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80 Series LC

24K views 38 replies 24 participants last post by  Land Pirates Off Road 
#1 ·
I am seriously considering buying a 96-97 LC or Lx450. I mentioned this to a friend and he thought these had issues. This was the first I have heard of this and want to confirm.
How reliable is this year 80 series and what type (if any) of issues do they have?
 
#2 ·
#4 ·
Nice post Shipmate!
 
#3 ·
The 80 series Land Cruiser is, I believe, the most reliable vehicle in the planet. I have seen this rig in every part of the world that I have visited and being used for all types of terrain and mainly expedition/exploration type of driving. Some 80s are fitted with front and rear locking differentials.

Now, as far as the North American issued 80 Series LC/LX450, the only main issue that I know of is the headgasket. If you are mechanically incline and can wrench yourself, then you can perform Preventive Maintenance in your garage to keep your 80 in tip top shape that will last more than 300k miles.

I'm about to buy a second 80 for me so I can give my LX450 to my wife. I just missed one on craiglist that was my dream 80, a 40th anniversary edition sage metallic equipped with f/r locking differentials and ARB winch bumper with 33" BFG all terrain tires. I'm still looking for one though.
 
#6 ·
Bought mine after I sold my 2004 Tacoma. Love it, and won't get another truck to wheel with until it blows up. F&R lockers, seating for 7, good engine.

If you are worried about mileage, don't get one ;) After my lift and 35's, I went to 12-14mpg at best. Get one because it wheels like no other.
 
#8 ·
What he said...same situation here. Sold '03 Taco and got a 97 LX. The thing is a beast and takes one hell of a beating. I would not get one as a daily driver if you have to drive any more than 10-15 miles to work unless you have unlimited funds for fuel.
 
#9 ·
ran upon this thread today. i am contemplating putting a '97 LC axle under my 06 DC after the front HP44 swap and had a couple questions.

how large are the axle shafts spline-wise?? I was thinking they were 30 spline. For now this seems like a good option, because my axle now also has the e-locker, so it would be very easy to get under there and NOT have to worry about running more air line for a rear ARB like i have in front....and it'd be cheaper. planning on running 37-38" tires.
 
#10 ·
Running that size tires with the e-locker might not be a great idea. Some folks on the Mud board have found that if you manage to break and e locker rear axle shaft, the splines tend to twist where the locker engages, and this prevents you from removing the broken piece of shaft and sometimes the 3rd as well. A couple folks have had to cut into the housing with a torch to get the thing apart.

That being said, all of these instances were with 37s or bigger, and with people either wheeling A LOT, or not being careful. Not sure how the DC compares weight wise to the 80, but this is something to think about.
 
#11 ·
yeah, thats what ive found also. my wheeling style is pretty easy, not alot of skinny pedal until i absolutely have to. im either going this way or with a ford 9".....if i can find one.
 
#12 ·
good rigs

These are good rigs, Ive had a couple of them myself. Now you can get one inexpensively and if you compare numbers, they are quite cost effective to build:
used fzj80 with factory lockers
3-4" lift
35" tires
4.88 gears
that simple you got a hell for stout rig with lockers and 35" tires that will hold up!. Try that with a jeep.
 
#13 · (Edited)
anyone make chomoly axles for these?? surely they do.

edit: yep, poly perf makes chromoly rear axles. that should solve the twisting axle part. from what ive researched in the last day or so, the elocker isnt the problem, becuase the shaft twists and/or breaks first. i think most of these are guys running a 7000# LC with 37's or bigger and using a fair amount of gas. im thinking of just slapping some chromo's in and running it......MUCH cheaper than any other custom option like a ford 9"
 
#14 ·
The E locker itself was never the problem, just that the shafts in e locker axles are prone to this. I didn't know that poly perf made the elocker shafts....hmm..
 
#15 ·
i didnt see if the shafts were e-locker specific....never thought to. if not a good way to go might be to get the rear axle (if its NOT an e-locked axle), get the currie housing, an ARB, and just swap all the parts from the stock axle onto the new housing.
 
#16 ·
80 is a good vehicle, I'm looking to get one as an expo rig as my Discovery is a bit to small for the amount of gear I need to carry.

IIRC at least one of the the e locker shafts is different with a longer spline.

regards

Dave
 
#17 ·
The head gaskets are known to go on these. Most do it as a PM by 150k if they haven't gone yet.
The PHH (pesky heater hose) is a pain in the ass to work on.
If you do get one, I do recommend that you work on it yourself because with it being a cruiser Mechanics see $$$ when one comes in. A front axle rebuild on one of these is a prime example parts are around $200 but if you take it to a stealership it will be upwards of $1200 for it.
 
#18 ·
I bought and sold a 1997 LC4x4 non-locked within 8 months. The engine light on most of the time. It was one thing after another with this truck and the Gas Mileage was 12 regardless of city or Highway driving. Parts are STUPID expensive. got to IH8mud.com and read for awhile. The Sleeoffroad is a great sight also. They talk about the original cost of these things near 50k and though the resale price has dipped to 10-20% of what they used to cost new, the cost of ownership remains the same. So be prepared to pay.
 
#21 ·
The '80' like all cars have an achilles heel or in the 80's case quite a few. The 80 often touted as the most bullet proof this and that ect is often just that...touted and not quite what many owners would have you believe.

