80 Series Safety

[Flank]

I would not hesitate to put a good car seat with kids in a well maintained 80 - I've had three kids in it. I would not recommend trying to shoehorn three carseats, but.... it can be done. The 80 is now 20+ years old and newer cars have more safety stuff built in, true enough. But the year my 95 was build, the 80 series sat at the TOP of the IIHS ratings for safety based on numbers of injuries reported in TLCs versus other makes and models. This did not account for types of accidents, only whether or not there were injuries. 9 times out of 10 bigger vehicle wins, and the 80 is big. I actually researched this in depth when some POS troll tried to drop that an Accord was safer to drive than an 80 like 7 or so years back.

There is no LATCH system on any 80. So no, not a good choice for a child in a car seat.
High center of gravity, easy rollover.
Very poor brakes compared to newer cars.

Lots of blanket statements here, and having owned my 80 for over 8 years and raised three kids in it, I disagree with ALL of them.
It really annoys me when people throw out blanket "conventional wisdom" which is often uneducated drivel.

-No latch system, TRUE. But the 80 belts have locks built in for child seats. Learn how to install then properly and they are just as good as latch, if not as convenient.
-80s are stable and very heavy in general. In my experience, it is a much or more stable to drive than my two previous Chevy Tahoes. (2000 and 2002) Easy rollover? BS. Cite your evidence.
-Very poor Brakes? BS - when well maintained, the 80s brakes are very good. Compared to WHICH newer cars? Lots of cars have crap brakes. I've panic stopped in the fast lane at 80MPH in my 80 when I was sure that I was about to become a statistic after a (no Sh!#) axle and wheel popped off a car ahead of me in Las Vegas on the 94/95. I watched the carnage ensue but by the grace of God and the 80's brakes, I was not part of it.
If you maintain your vehicle, it is much safer than if you don't. Bad brake maintenance, old shocks, and worn tires will act to the detriment of ANY car. 80s are not immune from this but are very safe when maintained.

 

[Dragos80]

If you drive semis for a living, then the 80 seems to stop on a dime for you.

 

[Flank]

If you drive semis for a living, then the 80 seems to stop on a dime for you.

I don't even know where that came from. So, Good comment.

 

[Dragos80]

From here:

-Very poor Brakes? BS - when well maintained, the 80s brakes are very good. Compared to WHICH newer cars? Lots of cars have crap brakes. I've panic stopped in the fast lane at 80MPH in my 80 when I was sure that I was about to become a statistic after a (no Sh!#) axle and wheel popped off a car ahead of me in Las Vegas on the 94/95.

You cannot say with a straight face any 80 on this planet has good stopping power. This entire forum is in search of the Holy Grail of better brakes for our cars.
If you don't drive a big rig, then maybe in Need for Speed a TLC 80 has really good brakes.

 

[zona]

I have a 1 yr old and 3yr old, I have them in their respective child seats and have added front and rear aftermarket bumpers--i feel this adds to the overall safety.

Zona

 

[Dragos80]

Custom made bumpers don't absorb the impact as they should. They will transmit the forces to the rest of the car and the occupants.

 

[Flank]

From here:




You cannot say with a straight face any 80 on this planet has good stopping power. This entire forum is in search of the Holy Grail of better brakes for our cars.
If you don't drive a big rig, then maybe in Need for Speed a TLC 80 has really good brakes.

Actually, I can and I do.
And no, the entire forum is not in search of better brakes. In fact, I could probably pull up two dozen threads (or 10x that...) with members touting that they only replace their braking components with OEM. There are some the want better, as there are some that want better on Porsche, BMW, Mazda, and other enthusiast forums. For some the 1FZ is perfect for their needs, some want a SC or a turbo or an LT1...

For you to say that an 80 is not safe as a blanket statement for car seats, is prone to rollover versus other vehicles and stops poorly (compared to what other 5500lb vehicle?..) and basically is unsafe to hold a child is an unsubstantiated opinion and defies 25 years of experience from other 80 series owners.

 

[Dragos80]

Yes the weight plays a huge role in the braking capability if this truck.
It is heavy and it came with under engineered brakes.

I can out brake any 80 on this planet with a lot of other cars which are very safe in a collision.

 

[Flank]

Blah blah blah. Way to add to the tech. Good show. You got me. The 80s suck, they are unsafe, and anyone who dares to transport a child in one is basically indictable for child endangerment. Talk to my attorney, Bob Loblaw, Esq.

 

[Whileemptyheadsdream]

An 80 will be fine for your Family, Just remember the most Important safty feature Is You, the choices you make and your ability to see the Unwise choices others are about to make. Good Luck...!

 

[bwakeling]

I take my little guy in the 80 all the time. I feel perfectly safe. I find the brakes are more than enough...not big brake kit stopping power but I also drive it like the tank it is....slow and leave lots of room. One really important piece is what do you have in your trunk, do you carry pets etc. I also attach my dog in his harness to the 3rd row seat belt. Thought I read a stat somewhere that more people are killed by passengers not wearing seatbelts and smashing into the other people than the crash impact itself.

 

[Comet]

Man, don't do that! Now I have to drive down to North Carolina and buy that out from under you. The 100 series has the v8 and more safety features than the 80. The 80 just screams awesome though. It really comes down to personal choice. I passed on Land Cruiser 40, 60, 62 models because I was driving a lot of freeway miles. The 80 was the only land cruiser I could afford at the time. Little did I realize how much I would love it. Not because of its freeway manners but the fact that it goes anywhere I point it offroad (without lockers). I envy your situation. If it were me, I would get a 200 series and have the best of all worlds. For now, my 80 is the fit for me. Good luck in your search.

