Sean's 80 build discussion. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Sean K.
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Both ends of the 80 are cuttable. My '93 is almost TWO FEET shorter than the typical outfitted 80 and it makes a difference. Spike can attest. He's got a shortened rig too.
Look at a 80 vs loaded 100 length-wise. The 100 is 5" longer than an equally outfitted 80-series. It's amazing what difference this makes on the trail:
Word.
-Spike
-Spike
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2004
- Threads
- 274
- Messages
- 23,233
- Location
- Chandler, AZ
- Website
- www.tontorecreationalliance.org
- Thread starter
- #7
Thanks for the info. Is the steering box on the outside of the frame (like on the IFS trucks from 86-95.5) or inside?
Also, what's the belly like on the FJ80s? Do they have any type of drop crossmember or are they relatively flat belly'd? Just wondering how hard it would be to flat belly one or if you'd have to do a drivetrain lift first.
What's the biggest tire you guys would recommend on the stock axles (preferably with the factory lockers)? What's the lowest ring and pinion available? Would a 37" radial be pushing it too far? Does Longfield make cryo'd shafts and birfields for it?
If you can't tell
....I'm considering an 80 for my next project. If this is the wrong place to ask all this....just let me know and I'll start a new thread. Thanks,
Sean
Doesn't Phil's black blingmobile have all that and more?
- Thread starter
- #9
Maybe he'll bring to the Sonic meet in January?
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2004
- Threads
- 5
- Messages
- 148
- Location
- East Valley, Arizona
- Website
- offroader5.freeservers.com
Phil's was the clean black one you had to have seen at one of the Sonic meets. Full int. cage, bumpers front and rear, sliders, and all clean...it spends very little time dirty really
- Thread starter
- #12
Phil's was the clean black one you had to have seen at one of the Sonic meets. Full int. cage, bumpers front and rear, sliders, and all clean...it spends very little time dirty really
I think I remember it.....wasn't it parked next to a maroon one built sorta similar?
Both were super nice.
Sean
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2004
- Threads
- 274
- Messages
- 23,233
- Location
- Chandler, AZ
- Website
- www.tontorecreationalliance.org
Thanks for the info. Is the steering box on the outside of the frame (like on the IFS trucks from 86-95.5) or inside?
Also, what's the belly like on the FJ80s? Do they have any type of drop crossmember or are they relatively flat belly'd? Just wondering how hard it would be to flat belly one or if you'd have to do a drivetrain lift first.
What's the biggest tire you guys would recommend on the stock axles (preferably with the factory lockers)? What's the lowest ring and pinion available? Would a 37" radial be pushing it too far? Does Longfield make cryo'd shafts and birfields for it?
If you can't tell
Thanks,
Sean
The steering box is outside of the frame. Belly is almost flat. 37's are becoming common, a few are running larger. The lowest gear that I have seen is 5.29. Longfield makes shafts and birfields for them.
Depending on what you are looking for in this buggy, the 80 may or may not be a good platform to start with. It's a heavy pig, the drive train does a good job of pushing it around and is very reliable, making for a very capable, comfortable expedition rig. But due to it's bulk it's never going to be a great dedicated rock crawler.
If you start a new thread on this subject you will probably get more input.
- Thread starter
- #14
Kevin,
Thanks again for providing info. I'm okay with underpowered.....at least for now. I'm running a little 116 hp 22RE in my buggy and it's a heavy pig too (for what it is). I make up for what the engine lacks in gearing (265:1)....I asked a while back about crawl boxes for the 80 and found out there is an option available.
I don't really know which way I'll go yet....I'd like to see more on the trail as well as some of my other 4 door choices, but I've always like the 80 series LC.
Thanks again,
Sean
Thanks again for providing info. I'm okay with underpowered.....at least for now. I'm running a little 116 hp 22RE in my buggy and it's a heavy pig too (for what it is). I make up for what the engine lacks in gearing (265:1)....I asked a while back about crawl boxes for the 80 and found out there is an option available.
I don't really know which way I'll go yet....I'd like to see more on the trail as well as some of my other 4 door choices, but I've always like the 80 series LC.