The 80 can suffer from but not limited too:

Head gasket problems, big end bearing problems often at very low mileage, the CV joints can fail and in a worst case scenario lock the steering, the temperature gauge is 'damped' so only moves to very hot when it's too late and the engine is damaged because of something simple like the aforementioned 'PHH' or pesky heater hose. Electric windows tend to run slow which can be annoying and either very cheap to fix or very expensive depending on how long they have been left between repairs. The sunroof tends to leak because of a simple design fault. Check for cracks in the chassis around the steering box, this is more prevalent on early vehicles, if the model you are looking at has differential locks then check they work, this is not a design issue but more one of lack of use and again can be a cheap fix or very expensive.

Now this is not just a biased slagging of the car in fact I am looking to buy one right now for myself but it is just the plain truth, I often can be found fixing all of the above on these cars and more. These are great cars and very very tough indeed but like anything mechanical you must look after it and as maintenance costs can be high these cars are often neglected.
Look for something with a service history and try to confirm that it has not been abused off road, the length of the car is such that this car is often gets grounded so check for damage to the shielding under the fuel tank and along the sills ect, the rear bumper and surrounding panels can also take a beating. If you are not 'savvy' with cars in particular 4x4's then take someone with you who is to view it.

JDM or japanese domestic market cars can represent good value but you may find certain parts are expensive or hard to find this is more to do with things like A/C components, and interior fitments ect and recent comments from customers/friends indicate that many dealers are reluctant to put themselves out to help the owner of a JDM model.

I have been looking for the 'right' one for about three months and I can tell you I have seen sone absolute rubbish but I am sure one will come along, take your time and get it right or check your credit card limit.

regards

Dave
 
#22 ·
Perhaps it is a language problem-

"Head gasket problems"- It is only one problem. Fix it and forget it.

"big end bearing problems. . ." I have no idea what that means.

"temperature gauge is 'damped'. . . " true, put in a Scangauge, and know more than you could ever ask.

"PHH" Yep, true. Replace with HG, or just deal with it and replace it.

"Electric Windows" (Ever heard of anyone that did NOT complain about electric windows?) Are they worse than others?

"Sun roof leaks" There are drains on each side that go down the a-pillar. They fill with crud/leaves. A little judicious use of compressed air, and you're good to go. Until next time.

"...cracks in the chassis around the steering box. . ." I haven't heard of this on a 96-97 stock vehicle, but neither would I discount it. Lifted, 35-37s, rough duty, then look for EVERYTHING!

" diff locks" yep, that is right, check 'em, and then use them.

=========

One thing all LC owners know, or should know, is DO NOT tow in reverse. Your truck will thank you. So will your pocketbook. Gears are spendy little suckers!

====
Good discussion. I am fond of 80's, but like has been said, some owners think that their chosen rig is flawless. Remember, everything breaks.

Dale
 
#24 ·
I bought a 93 from a mudder this summer and couldnt be happier. The po fixed a lot of the problems mentioned above (HG PHH Birfs) so my experience has been a good one.

If youre looking to buy, browse the ih8mud classifieds and look for one that is owned by a member. The majority of these guys are super anal about their rigs so most, if not all of the known "issues" will have been dealt with.

Overall its a great rig but watch out it will end up being a new obsession.

D
 
#26 ·
Just so you are aware, the '96-97 models are essentially the same as the '93-'95 models. So there isn't much more "sought after" about a '96-97 vs one of the earlier ones.

basic points:

1993 changed to the larger 1FZ inline 6 cyl. Same motor until 1998 when the LC changed to the 100 series and the V8.

'93-94's are OBD1, '95-later are OBDII so you can add a scanguage to those.

There are cloth interiors available without power seats.

very little difference otherwise with the exception of the F/R locker option

I would say they are very reliable vehicles. My '93 has been a daily driver for the past 9 years with lots of wheeling and just finished a trip from Utah to SoCal and back with 243K miles on the clock. Still drives great.

Issues I've dealt with.....

PHH. Bit of a pain, but expected. Rubber hoses dry and crack after a while, this shouldn't be a shock to anyone.

Replaced the starter

Replaced various other hoses/belts. Pretty normal maintenance.

I had the AC compressor fail last summer and had to replace that.

Otherewise this truck has been virtually trouble free. Find one that has been well maintained and buy it. Conitnue to take good care of it and you'll be set. They really are tough. The nice thing is that as Toyota's flagship vehicle for 20+ years, the build quality is excellent. There was a reason that the 80 series were $50+K new and why the current 200 series is $70+K. They are well put together and even after all the miles and wheeling I've done in mine it still feels very tight. The doors close with a solid thump like a new vehicle. Essentially no rattles from any of the interior trim or panels. You're not going to find many 10 year old cars that are still tight like that, let alone one that is 15+ years old.

I love mine. Here's a write-up on mine from IH8MUD.
Box Rocket 1993 FZJ80
 
#27 ·
Own one, highly recommend one. Like others have said, very durable rig, little maintenance goes a long way. Very cost effective to build as well. and very very capable rigs, but they are heavy! Build thread in my sig.
 
#30 ·
Well I did get one eventually a link so that I do not have to put in all the info again: http://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/365673-my-lc-80-thread.html

It seems it has the usual problems and of course you need to work through them, my Disco had been a brilliant car and was a DD during the week with airport runs ect and at weekends was used to kick some ar*es in competition, for comparison the disco was better off road than the 80 which suffers with the wheelbase but on the road there is little to compare them, the 80 out-drives the Disco pretty much in every way and I love it.

regards

Dave
 
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