Editors note: This originally appeared on iH8MUD 100 series forums and is reproduced here with permission from the author.

Article by: VidereStudios (words and pictures)

Applicable Models: 1998-2007 / HZJ105L GNMNS (1HZ GX MTM SF LHD LUB DSL2 GEN)

Adaptable Models: 1998-2002 / 100 Series Land Cruiser or LX470 with cable throttle

Updated: 7/17/2012

The Not Quite 100% OEM Manual Hand Throttle Modification

A couple of forum links for reference for this modification:

Akella’s Vendor Thread – This thread will give you an overview of the modification and give you directions on ordering from Yan (Akella).

Shane’s Installation Thread – This thread is Shane’s (AATLAS1X) write-up of his installation utilizing a lower bezel from a 2003+ 105 series LandCruiser.

This modification is a pretty simple mod to do to your 1998-2002 100 series LandCruiser / LX470 with throttle cable. It is probably best utilized by people who do a lot of winching or who need to keep their rig running at a certain RPM (i.e. for hot water heaters, running big air compressors, welder, etc.). This modification is also useful for those running rough trails where the rig bounces around a lot, sometimes causing surging as the vehicle dives towards and away from the driver’s foot. Think of it as extreme off-road cruise control. In a price / reward scenario, I think this mod is a solid 3 to 4 out of 5, depending on your use. However, if you don’t use your rig in the above ways, then this modification is much less useful. Note that this modification is also less useful for rigs that have multiple participants (driver, winch operator / rigger, etc.) if utilized solely for winching. That being said, this is a great mod for solo adventurers.

Job difficulty: EASY
Job Length: 30 minutes to 1 hour

You will be replacing the red part in this schematic (everything else will be re-used):

…with the yellow parts in this one, and adding the green parts:

New parts needed (see Akella’s vendor page):

• Throttle Control Bracket and Arm Subassembly (group number 78407; p/n 78407-60020)
• Rubber Cushion (p/n 90541-06008; already came installed on 78407)
• Bolt (unknown part number; came loose and I installed on 78407)
• Spring (unknown part number; came loose and I installed on 78407)
• Throttle Control Cable Assembly (group number 78410; p/n 78410-60120)
• E Ring (p/n 90082-61004 replaces original p/n 96160-00400)
• Hex Nut (p/n 90170-11006)
• Throttle Cable Control Knob (group number 78411A; p/n 78411-22010)

My kit did not include the adjustable clamp (group number 78481), but I think it is easy to add a clamp depending on where you install the knob. The way I routed my cable to the factory location didn’t necessitate the use of a clamp.

Tools needed:

• #1 Phillips head screwdriver
• #2 Phillips head screwdriver
• Flat head screwdriver (not needed if you have trim removal tools)
• Ratchet (a small, flex head ratchet is extremely helpful)
• 10mm socket
• 14mm long socket or wrench
• Socket extensions (one 3” and one 9” proved extremely helpful)
• Pliers
• Pen or Sharpie
• Dremel (or grinder) with metal cut-off tool and universal plunge cutter
• Drill with a 1/8” and 7/16” drill bit (if you don’t have a Dremel)
• Trim removal tools (nice to have, but not absolutely needed)

There are several things to note before tackling this modification. You will be cutting / drilling your factory lower bezel, so if you want to be able to take your rig back to 100% original, try to source a lower bezel from a Siberian pre-2003 LandCruiser. Unfortunately, Yan has not been able to source this lower bezel. See Shane’s great thread (linked above) for his installation thread using a post-2003 lower bezel. Also note that while this mod can be accomplished by a single person pretty easily, there is one operation where a second person would be of great help. It will be noted below. Finally, if you are an extremely tall person (over 6’-2”), you will have to get creative with the knob location. I am 6’-1” and have inadvertently brushed the knob a couple of times with my shin or knee. I will show you potential locations further below where this can be avoided.

Let’s get started!

The first step is to remove the lower plastic bezel below the steering column. Remove the one large screw in the lower left corner by the fuel access door and hood releases. Use a #2 Phillips head screwdriver here.

Next, remove the four screws up behind the fuel access door and hood releases (two per handle). Use a #1 Phillips screwdriver here. Carefully feed the handles down through the openings in the lower bezel.

Finally, there are five clips holding the lower bezel into place. One by the two handles you just loosened, one on the lower right of the bezel, one by the key ignition, and two by the instrument panel on the left. I worked my way counterclockwise from the loosened handles. If this is the first time you have removed this panel, note that the clips are pretty stout and will require some carefully applied force to release them. Some interior trim removal tools may work well here, though I don’t have any of those. A taped screwdriver proved useless to me.

Once you have the five clips released, your lower bezel will be hanging by a variety of electrical connections. On my LX470, I had four connections on the left and one on the right under the ignition. Unplug all the connections. Your lower bezel should be completely free at this point.

