6 Day Owner Report. Good, Bad and Ugly (1 Viewer)

[DJForrestA]

Well I've had the Cruiser 6 days now and clocked about 500 miles. To recap 1992 stock, No radio, nearly bald 31x10.5x15 tires, blown right hub, 1800 dollar purchase. Well the heater in this thing could warm antarctica. I've driven 400 miles on the highway and 100 in the mountains hunting. 12 mpg is what I averaged. The truck has started and run like a champ. In low range it revs a bit between 1st and second. I don't know if the tranny is slipping but this is the only time it does it.
Low range is very low and I'm happy. I've been deer hunting here on some pretty crappy four wheeler trails and jeep trails. I did them all with only the rear axle. I only had to back up once and take another run. Once I replace the hub this thing will be unstoppable when the front axle will actually pull.
The ride is great on coils. Reminds me alot of my 1988 rover I used to own. About the same power as well. A 4.0 six verses a 3.5 v8. THe overdrive is great. Way underpowered but I'm used to my Scout. I have 37's on it and i get better milage and it accelerates better. Anyway I'm happy. I wish I could score some flares for this thing. I have a good used set of 33x10.5x15 BFG AT tires I'm putting on.

To do.
Find factory trailer harness
Find and install flares
Find a radio
Fix saggy front springs Maybye 1.5 spacers?
Fix stripped hub and birfield
Put seal kit in the front axle
Recharge the AC
Fix little lights behind the diff lock button and antenna up and down buttons?????


Any help with the above mentioned would be much apprecated.

Oh and the headlights on this badboy are bright as day. Overall I would say I was impressed all the way around.

 

[Montana Cruiser]

Congrats, sounds like a deal @ $1800.

As far as the saggy springs go, dont band-aid with spacers when you could replace the springs with stock height OME's for $148 a pair from Slee.

 

[Tools R Us]

Used OME setups popup in the for sale forum too.

 

[OGBeno]

So your rig doesn't have fender flares?

Is your rig one of the early FJ80's without fender flares? There was a thread about this a while back. I actually love the look of the 80's without the flares. I'd sell ya mine, but then I'd have to come up with the big money for rhino lining the fender flare areas. Trying to save up for a winch.

If I were in your shoes, I'd get in touch with CDan on the boards here...great guy and very knowledgeable about LC's. He's our resident parts guy. Here's how to get in touch with him:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=17873

Tell him you want the front end parts and he'll get you everything you need for a pretty decent price.

Trailer harnesses come and go in the "for Sale" section. You might want to post what you want in the "Wanted" section and folks are generally good about helping out when we can.

You can get good used hubs from www.cruiserparts.net. They have them for $75 IIRC (maybe $100).

Get an upgrade in suspension. It'll be the betst $750 or so you can spend.

Welcome, and post some pictures of your un-fendered 80.

Best.
-onur
Akron, OH

 

[Beowulf]

Find factory trailer harness
Get a Hoppy or Draw-Tite converter.

Find and install flares
You'll just knock them off on the trail. If you insist on replacing, there are specific versions for 91-92, 93-94, and 95-97.

Find a radio
Single din aftermarket is your best bet.

Fix saggy front springs Maybye 1.5 spacers?
OME

Fix stripped hub and birfield
Likely the drive flange. If it is a US spec 80 you have full-time 4WD so even with a bad drive flange you are in 3WD.

Put seal kit in the front axle
Contact C-Dan for a full axle overhaul kit.

Recharge the AC
R12 is expensive so you may want to consider converting to R134A

-B-

 

[CJF]

Fix stripped hub and birfield
Likely the drive flange. If it is a US spec 80 you have full-time 4WD so even with a bad drive flange you are in 3WD.

-

Whatever the problem with the right front, if it's free-wheeling then you've only got 2wd (rear axle, as DJForrestA says) unless you have a front locker. I'm guessing he has to keep the center diff. locked just to be able to move period.

Curtis

 

[DJForrestA]

Exactly. With the center diff open all the power goes out the broken right front hub. In order for it to move at all the center diff has to be locked so half the power goes to the back. THe half up front still just goes out the right front hub. Basically a 4wd without lockers is just a two wheel drive. One tire up front and one in the rear. A two wheel drive pickup is just a one wheel drive without a locker. Torque spins the tire of least resistance unless it is forced to both tires by a locker.

 

[CJF]

Basically a 4wd without lockers is just a two wheel drive.

You mean a 4wd without a blown hub.

What's busted in there anyway; do you know? Are you sure you don't have any nice little metal bits chewing other stuff up?

Curtis

 

[DJForrestA]

Well the birf splines are toast and there wasn't alot of residue when I pulled the flange off. I'm sure the bearings need replaced as well but I'll be replacing all of those when I do the seals and the birf. I found a flange at the wrecking yard for 30 bucks. And a 4wd without lockers only has one front and one back wheel pulling so its really just a 2 wheel drive.