Builds 2002 HZJ76 Build (1 Viewer)

[Kroll]

Great build thread so far!

I saw your truck at 4 Wheel when you were getting the 1HZ turbo'd.
Compared to leaf sprung Cruisers, how much of a difference in smoothness have you experienced with the front coils?
Do you have any concerns regarding the fragility of the R series transmission in the 76's - especially with towing and increasing power of the 1HZ?

 

[Rigster]

Great build thread so far!

I saw your truck at 4 Wheel when you were getting the 1HZ turbo'd.
Compared to leaf sprung Cruisers, how much of a difference in smoothness have you experienced with the front coils?
Do you have any concerns regarding the fragility of the R series transmission in the 76's - especially with towing and increasing power of the 1HZ?

Hey Kroll,

I can definitively say, this is the nicest, smoothest Land Cruiser ride I have ever had. It is reasonably quiet as well. The front is still a bit on the stiff side, but then this is also the first set of Dobinson coils I have ever used, so not sure how long they will take to "settle"

I am not sure what you mean by "Fragility" of the R series transmission. I have had no issues so far, and this transmission was used in the 77 series since 1990 as well. Typically this specific tranny is sought after by 4x4 enthusiasts because it has the lowest 1st gear of all the transmissions available. When using 4-LO and 1st gear for off-road or "work" you have a veritable tractor.

I am hazarding a guess here, that you may be referring to some rumors I have heard about this transmission - that some people have experienced issues with 2nd gear. I have no first hand stories, or details on what these troubles were. I am wondering though, if it might be due to having such a low geared 1st, that many people choose to just start out in 2nd, putting more strain on it than what it is designed for? Perhaps over time, this takes its toll.

I get it, though - prior to installing the lift and 35's on the Cruiser, 1st gear seemed almost a waste of time. WITH the 35" tires though, it seems perfect starting out in 1st, and naturally working through the gears.

Pulling the trailer behind this beast, the transmission seems to perform flawlessly. So, I suspect and surmise that some of the issues people may have experienced with this particular transmission may also be related to human error on shifting, or just simple abuse. These ARE Land Cruiser's after all, and they have a reputation of taking it, and demanding more.

Time will tell, I suppose! Thanks for the feedback, take care...

 

[AirheadNut]

Actually the HZJ77 used the H55f transmission, only the PZJ7x and the LJ/KZJ's got the R series until 1999. The R transmissions are often considered "light duty" in comparison to the H transmissions, but were used behind the 1HZ from 1999 onward. They gained a poor reputation due to failure under heavy use in the HD 70-series, but I think that bad driving practices were a large part of that and anyone who doesn't drive like a knucklehead will do just fine with an R transmission. My little 1.9 TDI is putting out almost as much power and more torque than a stock 1HD-T, and I see no reason the R150f behind it isn't up to the task.

 

[Rigster]

Hmmm.... well, probably to start with and make sure we are all on the same page, comparing apples to apples, etc. it would be prudent for me to post what exactly is in my Land Cruiser to avoid confusion. Installed in my Land Cruiser is the R151f transmission, which was used in many different vehicles that Toyota makes.

Just talking Land Cruisers (it was also used in Hilux and Prado, etc, this was the years they used this tranny in:

R151F​

A 4WD transmission used in a wide range of Toyota 4x4s

Land Cruiser:
1986-1990 2LTE J70-J73
1990-2002 1HZ J70-J79
1998-2002 1HZ J100/J105

I am sure they also used others, I am not saying this is the ONLY transmission they used in the above vehicles. So it looks like mine was the last year they used this transmission. Maybe for the above complaints? Who knows. I will have to drive it and use it for a while and let you know if anything pops and fails pulling a trailer around these mountains!! If I end up having to do a tranny swap or rebuild or some such, I am sure it will fall into this thread somewhere...

 

[Gun Runner 5]

I’m running a brand new R151F and all I can say is it is one smooth shifting transmission.

 

[JuanJ]

Hmmm.... well, probably to start with and make sure we are all on the same page, comparing apples to apples, etc. it would be prudent for me to post what exactly is in my Land Cruiser to avoid confusion. Installed in my Land Cruiser is the R151f transmission, which was used in many different vehicles that Toyota makes.

