How to remove front air dams?

[shwazz714]

Did folks remove 3 different plastic pieces when removing the air dams? There’s the big front ones, then the other ones that poke out once the front ones are removed, and then lastly a plastic piece that was above the skid plate but looked a bit wobbly once the other two pieces were removed.

I took all 3 off but thinking maybe I should have kept the one above the skid plate.

 

[hypnotic]

I know I removed 4 pieces all together.

 

[HarvLC]

2 on each side for me. There was a third smaller piece that isn’t overly bolted down. I chose to leave it in place as it wasn’t as visible

 

[HarvLC]

Did folks remove 3 different plastic pieces when removing the air dams? There’s the big front ones, then the other ones that poke out once the front ones are removed, and then lastly a plastic piece that was above the skid plate but looked a bit wobbly once the other two pieces were removed.

I took all 3 off but thinking maybe I should have kept the one above the skid plate.

Perhaps as an aid to anyone reading this later, I think the 3rd piece is that shown at about 18:40 in the Car Care Nut’s video on the LC (see forum section containing videos)

 

[shwazz714]

Perhaps as an aid to anyone reading this later, I think the 3rd piece is that shown at about 18:40 in the Car Care Nut’s video on the LC (see forum section containing videos)

Yeah that’s definitely it. I noticed it was flimsy too which is why I took it off. Maybe put it back on though since it’s not noticeable from the front

 

[derek]

I know I removed 4 pieces all together.

What's the fourth piece? I only removed 3

 

[hypnotic]

What's the fourth piece? I only removed 3

Sorry been a while. Do not recall

 

[HammerTheWall]

Landcruiser does 120mph! That seems incredibly fast for a tall and upright, all-time 4WD SUV.

I can confirm 113 mph, that's as far as I wanted to push it. No reason for that speed either, really.

 

[jbe2289]

Toyota Austria gives for the 2.8L Diesel with 205 horsepower a max speed of 175km/h. That is 109 mph. Given that the hybrid in the US has 325hp I think 120mph seems reasonable.

There’s a 109 MPG governor on US models, would certainly be able to run faster, and it feels solid at 109.

 

[TimHerald]

I had mine taken off at dealer in pickup and they took off 2 pieces each side.

 

[ovʀʟxnᴅ]

Yikes, I’ll leave mine on. Doesn’t seem worth it.

He was talking about some unnamed car. The LC has no problems cooling with them removed. And you have less low-hanging plastic to damage off-road.

 

[EOD Guy]

There’s a 109 MPG governor on US models, would certainly be able to run faster, and it feels solid at 109.

I can confirm, that's not the case on mine.

 

[NoMe cruiser]

I thought the air dams would have been the first to go but I tore off a rear mud guard and cracked the other rear guard.

 

[jbe2289]

I can confirm, that's not the case on mine.

Interesting. Did you change it with Carista or something? On mine when it hits 109 MPH it kills the power. Only did it once. I looked it it up then and it is reported to be speed limited to 109.

 

[EOD Guy]

Interesting. Did you change it with Carista or something? On mine when it hits 109 MPH it kills the power. Only did it once. I looked it it up then and it is reported to be speed limited to 109.

Nope, just looked up and it was well pass what you mentioned. I never drive that fast and don't know why it snuck up on me............. might have been that flashy car in the next lane over.....IDK. I did slow down right after I noticed how fast I was going and realized how big the fine was going to be......LOL

 

[jbe2289]

I finally took the front air dam off yesterday after 11 months and 11,000 miles. It definitely looks better. I drove it yesterday on the highway but it was high wind so wasn’t sure if there was any difference. This morning I drove on the highway again and it is calm out. Definitely notice a good bit more wind noise and hood flutter. There also seems to be a little less stability, in that the air is pushing against the tires.

 

[jbe2289]

I finally took the front air dam off yesterday after 11 months and 11,000 miles. It definitely looks better. I drove it yesterday on the highway but it was high wind so wasn’t sure if there was any difference. This morning I drove on the highway again and it is calm out. Definitely notice a good bit more wind noise and hood flutter. There also seems to be a little less stability, in that the air is pushing against the tires.

It’d be great if someone were to 3D print a cover with a small lip (.5-1”) that mounts to all the mounting points that would act to deflect the wind from the underbody in the front. I think that would eliminate the noise and air issues removing these creates, but still look good and function well off-road.

I think the wind noise is from the air now being able to hit directly on the suspension components and is coming from the wheel well. I also think air making it way under the hood from an unintended location from the design could be an issue in certain conditions. I can see that impacting the thermals in both cold and hot environments.

I think I’ll be putting mine back on and can always take off if going off-road.

 

[LC250 Costa Rica]

Did anyone feel a difference of on-road stability between these two types of front air dams ??

 

[HammerTheWall]

Interesting. Did you change it with Carista or something? On mine when it hits 109 MPH it kills the power. Only did it once. I looked it it up then and it is reported to be speed limited to 109.

Can confirm mine has no limiter either, at 113 it was still willing to go more.

 

[Nor Cal Cruiser]

Removed mine. Took 5 minutes. Fuel economy maybe .5 miles. Looks so much better.

Could not agree more. I think the air dams and the mudflaps harm aesthetics and make the vehicle look much squattier, for almost no useful point. I can detect no MPG change, no noise change, and certainly no stability/performance change without mudflaps, but my FE looks eons better without those things, and all together they take maybe 5 minutes to remove and discard.