thoughts on this 80?

[paulm]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... uyersGuide

could anyone give me some advise on what to look out for on this cruiser please?

i've spoken to the owner - theyre saying the only problem is to do with the front diff - apparently it is the wrong gearing for the auto (are manuals and auto's different?) so theyve been using it primarily in 2wd. I thought these were permanent 4wd?

only the centre diff lock is working - are the others cheap to fix?

im new to this landcruiser lark so any hints/tips are most welcome

 

[Gav Peter]

I'd walk away at that price with those question marks...

You could check in with Karl Wester on prices for diffs but usually these ars sold as part of the axle...

From what they say, the front diff is kaput & to keep it moving they've dropped the prop shaft off the front, locked up the centre diff to get drive out of the rear wheels. I had to do this when my front prop screwed up recently - 2 wheel drive is ace!!!!

If the tailgate is rusting badly, you'll need to get that seem to quickly - once they start, they go quickly as I have learned to my cost...

It wouldn't be for me this one - the ad is far from fair if it has the problems mentioned

IMHO

 

[paulm]

thanks Gav,
as said I'm new to all this 4x4 lark, so i didnt really understand all that was being said - i think i'll go and have a look tomorrow and hopefully it will make more sense - i'm not too bad with the spanners, but having only worked on fwd hatches i'm not too sure how complex replacing diffs will be!
although he did say the problems only arose after the ad was put up, so there's bound to be room for negotiation on the price!

 

[Andrew Prince]

i've spoken to the owner - theyre saying the only problem is to do with the front diff - apparently it is the wrong gearing for the auto (are manuals and auto's different?) so theyve been using it primarily in 2wd. I thought these were permanent 4wd?

As Gav has said, something is amiss here... sounds like they stuck a manual diff in there when they destroyed the original one. With the wrong diff ratio it's useless as 4wd because the front and rear wheels won't turn at the same speed. Who knows what damage might have been done to the centre diff? Unless they took the front propshaft off when they fitted the (wrong) diff, the centre diff would be compensating for much bigger speed differentials on a sustained basis => viscous coupling is probably toast...

only the centre diff lock is working - are the others cheap to fix?

NO! Gav and others can tell you what new diff-lock actuators (presumably the cause of the non-functioning lockers) cost. Something like £500 each!

im new to this landcruiser lark so any hints/tips are most welcome

Walk away with your notes firmly grasped in your sweaty palm or if you're brave, bargain down the price and be prepared for some expensive work and probably some further nasty surprises... I think walk away!

 

[Gav Peter]

Go & have thrutchel at it Paul - best to have a look at as many as possible before you do buy your dream machine

As Andy has pointed out, yup, them difflock actuators are molto pennies... People have stripped them down & got them going again if they are faulty - thats the axle lockers BTW. If he's driving in 2WD then the centre diff is (presumably) working as it should. With regard to difflockers though, they are only really required for tough offroading - if this is going to be a roadbound truck, not really necessary. I go out laning with a guy who hasn't had a locked axle in his life - he goes everwhere I go but with more momentum as required!!! (Are you reading Kay Dubbleyuh!!! )

Replacing axle diffs themselves is not too tricky - finding replacements might be. I did mine on me back a few weeks ago - I should have done more bench press training beforehand!!!

However, back to your man with the truck for sale, its amazing how these problems crop up the day the trucks are advertised though eh Go in with your eyes wide open & don't beleive a word he says & you'll be fine ;-)

Let us know how you get on

 

[paulm]

advise heeded with regards to this one! however i might go and have a gander anyway!

here's another one which is local to me - it does look in good nick, although is it in too good nick?!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1992-TOYOTA-LANDC ... 2a0f4a7e93

same ad as

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p

edit: i'm hoping to do overlanding to morocco, scandanavia, and ultimately mongolia, so hopefully i'll be able to find something where everything is working...

if anyone fancies a challenge then the criteria are pretty simple - diesel, 80 series, under 4.5ish k. oh, and if it works that would be great!

 

[paulm]

actually theyre not the same are they - my mistake.

think they both need a viewing

 

[Andrew Prince]

If I'm not mistaken those are both 15" wheels (the '91 might have 16" Colorado rims now but it would have been 15" originally) which means smaller brakes, which aren't great.
The mileage on the '92 sounds a bit fishy but it does look quite clean and having all those bits replaced is a positive. If EVERYTHING works perfectly (windows, diff-locks, smooth gear-shifts) and you can convince yourself that the mileage is half-genuine, that is not such a bad price.

