Slee 200 Build Link

[sleeoffroad]

Web wheeling at it's best

Actually this customer drove that truck all the way through Alaska and Canada to the norhern tip and had 0 tire issues. He did loose a couple of windshields in the process. The truck was fitted with two spare tires and they were brand new. So I am not sure where the comments on the worn bald tires comes from. I believe he clocked about 16k miles.

A mud terrain tire did not make sense for this trip and how the vehicle is used.

As for rear bumpers, the pictures of the Kaymar and ARB offerings that I have seen looks pretty good. We always try and do products where there is a gap in the market. Until I see those in person and evaluate them I am not sure it makes sense for us to go down the same route. We have other things that are more pressing to get designed right now.

The 200 market is also very new and time will tell how it pans out. We did this truck since I wanted to see what is involved and the customer needed to have it done before product was available.

 

[sleeoffroad]

Looks cool, but seriosly, those are the wheels and tires you go with after all of that effort. I like it, except I wish they'd put on a set of GOOD tires. Not some worn down street AT's It's like having Phelps swim the 100... in a deep-sea diving suit.

Cheers

Dave

We have never had a failure on a stock Land Cruiser wheel. Not sure why we would change them just for the sake of changing.

As for tires, we recommend the Nitto's a lot and has never had bad feedback from customers that use them. I am sure they are not suited for all applications, but they do work for this one.

I am interested what tire you would recommend for this ?

 

[tacollie]

I am not a fan of the 200 but after seeing this thread and the guys page my rough edges are softening.

 

[tacollie]

Gotta love the functionality of Slee's build ups and products.

 

[4Rescue]

We have never had a failure on a stock Land Cruiser wheel. Not sure why we would change them just for the sake of changing.

As for tires, we recommend the Nitto's a lot and has never had bad feedback from customers that use them. I am sure they are not suited for all applications, but they do work for this one.

I am interested what tire you would recommend for this ?

Personal pref. being what it is, I have 2 seperate frinds that have had the Nitto Mud Grapplers completely de-lam (? if that's the term) and chunk very badly. That is my reasoning for choosing NOT to run their tires as well as the whole "I'm X-Treme" image and the poor performance of the Mudders. Personaly I don't care for the lack of agressive tread of the Nitto Terra's, I'd personaly run the good ol industry standard BFG AT's or the current Tires I'm about to put on my Toyota, the Dean SXT. Far more agressive tread with good overall road manners and all around better performance. Before anyone starts chimin in about how sweet the terra G's are... I've been there too on one of my XJ's and I won't go back. Plus I'm from the NW and frankly those Terra G's might well have done just fine on the Slick-Rock, but here in the soup and dirt adn roots they proved to be utterly useless IMO. That said, I'm kind of picky about tires. More so than some other AT treads. Had sonme of their street tires on my old VW's and didn't care for them either. As I said, this is not the pouint of the thead, and I fear I've said to much as it is

As to the Wheels Christo: I was under the impression that this was a "show" truck of sorts when I first read the thread. Obviously I was mistaken and therefore yeah, the stock wheels make sence. I didn't think there was anything wrong, as I said I just thought it was for show and would have expected some flashier wheels and Tires as is the norm for "show vehicles"

I now understand the Bumper comment as well, thanks for clairfying.

Glad to see the owner put it through it's paces, always good to see a truck that get's used eh. Did he by chance mention any negatives about the truck after this trip? I'll be interested to see if our supasitions about the electronics come true, but I guess only time will tell.

Nice build up, not all to my personal taste, but then so few things are eh

Cheers

Dave

 

[sleeoffroad]

Personal pref. being what it is, I have 2 seperate frinds that have had the Nitto Mud Grapplers completely de-lam (? if that's the term) and chunk very badly. That is my reasoning for choosing NOT to run their tires as well as the whole "I'm X-Treme" image and the poor performance of the Mudders. Personaly I don't care for the lack of agressive tread of the Nitto Terra's, I'd personaly run the good ol industry standard BFG AT's or the current Tires I'm about to put on my Toyota, the Dean SXT. Far more agressive tread with good overall road manners and all around better performance.

I know tires are a personal choice, but I beg to differ, the Nitto Terragrapler AT's have a much better tread pattern than the BFG AT and has larger voids. It does better in snow and mud than BFG AT's for us. BFT AT technology and design is old. People like them because they last forever due to the compound.

I don't have experience with their MT's.

Before anyone starts chimin in about how sweet the terra G's are... I've been there too on one of my XJ's and I won't go back. Plus I'm from the NW and frankly those Terra G's might well have done just fine on the Slick-Rock, but here in the soup and dirt adn roots they proved to be utterly useless IMO.

What were you comparing them with? I would say that BFG AT would be just as useless in the mud.

