Amateur Overlander (1 Viewer)

[texdoc77]

I introduced myself a little earlier in the week, but I was able to pick up our "new" Land Cruiser yesterday evening. It is a 1995 with sunroof and leather, not sure what trim that makes it. Has 179K miles, which was about as low as I could find without resorting to highway robbery. Paid $10K for it. There was one near me with a little over 70K and I won't lie, it was in pretty good shape, but they were wanting close to $40K and I just could not find the value in that.

It was originally white and it is currently wrapped. I do not absolutely love the wrap, but for now it will protect it and it is in decent shape. My 20yo son does not love it the wrap, but it is not his truck so there you go. Has aftermarket wheels and some cheap all terrains. Tires are a consumable and I will run these until they show themselves to be dangerous (unlikely) or I need new ones. That is a custom roof rack, looks good for now. Will likely use it and see how it fairs. It drives good, transmission seems to shift well, smooth acceleration, though as many have opined, not peppy. My initial impression is that it has a solid foundation, but there are "cosmetic" issues that will need to be addressed. My plan of attack will be to address the "cosmetic" issues based on my own personal needs and how much they cost. I put "cosmetic" in quotations because that catch all includes items that are not important to the working of the vehicle but may not be actually a body or interior issue. For example the leather on the shifter knob wearing is literally and figuratively cosmetic, cruise control not working to me is "cosmetic". And of course cosmetic may be a place for debate. At any rate a list of "cosmetic" issues so far:

steering wheel cover worn
shifter knob worn
drive side door panel loose
passenger side mirror loose
driver and passenger seats need reupholstering
driver side motorized seat not working
cracks in the dash
Transmission shifter icons worn
cruise control no working
climate control buttons finicky
something rattling on passenger side (speaker I think)
Rearview camera not working on aftermarket radio (don't think one was hooked up)
removal of unwanted stickers
carpet needs deep cleaning
whole truck needs a detail

there are likely scores more I will run into but that is the list... for now

it is also out of inspection, the only thing I see there is the blinkers are blinking fast and I think there is a fuse or two out. Will get those fixed, get it inspected and titled in my name here within the next week.

I will also be baselining the vehicle. I have done this on a few vehicles in the past and of course each vehicle has its own list. I will learn the list for the TLC and work at it along with the cosmetic issues. Timing and parts availability will likely dictate what order I do all of this in and of course driving it. I will drive it to work a couple times a week and will also take it out to the ranch and put it through its paces out there.

The ultimate goal for this vehicle will be as an overlanding/long term adventure vehicle for our family. As such reliability will be first and foremost and then I will begin modding it out.

 

[texdoc77]

If a moderator would be so kind to "prefix" this as a build thread I would be most appreciative

 

[texdoc77]

I was able to do some overview things to the TLC this weekend. First things first was just some cleaning and documentation. Kind of like an intake. I took a bunch of photos and then tried to clean things up pretty well. That (IMO) always makes it run better. Then I spent some time addressing some minor but persistent issues which I will detail shortly.

But first some pix:

 

[texdoc77]

And a few more pix...

 

[texdoc77]

First order of business was to clean the battery. There was some corrosion on the terminals.

As you can see here

I utilized my post cleaning tool

Worked it around for several minutes and made sure the contacts were good and replaced the wires.

At this point I noticed an accessory pos and neg to the battery and I followed the wires to see what it was to.

The front light bar. The light bar had a switch to the dash that appeared to work (lights went off and on) but the light bar did not work. So I uninstalled the light bar. I would have likely uninstalled the light bar anyway as I am more of a fan of amber pods here.

Probably a good thing I uninstalled, the nuts were not even finger tight.

 

[texdoc77]

The driver side door panel was loose. A pic above of the door panel can be seen though not that it was loose. At any rate I removed the door panel and tightened a few of the screws on the reinforced paper door panel and then ultimately just had to drill through the inside door pull as the bolt hole had broken off. It is most unsightly, but now the door panel does not rattle and there is little chance of pulling the panel off even more. The door pull will need to be replaced and I am toying with just replacing both door panels, but that seems a little excessive and they are more or less in good shape.

 

[texdoc77]

Finally the passenger side lift gate bolt had been stripped out.

So I installed a rivnut and put the plastic washers and original bolt back in place.

Along with that I shampooed the carpets, conditioned the leather and stripped some aftermarket wood grain decals off the dash. The decals are definitely not as nice as the original and the original are a little suspect in my opinion. I will likely stay with the black under trim for now.

 

[SoTexCruiserDoc]

For an “old” truck with a wrap and worn out seat covers, I’d be interested in the service records or lack therof. Baselining is key, especially in a truck without a well known history. Can always make it pretty…

 

[texdoc77]

For an “old” truck with a wrap and worn out seat covers, I’d be interested in the service records or lack therof. Baselining is key, especially in a truck without a well known history. Can always make it pretty…

Apparently there is some clear coat break down on one of the side panels. The drive side seat is in pretty good shape, the passenger is in terrible shape and will need reupholstered.

