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Axle rust

Stuart1909

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Jan 26, 2020
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Hi, I've just looked at a 2003 Land Cruiser J120 with the intension of buying it. Its generally in good condition and everything works well. The only thing that concerns me is the rear axle is covered in rust. Should I be worried about this? It still feels solid and the rest of the car seems ok.
 
Well to be fair it rather depends upon what you really mean by it being covered in rust. It's a 17 year old car after all. Thick heavy scales of rust isn't good, but light surface rust is pretty normal.
 
Is it definitely just the axle that's rusty or is that just the obvious part that was visible without having access to look at the sills and chasis? Did you get under it and look at the sills and chasis. If it's just the axle at least you can replace it at a later stage if needed as opposed to the chasis, but as said, if it's just surface rust you could wire brush it off straight away and start rust protecting it now. If heavily rusted and if you can't replace the axle yourself or don't want the hassle then don't buy it.

What are these 120 series like in general regards rust, it'd be good to hear as I'm considering 1 of these after my 90 series and often wondered how'd they'd compare rust-wise.
 
Thanks for that. Yea there's a few small rust spots as expected but generally pretty good. None on Chassie and sills. I seen you can buy an axle if it needs one so Im covered if I do need to get one.
 
Chassis behind axle is prone so check that carefully, especially the fairly hidden cross member, so if the axle is all there is it sounds like a good one.
The weak point is the body inner sills, front and rear where they get weathered heavily from the wheels kicking up salt and dirt, the exposed sections between the side steps and main chassis rails, easily seen, these can actually perforate if left untreated so worth cavity treating too.

Axle wouldn't worry me unduly, as said so long as its just a bit of surface rust which can be treated regularly, if its thick chunks flaking off then a new casing might be on the cards at some point, luckily they don't have the same weak point at the top of the damper turrets the 90 suffered.
I had a 90 before, had no intention of changing but the present 120 leaped out at me and i bought thing same morning the ad went live, no regrets and no wish to move on...not enough funds for 200 series and not sure i'd want to pay the ludicrous prices for used examples if i did have the dosh going spare.

I've moved more recently to using ACF50 every year, it doesn't mask rust like waxoyl type treatments do so you can keep an eye on how things are going.
 
I have just spent 20 hours this week wire brushing with hand wire brush large and small , a drill wire brush and a angle grinder wire brush that I used on the axle , used a litre of jelonite rust rust killer and 2.5 litres of black Waxoyl on the whole chassis , under belly , axles and lidl anti rust paint on the under front wheel archers and inner wings and batteries areas in the engine bay , removed the bash plates and treated them with wire brush and jelonite on both sides and the lidl antirust paint on both sides then I had to paint the lower wish bones to match the rest coz the my 120 spent 8 years of its life in yorkshire in the UK , the rust was very light compared to some I have seen in the UK , its a messy job getting waxoyl in your hair , eyes , ears and all your whole body doing the job bare backed and just shorts and flip flops as it is around 30 centigrade here , every day I got stick from the wife coming in the house looking like I fell in a tar bath , thought I would do it before full summer temps rise to around 38 next month although we had the hottest may on record reaching 42 in in mid may ,anyway I am sure glad its all done , and as Ants on fourby4diesel says it now looks beautiful and now that we are living in Cyprus it should stay that way coz cars here just do not rust .
 
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Having seen your chassis Tony its far better than average. It should last forever now as the climate is in its favour. Some of the Cyprus supplied Collies and 120's I've seen the chassis were like new with zero rust and Starship mileage. I spray mine regularly with motorcycle chain lube, costs about £8 everytime I do it and it makes a really effective barrier.

Mud and road dust can get trapped in the last 2' of the chassis and hold moisture, rotting from the inside out, this should be checked when viewing as its a problem in waiting.
 
I agree Andy , Mark who lives nextdoor to me his Lc90 is a 1997 reg and its just like brand new underneath not one spec of rust .
 
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