 

[Bella1992]

Our first 80 was a'92 FJ80. Stupid slow, but safely transported my then 3 and 5 year old kiddos. Graduated to the FZJ80 3 years ago, and I routinely take at least two kids (sometimes up to four kids) out every weekend to go four wheeling. Use seatbelts and use your head.

 

[ZackR]

I take my little guy in the 80 all the time. I feel perfectly safe. I find the brakes are more than enough...not big brake kit stopping power but I also drive it like the tank it is....slow and leave lots of room. One really important piece is what do you have in your trunk, do you carry pets etc. I also attach my dog in his harness to the 3rd row seat belt. Thought I read a stat somewhere that more people are killed by passengers not wearing seatbelts and smashing into the other people than the crash impact itself.

^^^ This. I also drive mine slow and leave lots of room. Its a large utility truck not a sports car. The braking ability in a panic stop is a joke compared to my BMW's but it's fine for a 20 year old truck. I also keep stuff in the back strapped down as much as possible.

 

[half k cruiser]

From here:




You cannot say with a straight face any 80 on this planet has good stopping power. This entire forum is in search of the Holy Grail of better brakes for our cars.
If you don't drive a big rig, then maybe in Need for Speed a TLC 80 has really good brakes.

I think a lot of people on here would say that. Both of my 80's stop very well, my wife's 94 with 285's on it stops exceptionally well for a big SUV. Most of the people on here searching for the holy grail of brakes don't have a properly functioning factory system. As far as under engineered, I don't feel that either. Both of my trucks rolled from the factory with 4 piston caliper fronts when the industry standard seems to be a two piston. In any case, the brakes work as well as anything else on the road that's not a sports car, I feel plenty safe with them.

 

[Dragos80]

A heavy vehicle demands bigger brakes. This does not have them.
Stopping distance it's the standard in measuring the effectiveness of a braking system. 80's are dismal at best.
I live in LA. The flow of traffic can go from 70 to 0 in a split of a second. People cut you off all the time and for no reason will slam on the brakes because the saw a blue car next to them.
Out in the desert any 80 will do very well.

 

[toyotaspeed90]

Traffic doesn't go from 70 to 0 without indication - part of driving is "driving ahead".... not watching the car in front of you, or the car in front of them (which is what most drivers do).... should be watching what traffic is doing as far out as you can see, and driving with cars around you using your peripherals, not the other way around.

The 80 actually makes this easy, as I mentioned earlier. It provides excellent visibility of traffic around and ahead of you.

As for stock vs aftermarket bumpers on a truck or frame SUV (small car is different), there isn't a comparison in "safety" because neither stock nor aftermarket have crumple zones and are bolted or tied directly into the frame.

I find it interesting that the person saying how poorly the aftermarket bumpers offer safety and how unsafe the brakes are, has a modified 80...

Most new cars (and I was thinking about this yesterday when I was in the 2014 Prius C we have) have horrible blind spots and even terribly placed A pillars. Visibility of traffic is terrible. There was also a news article being read on the radio pertaining to a possible 30M MORE airbags being recalled.... how often are we hearing about recalls pertaining to safety? There's so much "technology" that makes it into new cars that in some ways, there's a lot of false protections.

Like I said earlier - the best "safety feature" is an attentive driver.

 

[120mm]

A heavy vehicle demands bigger brakes. This does not have them.
Stopping distance it's the standard in measuring the effectiveness of a braking system. 80's are dismal at best.
I live in LA. The flow of traffic can go from 70 to 0 in a split of a second. People cut you off all the time and for no reason will slam on the brakes because the saw a blue car next to them.
Out in the desert any 80 will do very well.

Living in LA is more dangerous than driving a Series 80. So your logic is screwed up to begin with. And I agree. You must suck at driving if you cannot anticipate traffic flow.

I own a 1967 Mustang convertible and have owned a sidecar motorcycle. Both are basically unsurvivable in a crash.

But you know what? My children carry the memory of riding in both as one of their most cherished life happenings.

Living life is about trading risk for experience. Only contemptible people try to live in a bubble, safe from everything.

 

[half k cruiser]

So anybody have the stopping distance figures for an 80......anybody...... @Dragos80 ?

 

[Flank]

A heavy vehicle demands bigger brakes. This does not have them.
Stopping distance it's the standard in measuring the effectiveness of a braking system. 80's are dismal at best.
I live in LA. The flow of traffic can go from 70 to 0 in a split of a second. People cut you off all the time and for no reason will slam on the brakes because the saw a blue car next to them.
Out in the desert any 80 will do very well.

F'NA LET IT GO MAN.

WE REALIZE YOU HATE THE 80S BRAKES AND THINK IT IS AN UNSAFE VEHICLE, YOUR OPINION IS NOTED, GIVE IT A REST. WE GET THAT YOU DON'T THINK KIDS SHOULD BE IN AN 80. THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE THAT DISAGREE WITH YOU AND HAVE PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE TO BACK IT UP.

THE BEST CARS IN THE WORLD WITH THE BEST BRAKES IN THE WORLD HAVE BEEN WRECKED. PLENTY OF 80S HAVE STOPPED VERY WELL.
YOUR ARGUMENTS ARE POINTLESS CRAP THAT YOU HAVE NOT THOUGHT OUT OR BACKED UP WITH ANY REAL LOGIC.

It is my professional opinion that you never drive an 80 or any other large vehicle on public roads, because you can't handle it. Tens of thousands of other drivers apparently can.