The immediate thing you will notice is that you have a metal plate attached to the dash. My guess is that this plate helps stiffen the lower bezel against bumping and knee movement. You will also notice a large hole on the left sort of between where the instrument panel and the fuel access door and hood release handles are located on the lower bezel. This is the factory opening for the OEM manual hand throttle that was supplied on Siberian 105 series LandCruisers. This is the default location for the hand throttle.

You will notice that the metal plate partially covers this hole and has interference with the factory location for the manual throttle…make some marks with a pen or Sharpie on the plate where the hole is located…you’ll have to use the Dremel or grinder to cut away part of the metal plate to build in more adjustment room for the manual hand throttle if you plan to use this location.

Once you have marked the metal plate, remove the four 10mm bolts that secure the plate to the dash. Once the plate is removed, set it aside.

The next step is to start tackling the acceleration pedal and the factory bracket.

Note that this is an optional step…your throttle cable may come off of your accelerator pedal easier than mine did.

The first thing to do is to open up your hood and look for the throttle cable (remove the engine cover if you have it on – two 10mm bolts and two 10mm acorn nuts on studs). The throttle cable is located towards the front of the engine (see picture below). You will see a metal cable wrapped around the throttle…you can route this cable and follow it through the firewall. It is currently attached to the pedal through the factory bracket. We have to loosen it so that it is easier to release inside the truck.

To do that, twist the throttle up and towards you. You will see the throttle cable bar that secures the cable to the throttle. Lift that down and to the left away from the throttle and then carefully release the throttle. Now you are good to go from the outside.

Back in the rig, maneuver your way to access the pedal and bracket way up under the dash. You can follow the pedal up past the spring, a large cylinder weight attached to the pedal, and finally to the end where the throttle cable is clipped into the notch at the end of the pedal. This cable should be nice and loose if you followed the step above. You can probably release the cable from the pedal without loosening it from the throttle, but being that it is extremely tight up in there and you may have to use a pair of pliers to release it, I decided to release the tension on the throttle cable. Whatever route you choose, you should be able to easily pull the cable off with your hand or you may have to use some pliers.

Now that the throttle cable is loose and released from the notch in the pedal, you can easily remove the two 10mm bolts holding the pedal on at the spring. The pedal should now swing free.

The next step is to detach the factory bracket. Remove the two 10mm bolts (one below and one above the large hole where the throttle cable feeds through). Once the two bolts are out, the factory bracket is loose and can be removed. It is probably engaged to the rubber cushion behind it and you may have to pry it off by wiggling it back and forth to completely release it. You can recycle the old bracket since we will be installing the new 105 series bracket in its place. Save the bolts.

So now you have the three pieces free that need modification – the lower bezel, the metal plate, and the accelerator pedal. We’ll tackle the accelerator pedal first. You will most likely see a large steel cylindrical weight welded onto the pedal, close to the end with the throttle cable notch. You will need to remove that as it interferes with the 105 series bracket. Using a Dremel or small grinder, cut-off the cylindrical weight and then clean up any burrs on the pedal.

Now it is time to install the new 105 series bracket and re-install the pedal. You will reuse the two 10mm bolts that held on the original bracket.

Take the spring and the bolt and install them into the new bracket. These two pieces form a limiter to control how far the hand throttle travels and the maximum RPM that can be achieved. I tightened it in all the way so that I got the lowest value for maximum RPM. I did not want it to go too high as I was unsure at that point what the maximum RPM could be achieved with this setup.

The next step is to install the manual hand throttle cable to the 105 series bracket. You will see a little pin on the arm where the circular end of the cable slips over it. Once placed over the pin, the manual hand throttle cable clips into the vertical arm of the new bracket. Make sure to clip the cable all the way to the right. I found that it clips in the first notch somewhat nicely, but is much more secure in the second notch. Finally, place the E ring over the pin, securing the circular end of the cable from slipping off.

Place the new bracket into position, feeding the throttle cable through the large center hole in the bracket. Prepare your two bolts and place them into position.

This is the operation where a second pair of hands would prove useful. It is pretty difficult to line up the two bolts with the holes in the firewall. A second person looking at the two holes and the throttle cable from the engine compartment proved invaluable here. This person can grasp the throttle cable and push or pull it to get the bolts to fall correctly into the holes. They can actually see the ends of the bolts as they thread into the holes. Once the threads grab, tighten the new bracket to the firewall.

Now with the new 105 series bracket completely installed, it is time to re-install the accelerator pedal.

Place the accelerator pedal into position, pushing the two plastic bosses into the recesses on the floor. The pedal should easily fit the opening in bracket and rest up against the rubber cushion. Re-install the 10mm two bolts that attach the pedal to the body. Grab the end of the throttle cable coming out of the firewall and place it in the notch on the end of the pedal. Make sure it is secure and tighten down the two bolts completely.

At this point, I would recommend going back outside the LandCruiser and reattaching the throttle cable to the throttle if you released it earlier. The same procedure applies to the installation of the cable as when you removed it. At this juncture, I turned the truck on and tested the accelerator pedal (in neutral of course) to make sure that everything worked like it should. Of course, I couldn’t resist testing the manual hand throttle at this point! It worked like a charm.

