2004 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER ground clearance

vii
2004 L/C100 from July ’03 Prod. (OM60A04U)
Onpavement and offroaddriving tips
This vehicle belongs to the utility vehicle class. Utility
vehicles have a significantly higher rollover rate than other
types of vehicles. This vehicle will handle and maneuver
differently from an ordinary passenger car because it is
designed for off −road use also. In addition, this vehicle
has a higher ground clearance and center of gravity than
that of an ordinary passenger car. This vehicle design
feature causes this type of vehicle to be more likely to
rollover. Failure to operate this vehicle correctly may result
in loss of control, accidents or vehicle rollover causing
death or serious injury. Be sure to read “Off −road vehicle
precautions” on page 206 and “Off −road driving precau-
tions” on page 237.

206
2004 L/C100 from Aug ’03 Prod. (OM60A04U)
Offroad vehicle precautions
This vehicle belongs to the utility ve-
hicle class, which has higher ground
clearance and narrower tread in relation
to the height of its center of gravity to
make it capable of performing in a wide
variety of offroad applications. Specif-
ic design characteristics give it a high-
er center of gravity than ordinary pas-
senger cars. This vehicle design
feature causes this type of vehicle to
be more likely to rollover. And, utility
vehicles have a significantly higher rol-
lover rate than other types of vehicles.
An advantage of the higher ground
clearance is a better view of the road
allowing you to anticipate problems. It
is not designed for cornering at the
same speeds as ordinary passenger
cars any more than lowslung sports
cars designed to perform satisfactorily
under offroad conditions. Therefore,
sharp turns at excessive speeds may
cause rollover.CAUTION
Always observe the following precau-
tions to minimize the risk of serious
personal injury or damage to your ve-
hicle:
In a rollover crash, an unbelted per-
son is significantly more likely to
die than a person wearing a seat
belt. Therefore, the driver and all
passengers should fasten their seat
belts whenever the vehicle is mov-
ing.
Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneu-
vers, if at all possible. Failure to
operate this vehicle correctly may
result in loss of control or vehicle
rollover causing death or serious
injury.
Loading cargo on the roof luggage
carrier will make the center of the
vehicle gravity higher. Avoid high
speeds, sudden starts, sharp turns,
sudden braking or abrupt maneu-
vers, otherwise it may result in loss
of control or vehicle rollover due to
failure to operate this vehicle cor-
rectly.

263
2004 L/C100 from Aug ’03 Prod. (OM60A04U)
NOTICE
Tighten all the joints securely.
Otherwise, the extension may
come off and it may damage
the paint or vehicle body.
—Raising your vehicle
6. After making sure no one is inthe vehicle, raise it high enough
so that the spare tire can be
installed.
Remember you will need more ground
clearance when putting on the spare
tire than when removing the flat tire. To raise the vehicl
e, insert the jack
handle end into the joint of the jack
(it is a loose fit) and turn it clockwise
with the handle, making sure the han-
dle remains firmly fitted onto the jack
handle end. As the jack touches the
vehicle and begins to lift, double −
check that it is properly positioned.
CAUTION
Never get under the vehicle when
the vehicle is supported by the
jack alone.

303
2004 L/C100 from Aug ’03 Prod. (OM60A04U)
Using any other size or type of tire
may seriously affect handling, ride,
speedometer/odometer calibration,
ground clearance, and clearance be-
tween the body and tires or snow
chains.
Check that the maximum load of the
replaced tire is greater than 1/2 of the
Gross Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR)
of either the front axle or the rear
axle, whichever greater. As for the
maximum load of the tire, see the load
limit at maximum cold tire inflation
pressure mentioned on the sidewall
of the tire, and as for the Gross Axle
Weight Ratings (GAWR), see the Cer-
tification Label. For details about the
sidewall of the tire and the Certifica-
tion Label, see pages 221 and 218.CAUTION
Observe the following instruc-
tions. Otherwise, an accident
may occur resulting in death or
serious injuries.
Do not mix radial, bias belted,
or biasply tires on your ve-
hicle, as this may cause dan-
gerous handling characteris-
tics resulting in loss of control.
 Do not use tires other than the
manufacturer’s recommended
size, as this may cause danger-
ous handling characteristics
resulting in loss of control.
 Do not use tires of different
brands, sizes, construction or
tread patterns, as this may
cause dangerous handling
characteristics resulting in
loss of control.
Toyota recommends all four tires,
or at least both front or rear tires
be replaced as a set.
See “If you have a flat tire” on page
256 for tire change procedure.
When a tire is replaced, the wheel
should always be balanced.
An unbalanced wheel may affect ve-
hicle handling and tire life. Wheels
can get out of balance with regular
use and should therefore be balanced
occasionally.
When replacing a tubeless tire, the
air valve should also be repl aced
w i t h a new on e.

306
2004 L/C100 from Aug ’03 Prod. (OM60A04U)
Regulations regarding the use of tire
chains vary according to location or
type of road, so always check the local
regulations before installing chains.
NOTICE
If the wrong combination of tire and
chain is used, the chains could dam-
age the vehicle body.
CHAIN INSTALLATION
Install the chains on the rear tires as
tightly as possible. Do not use tire
chains on the front tires. Retighten
chains after driving 0.5—1.0 km
(1/4—1/2 mile).
When installing chains on your tires, care-
fully follow the instructions of the chain
manufacturer.
If wheel covers are used, they will be
scratched by the chain band, so remove
the covers before putting on the chains.
CAUTION
Do not exceed 50 km/h (30 mph)
or the chain manufacturer’s rec-
ommended speed limit, whichev-
er is lower.
Drive carefully avoiding bumps,
holes, and sharp turns, which
may cause the vehicle to
bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or locked
wheel braking, as use of chains
may adversely affect vehicle han-
dling.
When driving with chains
installed, be sure to drive care-
fully. Slow down before entering
curves to avoid losing control of
the vehicle. Otherwise an acci-
dent may occur.
Replacing wheels
WHEN TO REPLACE YOUR WHEELS
If you have wheel damage such as
bending, cracks or heavy corrosion, the
wheel should be replaced.
If you fail to replace a damaged wheel,
the tire may slip off the wheel or cause
loss of handling control.
WHEEL SELECTION
When replacing wheels, care should be
taken to ensure that the wheels are re-
placed by ones with the same load ca-
pacity, diameter, rim width, and offset.
Correct replacement wheels are available
at your Toyota dealer.
A wheel of a different size or type may
adversely affect handling, wheel and bear-
ing life, brake cooling, speedometer/odom-
eter calibration, stopping ability, headlight
aim, bumper height, vehicle ground clear-
ance, and tire or snow chain clearance to
the body and chassis.