Our Build: Wabi-Sabi
Welcome to Our Build, where we introduce our company vehicle, a 2008 URJ200 Series Land Cruiser named Wabi-Sabi. In Japanese culture, Wabi-Sabi refers to finding beauty in imperfection and appreciating things as they age and evolve. This philosophy resonates deeply with our 2008 Land Cruiser, a well-loved daily driver that showcases the rugged elegance that comes with hard use, trial, and transformation.
The Build: A Living Project
Wabi-Sabi is more than just a Land Cruiser; it’s a rolling test bed for J2Hundy Outfitters’ products and innovations. It’s our daily driver, running errands and tackling a demanding 100-mile round-trip work commute that includes canyon runs and a mix of highway and interstate driving. Here’s a breakdown of the build so far:
- Valley Guard Gasket: One of our signature products, this gasket seals the engine valley heat exchanger, a known leak issue in the 200 Series. Wabi-Sabi is currently running it as the only true fix for Toyota’s design flaw.
- 3” Body Lift: We’ve designed and installed a custom 3” body lift consisting of eight black UHMW pucks and Grade 10.9 bolts. The lift also includes extended power steering reservoir hoses, radiator drop brackets, and pairs with our custom front bumper.
- Wheels & Tires: Sitting on 37” Terra Raider all-terrain tires from Delium, these tires are an affordable yet durable option, though challenging to balance. Wabi-Sabi runs stock wheels paired with Spidertrax 1.75” wheel spacers, as we work towards fitting 42” tires in the future.
- Lighting: Equipped with our custom ditch light mounts that raise the rear of the hood for improved engine bay cooling, Wabi-Sabi sports a lighting setup designed for visibility and performance. Up front, we have Morimoto 2 Banger spot and flood combo lights in amber. Our low beams are S-V.4 amber headlights, a massive improvement over the factory bulbs. In the rear, we’ve installed a Diode Dynamics SSC1 amber chase light to ensure we’re visible even in the roughest conditions.
- Accessory Management: To power all the extras, we’ve integrated an Auxbeam 8-gang switch panel with solid-state relays, mounted centrally on the overhead panel near the sunroof.
- Spare Tire Carrier: Running 37″ tires without sacrificing departure angle is key. Instead of a bumper-mounted carrier, we custom-built a spare tire carrier that bolts to the factory third-row seat mounts. The tire is secured with an Alpine Offroad Double Eagle Strap.
As we continue to develop new products, Wabi-Sabi will evolve right alongside them. Stay tuned for more upgrades as we gear up and push the boundaries of what’s possible in off-road performance.
