2006 Toyota Land Cruiser Build

[Harmz32]

Hi everyone,

I am starting a 2006 Land Cruiser overland build. I just found a super clean Cruiser with 160,000 miles. I will be working with Adventure Motors in Kansas City. They are a great company and give excellent service.

I am pretty new to overlanding but I will be moving to Botswana and want to have a capable rig. I wont be doing any rock crawling mostly, tar roads, dirt, gravel, sand, and a few water crossings. I need it to be reliable since we will be driving through places with no vehicle service or tow capability. We plan on traveling through Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Any advice on accessories or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Still deciding on wheels/tires and lighting. I will be posting pictures throughout. Here is the build plan so far:

Complete OME suspension kit - OME866 rear coils - 60000 shocks - 60002 shocks - torsion bars - slee diff drop kit - SPC adjustable upper control arms
ARB OME deluxe front winch bumper
Frontrunner Slimline II roof rack - full length
Smittybilt X20 10k synthetic line winch
ARB OME modular rear bumper system
ARB swing out tire carrier passenger side
ARB swing out jerry can carrier driver side
Switch Pros 9100
ARB CKMTA12 twin high performance air compressor
Slee Offroad dual battery tray / compressor mount
Slee Offroad Belly plate, Intermediate skid plate, - Steel
Slee Offroad front skid plate - Aluminum
Slee Offroad SliderSteps
ARB Safari snorkel kit

 

[Mambo]

Hi everyone,

I am starting a 2006 Land Cruiser overland build. I just found a super clean Cruiser with 160,000 miles. I will be working with Adventure Motors in Kansas City. They are a great company and give excellent service.

I am pretty new to overlanding but I will be moving to Botswana and want to have a capable rig. I wont be doing any rock crawling mostly, tar roads, dirt, gravel, sand, and a few water crossings. I need it to be reliable since we will be driving through places with no vehicle service or tow capability. We plan on traveling through Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. View attachment 78537 View attachment 78538 View attachment 78539 View attachment 78537 View attachment 78537 View attachment 78538 View attachment 78539 Any advice on accessories or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Still deciding on wheels/tires and lighting. I will be posting pictures throughout. Here is the build plan so far:

Complete OME suspension kit - OME866 rear coils - 60000 shocks - 60002 shocks - torsion bars - slee diff drop kit - SPC adjustable upper control arms
ARB OME deluxe front winch bumper
Frontrunner Slimline II roof rack - full length
Smittybilt X20 10k synthetic line winch
ARB OME modular rear bumper system
ARB swing out tire carrier passenger side
ARB swing out jerry can carrier driver side
Switch Pros 9100
ARB CKMTA12 twin high performance air compressor
Slee Offroad dual battery tray / compressor mount
Slee Offroad Belly plate, Intermediate skid plate, - Steel
Slee Offroad front skid plate - Aluminum
Slee Offroad SliderSteps
ARB Safari snorkel kit

Hi,
You have a great vehicle and a huge amount of aspirations for it.

My first recommendation for you, if your plan on moving to Botswana is close to reality and expected to be a longer term deal - don't spend money on mods yet.

My reason for saying that is, all the countries you mention (and most in Southern Africa) are right hand drive countries, sitting on the incorrect side of the car can get very tiresome, very fast.
You may also want to check the import regulations in Botswana, although fairly lax, there may still be restrictions on importing LHD vehicles - here in South Africa it is not allowed.

I would rather look at buying a Japanese import into Botswana and getting it kitted in SA if that is your thing.
A standard 100 or 105 (with at least 1 locker) will get you very far in the countries you have mentioned.
You may also very well be able to find what you are looking for, with the appropriate kit available locally within either Botswana, South Africa or Namibia - I would steer clear of buying a vehicle in Zimbabwe or Zambia.
Just remember, a 100/105 in good condition will sell fast, so you need to be on the lookout!

Also, try to keep major components as standard as possible, for remote servicing.

Not trying to put you off, just pointing out some options.