Just talking Land Cruisers (it was also used in Hilux and Prado, etc, this was the years they used this tranny in:

R151F​

A 4WD transmission used in a wide range of Toyota 4x4s

Land Cruiser:
1986-1990 2LTE J70-J73
1990-2002 1HZ J70-J79
1998-2002 1HZ J100/J105

I am sure they also used others, I am not saying this is the ONLY transmission they used in the above vehicles. So it looks like mine was the last year they used this transmission. Maybe for the above complaints? Who knows. I will have to drive it and use it for a while and let you know if anything pops and fails pulling a trailer around these mountains!! If I end up having to do a tranny swap or rebuild or some such, I am sure it will fall into this thread somewhere...

Hello,

The R151F is indeed reliable. So is the R150F. Treated properly, it will last.

R15x transmissions' reputation suffered because of abuse in Australia.

Abuse kills any transmission.

Make sure you put in fresh transmission oil. If possible, change it every 40k kilometers after that, for additional peace of mind.






Juan

 

[Kroll]

Rigster,

Thanks for replying to my questions and answering them thoroughly.
My concerns stem from personal knowledge of people driving newer 70's, all of them had to either rebuild or replace their R151 transmissions anywhere from the 200K-400k mark. A tranny rebuild or replacement isn't the end of the world, but it adds cost and if it happens somewhere off the beaten path it becomes a hassle.
I'm currently in the market for a 76/77, so just trying to get a feel for the 2 models. I have driven a friend's HZJ77 extensively 10 years back, so I know how they drive, just wondering if I should pay the extra $$ and look for a 76 instead.

Cheers!

 

[Rigster]

Rigster,

Thanks for replying to my questions and answering them thoroughly.
My concerns stem from personal knowledge of people driving newer 70's, all of them had to either rebuild or replace their R151 transmissions anywhere from the 200K-400k mark. A tranny rebuild or replacement isn't the end of the world, but it adds cost and if it happens somewhere off the beaten path it becomes a hassle.
I'm currently in the market for a 76/77, so just trying to get a feel for the 2 models. I have driven a friend's HZJ77 extensively 10 years back, so I know how they drive, just wondering if I should pay the extra $$ and look for a 76 instead.

Cheers!

Hey Kroll,

No worries, I understand. When it comes to purchasing, there are many avenues to obtain machines that are imported. If you work as hard as I do for your savings (as I am sure you do) I can offer some advice based on what worked for me. Though everyone has different levels of comfort when dealing with unknowns and risk management.

I chose to import one myself, saving around $1500 in brokerage fees, purchased directly from an auction to avoid middleman/dealer markup. By doing so, I assumed a certain level of risk and responsibility that many are not necessarily willing and/or comfortable taking on. I am fairly handy, and capable of doing most work myself if I have the time, so I was willing to remedy certain shortcomings should they arise once the purchased vehicle landed in Canada.

The money I saved, I put towards getting something a little newer. No offense meant to our brothers and sisters just to the south of us, but their government made rules so they can only import vehicles older than 25yrs. So it makes sense to bid on vehicles newer than 25 yrs, but, obviously older than 15 to accommodate our own countries import rules. By doing this, you are not bidding against everyone south of the border on the same machine. In some cases you can get something for a little less that is newer as the number of people bidding is less. Make sense?

By purchasing newer, you can also mitigate the number of repairs necessary just simply due to age. This of course is highly dependent on the PO's level of care, etc. Pay particular attention to the auction inspection sheets.

Whatever you choose to do and spend your hard earned money on, you really can't go wrong owning a Land Cruiser... period. Good Luck with your search, and try to enjoy the entire journey.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

It would be interesting to know the difference in price between a clean 1996 HZJ77 and an equally clean 2006 76 Series.

 

[Rigster]

It would be interesting to know the difference in price between a clean 1996 HZJ77 and an equally clean 2006 76 Series.

Oh my!! Well, with that much spread, I am pretty sure you would see a fair jump up in price... I was thinking more along the lines of bumping up from 96 77 to a 99 76 kind of thing.

And of course, there are SO many variables involved - milage, upkeep and maintenance, rust factors, options (diff locks, automatic or standard, hubs type, winch, etc)

 

[Rigster]

Hello,

The R151F is indeed reliable. So is the R150F. Treated properly, it will last.

R15x transmissions' reputation suffered because of abuse in Australia.

Abuse kills any transmission.

Make sure you put in fresh transmission oil. If possible, change it every 40k kilometers after that, for additional peace of mind.






Juan

Thanks for the input @JuanJ , earlier in my thread you will find that I have already swapped out all the drive train oils, and was pleasantly surprised that they all came out CLEAN.... to say the least, I was pleasantly surprised. If only every auction find was this well cared for!!