So now you should have the work in the engine compartment buttoned up and the 105 series bracket is installed as well as the accelerator pedal re-installed. Additionally, the accelerator pedal and hand throttle should be functioning normally.

Now it is time to decide where you are going to locate the manual throttle control knob. You are going to need realistically about 8” of space behind the bezel for the throttle control cable, so that is the primary factor on location. However, your body height may also pose an issue. The knob, once installed, extends about 1 ¼” from the face of the bezel. This has to be taken into account. If you install the knob in the factory location, it extends out that 1 ¼” and can bump against your knee if you are tall. I would recommend installing in a different location if you are over 6’-2”.

Other potential locations include below the key ignition and to the left of the steering column. Both will work fine for taller people, though some finessing may be required to the left of the steering column.

If you go either of those routes, you are going to have to get creative and play around with it. The location under the key ignition will require relocating the AC interior temperature sensor that is behind the slits in the lower bezel. I didn’t really investigate all that much at the area around the steering column, but there looks like there could be room to the lower left. Either way, you are going to have to extensively modify the metal plate or remove it altogether. One thing to note is that you have to take into account the routing of the throttle cable itself. It is a long cable and if you install it close to the accelerator pedal, you may want to get a hose clamp to secure to something above the dash so that it doesn’t loop around something that it shouldn’t or interfere with moving parts.

If you decided to go with the factory location, you can follow the next operations as is. If not, you will have to adjust accordingly in regards to the other location, though the process should remain the same.

It is now time to modify the metal plate and the lower bezel to allow the manual hand throttle to fit. Let’s start with the metal plate. Using the Dremel or grinder, notch out the portion of the metal plate that had been previously marked. If you are locating the manual throttle in a different location, carefully measure and mark that location. Cut out the alternate location you are using. Alternatively, you can remove the metal plate entirely.

Once you have successfully modified the metal plate, it can be re-installed with the four 10mm bolts. Test the fitment of the manual throttle cable through the hole and notch in the metal plate. You should have plenty of room to adjust the cable up, down, and sideways.

So now it comes to the point of no return…cutting your factory lower bezel. If you are installing the manual throttle in a different location than the factory one, you are going to have to be careful in your measuring and / or marking for the location of the knob. Triple check so that you don’t inadvertently put a hole in the wrong spot.

However, if you are installing the manual throttle control knob in the factory location, you can locate it one of two ways. Looking at the face of the bezel, you can measure with a tape measure 2 7/16” from the outside edge of the bezel and make a small mark. Then hook your tape onto the top of the left opening for the fuel access door handle and measure up 2 13/16”. The intersection of those two measurements is the location for the manual throttle.

Or, you can look at the picture below and locate the manual throttle per the view there. You have room to play with the manual throttle, but it is not as much as you would think.

Once you have finalized the location, pre-drill the hole with the Dremel and the universal cutter or a 1/8” bit. Feel free to put things a little bit together to see how the fitment is. If you are happy with the placement, cut or drill the hole to the finished size of 7/16”. You have a little bit of play within the diameter of the 7/16” bit to get the location exact.

Once the final 7/16” hole is drilled, you can temporarily install the manual throttle cable and double-check fitment. You may have to cut off a portion of the plastic ribs on the backside of the bezel to make sure it fits flush. The location I drilled fits just snug right within the two ribs.

The next step is to re-install the lower bezel. I would recommend leaving the manual throttle loose at this point. First, plug in the five electrical connections (or however many you have) that were previously unplugged. Then double-check that all clips are still in position and haven’t fallen off (most won’t, but the one on the lower right is a loose clip, so it can come off).

Now comes a little bit of a tricky part. You have to re-install the bezel behind the fabric trim on the left side of the dash. The bezel has an edge that turns 90 degrees and is supposed to slip behind this trim. I found this to be extremely hard to do and wished I had some interior trim tools, especially one that had a 90 degree turn on it. I was finally able to finagle it with a flat screwdriver and some luck. It is helpful to have the manual throttle loose at this point so you have some flexibility in movement.

Once the left side of the bezel is behind the fabric trim, it is just a matter of pushing the bezel and clips into place. They popped into place pretty easily for me. Make sure that everything is tight and snug to avoid any squeaks and creaks. Move the fuel access door and hood release handles back into their correct locations. Re-install the four screws by the handles. Re-install the lower screw at the lower left of the bezel.

Now that the bezel is re-installed, take the hex nut from the kit and install onto the manual throttle from the face side of the bezel. Tighten with a 14mm long socket or a wrench.

Take the manual throttle control knob and align the keyed end of the cable with the opening in the knob. Press the knob on to install it. It should click on. Once installed, the knob will extend about 1 ¼” from the face of the bezel.

That should wrap it up! Double-check that you don’t have any loose hardware or that you forgot to re-install something. Also make sure that the throttle cable doesn’t interfere with anything.