| Author | Message | ||
     John Davies (John_davies2) New Member Username: John_davies2 Post Number: 22 Registered: 02-2003 |
For the hell of it, yesterday I test drove a new (2002 model) Land Cruiser that I saw on sale at a local dealer. I have always been interested in these trucks, but had never even sat in one before then. It was equipped with every yuppie option including gold badging, running boards and $3000 nav system. The price was reduced from US$59K to US$48K. I was very impressed with the quality, comfort and solidity of the truck. I won't buy one for several reasons (including the price) but was wondering.... What can be done to make these newer IFS trucks more off-roadable? Max tire size with stock suspension? Aftermarket suspension kits? Rear bumper/ tire rack? I am probably going to get a new Disco II S, but I think a Land Cruiser might be my second choice, especially if we in the USA could get a model with cloth seats, diesel engine and manual •••••• like they do in other parts of the world. Anyone wheeled with an IFS LC? Is there a Toyota website that has tech info on new models? Comments? TIA. | ||
| Steve (Steve2) New Member Username: Steve2 Post Number: 33 Registered: 09-2002 |
john the 100 series landcrusher is a great truck. though in oz you can get them with diesel, manual trans and most importantly - solid axles. even the mall crawler softie we get here is not too bad once fixed up. the ifs will give you a really nice ride and the toyota ifs is much better than a isuzu ifs....imho. you can lift it 1.5" with an ome setup. and a nice set of 285/75 16's would be a good tire without going over the top. a nice snorkel would top it off very well as well as the arb roo bar looks the business. (much nicer design than the soviet shoe design we get for our disco's) however the arb roof rack will not fit as the us bound trucks have a slightly different roof than the australian ones. which is too bad as the rack looks awesome!! aparently they will wheel very nicely - perhaps a good roof top tent would be the ticket. nice trucks! steve | ||
| David Morin (Sporin) New Member Username: Sporin Post Number: 22 Registered: 02-2003 |
I'd prefer a nice pre-97 truck with the 4.5 liter Straight-six and optional locking diffs (front, center and rear). Even better build quality (IMO), bigger aftermarket, better off road even stock, solid axles, and under $20k. http://carad0.ipixmedia.com/abc/carad/9686920x644949/644949-03212003152619-1.JPG | ||
| Joe Jack (Bigjoejack) New Member Username: Bigjoejack Post Number: 1 Registered: 04-2003 |
I'm actually leaning towards a UZJ100 Landcruiser. They have a center locking diff and a reliability factor that the DiscoII doesn't have. Check out Sleeoffroad.com for sliders, bumpers, etc... and do a search for Drexx UZJ100. This guy has his lifted, snorkel and wheeling pics of his 2001. I would think a 2000 or 2001 would be a better deal since the depreciation "hit" has been taken by someone else. | ||
| John Davies (John_davies2) New Member Username: John_davies2 Post Number: 23 Registered: 02-2003 |
I have been studying the '95 through '97 Series 80s, and they sound like a good choice, though I was not really wanting a vehicle that old. I ran across several articles on the Safari turbo system for these trucks. 340 bhp and 425 ft lbs! The kit is US$4250 from the one source I checked. My only reservation about the six is that the truck is so slow....I guess a turbo would fix that. How common are GM V8 swaps in the Land Cruiser? Does the trannie need to be replaced? Would that be a viable option? Any comments? | ||
| Andy Thoma (Andythoma) Member Username: Andythoma Post Number: 116 Registered: 01-2003 |
Problem is find one of those pre-97's that has the factory lockers and find one that a owner isn't charging a way over market value, because he nows he can get that amount. I guess I'm just a little bitter, I tried hard to get one before I bought my rover. My discovery was a much better buy for the dollar verses what you can get in a LC of the same vintage. My only issue with them (other than costing to much used) was they are larger than a D1 or RRC, could be a problem on trails? But if I could get a diesel, factory snorkle and hand throttle, lockers with a rubber and cloth interior ... ahh to dream of what we don't get in this country because of what market "experts" think. | ||
| John Davies (John_davies2) New Member Username: John_davies2 Post Number: 24 Registered: 02-2003 |
