Quite literally the foundation of any good truck build is the suspension. In preparation for my future modifications, I performed some extensive research to determine which aftermarket suspension system would meet my needs. Unfortunately the 200 Series Land Cruiser suspension came from the factory with a very soft and comfort oriented setup that was better suited for tackling pavement than hitting the dirt, so keeping the stock setup was not ever an option.
Right off the bat I knew I was going to install a front bumper, rear bumper, sliders, and a winch, all which would add a considerable amount of weight to an already heavy truck. With all of this in mind I began my search and came up with two off the shelf suspension options from ARB and Icon Vehicle Dynamics. I ended up going with the ARB Old Man Emu setup because ICON only manufactures a front coil over and at this time does not have any off the shelf components for the rear.
The last thing I did was purchase Total Chaos Upper Control Arms in order to retain factory alignment.
Old Man Emu Front and Rear Suspension Components:
- Front: OME 2703 Springs, OME 91005 Struts (Heavy Kit)
- Rear: OME 2722 Springs, OME 61029 Struts (Medium Kit)
- Shock Stone Guards – OME 661
- Total Chaos Upper Control Arms #87504
Afterthoughts:
Overall I’m very happy with the OME suspension kit, and the Total Chaos UCA’s. The system is squeak free and has given me about 2-2.5 inches of lift all around. I’ve also been very pleasantly surprised with the ride as it is nowhere near as harsh as I expected, it is noticeably firmer, but it doesn’t beat you up. The suspension is also now much more responsive, and the LC200 no longer leans as severely while cornering. I will say though that the install was a literal pain in my rear end, KDSS is pretty tough to deal with and if you decide to install a suspension kit on your 200 I’d have a shop do it and save you some grief and bloody knuckles.
Hi Alex,
Thanks for posting this. Not a lot of information on the web regarding lifting a LC 200.
I just recently purchased a 2013 LC 200 (US-based) and I’m looking at doing the same type of lift. Do you have any updates, recommendations or lessons learned since it’s been a few years?
Thank you, Jason
Jason,
I’ve since moved on from the 200 but there are tons of options for suspension lifts available on the market now. Options include ARB’s Old Man Emu, Dobsons, Radflo, and I believe Main Line Overland has their own line of shocks that might fit the bill as well.
In regards to control arms, Total Chaos is the only way to go in my opinion. Quality is top notch and service is even better. If you ever have any questions related to the truck, feel free to give me a shout via e-mail.
Thanks,
Alex
Want to change suspension in my V8 but don’t know what product to use or someone competent enough to do it. Also I have slight knocking in steering column when driving over road imperfections. What should I have replaced?
David.
Ireland.
I’d recommend the Old Man Emu setup if you’re looking for the best bang for your buck. I would also get a set of aftermarket Upper Control Arms in order to compensate for the change in suspension geometry. You can go with a higher end option, but unless you plan on rally racing your Land Cruiser, the OME setup is more than sufficient.
Fredrik I’m assuming that your truck is equipped with the AHC system that is similar to the system we can find on the US spec Lexus LX570? Unfortunately here in the states, 200 Series Land Cruiser are not available with the adjustable suspension so I don’t have any experience with it. I know you can modify the suspension though from speaking to other European owners. Shoot me an e-mail at Alex@DirtRoadTrip.com and I’d be happy to put you in contact with the European owners I know that have modified their adjustable suspension Land Cruisers.
Alex, I have the same Land Cruiser V8, but a 2009-model with a V8 diesel. I live in Norway so the truck has European specs (20″ wheels that I have replaced with 18″, KDSS and air suspension with variable hight control. Have just ordered the OME springs and shocks, as well as the Total Chaos UCA´s, but what do I do with the original air suspension? I presume I must disconnect it, but will it affect the on-board computer system and create a number of error messages?