Thanks again,
Sean
Depends on what your 'project' is. If you're looking for a dependable drivetrain and room for the family and gear, pluc A/C, you could build a pretty capable rock-crawling 80. You would want one with open diffs and put air lockers in them for an extreme rig- if you twist the splines on an e-lockered rear axle it's impossible to remove the shaft without cutting the housing. The air locker does away with that. People have proven that 40 inch tires are possible with some cutting at around 6 inches of lift. Upgraded axle components are recommended with any tire over 37 inches, and obviously that depends on your gearing and environment. The front has a high pinion diff and has been 3 linked by a few people- the radius arms are somewhat restrictive to articulation. The rear 4 link articulates pretty well stock, and can be improved. You'd have to look at the front frame and see how far forward you could move the axle- I don't know about 0 degrees, but I don't build buggies, either. Honestly, the rig is pretty long already, and if you stretched the wheel base I doubt if you could drag the belly over whatever obstacle you got yourself on that required 0 degrees, but then again, I don't drive buggies either. A crawler box that bolts to the existing t-case is available for around $3K (see http://www.marks4wd.com/products/gearmaster/Cruiser-Crawler.htm ), it requires some mods- either to the gas tank, a body lift, or both, I don't remember for sure. Nice thing about it is it uses the stock driveshafts- it's an add-on to your existing case and gives you an air-actuated 3:1 low range that can be used with the t-case in high or low range, giving you something close to an 8:1 final with both in low. Either shorten the frame rails, or bob the rear- don't know if that's ever been done or not. I know they've been 'truggied'- search the 80 forum for Slee's yellow rig. No matter what you do, the thing is going to be big. I wouldn't think it would be a good platform for a buggy, but if you're thinking of a rig you could tow the buggy with, bring your gear and friends/family in, and have some fun in the rocks, it would definitely do that.
-Spike
A crawler box that bolts to the existing t-case is available for around $3K (see http://www.marks4wd.com/products/gearmaster/Cruiser-Crawler.htm ), it requires some mods- either to the gas tank, a body lift, or both, I don't remember for sure. Nice thing about it is it uses the stock driveshafts- it's an add-on to your existing case and gives you an air-actuated 3:1 low range that can be used with the t-case in high or low range, giving you something close to an 8:1 final with both in low. Either shorten the frame rails, or bob the rear- don't know if that's ever been done or not. I know they've been 'truggied'- search the 80 forum for Slee's yellow rig. No matter what you do, the thing is going to be big. I wouldn't think it would be a good platform for a buggy, but if you're thinking of a rig you could tow the buggy with, bring your gear and friends/family in, and have some fun in the rocks, it would definitely do that.-Spike
Phil's 80 was built my Beli Merchovic. I seen it on one of my first trail runs in the 100. Nice...here it is:
- Thread starter
- #17
Depends on what your 'project' is. If you're looking for a dependable drivetrain and room for the family and gear, pluc A/C, you could build a pretty capable rock-crawling 80. You would want one with open diffs and put air lockers in them for an extreme rig- if you twist the splines on an e-lockered rear axle it's impossible to remove the shaft without cutting the housing. The air locker does away with that. People have proven that 40 inch tires are possible with some cutting at around 6 inches of lift. Upgraded axle components are recommended with any tire over 37 inches, and obviously that depends on your gearing and environment. The front has a high pinion diff and has been 3 linked by a few people- the radius arms are somewhat restrictive to articulation. The rear 4 link articulates pretty well stock, and can be improved. You'd have to look at the front frame and see how far forward you could move the axle- I don't know about 0 degrees, but I don't build buggies, either. Honestly, the rig is pretty long already, and if you stretched the wheel base I doubt if you could drag the belly over whatever obstacle you got yourself on that required 0 degrees, but then again, I don't drive buggies either.
-Spike
Spike,
Great info on the electric lockers....exactly what I needed to know. For sheer cost, I was contemplating 37" MTRs (or similar radials) w/ locks, Longfields and the stock electric lockers (obviously a gear change to something in the 5+:1 range), but after hearing about the shafts seizing up, I'll definitely go with my original plan of F/R 35 spline D60s and hydro assist.
I'd defintely use a 3 link/panhard up front and probably a double triangulated 4 link in back (but possibly another 3 link....depending on space and gas tank issues).
Really, I wouldn't mind lengthening the WB to 120-125". My buggy is 110" and I kinda wish it was longer for the big climbs. If I could keep the frame rail height at around 24-27"at 125" WB, I think it would do just fine.
I've thought about bobbing an 80 or a 4Runner, but I kinda hate to give up the cargo space, so most likely, I'd just move the rear axle back towards the rear for a zero departure there too.....as long as the WB didn't start getting ridiculous.
