the box.
2. Slee took the same design and packaging
used on the 80-Series, and added a wider
track to match the rear axle and the 100-Series body. Components used are from Slee
Off Road, Old Man Emu, Diamond Axle, and
True Hi9.
3. The ubiquitous Ford 9-inch has been used in
everything from Broncos to NASCAR. True
Hi9 uses common 9-inch differentials with
proprietary gear sets and housings to create
their unique third members.
4. Slee adjustable upper control arms allow for
easy pinion angle adjustments to remedy
driveline vibrations, regardless of lift height.
The arms are zinc-coated and fitted with
polyurethane bushings for longevity.
5. With scores of deep river crossings anticipated on the Great Alaskan Cruiser Trek, an
ARB Safari Snorkel was deemed necessary
to keep the 2UZ engine from ingesting water.
6. A Slee “Blueberry” bumper replaced the previous ARB Bull Bar. Slee is a huge fan of ARB
products, but his own 100-Series bumper surpasses the ARB unit in approach angle, and
provides room for the 35-inch Goodyear tires.
It also accommodates up to a 12,000-pound
Warn winch.
7. Factory 80-Series knuckles have proven to
be incredibly strong and reliable. “We could
have used Dana-style open knuckles,” Slee
admits, “but the CV-joint design is much
smoother than u-joints and provides better
sealing for the environments where Paul intends to use his Land Cruiser.”
8. The African Outback half roof rack provides
a lightweight foundation for Sims’s roof top
tent, or other gear that will not fit safely inside
the Land Cruiser, and does not interfere with
the factory sunroof.
9. The Slee rear bumper provides both rear and
side protection. It also moves the spare tire
to the rear of the vehicle, allowing either two
spares to be carried or an auxiliary fuel tank
to be mounted in the stock spare location.
10.The AVM hubs can be unlocked to keep the
front driveline from turning, which offsets
some of the fuel mileage losses from the
higher ride height.
11.Slee’s rear bumper uses dual pivots with
spindle bearings that are completely serviceable. The spring-loaded locking pin keeps
the carrier open when accessing the rear
cargo area.
8.
1.
9.
5.
2.
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6.
10.
3.
4.
7.
11.
Overland Journal Fall 2010
Photo by Charla Downey
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For serious expedition use, nothing surpasses the simplicity,
strength, and durability of solid axles.With water coming over
the hood in a rocky Alaskan river, the last thing you want to
worry about is the strength of your running gear.
Dream vehicle for a dream adventure
All these new components were not installed in a pristine, low-mileage cream puff,
but the same Land Cruiser that Sims has been using for the past five years, and which has
covered well over 150,000 miles. “The bugs are already worked out of this vehicle,” Sims
rationalizes. “I could have started with an 80-Series, but I didn’t want to introduce even
more variables on a vehicle used for expeditions.” The first order of business for Sims and
his newly-axled Land Cruiser was the Great Alaskan Cruiser Trek. “This is the trip of a
lifetime, and I wanted the vehicle of a lifetime to take on the adventure.”
By grafting 80-Series components on Sims’s 100-Series, Slee and Sims, like Moreau and
Prendick, have created the Sayer of the Law; one that did away with any compromises—or
beastly behavior. sleeoffroad.com, 888-494-7533
Overland Journal Fall 2010
Specifications
• 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser UZJ100
• 32 Valve 4.7L 2UZ-FE V8 engine
• Four-speed A343F automatic transmission
(2.95 first gear)
• HF2A full-time gear-driven transfer case
(2.488 low range)
• Diamond front axle, True Hi9 third member,
4.86 Richmond gears, ARB air locker
• Factory 9 ½-inch Toyota rear axle, 4.88 Nitro
gears, ARB air locker
• Front 4” Slee Off Road coil springs, Old Man
Emu dampers, Slee Off Road control arms
• Rear 4” Slee Off Road coil springs, Old Man
Emu dampers, Slee Off Road adjustable
upper control arms
• Slee Off Road bumpers
• Warn 9500Ti winch, Masterpull synthetic
winch line
• PIAA 510 lights
• Slee Off Road rock sliders
• African Outback half roof rack
• Garmin GPS
• Engel 64-quart fridge
• Painless Wiring dual-battery system with
Optima Red and Yellow Top batteries
• Dual-band Yaesu FT 8800R radio