Andy, I'm a little confused. One source (I can't recall which website - maybe Edmunds) claims that front and rear lockers were standard equipment from '94 through '97. The center diff was lockable from '92 on. Is this not correct? How can you identify a LC locking axle - does it have an electrical cable going to the diff, or is it air operated? Where are the switches located? Thanks for any additional info. | ||
| Joe Jack (Bigjoejack) New Member Username: Bigjoejack Post Number: 2 Registered: 04-2003 |
Here is the website: http://www.pbase.com/drexx | ||
| ART RAMANATA (Art_rolover) New Member Username: Art_rolover Post Number: 1 Registered: 03-2003 |
Check out this site,very good info on FJ80 and FJ100 landcriusers. http://www.sleeoffroad.com/index.html Art | ||
| Joe M. (Little_joe) Member Username: Little_joe Post Number: 96 Registered: 11-2002 |
"Andy, I'm a little confused. One source (I can't recall which website - maybe Edmunds) claims that front and rear lockers were standard equipment from '94 through '97. The center diff was lockable from '92 on. Is this not correct? How can you identify a LC locking axle - does it have an electrical cable going to the diff, or is it air operated? Where are the switches located? " The 80 Series debuted in the US in 91. It's always had a locking center diff. I believe it was 93 when the front and rear eletric lockers were first introduced here, through 97 (last year of the 80). You can ID one w/ the e-locking diffs by the rotary switch on the left side of the dash. E-lockers were an option, also available on the LX450. 91-92 had the 160hp I-6, 1993 was the first year of the 4.5L I-6 212hp 300 ft lbs. I found that most owners have no idea of the e-locker model value. One owner told me his Cruiser drove funny with them on, so he never used them again. But as stated, I couldn't find a 95ish FZJ80 that wasn't completely trashed for even a reasonable price, so I bought a Disco. joe | ||
| Andy Thoma (Andythoma) Member Username: Andythoma Post Number: 122 Registered: 01-2003 |
Unfortunity here in Utah people know the value of those lockers, or at least all the ones I found. I drove a 80 that had the locks, it had that rotory switch. The guy wanted $17k for it, it was optioned up to the max with 125K miles on it. The same dealer had my 95 D1 that had only 79k miles on it and I got it for $8100. This was like two years ago now. I really liked that crusier, nice truck. I looked at other ones, but they all looked used hard and had high miles. Everyone was way more expensive than the discovery I got. I'm not cheap mind you, I just couldn't justify spending lots of money on a truck I planned on using offroad. I would modify any truck I got, so I wanted to spend money on mods, not just the purchase of the truck. Older than 92, it seemed to me all cruisers had rust issues, at least here in Utah. Got to love living next to a inland water body that has a higher salt content than the ocean. If you can find a good reasonable cruiser, I'd say get it checked out and seriousily consider it. Although it is a Toyota, its a complex truck just like a rover, and it needs its maintenence, and can suffer just like a rover. Seemed to me most cruiser owners didn't take the time to maintain them, at least out here in Utah. | ||
| Alex Moore (Landvagabund) New Member Username: Landvagabund Post Number: 18 Registered: 02-2003 |
If I had the guts, I would import a new Land Cruiser 78 from somewhere. I know Australia uses them alot. http://www.lc78.toyota.com.au/LandCruiser78/Portal/Article/0,1551,12-25-282,00.h tml There's a good pic of it with the "Troop Carrier" body... pretty tough truck, I think. | ||
| Pete Stefano (Pete_s) New Member Username: Pete_s Post Number: 28 Registered: 02-2003 |
I would love to have dual tanks on my LR | ||
| Todd W. McLain (Ganryu) Member Username: Ganryu Post Number: 193 Registered: 10-2002 |
Alex, You don't need to think, the 70's ARE tough trucks. I consider my LJ78 to be more than a match for my Disco, and it doesn't even have CDL. | ||
| Greg French (Gregfrench) Senior Member Username: Gregfrench Post Number: 337 Registered: 11-2002 |
In your opinion, which is a better off road vehicle: 80 or 60/62? I love the looks of the 60/62, but wouldn't want to sacrifice off road performance. I know they have leafs in th rear, where 80's have coils all around | ||
| Todd W. McLain (Ganryu) Member Username: Ganryu Post Number: 194 Registered: 10-2002 |
Greg, Given your choices, I'd have to go with a straight-axle 80, however, I would take a factory-locked HZJ74 with the FRP top and the 4.2L TDI over any 80. I put a Land Cruiser 70 up there with the G-Wagons. Heck, other than a few minor changes, the new ones are not that much different from the original 70's that first rolled out in 1984. |