As I said, this is not the pouint of the thead, and I fear I've said to much as it is

No, but we can sure discuss it

As to the Wheels Christo: I was under the impression that this was a "show" truck of sorts when I first read the thread.

If it was, we would have put 40" BFG Krawlers on it

Glad to see the owner put it through it's paces, always good to see a truck that get's used eh. Did he by chance mention any negatives about the truck after this trip? I'll be interested to see if our supasitions about the electronics come true, but I guess only time will tell.

He had no issues, other than a issue when he left a door partially open and the security system immobilized the vehicle. Reading the manual fixed that

Toyota electronics are normally pretty reliable. In all the years we have had the shop, we have had very little issues with components failing.

 

[davegonz]

Christo, on the water quick disconnects up front. Why not make one a female and the other male. Makes it Poka Yoke (fool proof) and prevents you from attaching the hoses incorrectly.

 

[4Rescue]

I know tires are a personal choice, but I beg to differ, the Nitto Terragrapler AT's have a much better tread pattern than the BFG AT and has larger voids. It does better in snow and mud than BFG AT's for us. BFT AT technology and design is old. People like them because they last forever due to the compound.

I don't have experience with their MT's.

What were you comparing them with? I would say that BFG AT would be just as useless in the mud.

No, but we can sure discuss it

If it was, we would have put 40" BFG Krawlers on it

He had no issues, other than a issue when he left a door partially open and the security system immobilized the vehicle. Reading the manual fixed that

Toyota electronics are normally pretty reliable. In all the years we have had the shop, we have had very little issues with components failing.

Love the BFG MT... IMO it's the best overall MT out there and doesn't ride too badly for what it is.

We'll just have to agree to disagree about the Nito's I prefer the BFG AT's to them with no second thought. But you're right, they're not to great in the mud, but no worse than any other AT out there.

Personal sugestion: the TXR's I had were great but they're just not made anymore. Next set of tires I'm going to try are either the Dean SXT's or the Maxxis Bighorn in 255/85/16 (although I'm not to pleased about buying new rims). The Maxxis are what I'm leaning towards because I really liked a friends Toyota on them,. It's nice to be here in the NW with alot of friends who have older Toyotas similar to mine with alot of different rubber underneath. Makes for alot of good tire testing on comparable trucks. I find that comparing different tires on different trucks doesn't show you much espescialy with large weight differences . I aslo tend to be the black Sheep of the group in terms of opinions of various tires, I hated my TSL's but LOVED my buddies LTB's. I also have been less than impressed with the Toyo MT's everyone and their brother have been running, but I might change my mind when/if I get to sample a skinnier version. To say I'm against wide tires would be an understatement. In anything but sant and bottomless mud I see no purpose outside of looks for these 15.5" wide tires.

Favorite overall OR tires... the 36ish X 8.50 (??) NDT Farmer's specials on our 70ser Ute's in Australia. Would I drive thousands of miles on them... No but they were amazing in the muck and dirt. Maybe it was just the thrill of having a dual Locked HJ70ser Ute, but that thing never got stuck when we put on those tires. For everyday and drive into town use we had similar tires but alot smaller diam. adn alot less agressive a tread.

Another Tire I'm really interested in is the Hankook RT03 MT. Siped up I think these would be a good compromise between a true MT adn an AT. They still have a good square shoulder and a flat contact patch but with enough viod to clear out easily. There's the Yoko Geolander too and I'd love to try these.

I know Toyota is no Lucas, but I tend ot be scarred of electronics and anything but the simplest electronic systems in the booney's eh. I find that most breakage comes predictably after sevre use of the skinny pedal, or it's an electric gremlin that you tend to not see coming. Granted in true Expo's fatigue and stress breaks are more common.

That's funny about the door thing, I can bet he felt silly when he found out what it was eh HAHAHAHAHA.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see how the 200 shapes up. It has big showes to fill being saddled with the Cruiser name adn following SO many great trucks.

Love what you guy's did to it though it makes me like the new series even more now. I really didn't mean to second guess what you guy's did to this owners truck, I was mistaken about it's purpose and I don't care fot the tires, other than that I'm stoked to see someone finaly building one of these things for what a Cruiser is meant to do. Namely Get dirty and travel thousands of miles flawlessly


Cheers

Dave

 

[ShottsCruisers]

In the AZ rocks...the guys with Nitto's simply wear them down to the bone and no traction is left and they're out more money quicker. One guy got two flats last trip out with the Nitto's. They THINK they are saving money (initial price) compared to BFG AT, though they are not.

My KO's climb everything my MT KM's did. The BFG AT's climb better on our rocks than the Nittos or MTR's. They will last far longer than the Nitto's while not costing double the price. No comparison for me.

For mud and snow I've not compared.