All that said there are lots of maintenance records. Lots of oil changes as you might expect. Service records from the local toyota dealership. But yes, getting a good baseline PM schedule will be key. I am struggling a bit to decide who and where I will get parts from. I need to go back and look at a couple of posts to see what others do. I plan to find a dealership that will work with me on parts and ship to me. Does that exist?

 

[manofthewoods]

Apparently there is some clear coat break down on one of the side panels. The drive side seat is in pretty good shape, the passenger is in terrible shape and will need reupholstered.

All that said there are lots of maintenance records. Lots of oil changes as you might expect. Service records from the local toyota dealership. But yes, getting a good baseline PM schedule will be key. I am struggling a bit to decide who and where I will get parts from. I need to go back and look at a couple of posts to see what others do. I plan to find a dealership that will work with me on parts and ship to me. Does that exist?

Welcome to the club.
There are several online Toyota OEM parts sources. I shop several and compare with a spreadsheet. Shipping costs and times can vary.
Serra has a sale coming up, of course after I already placed my order.

On the subject of overlanding, to me that means reliability...
Send a oil sample to Blackstone just to be sure about the engine internals. That's $35 and ~3 week turnaround.

Regardless of miles - I'll be called crazy, but I'd pull the engine. Every job you can imagine is SO much easier. Every little or big rubber piece should be replaced. Hoses, hoses and more hoses. I'd pull the head and refresh that (mostly because of the age of the valve guide seals).
Pulling the engine in the long run will save time, and is not difficult.
I'd give serious consideration to replacing all suspension bushings (OEM for sure). And, all flexible brake lines (5 if memory serves).

For a LC and its reliability, time matters as much as, if not more than miles. Other vehicles? Not so much.

Doing the above "full ass" will let you enjoy overland adventures without worrying. Half ass? You'll do all the same work, in the middle of nowhere in the rain or snow, because stuff don't break just when you're pulling in the garage.
Enjoy the journey

 

[nukegoat]

I thought only 94 and older had the TOYOTA grills

 

[texdoc77]

I thought only 94 and older had the TOYOTA grills

I believe it is an older grill or emblem.

 

[texdoc77]

Welcome to the club.
There are several online Toyota OEM parts sources. I shop several and compare with a spreadsheet. Shipping costs and times can vary.
Serra has a sale coming up, of course after I already placed my order.

On the subject of overlanding, to me that means reliability...
Send a oil sample to Blackstone just to be sure about the engine internals. That's $35 and ~3 week turnaround.

Regardless of miles - I'll be called crazy, but I'd pull the engine. Every job you can imagine is SO much easier. Every little or big rubber piece should be replaced. Hoses, hoses and more hoses. I'd pull the head and refresh that (mostly because of the age of the valve guide seals).
Pulling the engine in the long run will save time, and is not difficult.
I'd give serious consideration to replacing all suspension bushings (OEM for sure). And, all flexible brake lines (5 if memory serves).

For a LC and its reliability, time matters as much as, if not more than miles. Other vehicles? Not so much.

Doing the above "full ass" will let you enjoy overland adventures without worrying. Half ass? You'll do all the same work, in the middle of nowhere in the rain or snow, cause stuff don't break just when you're pulling in the garage.
Enjoy the journey

I am currently waiting on my blackstone oil collection kit.

OK here is a good question for you all. How many would recommend removing the engine? Looking at a couple engine removal threads it seems relatively involved. Will I save all that time back? I do plan on replacing most/all the rubber pieces and might also do the HG. I do most of my work on my own and have not pulled an engine before. I have replaced a head gasket, but have not done any tranny work or pulled/rebuilt an engine. I'm sure I could, I just haven't... yet. Is this the time?

 

[Brindleboxer]

I thought only 94 and older had the TOYOTA grills

His truck has the pre-95 grill and front bumper so a swap occurred at some point in it's life.

 

[CharlieS]

I am currently waiting on my blackstone oil collection kit.

OK here is a good question for you all. How many would recommend removing the engine? Looking at a couple engine removal threads it seems relatively involved. Will I save all that time back? I do plan on replacing most/all the rubber pieces and might also do the HG. I do most of my work on my own and have not pulled an engine before. I have replaced a head gasket, but have not done any tranny work or pulled/rebuilt an engine. I'm sure I could, I just haven't... yet. Is this the time?

I didn't pull mine, but can see the appeal. It is definitely an approach worth considering, but not a trivial thing to do. If I did that route, I'd go whole hog and plan to go through everything in one fell swoop, make sure there aren't any leaks anywhere, and I've done everything imaginable. Leaving things intact you can slowly chip away at work in sections and keep driving it. Pause while you collect parts for the next job, etc. Engine out for me would be a winter project, so it doesn't interfere with wheeling season.