 

[Loober]

Speaking from a perspective of a US land cruiser enthusiast, I don't see how a 77 versus a 76 is an either or type of question. 76 in my opinion is clearly more desirable because of its features, if given the choice most would chose it over a 77. 77's are older therefore meet the 25 year rule, and are the only option currently for the US market in a wagon. I suspect once the 76 becomes obtainable the 77 will become the red headed step child, drop in value, and everyone will be posting theirs up for sale to free up funds to acquire a 76. As a 77 owner myself, I love mine and have so much invested in it, including a front coil conversion, that I would not be interested in trading to a 76, but I know the RHD is a big deterrent for others.

Main advantageous to a 76 over a 77:
- Available in LHD
- Front coil suspension

By those alone, no way can those models be an apples to apples comparison. A 76 in poor condition, less other options like lockers, will still be more desired over a well optioned, low mileage, etc. 77 series. It will be interesting to see how the US market shifts in 2024, when the 99' models are 25 years old, unlocking the more desirable models for the "frothing" Americans.

 

[Rigster]

Ok, still in lala land waiting on parts from 2 or 3 sources... BUT - one care package from Rob @ Odd Iron Off Road came in!

Yessss! The long awaited cupholders were finally in!

I decided that since this cruiser was nicely carpeted, I would put Velcro on the bottom prior to securing it to the floor

It stuck to the carpet fairly well, but with the bumps and shakes from the backcountry trails, I figured I better secure it a little more permanently, and put a self tapping screw into the seat mounting hump.

I will unashamedly admit I wanted to go for a test drive just to try out the new holders!! LOL. Then again, I never need much of an excuse to go cruisin! I am excited by the prospect of having something that will hold more than a pop or beer can... sheesh!!

I am still considering building a right proper center console down the road, time permitting, but I have so many other priorities first. That would be a good winter project... If I do, then I can always incorporate these cupholders into it as well....

 

[Rigster]

Just before my trip to Canmore, AB to meet up with @JDM Journeys and do a mountain climb with 2 of my lads in the Rockies, some more parts came in!!

However, I was loathe to dive right in and start working on something right before a planned trip. I decided to wait until after the trip to begin some new jobs. I am still waiting on the injectors from AU. Tracking looks to put it in Canada, but it is likely sitting in a pile at customs waiting for someone to push it on through....

I have avoided any serious off road situations as in the back of my mind I knew after the 4" lift I would need to replace the rear flex brake line with, well, one that is 4" longer... the custom one I ordered made finally came in, and the replacement hard line as the existing one's unions looked pretty suspect.

As someone on these forums has been wont to say, "use the right tool!!" Well, I TRIED - I PROMISE!! But sometimes you just have to use a little more PERSUASION...

Even after heat treatment and penetrating oil, the union would not budge, the flare nut wrench stripped the head. I used the persuasion grips and ended up shearing off the brake line getting it out.

So I managed to get the old flex and #6 brake line out and started to put the new ones in, and discovered the new line did not fit the securement bracket and retaining clip...

It passed right through the bracket, so it would appear I would have to make some sort of washer or something to hold the one side and the retaining clip on the other...

 

[Rigster]

I found that a washer was a little too thick in order to still get the retaining clip on the other side, so I began rummaging through my tickle truck of unused bits and pieces. I tend to keep anything that looks like it MIGHT be useful or serve a purpose in the future...

I happened upon a little bracket that looked both sturdy and thin enough to do the trick and proceeded to drill a hole through it and test fit...

I set it in place and put the retaining clip back in and it felt good and snug!

From there is was just a matter if installing the new hard line.

Next on the list! If I needed to do the flex brake line, then I obviously needed to do the vent line for the axle. As you can see there is not a lot of extra in it after the lift:

Two brackets and a hose clamp later and I have the old one out and on the bench. The brackets and the breather valve still looked pretty good and the breather valve cap was still loose and functional, so I decided to reuse them.

 

[Rigster]

New vent line bolted in place, and longer than the old one, and reaches up to the underbelly now instead of just to the frame

 

[Rigster]

For the front, I did the same for the vent line, but the flex brake line had enough length in it already due to where it was located and did not need to be replaced with a longer one.

Had to replace both rear bleeder screws as they were clogged and non-functional. I almost didn't need a helper to bleed the lines afterwards as they almost did it all themselves.

 

[Rigster]

Sometimes it's the little things that bring the most satisfaction...

 

[JDM Journeys]

You were just jealous.

Looking good!

 

[Rigster]

You were just jealous.

Looking good!

Phil, I should never have read your thread because right after I did, I swear the next time I went to prop my hood open the clip snapped on me!! Lol