I'm definitely not looking to build a buggy out of an 80, nor am I looking to tow with it....I have a Cummins for that job and a buggy already. Mainly, I'm wanting something I could DD, could road trip to Moab and Colorado in, and could lend out to friends/family when they're in town if we all wanted to do some wheeling. Also, I don't have kids now, but I just got married and if/when they come along, I need more than the two seater I have now. I'm not looking to even attempt to build something as capable as my buggy.....just something I could run a trail like Highway to Hell with and not worry about much other than a little rock rash.
So, with all that in mind would a 4Runner be a better fit? We already own a 99 with the 3.4L V6 that we bought new at the end of 98. Super reliable....it's my wife's DD. My choice is buy her a new car and build the Runner or keep the Runner as her DD and buy something else to build....like an 80. Her Runner gets good mileage (about 26 mpg on the highway).....pretty sure the 80's don't do that well. Anyone got a rough estimate of mileage for an 80 with stock size (around 31-32") tires?
Sean
- Thread starter
- #18
Phil's 80 was built my Beli Merchovic. I seen it on one of my first trail runs in the 100. Nice...here it is:
Ya, I remember that one from the Sonic meet. Actually, I remember the sliders.....isn't that an RPM or Randy Ellis design (where it has the slots cut out for the high lift's 'tongue' )?
Are those 35's in the pic? They don't look big enough to be 37s.......
Nice lookin' rig regardless.
Sean
The 80 build discussion.
Stock 80 gets at best 15 MPG. T-cases are gear driven AFAIK (never been in one, but that's what I hear). The things that make an 80 better than a 4Runner are SFA, rear floating axle (93+), tractor engine built to go forever (I always cite the ~9 quart oil capacity as just one example of the 'overbuild' design mentality that went into the engine, there are other examples as well), bus transmission (literally damn near the same tranny used in my Mitsubishi cab-over work truck, and buses from what I hear), full-time 4wd, more room inside, and a whole bunch of overengineering to make the truck reliable, for example the centrifugal air cleaner that removes much of the dirt before it hits the filter, and the double tranny cooler (radiator and external) plus steering fluid cooler loop and oil cooler, just to name a couple. Some of these advantages will obviously not concern you, like the SFA, because you'll be rectifying them anyway. I love Toyota, and have owned several non LC Toyotas as well as 4 LC's. I tend to think of LC's as a whole different car company, a step above Toyota. The design goes beyond even Toyota's usual standards, just as Toyotas in general are a step above most other manufacturers. The choice of which one to build depends on how many of those features, and others, are important to you vs. what you can do with a 4Runner base. Personally, the things the 4Runner offers are MPG and smaller size. I'd imagine the MPG won't concern you as much on 37's, and the difference between the two might be less considering the additional torque the I6 gives you- the larger tires might not affect the MPG with the extra power quite as much, although I get a steady 10 MPG with my lifted 80, while the wife gets 14 in her stock one.
-Spike
Stock 80 gets at best 15 MPG. T-cases are gear driven AFAIK (never been in one, but that's what I hear). The things that make an 80 better than a 4Runner are SFA, rear floating axle (93+), tractor engine built to go forever (I always cite the ~9 quart oil capacity as just one example of the 'overbuild' design mentality that went into the engine, there are other examples as well), bus transmission (literally damn near the same tranny used in my Mitsubishi cab-over work truck, and buses from what I hear), full-time 4wd, more room inside, and a whole bunch of overengineering to make the truck reliable, for example the centrifugal air cleaner that removes much of the dirt before it hits the filter, and the double tranny cooler (radiator and external) plus steering fluid cooler loop and oil cooler, just to name a couple. Some of these advantages will obviously not concern you, like the SFA, because you'll be rectifying them anyway. I love Toyota, and have owned several non LC Toyotas as well as 4 LC's. I tend to think of LC's as a whole different car company, a step above Toyota. The design goes beyond even Toyota's usual standards, just as Toyotas in general are a step above most other manufacturers. The choice of which one to build depends on how many of those features, and others, are important to you vs. what you can do with a 4Runner base. Personally, the things the 4Runner offers are MPG and smaller size. I'd imagine the MPG won't concern you as much on 37's, and the difference between the two might be less considering the additional torque the I6 gives you- the larger tires might not affect the MPG with the extra power quite as much, although I get a steady 10 MPG with my lifted 80, while the wife gets 14 in her stock one.
-Spike
Last edited:
