1994 Toyota Land Cruiser Buildup - Part 2

I found there are some additional benefits to having an ARB air snorkel. One of the best reasons is less dirt and dust going into the air filter. I just recently returned from driving 300 miles of dirt roads through Death Valley, California, with a group of 15 other trailworthy rigs. The amount of dirt and dust that got kicked up during high-speed trail excursions was ridiculous. Because of the increased height of my new intake system, the amount of dirt that collected in the air filter was significantly reduced. Increasing the height of your intake actually helps reduce the amount of work your air filter needs to do. This has been confirmed on several occasions where there should have been a significant amount of dirt buildup on the air filter.

Another arguable benefit is the cool air induction. In stock form, the air filter sucks in air through the front passenger fender and engine compartment.

A fellow enthusiast I spoke with confirmed that one can gain a few horsepower just by the cool air induction of the air snorkel. I have not confirmed this personally, but it's something to consider when weighing the pros and cons of this purchase.

Front-end protection is very important to me both on- and off-road. Living in Southern California, you need to drive with a certain amount of apprehension. People here are just plain crazy when they get behind the wheel. Having a stout front bumper gives you a little peace of mind. The 80-series Land Cruisers were built extremely well, but any vehicle can benefit from some additional front-end protection. I have always admired the design of the ARB bull bars. Their front bumper is a classic design of form following function. When ARB constructs each one of its bull bar bumpers, the company takes careful consideration of a number of factors to ensure it properly serves its purpose. Factors such as vehicle design, crush rate, airbag deployment, approach angles, accessory fitment, strength, weight, and aesthetics. I am personally amazed at how well this design adapts to so many different vehicles. No other bumper looks quite at home as this one does on the front of an 80-series Land Cruiser.

When I was first looking for a front bumper, I thought I wanted something that came without upper grille protection. When the ARB bull bar was installed, I considered having the upper bars removed and the holes filled in. However, after talking with several different people in the off-road community, I discovered the upper bars protect not only from frontal impacts, but also protect the engine compartment in the event of a rollover. I thought the approach angle on this bumper left a little to be desired; however, I haven't encountered a situation where the front bumper was the limiting factor.

Along with the front bumper install, I had the crew at Slee Off-Road install a Warn M12000 self-recovery winch. For heavy-duty winching needs, this winch is a workhorse: big torque, power, and a quick, no-load retrieval speed of 30 feet per minute. It's designed to be low-profile so it will fit inside the ARB bull bar. The winch is powered by a 4.6hp series-wound motor and Warn's three-stage planetary gear train. The Warn M12000 comes with 125 feet of 3/8-inch wire rope. I estimate Project 80 will tip the scales somewhere around 6,500 pounds when everything is said and done; therefore, I wanted to install the biggest winch possible into the ARB front bumper.