Remember the 80 is built to do big miles, so they usually look much tidier than than miles would suggest. It's amazing how many ancient 80s have come on the market lately with low miles (<150k) but scruffy as hell

As Gav said it's worth looking at a few just to get your eye in but none of those you've listed so far would have me poised to hand over cash

 

[jaykayuk]

that guy always seem to sell landcruisers at the lowest prices...hoever no feedback has ever been given regarding those

my brother went once to have a look last year .. the guy didnt have the V5 and he got it cos the owner owed him money..we didnt bother therafter

btw. on the autotrader ad his dealership name is a single letter 'a' ?????? and note number plates in most of his ads are covered.

very dodgy indeed

 

[paulm]

Noted Jaykay.

Do larger brakes fit straight on? Is there a visible difference between the larger and smaller brakes (or would i have to take a tape?)

Think I'll head over there and have a look this evening with an open mind!

 

[Gav Peter]

I think the larger brakes will go straight on but I don't know for sure. You will have to change the wheels as well if you do upgrade brakes - mind you, I know folk who have ground bits off the calipers to get them to fit inside the 15" wheels but for your intended purpose of overlanding etc Paul, I don't think thats a good way to start the project

 

[paulm]

it wouldnt be much different to my previous projects as long as i dont grind the wheel out to get the brakes to fit...

 

[Chris]

I would suggest that you have to be very realistic about what you can get now. Unless you have the luck of the 'Eyerish' or a rich Aunty dies and leave you an old car in the barn that she forgot she'd bought brand new, then you'll be fighting for a good one like the rest of us. From my perspective, I would go for one with better bodywork and interior. Mechanicals can all (mostly) be fixed. Plenty of spare parts around. As long as it's not a rust bucket underneath and the front swivels don't look like old cannon balls, most parts should be simply consumables. Not saying that this will come cheap, but fixable nonetheless. Once you start chasing body work, it's a slippery slope. Unless your Aunty's husband happened to own a body shop too.

Some may disagree and say screw the body work and interior, get one with fantastic mechanicals. Well realistically, you are unlikely to get one that has been so badly used inside and out but kept in tip top condition down below.

If you are buying a 12 valve there is a pretty good chance that it has not had its big end bearings changed. Unless there is specific evidence to the contrary. Do NOT take a nice quiet engine that's been looked after as ANY kind of indication on the BEB condition. It doesn't work like that. They will HAVE to be changed if you are anywhere close to 100k on the clock. Worth taking a 24mm socket with you. Pull the front filler plug on the axle and see if there is any oil in there. If there is and it's not running out of the ends of the swivels then you stand a chance of it being a quite good axle. If there is oil running down the tyres, it's no biggie, but it will be your first job with the spanners.

Look forward to seeing what you buy. We're here to help.

Chris

 

[paulm]

right.
just got back from seeing this guy. both of the ones i linked had been sold, and there was another (yes another) grey 80 vx there. i think this guy buys them from the local toyota garage when theyve come in as px's.
exterior wise, pretty sound. there wasnt any damage, but the usual rust spots on the boot had been fillered and painted (fairly badly) although im sure that could be tarted up a bit if needed. the paint on the roof had faded badly, but if i'd been sat outside for 20 years then i think i'd be looking slightly worse for wear too!

the two front tyres were the same brand, one was round the wrong way and the two on the back were different makes.

it had leather, which had seen better days, but the mileage was showing 184k.

the aerial didnt go down
the air con didnt work (belt wasnt connected) but the light didnt go on.
the display on the auto stick didnt line up with the display on the dash - ie it showed neutral on the stick when it was showing drive on the dash.

tbh this all wouldnt have bothered me as he would have budged on price (it was up for 3800, but didnt seem too aware of the problems i've mentioned above)

On to the diff locks - whats the procedure for engaging these bad-boys? switch on the dash, the light flashes then stays constant? or do you need to engage drive for a bit. As a 4x4 noob i really have no idea so this kind of threw me.

the lights just kept flashing when in P, and then i got confused with the auto box display so kinda gave up and left him to it.

didnt really feel like continuing poking round if i didnt know what the diff locks were supposed to do.

if someone could explain for me that would be superb!

back to this guy, hopefully he's getting a few more in, but all the paperwork lined up, service history was mostly there with all the stamps in the book. it was at aug 92 with 16's.

still on the lookout if anyone spots any good un's

 

[paulm]

also... sorry for all the questions...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Toyota-Landcruise ... 3f0900d2fb

how much would it cost to get that tailgate up to scratch again?

and is 200k starting to get excessive?

 

[joinerman]

Hi Paul, tailgates beyond repair, cheaper to get a second hand one, also i see your in St Albans, don't be tempted to have a look at anything at Oakleigh garage in Chesham, avoid like the plague.

 

[paulm]

yep, steering clear of them!

do s/hand tailgates come up regularly?

 

[joinerman]

Karl Wester's ya man on here for a tailgate.