Good luck.

 

[Harmz32]

Thank you for the advice. I will definitely check into it. I will be moving their for work so it is a definite reality. We are allowed to import LHD vehicles. Will will be there for three years so I am looking for something that I can bring back to the US. I am not opposed to doing some of the mods in SA. Do you have any good shop recommendations in Pretoria or Johannesburg?

 

[Mambo]

If I were in your shoes, I’d look for something local and RHD.
I would assume that hauling a truck halfway around the world and back would be pretty expensive.
Another thought is that you may find certain components that are normally serviceable, becoming problematic due to LHD/RHD configurations.

A shop that can sort you out in Johannesburg is Pedders Performance (can find them on Facebook) - Gavin is passionate about what he does and provides a great service, and is also an all round decent dude. He is also very well travelled in the region, so can make recommendations on what kit is worth considering vs what kit is nice to have.....

What kind of work are you into? Mining?

 

[Harmz32]

If I were in your shoes, I’d look for something local and RHD.
I would assume that hauling a truck halfway around the world and back would be pretty expensive.
Another thought is that you may find certain components that are normally serviceable, becoming problematic due to LHD/RHD configurations.

A shop that can sort you out in Johannesburg is Pedders Performance (can find them on Facebook) - Gavin is passionate about what he does and provides a great service, and is also an all round decent dude. He is also very well travelled in the region, so can make recommendations on what kit is worth considering vs what kit is nice to have.....

What kind of work are you into? Mining?

Thanks again for the advice. This will most likely be our weekend or trip vehicle. We will only be in Botswana for 3 years and I plan on bringing it back to the US when we leave. We will be buying a RHD for our daily driver though. I will start looking at what’s available down there though.

 

[Mambo]

Thanks again for the advice. This will most likely be our weekend or trip vehicle. We will only be in Botswana for 3 years and I plan on bringing it back to the US when we leave. We will be buying a RHD for our daily driver though. I will start looking at what’s available down there though.

Good luck with your planning - exciting times.

 

[Harmz32]

Alright we have set the final build list. I will try and post pictures as we do the build but here is what we are planning:

OME866 rear coils - 60000 shocks - 60002 shocks - torsion bars - slee diff drop kit - SPC adjustable upper control arms
ARB OME deluxe front winch bumper
Frontrunner Slimline II roof rack - full length
FN Five star wheels and 285/75-17 Ridge Grapplers
Smittybilt X20 10k synthetic line winch
ARB OME modular rear bumper system
ARB swing out tire carrier passenger side
ARB swing out jerry can carrier driver side
Extreme LED X6S 2D 38" - Frontrunner light bar mount
Extreme LED 5" Scene light (x4 side lights)
Switch Pros 9100
Replacement battery for main and dual setup - 34R AGM KC extreme duty batteries
ARB CKMTA12 twin high performance air compressor
Slee Offroad dual battery tray / compressor mount
Slee Offroad Belly plate - Steel
Slee Offroad Intermediate skid plate - Aluminum
Slee Offroad front skid plate - Aluminum
Slee slider steps
ARB Safari snorkel kit

 

[Mambo]

Alright we have set the final build list. I will try and post pictures as we do the build but here is what we are planning:

OME866 rear coils - 60000 shocks - 60002 shocks - torsion bars - slee diff drop kit - SPC adjustable upper control arms
ARB OME deluxe front winch bumper
Frontrunner Slimline II roof rack - full length
FN Five star wheels and 285/75-17 Ridge Grapplers
Smittybilt X20 10k synthetic line winch
ARB OME modular rear bumper system
ARB swing out tire carrier passenger side
ARB swing out jerry can carrier driver side
Extreme LED X6S 2D 38" - Frontrunner light bar mount
Extreme LED 5" Scene light (x4 side lights)
Switch Pros 9100
Replacement battery for main and dual setup - 34R AGM KC extreme duty batteries
ARB CKMTA12 twin high performance air compressor
Slee Offroad dual battery tray / compressor mount
Slee Offroad Belly plate - Steel
Slee Offroad Intermediate skid plate - Aluminum
Slee Offroad front skid plate - Aluminum
Slee slider steps
ARB Safari snorkel kit

Not playing around!