 

[greentruck]

179k is just getting broke in for a 1FZ. And that engine is HEAVY, so you'd need a substantial engine hoist, etc. I'd do the important hoses, drain the cooling system and flush well, and leave it at that for now: radiator hoses, the PHH, the heater valve hoses and whatever looks suspect. Check for good sealing around the radiator and fill with foam and/or Gorilla tape as doing so will lower water temps several degrees. Consider getting some sort of ScanGauge to closely monitor water temps unless you really enjoy doing head gaskets. Inspect the lines to the rear heater for corrosion. There is also a mod for the instrument panel's water temp gauge that does a much better job of keeping track of water temp that can be done.

A new set of plug wires is a good idea if still original. The front pads wear much faster than the rear and that's OK but make sure you still have good ones and the rotors are running true. The brake system will need a flush unless the service records indicate this has been done. The air filter can be cleaned and reused, but might be wise to just R&R unless the records/inspection suggest otherwise.

The OEM Tokico shocks perform well at a reasonable cost, so easy to do. If the ride is suspect a new set of stock height Old Man Emu coils is useful (likrly cheaper than OEM) and with new shocks will greatly improve the ride unless you plan on lots of extra weight soon. Be sure and juice the mounting bolts, especially on the rear, for a few days prior to working on that to save a lot of grief.

If the power antenna is not working, you can replace just the mast to save a bunch of money. If still not working, check the head unit wiring for correct hookup to make it work.

For the seat not working, Gamaviti offers a solution, just be sure to get the drive screws to run in parallel when fixing those gears.


EDIT: Assess the looks of the balls holding the Birfields on the front axle. Nice and greasy is good, but sloppy drippy greasy is a sign you need to service the whole shebang. In any case, still a good idea to pull and grease the front wheel bearings unless you have service records indicating this was done within the last 30k. And check those knuckle nuts are tight.

 

[texdoc77]

179k is just getting broke in for a 1FZ. And that engine is HEAVY, so you'd need a substantial engine hoist, etc. I'd do the important hoses, drain the cooling system and flush well, and leave it at that for now: radiator hoses, the PHH, the heater valve hoses and whatever looks suspect. Check for good sealing around the radiator and fill with foam and/or Gorilla tape as doing so will lower water temps several degrees. Consider getting some sort of ScanGauge to closely monitor water temps unless you really enjoy doing head gaskets. Inspect the lines to the rear heater for corrosion. There is also a mod for the instrument panel's water temp gauge that does a much better job of keeping track of water temp that can be done.

A new set of plug wires is a good idea if still original. The front pads wear much faster than the rear and that's OK but make sure you still have good ones and the rotors are running true. The brake system will need a flush unless the service records indicate this has been done. The air filter can be cleaned and reused, but might be wise to just R&R unless the records/inspection suggest otherwise.

The OEM Tokico shocks perform well at a reasonable cost, so easy to do. If the ride is suspect a new set of stock height Old Man Emu coils is useful (likrly cheaper than OEM) and with new shocks will greatly improve the ride unless you plan on lots of extra weight soon. Be sure and juice the mounting bolts, especially on the rear, for a few days prior to working on that to save a lot of grief.

If the power antenna is not working, you can replace just the mast to save a bunch of money. If still not working, check the head unit wiring for correct hookup to make it work.

For the seat not working, Gamaviti offers a solution, just be sure to get the drive screws to run in parallel when fixing those gears.


EDIT: Assess the looks of the balls holding the Birfields on the front axle. Nice and greasy is good, but sloppy drippy greasy is a sign you need to service the whole shebang. In any case, still a good idea to pull and grease the front wheel bearings unless you have service records indicating this was done within the last 30k. And check those knuckle nuts are tight.

Awesome information, thank you! I am reviewing the service records to see what all was done and then will make a check list. Everything you have in the first couple paragraphs is on the list. It rides well for now, but I will be adding a suspension lift and will likely get the front and rear diffs rebuilt along with all 4 hubs/knuckles. Will likely need new drive shafts as well as brake lines and plan to get all that done at the same time.

 

[texdoc77]

Awesome information, thank you! I am reviewing the service records to see what all was done and then will make a check list. Everything you have in the first couple paragraphs is on the list. It rides well for now, but I will be adding a suspension lift and will likely get the front and rear diffs rebuilt along with all 4 hubs/knuckles. Will likely need new drive shafts as well as brake lines and plan to get all that done at the same time.

 

[texdoc77]

So I broke the front windshield last night. I was replacing the wipers and pulled too hard and the wiper gave and my elbow hit the windshield and well here you go:

I mean there were a couple chips in the glass already so I had planned to eventually replace it, but this may move the timeline up a bit if I decide to drive it around. In related news my elbow hurts today.

However, I did get a little something in the mail today...

So I will be collecting some oil and sending it off this weekend. I will be spending some time this week collecting everything I need to flush and clean all the fluids in the truck this weekend.

 

[Brindleboxer]

When you replace the windshield talk to the installer and ensure they know how to install correctly. I would assists this process by printing out the procedures from the FSM and reviewing with and providing to them.