 

[whitneysc]

Concur on the recommendations that you buy right hand drive. Sell it before you leave and buy another upon your return.
I would also use the opportunity to ship home exotic parts like a long range fuel tank (almost impossible to find in CONUS) when you return.
Recommend you take a 60" High Lift with accessories and a Powerbuilt all-in-1 truck lift Jack with you. The HL for recovery and with the lift and tire combo, the factory bottle Jack is maxed out. Kinetic ropes etc will all be easier to source here.
What about comms?
Finally, recommend a drawer system to keep all the stuff organized.

 

[whitneysc]

Alright we have set the final build list. I will try and post pictures as we do the build but here is what we are planning:

OME866 rear coils - 60000 shocks - 60002 shocks - torsion bars - slee diff drop kit - SPC adjustable upper control arms
ARB OME deluxe front winch bumper
Frontrunner Slimline II roof rack - full length
FN Five star wheels and 285/75-17 Ridge Grapplers
Smittybilt X20 10k synthetic line winch
ARB OME modular rear bumper system
ARB swing out tire carrier passenger side
ARB swing out jerry can carrier driver side
Extreme LED X6S 2D 38" - Frontrunner light bar mount
Extreme LED 5" Scene light (x4 side lights)
Switch Pros 9100
Replacement battery for main and dual setup - 34R AGM KC extreme duty batteries
ARB CKMTA12 twin high performance air compressor
Slee Offroad dual battery tray / compressor mount
Slee Offroad Belly plate - Steel
Slee Offroad Intermediate skid plate - Aluminum
Slee Offroad front skid plate - Aluminum
Slee slider steps
ARB Safari snorkel kit

Add the ARB Diff Breather kit

 

[Harmz32]

Concur on the recommendations that you buy right hand drive. Sell it before you leave and buy another upon your return.
I would also use the opportunity to ship home exotic parts like a long range fuel tank (almost impossible to find in CONUS) when you return.
Recommend you take a 60" High Lift with accessories and a Powerbuilt all-in-1 truck lift Jack with you. The HL for recovery and with the lift and tire combo, the factory bottle Jack is maxed out. Kinetic ropes etc will all be easier to source here.
What about comms?
Finally, recommend a drawer system to keep all the stuff organized.

Thanks for the advice. I’ve been doing research on comms seems Botswana has some permit requirements for CBs. I am thinking about a satellite two way communicator like one of the garmins. I would love a fridge and drawer system but we want to keep the third row available for friends and family. I have been trying to find some type of drawer system that is easy to remove but I feel like that defeats the purpose. Maybe some foot lockers? As for the RHD I’m going to stick with this one and buy a RHD for the daily driver.

 

[Harmz32]

Add the ARB Diff Breather kit

Yeah I forgot to put that on the list but it is definitely going on as well.

 

[Harmz32]

Ok so the parts are in. We got everything except the FN wheels. I decided to go with Level 8 MK6 wheels. Here is what they look like on a different truck



The build will start in the next week or so. I will update with pics.

 

[Harmz32]

So I am out of the country while the build is going on. Adventure Motors in Lee’s Summit are doing an amazing job. Here are a couple of their posts you can follow the build @adventuremotorskc



We are still waiting on some parts to come next week and then the suspension, sliders, wheels and tires will be done.

 

[Harmz32]

Well it’s been a few months but I finally picked her up and she looks great. Now I’m thinking about a re-gear because of the 35s.

 

[Joey83]

That is a good looking Land Cruiser! :)

 

[Harmz32]

Thanks here’s one more

 

[Harmz32]

Here are some of the lights.

 

[hidesertwheelin]

What rear bumper is that?

 

[Harmz32]

It’s an ARB with jerry can swing out on the left and spare holder swing out on the right